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October 19, 2008

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Readings for Mass October 19, 2008

October 26, 2008

1st Reading

Is 45:1, 4-6

Ex 22:20-26

2nd Reading

1 Thes 1:1-5b

1 Thes 1:5c-10

Gospel

Mt 22:15-21

Mt 22:34-40

Rosary Group Invitation and Prayers I would like to invite everyone to join the Rosary Group to pray the rosary with us Thursday mornings after the 9:00 Mass. If you want us to pray for someone, please call Helen Martin 770.463.3697.

Ministry Highlight

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time A Magnificat Prayer Breakfast for all Catholic women will be held Saturday, November 8, 2008 from 9:30-12:30 at Killian Hall, 908 Killian Hill Road, Lilburn, GA 30047. Come hear our speaker Cindy Palmer. Catholic wife and mother from a fun and faith-filled family, share how a positive attitude, sense of humor, and daily relationship with God has helped her face the challenges of life. Reservations are $10.00. Please mail check, payable to Magnificat, by October 29th: Lynda Cupell, 2140 Briarwillow Drive, Atlanta, GA 30345. Tickets will not be sent back. Your name will be on a sign-in reservation list at the door. Advance reservations are required. Parking is limited— please carpool if possible. For additional information call Lynda Cupell at 404.634.8303.

Calendar of Upcoming Events October 21 9:30AM

Liturgical Environment

October YAM Calendar

This group beautifies our worship area with cloth, flags, plants, baskets etc... to compliment the liturgical celebrations. They work with the liturgy committee, flower committee and other groups to insure our environment enhances our worship experience. For information about this ministry please call Judy Baker at 770.487.5179.

Liturgical Flowers This ministry utilizes flowers, plants and trees to enhance our worship experience. They work in concert with the liturgical environment committee. Liturgical seasons are recognized by the beautiful displays designed and implemented by this ministry. Donations are always gratefully accepted. For more information about this ministry please call Mary Hanna at 770.253.9500.

We welcome the following new parishioners to our Parish Family T. J., Mary Kathryn & Natalie McDonnell Bernardo & Concepcion Castillo Cisneros Alonzo & Micaela Celaya Jorge & Imelda Cervantaes Armando & Justa Cervantaes Gallardo Juan Manuel & Martha Cervantes Diaz Javier & Maria Chavez Altamirano Eulalio Chavez Camarena Otilia Colindres Carlos and Doris Contreras Chavez

Mass Intentions Tuesday 9AM

No Mass Intentions

Wednesday 6PM

No Mass Intentions

Thursday 9AM

No Mass Intentions

Saturday 5PM

Kathleen Michalek

Sunday 8:30AM

St. Matthew Parish Family

Sunday 11:00AM

Hugh & Suzanne Weaver

Youth Choir Rehearsals! Sunday, Oct. 19th - Rehearsal Sunday, Oct. 26th - Rehearsal

Most Blessed Sacrament Church is celebrating a very special All Saints Day observance with a Fall Festival & Carnival. The celebration begins on Saturday, November 1, 2008 with Mass at 10:00 am. The Fall Festival & Carnival begins at 12 Noon and continues until 4:00 pm. The day will include food, games and activities for youth an d adults, an animal petting zoo, pony rides, and arts and crafts’ booths. Admission is free, however tickets will be available for purchase of food and to play certain activities. The address of Most Blessed Sacrament Church is 2971 Butner Road, SW, Atlanta, GA 30331. For more information call Monique Borum 404.349.0176 x. 21 or visit our website at www.MBSChurch.com.

Church Cleaning See Bulletin Board

Visit Fr. Vic’s blog at http://padrevic.blogspot.com/ SAVE THE DATE…Our Lady of Victory Catholic School, 211 Kirkley Road, Tyrone, will be hosting an Open House for the 2009-20010 school year on Saturday, January 24, 2009 between 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Please make plans to attend. School tours are presently being given upon request. If you are interested in Catholic Education for your child, please contact Stephanie Johnston with our Admission Dept. at 770-306-9026 Ext. 303.

Bishops Ask Catholics to Pray a 'Novena for Faithful Citizenship' With the presidential election of 2008 now just weeks away, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has asked all Catholics in the United States to pray a novena for life, justice and peace called the Novena for Faithful Citizenship. The bishops encourage praying the novena on nine consecutive days beginning on Oct. ober 26th. http://www.kofc.org/un/images/1px_transparent.gif

Attention Lectors! If you are interested in being a lector, whether it be a /returning/ lector or a /new/ lector, and you have not attended training for this year, please plan to attend the LAST training for lectors of this year on Tuesday, October 21st in the church at 7:00 pm. This is a make-up training and your last opportunity until next year. Both new and returning lectors are welcome.

Religious Education News Women’s Faith Formation Women's Faith Formation will meet on October 27, 2008 at 7:00 pm in the conference room at church. We continue our discussion of The Shack by William P. Young. All women of the parish are welcome.

