HOLY FAMILY PARISH WEEKLY BULLETIN
Sunday December 6th, 2pm.
"Stewardship - A Way of Life"
November 29, 2009
Return to the current bulletin
Administrator - Fr. Vernon F. Driscoll
Pastoral Associate - Deacon Howard Gotell
Religious Education Coordinator - Deacon Howard Gotell
Office Manager - Maria Kirkpatrick
K of C 3rd Degree Grand Knight - Jack Leger 545-2418
K of C Community Centre- 667-8252
Click here to visit our Diocesan Website
We have added a new page for the building news as it happens. This is the place to come for news and updates throughout the construction phase of the Holy Family complex. We have also started a photo page on Flickr. Check it out! Holy Family Parish Amherst Flickr site
~It rained at the construction site this week ~
The floor is vast and wet.
Click on the thumbnail to view my photo from this week at the construction site.
~FOUR WEEKS OF ANTICIPATION~
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How are we celebrating the Season of Advent?
- Our Advent symbols are in place, the banners are hung, the advent wreath candles will be lit, the colour of the vestments is changed and our song will carry the theme of the Season.
- Wreath Making & Pot Luck- Our Church Hall will be a place of activity Sunday afternoon beginning at 3:00 and closing with a potluck supper. Come and learn about the Advent Wreath and make your own wreath while you are there. Materials are provided and please bring a staple gun and snips if you have them. A free-will offering will be taken to offset expenses. Also, bring your favourite recipe to share at the potluck. If you participated in this event two years ago and still have your plywood form for your wreath, please bring it to the Church to help reduce costs.
- Parish Christmas Concert- Next Sunday afternoon (Dec. 6) beginning at 2:00, Pius Burke will be heading up our Annual Parish Christmas Concert. This will take place in the church and will be featuring a special presentation by our own children from our Catechetical classes. Admission $5.00 per person and $10.00 per family.
- Advent Penitential Service- Our preparation always includes a special time for prayer and this year our Penitential Service will be Wednesday, December 16th at 7:00pm
~WORDS FROM OUR ADVENT POSTER~
Prophet’s Candle
… a virgin shall conceive and bear a son Isaiah 7:14
Advent bids us enter the world of those who dwell in darkness, before the dawn of God's good Light. There we listen to the words of the prophets. They spark hope in our hearts-hope that grows like a child within a virgin’s womb. Listen. Wait. Dare to HOPE
~80TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION~
You are invited to join us at the Amherst Curling Club this Sunday afternoon, from 1:00 to 4:00 to celebrate Sister Teresa Currie's 80th birthday. Best wishes only.
~RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS~
- Classes resume for Levels Primary to 5 at West Highlands School beginning at 10:00am. Levels 6 & 7 meet at their usual times & locations through the week.
- Confirmation (Levels 8 & 9) to be confirmed in the fall of 2010 begin meetingSunday evening at 7:00pm in the Church Hall. For further information on Confirmation, please call Maria Boudreau at 661-0667 or Deacon Howard at 667-2523.
- Children from all levels of our Religious Education program are invited to participate in our annual Christmas concert scheduled for December 6th at 2:00pm. Please call Glenna O’Quinn at 660.3450 for further details.
- A special visitor will be making an appearance on the Second Sunday of Advent (December 6th) at the 9:00 and 11:15 masses. All families are encouraged to be present at these celebrations.
~JEWELRY SALE~
Our parish fundraising group hosted a very successful Jewelry Sale last weekend with revenue in excess of $2,000.00 for the parish. Denise Hartnett and Dana Carr coordinated the event along with the support of many others. A special thank you to Dorritt Amos who gave of her time and talent in gathering the display materials and her role in the setup. Thank you to everyone for a job well done.
~BAPTISM PREPARATION~
Parents wanting children baptized should call the Parish Office for Baptism preparation. Please call Maria or Deacon Howard at 667-2523 to book an appointment.
~STEWARDSHIP AS A LIFESTYLE~
Last weekend we concluded our annual Stewardship Commitment Weekend with the completion of the commitment cards by parishioners. One hundred and sixty commitment cards were returned and are currently being tabulated with results available within the next couple of weeks. Parishioners will be contacted by representatives of committees and organizations to thank you for sharing gifts of time and talent or inviting new people to various roles in the parish. We have some new people offering gifts to the parish and appreciate their engaging parish life. With the advent of our new church complex taking shape, we look forward to our parish continuing to build on its strengths. We thank everyone involved with our Stewardship effort and pray for God's continued blessing to choose Stewardswhip as the principle way to live faith.
~STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL PARISH CONSULTATION~
Members of the Stewardship Council hosted the final parish consultation meeting with parishioners on the development of a pastoral plan for Holy Family Parish covering the next 3, 5, 7 years. The pastoral plan will follow the three pillars of parish life described in the recent Forward in Faith document being Liturgy, Evangelization and Social Justice. This year long consultation concluded with this gathering. An engaging conversation took place, notes were taken and a report will be developed of the findings for the parish. We thank members of the Stewardship Council, the Knights of Columbus and parishioners who participated in this process that will provide insights on how we engage one another and our community as a parish.
