Our Lady of the Rosary’s annual Giving Tree project will, like last year, support Crozet area adults who receive developmental disability and mental health services from the Region Ten Community Services Board. These adults could benefit from and would greatly appreciate Christmas gift cards that would allow them to do their own Christmas shopping. From now through December 5th, OLR parishioners are invited to support this important parish outreach project through monetary donations submitted via the OLR online giving option “WeShare/Gift Cards for Region Ten,” the Sunday offertory basket, or brought or mailed to the parish office in the Blue Goose building. Please make checks payable to Our Lady of the Rosary, indicating “Gift Cards for Region Ten” in the check memo line. If contributing with cash, please place your donation in an envelope labeled “Gift Cards for Region Ten.” The OLR Social Outreach Ministry team extends its heartfelt gratitude to our parishioners for their continued generosity and compassion for needy Crozet adults. Questions? Please email ministry co-chairs Terry Burton, Joan Hodskins, and Mary Ann Marinchick at socialministry@olr.org

This year the Toy Lift is Dec. 3rd and is partnering with local toy stores! Shenanigans and Alakazam Toys are offering special discounts when you shop for Toy Lift toys from either their website or in store! Click HERE to go to Toy Lift webpage and store links. Use the code TOYLIFT on either site when shopping to receive a 10% discount! Toy Lift locations include: Cardinal Home Store in Crozet 7 am – 5 pm Fashion Square Mall 7 am – 8 pm Atlantic Union Bank on Pantops 7 am – 5 pm Studio chassé in Fluvanna 7 am – 5 pm https://toylift.org/

International Neighbors (IN) is partnering with Twice Is Nice, a donation based boutique servicing the needs of the Charlottsville/Albemarle community. They feature men’s and women’s clothing, accessories, collectibles, home décor, and furnishings donated by our local community. If you make an in kind donation to Twice Is Nice and tell them you're donating on behalf of International Neighbors, Twice Is Nice will then provide vouchers to the IN that the refugee neighbors can use when IN takes them to shop for necessary items. For larger in kind donations like cars and bikes and cribs, please reach out to IN as they have families in need of those items as well.

People in Crozet have plenty to be grateful for this season, thanks to the local churches that show huge energy and commitment directed at feeding everyone who struggles to put enough food on their tables. It’s a year-round, ecumenical effort, but it comes into sharp focus during the holidays. The project, which is also supported by the Crozet Catholic mission, is presently most in need of stove top stuffing, large cans of sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce and instant mashed potatoes, said Brenda Johnson, one of the mission team leaders.

The deadline for contributing food or monetary donations for Crozet Baptist Church’s Share the Blessing Thanksgiving food drive was Sunday Nov.7 at Crozet Baptist. There are still opportunities to volunteer for food distribution on November 20th at CBC. Sign up links can be found below, the bulletin or on the Crozet Baptist Church website. If you are interested in volunteering your time to pack or distribute the food, please register at the following CBC SignUpGenius links: Pick-Up Day, Nov. 20: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805054AACA622A5F94-meal1

Msgr. Keeney's priestly service includes parishes and diocese.

When Bishop Barry C. Knestout visited Crozet on Sunday, Oct. 4, to celebrate Mass and officially name the Catholic community Our Lady of the Rosary mission, the event marked the fruition of years of planning and hope.

On Sunday, Oct. 4, Bishop Knestout traveled to Crozet, where he officially named the existing Crozet Catholic Community to Our Lady of the Rosary in honor of the upcoming feast of Our Lady of the Rosary on Oct. 7. He celebrated 1:30 p.m. Mass at the Crozet Baptist Church, which the community has been using the building since March due to COVID-19 restrictions. Following Mass, Bishop Knestout and about 40 members of the community walked to a site where they hope they will one day purchase land to build a church.

Crozet’s young Catholic Parish, Our Lady of the Rosary, has made what its pastor, Monsignor Timothy Keeney, calls “a first step” toward realizing the long-held dream of building a church in Crozet. The parish has signed a contract to purchase more than 19 acres of undeveloped land on Buck Road just north of its intersection with Railroad Avenue. Keeney said the final purchase depends on appropriate approvals from Albemarle County. (Scroll to read full story on the Crozet Gazette)