Week of November 9, 2003

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Archive of Weekly Bulletins

Dear Parishioner,

One of the key groups within our parish is the Parish Pastoral Council. This group is charged with evaluating and guiding the spiritual mission of St. Noel. It serves as a consultative group for all of the major decisions in our parish. The council is, therefore, not an administrative body, but a visioning body which poses long-term questions, "where are we going?" and "are we faithfully serving the mission of Jesus?"

Past councils have recommended that we expand our Youth Social Concerns Ministry. This led to the hiring of Anthony Camino as a pastoral associate on our staff. It was through the research and work of our Pastoral Council that we began our partnership with St. Augustine Parish as part of "The Church InThe City" initiative. Our present council was intimately involved in both the design and direction of the building project which has now reached a successful conclusion. It has also begun to explore future challenges which we as Catholics of the diocese will face in having access to the sacraments in light of the growing shortage of priests. This effort will be carried forward by the next Pastoral Council.

It is time, therefore, to begin the process of choosing a new Parish Pastoral Council. Council members serve a term of three years, meeting about 8-10 times a year. Members of the council are chosen by a process of discernment. Anyone interested in becoming a member of the council is asked to participate in a five-week process of education and faith-sharing which will take place five Monday evenings from January 12 through February 9.

The first step in establishing a new council is to ask you to recommend parishioners you feel would be good members of the Pastoral Council. Therefore, you will find (beginning this weekend) on yellow paper a Recommendation Sheet in the kiosk, which includes a brief description of the role of the Parish Pastoral Council. The complete revised Council Guidelines are also available. We would like these Recommendation Sheets returned to us by December 1. Feel free to recommend yourself. There will be a number of reminders concerning the establishment of our next council in the upcoming weeks, including a mailing which you will receive.

An active and faith-filled Parish Pastoral Council is essential if we are to continue to grow as a faithful Catholic Christian Community. Please join with me in discerning whether you or someone else you know could serve as a member of our next council. Our community is what we are today because people such as you were willing to offer their time and talent. Let us keep that strong tradition alive.

Fr. George Smiga

LECTOR WORKBOOKS - All lectors are invited to pick up their new lector workbooks. These are available on the table in the Sacristy.

AT HOME WITH THE WORD - ADVENT PRAYER BOOK - Advent will soon be here and with it the beginning of a new liturgical year. Three items are now available in the narthex, Rejoice in the Lord Always, by Fr. John T. Catoir - Advent Meditations on Joy. At Home With The Word contains the liturgical readings with commentary for the weekend liturgies and also the readings of the day for next year. Emmanuel God is With Us contains daily meditations for Advent. We invite each family to please pick up one each.

SACRISTANS - HELP!!! We are in need of sacristans for the 11:00 a.m. Mass. Please call the parish office at 440-946-0887 if you can help, or for answers to any questions you may have.

HEALING MINISTRY - Each one of us can be the recipient of God's healing touch. Come … be touched by His love this Wednesday, at the 6:45 p.m. liturgy. Experience God's healing through the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick during Mass. Prayer teams will be available after Mass to pray with you if you wish.

SOCIAL JUSTICE GEMS - "The Church teaches that social justice is an integral part of evangelization, a constitutive dimension of preaching the gospel, and an essential part of the Church's mission" (U.S. Catholic Bishops, Communities of Salt and Light).

"ADVENT BY CANDLELIGHT" - This year's Advent Tea will be held on Sunday, December 7, 2003 at 2:00 p.m., in the parish hall. Sign-up for the tea will be this weekend in the narthex after the 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m., Masses and before the 11:00 a.m. Mass. The cost of the tea is $10.00 and payment must accompany your registration.

BUY-ONCE-GIVE-TWICE- visit our boutique after any Mass this weekend in the small hall.

ST. AUGUSTINE FUND RAISER DINNER - will again be held this year in the large hall on Thursday, November 20, 2003, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $13.00 per person and again we will have a Silent Auction, a great opportunity to do some Christmas shopping as well as benefit a very worthwhile cause. Be sure to save the date!

"THE BOOK OF ACTS" - scripture study continues on Tuesday, November 18 at 7:30 p.m. with Fr. Larry Tosco presenting. Consider joining us in the small hall as we learn more about this dramatic book of the early Church. If you missed the first presentation, we have it on audio tape. Call Marianne Slattery at 440-946-1128 X 21 to borrow a copy.

