Parish Bulletin

In the midst of Advent, the liturgical season of hope and promise, I write to thank you for your continued prayers and support. As we prepare to commemorate the birth of Christ, and look forward to His coming again in glory, we are enabled to come to an ever deepening awareness of Christ present to us now. It has been more than sixty days since my bone marrow transplant and all the test results give the doctors and me hope for a leukemia free future. Although my energy level is still low, and the risk of infection remains high, my hope for recovery is even higher. I am deeply grateful for you, the parishioners of St. John's and pastoral staff for the faithful witness you have given me. I pray with and for you that the Advent and Christmas seasons will be a powerful source of grace and blessings for those most in need. May our celebration of the birth of the Prince of Peace bring peace to our world, healing of body and spirit, the forgiveness of sin and the promise of eternal life.

NOTICE: The parish offices will be closed, Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2006 and Monday, Jan. 1, 2007 for the Christmas & New Year Holidays.

MSGR. ART’S ADDRESS: If you would like to send a card or note to Msgr. Art, the address is: St. Rose of Lima Rectory, 3803 4^th Street, Baltimore, MD 21225.

We need someone to sign up for the Wednesday morning 1-2 a.m. Adoration Hour as soon as possible. The current adorer’s work schedule will not allow him to continue filling that hour. Please call Agnes in the Parish Center if you are willing to cover this time slot.

CHRISTMAS SPIRITUAL BOUQUETS are available at the Parish Center or in the back of the church.

CHRISTMAS FLOWER MEMORIAL envelopes are available at the doors of the church and at the Parish Center. Please print or type the names of the loved ones you wish remembered, your donation, and envelope number and place in the collection basket. Donations should be received in the parish office by Monday, December 18 at 9:00 a.m. to be included in the bulletin.

WE WILL HAVE an INTERPRETER at MASS: Beginning Sunday, January 7, at the 9:15 a.m. Mass, services of an interpreter will be available weekly for the deaf and hearing impaired. Anyone desiring to utilize this service will be seated in the angled pews near the Baptism Font. To be notified of events of particular interest to persons having a hearing deficit or of last minute unavailability of the interpreter, or if you have questions about services to the deaf community, call Fr. Leo in the parish office.

MASS OFFERINGS: The parish tries to accommodate the many intentions we receive. There are two types of mass intentions. The perpetual mass cards are offered through the Priests of the Sacred Heart and the parish submits the intentions and the free will $15 offering to that community. These intentions are part of a great number, which are remembered by the Priest of the Sacred Heart. The mass intentions, which are published in the bulletin, are assigned to a particular date. It is one intention per mass. The free will offering for this intention is $10. Mass cards and intentions are handled through the parish office.

WE PRAY for the REPOSE of Grace Johnson, Roberta Arsenault, Charles Bonanno, Gertrude Bonanno, Jack Lingenfelter, Msgr. Thomas J. Fannon and Maryann Dublin and for their families and friends.

BAPTISMS: Congratulations and welcome to Leah Mariah Ping Cheng Street, daughter of Teresa and David Street; Lilly May Mc Carthy, daughter of Maria and Terence Mc Carthy; Lily Kathleen Brown, daughter of Sarah A. Brown; Madalyn Grace Kilgore, daughter of Aimee and Shawn Kilgore; Joaquin Harold Moen, son of Ora and Erik Moen; and Ryan Michael Trimble, son of Kathleen and Jeremy Trimble.

TOTAL: $30,303.27

The last several weeks the weekly offering has topped $30,000. Thank you for your contributions and sacrifice for our many commitments to fulfill our mission.

THANK YOU to all parishioners who have made a pledge. Memorial opportunities are still available. Please call the parish office to make, renew or extend your pledge.

