CHURCH OF ST. THOMAS MORE GLENDALE, AZ DECEMBER 14, 2014 Liturgy Welcome to the Parish A Prophet to the Light Pick up any paper watch the morning news listen to talk radio and notice how often the word, prophet appears. A lucky investor is hailed The New Prophet of Wall Street. A politician with a slick PR person is christened, A Prophet for Troubled Times. The latest must-have designer is crowned, The Prophet of Style. We listen to cultural prophets, technological prophets, new age prophets, and prophets of doom. We are bombarded with talking heads, market watchers, and political analysts--all of whom become our prophets our modern sources of revelation. In our Catholic tradition, a prophet is not a conjurer with a crystal ball predicting the future. Rather, a prophet is someone who offers people a new way of seeing someone who views the human condition through the lens of God. And to see, you need light! In today's Gospel we hear that "A man named John was sent from God. He came to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light." John was more than a prophet. He was the forerunner of the Lord; John was a voice crying out to prepare the way for one greater than he; to bear witness to the Light and testify to the Son of God. The Prophet John reminds us that there is another way of seeing that we are being called to deeper conversion, to radical redemption, to unexpected hope. His message reminds us that the way things are today are not the way things have to be. His journey points to the one who sees our brokenness and offers to make us whole. The one who knows our sin, and reconciles us to God. The one who walks with captives, and loves us enough to set us free. Like John, let us lift up our voices and testify to the Light! Every time we rejoice in a baptism or receive absolution, every time we hear the Word proclaimed, every time we approach the altar to receive the Body & Blood of Christ, we should experience that same shock of recognition because we have the Light to help us see. Steve Raml Director of Liturgy & Music Prayer of St. Thomas More: Give us, good Lord, the grace to work for the things we pray for. Our warmest welcome to all who worship with our parish family, whether long time registered or newly arrived in the parish. If you are not registered, please stop by the Parish Office and pick up a registration form. For your convenience a drop box is located outside the Parish Office front doors if you wish to leave paperwork when the office is closed. Please do not leave checks or cash. CHRISTMAS MASS SCHEDULE CHRISTMAS EVE Wednesday, December 24 4:00, 6:00, 8:00 & 10:00 p.m. CHRISTMAS DAY Thursday, December 25 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. NEW YEAR S DAY MASS Thursday, January 1, 2014 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, December 24: Thursday, December 25: Friday, December 26: Sunday, December 28: Monday, December 29: Tuesday, December 30 Wednesday, December 31: 2015 Thursday, January 1 Friday, January 2: 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Normal Parish Office hours resume Monday, January 5, 2014
2014 CHRISTMAS CONCERT Sunday, December 21, 5:00 p.m. The St Thomas More choirs combine with the 33 piece brass band Desert Brass to present a Christmas concert of familiar, lively and inspirational selections. This crowd pleasing concert is free as our Christmas gift to you! The St. Vincent de Paul Society would like to say a big "THANK YOU" to the parishioners of St. Thomas More. Your generosity during the Food Drive will feed many families for many months. Then you touched our hearts again with your monetary donations at our Sunday collection. The Spirit of Giving is alive and flourishing at STM. God bless you. WHAT MAY WE HOPE? The people coming to the Jordan River had a hope. They were looking for the long awaited Messiah. They were hoping it was John. This conversation was packed with hope. What do we go out to the desert to find? Children and grandchildren are looking for Santa and presents. Others are looking to celebrate the birthday of Jesus. One Christmas Eve I was let in on a miracle: A small boy was walking up to the manger scene very sweetly singing Happy Birthday to you. When he got to the line: How old are you? he turned to his parents and ever so softly asked how old? and his dad said 2006 and he stood for a minute with his cupcake and candle and got down next to the child in the crib and kissed him and asked: Can I blow out your candle? It was as though he heard an answer and blew out the candle and placed the cupcake in the folds of the swaddling cloth. Candle and cupcake stayed there until the manger was taken down the group taking it down paused for a moment seeing the candle and cupcake one started to sing and everyone joined in with a twinkle in their eye and joy in their hearts Happy Birthday to you There is another hope the Second Coming of Jesus. We wait and hope. It has been over 2000 years of waiting and hoping much like of old when they were waiting for the Messiah. Would it ever happen? How will we know? How much longer do we wait? The Scriptures carry two different views. One is in Jesus Christ God wants all people to be saved (I Timothy 2:3). Jesus says he has come into the world, not to judge people, but to save them (John 12:47). And he THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT Adult Formation ADVENT RECONCILIATION SERVICE Wednesday, December 17 7:00 p.m. promised: And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to myself (John 12:32). The second is the message of judgment. There is so much evidence in support of this thinking we cannot skip it in our lives. This threat of judgment threads through the first stories of expulsion from paradise, the flood, 40 years in the desert, etc. The prophets speak of the day of the Lord and the Wisdom literature is full of judgment. In the Christian Scriptures, it begins with John the Baptist (Matthew 3:7-12) and Jesus (Matthew 8: 11; 11:21-41 and 12:41; etc.). And the clearest example is about the Last Judgment, according to which those who show mercy to the poor, etc. So what do we do with these statements that seem to be a paradox? We must take both seriously. God desires salvation for all peoples. God also desires conversion. God does not will salvation without our involvement. In the call to conversion and faith, we are dealing with a decision for life or death. Deuteronomy 30: 15, 19 tells us: I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity I have set before you blessings and curses. Choose life. Divine freedom and human freedom are a mystery. The only answer open to us on the bases of biblical testimony is unconditional trust in the immeasurable mercy of God, who knows ways inscrutable to us, and who never ceases to court us. So with St. Paul we pray: May the God of peace make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will also accomplish it. Mary Ann Ronan The staff and guests at André House wish to thank St. Thomas More for the generous donation of dinner rolls for the Thanksgiving meal.
