The First Sunday of Advent, 27th November, 2022.Cycle A
St John the Evangelist
128 Bebington Road, New Ferry, CH62 5BJ
Diocese of Shrewsbury (reg. charity 234025)
Parish Priest: Fr Mario Ashuikeka and Fr Emmanuel Chukwujekwu
Deacon: Revd Michael Daly Phone: 0151 645 3314
Email stjohntheevangelist@gmail.comWebsites http://www.stjohntheevangelistnewferry.com www.lpa24.org
The First Sunday of Advent, 27th November, 2022. Cycle A
FAITH IN FOCUS: DISTRACTIONS
The story goes that at the time of Noah people gave no thought to their relationship with God. While Noah was preparing to save himself from the Flood, the rest of society was eating, drinking and marrying as if there were nothing to worry about. Then the waters came with a vengeance and they were all swept away. It will be the same when the Son of Man comes, Jesus tells his disciples. So stay awake.
Today, the First Sunday of Advent, is the Church’s New Years Day. It’s a time for taking stock, for new resolutions about how we are cooperating with the Holy Spirit in establishing the kingdom of God on earth. What will Christ find when he comes again?
Some people think Christ will come again in a literal fashion, on the clouds with a trumpet blast to judge the living and the dead. Others are always on the lookout for natural disasters and wars which they say augur the beginning of the end. There are those who think that the world will gradually become a better and better place until the dawn of that day when the values of God’s kingdom will be those of the universe and all its peoples.
But lots of people don’t think anything about the end of the world. They are too distracted with eating and drinking, marrying, doing this and that. They have their little plans and dreams and these don’t ever come into contact with anything as long-term as their role in ushering in the kingdom
It’s easy for us to become distracted from the fact that as Christians we are called to be signs of God’s kingdom, to embody those values that Christ preached and taught during his stay on earth. We are invited to be the leaven of society, the signposts to a better quality of living and the bearers of good news. Advent is a reminder that we can become so distracted with the mundane goings-on in our daily life that we end up never giving the kingdom a second thought. Or we can stay awake to the signs of its coming among us.
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ENTRANCE ANTIPHON: To you, I lift up my soul, O my God. In you, I have trusted; let me not be put to shame. Nor let my enemies exult over me; and let none who hope in you be put to shame.
RESPONSE TO THE PSALM: I rejoiced when I heard them say: “Let us go to God’s house.”
GOSPEL ACCLAIMATION: Let us see, O Lord, your mercy and give us your saving help.
COMMUNION ANTIPHON: The Lord will bestow his bounty, and our earth shall yield its increase.
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The Years 1 and 2 of the Infant School will be gracing us with their presence at Mass next Tuesday, 29th November. It will be their Advent Mass.
Devotions/Adoration: From now on, unless advised otherwise, Saturday Morning Devotions will be prayed in Church (the Rosary, Divine Mercy and Divine Praises) from 10:30am to 11:30am each Saturday morning.
Fr Mario will be available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation during Saturday Morning Devotions at 10.30-11.00am. All most welcome.
If you have any queries or ideas, please continue to contact Deacon Mike Daly on 07542463319 or Carol Dalziel on 07808975011 on any Parish matters, or if you wish to arrange a Baptism, Wedding or Funeral.
Mike Daly has been sending out his Homilies each week to many of you since the Covid Lockdown first started. He has now stopped this and instead they will be printed on the Parish Website which everyone can access from the 1st November. Log in details to the Website are www.stjohntheevangelistnewferry.com
Mass Intentions If you would like to have a Mass said for your own or someone else’s intentions please fill in one of the Mass offering envelopes at the back of Church, place a donation in it & put it through the presbytery letterbox. Thank you.
Please continue to keep all of our sick parishioners in your thoughts and prayers.
Children's Liturgy is now taking place during the 9.30is Mass, all are welcome.
Tea and Coffee after 9.30am Mass each Sunday. To be held in the Meeting Room through the Music Store Room, but the exit will now be via the front door of the house. All are welcome.
Last Weeks’ Offertory Collection amounted to £501.51p. Thank you. Please try to be as generous as you can to our parish in these difficult times.
In Memoriam: Please pray for the repose of the souls of Mr. Geoffrey Williams and Mr. Joseph Kelly who have recently died. Mr William’s Funeral Service will be held here at St John’s on Monday, 28th November at 10.30am followed by Landican Crematorium at 11.30am. Mr Kelly’s Funeral Service is also at St John’s on Tuesday, 29th November at 11.30am followed by Landican Crematorium at 12.30pm. Please pray for their families at this time. May they rest in peace.
The Loop System in the church is now fully operational. To benefit, please set your hearing aid to the "T" setting and adjust your volume as appropriate.
There is a Prayer Intention Book on the table at the back of the church. Please enter your intentions and the Book will be brought to the altar on the First Sunday of each month.
