Week of November 20, 2005

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Dear Parishioner,

Next weekend begins the season of Advent and the beginning of a new liturgical year. Advent is a time for reflection and renewal. Wednesday, December 14 th at 7:30 p.m. we will gather for our Advent Communal Penance Service. This is an important way that we individually and as a community can admit our sinfulness and need to grow and turn to seek God's forgiveness. I invite you to join us for the celebration of the Sacrament of Penance.

On the weekends of November 26 th and 27 th and December 3 rd and 4 th , high school students from Prime Time will be collecting your donations after Mass to support our Christmas project, which provides food and gifts to 100 area families. If you can sponsor a family or volunteer your time to wrap or deliver gifts or have any questions on how you can help, call Anthony at 440-946-1128 ext. 20.

There will be a daytime Advent retreat on Wednesday, November 30 th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., in the Resurrection Room. The title of the day is Preparing For The Coming of Christ: With Us, In Us, and Through Us. Fran Armbruster will lead the day . If you have any questions, you can call her at 440-739-3976.

I remind those parishioners who are GIFT participants that there are many resources for Advent in your home kits. Please use them to enhance your spiritual journey during this season.

Advent is a time for new beginnings – - a time for us to recommit and deepen our faith. Please consider whether any of the Advent offerings here at St. Noel can assist you in serving others following Christ more closely.

Fr. George Smiga

CONFIRMATION – Any students in the third grade or above are invited to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation. (This is a separate preparation process from those candidates in second grade. Those preparing for First Communion and Confirmation together do not have to register again.) Students in grades 6-12 will register in January. Students in grades 3-5 may register with Marianne Slattery (440-946-1128 x 21). The first information/preparation session for grades 3-5 will be on Sunday, December 11 from 10:30 – noon . Parents are asked to attend with their child(ren). Please register for this session by Sunday, December 4 th .

HOSTESSES NEEDED – Our yearly Advent Tea is a well attended and well appreciated event each year. However, it's success and especially the number of people we can accommodate is dependent upon women who are willing to act as a hostess for a table. The primary and most important role for a hostess is to be a person of hospitality, decorating is a much less significant concern – paper plates and a few candles are fine! If you want to learn more about what is involved and how to become a hostess, please call Linda Rini at 440-729-2777(daytime).

LOW INCOME SENIORS-HOME REPAIRS – The Lake Communities Development Corporation is working with Salvation Army and United Way to offer low income senior or low income disabled homeowners with minor home emergency repairs. Please check the “Social Justice” section of the kiosk for qualification guidelines

and further information.

SOCIAL JUSTICE/ST. AUGUSTINE – On November 27, 2005 our volunteers will be serving the meal at the St. Augustine Hunger Center. There is a sign-up sheet on the kiosk if you are able to lend a hand. After all the Masses this weekend, November 19 th and 20 th , we will be collecting for our Social Justice fund. Also, if anyone would like to bake cookies, please bring the cookies with you when you come to volunteer at the Hunger Center, or they can be dropped off at church before Mass on Saturday or before 8:00 a.m. only on Sunday. Please place the cookies on the table in the kitchenette.

SOCIAL JUSTICE FUND – In October we collected $875.00. Our expenses for October were:

We thank you for your support

WHY ARE PEOPLE STARVING WHEN THERE'S SO MUCH FOOD? On Sunday, December 11 th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the invitation of last year's JustFaith group, Tony Vento will facilitate a discussion addressing global, national and local issues about food production and distribution. Tony presently serves as a Newman Campus Minister at Case. He formerly has been Program Director for Pax Christi USA, Co-ordinator of the Cleveland Inter-Religious Task Force on Central American and a staff member of InterAct Cleveland, an organization whose mission is to be a catalyst for creating an inter-religious community through which members put faith into action working for social justice through dialogue, volunteer service and advocacy. Please consider joining us for this discussion.

