WHAT DO YOU SEE IN THE WORLD?
One of the hallmarks of our parish is our respect for people as they are. I see evidence of that on a regular basis. Visitors and new members often comment on our hospitality, and our willingness to accommodate requests for sacraments.
We also offer opportunities for change and growth. I’m reminded of John the Baptist, challenged his listeners to repent, to change, to see the world in new ways. Fr. Steve often preaches on such themes, e.g., by recalling Vatican II’s teachings on respect for conscience. That was a change from pre-Vatican II approaches. It’s been 60 years since the Council opened, challenging our church to see the world in new ways. It’s a worthy challenge.
In our parish, I see ministries that feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, and heal the sick. (We have others—and if you’re interested in starting a new one, or helping out with existing ministries, great! Check the bulletin, reach out to Volunteer Coordinator Mary Leibl, or talk to me.)
In the world, I see many opportunities to visibly express God’s love. Recall what Fr. Steve recently preached on: climate change. It’s a moral issue. Destruction of the earth is a sin. We need to figure out new ways of living. What might we do as a parish, for ourselves, our neighborhood, and our world?
A case in point: our Facilities Committee and Parish Council volunteers have begun studying the prospect of a solar array on one or more of our roofs. Separately, there’s a nonprofit working with the Archdiocese about possibilities for 5G towers on roofs throughout the Archdiocese. I don’t know how these things will unfold. Stay tuned.
STEWARDSHIP
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Christmas Flower Fund. You make our worship more beautiful.
This year’s calendar is unusual, in that Christmas Eve is a Saturday and Christmas Day is a Sunday. This reduces our workload, which is a bit of a blessing. However, we realize we miss out on one collection because of the combination of weekend and holyday. Please make a concerted effort next weekend to bring both your Christmas envelope and your Sunday (Dec. 25) envelope. We rely on the Christmas collection to carry us into the New Year. Thank you for your generosity!
NEW HYMNALS
Our new hymnals have arrived! We will start using them in the new year. That means there’s still an opportunity to honor people in your life by dedicating a new hymnal. You can do that with a special nameplate we put inside the front cover. The recommended donation is $20, which is used to defray the cost of the hymnals. Non-nameplate hymnal donations are also gratefully accepted. Call the office for details. Download nameplate order form here.
Thank you for your support, and have a great week!
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