St. Stephen, Martyr • Chesapeake, VA • Page 2

1544 Battlefield Boulevard South Chesapeake, Virginia 23322-2041 Phone: 757-421-7416 Fax: 757-421-7488 e-mail: ssm@ssmrcc.org website: www.ssmrcc.org

November 18, 2018 • 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time • Page 3

2018 Advent Mission “Perfect Gift”

We are just weeks away from our Advent Mission! Are you waiting with great anticipation for the

second coming of Jesus, just like a child waits for that special gift on Christmas morning? With great excitement, St. Stephen, Martyr will be preparing our hearts for Jesus and Christmas with an Advent Mission and

special guest, Fr. Kevin McGoldrick. Fr. Kevin is an American Dominican Priest and professional musician living in Nashville, Tennessee. Fr. Kevin's bluesy-pop style music invigorates ALL ages. His song, "Square Peg, Round Hole" went to #1 on the global chart CECELIA. Fr. Kevin also has produced a contemporary version of The Divine Mercy Chaplet that is sung every Tuesday night in the Upper Room Prayer Fellowship gathering. This will be a glorious weekend of worship, purification and adoration! The total cost for the Advent Mission weekend is $10/person and/or $20/family and lunch is included! This event takes place Friday/Saturday - December 14/15. A concert will be held Friday, December 14 at 7:00pm (doors open at 6:30pm) On Saturday, December 15 we will begin with Mass at 8:30am, next a presentation by Fr. Kevin and followed by a Holy Hour/Adoration. We close the Advent Mission with lunch and reconciliation.

Christmas Tree & Wreath Sales

Christmas Tree and Wreath sales begin Saturday, November 17! Please prayerfully consider purchasing your Christmas tree and/or wreath from the parish this year! Bring the aroma of holiday cheer to your home with a fresh cut Fraser Fir tree. Cash, check or credit card are accepted.

10" Wreath $15 16" Wreath $25 20" Wreath $35

Candy Cane Wreath $25

Small Tree $50 Medium Tree $70 Large Tree $95

Open during the following hours:

Mon-Fri 3:00pm-9:00pm Sat-Sun 9:00am-9:00pm

Extended hours the day after Thanksgiving

Friday, November 23 9:00am-9:00pm

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Text Giving For #GivingTuesday

#GivingTuesday is celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving in the United States and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday. #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable season, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving. #GivingTuesday has become a movement that celebrates and supports giving throughout the year!

Won't you give to SSM on #GivingTuesday this year, Tuesday, November 27? You have several options online e-giving, check, cash or our newly added text giving! We’d like to introduce our new giving option, Text Giving! If this appeals to you, please follow these directions. Text the amount you’d like to donate to 757-300-1796. All first time text giving donors will be prompted to visit a secure URL. After registration you will enter your credit/debit card information. Your donation will process and you will receive a confirmation text. Thank you in advance for your generosity.

Knights of Columbus Council #11982 Coats For Kids

Please help the Knights of Columbus reach our goal of providing 200 local Catholic children with a new, warm coat for the winter by placing a new or gently used coat in the bin in the Commons. Collection ends Sunday, November 25.

We Need Volunteers To Help With Christmas Tree Sales

Have you signed up to volunteer for the Christmas Tree Lot? Slots are filling up fast! You don’t want to miss out on SSM’s biggest fundraiser! We need your help and it’s SO much fun! Please sign up online at www.ssmrcc.org, Events, Christmas Tree Lot Volunteer Sign Up. Please consider by unloading, selling, and

purchasing your tree from SSM this year.

Bethlehem Christians We are very happy to welcome back our friends from Bethlehem Christians. They will be selling olivewood figurines, crosses and specialty items the first weekend of Advent. Their beautifully carved items will become constant reminders of your Catholic faith. But even more importantly, every item we purchase will assist Christians in Bethlehem, who have become a minority of just 2% of the population of Israel. Visit the tables in the Commons after all Masses the weekend of December 1/2 to learn more about their struggles and speak with Samir Qumsieh. He owns Nativity TV, the only Christian TV station in Palestine. Samir travels in the United States selling olivewood items to raise funds to support Christian causes in the land of Jesus' birth.