ADVENT AFTERNOON OF REFLECTION - Join us on Sunday afternoon, November 30 at 12:15 for lunch, personal reflection, and small group discussion. The day will focus on the connection between personal choices and peace in our daily lives and how our ordinary choices affect the level of peace in our lives and in our world. Our pastoral associate, Anthony Camino, will lead us in the day. Lunch will be served at 12:15 and the day will conclude at 4:00 p.m. A donation of $5.00 per person is suggested to cover the cost of lunch. Please sign up on the kiosk to register or call Marianne Slattery at 440-946-1128 X 21 if you have any questions.

PSR PARENTS - You are welcome to join your children for our GIRM mini-workshops on Monday, November 10. Sit in with the primary or intermediate group and hear members of our parish staff teach us about key points of our liturgical worship.

TASTE AND SEE TIDBITS - Did you know that our 4:30 6th grade PSR class visited the Heights Jewish Center in Beachwood where Rabbi Daniel Schur helped them connect to their Old Testament curriculum? Did you know that some of our 4:30 5th grade PSR students presented a "Saints Wax Museum" to our 4:30 classes to celebrate All Saints Day?

HELP PLANT THE SEEDS OF LITERACY - You can tutor a child who needs assistance with schoolwork or help an adult to earn his or her GED. Volunteers from St. Noel are needed again this year to tutor children and adults at St. Augustine Church's Learning Center in Cleveland. The Learning Center project is part of the on-going partnership between St. Noel and St. Augustine parishes. Training is available if needed, and materials for teaching are on hand. There are morning sessions; however, at this time the need is greater for early evening. Thirteen children are waiting to be helped. If interested, call our parish office, or dial directly to Bob Duda, project leader at St. Augustine. His phone number is 216-781-5330 X 29.

THE ELIZABETH MINISTRY'S "ELIZABETH'S ROSES" - will be available in the narthex following all Masses this weekend. Designed to identify, pray for, and support the needs of women and their families during the childbearing years, parishioners are invited to select a rosebud from the display and indicate a particular need relating to pregnancy, birth, adoption, fertility or loss. Elizabeth ministers will pray daily for the families represented, and if requested, will contact the family in order to provide continued support. Prayer cards will be available for personal meditation. For further information on the Elizabeth Ministry, visit the parish website at www.stnoel.org, and click on "Caring Ministries."

"JOURNEY TO JOY" - a support group for persons being treated for depression and/or family members will be meeting the 1st and 3rd Saturday mornings of the month at 9:00 a.m. in the Visitation Room and the 2nd and 4th Thursday evenings of the month at 7:00 p.m. in the Visitation Room. (Our next meeting will be Thursday evening November 13th at 7:00 p.m. For further information call the parish office at 440-946-0887.

ST. NOEL FELLOWSHIP - Activities for November are: November 13th - horse racing. We are going to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries at this meeting. November 20th - happy time/appetizers & punch - 12:15 p.m. luncheon consisting of: turkey w/stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, vegetable, salad, rolls & butter, pumpkin pie. The cost is $12.00 per person. Deadline for tickets and payment is November 17th. Please remember to bring your food donations for the food bank to this meeting. November 27th -Thanksgiving Day we will not be meeting. Everyone is welcome to attend the Senior Fellowship on Thursdays.

THE NEW PLAYROOM - is in need of the following items: a small bookshelf, a child's play table, and a playhouse and play kitchen. If you would like to donate any of these items, please call the parish office at 440-946-0887.We are also in need of volunteers at the 9:00 a.m. Mass,

ROSARY - Join us Tuesday, November 18 from 7:00-7:45 p.m. in the Chapel as we pray the Rosary. All are welcome to this quiet, reflective time in honor of Mary and her Son, Jesus.

PRIME TIME - See you tonight at 7:30pm. Pray for our group going to Houston.

JUNIOR HIGH YOUTH GROUP - Our next session is Tuesday, November 18th in the lower level - do not go to the large hall. We start at 7:30pm - Bring your bible.

CLEVELAND FOODBANK - We're volunteering on Monday, December 1st. Please call Anthony if you're interested in serving.

