Dear Friends,

We have come to the mid-way point of our celebration of the holy season of Advent—this Gaudete Sunday is all about joy—joy that our God loves us so much that Jesus was sent to be one-with-us.  The readings for this Sunday basically tell us that our true joy in this life will come from keeping our eyes on our brother, Jesus, following his way. Let us pray for and with each other this week, amid all our busy-ness to keep our balance and focus on Jesus.

Robert and I will be away this Sunday and Dick Dahl will be with you.  Come, and celebrate with him!

Peace and love,

Pastor Kathy

P.S. Please keep Kelly Teachout in your prayers as she prepares to become a Catholic on December 19^th.

 

---

 

 

Remember to go to allareonechurch.org and subscribe to our website.  With the first of the year, 2016, this will be our new way of communication.  All that you wanted to know and more about our church can be found there! If you have problems, please let me know and we will get you the help needed.  I have had people who don’t consider themselves very “techy” tell me it really is easy, so hopefully, we can make this transition smoothly and soon! My utmost thanks to Blake Darst, our webmaster!  ***

 

---

 

***Please sign up soon for our Christmas potluck on December 19^th after the 4:30 P.M. Mass. Let’s keep it simple with soup and bread, pick-up veggies and perhaps some Christmas treats.      This day will also be a special one for Kelly Teachout who will be initiated into the Catholic church that day—come and celebrate this special day for her! We will have a cake for her! ***

 

---

 

Readings:

• Zephaniah 3: 14-18
• Philippians 4: 4-7
• Luke 3: 10-18

 

 

---

 

Dear Friends,

As we move through this season of love; we are challenged to open our hearts wide to find the ways that we can enter our world with the gentleness of a child, yet the strength of a mature follower of our brother Jesus.  We need to reflect on the simplicity of his coming among us in order to keep our focus on the neediest in our midst and affect our present day world as he did his!

Come; celebrate with us this week!

Peace and love,

Pastor Kathy

P.S. Remember the 10 Days of Giving for the Winona Volunteer Services and bring your donations this week! Thank you!

---

 

Readings:

•  Baruch 5: 1-9
• Philippians  1: 4-6, 8-11
• Luke 3: 1-6

 

 

---

 

Dear Friends,

This Sunday begins the holy season of Advent—a time of expectant waiting for Jesus, Emmanuel—God-with-us to come into our lives in a special way.  It is also a time to seek Jesus, our brother and friend, out—a time to begin again, a new Church Year, and hopefully, a new beginning in our lives, to be all that we can be.

Come; celebrate with us this week! This is also the last Sunday for the November Food Collection for Winona Volunteer Services—please be generous! Thank you!

Peace and love,

Pastor Kathy

---

 

Readings:

• Jeremiah 33: 14-16
• 1 Thessalonians 3: 12—4:2
• Luke 21: 25-28, 34-36

---

 

Dear Friends,

With today’s feast, we complete our Church Year—next Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent.  Traditionally, this has been named the Feast of Christ, the King.  Jesus our brother was really more about servant-leadership than he was about being a king.  He was really more about establishing a kin-dom than he was about setting up a kingdom.

Come; let us ponder these truths on Saturday at the 4:30 P.M. Mass.  We will be having a pot-luck supper to celebrate Thanksgiving as a community immediately afterward. We would love for you to join us—let me know if you can come and what you will bring.

Peace and love,

Pastor Kathy

 

---

 

Readings:

•  Daniel 7: 13-14
• Revelation 1: 5-8
• John 18: 33-37

 

---

 

 

Dear Friends,

This weekend marks the end of Ordinary Time with the following weekend being the feast of Jesus, as King, but more so, our brother and friend.  There is much terminology about “end times” and “the end of time”—terms we must understand in their context.  Our life of faith and action should bring us hope and not fear as we ponder these mysteries.

Come; be with us this Sunday!

Peace and love,

Pastor Kathy

P.S. Final call to participate in next Saturday’s (11-21) potluck after the 4:30 P.M. Mass.

---

Readings:

• Daniel 12: 1-3
• Hebrews 10: 11-14, 18
• Mark 13: 24-32

 

---