END OF YEAR GIVING: As the calendar year comes to a close, many people often use this time to make a larger donation to the church as a tax deduction from stocks that may have been redeemed or bonuses from work. We are appreciative of any donations that people are able to make to the parish. Please be advised that the donation needs to be submitted to the parish by December 28, 2006 so that it can clear the bank and be posted for IRS purposes on December 29, 2006 since December 30 and 31, 2006 are bank holidays. If one is audited, the IRS may ask for proof that the monies were processed in calendar year 2006.

School Calendar

Dec. 18 – Band & Christmas Program – 6:30 in gym

Dec. 20 – Academic Team Mtg. 3:15 - 4 p.m. in Room. 8B

Dec. 21 – Band concert – gym at 2 p.m.

Dec. 22 – Jan. 1 School closed for Christmas Vacation

Jan. 22, 2007–Meeting for prospective kindergarten parents –7 pm

INNISBROOK ON-GOING FUNDRAISER: Check out the website for gift giving ideas. The school receives 50% of all sales.

The school is participating in the grocery bonus programs for Giant, Martin’s and Safeway. Forms for this program are located at the entrances of the church. Please take a flyer for the appropriate store and fill out the information requested. You can place the forms in the collection basket or drop them off at school during the week. Call Darlene at 410-876-7031 or 410-848-1508.

GROCERY CERTIFICATES PROGRAMS: Please support the school by purchasing gift cards for Kohl’s, Boscov’s, and local grocery stores. There is no additional cost involved, but the school makes 5% on all sales. Cards are for sale in the school office as well as the Portico Book + Gifts Store.

Our parish will be holding a "Welcome Home" session for anyone who desires to return to the Church or would like to learn how to join the Catholic Church. We will meet from 7:00-9:00 p.m. in the Church, and all are invited. To learn more about this opportunity, please call or email Paul Gallagher in the Religious Ed. Office.

WHY CATHOLIC? Right after the first of the year, St. John will begin it's first six week session of Why Catholic? a wonderful and informative Adult Faith Formation program that is being offered throughout the Archdiocese. Small groups of 10-12 will meet throughout the week. To register, or to learn more, please call or email Paul Gallagher.

YANKEE CANDLES: If you have not picked up your order, orders may be picked up Monday-Thursday 9- 4 p.m. at the Parish Center. Please call Barbara at 410-848-8443 if this is a problem.

REMINDER: The last class for Religious Education will be Tuesday, Dec. 19^th and Thursday, Dec. 21^st. Classes will resume on Tuesday, Jan. 9^th and Thursday, January 11^th.

STEUBENVILLE 2007: Believe it or not, it’s already time to start thinking about summer and going to Steubenville! The theme for this year is “All Access.” We’re still negotiating a final price, but right now, the first deposit is $50, which we need by TODAY,

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17^th! For more information, call Paul or Kenn at 410-848-8443.

ITALY TRIP: There are still a few openings for our trip next summer, (June 26-July 5^th). You don’t have to be in Life Teen to join us as we travel throughout Italy. Fundraising is ongoing, so there are many opportunities for teens to offset the cost. Call Paul Gallagher for more information.

— THE EDGE (grades 7 & 8) —

We meet every 2^ndSunday and 4^th Friday from 7:30 – 9:00 p.m. in the Cafeteria. This ministry is open to all 6^th , 7^th & 8^th graders.

Fri., Dec. 22 – LIVE NATIVITY! This is such an awesome way to celebrate Christmas. We need volunteers to set up and serve refreshments, to play parts in the Nativity, and clean up at the end. Also, if you have tame animals that you can bring to help make this scene more realistic please call Kate ASAP. We can’t do this without volunteers!

— YOUTH ALIVE (Grades 5 - 6) —

We meet in the Cafeteria from 7-8:30 p.m. every 1^st and 3^rd Friday. Bring your friends and join the fun! Contact Kate for details.

Fri., Jan. 5 –Celebrating the Epiphany – Can’t wait to see you there for this very special Youth Alive Night!

CHILDREN’S LITURGY COMMITTEE invites children to participate in the Christmas Eve Liturgy at 4:30 p.m. at Westminster High School. Children are needed as readers and to portray characters in the Christmas Pageant. Call Marty Devilbiss at 410-346-7012.

