December 9, 2007
2nd Sunday of Advent

Weekend Mass Intentions
Saturday, December 8
     6:00 PM  For the Parishioners of St. Paul
Sunday,  December 9
    9:30 AM  For Theresa Juneau by Normand & Jeannine Fraser
Saturday, December 15
   6:00 PM  For the Parishioners of St. Paul
Sunday,  December 16
    9:30 AM  For Leon Walter Langille by Normand & Jeannine Fraser

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 Jan. 13.  All Confirmation candidates are expected to attend all sessions.                      Schedule of Classes

Question of the Week
2nd Sunday of Advent  
Theme: (Having Patience)
Reading 1: Isaiah 35:1-6 (God Will Save You )
Reading 2: James 5:7-10 (The Coming of the Lord)
Gospel: Matthew 11:2-11 (Are You the One Who is to come?)

Question for Adults:   What is the source of my Christmas joy?  How will I share that joy with my family, friends and perhaps even the cashier at a store checkout?  When we take the time to think about the real meaning of Christmas, we cannot help but realize that it is a season that should be filled with Peace and Joy.  Our present society tends to lead us down another road however. We are bombarded with commercial advertising that tells us we need to spend our time and energy doing everything but focus on the real meaning of Christmas.   If we can take a short amount of time each day think about our real source of Joy, we will see that we will have a completely different outlook on life when Christmas comes. 
    When we are filled with Joy we cannot help but want to share it.  If we can come to the realization that God can to live among his people because he wanted us to understand the depth of his love for us, we will be overwhelmed with Joy.  Every part of our ordinary life will take on a new meaning.  How will we share this Joy with others?  Do we have any ideas?  Advent is an excellent time to think about this. Happy Advent!

Question for Children?  What am I doing to get ready to celebrate Christmas? What a great time to help you child to understand the real meaning of Christmas.  Children are often willing to focus on the gift giving aspect of the season because they are the recipients of lavish generosity from parents and family that love them.  However, they are also willing to listen to the real story of Christmas.  Try to stress the idea that God came to live with his people on this feast of Christmas.  It is really the feast of Love.  If they understand this idea and they are certainly able to, it will give them a totally different slant on the aspect of getting ready.  We need to be ready to receive the God who wants to visit us.  We cannot limit ourselves to decorating and buying gifts.   Help your child to think of ways to get ready for a real celebration.
         

Community News

Catholic Charities Update: The Catholic Charities Appeal for the year 2007 is nearly ended.  As of the end of November, our parish has donated $11,165.00.  Your generous contributions will be greatly appreciated.   The NH branch of Catholic charities is dedicated to doing Christ’s work through the state.  At a time when we are all thankful for the blessings of the year, many of our friends and neighbors are turning to NHCC for help. Thank you so very to all who have made this appeal a successful one

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.

Prison Ministry: The Rockingham County corrections department is making their annual appeal for wholesome games for the inmates at the prison.  The games must be new and unwrapped for security purposes.  The games that are appropriate for the prison are as follows:  Checkers,  Backgammon,  Chess, Triominos, Skipbo, Battleship, Phase 10, Risk, as well as Playing cards.  If you wish to donate any of the above please bring them to the office by December 18, 2007.  Thank you so much.

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.