EL SALVADOR ENCOUNTER – Plans continue for our trip to El Salvador scheduled for July 18 th though 26 th , 2006. Fr. George will be joining us as we encounter the courageous and faith-filled people of this beautiful country. We will be visiting the sites of the martyrs (Jesuits, Bishop Romero and the Church Women), hearing the stories of the families of those who were “disappeared” during the Civil War, worshiping at one of the parishes staffed by our Diocesan Mission team, interacting with the children at the Community of Oscar A. Romero, and visiting our partnership of Women in Community for several days in Zaragoza, El Salvador. The current estimated cost is $1,500. An informational meeting will be held at 10:15 a.m. on Sunday morning, January 9, 2006 as our deadline for sign up is February 1, 2006. You may want to sign up prior to that date as the maximum number of people we can accommodate is fifteen and a number of people have already registered.

SVDP Car Donation Program – With poverty in Northeast Ohio at all time high levels, now more than ever St. Vincent DePaul Society needs your help to keep their community-wide programs going. The SVDP provides free food, clothing, furniture and blankets to the needy throughout the Diocese of Cleveland. However, without your car donations, these programs would not be possible. Simply call 216-741-7837 to donate your late model car, truck, SUV or boat. The process is quick and easy, with free towing and a tax deduction.

THE ST. NOEL CONCERT SERIES presents “The Magic of Christmas” performed by The Ohio Boychoir on Saturday, December 3, 2005 at 7:30 p.m. in the church. Come and enjoy a rich celebration of holiday music as sung by the angelic voices of the Ohio Boychoir. The program will include John Rutter's “Dancing Day” with harpist, Sarah Oliver. Admission is free. A free-will offering will be taken.

SCHOLARSHIPS – Hey high school seniors! Check out these three scholarships: The volunteer department of UHHS Richmond Hts Hospital awards a $500 scholarship each year to a student volunteer; La Roche College in Pittsburgh offers renewable $6,000 to Catholic students from the diocese of Cleveland; The John Paul II Cultural Center offers a $10,000 first place award in their annual essay contest. Deadlines are approaching. Check the kiosk or call Anthony for more information. More opportunities will be available in the future.

PRIME TIME – See you at GIFT today and next week at 7:00pm in the Teen Center.

ALTAR SERVERS – We are in need of servers at all our Liturgies. Both children (4 th grade and older) and adults are welcome to serve. Please call Anthony for more information. This is a wonderful opportunity for parents and children to serve together!

CHRISTMAS FOOD BOXES – you can still bring boxes of non-perishable food items, cleaning supplies and paper products to the Church after Thanksgiving. This is a great project for your family!! All donations will be used in the Christmas Project this year, and we need them!!

CHRISTMAS PROJECT SIGNUP – Please add your name to the lists on the kiosk if you're interested in helping shop and/or wrap for the Project.

YNIA – Our summer trip is scheduled for July 9-15 in Toronto, Canada. Please plan on attending an info meeting on Sunday night, December 4 th in the Teen Center to learn more about this great trip. The meeting begins at 7:00pm.

GREETINGS FROM LAOS – Our parishioners, Denise Bothe and Joe Daprano and their two children are spending the month of November in Laos. Denise & Joe are volunteering at a pediatric teaching hospital lending their expertise and teaching the local doctors. Please continue to pray for their family!

SPONSOR A FAMILY – There's still time to sponsor a family for the Christmas Project. Call Anthony for more details. 

NOEL MOVERS – Did you know the Noel Movers are totally self-supported?? You can help us stay on the road with your donation. We're also in the market for a new(er) truck and more storage space. Call Anthony if you can help. We're in need of an apartment-size washer/dryer unit, mattresses, etc. in good condition? Call the Noel Movers to arrange pickup (946-1128 x20).

GIVE THE GIFT OF MUSIC – This Christmas, share the gift of your parish music ministry with your family and friends. The St. Noel Music Ministry CD entitled How

Can We Keep From Singing? Features the choir, chamber singers and hand bell choir and will be available for sale in the narthex following all weekend liturgies during Advent. Proceeds benefit the music ministry pilgrimage fund. Share this ministry of St. Noel with those you love this year.