~PARISH PRAYER WALL~
Prayer intentions placed on our prayer wall over the past six months were ritually offered to God at all masses last weekend. Parishioners may continue to place prayer intentions on the Prayer Wall in the coming months and we are encouraged to visit the wall often to pray for the intentions placed there. From time to time, these intentions will be mentioned in our Prayers of General Intercession. Another ritual offering of these intentions will take place on Pentecost 2010.
~2010 OFFERTORY ENVELOPES~
Offertory envelopes for 2010 are now available. Please take a moment to pick up your box. If you have not used envelopes before, and would like to begin using them, there are unassigned boxes available on the table with 2010 marked on the top.
~KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS BANQUET~
The Knights of Columbus will be having a roast beef dinner for all members and their wives on Saturday, December 12th & 6:30pm. The cost is $14.00 per person. Please call Jack Leger at 545-2418 on or before December 5th.
~CHRISTMAS/NO TURKEY/HAM!~
Let’s make sure no one in this community has this experience. Please donate a turkey/ham for our Christmas Food Boxes and ensure every family has a traditional Christmas dinner. The cost of a turkey is approximately $20.00. Place your donation in the collection and write Christmas Turkey/Ham Donation as well as your name, envelope number on the front of the envelope.
~CHRISTMAS CHEER BOXES~
We are collecting food items for the 90+ cheer boxes in preparation for the distribution of Christmas boxes for those in need. Over several weeks we will be asking for specific food items on a particular weekend. There is a schedule of the foods required to fill each box attached to this week's bulletin. For people who choose to make a donation rather than bringing food each week, please consider the following: 1) Cost of a box including the turkey-$95.00. 2) Cost of turkey-$20.00. Parishioners who choose to donate the cost of a box or a turkey would receive a charitable tax receipt. We ask that you place this schedule on your refrigerator for future reference. For the next weekend we ask you bring White Sugar & Jello to assist in our Christmas Cheer effort.
ARHS Christmas Concert
Sunday, December 6 at 2:30pm and 7:30pm in the Susan Taylor Theatre at ARHS. Freewill offering at the door.
EB Chandler Christmas Concert
Tuesday, December 8 at 7:00pm in the EB Chandler gymnasium.
ARHS/EB Chandler Musical Christmas Tea
Sunday, December 13 at 2:00pm at ARHS. Live auction, silent auction, raffle, tea coffee and treats, plus live Christmas music. Tickets - $5.00 and available at ARHS office, from any band student or at the door.
All funds raised at these events are used to purchase musical instruments and sheet music.
~December PARISH EVENTS~
Dec 06th - Special Guest at each Sunday Mass
Dec 06th - Annual Christmas Concert
Dec 16th - Advent Penitential Service
Yearly Novalis Missals
Yearly Novalis Missals are available at the Parish Office (front door of Furlong Jones funeral home) during office hours. Cost $5.00 per book.
~MEETINGS~
Meetings this week...
- Monday - No Meeting
- Tuesday - No Meeting
- Wednesday - No Meeting
- Thursday - Prayer Meeting, 6:30pm in the Renewal Center
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Please Take Note of this Change!
Prince Arthur Street exit has been closed off permanently. -
Baptism Preparation!
Please call Maria or Deacon Howard at 667-2523 to schedule your appointment. -
Mass Cancellation Notices!
Please listen to CKDH Radio for cancellation notices or visit their Web Site at CKDH.net -
Weekly Bulletin Submissions!
Anyone who would like to have a notice published in the bulletin is asked to submit their notice in writing to the Parish Office no later than Wednesday at noon. We ask for your cooperation in this matter. -
Prayer Wall!
We invite parishioners to continue placing intentions on the prayer wall and ask that you visit the prayer wall from time to time to read the intentions. You may also take one home, pray for that intention and return it the following week with your initial. We will refer to these intentions from time to time in the prayers of the faithful. We will also celebrate these intentions with a prayer ritual. -
Religious Articles Kiosk!
We have many religious articles available for sale in the hall entrance leading from the Sacristy. Rosaries, crucifixes, baptism gifts and cards and other items are available at reasonable prices. Ask Father Driscoll or Deacon Howard to open the cabinet for viewing after mass. -
In the Hospital?
It would be appreciated if the Parish Office could be informed of the admittance of family members to our local hospital to ensure a visit by the pastoral team. -
Donations!
When considering a memorial donation at the time of death, we remind parishioners that Saint Charles - Nativity Cemetery, St. Vincent de Paul and Holy Family Parish Building Fund also have memorial cards. These memorial cards are available at our funeral homes and the Parish Office for your donations. Please consider these charities when making a memorial donation. -
No Scents Just Make Sense!
Scent Free Reminder..We ask your cooperation, when attending church functions, to please refrain from using scented products. The usage of scented products makes it impossible for some people to remain at Sunday Eucharist.
FINANCIAL CORNER
St. Vincent de Paul - $244.50
Children's Offering - $39.95
Sunday Offering
Envelopes ( 152 ) $2,355.00
Loose $458.44
Pre-authorized ( 65 ) $ 1,428.16
Fundraising Campaign tally $800,000.00
Thank you for your generosity.
~READINGS For Next Week~
1stReading – Baruch 5.1-9
2nd Reading – Philippians 1.3-6, 8-11
Gospel –Luke 3.1-6