Newsletter of Church of the Ascension Accent on Ascension Volume XVIII, Issue 5 12033 Miller Ave. Saratoga CA 95070 Nov. Dec. 2018 Christmas at Church of the Ascension Advent Reconciliation December 18 and 20th 9:30 a.m. 10:30 a.m. December 22 4:00 p.m. 4:45 p.m. Monday, December 24 Christmas Eve Family Mass at 6 p.m.* Midnight Mass Christmas Carols at 11:30 p.m. Mass at Midnight Tuesday, December 25 Christmas Day Masses at 7, 9, 11 a.m. *Christmas Eve Family Mass 6 p.m. Monday, December 24 This Mass will feature the children of Ascension, reenacting the Birth of Jesus, with a tableau of Shepherds and Angels, Mary, Joseph, and the Baby Jesus. All elementary age children are invited to take part in this program. A rehearsal will be held Saturday, December 22 at 10 a.m. Costumes will be provided. Phone numbers: Parish Office: 408-725-3939 Fax: 408-725-3932 Ascension Web Site: http://www.churchoftheascension.net
For the Men! From Tom Roza The Men s Club extends an invitation to all men to attend a meeting and be our guest for a great meal. Meet many of your fellow Ascension parishioners and our club officers for 2018: President Jeff Moe, Vice President Jerry Kulm, Secretary Tom Roza, and Treasurer Don van Buren. Our Members Are Great Chefs The regular meeting was held at Worner Hall on Friday November 9, 2018 and was led by Men s Club President Jeff Moe. Men s Club members and their guests were treated to a scrumptious late Autumn Italian dinner by Head Chef Mike Swift who was ably assisted by Ted Wyess, Ron Wipfler, Ron Schoengold, and Tom Roza. Mike and his team provided the Men s Club members with wonderful meal consisting of: Homemade Meat Lasagna, Garlic Bread, and Tortilla Chip mixed salad. This exceptional meal was topped off with a dessert of Pumpkin pie, whipped cream, vanilla and chocolate ice cream and coffee. All in attendance expressed their appreciation to Mike and his team for a meal well prepared. Communion Memorial Mass The 17th Annual Men s Club Memorial Mass honoring past members and those wives that are deceased was held on Saturday Nov 10 at Ascension Church and Worner Hall. Father Joe Galang was the Celebrant. After the service, a reception including some tasty food and refreshments was held in Worner Hall. Upcoming Events! Come Join Us The next meeting of the Ascension Men s Club will be held on Friday December 14, 2018 at 6:00pm. Join us for plenty of good food and camaraderie. We welcome both Ascension parishioners and non-parishioners to become members of our great Men s Club. Accent on Ascension is published bi-monthly by a committee of Ascension parishioners. Articles for the newsletter can be mailed or dropped off at the Ascension Parish Office, 12033 Miller Ave., Saratoga CA 95070, or e-mailed to ruthann@word-art.com. Deadline for submissions is the third Thursday of each odd-numbered month. Office Staff: Desktop Publishing: Printing: Church office: Nomer Rios Ruthann Stolzman WordArt (408) 725-3939 www.churchoftheascension.net 2 November December 2018 Accent on Ascension
Pastoral Council Communiqué The Church of the Ascension Pastoral Council met on November 15, 2018 in the Parish Office. Pastoral Council members in attendance were: Fr. Joe Galang, John Pozniak, Harry Stice, Neil Prasad, Tom Roza, Hasan Didjaja, and Sonia Olivar Summary of topics discussed: Parish Communications Fall Newsletter published in September; Next Parish Newsletter (Winter Issue) scheduled for end of November. Upcoming Parish Activities 2018-19 Thanksgiving Interfaith Service: Nov 22 (Location: Scared Heart Parish); Church of the Ascension Thanksgiving Day Mass @ 8:30am Christmas Services: Dec 24: Family Mass 6:00 p.m.; Midnight Mass: 11:30 p.m.; Dec 25: Masses 7:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. (no 5:00 p.m.) Knights of Columbus/Serra Pancake Breakfast: Jan 13 Annual Diocesan Appeal: Jan 26 From Tom Roza Chinese Lunar New Year: Year of the Pig Celebration: Feb/TBD Parish/Lenten Mission/Fr Michael Moore: Feb 25-28 Men s Club St Patrick s Day Dinner: Mar 9 Knights of Columbus Founder s Day Walking Pilgrimage: Mar 30 Holy Week & Easter Triduum: Apr 15-21 Men s Club Mother s Day/Wives Dinner: May 10 Sacraments of Initiation: First Communion and Confirmation: May 12 Pastor's Report Preparing for Advent/Christmas Season. New Coadjutor Bishop Oscar Cantú initiation has been performed. Bishop McGrath is recovering from an injury. Next Pastoral Council Meeting (Joint meeting with Finance Council) will be December 6, 2018. Finance Council Update From Doris Atkinson The finance council walked through