Nov 23, 2021

Greetings,

Happy First Sunday of Advent!  This weekend priests begin to wear purple at Mass to help remind us that it isn’t Christmas yet, but the time of preparing for the coming of Christ.  Undoubtedly, you have received all kinds of advertisements recommending that you buy stuff for Christmas early this year because of supply chain difficulties we have been experiencing.  (Case in point: our church chiller and the marble for our baptismal font!)  There have been all kinds of news reports of how Christmas is going to be ruined because of late arriving gifts.  Advent is here to remind us that what makes Christmas great is Christ, God being born among us, for love of us.  Christmas would be Christmas without gifts, but it would be completely pointless without Christ.

Consider taking advantage of Advent.  At home there are things such as Advent calendars and the Advent wreath.  (We hope to have a limited number of candles available for you for sale at the back of the church.)  There is adoration on Tuesdays all day with a noon organ recital of Advent music to help put you in a good frame of mind.  When you can, put off decorating or playing Christmas music until late in Advent.  Don’t put the baby Jesus in your manger, but make that a project for Christmas morning.  (Don’t forget where you put Him in the meantime as I tend to do.)  All this makes Christmas’s final arrival so much more welcome and assures one isn’t too tired of it by the time the baby Jesus makes his appearance.

IN OTHER NEWS:

ADVENT RECITALS:  Every Tuesday during adoration at noon there will be a short Advent organ recital by one of the young men in our area who are organists at local churches.  Come by and pray, adore and be moved to a peaceful state.

ADVENT LESSONS AND CAROLS:  Our choir will once again be partnering with Trinity Lutheran in downtown for an Advent Lessons and Carols Concert at Trinity Lutheran on Friday, December 3rd at 7:30pm  It is free and open to the public.

WORK GOING ON AROUND THE PARISH:  You may have noticed a leak from our lower roof in the church near the bell tower.  It is being repaired and soon we hope to have plasterers in to restore all the places where we experienced damage due to roof leaks, all of which we hope now are fully patched!

The chiller project is underway in the church.  A giant crane should be on our property removing the old chiller and placing the new one just in time for cold weather!  The Byrider roof project should be just about finished at your reading of this letter.  We are also having someone come in to look at the terrazzo in the church.  I was never satisfied with the way that it turned out despite assurances that it would “clear up.”  Soon the company that did the repairs will be returning to re-evaluate the finished project.

SCAMS!:  As the holidays approach you will find that attempts at scamming you out of your money and/or identity will increase!  Particularly if you receive an email or text seemingly from me or the parish that sounds the least bit suspicious, that is probably because it is a scam!  Always double check!  Even if the note says, “Don’t tell anybody we are communicating,” DO NOT RESPOND TO THAT EMAIL.  Go on our website and send an email through one of our official email addresses or call (even if the communications say not to!) 

FR. BOZEK:  We are so fortunate to have Fr. Bozek with us.  If you would like for him to visit your group’s meeting or gathering at the parish, please feel free to invite him to stop by, introduce himself and spend some time with you.

God bless,

Fr. Valencheck