Week of April 28th

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Dear Parishioner,

I would like to thank the many parishioners who volunteered for our fish fries. We had a very successful year. For the six fish fries, we served 5,923 people and profited $25,801.83 for our parish.

Chef Randy has informed us that we served:

2,560 pounds of lemon pepper cod
1,510 pounds of fried whitefish
826 lemon wedges
57 gallons of tartar sauce
7,656 bread sticks
2,220 pieces of chocolate cake
930 pieces of orange cake
2,400 pieces of carrot cake
870 pieces of banana cake

Our fish fries are an important fundraising project for our parish.

Thank you to all who made our fish fries a success.

I would also like to bring you up-to- date on the remaining construction issues in our church. This week the seats of the pews in the church are being upholstered to match the fabric on the flexible seating. This will increase the unity between the pews and the flexible seating. Progress is being made in the chapel. The floor which is the last component to be finished is now being laid. The chapel should be completed in a few weeks.

Our new baptismal font was given dramatic use with the baptism of two adults, Jeff Suszynski and Rob Woolnough, at the Easter Vigil. Unfortunately an incorrect sealer was used on the inside of the font and damp areas have become apparent on its exterior. This problem will be solved through the use of another sealer but the stone must first dry before that sealer can be applied. Therefore, for the next few weeks we will not fill the font for baptisms but simply pour water over the children to be baptized. I am informing you of this so that you realize that when the font is properly sealed we will again lower babies into the water as we did with our previous font.

Progress on the new educational wing is proceeding. We still expect completion to be this July. Thank you for all your support.

Fr. George Smiga

A PRAYERFUL TOUR OF ST. NOEL CHURCH -

THE CHAPEL

"Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." (Mt. 11,28)
Our chapel is a wonderful place for quiet prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. It is separate from the nave and from the sanctuary but still integrally connected with the Church through both location and design. The interior walls utilize the same stone as the main nave and the large windows offer a spectacular view of the landscape. The chapel will provide a beautiful setting for weekday liturgies and small prayer services as well as a reverent place of reservation for the Blessed Sacrament.

"Companion God, as the prophets of old encountered You in the quiet, speak words of comfort, guidance and love to all who seek Your face."

HOSPITALITY - We are in need of help for coffee and donuts after both Masses on Sundays. Volunteers for the 9:00 a.m. Mass need to set up and serve and volunteers for the 11:00 a.m. Mass need to serve and clean up afterwards. If you
feel you can help with this ministry, please call the parish office (440-946-0887).

"LET THERE BE PEACE" - We resume our gathering this Sunday in the nursery from 12:15 to 1:00 p.m. Please join us as we continue to pray for peace in our hearts, our homes, our communities and our world.

SOCIAL JUSTICE "GEM" - Today's reading from the Acts of the Apostles presents us with the challenging idea of owning things in common. While it would be very difficult to do this in a literal or absolute way in our society, perhaps there are some possibilities for living this word on a smaller scale. Why not try something as simple as subscribing jointly to your local daily newspaper with your co-workers or neighbors? The paper is delivered at work (or to a specific neighbor) and passed along. Trees are saved and all enjoy the paper at a fraction of the cost. Money saved can be contributed to a local food pantry, homeless shelter or other worthy cause.

PARENTS! - Many families have enjoyed the spiritual help offered in the booklet, Together In Christ. The Spring issue is now available in the kiosk. This booklet contains messages of hope for you and your family as you come together for a few minutes each day to share stores and scripture. Specifically this issue focuses on communication in marriages and families. Help yourself to this booklet and the opportunity it creates for you and your family to pray together.

ELIZABETH MINISTRY/"ELIZABETH'S ROSES" -
In observance of Mother's Day, the Elizabeth Ministry will introduce "Elizabeth's Roses" as a unique way to show respect for the dignity and worth of all life, as well as to identify, pray for and support the needs of women and their families during childbearing years. Following all Masses on the weekend of May 10-11, and continuing bi-monthly thereafter, parishioners are invited to visit the display in the narthex to select a rose indicating a special need. Rosebuds may be brought to the area of the church near the carving of the Holy Family and placed in the vase provided. Pink rosebuds honor those who are pregnant and for the unborn; red rosebuds celebrate with families recent births or adoption; white rosebuds grieve with families suffering a miscarriage, abortion, stillbirth, infant or child crisis or death; yellow rosebuds remember those wanting to conceive or adopt. Each rosebud will be accompanied by a tag with space to provide information relating to a particular situation. Elizabeth ministers will pray daily for the families represented, and if requested, will contact the family for ongoing support. Prayer cards will also be available for personal meditation. For additional information on the Elizabeth Ministry visit the "Caring Ministries."

