BAPTISM PREPARATION CLASS meets 2nd Saturday monthly

(All Saints Room)

Dec 8 ● Jan 12 ● Feb 9 10:00 AM For more information, contact the parish office.

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT DECEMBER 2, 2018

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1 5:00 PM Scott Babin

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 2 9:00 AM Doris Frascella 10:30 AM Louise Venezia 12:00 PM Sally Capobianco _______________________________________

DAILY MASS DECEMBER 3-7 at 9:00 AM

MONDAY Marie Bernard Holohan TUESDAY Kristine LaGuardia WEDNESDAY Laurie DiCianni Henry LaParo THURSDAY Kathleen & William Kavanagh FRIDAY Sr. Antonia Barbary

The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

7:30 PM VIGIL MASS People of the Parish

_____________________________________ SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8 9:00 AM HOLY DAY MASS People of the Parish 5:00 PM Donna Smethy

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9 2nd Sunday of Advent

9:00 AM Bill Kavanagh 10:30 AM Living and Deceased Members of the Eigner Family 12:00 PM Ana Coreta M. Velasco

Mass Intentions for the Week

Friday, December 7th, for 1 hour following the 9:00 AM Mass

SCRIPTURE READINGS

The First Sunday of Advent

First Reading: Jeremiah 33:14-16 The prophet assures the people that God will send the promised one, the Messiah.

Second Reading: 1 Thessalonians 3:12—4:2 Paul prays that the Lord may deepen the love the Thessalonians have for each other, and thus prepare them for the second com-ing of Christ.

Gospel: Luke 21:25-28, 34-36 In language borrowed from the Old Testament, Luke describes the second coming of Christ. Christians should prepare for it with confidence, vigilance and prayer.

PRIEST’S MASS SCHEDULE - DECEMBER

5:00 PM 9:00 AM 10:30 AM 12:00 PM 1st Sunday of Advent

1-2 Fr. Tim Fr. Michal Fr. Michal Fr. Tim 2nd Sunday of Advent

8-9 Fr. Michal Fr. Tim Fr. Tim Fr. Michal 3rd Sunday of Advent

15-16 Fr. Tim Fr. Tim Fr. Michal Fr. Ed 4th Sunday of Advent

22-23 Fr. Michal Fr. Tim Fr. Tim Fr. Michal 24th CHRISTMAS EVE (Monday) 4:00 PM 6:00 PM 12:00 AM Midnight Mass

Fr. Tim Fr. Michal Fr. Tim 25th CHRISTMAS DAY (Tuesday) 9:00 AM 10:30 AM 12:00 PM Noon Mass

Fr. Michal Fr. Ed Fr. Tim

BAPTISM The community of Good Shepherd joyfully

welcomes our newly baptized Christian:

Jonathan William Church Son of Michael and Jennifer

Rejoice, for now you are truly a child of God.

“Encounter with God, In Daily Living, Through the Sunday Scriptures”

Scripture reflection with Fr. Tim Tuesday, December 4th, 9:30 — 11:00am (chapel)

Read the upcoming Sunday ScripturesReflectDiscuss:

1. What hope do you place in God’s love? What can you do

this Advent Season to pen yourself more completely to God’s love?

2. How does my use of God’s gifts reflect my faith? 3. Though today’s gospel can seem disturbing, we are called to

be people of hope and joy. As a Christian, how do you preach safety, peace, and hope when you encounter panic, chaos and despair?

COLLECTION BREAKDOWN (November 17&18):

Envelopes: $ 7,021.00 220 families/$31.92 average Not using Envelopes: 649.50 Regular Collection: $ 7,670.50 2nd Collection: $2,102.00 (Parish Maintenance)

COLLECTION BREAKDOWN (November 24&25):

Envelopes: $ 5,601.00 186 families/$30.12 average Not using Envelopes: 989.00 Regular Collection: $ 7,382.00 2nd Collection: $2,209.00 (Parish Maintenance)

Our thanks to all of our parishioners who respond each week to the needs of our parish and who make their weekly offering a part of their budget. Your contributions, both monetary and in service, are important to our parish. May God Bless you for your generosity.

2018 Bishop’s Annual Appeal Here I Am. Lord!

As the year comes fast to an end, and many are plan-ning on how to make a final year-end charitable con-tribution that has the most impact, please consider the many lives that are helped because of the support giv-en to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal. These are your neighbors, your friends, our senior priests and semi-narians and urban school students.

For your convenience, you can make an online gift or pledge at www.2018appeal.org. Thank you!

SANCTUARY FLOWERS Altar Flowers for Thanksgiving were donated by

The Fletcher Family The flowers for the Blessed Mother were donated

By Pat & Carl Beaulieu Our sincere gratitude for their generosity.

The countdown to Good Shepherd’s 40th ANNIVERSARY has begun!

To commemorate the 40 years, a foundation fact about Good Shepherd’s history will be presented each week.

Week #27 Did you know that..........

In August of 1980 , due to the need for office and meet-ing space, the former Stamato Sand & Gravel Co. on Route 206 in Andover, was rented. It provided offices for Father Steiger and Mrs. Kissell. Later, in 1983, the second floor of the building was rented and Mrs. Diana Werth became the first parish secretary. Week #26 Did you know that.......... Under the direction of Mrs. Kissell, the pastoral associ-ate, the religious education program for the children of the parish was established. Classes were conducted in the homes of parishioners in the different communities.

Please join His Holiness, Pope Francis, who has cho-sen the following intention to be prayed for during the month of December.

Evangelization: In the Service of the Transmission of Faith That people, who are involved in the service and trans-mission of faith, may find, in their dialogue with culture, a language suited to the conditions of the present time.

