BULLETIN          25 DECEMBER 2016

CHRISTMAS DAY
IN YEAR 1


CHURCH SERVICES
Saturday 24 December  

First Vigil Mass of Christmas at 5.30 pm for Michael Dougan and Kathleen Keogh
Second Vigil Mass of Christmas at 8.30 pm for George Poole and Alex Fitzpatrick

Sunday 25 December  

Mass of Christmas at 11.00 am for the congregation

Monday 26 December  

Saint Stephen's Day
Mass at 10.00 am for Blair Walsh and Alex Marshall

Tuesday 27 December  

Saint John's Day
Mass at 10.00 am for Annie Thompson and John Keating

Wednesday 28 December  

The Holy Innocents
Mass at 10.00 am for Manus Gallagher and Christmas intentions
Wedding at 12.30 pm of Laura Campbell and Stephen Cavani

Thursday 29 December  

No Mass in Saint Peter's

Friday 30 December  

Feast of the Holy Family
Requiem Mass at 10.00 am for Annie Thompson

Saturday 31 December  

No 10.00 am Mass in Saint Peter's
Vigil Mass at 5.30 pm for those who died in 2016 and to pray for 2017

Sunday 1 January  

Mass of New Year at 11.00 am for the congregation

The Mass intention list is just over two weeks ahead. Please notify anniversaries as early as you can. Thanks.
Any changes to the above times caused, for example, by a funeral will be notified on the home page of this website.


SAINT MARY'S AND SAINT JOHN'S CHURCH SERVICES
 
Saturday 24 December  
First Vigil Mass of Christmas at 4.30 pm
Second Vigil Mass of Christmas at 8.30 pm

Vigil Mass of Christmas at 6.30 pm

Sunday 25 December  
Mass of Christmas at 11.00 am

Mass of Christmas at 9.30 am

Monday 26 December  

Tuesday 27 December  
Mass at 11.00 am

Wednesday 28 December  

Mass at 11.00 am

Thursday 29 December  

Mass at 11.00 am

Friday 30 December  
Mass at 11.00 am

Saturday 31 December  
Vigil Mass at 4.30 pm

Sunday 1 January  
Sunday Mass at 10.00 am

Sunday Mass at 11.30 am

 
PARISH CENTRE EVENTS
There are no events in the Parish Centre this week.

PRAYERS
Please remember in your prayers:
Annie Thompson and Manus Gallagher, both of our parish, Alex Marshall and John Keating who died recently;
Bessie Delahunt 2006, Tom McKay, Bessie O'Rourke 2005, George Scott 1973, Jessie Brown 1975, Tom Finn 1993, Anne-Marie Jenkins 2005, Sister Mary McCann, Isobel O'Hare Rae 2004, Patrick Quinn 1969, Margaret Shanks 1966, Margaret Clarkson 2003, Molly Cosgrove 1994, Jim Lindsay 2013, Catherine McEvoy 2009, Arthur Robertson, Arturo Farro 1994, Catherine McCulloch 2012, Rose Murphy 2009, Thomas O'Connell 1957, May Shanks 1990, Maria Tomelty 2014, Patrick Cahill 2010, Mary Dorian Stirling 1999, Anna Ferrie 2014, John Hendry 2015, Alice Sibbald 2010, Terence Witt 2010, Alfonso Agostini 1955, Brian Connick 2010, Father Joseph Glendinning 1993, Catherine McAteer 2014 and Joleen McIndoe 2015 whose anniversaries occur at this time and those who are sick.
If deceased members of your family are not on our anniversary list, please tell Canon Matt
, the parish office or contact WebsiteAuthor@SaintPeterinChains.net.

SUNDAY MASS TIMES
Sunday Mass times in Saint Peter's are 5.30 pm Vigil and 10.30 am. Sunday Mass times in other local parishes can be seen here.

SACRAMENT OF FORGIVENESS
The Sacrament of Forgiveness is available at any suitable time as well as from 4.30 pm before the Vigil Mass on Saturday evenings.

HOSPITAL CHAPLAINCY
If a member of your family or a friend is sick, please let us know and give us the details. Deacon Bill Corbett (01292 521208, 07904 248948, Rev.BillCorbett@btinternet.com) is the chaplain to Crosshouse Hospital and is assisted by the priest on call each week.

