Sisters of St. Francis Campus Programs and Events for Nov – Dec 2023
Tuesday, November 7, 14, 21, 28; December 5, 12, 19, 26 (6:00-7:00pm) – Yoga Classes at St. Francis Spirituality Center (Lower Level), 200 St. Francis Ave., Tiffin.
Limited: 10 participants. Beginners are welcome. Suggested Donation of $7/ session. Call Sr. Paulette for Schroeder at 567-230-0220 to register.
Wednesdays, November 8 (6:00-7:00pm) Autumn Centering Prayer offered by St. Francis Spirituality Center on the St. Francis Campus, 200 St. Francis Ave., Tiffin.
Bring a lawn chair and join us around the fire for a time of centering prayer, a receptive method of silent prayer. A period of lectio divina (sacred reading) on spiritual themes related to the season will be included. Those new to centering prayer are welcome.
Program will be led by Jerry Schmidt, a Tiffin Franciscan Associate & Laudato Si’ Animator. Gather on the Convent East Lawn, located by the Convent Archway (weather permitting). In the event of inclement weather, meet at the St. Francis Spirituality Center Chapel.
Free will offering. Registration preferred at peace@franciscanretreats.org or 419-443-1485.
Saturday, November 18 (9:00am-Noon) Oasis Day Mini Retreat – Mary and Martha: Models of Balance for Advent and Christmas at St. Francis Spirituality Center, 200 St Francis Ave, Tiffin.
Come away to prepare for Advent and Christmas using Mary and Martha as models of work/prayer balance for the holidays. Using Scripture, prayer, personal reflection, and small group sharing, come to a deeper understanding of how we are called to emulate Mary and Martha in our busy lives.
Presenter: Linda Haas, an associate of the Tiffin Franciscans for almost thirty years, will lead this Mini-Retreat. Linda is a wife, mother, retired teacher, and a trained Spiritual Director with a master’s degree in Pastoral Studies. She leads retreats on eco-spirituality, St. Clare, and Mary and Martha.
Offered In person or by Zoom. $15 retreat only; $27 retreat + noon meal. Register by Nov. 13 at 419-443-1485 or peace@franciscanretreats.org
St. Francis Spirituality Center’s 2024 “Christmas 365 Raffle” tickets are available starting October 1st. Support the work of healing, reconciliation, and renewal while participating in a fun raffle fundraiser with cash prizes! Purchase a ticket to be entered into the raffle for a chance to win cash prizes valued between $200-$500! A winner’s name will be drawn on the 25th day of each month during 2024 beginning January 25th. There will be two $500 drawings on Dec. 25th. Tickets are $10 each or 6 for $50 and will be on sale from Oct. 1, 2023 – Sept. 1, 2024. Buy online and be eligible for bonus entries. Tickets will be sold through our website www.franciscans.org and at other community events. All proceeds will be used for programming at St. Francis Spirituality Center . . . an oasis of Healing, Reconciliation, and Renewal. For questions, call 419-443-1485.
Fresh Eggs for Sale at the Seeds of Hope Farm, 194 St. Francis Ave., Tiffin, located on the St. Francis Campus. Cost: $3.50/dz. All sales benefit the Franciscan Earth Literacy Center.
Sunday, December 3rd – Live Nativity on the St. Francis Campus, 200 St. Francis Ave., Tiffin. (Drive Thru: 4:15-5:15pm, Walk Thru: 6:30-8:00pm)
Donations of NEW hats, scarves, gloves and socks will be collected and distributed to those in need throughout the area. Wear comfortable shoes and warm clothes. Please park behind St. Francis Home to meet your guide.
Saturday, December 9 (10am-4pm) Christmas Open House at SpiritSpace Gallery & Gifts, located on the first floor of St. Francis Spirituality Center, 200 St. Francis Ave., Tiffin.
Featuring: Special displays by local artists and Fairtrade gifts from Bluffton’s Ten Thousand Villages. Includes: door prizes, music, mulled cider and festive snacks. Shop local and Fairtrade. Note: Some vendors only accept cash or check.
Sunday, December 10 (1:00-3:00pm) Cookies with Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Franciscan Earth Literacy Center, 194 St. Francis Ave., Tiffin.
Meet Santa, Mrs. Claus and the animals living at FELC. This event is FREE and open to the public. All ages are welcome to tour the facility. FREE pictures with Santa are available.
Old Fort Bank Seeking Donations for Annual Toys for Tots
(TIFFIN, OH) – Old Fort Banking Company is pleased to announce the kick off of the Marine Corps.’ Annual Toys for Tots Campaign, serving as a donation site for which community members are asked to donate new, unwrapped toys that will be distributed to less fortunate children during the Christmas season.
Collection boxes have been placed at the bank’s Fostoria, Fremont, Downtown Tiffin, and Tiffin Westgate through December 10th.
“This is a wonderful initiative that is desperately needed every year,” said Marketing Director Darren Frank. “We have always had tremendous support for these events, both internally from our own associates as well as the communities we serve, and we hope the same will be true again this year.”
Established in 1916, Old Fort Banking Company has assets totaling approximately $845 million. Old Fort is a recognized leader in community banking throughout the area, and prides itself on providing prompt, professional and personal client service. The Old Fort Banking Company proudly serves Allen, Greene, Hancock, Sandusky, Seneca and Wood Counties, with financial centers in Bettsville, Clyde, Findlay, Fostoria, Fremont, Old Fort, Tiffin, Sugarcreek Township and Xenia. The bank also operates a commercial loan production office in Lima. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. NMLS 631428.
