Click HERE to give to Father Hipwell's parish-wide retirement gift

Click HERE to register for Father Hipwell's farewell dinner at Mancini's

Click HERE to register for the Picnic on the Plaza

Click HERE to volunteer at the Picnic on the Plaza

Click HERE to pay your 2023 dues

Gentlemen,

As this year’s President of the Nativity Men’s Club, I’d like to personally invite all men of Nativity, but particularly those with young children in the school, to get involved with our Brotherhood. The Men’s Club is a service and social organization dating to the parish’s founding. Every male parishioner at Nativity is a member of the Men’s Club; a rule that was established by former chaplain, Monsignor Steiner. We provide support to the Church, School, and Early Learning Center. Our motto, and watchword, is Pro Liberis, or "For the Children.”
 
Ask anyone who’s been around Nativity for a while about a Men's Club event, and there's a good chance you’ll see a grin on their face. Whether it's the Sport Shirt Stag, the Tree Lot, a Fish Fry, or a monthly board meeting, we do enjoy our camaraderie.
 
We are also deeply rooted in our faith and steadfast in our mission of furthering Catholic education for the children of Nativity.  Our theme for this year is We’re Looking for 100 Good Men.  We need many hands for our events to be successful, and we’re making a special appeal to guys who have never worked at one of our events.

Come to a meeting, pull a shift at the tree lot, run a wreath delivery route, work at Donut Sunday, come to the Stag, or help with our Lenten Fish Frys.  We find that guys who show up for an event once, usually like what they see and come back again.  You’ll also find that it’s a lot of fun that you’ll meet other guys from the school and parish.  What you’ll also find is that through our efforts we raise a ton of money that goes straight back to the children of Nativity through things like new technology, Kinder Camp, Summer Sports, Athletics and of course, our biggest beneficiary, the Scholarship Fund. 

On a personal note, my wife Sandy, has said many times that if I were ever away on business, and an emergency happened at home, she knew there was always a group of guys from the NMC that she could call to help with whatever was needed.  That’s the Nativity Men’s Club – we’re guys who show up, whenever asked, no matter the reason.
 
We also do not forget that the Men’s Club is more about fellowship and connecting parishioners than fundraising. Mike Skillrud, former Men’s Club President and native of the Saint Cloud area, says that if you’re not a Nativity-lifer, not a graduate of CDH or STA and not related to half the parish, the Men’s Club is a great way to meet people and make lifelong friends. In fact, most of our board members are guys who are not Nativity or St. Paul natives.  Bishop Peter Christensen, our former Chaplain, said the Men’s Club imitates the acts of the Apostles in their work and is a place at the parish for guys who may not see another way to get involved.
 
Finally, the late Fr. Bill Bear, talking about the importance of fathers attending church, said, "The most import factor in determining whether children will grow up to be active, Mass attending, Catholics is whether their fathers attend Mass. The Nativity Men’s Club is a model organization of keeping men involved and active in the Church."  By getting involved in the Men’s Club, you’ll be setting an outstanding example for your sons and daughters about what it means to be a Catholic man.

In NMC parlance, this coming year is going to be HUGE!  We have many, many ways to get involved.  Everyone is welcome and all hands are needed.  Please mark your calendars for our Annual Kick Off Meeting and Pig Roast, Thursday, September 8^th on the Rectory patio.  Dinner and beverages will be served, and it will be a great way to learn more about our many endeavors and get involved.  I look forward to seeing you there!

Pro Liberis,

Tom Audette
Nativity Men’s Club 2022-23 President