Youth Ministry Grades 6-12 GROWING IN FAITH, ACTING IN LOVE Christian Formation Grades K - 5 FIRE (6-8 grades) Sun., December 14 Wed., December 17 Sun., December 21 Wed., December 24 Wed., January 7 t.u.f.(9-12 grades) Sun., December 14 Sun., December 21 Sun., January 11 4:00-5:30 p.m. 6:30 8:00 p.m. 4:00-5:30 p.m. No Session 6:30-8:00 p.m. Please note: the time for t.u.f. It is important to arrive by 6:00 p.m. and we finish at 7:30 p.m. My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. Luke 1:46 SATURDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY The Saturday Bible Study will begin again January 10 at 8:00 a.m. We will be studying David (Ancient- Future Bible Study) by Stephen Binz. This series incorporates study of the Bible with the most ancient way of reading Scripture, lectio divina. It is an exciting approach and we invite any one interested to join. Books for this study can be purchased through Amazon. DONATION FOR SEASONAL DECORATIONS AND FLOWERS If you wish, you may donate money for Christmas flowers in memory or honor of a loved one. For your convenience, envelopes are available in the Parish Office. Return your donation in the collection basket or to the Parish Office during the week. A listing of those remembered will appear in the bulletin during the Christmas season. THURSDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY This study group is on Christmas break and will resume Thursday, January 8, 2015, 9:15 a.m. ELEMENTARY FAITH FORMATION Calendar / Class Times/Days: December 15 and 16 Class December 22 January 6 No Class Classes resume on January 12 and 13 Session A Monday: 4:45-6:00 p.m. Session B Monday: 6:30-7:45 p.m. Session C Tuesday: 4:45-6:00 p.m. Session D Tuesday: 6:30-7:45 p.m. ADVENT PRAYER SERVICE Parents are invited to join the children in an Advent prayer Service during the first 15 minutes of Faith Formation class time during all December classes. The children are asked to perform Acts of Kindness during Advent to Prepare their hearts for Jesus. CHILDREN S LITURGY OF THE WORD (CLOW) Children in Kindergarten through third grade are invited to participate in the Children s Liturgy of the Word parallel liturgy during the 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. Masses. CLOW is held the first three Sundays of the month. CLOW will not meet December 28 - January 4. Normal schedule resumes January 11. St. Thomas More www.stmglendale.org In today s Gospel John the Baptist says, I am the voice of one crying in the desert; make straight the way of the Lord. As we prepare for Christmas, let us ask for the grace to help others to know the love of the Lord. Christmas is a time of love and gift giving...you have shared your gifts this past Thanksgiving and thank you to parishioners that have signed up to sponsor families for the Adopt a Family program.
