FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT,,SUNDAY 27th NOVEMBER 2011.

*FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT*

*SUNDAY 27*^*th* *NOVEMBER 2011.*

*MASS TIMES:**INTENTIONS:*

Saturday Vigil Mass: 7.15 p.m. Hughie Middleton & Family

Sunday: 9.15 a.m. Glyn Williams R.I.P.

11.00 a.m. The Parish

Monday: 9.15 a.m. November List

Tuesday: 9.15 a.m. Michael Kiernan

Wednesday: 9.15 a.m. November list

Thursday: 9.15 a.m. Robert Trundle A.

Friday: 9.15 a.m. John Adams (Ill)

Saturday: 9.15 a.m. Special Intention

Saturday Vigil Mass: 7.15 p.m. Louise Whitcombe

Sunday: 9.15 a.m. The Parish

11.00 a.m. Michael Kiernan

*MORNING PRAYER:*

9.00 a.m. in the Sacristy Office, except Wednesdays.

*BAPTISMS:*

By appointment with Fr. Cooke. After speaking to Fr Cooke, it is important that parentscontactAnn Siddall (01244 371787)who will arrange for members of our Baptism Team to discuss Baptism and the practical details.

*CONFESSIONS: *Confessions are heard every Saturday after morning Mass, and in the evening from 6.45 p.m. – 7.10 p.m.

*LATELY DEAD:*

Please remember in your prayers Michael Kiernan who died last week; we pray for Mary and the family and pray for the repose of Mike’s soul.

*ANNIVERSARIES:*

Please remember in your prayers: Rob Jones, John Gordon Sands, Frank Buddery, Nora Little, Angela Podmore, Peter Garry, Robert Trundle, Louise Whitcombe, John Henry McCowne, Stan Connelly, Francesca Pace, Baby Ann Burton, Winifride Dorothy Jones, Edward Fox, Sarah Morgan, John Parke, Peter Anthony Burton, Lily Dowd, Angela Chapman, John Wolfe, John Bellis, Charles Maloney, John Halligan.

*COFFEE AFTER MASS:*

Tea and coffee are served in the Hall after the Sunday morning Masses. All are welcome.

*ADVENT & CHRISTMAS AT ST. COLUMBA’S:*

Please pick up a copy of the green sheet that gives the details of all the main services and celebrations over the period.

*OFFERTORY: *

Loose Plate: £461.10

Planned Giving: £477.43

Average Weekly SOs £506.00

Thank you for your support.

*SVP COLLECTION:*

The SVP collection for November amounted to £310.89. Thank you for your continued support. The December collection will be next weekend, *3-4 December.*

*UPTON CHURCHES PRAYER DIARY:*

This week we pray for:

*

The residents of Queen’s Crescent, Weston Grove, Lakeside Close and Dukesway.

*

For the Senior Citizens Club, Food and Fun, and St. Vincent De Paul Society.

*

For all those who are retired.

*9.15 MASS: HYMN INTROIT:*

To you, O Lord, I pray; I trust in your great name.

Let not my enemies exalt nor put my soul to shame.

Reveal your ways to me and guide me in right paths

That you may teach me in your truth, O Lord, is all I ask.

Give glory to our God, the Father and the Son,

and also to the Paraclete, eternal Three-in-One.

*ADVENT REFLECTIONS:*

At St. Francis Church Chester in the Season of Advent there will be three Wednesday evening reflections starting at 6.30 p.m.:

*30*^*th* *November, 7*^*th* *December, and 14*^*th* *December.*

*ADVENT PENITENTIAL SERVICE:*

This will be held at St. Columba’s on *Friday 16*^*th* *November*, at 7.00 p.m. The service will be for all the parishes of Chester & District – Local Pastoral Area 11. Look out for further details.

*CAROL SINGING:*

We would be very glad of your support on the following occasions of carol singing out in the community:

*

*Tuesday 13*^*th* *December*, 2.30 p.m. at Orchard Manor Nursing Home – arranged by Churches Together in Upton.

*

*Thursday 15*^*th* *December*, 6.30 p.m. at Wealstone Nursing Home, and 8.00 p.m. at Mallard Court, Long Lane – arranged by Churches Together in Upton.

*

*Thursday 22*^*nd* *December*, singing around the wards of the Countess of Chester Hospital. Meet in the Chapel at 6.30 p.m.

*CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL THEME AND PRAYER FOR THE WEEK:*

/Advent: Time of Expectation/

Father, in the wilderness of the River Jordan

you sent a messenger to prepare people’s hearts for the

coming of your Son. Help me to hear his words and

be sorry for my sins, so that I may clearly see the way to

walk, the truth to speak, and the life to live for Him,

our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

*FEASTS OF THE WEEK:*

30^th November is the Feast of *Andrew the Apostle*. He became Patron Saint of Scotland following the legendary translation of some of his remains from Greece to the place in Scotland now known as St.Andrews.

On 3^rd December we celebrate the feast of *St. Francis Xavier*the Patron of Foreign Missions,. Born in 1506 in the Basque country, he became a Jesuit missionary, eventually spending an enormously active10-year period spreading the gospel in Goa, Ceylon, the East Indies and Japan.

*SVP CHRISTMAS OUTING:*

This will be on *Wednesday 7*^*th* *December 2011*, and we will go to the Yacht Inn on Parkgate Road for lunch and then on to Gordale Garden Centre for a couple of hours for you to look around and maybe buy Christmas Presents. If you know of anyone who is housebound or unable to get out please let any member of SVP know or phone Margaret Allmark 01244 399624.

*PARISH BUILDINGS COMMITTEE – REQUEST FOR NEW MEMBERS:*

The committee oversees repairs and refurbishment of St Columba’s properties. We meet half a dozen times a year or so, the meetings are usually only an hour long, focus on actions and are not ‘talking shops’! We would very much appreciate hearing from any parishioners who might be interested in replacing two members who have left.**No ‘buildings’ experience is necessary – just common sense! Please contact Pauline Rourke or Graham Leech.

Tel: 01244-372392

E-mails: pauline.rourke@btinternet.com or leech2000@btinternet.com for further information.

*PARISH BUILDINGS COMMITTEE – HALL STORAGE:*

The storage areas by the stage in the hall and at the back of the stage itself have become crowded with miscellaneous bits and pieces. Some of these appear to be surplus to requirements – and are a potential fire and access hazard. /Please could anyone involved in using the storage spaces tidy their things away and get rid of anything of no further use, or mark them as ‘to be disposed of’ before we hire a skip in the next couple of weeks and get rid of anything unclaimed/? Thank you!

*CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL PRODUCTION OF OLIVER! *

This will be staged on *Wednesday 30*^*th* *November*, *Thursday 1*^*st* *December and Friday 2*^*nd* *December*in the school hall. Tickets will be £10 each and are available from the school office.

*CHRISTMAS FAMILY FUN NIGHT:*

*St.Werburgh’s & St. Columba’s School Christmas Family Fun Night*takes place this *Friday 2nd December*, in St Columba’s Church Hall, 6 – 8pm. Entrance: £1 per adult & child free. Raffle, stalls, bottle tombola, refreshments, children’s entertainment, licensed bar & ….. yes, he’ll be there, it’s Father Christmas! Come & have some fun! We look forward to seeing you!

“*MAKE YOUR WAY TO HIM”:*

One-day Catholic youth event taking place on *Saturday 3*^*rd* *December*, 10.30 a.m. to 8.00 p.m. at St. Mary’s Church, King Street, Middlewich, CW10 9EB. Inspiring talks, lively worship, workshops, great people. Donation only, further information from 020 8675 2743 or _*info@youth2000.org *_See posters in the Porches.

*HOUSE GROUP:*

If you are in your 30s or 40s and would like to get to know some more people from church, you are welcome to join our informal social/spiritual house group. We meet monthly in each other’s houses to get to know each other and talk about things. Topics have include faith, the church today, our favourite music, watching films, books, the saints, Christians around the world, Mary. For more information contact Steve on 0754 8791 456 _*dutch1815@hotmail.co.uk*_or Sarah on 0775 7337 323 _*sarahjturner@yahoo.com*_Next meeting is on *Monday 19th December*.

*CHESTER & ELLESMERE PORT SVP WALSINGHAM PILGRIMAGE 2012:*

The pilgrimage will take place from *Monday 16*^*th* *to Thursday 19*^*th* *April*. The cost (assuming 50 including driver travel) will be approx. £165 per person including coach travel, accommodation, meals in Walsingham and gratuities. For more details please contact Brian & Val Forrest (01244 318863) or any SVP member.

*NEXT WEEK’S NEWSLETTER:*

This will be compiled by Brian Hall

Tel: 01244 371998, email *bhhall@talktalk.net*

Items for inclusion can also be left in the blue folder in the Sacristy. Please ensure that all items are in place by 9.00 a.m. on Thursday. Please include a phone number in case of queries.

Please take your Newsletter home and use it for reference and prayer during the week. Current and past issues of the Newsletter can be seen on the Parish website: *www.stcolumbachester.org.uk*

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