ST. NOEL CONCERT SERIES PRESENTS: A Night at (or near) the Opera! Friday, May 9, 2003 at 7:30 p.m. please come and enjoy an evening of beautiful music featuring duets, trios, and quartets from operatic favorites such as Rigoletto, La Boheme, Tales of Hoffman, and The Barber of Seville as well as selections from HMS Pinafore, Kismet, The Most Happy Fella, Follies, and Oklahoma! This evening of exceptional music will be FREE and will feature the talents of soprano Margaret Karam, mezzo-soprano Joanne Uniatowski, tenor JR Fralick, and baritone Marc Weagraff, with Leanne Lombardo at the piano. A free-will offering will be taken with all of the proceeds benefiting the St. Noel Social Concerns Fund. Don't miss this wonderful opportunity to hear a night of amazing music and help a very worthy cause. See you there!

CATHOLIC CHARITIES ANNUAL APPEAL - Please return your envelopes as soon as possible.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF CUYAHOGA COUNTY IN THE DIOCESE OF CLEVELAND - encourages you to vote on Issue 15, the 4.9 mill replacement property tax levy for health and human services in Cuyahoga County on May 6th. The passage of this levy is vital to much of our services, for many vulnerable people in Cuyahoga County. More information can be found on the kiosk.

ST. NOEL FELLOWSHIP - Activities for May are as follows: May 1st - Horse races - May 8th - Games of choice - May 15th - Bingo - May 22nd - Luncheon consisting of cheeseburger, waffle fries, ice cream and cookies. The cost is $4.00 per person. May 29th - Auction, we will also celebrate birthdays and anniversaries. Please remember to bring your food donations for the food bank to this meeting. Everyone is welcome to attend the Senior Fellowship on Thursdays.

WOMEN'S PRAYER BREAKFAST - We invite all women of the parish to our final prayer breakfast of the season on Saturday, May 10, 2003 from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. in the small hall. Our theme for the morning is "Our Daughters: A Future Full of Hope." Mary McKown, Claire Pattie and Janice Smallwood, all of our parish, will be our panel of presenters. We invite you to bring two things with you that day: 1) a mug to lessen our use of styrofoam and 2) a family photo to share with us. Please sign up on the kiosk if you plan to attend so we can prepare for your presence. We hope you can join us for this "pre-Mother's Day" celebration!

MEN'S PRAYER BREAKFAST - Need a time for fellowship and prayer? The prayer breakfasts are going great! Join us at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 3rd in the nursery for a delicious breakfast, quality conversation and time for prayer. These mornings are open to all men of the parish and your friends--so treat yourself to a well-deserved break!

STEPHEN MINISTRY TRAINING - St. Noel Stephen Ministry will begin training new Stephen Ministers in the Fall. The ministry continues to grow and we need new people to help us better serve the parish and the wider community. Are you interested in being a part of this vibrant ministry? Would you enjoy bringing the healing presence of Christ to others? Call Anthony (440-946-1128) with questions and look for an information evening in the early summer.

PRIME TIME - We are meeting at Jim and Mary Lou Beers' at 7:00 p.m. tonight (Sunday). Directions were emailed. See you at 7:00 p.m. Board applications are due!!

JUNIOR HIGH YOUTH GROUP - Our next session is Tuesday, April 29th at 7:00 p.m. Bring your Bibles.
NOEL MOVERS - We are in need of beds washers, dressers, refrigerators, and any furniture in good condition. Please call Anthony (440-946-1128 X 20) if you can help.

SIX FLAGS TICKETS - Once again, Six Flags has a great promotional price for tickets. Catholic Family Day is scheduled for June 6, 2003. Tickets for this event are only $15.50/person and must be purchased in advance. Orders for June 6th must be postmarked by May 2nd. Please call Anthony (440-946-1128 x 20) if interested in purchasing tickets. See the kiosk for details.

CAMP YAC - Our awesome Junior High Camp is the week of June 16th. With exciting activities each day, this is a great week for current 6-8 grade students. Brochures will be available soon--mark the week now!

CAMP COUNSELORS - Camp YAC (Youth Acting for Christ) is in need of high school counselors. The camp is the week of June 16th and will be a great time. Service hours are available. Pick up an application in the kiosk or download one here. We are looking for 7-10 good counselors. Applications are due May 5th.

