Saint Columba's Oktoberfest & Chili Cook-Off Contest!

Saturday, October 24, 2026 | Beginning at 5:00 p.m.

One of the highlights of our parish year is just around the corner! Join us on Saturday, October 24, for Saint Columba's Oktoberfest & Chili Cook-Off, an evening filled with great food, friendly competition, music, games, and wonderful fellowship for all ages!

We'll kick off the festivities at 5:00 p.m. with our 19th Annual Chili Cook-Off! Parishioners will compete for the coveted title of “Best Chili in the Parish,” the prized Chili Cook-Off apron, and, of course, a full year of bragging rights! Everyone is invited to sample the entries and cast a vote for their favorite chili between 5:00 and 5:30 p.m., with the winner announced around 7:00 p.m.

Think your chili has what it takes? Bring your best batch in a crockpot to the parish by 4:45 p.m. and join the competition!

At 5:30 p.m., the Knights of Columba will begin serving a delicious Oktoberfest dinner, and the fun will continue throughout the evening. This year's festivities will include:

• NEW! Parish-Wide Scavenger Hunt — A fun adventure for all ages!

• Cornhole Tournament — Bring your competitive spirit and compete for prizes!

• College Football on the Big Screens — Catch the games on our large outdoor screens.

• Games & Bounce House — Plenty of fun for children and families.

• Music & Fellowship — Enjoy a relaxing autumn evening with friends, old and new.

• Bonfire & S'mores — Gather around the fire for a favorite fall tradition!

Our annual Oktoberfest is always one of the most anticipated gatherings of the fall—a wonderful opportunity to enjoy time together, strengthen friendships, and welcome new faces into our parish family.

So bring your family, invite your friends and neighbors, and come enjoy an evening of food, fun, and fellowship at Saint Columba's! There's something for everyone, and we can't wait to see you there!

• Click Here to enter the Chili Cook-Off

Blessing of the Animals

Sunday, October 4 • 5:00 pm

Bring your furry, feathered, and four-legged friends and join us for our annual Blessing of the Animals as we celebrate the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi!

This joyful outdoor Mass is a wonderful opportunity to give thanks for the animals who share our lives and for the gift of all God’s creation. During the service, each pet will have an opportunity to receive an individual blessing.

All are welcome—parishioners, neighbors, friends, and pets of every shape and size! For everyone’s comfort and safety, please bring pets on a leash or securely in a carrier.

We’ll gather outdoors, weather permitting, at 5:00 pm on October 4. Come celebrate St. Francis, give thanks for the creatures we love, and let your pets receive a blessing!

Rally Sunday — September 13

Join your fellow parishioners on Sunday, September 13, for Rally Sunday as we celebrate the beginning of a new year of Sunday formation at St. Columba’s!

We’ll begin with a festive parish breakfast from 8:30–10:15 a.m., followed by a Sunday School Open House from 9:30–10:00 a.m. Come see our classrooms, learn more about Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, and hear a preview of what’s planned for Adult Formation this fall.

Sunday School and Adult Formation classes officially begin September 20.

Please note that we’re switching the usual third-Sunday parish breakfast this month: breakfast will be September 13 for Rally Sunday, and classes will begin September 20.

Come for breakfast, explore what’s ahead, and help us kick off a wonderful new year of learning, fellowship, and growing together in faith!

Join us on Sunday, May 17th for a very special day at St Columba's! Bishop Wright will be with us. This Sunday will also be when several make their first Holy Communion and then Bishop Wright will confirm and receive high school and adults into the Church. Per the Bishop's request, we will combine our morning into ONE MASS only at 10:30 am.

After church, stay for a festive Parish Luau. We'll have delicious Hawaiian chicken, delicious side dishes and desserts. Weather permitting we'll enjoy the afternoon under tents on the lawn with music, games, and fellowship.

We are asking for volunteers to help with the Luau:

• Click Here to bring a side dish. Please use the recipe link for bean salad or Hawaiian cole slaw dishes.

• Click Here to volunteer to help with set up.

We warmly invite you to join the clergy, Vestry, and Welcome Team of St Columba’s next Sunday (4/26) at 11:30 am for a special luncheon for anyone who is new to the parish, visiting and exploring a church home, or who may have been part of St Columba’s for a while and simply interested in learning more about the life and ministries of our community.

Come enjoy delicious food, friendly conversation, and the opportunity to meet new people in a relaxed and welcoming setting. Whether you have been attending for a few weeks or are visiting for the first time, this is a wonderful chance to learn more about the parish, ask questions, and discover ways to get involved.

Click Here for more information and/or to sign up to attend.