RCIA

Click her for the prayers:

In celebrating this month of Our Lady’s final journey to God in her glorious Assumption, let us ask her motherly intercession to draw souls to the Sacred Heart of her Son. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is a journey too – of conversion to God and what he intends for us. RCIA is the process by which persons who was never baptized, or was baptized in other Christian tradition, become members of the Church, a people on a pilgrimage to our Heavenly Father. Please contact King Cooper at (770) 774-1182 for more information.

http://www.faithfulcitizenship.org/docs/FC_Novena.pdf

Bible Study

Greeting Card Drive Next Weekend!!!!! During weekends October 25/26 and November 1/2, the St. Matthew Prison Ministry volunteers will be collecting unused Thanksgiving and Christmas Cards for imprisoned persons. These cards are distributed to prisoners to send to their family members. Also, we are happy to take cards for other occasions, i.e. Birthday, as they can be used by the prisoners too. If you have any questions, please contact Barbara at 770486-8745.

Aging & Long Term Care If you have questions about aging or long-term care, Catholic Charities has information. We use the Enhanced Services Program (ESP) which is Georgia’s most comprehensive database of aging and long-term care services. This database is updated weekly to reflect the most current service information on many subjects and services for Senior Citizens. In Atlanta call 404.978.2763 or 404.885.7449.

GIFTED in Christ

Adult Choir Rehearsals! Thursday, Oct. 23rd AND Tuesday, Oct. 28th

Daytime Bible study will continue Tuesday, October 28th from 10:15 to 11:30 am in room 3. All are invited. No previous experience is necessary. Please join us as we explore God's word together! For more information contact Doris Cooper at 770.632.0426 or Linda Spencer at 770.632.8880.

First Reconciliation Parents Orientation Meeting October 19th All parents of those children in the parish (normally in 2nd grade) who are expecting to receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist for the first time next spring are asked to come to an important meeting on October 19, in the LaSalette Day Chapel at 9:45 am (between the Masses). The meeting will discuss plans for preparation of the children to receive First Reconciliation at the Parish Advent Communal Penance Service on December 18, 2008, as a step toward receiving First Eucharist in April, 2009.

What is Congregational Engagement and why should it be measured? Congregational engagement describes the degree of belonging an individual has in his/her parish. Engaged members speak of "family" when they talk about their parish. They want to know they are valued, that they make meaningful contributions to the mission and ministry of their church. Engaged members are far more likely to invite someone to Mass or other parish function, and they contribute more hours in service per week to their parish family and community. Furthermore, engaged parishes are more effective in carrying out true stewardship. Engagement is much more than just being involved. Involvement is what you DO in your parish. Engagement is how you FEEL about your parish; it’s all about emotions. This is a significant difference. Engaged parishes are filled with engaged parishioners, members who feel an emotional bond to their church and who make meaningful contributions to the ministry and climate of their parish. Measuring involvement is relatively easy. One can measure the Offertory each week, how many families are on the church’s registry or how many people attend Mass on a given Sunday. Membership, attendance and giving are easy things to measure and track, but are they really effective indicators of the health of a parish by themselves? One could easily argue that just because someone is listed on the church’s rolls doesn’t mean that person is active and engaged in the life of their parish. Mass attendance is also not a good indicator of parish health. Consider the difference between 500 people sitting in the pews who are not responding, listening or praying to 200 parishioners, instead, who are actively participating in the Liturgy, where each person is singing and responding, where each person is engaged. The difference is striking. You would have to agree that the mere number of bodies at Mass is irrelevant. The level of engagement of those who are in attendance is the true measure of that congregation’s spiritual health. On the other hand, how much members give financially is, in fact, a more relevant indicator of spiritual health of a particular parish. Gallup research has discovered a decisive link between individual’s spiritual health levels and the amount of money they give to their church. Those who have a higher level of spiritual health tend to give more; those with a lower level tend to give less. However, Giving is not the only measurable outcome of engagement. Gallup has also discovered other relevant indicators of a church’s spiritual health; they include Life Satisfaction, Inviting and Serving (along with Giving). The key to determining a parish’s spiritual health is to measure these 4 outcomes, or measure its congregational engagement. In partnership with the Gallup Organization, we will begin measuring congregational engagement here at St. Matthew next month. Stay tuned for much more information about this exciting opportunity! (Adapted from "Growing an Engaged Church," by Albert L. Winseman (2006)).

Financial Giving in our Parish Family October 12, 2008 Offertory

$12,133.00

Given in checks & envelopes (216)

$11,214.00

PRISM News

Parish Debt Reduction

Change in Meeting Time for October 26 Meeting!

Second Collection

The second round of Olympics will be held on October 26 beginning at 5 p.m. Dinner will be provided beginning at 6 p.m., followed by Mass at 7 p.m. Parents are invited and encouraged to join us. Please wear your PRISM t-shirt and be ready to compete with your House members for the coveted MAGI Trophy!

$200.00 $7,210.00

Upcoming Second Collections October 19—World Mission October 26—No second collection