HOLY FATHER’S PRAYER INTENTION

The Diocesan Christmas Concert is Sunday, December 2nd at 4:00 PM at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, Paterson. Free Parking is available in the mu-nicipal garage across the street from the Cathedral. This year’s concert will celebrate the 200th Anniversary of Silent Night

Christmas Sing-Along & Pot Luck Dinner

Join us as we gather to sing our favorite traditional sacred carols, secular seasonal songs, mixed with a variety of solos and choir selections. We will begin with a festive dinner followed by a sing-along of holiday favorites.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9TH

FROM 5:00—7:00 pm IN THE PARISH HALL

Please bring your favorite hot dish to share. Kindly pre-pare enough to feed four. Aluminum trays will be availa-

ble for pick up in the atrium after all Masses.

NO DESSERTS PLEASE

The Good Shepherd choirs and soloists will be there to add spirited joy to the evening!

All ages welcome!

ADVENT TREE LIGHTING

Saturday, December 1st Please join us after the

5:00 p.m. Mass for our Annual

Advent Tree Lighting.

FAITH FORMATION NOTES

At Mass We Use Our Senses and Pray with Our Whole Beings

We see the priest, the people,

the crucifix, the statues, the tabernacle and other sacred objects in the church.

We hear the Gospel, the pray-ers of the priest, the responses of the people, the music and the words of the song.

We smell the candles, incense and flowers.

We taste the Eucharist. We touch the holy water, the

wood of the pews, the pages of the missalette and the hands of the people around us.

When we pray at Mass, we use our bodies. We genuflect, we sit, we kneel, we stand, we walk and we bow our heads. (OSV)

Please join us for Children’s Liturgy of the Word (CLOW)

next Sunday, December 9th at the 10:30am Mass.

It’s a wonderful way for the children to hear the Gospel and participate in a

fun lesson.

Alpha Retreat (next weekend)

9th graders

12/8 - noon until 6pm & 12/9 - 10am until noon

Mass will follow the retreat

Congratulations to our First Communicants who celebrated their First

Reconciliation on Friday evening.

All 9th grade families were emailed an invita-tion for their Confirmation student to visit “Sign-Up Genius” to schedule an interview time. If your child has not done so already kindly ask them to select a date and time for their mandatory ten minute interview. Any questions please contact Mrs. Holdt at

allison@goodshepherdrc.org.

Grades k-8 Class Dates Week of:

12/2 12/16 1/6

Winter Break

Confirmation Class Dates

Grade 9 12/8 & 12/9

(retreat) 12/16

Grade 10 1/6 1/13 1/20 1/27 2/3 2/10

2/24* *more dates

MARTHA MARY LAZARUS Bereavement Ministry

“Understanding Your Grief” for the bereaved Continues this MONDAY, December 3rd

7:30 - 9:30 PM (Chapel)

Dec. 3 Appreciate Your Transportation Dec. 10 Coping with the Holidays

...to our 9th Grade Confirmation parents for a wonderful Hospitality Sunday on

November 18th.

NEW BIBLE STUDY

“The Infancy Narrative” ● PRESENTOR: Deacon Keith Tuesdays, from 1:00pm-2:30pm

(All Saints Room)

This study focuses on the connection between the Old and New Testaments. Deepen your longing for the

Messiah’s coming again and ask God to be Emmanuel “God with us”.

ALL ARE WELCOME

Attention 7th - 10th Grade Students & their Families Fr. Michal is planning a Skiing/Snowboarding Trip to Camelback Mountain, PA. Please see the poster on the

Bulletin Board outside of church.

Cost: $69 Children/$79 Adults (per person) Date: TBD

Thank you to all parishioners who selected a

“CARD” from the CHRISTMAS GIVING TREE

MONETARY donations gratefully accepted. Please drop into the Giving Tree “Church” box.

Monies to be used to buy extra small gifts, snacks and needed supplies for various groups.

Questions or delivery concerns: gt4gsc@gmail.com

If you selected a “CARD” please be sure to fulfill the wish as requested

{ if there are any concerns - please contact us }

Most gifts and gift cards go to groups or families with other members. We don’t want anyone feeling they are getting less than others, so we kindly ask you to only

fulfill the gift(s) or gift card that is requested and please “nothing extra”- thank you!

Please “read and follow” all instructions on the back of each “CARD”.

ALL wrapped GIFTS & GIFT CARD envelopes must be returned by 12:00 noon on

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9th

St. Paul’s Abbey Christmas Tree Plantation Located on Route 206 (one mile south of Newton) has thousands of Christmas trees ready to choose’n’cut—7 days a week now through December 23rd, 9 AM—4 PM The Benedictine Monks have been tending to these beautiful trees each year since 1930! The Abbey Gift Shop also offers many items that make ideal Christmas gifts, including books, statues, jewelry and more for your Christmas giving.

The Candle of Hope Color: Purple

Purple is the primary color

associated with Advent.

Within the Catholic Church

it symbolizes penance, prep-

aration, and sacrifice.

During the first week of

Advent, we look forward to Jesus’ coming with

The word “advent” (the arrival of an important person

or thing) is derived from the Latin word “adventus,”

which means “coming.” For Catholics, Advent is the

four-week season leading up to Christmas. During Ad-

vent we anticipate the coming of Jesus. It’s a time full of

reflection, excitement, and Hope.

The Retirement Fund for Religious Annual Appeal

Sister Eileen Tickner, F.M.A. will be visiting us and addressing the parish after all Masses next weekend

(December 8-9). We look forward to hearing from her and thank her, in advance, for her time and efforts.