Please join us for Holy Week and Easter.

Click Here for the full schedule

Click Here for a description of the liturgies

Join us on Sunday, March 15 for our annual Fish-N-Chips parish dinner.  We will be serving baskets of authentic English fish-n-chips, dessert, and a variety of beverages.  Come for a delicious meal and festive celebration.  Our fish and chip baskets have become legendary and have received "taste of Columba" awards! Seriously, the dinner is unbelievably tasty; you do not want to miss out.

The event is being hosted by our Knights of Columba and our EYC. It will be a delightful evening for the whole parish and your invited guests!   Space is limited - so register early!  Invite your friends!  The cost is $30 per person, but will increase to $35 after 8th March. We also have a "table reservation rate" this year. Tables seat 8 people. If you reserve a table, you get one free ticket ($210/table, instead of $240). For children who would prefer chicken tenders instead of fish, there is an option for chicken tenders for $5 (increasing to $10 after 3/8). This is an important fundraiser for the parish, and it’s an excellent opportunity to invite family and friends to St Columba’s!

If you are registering multiple people, please include their name at the start of registration. If you do not yet know who will be accompanying you, enter "guest 1, guest 2, etc" as a place holder for ticket purchases.

Registration Deadline is midnight on Thursday, 12 March.

We begin our season of Lent with Ash Wednesday’s liturgy of penance, prayer, and the imposition of ashes. We will have three liturgies on Ash Wednesday, and the church will be open for prayer throughout the day.

• 7.00 am - This short service includes imposition of ashes and concludes by 7:25 am. It does not include Mass. It is designed for those commuting to work or on their way to school.

• 12 noon - This said Mass includes the Imposition of Ashes and lasts approximately 45 minutes.

• 7.00 pm - This is our principal liturgy for Ash Wednesday. It is a fully sung Mass with choir, hymns, as well as the imposition of ashes.

Join us for the traditional Shrove Tuesday pancake supper. On the eve of our season of Lent, churches around the world gather to bid farewell to our alleluias and prepare for our forty-day journey of penance, fasting, and prayer. The night before Ash Wednesday it has become a tradition to gather for a festive meal, usually a pancake supper with a Mardi Gras flare.

The Youth Group partners with our Knights of Columba to make a delicious pancake supper with all the trimmings. There will be bingo, pancake races, and more. At the end of the evening, we'll burn the palms from last year to make the ashes for our Ash Wednesday liturgy. Don't forget to drop off your palms from last year’s Palm Sunday on the Sundays in February, or you can bring them with you when you come for the Pancake Supper. All are welcome!

The Guild of St. Rose is excited to once again sponsor our annual “Rose Sunday Bake Sale.” This Advent tradition is a great way to get delicious homemade treats for your holiday celebrations and possibly even gifts for family and friends. Parishioners join in baking pies, cakes, candies, and treats that the Guild of St Rose sells on the 3rd Sunday of Advent. This Sunday in Advent is called “Gaudete” from the Latin introit calling us to “rejoice.” What better way than to rejoice with fellow parishioners and friends as we support the ministries of the parish. This is always a great deal of fun and perfect way to set the holiday spirit as we look toward the joy of Christmastide.

On Friday, December 12, 7:00-10:00 pm, join fellow parishioners at the home of Jason and Dani Startt for fun and fellowship as we wait in joyful anticipation our celebration of the birth of our Lord. It’s our annual “It’s Not Yet Christmas” Christmas Party! Drinks and hors d'oeuvres will be served, but feel free to bring an appetizer to share. Dress is casual and all are welcome. Full details and address are in the Parish Post e-newsletter and Sunday Bulletin. Call the parish office with any questions or more details, 770-888-4464.

St Columba's will hold a "Kirkin’ o’ the Tartans” during the 10:30 am service on Sunday, December 7. Everyone is invited to wear or bring their family tartan and we will bless these during Mass. We are coordinating once again with the Saint Andrews Society who will provide banners of tartans for our procession and, for our procession, a bagpiper will lead us to make our morning celebration joy-filled and festive! We'll end the morning with a reception to continue our celebration after Mass. “Kirk” is the Scottish word for “church.” The “Kirkin’ o’ the Tartans” is the presentation of a Scottish clan or family’s tartan at church for a blessing and is generally considered a rededication to God’s service. Join us for this wonderful tradition and celebration of God’s blessing.

Begin the holy season of Advent with a morning filled with Scripture, hymnody, laughter, and prayer. Our Advent Event invites you to step into this sacred time with open hearts as together we explore what God may be speaking to us—beyond the watching and waiting—and into the joy of His eternal, redeeming love.