CHRISTMAS PROJECT - Please call Anthony and sign-up to help. We need sponsor families, drivers, shoppers, wrappers and more. Turkey donations can be brought to the hall - we give away over 100 turkeys each year! Members of PRIME TIME will be collecting money on the weekends of November 30/December 1 and December 6-7. All money goes directly to purchasing food and gifts.

MOTHER TERESA - Author and photo-journalist Linda Schaefer is visiting St. Noel on Monday, November 24th as part of a national book-signing tour and presentation on Mother Teresa. Linda spent 3 months with Mother Teresa in India and was the last journalist to spend time with her before she died. Her beautiful book, Come and See, will be available for signing and purchase. More details to follow.

ENTERTAINMENT 2004 BOOKS: are available in the church office or by calling Paula Garbo at 440-942-4884. Cost of the book is $25.00 until December 1st, after that date cost will be $30. All proceeds benefit mentally handicapped children. Also, Lake Catholic High School students are selling Entertainment Books 2004. The cost is $25.00 per book until December 1st. After that date the cost is $30.00. For more information please call Lake Catholic at 440-951-0077.

DIVORCED AND SEPARATED OF LAKE & GEAUGA COUNTIES - join Judge Colleen Falkowski, Lake County Domestic Relations Court as she explores the legal aspects of divorce, on Thursday, November 13 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. at St. Gabriel Church Parish Life Center. The program will include an introduction to divorce and dissolution in the State of Ohio, including parenting issues and child support. For further information or to register, please call Karen at 440-352-8282.

CATHOLIC UPDATE - entitled "Advent Waiting in Joyful Hope," by Julie Irwin Zimmerman, is now available in the kiosk.

SOUP SUPPERS - Fr. Joe Hilinski will be facilitating Soup Suppers on Tuesday evenings in the Holy Cross Church Hall on March 16, 23 and 30, 2004 beginning at 6:30 p.m. The topics will be Judaism, Islam and the Catholic Christian response to Judaism and Islam. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend. Holy Cross is located at the northeast corner of Lake Shore Blvd and East 200th Street in Euclid, Ohio. For more information please call 216-486-0850

HANDLING THE HOLIDAYS DURING GRIEF - Holidays can be times of stress and depression for many. However, when an individual is grieving the loss of a loved one, the pressures of the holidays are magnified and the anticipation of the season can be overwhelming. A 2-evening workshop will be held at St. John Vianney Parish in Mentor on Friday November 14 and November 21 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. For more information or to register, please call 440-255-2822. There is a $30 registration fee,

THE INSTITUTE OF CATHOLIC STUDIES AT JOHN CARROLL UNIVERSITY - will be sponsoring a lecture and discussion by Peter Steinfels, former Senior Religion Correspondent for The New York Times, on Thursday, November 20 at 7:30 p.m. in the Auditorium of the Dolan Science Center. The lecture," A People Adrift? Responses to the Catholic Crisis," is free and open to the public. For more information please call 216-397-4558.

URSULINE COLLEGE - student organization, Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) will host a craft and gift show on Saturday, November 15 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It will be held in the Commuter Lounge at Ursuline College, 2550 Lander Road in Pepper Pike( follow the directional signs). For more information, please call 216-272-6648 or ursulineSHRMstudent@yahoo.com.

CATHOLIC SINGLES ASSOCIATION - On Sunday, November 9, CSA will have a general meeting next to St. Mary Magdalene Church at the Parish Center, East 321 & Vine Street in Willowick, Rm 104 at 7:00 p.m. For more information please call 440-946-0117 after 6:00 p.m., 440-944-1068 or http://community.cleveland.com/cc/sca.

ST. NOEL PARISH HALL PRESENTS A HOLIDAY SHOW- featuring Shout & "Legends of Soul" Show Band. It's your last chance this year to hear this amazing band. They will be performing here on Saturday, December 13, from 8:00 until midnight. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. We will be serving assorted gourmet pizzas, a vegetable and cheese display followed by a make-your-own-ice-cream sundae bar. A cash bar will be available. This event would be a great idea for your holiday office party. Tickets are $20.00 per person, and can be purchased by calling the hall office at 440-946-6635.

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