Volunteer to Help the Bethlehem Christians

The Bethlehem Christians will be selling their beautiful handcrafted Olivewood carvings before and after all Masses the weekend of December 1/2. You may remember the large crowd gathered around their tables last year. In order to make this sale run smoothly and efficiently, we are in need of four volunteers per Mass to assist with sales. To sign up to volunteer please visit www.ssmrcc.org, Events, Bethlehem Christians Volunteer.

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Parents Night Out!

Parents enjoy a night out Saturday, November 24 from 6:00-9:00pm. Children ages 4-12 are welcome. The cost is $10.00 per child or $30.00 maximum per family. Dinner and snacks are included! We will finish out the evening with a movie so bring pillows, sleeping bags and dress comfy! For more information contact Ashley at ashley@ssmrcc.org. Please sign up on the website, www.ssmrcc.org, Events, Parents Night Out.

Thanksgiving Outreach Thanksgiving food basket delivery should be completed this weekend unless coordinated otherwise with the family being sponsored. Anyone unable to complete their delivery to their assigned family should contact Lesley Sarver at SSMThanksgivingOutreach@yahoo.com immediately. We are sharing our Thanksgiving blessings with 80 families in need this year. Thank you for your generosity!

Mass and a Movie

All are welcome to join us following the 5:00pm Mass Saturday, December 1 from 6:30-8:30pm for a movie night. We will be serve pizza, popcorn and other fun foods. This is a wonderful opportunity to build community and enjoy quality time with your family! We are showing Of Gods and Men for adults (5th grade and up) and the Original Rudolf and Frosty the Snowman for children (4th grade and younger).

A "free-will" offering will be greatly appreciated and applied to both the children and adult ministries here at SSM.

Helping Hearts For The Holidays A different name, but same mission.

From November 17 through December 16 the “Senior Christmas Tree” returns to the Commons bearing Ornaments with information on seniors who are impoverished or have no family. We have 213 names this year! Please take one ornament (or more) and purchase items for that senior. Place the UNWRAPPED items in a Christmas gift bag and return it to the tree in the Commons with the tag before December 16. If possible, please include a card to your senior!

50/50 Is Back!

Stop by the 50/50 table in the Commons before and after all Masses the weekend of December 1/2. Tickets are $1 each or 6 tickets for $5. YOU could WIN some money and HELP SSM.

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Thanksgiving Corner We’d like to take this opportunity to thank our Music Ministry! Sharing your abilities through music is such a blessing to us! Thank you for spending time each week practicing on your own and as a group. The gifts our Lord has given you helps us to experience the reality and wonder of His presence.

Advent Outreach Building Community Through Giving!

It is the time of year to assist those in need for Christmas. Signups to adopt 55 families will be in the Commons this weekend, November 24/25, December 1/2 and December 8/9 before and after all Masses. This is your opportunity to “Build Community through giving.” Please consider helping those in need.

Adopt A Family: Consider adopting a family that is has been qualified through CHIP (Children's Health Investment Program). Please provide two gifts per child in the family ($25-30 per gift) and a food basket that includes food for a family Christmas dinner. Parishioners who sign up for a family are responsible for contacting the family and delivering the gifts and food basket to their home by Saturday, December 15. Most of the families live in Chesapeake but some may live in Portsmouth or Norfolk. This information will be clearly marked on envelopes at the sign up table after Masses. Some families may be Spanish speaking as well.

ForKids: Please support the ForKids program by providing an individual gift for a child. ForKids is an organization that serves homeless families and those transitioning to stable housing throughout the region, including the Our House shelter in Chesapeake. You can pick up gift tags on the table in the Commons. Gifts must be returned to the church unwrapped and placed in the bins at the sign up tables by Sunday, December 9 at 5:00pm. Gift cards are acceptable to give as gifts too.

Coat Drive: Consider “ building community through giving” clean gently used child or adult coats. The coats will be donated to those in the CHIP program.

As always, we appreciate our very generous parishioners who make sure every family is adopted. Please contact Linda Hollingsworth at lchollings@gmail.com or 757-642-1277 for more information. Thank you in advance for your generosity.

Save the Date For Festive Music and COOKIES!

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, December 18; the Children and Adult Choirs will present the cantata, “Waiting for Love” in the Sanctuary

at 7:00pm! There is no admission EXCEPT we ask that all families and friends attending please bring and share a dozen or two (or more!) of cookies with fellow concert goers! So get that

date on the family calendar and start thinking about your favorite holiday cookie to share!