Come be renewed, inspired, and prepared for the coming of Christ. All are welcome.

Click here for more information and to register.

High Mass of Requiem | Wednesday, 5 November | 7.00 pm

The Solemnity of All Souls is the day on which the Church prays for all the faithful departed, those who await that day when they will join with the company of all the saints. This solemnity reminds us all that even after death, we are linked with our loved ones and fellow travelers in an unbroken line of faith, hope, and love. This annual Requiem Mass gives us the opportunity to strengthen that bond.

Please plan to join us for this beautiful Choral Mass. A reception follows Mass.

Our 18th Annual Fall Festival is just around the corner! We'll have a return of our a Halloween Trunk or Treat! Come and join us for the "Chili Cook-Off Contest" at the Fall Festival on October 25th. It’s a friendly competition among parishioners to see who can make the best chili and win the coveted "Best Chili in the Parish" apron.

We'll have great food - an Octoberfest themed meal hosted by the Knights of Columba. You're invited to bring a side or dessert if you'd like. Of course there will be chili to go with the dinner. Throughout the afternoon, we'll have games for the whole family.

The Chili Tasting will kick off at 5 pm, with the votes being counted and the winner announced at 7 pm. As an exciting addition to this year’s Festival, we’ll also be hosting a ministry fair called "Trunk or Treat" for Halloween. Our ministries will have decorated cars and plenty of candy for trick or treaters from the neighborhood to enjoy. Our Fall Festival promises to be a day filled with fun for everyone of all ages!

• Trunk or Treat

• Chili Cook-Off

• Games & Prizes

• Movie on the Lawn

• Bonfire

• Octoberfest Dinner & More

>> Click Here to enter the chili tasting contest

One of the major feast days of the liturgical year is the Feast of the Assumption of St Mary the Virgin. Officially occurring on August 15, by tradition we keep this feast on the closest Sunday. We will celebrate the Feast of the Assumption on Sunday, August 17th.

• 8:00 am - Rite I Low Mass

• 10:30 am - Festive Choral Mass

Almighty God, who looked upon the lowliness of the Blessed Virgin Mary and chose her to be the mother of your only Son: grant that we who are redeemed by his blood may share with her in the glory of your eternal kingdom; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Join us for Father’s Day Parish Breakfast!

Every year, the women of the parish step into the kitchen on Father's Day to give the Knights of Columba the morning off, and it is the women of our parish who take over, preparing our 3rd Sunday parish breakfast. Breakfast will be served from 8:45 am until 10:15 am; all are welcome!

We are looking forward to a great Father's Day celebration. 

Hula on over on Sunday, May 18th for our Parish Luau! We'll celebrate our Sunday school teachers and a great year of formation, as we continue our thanksgiving for our youth ministry programs. After the 10:30 Mass, we'll have a parish luau on the lawn. We'll have luau games, enjoy some great Hawaiian food, and bask in the fellowship of fellow church friends. It will be a wonderful afternoon on the lawn. All are invited, and bring a neighbor or a family friend!

If you'd like to help with the luau food, set up, or celebration, click one of the links below. Most of the food is covered, but a few side dishes are still needed. We would love to have some help getting things set up for the weekend. We'll gather on Sunday morning before Mass (9:15-10:15) to set up tents/tables. Then we'll have three shifts during the Luau (prep kitchen for buffet, serve, and then wrap up/break down).

• Click Here if you’d like to help set-up and/or serve during the Luau.

• Click Here if you’d like to help with the food, bringing a side dish or dessert.

Our celebration of youth ministry and baccalaureate service will be Sunday, 11 May at 10.30 am. We'll recognize all high school and college graduating seniors that morning and our high school graduating seniors will be preaching 10.30 Mass that morning. A reception for our graduates will take place immediately following Mass.

Join us on Sunday, March 23 for our annual Fish-N-Chips parish dinner in am English Pub-style set up.  We will be serving baskets of authentic English fish-n-chips, dessert, and a variety of beverages.  Come for a delicious meal and festive celebration.  Our fish and chip baskets have become legendary and have received "taste of Columba" awards! Seriously, the dinner is unbelievably tasty; you do not want to miss out.

The event is being hosted by our Knights of Columba and our EYC. It will be a delightful evening for the whole parish and your invited guests!   Space is limited - so register early!  There will be just one seating this year: we are expanding our capacity so that everyone can eat together. Invite your friends!  The cost is $35 per person, but will have a $5 early-bird discount if you register before the 16th!  

Registration Deadline is midnight on Thursday, 20th March.

https://tinyurl.com/ColumbaGala