Second Sunday of Advent 4th December 2011 Year B

St John the Evangelist
New Ferry, in the Diocese of Shrewsbury, Reg. Charity 234025

Fr. Frank Rice;
Revd. Philip White; Revd. Michael Daly phone: 0151 645 3314
email: stjohntheevangelist@gmail.com
websites: www.stjohnevang.co.uk www.lpa24.org

Second Sunday of Advent 4th December 2011 Year B

FAITH IN FOCUS: RAISED VOICES
It’s so hard to hear yourself think in December. The TV screams at us through adverts that are desperate to get us to buy their products. Cosy Christmas fireside scenes, talking reindeers, food and drink, comfortable sofas, the must-have gifts: this is dangled before us as the epitome of what Christmas is all about. And when we think that we’ll have a nice quiet read, the papers are packed with full-page adverts reminding us of what we’ve already seen for sale on TV!
There are other voices trying to get through to us in the lead-up to Christmas. One of them is Isaiah’s. Today he tells us that our time of being enslaved is over. We have been set free and have been offered the greatest Christmas present of all: sharing the life of God’s Son.
But Isaiah’s voice clashes with the other sounds of Christmas because he tells us that if we want to go beyond the tinsel and baubles then we have to do some personal spadework. If we really want to experience the true meaning of Christmas, then we have to make sure we’re not just drifting along with the Christmas crowd but instead are keeping ourselves focussed on the reason for our feast. And this means fine-tuning the way we live, resetting our spiritual compasses and going out to meet our God who is coming.
Advent is not a mini-Lent but it is a time to remember that repentance, turning back to God, is a Christian constant. “Here is your God” says Isaiah. And our God still comes to us today and everyday. Advent challenges us to find God’s face in the ordinary events of our daily existence. And if there are aspects of our lives that prevent us from seeing this face, then Advent asks us to make changes.
When God comes it is not to point a finger but to lend a hand. The God we ask into our Advent lives is not the vengeful judge but the loving saviour. God always comes to set us free not to condemn us. But, of course, if we are genuinely to welcome Jesus into our lives this Advent and Christmas, then we have to know what we need to be set free from. Otherwise we might as well join just join the shopping queue.

WORD OF GOD
Tell Jerusalem… that her time of service is ended, that her sin is atoned for. (Isaiah 40: 1-4)

WORD FOR TODAY
Advent demands preparation. As we come closer to the events of Christmas we are challenged to smooth out the wrinkles of our daily life, to actively look for the ways in which God comes to us in the ordinariness of our existence, and to do all we can to come closer to him.

The immense step from the babe at Bethlehem to the living, reigning triumphant Lord Jesus, returning to earth for his own people – that is the glorious truth proclaimed throughout Scripture. As the bells ring out the joys of Christmas, may we also be alert for the final trumpet that will announce his return, when we shall always be with him. (Alan Redpath)

Millions of perfectly healthy and worthy men and women still keep Christmas; and do in all sincerity keep it holy as well as happy. But there are some, profiting by such natural schemes of play and pleasure-seeking, who have used it for things far baser than either pleasure-seeking or play. They have betrayed Christmas. For them the substance of Christmas, like the substance of Christmas pudding, has become stale stuff in which their own treasure is buried; and they have only multiplied the sixpences into thirty pieces of silver. (G.K. Chesterton)

Jesus’ coming is the final and unanswerable proof that God cares. (William Barclay)

We have now entered Liturgical year B which is dominated by the Gospel of Mark. It is our intention to take some time to study the text together and we hope to give you details of the arrangements for this very soon. Watch this space.

