HOLY FAMILY PARISH WEEKLY BULLETIN
"Stewardship - A Way of Life"
December 20, 2009
Click here to return to current bulletin (December 27, 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~
Framing of the walls continued throughout the week.
~WORDS FROM OUR ADVENT POSTER~
ANGELS' Candle
Dare we join the angels? Can Advent be bidding us to do even this? To shine with God’s glory? To proclaim the Divine Message? No! Advent does not bid us. GOD does! Not just this season. Every day- in who we are… in what we say…in everything we ever do.
~WELCOME HOME~
To those who are home for Christmas and especially those who have been away for studies at college or university we welcome you home for the holidays
~CHRISTMAS CHEER BOX PACKING~
We will be packing the Christmas Cheer boxes with all the food items we’ve been collecting the past few weeks this Sunday after the 11:15 Mass. Parishioners are invited to help out with this effort. Remember many hands make the workload light.
~ANNUAL CHRISTMAS CHEER BOX DELIVERY~
Delivery of Christmas Cheer boxes begins Wednesday, December 23rd at 10:00am from the Church Hall. 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.
~OFFICE HOURS DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON~
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.
~NEW FACILITY CONSTRUCTION~
We encourage parishioners to visit the parish website for an up to date photographic record of construction progress on our new facility. It is an ideal way for us and parishioners whom you know are away to keep informed as to how we are progressing. Our website can be found at www.holyfamilyparishamherst.org. We express heartfelt thanks to Linda Fraser who faithfully maintains our website and keeps taking photos of the construction phases of the new facility.
~RELIGIOUS EDUCATION NEWS~
- This was the last Sunday for classes at West Highlands School for the Christmas break. Classes will resume at West Highlands on January 10th beginning at 10:00am. Catechists for children in Levels 6 to Confirmation will advise students of their schedules for the Christmas holidays.
- Level 6 will move from Wednesday evening to Sunday evening from 7:00 to 8:00pm in the Church sacristy beginning in the New Year.
~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.
~HARD TO BE MERRY SERVICE~
This Worship Service acknowledges that Christmas is not always merry especially for those who live with painful memories of absent or deceased loved ones, the trials of broken relationships, unemployment or poor health. God comes to bring light to darkness. We receive strength and hope that we are not alone. We need to know there is nothing wrong with the feelings we may be having. Come and experience the message of God's unconditional love, which is at the heart of this season – 3:00pm, this Sunday, December 20th, at Trinity-St. Stephen's United Church. The service will be followed by fellowship time and refreshments.
~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.
~CWL MEMBERSHIP DUES~
Dues ($14.00) are now payable to Holy Family CWL. Please place them in the offertory collection in an envelope with your name and CWL Dues marked on the front of the envelope.
~A REMINDER ABOUT 2009 INCOME TAX RECEIPTS~
Donations made on January 1, 2010 and thereafter cannot be included in the charitable tax receipts issued for 2009. This includes cheques dated in 2009, or cash in a church envelope dated 2009, but received on January 1, 2010 or later. The law requires these be treated as 2010 donations.
~STEWARDSHIP CORNER~
A faithful servant of God receives the news that she has conceived through the power of the Holy Spirit. She will become the mother of the long expected Messiah. After she said, “yes” to God's will, she travels to assist her cousin Elizabeth with her pregnancy. This model of Stewardship reveals, she who has given herself to bear the Savior still gives her time and love to others.
~December PARISH EVENTS~
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.
~MEETINGS~
Meetings this week...
- Monday - No Meeting
- Tuesday - No Meeting
- Wednesday - No Meeting
- Thursday - No Meeting
-
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 - $311.00
Children's Offering - $25.55
Sunday Offering
Envelopes ( 192 ) $3,442.00
Loose $178.50
Pre-authorized ( 65 ) $ 1,428.16
Budgeted Amount $4,519.00 - Shortfall $529.66
Thank you for your generosity.
~READINGS For Next Week~
1stReading – 1 Samuel 1.11, 20-22, 24-28++
2nd Reading – 1 John 3.1-2, 21-24
Gospel –Luke 2.41-52