BULLETIN 11 DECEMBER 2005

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT IN YEAR 2

CHURCH SERVICES

Saturday 10 December	Confession on request from 4.45 to 5.15 pm Vigil Mass at 5.30 pm
Sunday 11 December	Sunday Mass at 10.00 am Sunday Mass at 12.00 noon
Monday 12 December	Mass at 10.00 am for Sam Ferguson
Tuesday 13 December	Mass at 10.00 am for Denis Long
Wednesday 14 December	Mass at 10.00 am for a special intention
Thursday 15 December	No Mass - This is an update from the printed bulletin.
Friday 16 December	Mass at 10.00 am for Kevin O'Carroll
Saturday 17 December	Mass at 10.00 am in thanksgiving

PARISH CENTRE EVENTS

Sunday 11 December	10.00 am 11.00 am 2.00 to 4.00 pm	Sacramental Preparation Tea and Coffee after Mass Birthday Party
Monday 12 December	8.00 to 5.30 pm 9.00 to 11.30 am 9.30 to 11.30 am 12.30 to 2.30 pm 1.30 to 3.30 pm 5.30 to 6.30 pm 6.30 to 8.00 pm 7.00 pm 7.00 to 8.00 pm	Wrap-around Care for 3 to 5 year olds Nursery Patents and Toddlers Kindergarten Cardiac Rehabilitation Rainbows Brownies Saint Vincent de Paul Society Weight Watchers
Tuesday 13 December	8.00 to 5.30 pm 9.00 to 11.30 am 12.30 to 2.30 pm 7.00 pm 7.30 pm 7.30 pm	Wrap-around Care for 3 to 5 year olds Nursery Kindergarten Saint Anne's Guild Keep Fit Ignatian Prayer Group
Wednesday 14 December	8.00 to 5.30 pm 9.00 to 11.30 am 10.00 - 4.00 pm 12.30 to 2.30 pm 5.00 to 6.00 pm	Wrap-around Care for 3 to 5 year olds Nursery Alzheimer Scotland Christmas Party Kindergarten Street Dance for 13 to 18 year olds
Thursday 15 December	8.00 to 5.30 pm 9.00 to 11.30 am 12.30 to 2.30 pm 1.30 to 3.30 pm 6.00 to 7.30 pm	Wrap-around Care for 3 to 5 year olds Nursery Kindergarten Cardiac Rehabilitation Brownies
Friday 16 December	8.00 to 5.30 am 9.00 to 11.30 am 12.30 to 2.30 pm	Wrap-around Care for 3 to 5 year olds Nursery Kindergarten

PRAYERS
Please remember in your prayers:
   Ella Brusnahan and Ian McNairney who died recently;
   Jim McGlynn 2004, Ria Cunningham 1997, Catherine McGrattan 1969,
   Maria Monaghan 1998, Mary Hall 1999, James Taylor 2002,
   Margaret Spencer 1992, Margaret Newall 1994, James McIntosh 1998,
   Mary Dunn 2002, Ina McKay 1998, John Taylor 2002,
   Monsignor Peter Murphy 1999, Mary Magee 1997, Harry McNamara 2002,
   Robert McKay 1993, James Kernahan 1998, Roseanne Kirkwood 1991,
   Mary Wishart 2002, Susan Jones 1996 and the Kilbane Family
   whose anniversaries occur at this time;
   Sean Gerard Donnelly who was baptised recently
   and those who are sick.

SUNDAY COLLECTION
Last weekend's collection amounted to £685.47 - many thanks.
Banker's Orders amount to an average of £4000 per month. Each month £4000 is repaid to the Diocese for the building loan and levy.

PARISH CENTRE COLLECTION
Last weekend's collection for the Parish Centre amounted to £304.78 - many thanks.

BANKER'S ORDERS
Paying your collection by monthly or quarterly banker's order makes money handling much safer. Banker's Order forms are available in the porch.

PORCELAIN NATIVITY SET
Raffle tickets costing 50p each are on sale at the Pious Object Stall for a Porcelain Nativity Set. The draw will take place during the tea and coffee after 10 00 am Mass on Sunday 18 December.