Mother’s Prayers - Please see the poster about this group of mothers from our parish who meet on the third Tuesday of each month at 7pm, to pray for their children and grandchildren and offer each other support. The next meeting is Tuesday 20th December. All most welcome.
Advent Day by Day booklets containing daily readings throughout Advent are on the table at the back of church. They are £1 but free to take a copy and if you are able to, please leave a donation in the Books and Cards Box by the card table.
FRIENDS OF BEBINGTON CEMETERY: has been set up by Mark Baylis. It aims to help, maintain and restore the cemetery since the Council staff that looks after it has been cut from 6 to 1. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Mark 0151 645 4620. Bebington Cemetery Website www.fobc1868.uk
If you know of any St John's parishioners, who would welcome a home visit by members of the S.V.P, please email St John's with details and we will pass on the information, which is treated confidentially, to Steve Bell, President of St John's SVP. Please ask the person or persons involved if they would like a visit before passing on their details. Many thanks stjohntheevabgelist@gmail.com
Collection for Flowers for the Church: There will be a retiring collection over THIS WEEKEND of the 26th/27th November. A BIG THANK YOU to our team of flower arrangers for the displays over the past 12 months.
We, the LPA 21, are immensely glad to invite you all for Relic Exhibition of Blessed Carlo Acutis, who, ‘the only saint in JEANS’ is surely a model and inspiration for our Children and Youth today. We are hosting it in St. Alban’s Parish Hall, Liscard, Wallasey, from December 3rd to 4th 10.30am till 5 pm. In view of making the Exhibition an Eucharist-led journey, we have organized Holy Hour, Benediction, Witnessing, Eucharistic Teachings and Veneration of the Relic with special emphasis on the Spirituality of St. Peter Julian Eymard, the Apostle of the Eucharist from 3 pm to 5 pm at St. Alban’s Church, Liscard on December 3 and the same will be at St. Joseph’s Church, Seacombe on December 4th. There will be some activities and workshops for children and teenagers as well. We look forward for your support and co-operation.
Partnering Nigeria: Fr. Mario and Fr. Emmanuel are going to connect our church with a catholic church in Nigeria. The idea is to share, care and show God’s love to one another. We are starting at Christmas. If you would like to write a card or letter and enclose a donation, they will be collected by Maria Fryer and forwarded to Nigeria by Fr. Mario. See Poster on the notice board at the back of church.
Come & See Day Saturday 3rd December 10.00am-4.00pm. Title “Called to be an Evangelising Church”, to be held at Irenaeus Centre, 32 Great Georges Road, Liverpool L22 1RD. Keynote Speaker: Michelle Moran. Suggested donation £10. Bring a packed lunch. Tea and coffee provided. To Book in email jenny@irenaeus.co.uk
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The First Sunday in Advent,
Cycle A
Sunday 27th
5.00pm Sylvia Nugent Birthday Remembrance
9.30am Rev Philip White RIP
11.00am Richard Phillips
7.30pm Prayer Meeting
Monday 28th
9.15am Mike Barry Birthday Remembrance RIP
10.30am Funeral Service-Geoffrey Williams
Tuesday 29th
9.15am Vera Brockway RIP
11.30am Funeral Service- Joseph Kelly
Wednesday 30th
9.15am Decd Family/Friends of Joan & Roy Turner
Thursday December 1st
7.00pm St John’s & St Luke’s Parishes
Friday 2nd
9.15am Teresa Young RIP
Saturday 3rd
10:30am Devotions - Rosary, Divine Mercy & Divine Praises
The Second Sunday in Advent, Cycle A
Sunday 4th
5.00pm Margaret Greenshields RIP
9.30am Ints Philomena Topping
11.00am Private Ints G McTernan
7.30pm Prayer Meeting
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Advent is concerned with that very connection between memory and hope which is so necessary to man. Advent’s intention is to awaken the most profound and basic memory within us, namely the memory of God who became a child. This is a healing memory; it brings hope. The purpose of the Church’s year is continually to rehearse her great history of memories, to awaken the heart’s memory so that it can discern the star of Hope...
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Wirral Foodbank: All donations need to be non-perishable, please refer to the list on the notice board of items urgently needed. Please continue to support this as much as you can in these difficult times.
Please take a copy of the Parish Newsletter for anyone else who would appreciate receiving a copy. Also, there is a selection of cards in the Card Rack; please put money in the box provided.
If you have a notice for the bulletin, please email it to the parish email address or put it through the presbytery letter box by 12 noon on Wednesdays. Many thanks.
Escorted Pilgrimage to Knock Shrine, Ireland, 27th March 2023. Cost £699.00 per person sharing. Price includes flight, all transfers, 4 nights’ in Knock House Hotel with full board. All entertainment and excursions included. Day trips to Westport, Ballintubber Abbey, Croagh Patrick, Fr. Peyton Centre & National Museum. Single supplement £150.00. Contact Patricia on 01268 762 278 or 07740 175557 or email knockpilgrimages@gmail.com. See poster on notice board at the back of church.