Pastoral Care Don't Miss the Boat! Act Now if You'd Like to Be Part of the Next Stephen Minister Training Class! Using Your Spiritual Gifts Gifted to Care Spiritual gifts are gifts to give away. God gives them to us, and we use them to serve others. How are you using your gifts right now? Are you looking for a new way to use them? Perhaps your spiritual gifts include one or more of the following - - faith, mercy, teaching the faith, encouragement, or compassion or maybe you have not really taken the time to develop your spiritual gifts but still feel called to a ministry. Since we have begun Stephen Ministry training here in our parish, we have seen the great value of lay caring ministry. The rewards of time and talent have been numerous to our parish through this ministry. Another training class for Stephen Ministers will begin in January. Give serious consideration to this question: "Would my gifts and talents be put to good use as a Stephen Minister?" Contact: Linda McDowell, in the Parish Office or lmcdowell@stmglendale.org. THURSDAY EVENING ROSARY 6:30 p.m., Mary Chapel If you are unable to attend the morning recitation of the rosary, please consider this opportunity to pray with fellow parishioners. 2015 OFFERTORY COMMITMENT CARDS Letters went out last week to those parishioners who did not complete a commitment card for the Sunday Offertory on Commitment Weekend. If you have not yet turned in a card, please read the information and decide what you can give in gratitude for blessings you have received. If you ve already made your commitment, please disregard the letter. You may call the Parish Office if you have other questions regarding your commitment. 2015 St. Joseph Sunday Missal is now available in the Parish Office $3.00 Given in Gratitude for God s Blessings The plate collection for Sunday, December 7 was $38,519. Thank you for your faithful support. The total offertory for the month of November was $153,045. This is an average weekly of $30,609. The mortgage payment contributions (debt reduction) received in November totaled $14,545. The monthly mortgage payment is $36,000. Thanks to Our Advertisers FAITH COMMUNITY NURSING RN s from this ministry are available to speak with parishioners. You may call the Parish Office and leave a message and one of the nurses will contact you. PARISH HALL RENTAL Please patronize our advertisers and thank them for supporting our bulletin when using their products and services. COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS Stop by or call the Parish Office to learn more about.. ALBERTSONS COMMUNITY PARTNERS PROGRAM - Cards in the Parish Office. FRY S COMMUNITY REWARDS PROGRAM - Enrollment in this rewards program is done online by each family. Registration forms in Parish Office. SAFEWAY - sign up by picking up a registration form in the Parish Office or visiting www.escrip.com, select group (St. Thomas More, ID# 9605052). ANDRÉ HOUSE has volunteer opportunities available. To sign up online visit www.signupgenius.com/ go/70a044fa8a72f4-andre2/. The Parish Hall is available to rent for private functions. Please see the parish web site under FAQ s or stop by the Parish Office for an information sheet.
Tina Karen Joan Don Lloyd PARISH COUNCIL Ques ons, comments or concerns, contact a Council member tgantner@stmglendale.org kkozlowski@stmglendale.org jgraham@stmglendale.org dsandefur@stmglendale.org lsinger@stmglendale.org Buy your Sunday Arizona Republic here and support the teens. A mere $2.00, like everywhere else, but you re helping the STM teens. 2015 Offertory Commitment cards may be returned to the Parish Office during office hours or by mail. Thank you. Sunday Readings for the Week December 14, 2014 Third Sunday of Advent Is 61:1-2a, 10-11; Lk 1; 1 Thes 5:16-24; Jn 1:6-8, 19-28 Monday Nm 24:2-7, 15-17a; Ps 25; Mt 21:23-27 Tuesday Zep 3:1-2, 9-13; Ps 34; Mt 21:28-32 Wednesday Gn 49:2, 8-10; Ps 72; Mt 1:1-17 Thursday Jer 23:5-8; Ps 72; Mt 1:18-25 Friday Jgs 13:2-7, 24-25a; Ps 71; Lk 1:5-25 Saturday Is 7:10-14; Ps 24; Lk 1:26-38 Sunday Fourth Sunday of Advent 2 Sm 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16; Ps 89; Rom 16:25-27;Lk 1:26-38 Please come to Mass early enough not to disrupt. Leave late enough not to insult. Worship reverently enough not to distract. AND dress proudly enough not to offend. Monday, December 15 4:45 pm Session A Christian Formation 6:30 pm Session B Christian Formation Tuesday, December 16 4:45 pm RCIC 4:45 pm Session C Christian Formation 6:30 pm Session D Christian Formation Wednesday, December 17 6:30 pm FIRE Youth Group 7:00 pm Advent Reconciliation Service Thursday, December 18 6:30 pm Evening Rosary 7:00 pm RCIA Friday, December 19 Saturday, December 20 Sunday, December 21 4:00 pm FIRE Youth Group 6:00 pm t.u.f. Youth Group 7:00 pm Christmas Concert SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13 5:00pm +Dylan Padro SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14 7:30am +Nancy Johnson 9:00am +Parishioners of St. Thomas More 11:00am Tim Manning TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16 8:30am +Charles Gangi WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17 8:30am +William McDonald THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18 8:30am +Dennis Frankiewicz FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19 8:30am +Dave Bopp SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20 5:00pm +Irene & +John Obit SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21 7:30am +Mrs. Maniquis 9:00am +Joan Allegra 11:00am +Parishioners of St. Thomas More Prayer List * Genaro Acuna * Linda Blanchard * Sharon DiCosmo * * Jacqueline Hernandez * Pat Justimbaste, Sr. * * Jordyn Kube * Alex Spartz * Names will be kept on the prayer list for two weeks, at which time you will need to call the Parish Office to update. Thank you.