Travel Sized Toiletry Collection Norfolk Catholic Worker is collecting travel sized toiletries for those in need starting now through Sunday, December 9. We are asking for travel sized hand cream, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, soap, mouthwash, foot powder, hand sanitizer, socks and small packages of tissue and wipes. Please place donations in the bin in the Commons. Thank you so much.

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Religious Education

RCIA/RCIC The next RCIA/RCIC meeting is Thursday, Novem-ber 29 from 7:00-8:30pm. RCIA meets in rooms 3 and 4. RCIC meets in rooms 1 and 2. Please bring your study materials. We will discuss The Creed. There will be no meeting November 22. Happy Thanksgiving!

As By A New Pentecost Are you in need of a healing; spiritual, physical, marital, emotional, financial and/or family? God desires a covenant relationship with you! He sent His Holy Spirit to bring a "new" Pentecost to each of us if we allow Him! We must first surrender in obedience, and then with expectant faith allow the Holy Spirit to work in us! The Upper Room Prayer Fellowship gathering welcomes anyone who feels a need to grow in the Spirit. We have a "special" gift November 20 from 7:00-8:30pm in the Sanctuary! Don and Pat Turbitt, Catholic Lay Evangelists who minister all over the world through Dr. Ralph Martin's Renewal Ministries. They will be available to lay hands on anyone interested in being prayed with to receive the healing power of God. Our hope is see lives transformed, and hearts restored.

St. Monica Ministry St Monica Ministry is designed to offer spiritual assistance, consolation and hope to those who have a loved one or friend who was raised in the Faith, but is not currently active in the practice of the Faith. The ministry will be offered on Tuesday, November 27 at both 9:15am and repeated at 7:00pm in room 1. It will be lead by Dr. Buchner. There is no fee but a workbook will be available for $10.

Advent Evening of Recollection The Meaning of Waiting in Life: A Scriptural Perspective, will be offered by Dr. Buchner on Thursday, December 6, at 7:00pm in room 1.

Advent Candles For Your Home

The First Sunday of Advent is December 2. Advent candles for your home wreath will be offered for sale the weekend of November 24/25. They will be in a basket on the credenza. The cost is $5.

Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School Day

8th grade students join Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School for a special day just for you! This is a fun and informative way to learn about our Catholic community! Spend the day, Thursday, November 29 from 9:00am-2:00pm finding out about what it means to be a Crusader! Please register at chsvb.org or call 757-467-2679.

Middle School Parents please be our guest on Friday, November 30 for our Parent Informational Evening from 6:00-8:00pm. Find out why Bishop Sullivan CHS could be the faith filled, Christ-centered, college prep high school choice for your family! Scholarship and Financial aid information is available! No registration necessary.

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Music Notes for the Advent Season

Have you noticed printed in your Breaking Bread hymnal there is an “Entrance Antiphon” and a “Communion Antiphon” for each Sunday mass? What do these texts mean? What are they for? In this mini article I’d like to explain to you briefly what these are and how we will use them during the Advent season… The antiphons are part of the “Propers of the Mass.” The Propers of the Mass include scriptural texts that change daily with the liturgical calendar to closely pair with the Gospel and/or Feast for that day. This means there are Propers for EVERY DAY of the liturgical year (365 days x 3 liturgical year cycles = A LOT of proper texts)! In addition to the antiphons, the responsorial psalm and the prayers said by the priest are also Proper texts.

Since I am introducing some vocabulary here I might as well point out that the texts that do NOT change are called “Ordinary Texts.” These include the Gloria, the Kyrie, the Creed, the Lamb of God, etc. Of course, these texts are anything but ordinary in our sense of the word; they are the expressions of our Faith and spiritual truths! People were martyred for these texts! But I digress (…just a little!)…back to the task at hand; historically the antiphons have been used for liturgical movement; the entrance antiphon is sung to bring the celebrant to the altar and the communion antiphon signals the beginning of the communion procession. As Vatican II was implemented, the option to use “another appropriate hymn” in place of the antiphons was generally accepted, which is why we sing a gathering hymn at the beginning of mass and communion hymns at communion time. I learned that after Vatican II, translating the Antiphons into English was not at the top of the Pope’s priority list (no, seriously...). So, church musicians looked for an English alternative. The only readily available English alternative at the time were Protestant hymns. The tradition of singing hymns in the vernacular instead of the antiphons has continued to the present day, hence our Breaking Bread Hymnal.