ADVENT PENITENTIAL SERVICES
There will be Penitential Services as indicated below.

Wednesday 14 December	Church of Our Lady, Star of the Sea, Saltcoats
Thursday 15 December	Saint John's Church, Stevenston
Monday 19 December	Church of Saint Peter in Chains, Ardrossan
Tuesday 20 December	Saint Mary's Church, Largs
Wednesday 21 December	Saint Brendan's Church, Saltcoats

CHRISTMAS MASSES
Christmas Masses in our Church are on Christmas Eve at 5.30 pm and 8.00 pm then on Christmas Day at 11.00 am. There are Christmas Eve Masses at 9.00 pm in Saint Brendan's Church, Saltcoats and at midnight in Saint John's Church, Stevenston.

ARDROSSAN CHURCHES CAROL SERVICES
The annual Christmas Carol Service will be held in the Civic Centre on Sunday 11 December at 6.30 pm. Saint Peter's Primary children will be taking part.

EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS
Will any Eucharistic Minister who has a Pyx at home, please return it?

SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMME
A grid is on the notice board in the Parish Centre to allow parents to add their child's name for the Sunday of their choice on which they wish to celebrate the Sacraments of First Communion and Confirmation.

SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL FOOD DONATIONS
The Saint Vincent de Paul Conference has many calls for help at this time of year and would welcome any gifts of non-perishable, in-date foodstuffs to supplement its stock for food parcels and so on. A box will be placed in the porch for any such donations and the Conference members thank you most sincerely for all your assistance.

SAINT ANDREW'S ACADEMY SHOW
The pupils are now in final preparations for their school show 'The Wizard of Oz' which takes place from Monday 12 until Wednesday 14 December. Adult and concession tickets are now on sale at £5 and £3 respectively. The show involves pupils from all year groups and is shaping up to be a truly memorable experience for cast and audience alike. Tickets are available from the school office on 605221.

When it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you
take things for granted or take them with gratitude.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes
all things, endures all things. Love never fails.
Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost,
golf clubs will rust but the gift of love will endure.

READINGS
The readings for this weekend's Masses are shown below in English. They are available in eleven other languages including French, German, Italian, Polish and Spanish by clicking on this link.


First Reading           Isaiah 61:1-2.10-11
The spirit of the Lord has been given to me, for the Lord has anointed me. He has sent me to bring good news to the poor, to bind up hearts that are broken; to proclaim liberty to captives, freedom to those in prison; to proclaim a year of favour from the Lord. I exult for joy in the Lord, my soul rejoices in my God, for he has clothed me in the garments of salvation, he has wrapped me in the cloak of integrity, like a bridegroom wearing his wreath, like a bride adorned in her jewels. For as the earth makes fresh things grow, as a garden makes seeds spring up, so will the Lord make both integrity and praise spring up in the sight of the nations.

Second Reading           Thessalonians 5:16-24
Be happy at all times; pray constantly; and for all things give thanks to God, because this is what God expects you to do in Christ Jesus. Never try to suppress the Spirit or treat the gift of prophecy with contempt; think before you do anything - hold on to what is good and avoid every form of evil. May the God of peace make you perfect and holy; and may you all be kept safe and blameless, spirit, soul and body, for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. God has called you and he will not fail you.

Gospel           John 1:6-8.19-28
A man came, sent by God. His name was John. He came as a witness, as a witness to speak for the light, so that everyone might believe through him. He was not the light, only a witness to speak for the light. This is how John appeared as a witness. When the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "'Who are you?" he not only declared, but he declared quite openly, "I am not the Christ." "Well then," they asked, "are you Elijah?" "I am not," he said. "Are you the Prophet?" He answered, "No." So they said to him, "Who are you? We must take back an answer to those who sent us. What have you to say about yourself?" So John said, "I am, as Isaiah prophesied: a voice that cries in the wilderness: Make a straight way for the Lord." Now these men had been sent by the Pharisees, and they put this further question to him, "Why are you baptising if you are not the Christ, and not Elijah, and not the prophet?" John replied, "I baptise with water; but there stands among you - unknown to you - the one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo his sandal-strap." This happened at Bethany, on the far side of the Jordan, where John was baptising.