HELP WANTED: Adult needed for paid position in St. John Nursery. Must be available to work every other weekend from 8:30a.m - 1:00 p.m. Position includes caring for children ages 1-5 as well as supervising a teenage volunteer. If interested, please call Peggy Rager at 410-848-0790.

HEALTH CARE MINISTRY has many different assistive devices—walkers, bedside commodes, etc. that are available for loan. We are currently accepting donations of wheelchairs. If you have one that you could donate, please call the Health Care Office, 410-848-4744, ext. 220 at the Parish Center.

Boy Scout Troop 420 is selling locally grown, freshly cut trees and is located behind the school. Hours are Monday - Friday 5-9 p.m. and weekends 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Get your tree and support the scouts!

ANNUAL POINSETTIA SALE…Dec. 18

Don’t forget to stop by after Mass this Sunday to buy your poinsettias for the holidays. The sale will be in The Portico. All proceeds will benefit the Church Building Fund.

The next scheduled Welcoming Session will be held on Sunday, Dec. 31st at 10:30 a.m. in The Portico. Anyone interested in registering with the parish should attend this session.

St. John parish is again joining with the International Orthodox Christian Charities & Habitat for Humanity to build homes in the Gulf Coast. This trip is being planned for January 14-20. If you are over 18 years of age and are interested, contact Fran Rock at 410-876-1795. You may have to pay all or part of your travel expenses.

THREE MARY’S PRODUCTION ON DVD: If you are looking for a Christmas gift, order your copy of the Three Mary’s DVD by calling Jeanne Link at 443-324-8487.

The members of St. Vincent DePaul Society send our parishioners our warmest wishes for a Blessed Christmas and a Happy and Holy New Year. Thank you for the support you have given us throughout the year. All of you make it possible for our organization to help needy families and individuals throughout Carroll County.

St. Bartholomew’s Parish is having a bus trip to see “The Christmas Miracle” and dinner at the Hershey Farm Restaurant afterward. Call Linda Sterner at 410-239-8881 for more details.

The Lions Club will collect used eyeglasses for recycling in developing countries. Look for the Lions Recycle for Sight boxes near the doors of the church on the 4th Sunday of each month (Dec. 23 and 24).

Placement tests are scheduled for those 8^th grade students currently attending public schools who are interested in attending Delone Catholic High School for the 2007-08 school year. Tests for English, Foreign Language, Math and Science will be administered on Saturday, Jan. 6^th from 8:00 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at the school, 140 S. Oxford Ave., McSherrystown, PA. Call Sr. Maria Jude, CSJ, or Mrs. Donna Groft at Delone at 717-637-5969 for details.

Catholic Campus Ministry (CCM) strives to provide a place for Christian growth and fellowship on the campus of McDaniel College. Thanks to the support of St. John Church, we have been able to expand our ministries on campus. We have been blessed with a house on campus this year, which we use for our weekly events. We gather for open prayer and Rosary on Tuesday nights, a "Faith Forum" on Thursday nights, and a home-cooked dinner on Sunday nights before walking to the 6 pm Mass. In addition to our regular weekly events, we plan events like hiking trips, ice-cream nights at Friendly's, touring the Back From The Dead Cemetery walk, a big Thanksgiving dinner, and more. Learn more about our events, on our website: http://student.mcdaniel.edu/~ccm/CCM.htm

CATHOLIC ALUMNI CLUB OF BALTIMORE: Are you single and interested in meeting people with similar interests and developing friendships that may be life long? The Catholic Alumni Club is a social organization for those free to marry in the church, and have college and/or professional experience. Monthly activities include dinners, movies, culture events, dances, sports, religious and charitable activities. A tour of the newly renovated Basilica, followed by lunch on January 13^th is currently being planned. For further information call Jacqui at 410-356-2898 or Mike at 410-480-9877.