the financial shape of the Church. Through the end of October, we are about $14,000 behind on Sunday collections. The majority of this happened during the 5 weeks of October. Collections were behind by nearly $13,000 during the 5 weeks of October. Through hard work, expenditures have been kept down and overall the finances are showing a very small positive net income despite being behind in collections. Utilities expenses are one key area of savings that is helping the bottom line with both water and electricity usage being lower. However, keeping expenses down will not be enough as comparing to last year, Sunday collections were behind by $14,000 for the entire year, and right now we are only 1/3 of the way through the year. We are relying on higher contributions from our parishioners in our Sunday collections to keep our Church financially healthy. Accent on Ascension November December 2018 3
Promises of the Rosary The Blessed Virgin Mary promised to Saint Dominic and to all who follow that Whatever you ask in the Rosary will be granted. She gave fifteen promises to those who recite the Holy Rosary. Imparted to Saint Dominic and Blessed Alan: 1/ Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall receive signal graces. 2/ I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary. 3/ The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies. 4/ The Rosary will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire for eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means. 5/ The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall not perish. 6/ Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its sacred mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in his justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of eternal life. 7/ Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church. 8/ Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plentitude of his graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the merits of the saints in paradise. 9/ I shall deliver from Purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary. 10/ The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in Heaven. 11/ You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary. 12/ All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities. 13/ I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death. 14/ All who recite the Rosary are my sons and daughters, and brothers and sisters of my only Son Jesus Christ. 15/ Devotion of my Rosary is a great sign of predestination. 4 November December 2018 Accent on Ascension
19 th International Potluck Festival From Marie Maraschin, Chairwoman I would like to thank Fr. Joe, the IPL Committees, all the Donors, the Chinese Community of the Church of Ascension, the Fil-Am Group, the Men s Club, Bob Leano, Richard Stolzman, George and Kimberly Sharp, Cesar and Judy Quiason, Rob Espina, Raffi Almacen, the Volunteers, Parishioners and Guests for all your support, time, effort and generosity that you have given to make this event a memorable one. This event will not be successful without your help. I am so blessed that I have a good team that are always there to lend a helping hand. A group that prays together will have fun together. 19 th Annual International Potluck Committee Executive Chairwoman Marie Maraschin Masters of Ceremonies Tom Roza and Loy Oppus-Moe Tickets, Program & Advertising Ruthann Stolzman Entertainment Loy Oppus-Moe and Marie Maraschin Food Preparation Sonia Olivar, Maureen & Roden Mijares, Caroline Prasad, Angie Datu, Debbie Teng, Janet Lau Serving CCCA Ladies, Fil-Am Ladies, Religious Ed Students Beverages/ Bar Men s Club Sound/Music Ray Gallant Solicitation of Prizes Tom Roza & Marie Maraschin Distribution & Sale of Tickets Tom Roza, Maria Leano, Janet Lau, Sonia Olivar and Marie Maraschin Set Up & Clean Up Fil-Am Group, CCCA & Everybody Decorations Marie Maraschin, Debbie Teng, Sonia Olivar and IPL Committee 50/50 Raffle - Joyette Williams Door Prizes were donated by: Anonymous, Tom & Celia Gaynor, Fil-Am, CCCA, Phyllis Hsu, Janet Lau, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Cicero's Pizza, David and Kathleen Rappa, Robert Stedmak, Gregory Sorenson, Mary Ryan, Eleanor Teller, John and Susan Skaronski, Barbara Husleine, Clarence and Connie Krueger, Janet Opat, Tom Roza & Nancy Charnoski, Ruthann Stolzman. Kudos to all! Blessings, Marie More IPL photos on pages 6-7 Accent on Ascension November December 2018 5
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Church of the Ascension 12033 Miller Avenue Saratoga CA 95070