Family Christmas Sing-A-Long
Friday, December 30^th at 6pm

Family Faith Formation
Sunday, January 8^th after the 11am Mass

Parish Town Hall Meeting
Sunday, January 8^th at 5pm

Christmas Blessings! At this beautiful feast, we celebrate God’s gift to us of his son, Jesus. It is a gift of love; it is a gift we are called to bring into the world. Live the true meaning of Christmas throughout the year as you carry His love into your world. Give thanks for the gift we are to each other in this faith community. Our world needs the message of Jesus, his love, his forgiveness, his mercy, his care. Live in the wonder of the gift of Christmas: each of us is loved by God.  Try to live in that love always.

But as we found out last weekend that is not always going to be an easy thing to do.  I mean what can we do with the sense of violation that we felt upon learning that the outdoor Nativity set had been stolen?  While it seems quite natural to respond to evil with evil, – “let’s find those scoundrels and hang them up from the choir loft” – it is not exactly a Christian response.
Jesus entered a disordered world.  “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:1-2).  It’s always going to be a challenge to bring God’s love to the disorder that still exists in our world and yet that is what we are called to do.  Beginning with our own sinfulness.  God loved us so much that he became one of us so that we would know the fullness of his love.

As followers of Christ, we believe that love and goodness will always win out over hate and evil.  Next week, I’ll share some of the stories of loving support that triumphed over the evil act of stealing a beloved church scene.  Also, next week, at the 11am Mass, I am so excited to be beginning the New Year by receiving Chris Fogg and Susan Blakey into Full Communion.  We are always eager to welcome new members into our faith family.  So, if you are visiting today and live
in the area and do not have a church home, we would love it if you would consider coming back to see us in the New Year. Our doors and hearts will always be open to welcome you.  

As a parish we are always trying to deepen our bonds with each other so we can give an ever-greater witness as the Body of Christ.  If you’re around on Friday evening, put on some warm clothes, bring your blankets and chairs, and draw close to the fire or heaters for the Family Christmas Sing-along.  We’ll have drinks and pizza and lots of fun.
     



The Building and Grounds Committee under the leadership of Susan Ason is working on plans for a Columbarium (a series of individual niches where urns containing cremated remains can be given a respectful and permanent resting place) in the Grotto area.  To determine whether or not there is enough support in our faith community to get concrete about those plans we’ll have a Town Hall Meeting on Sunday, January 8th at 5pm in Church to share the plans and to talk about the finances that will be needed to move forward with those plans.  If there is enough enthusiasm to move forward, my hope (as we did with the front plaza) would be to use some of the gains from the Endowment to help finance the Columbarium.  But I know there are those in the parish who are opposed to using any gains from the Endowment for the present good of our faith community.  So, it will be good to talk it all out.  And it will also be good to head over to the Rectory afterwards for an open house with light refreshments provided by the CCW.

On the way home:  View this Christmas Day with the eyes of a child.  Does your heart truly believe that the baby was God?  How is God with you this day?  How do you see Emmanuel in your life?