INTEREST-FREE COLLEGE LOANS: College sophomores, juniors and graduate school students do you need an interest-free loan for the 2007 Fall term to complete your junior/senior year or graduate school studies? The Ruth Gosnell Education Fund, directed by the Springfield Presbyterian Church, provides interest-free loans to full-time college juniors, seniors and graduate students. Regardless of religion, all applicants will receive impartial consideration; and repayment of the interest-free loan does not start until 6 months after you graduate. Interested students can download the RGEF Form C, “Ruth Gosnell Education Fund Loan Application” at: www.springfield-church.org. or call SPC on 410-795-6152. Completed applications must be received by March 1, 2007. No e-mail applications will be accepted. Loan applications will be evaluated on academic performance, financial need, and a short essay. The only limitation is that students must attain Junior status in an accredited institution of higher education by the Fall 2007 semester. Loans will be available for the 2007 Fall Term. For more details contact: The Ruth Gosnell Education Fund, Springfield Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), 7300 Spout Hill Road, Sykesville, MD 21784, 410-795-6152.

This coming January the Vocation Office of Baltimore will be starting a series of retreats that will be held in Bethany Beach, Delaware. The Retreat at the Beach series, kicking off January 4- 6, and held again in June, is a great opportunity for men between the ages of 18-35, single or married, to develop a deeper spiritual life. January's retreat theme, "Forming a Man for All Seasons," will offer participants a chance to better understand their spiritual life, and provide ways to further enrich it. This Retreat is open to 15 men & there is no cost to participate. Even though the Vocation Office is conducting this retreat the focus of this retreat is spirituality, not necessarily priesthood discernment.Contact Fr. Leo at the Parish Center at 410-848-4744 x 241 for more information.

This mass will be celebrated at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen at 3:00 p.m., followed by a reception in the parish center. We will be honoring the Longest Married Couples from each parish, along with couples who are celebrating 50 and 25 years and all married couples and marriage preparation leaders. The Mass will be bilingual in English and Spanish and interpreted for the deaf. Everyone is welcome to attend.

THE GABRIEL NETWORK’S “Welcome the Child” Christmas Music CD is now available. Hear Pro Life singers from the Archdiocese of Baltimore! Suggested donation is $15 plus $3 shipping and handling. The Gabriel Network (formerly known as the Gabriel Project) is a faith-based nonprofit pregnancy support network that provides practical, emotional, and spiritual assistance to women and families facing crisis pregnancies. To order go to http://www.GabrielNetwork.org or contact Gabriel Network at 410-741-1228.

PASTORAL SPANISH @ College of Notre Dame of Maryland

If you have an interest in working with and ministering to the Hispanic community, this program is for you. Three classes will be offered during the spring semester: Spanish Language and Culture for Pastoral Settings (Part1); Spanish Language and Culture for Pastoral Settings (Part 2); and Spanish Language and Culture for Liturgical and Sacramental Ministry. Classes will be held at the College’s North Baltimore campus. For information, contact Linda Stilling, SSND, at 410-532-5306, or e-mail lstilling@ndm.edu

Feb. 15-18 – Women’s Cursillo weekend

Feb. 16 – Open House for prospective kindergarten parents

Sat. Feb. 24 – Session 1 of Pre-Cana

Fri. March 2-3 – Session 1 of Pre-Cana

MEMORIAL BRICKS: We are still taking orders for memorial bricks. The cost of the bricks is $75 for a 4x8 and $150 for an 8x8. Forms can be picked up at the Parish Center. For more information call Kathy Duex at 410-848-4469.

PORTICO BOOKS + GIFTS: Authentic, traditional Christmas Wafers “Oplatek” are available in three different sizes. All have full color ornamental designs with embossed nativity scenes. Prices start at $1.00. This Christmas Eve custom reminds us of our daily bread and the Bread of Life who came into the world. The wafer is known as “the bread of love” and is often sent by mail to absent members of the family. If you are not familiar with this custom, stop by and ask. Merry Christmas!