December 14, 2008
3rd Sunday of Advent

Weekend Mass Intentions
Saturday, December 13
   6:00 PM  For Parishioners of St. Paul
Sunday,  December 14
    9:30 AM For the Protection of the Unborn Human Lives  by Julie Laughner
Saturday, December 20
   6:00 PM  For Parishioners of St. Paul
Sunday,  December  21
    9:30 AM  For the Souls in Purgatory

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

All children from k – 10 must register for Religious Education each year.  The registration does not roll over from one year to the next.  We will be mailing a registration form through e-mail in the near future.  If you have not received a form by mid-August it is because we do not have your e-mail address or perhaps you are not yet registered in the parish so we do not have any pertinent information related to you family.  You can call the office between Monday –Thursday at 483-8481 to update your e-mail info or you can pick up a registration in the entrance of the church. 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 1, students must attend classes on a weekly basis during the Mass, as the program for 1st Communion is a two year program.  The program for the school year 2008-2009 will begin on the weekend of September 20th and 21st.  Classes are held during both weekend Masses. Grades 4 – 10 +, Generation of Faith     This program is designed for both parents and children.  Parents who have children in grades  4 - 10 are asked to attend these monthly sessions. The adult session gives them an opportunity to refresh their memory on important matters of the faith as well as giving them the chance to share with other adults on pertinent issues of faith. The next class for parents and children in this program will be December 14, 2008 at St. Peter Parish in Auburn.  All GoF classes are held on Sundays from 4 – 6 pm. Confirmation Program:      The Confirmation students will begin their two year program on Sunday, October 5, 2008.  Classes are held from 11:00 am to 12 noon. Students must be registered in the program and must be registered members of the parish.  If you have not yet registered your child for classes please call the office to speak to Lorette.                      Schedule of Classes

Question of the Week
3rd Sunday of Advent  
Theme: (Recognizing the Lord)
Reading I: Isaiah: 61: 1-2, 10-11(The spirit is Upon Me)
Reading II: 1 Thessalonians. 5: 16-24 (Pray Without Ceasing)
Gospel: John 1: 6-8, 19-28 (The One to Come)

Question for Adults:  Where in my life can I identify habits and attitudes which twist and cover God’s love?  What concrete steps can I take to remove them?  Hiding or misconstruing God’s love in our lives is something that we are all guilty of in one respect or other.  We often fail to recognize  God’s loving presence because we are to focused on our own agendas.  At other times we misinterpret God’s love because we have already decided that our way is the only way that love can be manifested.  This week, let’s take some time to reflect on Jesus’ coming.  Taking some quiet time to listen to God’s voice within us could go a long way to help us deepen our relationship with him.

Question for Children?  How can I more clearly show my love for God, my family, and my friends?   There are many ways by which we can show our love for God and for others. During this Advent season, take some time to think of a new way that we haven’t tried before.  Ask Jesus to help you think of a way to love your family and friends.  Maybe Jesus can give you a good idea, something you would not think of yourself but something the people in your life would really need and appreciate.

Community News

Food Pantry for December     This month our pantry shelves continue to be in need of Tuna,  Cereal,  Instant Rice, Ravioli, Beef Stew, and any kind of Soup except Ramen.  We are also always in need of juices and instant milk.  Thank you very much for all you do for those less fortunate.

Adjusting our Habits. . .  Over the next few months we, as a parish community, will make an effort to adjust some of the poor habits many, if not all of us have developed over the past few months or even years.   This month we will take special note to eliminate gum chewing in church.  The main reason that gum chewing should not exist in church is that it is very irreverent to receive Communion when we have gum in our mouth.  Our belief that we are receiving the Body of Christ is another way of saying that God himself is coming to us through the reception of the sacred host.  We should not have anything in our mouths at the time of Communion.  We will be placing a receptacle in the entrances of the church so that you can throw your gum away as you enter the church.
      We will also focus on eliminating the distraction of cell phones.  We have noticed that some people are beginning to text message during Mass.  This is inappropriate for several reasons.  So, this coming week, please shut off your cell phones before coming into church. Thank you for your cooperation.

RCDC (Dept. of Corrections, Rockingham County) is looking forward to the joyous celebration of Christmas in anticipation of the hope that Christ will bring to the men in detention.  In addition to your continued prayers for the inmates, the DoC is asking for your generous contributions of unwrapped gifts in the form of various card and board games.  The acceptable games are as follows:
Checkers    Backgammon    Chess   Triominos
Skipto         Battleship         Phase 10   Risk
Puzzles and Playing Cards. 
    Please bring your gifts to the church by December 20th.  Thank you and God’s blessings for a very merry Christmas.

Our Giving Tree:  The 1st Sunday in Advent ushers in the annual gift giving tradition that St. Paul Parish has had for many years.  We begin by choosing a tag of the giving tree in the front of the church.  We have names for some Seniors who are at the Wellstone House and at the Inn at Deerfield.  These tags are marked with the person’s first name.  This is an important ministry for our parish since many of these elderly people no longer have family members who can provide gifts for them.  All of them are always very appreciative.  If you choose one of these tags, please wrap the gifts and bring them back to the church with the tag on the gift by Dec. 14th.
    The other tags are labeled with the gender and age of a child.  These children are often in great need of almost anything and everything.  If you choose one of these tags, please do not wrap the gifts.   Please return these gifts to the church with the tag attached by Dec. 15th.
    Thank you so very much for your kindness and generosity for these children and the elderly in our parish.

The Wellstone House  , located at 125 Langford Rd in Raymond, is an Assisted Living facility with a total of 12 beds.  There are single and double rooms.  It has a homey atmosphere with 24 hours staffing which provides cooking, oversight of medications and assistance with daily care.  If you are looking for a home for a loved one, please consider this facility and contact Ginny at 895-9303.

Looking for Used Baby Clothes:  If you have young children that have outgrown their clothes and the clothes are still in good condition, Birthright of NH would greatly benefit from their use.  There are many young mothers who need a great deal of help in this line.  If you have clothes anywhere within the size range of Newborn to 4T, please bring them to the church and we will deliver them.  Thank you so much.

A Look at Upcoming Events

The VNA Child Care & Family resource Ctr. The largest, non-profit childcare center in the state is offering a four-week training.  Sessions will be hold Fridays, Jan. 9, 2009 from 10 am to 11:30 am.  Volunteers are needed to provide support and act as positive role models to children and parents.   Some of the topics of the training include:  child Development, Cultural Diversity and communication Skills.  Interested members of the community including homemakers, retirees, and professionals are encouraged to explore this opportunity.  Pre-registrationis required.  To receive an application or for more information please contact Linda Krisch, Coordinator of Volunteer Resources at 663-4008 or lkrisch@elliot-hs.org.

CURRENT PRAYER REQUESTS Please remember the following people and intentions in your daily prayers: Our sick parishioners and friends…    Please pray for the following people: Josephine Stout,  Frank Huard, Betty Lintz, Cecile Gendron,  Kimberly Mirolo, Rita Sullivan, Kathy Gauthier,  Jean Swindler, Roger Plante, Joseph Gesel, Jacob Desrocher, Cindy Huard, Deborah McGovern, Ethel Thomas, Gordon Gladden and Carol Sheperd. For peace in the world, especially in the Middle East… For those serving in the armed forces... For families experiencing stress due to financial, emotional or relational problems For our sister parish in Haiti... For vocations to full-time ministry, especially the priesthood, the deaconate, religious life lay ministry...     If you would like to add a person or intention, please let us know. If people on the sick list are no longer in need of prayers, please let us know.