WOMEN'S FELLOWSHIP & BIBLE STUDY – will not meet on Tuesday, November 22 nd . We will resume on Tuesday, November 29 th .

PARISH HISTORY BOOK – The 25 th Anniversary Parish Commemorative Book will be published in both a soft bound and hard-bound edition. The soft bound edition will be mailed to each parish household. The hard bound edition will include a foil-stamped cover and is included with a cornerstone sponsorship. Sponsorship cards are available in the kiosk. For further information, contact Chris Roach at 440-356-1124.

25 TH ANNIVERSARY HISTORY BOOK – We are in the process of selecting photos and documents for placement in the parish history book. If you appreciate looking through the archives of St. Noel Parish, please join fellow parishioners on Wednesday, November 30 th at 7:00 p.m. in the Nativity Room. If you have any questions, please call the parish office (440-946-0887)

ST. NOEL FELLOWSHIP - The activities for the month of November are as follows: November 24 th Thanksgiving, No Meeting. All meetings are held at Noon every Thursday in the small hall and everyone is welcome. Parishioners (55 and over) are invited to join the St. Noel Fellowship group. Come and meet new people and enjoy the fellowship.

ENTERTAINMENT BOOKS 2006 – are available in the church office. Cost is $25 until December 1 st . After that date, the cost will be $30. All proceeds benefit Mentally Handicapped Children. Books are also available from Lake County Right To Life (440-255-5257).

“HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS…HOPE FOR THE HOLIDAYS” – The holiday season can sometimes bring difficult times, especially to those who are struggling with divorce or separation. Join Deacon Will Payne and Fr. Jack Valley on Tuesday, November 29 th from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at St. Noel Church, as they offer a special evening of healing, reflection and reconciliation. “In our journey, we need a strong conviction about the beauty and goodness of life, a vision of hope that endures the pain and struggle, and a thread of love that weaves through all of our dreams.” To register or for more information, kindly call Karen at 440-352-8282.

ST. NOEL PARISH HALL – If your family, friends or maybe the company you work for are looking for a nice place to hold a wedding, birthday party, baby shower or a holiday party, please recommend St. Noel Parish Hall. We can accommodate any group of 50-500. There are still openings in November and December. We are also taking reservations for any dates in 2006 and 2007. Select dates will fill up quickly. You can check availability by calling the hall office at 440-946-6635. Also mark your calendars for March 18 th , 2006, Shout will be back at St. Noel Parish Hall.

URSULINE COLLEGE invites you to participate in their Master of Arts in Ministry Program. Classes begin January 19, 2006. If you would like more information, please call 440-646-8195. Scholarships are available.

SCHOOL OPEN HOUSES – Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School Placement/Scholarship tests Saturday, November 12 th and Saturday, January 7 th . All will begin at 8:00 a.m. ; Notre Dame Cathedral Latin – Saturday, December 3 rd from 8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. The exam is for students who will be entering grade 9 in the fall of 2006. There is a $15 fee. Call the school for further details 440--286-6226;

“PILGRIMS OF HOPE,” This January 2006 marks the 25 th anniversary of the installation of Bishop Pilla. To mark this Silver Jubilee, a coffee table book called “Pilgrims of Hope” has been published. You may order the book at www.dioceseofcleveland.org , or there are order forms available in the kiosk. All proceeds go to an educational foundation established by the Bishop.

WEEKEND FOR DIVORCED, SEPARATED AND WIDOWED – The next BEGINNING EXPERIENCE weekend will be held on February 10 th , 11 th and 12 th at St. Joseph Christian Life Center. Please call Carol (330-416-8911) or Jan (440-808-9879) for more information.

ST. ROBERT'S PTU – is holding their Annual Christmas Boutique and Craft Show on Saturday, December 3 rd from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is free. Any questions, please call Theresa Koch (216-289-9030).

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