HOLY FAMILY PARISH WEEKLY BULLETIN
"Stewardship - A Way of Life"
December 13, 2009
Click here to return to current bulletin (December 20, 2009) 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
~News from the Construction Site~
In spite of bad weather including snow and strong winds, work is underway on the walls as the wood frames are constructed.
~ADVENT CONTINUES – PENITENTIAL SERVICE~
We enter the Third Week of Advent today and on Wednesday evening, at 6:30 we will have our Advent Penitential Service. The format will be quite different as we try to be sensitive to the particular needs of the Church in Atlantic Canada with respect to recent happenings. The service will begin in the Church Hall, in a discussion format using small groups. Scripture and prayer will be incorporated and the opportunity to celebrate privately the Sacrament of Reconciliation upstairs will be proveded. This format has been chosens this year and is modeled on the three regional meetings that Archbishop Mancini recently held in our diocese. These gatherings appeared to answer a definite pastoral need and we hope this serivce will have similar results here.
~THIRD ANNUAL CONCERT~
A great success in spite of the bad weather!! What talent and what generosity. Again this year, we were given a great “gift” from our own people. They shared most generously their time and talent with the promise, that next year, in the new church it will be bigger and better.
~WORDS FROM OUR ADVENT POSTER~
Shepherd's Candle
Let us go - Luke 2:15
Advent bids us spend the night in the fields with a group of shepherds. There, discomfort will be interrupted by Terror…which will yield, at last, to anxious JOY. &Ldquo;Let us go!” the shepherds cry. And we do. First to see, then to SHARE.
~CHRISTMAS CHEER BOXES~
Sunday, December 20th - Box Packing Day, as we put all these items we’ve been collecting into the boxes, beginning at 12:30 in the Church Hall
Wednesday, December 23rd- Delivery of boxes beginning at 10:00am. Anyone with large cars or vans is invited to assist with the deliveries. If you are a strong adult, high school or university age student and want to help deliver food boxes please join us. Many hands make the workload lighter.
~ADVENT FAMILY MASS~
Next weekend at 11:15 we will celebrate our Advent Family Mass to prepare for the coming of the Lord at Christmas. We encourage our families to come and participate fully in this joyous occasion.
~BIRTHDAY OPEN HOUSE~
Come help us celebrate the 90th birthday of our mother, Irene LeBlanc this Sunday, December 13th from 1:00 – 3:00pm at Ridgeview Villa, 48 Summit Avenue.
~RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS~
- Classes continue at West Highlands School for Levels Primary to Level 5 beginning at 10:00am. Levels 6 to Confirmation meet at their usual times and locations through the week.
- Classes for Levels Primary to Level 5 will conclude December 20th at West Highlands School and then break for the Christmas holidays. Classes will resume on January 10th. Catechists for children in Levels 6 to Confirmation will advise students of their schedules for the Christmas holidays.
- Peter Hoar from Parrsboro will conduct another Adult Faith Development session on Sunday, December 20th at West Highlands School beginning at 10:00am. The session will folcus on how and why Christianity split from Judaism and continue to look at the real differences between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. He will also begin to explore how the teaching authority developed within our tradition as the result of various councils through the centuries. All parishioners are welcome.
~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.
~CHARISMATIC PRAYER MEETINGS~
Please note that the Prayer meetings will resume Thursday, January 7th in the Holy Family Sacristy at 6:30pm.
~NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY~
A New Year's Eve Party will take place at the K of C Hall, Robie Street on December 31st from 10pm to 2am with music provided by the Morgan Keith Band. This event is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus and proceeds to Special Olympics. Tickets $20.00 each and first come first serve. Tickets available from Ron White, Ron Curtis and Jack Leger.
~2010 OFFERTORY ENVELOPES~
A number offertory envelopes for 2010 have been given out. Please take a moment to pick up your box if you did not receive them. 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.
~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 have a shortfall in the following items for our Christmas Cheer boxes. They are: Cranberry Sauce, Apple Juice, Crackers and Canned Vegetables.
~December PARISH EVENTS~
Dec 16th - Advent Penitential Service
Dec 24th - Christmas Eve Service 8:00pm – Trinity St. Stephen’s United
Dec 24th - Christmas Eve Service 11:00pm – Holy Family
Dec 25th - Christmas Day Service 10:00am – Holy Family
Dec 31th - New Year's Eve Service - 4:30pm– Holy Family
Jan 01st - New Year's Day Service - 10:00am – Holy Family
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.
STEWARDSHIP CORNER
Our Gospel today lays before us a blueprint for good stewardship. Stewards are conscious of treating others with respect and being satisfied with the gifts freely given by our God. We are called to share what we have in an intentional and proportionate manner. “Preparing the way of the Lord” is to choose the Stewardship way of Life.
CHRISTMAS OFFICE HOURS
The Parish Office will be closed from noon on December 24th to January 3rd. However, you can contact us anytime by phone at 667-2523.
~MEETINGS~
Meetings this week...
- Monday - RCIA follow-up meeting, 7:30pm at the home of Sister Teres
- Tuesday - No Meeting
- Wednesday - No Meeting
- Thursday - Senior's Outreach Committee, 1:30pm at the home of Sister Teresa
-
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 - $201.50
Children's Offering - $16.71
Sunday Offering
Envelopes ( 125 ) $2,113.00
Loose $109.43
Pre-authorized ( 65 ) $ 1,428.16
Budgeted Amount $4,519.00 - Shortfall $868.41
Thank you for your generosity.
~READINGS For Next Week~
1stReading – Micah 5.2-5a
2nd Reading – Hebrews 10.5-10
Gospel –Luke 1.39-45