December 2, 2007
1st Sunday of Advent

Weekend Mass Intentions
Saturday, December 1
   6:00 PM  For the Parishioners of St. Paul
Sunday,  December 2
    9:30 AM  For Corey Worsham 1st Anniv. By Worsham Family
Saturday, December 8
Feast of the Immaculate Conception
   9:00 AM  Intention of the Celebrant
   6:00 PM  For the Parishioners of St. Paul
Sunday,  December 9
    9:30 AM  Intention of the Celebrant

Parish News and Notes

Parish office hours
    Our parish office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM. The Pastoral Associate is in most afternoons until 4:00 PM.  If you need to come in the PM please give us a call to make sure someone is here. Messages can always be left on the answering machine. 

Are you registered?
     Are you new to our parish?   If you are, please pick up a registration form in the vestibule of the church. Registration is very important.  Just drop it in the basket or mail it to our office.  Thanks!  We are always happy to receive new parishioners.  We welcome you and pray you will be happy here with us.

Please use church envelopes 
    Envelope users provide the bedrock of our financial support.  Please consider using them.  New packets of envelopes are mailed every three months. If you would like to receive some but you are not yet on the mailing list, please call Jeannine to give her your name and address. Thank you!

Envelope Request Form ____ I want to support our parish on a regular basis. Please add me to the envelope list. Name ______________________________ Address___________________________ Town ________________,NH Zip ________

Christian Formation News

Grades K – High School       All children from grade K – 10 must register.  The registration does not roll over from one year to the next.  You can pick up a form in the back of the church or you can visit the parish office Monday – Thursday during office hours or give us a call at 483-8481 and ask us to mail you a form.  We would be happy to do this Grades K- 3  The children in grades K – 3 attend classes during the weekend liturgies.  We use a Lectionary Catechesis which is based on the Gospel of the week.  Kindergarten students are not obliged to attend regularly.  However, beginning with grade l, students must attend classes on a weekly basis as the program for 1st Communion is a two year program.  It is vital that students continue with their Christian Formation even after their 1st Communion. This year’s program will begin on September 15, 2007 Grades 4 – 10 +   This year’s program for the Generations of Faith begins on Sunday, October 7, 2007 at 4:00 pm.  This program is designed for both parents and children.  Parents are asked to attend the sessions as they have the opportunity to refresh their memory on important matters of the faith .  Please join us on one Sunday per month. Next Month's session is on Dec. 2nd.  All Confirmation candidates are expected to attend all sessions.                      Schedule of Classes

Attention all Parishioners:
Religious Education teachers needed
    Our parish is in great need of men and women who would like to give some of their time to the ministry of Christian Formation.  We are in need of teachers for the younger children as well as the middle school aged program.  If you think you could assist us in this important ministry but you have questions or reservations, please call Lorette at 483-8481 or feel free to send us an e-mail at stpaulcandia@comcast.net

Question of the Week
1st Sunday of Advent  
Theme: (Preparing for the Lord)
Reading 1: Isaiah 2:1-5 (The Mountain of the Lord’s House )
Reading 2: Romans 13:11-14 (Our Salvation is Near)
Gospel: Matthew 24:37-44 (Stay Awake)

Question for Adults:   When have I turned to the wisdom of humans and turned away from the wisdom of God to solve my problems?  What were the results? By and large, this is a very simple question.  We have all had the experience of trying to solve our problems through our own ingenuity.  There are many things that we can solve with our intelligence and ability to reason.  However, there are many times when we are caught between doing decisions that are difficult and things that at least seem to be reasonable but are not.  We all know the difference.       Today’s society often intrudes on our better judgment.  Even when we have succeeded in developing a fairly good conscience, we find ourselves being swerved by the ways of “the world” rather than by God’s ways.  We question many things.  Sometimes we even question God’s better judgment.  
    If you have had an experience in this line you may remember the outcome as well.  Were you happy with the outcome?
 
Question for Children?  When do I ask Jesus to help me live as his friend and disciple? .
    Living as a friend of Jesus is not always easy.  Simply saying that we want to do this doesn’t make it happen.  Perhaps you would want to begin by discussing what it means to be a good friend.  Try to elicit such qualities as trust, being a good listener, being willing to share what we have, being kind and sensitive to the other’s feelings. 
    The second part of this process is to discuss why they would want to be a friend to Jesus.  And lastly, try to bring the discussion to the point where the child can understand that being Jesus’ friend means that we need to show it by being friends with other people.  This does not mean that we have to bring everyone home with us.  It does mean that we want to try to be kind and sensitive to others.  We must be accepting and welcoming.  For this we will need Jesus’ help.  Do we ask Jesus to help us do this?
         

Community News

The Giving Tree. . .is here once again.  Each year at this time we, as a parish,  choose to give a little extra to those less fortunate.  We have a variety of names and ages placed on our tree.  If you think you would like to participate in this yearly tradition simply pick an ornament or two off the tree and buy something that is suggested inside.  If you happen to choose an ornament with many options you are not expected to buy everything on the list.  Choose the articles you can afford.  On the other hand, if your budget if very limited, try to choose an ornament that has only one or two things that fit your budget.
    You will see that some ornaments have a name on them.  This means that the person is elderly and is living either at the Wellstone Assisted Living Home in Raymond or at the Inn at Deerfield.  The other ornaments simply have a number on them.  These numbers represent a family group.  The members of the family will vary in age and the family size also varies. 
    We prefer that you do not wrap the gifts otherwise we do not know what there is and what is missing.  A contribution of wrapping paper is greatly appreciated however. 

Those gifts going to the Wellstone House or to the Inn at Deerfield should be wrapped if you can. Please return the ornament with the gift.  It makes it easier for us to check our lists and for distribution.
      Please return all gifts by December 16, 2007.    Happy shopping and thank you so very much for your kindness and generosity.

Prayer Line. . .  One of the less mentioned ministries in a parish is the Prayer Line.   The Coordinators of the St. Peter Prayer Line are inviting the parishioners of St. Paul Parish to join them in this ministry.  When the coordinators receive a call asking for prayers, they in turn contact the members of the Prayer Line and that particular person is lifted up in prayer by all the members for a period of six weeks.  This ministry obviously does not require meetings or dues or leaving the home.  It not only affords prayer for those in need, it also rewards the members of the Prayer ling who experience the fact that prayers of intercessions for the People of God is also beneficial  to the person who offers the prayer to God.  You can become a member of this humble yet effective ministry by praying daily for those who are in need of physical, spiritual mental and emotional healing.  Those of you who are interested in this ministry can call Cathy at 483-2581 or Connie at 627-2297 or crichard5@peoplepc.com.