BULLETIN                                        20 JANUARY 2008

SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME OF YEAR 1


CHURCH SERVICE
S

Saturday 19 January

Confession on request from 4.30 to 5.15 pm
Vigil Mass at 5.30 pm

Sunday 20 January
Sunday Mass at 10.00 am
Sunday Mass at 12.00 noon
Monday 21 January
Requiem Mass at 10.00 am for Rena Scullion  
Tuesday 22 January
Mass at 10.00 am for May Boland  
Wednesday 23 January
Mass at 10.00 am for Joe Quigley
Thursday 24 January
Mass at 7.00 pm for Kitty Boyle
Friday 25 January
Mass at 10.00 pm for Johnny Murray
Saturday 26 January
Mass at 10.00 am for Ian Falsay


PARISH CENTRE EVENTS

Sunday 20 January
10.00 am
10.00 am
11.00 am

Children's Liturgy
Sacramental Preparation
Tea and Coffee after Mass

Monday 21 January
9.00 to 11.30 am
9.30 to 11.30 am
10.00 to 4.00 pm
12.30 to 3.00 pm
5.30 to 6.30 pm
6.30 to 8.00 pm
7.00 pm
7.00 to 8 00 pm

Nursery
Parents and Toddlers 
Key Housing
Nursery
Rainbows
Brownies
Saint Vincent de Paul Society  
Weight Watchers

Tuesday 22 January
9.00 to 11.30 am
9.30 to 11.00 am
11.00 am
12.30 to 3.00 pm
1.00 to 3.00 pm
7.00 pm
Nursery
Kindergarten
Legion of Mary
Nursery
Thursday Club
Keep Fit
Wednesday 23 January
9.00 to 11.30 am
9.30 to 11.00 am
12.30 to 3.00 pm
6.00 to 7.00 pm
7.30 to 9.00 pm
Nursery
Kindergarten
Nursery
Barakuda Karate
Special Religious Education (SPRED)  
Thursday 24 January
9.00 to 11.30 am
9.30 to 11.00 am
12.30 to 3.00 pm
2.00 to 3.00 pm
7.00 to 7.30 pm
7.30 to 9.00 pm
Nursery
Kindergarten
Nursery
Cardiac Rehabilitation
Brownies

Girl Guides
Friday 25 January
9.00 to 11.30 am
9.30 to 11.30 am
12.30 to 2.30 pm
7.20 pm
Nursery
Parents and Toddlers
Nursery
A Scottish Farewell to Father John

PRAYERS
Please remember in your prayers:
   Bill Smythe, Bridget O'Neil, Josh O'Neill and Rena Scullion who died recently;
   Bessie Brown 1982, Margaret Jane Brennan 1964, Annie Monan 1998,
   James McCormack 1999, Catherine Welsh 2005, Michael Lynn 2005,
   Bernard Burns 1963, Annie Carson 1995 and Brookelyn Angel Donnachy 2006
   whose anniversaries occur at this time
and
   Sophie Tyra Johnston who was baptised recently.


SUNDAY COLLECTION
Last weekend's collection amounted to £707.52 - many thanks. Banker's Orders amount to an average of £4300 per month. Each month £4000 is repaid to the Diocese for the building loan and levy.

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.

PARISH CENTRE COLLECTION
Last weekend's collection for the Parish Centre amounted to £338.62 - many thanks.

SPECIAL COLLECTION
The Special Collection for Catholic Education will be taken on 26 and 27 January and not on 2 and 3 February as indicated on the envelopes.

A SCOTTISH FAREWELL TO FATHER JOHN - SOLD OUT
Father John returns to Africa at the beginning of February. We plan to 'roll-up' our usual Saint Andrew's Night Social and Burns Supper into A Scottish Farewell to Father John on two dates. On Friday 25 January, there will be a meal and Scottish entertainment at 7.20 pm for 7.30 pm to 11.00 pm in the Parish Centre.
All tickets have been sold. Please wear something tartan, if only a ribbon. On Sunday 27 January form 1.00 pm to 4.00 pm, there will be an 'open house' event in the Parish Centre with Scottish snacks - roll and sausage, hot pies, lentil soup and so on. Come anytime and spend an hour or so chatting. Envelopes for anything you wish Father John to use in Tanzania are available at the stall.

50/50 CLUB
Members' annual £15 subscription is now due. The sign-up for new members will take place in the foyer after all Masses next weekend.

WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY
To celebrate one hundred years of the organisation, the Ardrossan Churches Group is having 'A Celebration Of What We Share' in Park Church, Ardrossan on Sunday 20 January at 3.00 pm. Everyone is invited to take part.

SAINT MATTHEW'S ACADEMY - CATHOLIC EDUCATION WEEK
Bishop Cunningham will celebrate Catholic Education Week with Mass in Saint Matthew's Academy on Wednesday 30 January at 7.00 pm. There will be Solemn Blessing of the school. The deanery parishes hope to present new vestments and altar silver to the school. Some guests will be invited but there is an open invitation to all parishioners.

MEDICAL MISSIONARIES OF MARY
Sister Aileen Doggett of the Medical Missionaries of Mary will make an appeal for your support of the work of the Missionary Sisters at all Masses on the weekend of 2 and 3 February.

GALLOWAY LOURDES HOSPITALITÉ
The Annual General Meeting of Galloway Lourdes Hospitalité will be preceded by Mass with Anointing of the Sick in
Saint John's Church, Stevenston on Sunday 17 February at 3.30 pm. Tea and coffee will be served after Mass. All are welcome.

USED STAMPS
There is a box in the porch for used stamps. If you have any, please donate them to help with Mission work.

SAINT PETER'S PRIMARY SCHOOL REGISTRATION
Children who attain the age of five years between 1 March 2008 and 28 February 2009 should be registered for education on Wednesday 16 or Thursday 17 January at 9.00 to 10.00 am, 11.10 to 11.50 am or 1.45 to 2.45 pm. Please call in person or by telephone to arrange an appoin
tment. Birth and Baptismal Certificates should be presented at time of registration.

NURSERY REGISTRATION WEEK
Nursery Registration Week runs from
28 January to 1 February for pre-school and ante-pre school children with dates of birth between 1 March 2004 and 28 February 2006. Parents wishing to register their children should apply directly to the nursery of their choice. Birth certificates should be produced at the time of registration.
Registration times at Saint Peter's Children's Centre are Monday to Friday, 9.30 to 11.30 am.
Registration times at Saint Peter's Primary School Nursery Class are Monday 9.30 to 10.30 am; Tuesday 10.45 to 11.30am; Wednesday 12.50 to 2.00 pm. Arrangements for Registration are by appointment. Please call in person or telephone 462554 for an appointment.

GOD'S GETTING BETTER

A little girl was sitting on her grandfather's lap as he read her a bedtime story. From time to time, she would take her eyes off the book and reach up to touch his wrinkled cheek. She was alternately stroking her own cheek then his again. Finally she spoke up "Grandpa, did God make you?". "Yes, sweetheart" he answered, "God made me a long time ago." "Oh." she paused "Grandpa, did God make me too?" "Yes, indeed honey" he said "God made you just a little while ago." Feeling their respective faces again, she observed "God's getting better at it, isn't he?".


I WISH ...

I wish I were:
   BIG enough to admit all my shortcomings
   
BRAVE enough to accept criticism
   COMPASSIONATE enough to understand human frailties
   HUMAN enough to be thoughtful to my neighbour and
   RIGHTEOUS enough to be devoted to the love of God.


  It is always a feast where love is and where love is, God is.  

  Life can only be understood backwards but it must be lived forwards.  


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 49:3.5-6
The Lord said to me, You are my servant, Israel, in whom I shall be glorified; I was honoured in the eyes of the Lord, my God was my strength. And now the Lord has spoken, he who formed me in the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him, to gather Israel to him: It is not enough for you to be my servant, to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back the survivors of Israel: I will make you the light of the nations so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

Second Reading           1 Corinthians 1:1-3
I, Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle, together with brother Sosthenes, send greetings to the church of God in Corinth, to the holy people of Jesus Christ, who are called to take their place among all the saints everywhere who pray to our Lord Jesus Christ; for he is their Lord no less than ours. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ send you grace and peace.

Gospel           John 1:29-34
Seeing Jesus coming towards him, John said, "Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. This is the one I spoke of when I said: A man is coming after me who ranks before me because he existed before me. I did not know him myself, and yet it was to reveal him to Israel that I came baptising with water." John also declared, "I saw the Spirit coming down on him from heaven like a dove and resting on him. I did not know him myself, but he who sent me to baptise with water had said to me, "The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and rest is the one who is going to baptise with the Holy Spirit." Yes, I have seen and I am the witness that he is the Chosen One of God.".