Old Fashioned Christmas Open House, December 2, 3, 10, 15 from Noon – 4:00 p.m.
Experience the Christmas Holiday Season in Tiffin during a bygone era. Over three weekends this December the Tiffin Historic Trust is opening its beautiful headquarters to the public. The Victorian era Grammes-Brown House at 172 Jefferson Street is decorated for the holidays and is representative of the German heritage of the neighborhood.
Stop in for tours from Noon – 4:00 p.m., December 2, 3, 9, 10, 15.
Visitors are asked to make a donation of $5 to tour the Grammes-Brown House during the Open House. Children ten years and under can tour for free.
The Traunero Funeral Home and Crematory will present a free, all-faith 27th Annual Holiday Memorial Program, Saturday, December 2, 2023, at 1:00 pm, at the funeral home location, 214 S. Monroe St., Tiffin.
The Rev. Karsten Snitker will speak on “Hope for the Holidays.”
“The holiday period is especially painful for those reflecting on past losses at this traditionally family time of year,” says Richard J. Traunero, President of Traunero Funeral Home and Crematory. “We are pleased to be the only funeral home to offer this unique service to the entire community for the twenty-seventh consecutive year. Our Holiday Memorial Program will provide coping strategies that will be useful as the holidays approach.”
In addition to the speakers, the program will include a Tree of Remembrance, in which those families registered will place a personalized ornament on a tree in memory of their loved one. Families will then take their ornament home with them to place on their tree, compliments of Traunero Funeral Home and Crematory. There will be a special candlelight memorial service in memory of all deceased members of the community.
The event is free, but seating is limited. Reservations are requested by calling Traunero Funeral Home and Crematory at 419-447-3113.
Dust off your tubas … TubaChristmas is coming to town!
Heidelberg to host annual holiday concert, local musicians invited to perform
TIFFIN – The 50th Annual TubaChristmas is right around the corner, and Heidelberg University’s School of Music & Theatre is more than ready! TubaChristmas will be held Sunday, Dec. 2, at First Lutheran Church, 300 Melmore St., Tiffin.
All are welcome to participate in the audience or as a tuba player as we “oom-pah” our way into the holiday spirit. For those who want to play along with the band, registration is $10 per player and begins at 1 p.m. with rehearsal to follow at 2 p.m. and the performance at 3 p.m. Admission is free for those who want to watch and enjoy the merriment from the audience.
Players of all ages are welcome to come together and perform traditional Christmas carols arranged by the late American composer Alec Wilder. Rod Miller, assistant professor of music and director of bands, is conducting TubaChristmas.
Annually, TubaChristmas concerts are presented in more than 300 cities throughout the U.S. and several foreign countries. The creator of TubaChristmas, Harvey Phillips, was inspired by his mentor/teacher, the late William J. Bell. TubaChristmas honors Bell and several composers who embraced tuba playing with solo and ensemble compositions.
Heidelberg invites you to bring your family and friends to this Christmas tradition, free of charge. There is convenient parking behind the church, and the venue is handicap accessible.
Tiffin University Presents Annual Holiday Concert at The Ritz Theatre
TIFFIN UNIVERSITY, Tiffin, OH — Tiffin University will present its annual “Christmas at The Ritz” holiday concert on Saturday, December 2 at 7 p.m., at The Ritz Theatre, located at 30 S. Washington St. in Tiffin.
Tiffin University choirs and bands will be joined by the TU Dance Team; TU funk band, Word on the Street; a cappella group, Higher Ground; musical group, Up in the Air; indie band, Fully Submerged; hip hop group, Flow Fusion; string quartet, No Strings Attached and the Dragon Big Band. The concert will also feature young community musicians participating in the recording studio production project, TiffinKidz.
“This concert is the one time each year when all our students get to perform in the beautiful Ritz Theatre, and the only time our friends from around the community can enjoy the broad diversity of performance styles we have represented in the TIffinArts programs,” said Brad Rees, Vice Provost and Founding Dean of the School of Creative and Media Arts. “This is the 19th annual Christmas at The Ritz, and as always, it’s the highlight of our year and a fun way to ring in the holiday season!”
General admission tickets are $12 each and are available from The Ritz Theatre box office in person, by phone at 419.448.8544 or online at tiffin.edu/arts/tickets.
For more information, email arts@tiffin.edu.
Tiffin-Seneca Public Library will host “Make a Gingerbread (Style) House” on Monday, December 4 in the Frost Kalnow Room from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Families may register for a start time of 5:00, 5:30, 6:00 or 6:30 p.m. beginning November 13 through December 1.
Families are asked to bring one box of graham crackers and decorations for the house. The “glue” will be provided. Decorations can be old Halloween candy, stale cereal, marshmallows or other items to decorate the houses; no colored sugar, please.
The event is free, but space and supplies are limited for the family program, so please register by calling 419-447-3751 or by stopping by the Junior Library Desk.
TLC will host their Second annual Ugly Sweater Fundraiser Party at the K of C on December 8th from 6 – 9p. Tickets are on sale of Eventbrite or at Simply Susans. This is a great fun way to support the TLC.