COMPUTER RECYCLING - Don't throw out those old computers--they're toxic to the environment. Cuyahoga County has a computer round-up scheduled for May 7th. Check their website - www.cuyahogaswd.org/business/guide computers.shtml--for details.

CLEVELAND FOOD BANK - We're serving at the food bank on Monday, May 5th. We leave St. Noel at 5:30 p.m. Please call Anthony to volunteer. Would you like to volunteer on a more regular basis? Sign-up on the kiosk to join our Food Bank group!!

STOCK OPTIONS - The market can be a rough ride!! Why not purchase stock in a lasting, worthwhile commodity - OUR YOUTH!! On the weekends of May 24-25 and May 31-June 1, stop at the table in the narthex and invest in the youth of our parish who are traveling to Toronto this summer to perform community service and learn about their faith. Stockholders will receive a stock certificate and an invitation to our service report once we return. Sure it's a fundraiser, but this stock will pay big dividends! Shares sell for $10. Getting to Canada is a big undertaking--thanks for your support!

THE SPRING THEOLOGY ON TAP - Featuring Fr. Norm Douglas will be held on Tuesday, April 29th at Jillian's in downtown Akron (363 South Main Street, Akron). Complimentary appetizers and cash bar begin at 6:30 p.m., the program will begin at 7:30 p.m. The Catholic Diocese of Cleveland Foundation's Associate Board of young professionals hosts the quarterly speaker series. For more information, visit www.cdcf.org. THERE IS NO ADMISSION FEE! Reservations are encouraged, seating is limited--for parking directions and reservations, contact Melanie Shakarian at 800-869-6525, ext 1049, or mshkarian@dioceseofcleveland.org.

YOUTH EXCHANGE SERVICE (YES) - founded in 1974, a non-profit US designated exchange program in need of Host Families who would like to host an international high school student during 2003/2004 school years. Experience the special joys of sharing your home and culture with a teenager from a foreign country. Students come from Asia, Europe, and Latin America for the school year. They are selected on their language ability, maturity, personal accomplishments and moral standards. The YES program provides all medical insurance, high school arrangements and counseling. Families may claim a $50.00 tax deduction for each month room and board is provided. For further information, please contact: Youth Exchange Service (YES) 1-800-848-2121 toll free.

ANGER MANAGEMENT SUPPORT GROUP - meets at Boulevard Presbyterian Church, 24600 Lake Shore Blvd., Euclid. The group meets every Monday from 7-8:00 p.m. For more information please call 216-289-1226.

A WEEKEND FOR DIVORCED & SEPARATED AND WIDOWED - The next Beginning Experience Weekend will be held on June 13,14, & 15 at St. Joseph Christian Life Center in Cleveland. Call 440-546-9192 or 330-773-4482 for the information on this weekend of hope and healing. www.beginningexperience.org.

CATHOLIC UPDATE - entitled "The Liturgy of the Eucharist," by William H. Shannon, is now available in the kiosk.

THE SOUNDS OF MO-TOWN - are coming to St. Noel Parish Hall, Saturday, May 24th from 6:30 p.m. to Midnight. Shout, a live show-band will entertain you as you dance the night away under the stars. Assorted gourmet pizzas and other snacks will be served, and a cash bar will be available. If you have never attended an event at St. Noel Parish Hall, this is one you do not want to miss. Tickets are $20.00 per person and can be purchased by calling the hall office at 440-946-6635.

GOLDEN WEDDING ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION - Bishop Pilla will celebrate the annual Golden Wedding Anniversary Celebration this year at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist on Sunday, July 27, 2003. Registrations are now being accepted for couples married 50 years (married in 1953). Deadline for registration is June 13, 2003. Please call the parish office (440-946-0887) to register.

PILGRIMAGE OF PEACE - This is a four-day, three night pilgrimage to Washington, D.C. from May 12th through May 15th sponsored by the Cleveland Catholic Blind Community, The Office of Disability Ministry and St. Augustine Church. For the schedule, the cost and reservations please call Peggy Driscoll at St. Augustine Church, 216-781-5530.

VOLLEYBALL CAMP AT WILLOWICK MANRY PARK - June 23-26, Grades 4 through 6, 9:00 a.m. to Noon. Grade 7 through 9, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Resident, $60.00 - non-resident, $70.00, t-shirt included. Camp directors: Assistant Lake Catholic Coach, Diane Rastoka-Sabath and Jessica Sabath.
Sign up at Manry Park or call 440-516-3011 to register.

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