Anyway, It should be made clear that in no way did the General Instruction of the Roman Missal ever state that we shouldn’t use the antiphons. So with the beauty of these texts so relevant to the celebration of mass, throughout the season of Advent (and for the Lenten season as well) we will incorporate these antiphons into our daily and weekend liturgy. But “Be Not Afraid!” as the singing of these texts will be levied on the shoulders of your music director for the weekend masses. For daily Mass, Fr. Brian will read them.

I sincerely ask you to read these texts to yourself from the hymnal or listen closely as they are chanted/recited for you. Often times these antiphons are used as prayer prompts for choosing the music we sing at Mass! I hope the incorporation of these texts will enhance your daily and weekend worship and is another reminder of the Gospel message for the day!

In Christ,

Jessica, your Music Director

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Memory Board During the month of November, we have a Memory Board in the alcove in the back of the Sanctuary. Please feel free to bring Mass Cards or pictures of your deceased loved ones to display. Write your name and phone number on the back of the items to ensure they can be returned to you.

PARISH STAFF

Pastor: Rev. Brian Rafferty (frbrian@ssmrcc.org)

Deacon Keith Fournier (deaconfournier@outlook.com)

Deacon Kevin Trail (kftrail@cox.net)

Business Manager: Crystal Anderson (crystal@ssmrcc.org)

Office Manager: Maura Waggoner (maura@ssmrcc.org)

Communication Director: Zoe Barnette (zoe@ssmrcc.org)

Facility Manager: Alex Shuflat (alex@ssmrcc.org)

Liturgy: Marge Marino (marge@ssmrcc.org)

Music Director: Jessica Kohan (jessica@ssmrcc.org)

Religious Education: (K-5 grade) Traci Baker (traci@ssmrcc.org)

Religious Education: (6-12 grade)

Ashley Weaver (ashley@ssmrcc.org)

Adult Faith Formation & Social Ministry: Scott Turbitt (scott@ssmrcc.org)

Evangelization:

Dr. Jack Buchner (jack@ssmrcc.org)

Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

November 24/25, 2018

Scripture Readings:

Daniel 7:13-14 Revelation 1:5-8 John 18:33b-37

Our Gifts To The Lord

SSM Sweatshirt Pick Up If you ordered a limited edition SSM sweatshirt they have arrived and can be picked up in the office.

Hope 4 Life Baby Bottle Campaign

Please turn in your Hope 4 Life Baby Bottles to the parish office or contact Pam Wilgus at 757-482-7289 or wilgus1982@verizon.net.

The offertory numbers will be in the weekly email due to the early submission

of the bulletin.

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Monday, November 19 8:30am

Tuesday, November 20 8:30am Mass

Wednesday, November 21 6:30am Mass 8:30am Mass (John Breslin)

Thursday, November 22 8:30am Mass 6:30pm Mass

Friday, November 23 8:30am Mass

Saturday, November 24 8:30am Mass 5:00pm Mass (Parish of St. Stephen, Martyr)

Sunday, November 25 7:00am Mass (Parish of St. Stephen, Martyr) 8:30am Mass (Parish of St. Stephen, Martyr) 11:30am Mass (The Holy Souls in Purgatory) 5:00pm Mass (Parish of St. Stephen, Martyr)

Mass Intentions

Your Prayers are Cherished for Loved Ones Inside our Parish

Tony Cieslewicz Tudy Gibson

Ashley Nolette

Prayer for Our Troops Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands.

Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need,

and bring them home safely. May their sacrifices bring about a lasting

and just peace in all lands. I ask this in the name of Jesus, Our Lord and Savior. Amen.

If you would like to add someone to the prayer list, please email communications@ssmrcc.org with the following information: Full name of the person that needs prayers, are they to be added to the sick or the deceased list, are they a parishioner, and the date to remove them from the prayer list.

A Thanksgiving Prayer

Good and gracious God, You do all things well.

You make the sun and rain come, nurturing the earth, making it

fertile and fruitful. Through Your gift of creation and the

work of our hands, we reap an abundant harvest.

We give You thanks for Your many gifts that sustain us;

for health and home, dignified labor, for family, friends, neighbors,

and those whom -- today -- we may still consider enemies.

As we reflect in thanks this day, may we remember those who lack

something we have. May our gratitude move us to love,

serve, and give. Together we rejoice in Your gifts,

and in Your abundant life! Amen.