2nd Sunday of Advent
4th.
5.30
10 am
8pm
Parishioners
Anastasia Sweatman
Prayer Meeting
Mon
5th.
9.15
Peter Kilmartin
Tues
6th.
9.15
November List
Wed
7th.
9.15
November List
Thu
8th.
12md
Private Int.
Fri
9th.
9.15
Joyce Dalziel
Sat
10th.
11.45am.
Carmelite Mass
3rd Sunday of Advent
4th.
5.30
10am
8 pm
Doreen Tiernan
Parishioners
Prayer Meeting

Please pray for our sick and those who care for them Frances Heslin, Liam Halpen, Philomena Moore, Margaret Randles, Michael Collins, Teresa McLean, Denis Welch, Josie Cohen, Peter Williamson, Kathy Smith, Marjorie Hoey, Mrs H McCormack, Esther Roche, Fay Challoner, Sheila Stockley, Joan & Charles Reynolds, Kath Holland, Mary Bryden, Owen & Josie Toohey, Betty Kennedy, Helen Worth, Christopher Hadfield, Ivan Gregory, Christopher & Raymond McNally, Mark Harrison, Genevieve Foster, Aileen McGuigan. & Chris Foster. Remember also those in the parish who do not wish their illness to be made public but who also need our prayers. Money
Offertory last week: £745 73 p
120 Club Winners No. 2 M Glover £20
No 35 S Higgins

Just one week to go until the Christmas Fair but still enough opportunity to bring in your bottles, tins, toiletries etc if you haven’t already done so. Don’t forget we also welcome clothes, towels and bedding. I hope you will all find an hour or so to attend the Fair thereby supporting the effort to swell the coffers for repairs to the parish centre. It is your centre, don’t forget!

A brand new Diocesan Website has been launched today at www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org. There is still some development to come over the next couple of weeks to iron out any glitches!

Next Thursday, the feast of the Immaculate Conception is the 57th anniversary of my ordination and I would be delighted if you are able to join with me to celebrate at the 12md mass. There will be a piece of cake and a glass of wine to follow the Mass.

Scout stamps are available to you for the next 2 Sundays. Get a good deal and make someone happy by greeting them with a card this Christmas. You might consider purchasing your cards from Eileen who has a good selection of Traidcraft cards to offer.

There are several Morning & Evening Prayer books missing from the side chapel. I know that people walk away with these in an absent minded fashion and I would be grateful if you would check if you are one of those responsible. Thanks

We had quite a number of book sales last weekend. Three of the New Sunday Missals were sold, but there are still a few remaining at £19 95p. We can get more if the demand is there. It is beautifully produced and would make a good Christmas present. The stall contains something for all age groups- please have a browse and try to make this season of waiting a special one. There are some colourful books and puzzles for children as well as those Advent journey sheets. The pamphlet editions of Mark’s Gospel are now available at a mere 90p- easy to slip into your handbag or pocket. A couple of people have kindly agreed to man (and woman) the stall after each weekend Mass during Advent. Take advantage!

There will NOT be a coffee morning this coming Monday. The Bereavement group will announce the next one in the New Year.
There will be a Carol Service held at St Catherine’s, Hoylake on December 18th 2011 at 3pm, led by members of the clubs for the disabled in the Diocese. The service is for everyone, and families with a disabled son or daughter will be particularly welcome. Everyone will receive their own Christmas candle to take home and the Service will be followed with light refreshments to include warm mince pies! Jane Christley 0151 632 4891
Confirmation of 57 young people from our LPA took place last Wednesday. The youngsters from St John’s will be presented with a copy of the Good News Bible this weekend. Congratulations to them and many thanks to the catechists and all the other people who have brought them to this important event in their lives. It was a very well organised event made successful by many people. Thank you ALL.

SANTA CLAUS OR ST NICHOLAS? (December 6th)
December 6th is the feast of St Nicholas. Among the many legends surrounding him is the one that he gave bags of gold to three poor sisters for their dowries, throwing them down the chimney where they landed in some stockings which had been hung up by the fire to dry. This gave rise to the custom of giving gifts on his feast day, a practice which is still followed in the Netherlands and Germany where children leave their shoes and stockings out on St Nicholas’ Eve and hope that they will be filled with sweets and gifts the next morning. Elsewhere this has been incorporated into the celebration of Christmas where the character of “Santa Claus” is now almost universally known – a corruption of Nicholas’ Dutch name: “Sinter Klaas”

I am very sad to have to break the news that Fr. Dennis will not after all be able to join us this Christmas. His Bishop has set him the task of learning German and he will be taking advantage of a study group in Leuven. Dennis will be a real polyglot by the times he returns to S.A.

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