FINANCES
Bankers Orders for the Parish and Parish Centre amount to £3500 per month. We are grateful for your generous support in collections. If you can manage a little more from time to time, it would be a great help. A Standing Order would make the handling of money so much easier. Have you signed a Gift Aid form? If you are a taxpayer the Church would get 25p added to every £1 you donate.

COLLECTIONS
Last weekend's Offertory collection amounted to £660.93 and the Maintenance Fund collection to £310.26.

GIFT AID
The Inland Revenue now requires us to use a new style of Gift Aid form. These are available at the back of the Church and on the parish website. If you pay tax, please complete the new form and return it to the box provided. This allows us to provide the additional information required on the Gift Aid claim. Gift Aid is a vital source of income. All that is needed is that you pay tax. You simply declare that you give funds to the Church. We do the rest. Why not sign a form today? We get back an extra 25p for every £1 you give the Church in your weekly collection or by way of a donation. There is no need to cancel or renew it. We simply claim in the income we receive.


MAY EVERYONE HAVE A BLESSED CHRISTMAS
Very many thanks to our sacristans, readers, ministers of Holy Communion, altar servers, musicians, flower arrangers, tea makers, stall-keepers, Children's Liturgy organisers and helpers, Church cleaners - and all who do so much for our parish. All groups have a vacancy just for you.

PARISH RECORDS
Our parish records are covered by the Data Protection Act and are for parish use only. We cannot give out phone numbers or addresses. Please help us to keep our records up to date using the cards provided.

SUNDAY TEAS
We are very short of Sunday Tea teams. Is there any chance of a group of friends forming a team? It would be a shame to lose the Sunday Teas altogether. Would you consider making a team or joining a team that organises the teas and coffees after Sunday 10.30 am Mass? If so, please leave your details at the Parish Office or telephone 01294 464063.
Next Sunday's teas will be served by Loretta McLardy's team.

MUSIC AT MASS
Music is an essential part of Mass. Are there any budding musicians willing to offer their talent and service?

OUR LADY OF FATIMA'S REQUEST
In accordance with Our Lady of Fatima's request, we will begin the five first Saturday devotions of Holy Mass, Rosary and Fatima prayers here after Holy Mass on the first Saturday of each month beginning on Saturday 3 December. All are welcome. Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.

VOLUNTEERS
If you are able to help with Sunday Teas, Music or the Children's Liturgy, please speak to Canon Matt or contact the Parish Office on 464063. Thank you.


50/50 CLUB
Congratulations to our December 50/50 Club winners who each win £25.
   6 Kieran Sammons, 51 Kathleen Collins, 111 Helen Swan and 246 Catherine Kerr
Our Bonus Draw for December is 136 Elizabeth Petrie who wins £100. Many, many thanks to all our members for their continued support to the parish. As this year closes and 2017 will soon be upon us we would appreciate your help in renewing your membership whenever it is suitable to yourself. We will have a sign-up in January as in previous years on weeks ending 14 and 15 January and 21 and 22 January 2017 for existing and new members. Collectors will be contacting their members early in the new year or contact the Promoter Myriame Sammons on 469006.

GALLOWAY LOURDES HOSPITALITÉ MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTIONS
The committee members of the Diocesan Hospitalite have been collecting membership subscriptions from Saint Peter in Chains parish and appreciate your support. We have collected around sixty subscriptions plus additional donations amounting to £350 in total to date. We know others have still to return their envelopes and we are happy to collect them at any time since it is, after all, an annual subscription. Sincere thanks, and we ask you to continue the prayers as requested on the prayer card. The parish contact for the Lourdes Hospitalité Group is Harry Sammons on 469006.

CHRISTMAS MESSAGE FROM BISHOP NOLAN
The image of the baby Jesus in the crib is a vivid reminder of how close our God is to us. In all the moments of our life, whether moments of joy or of sorrow, God is with us. In all the ups and downs of our humanity, in our successes and our failures, God is with us. In all the times and seasons, in our youth and in our old age, in our health and in our illness, God is with us. God never abandons us and is never far from us. The baby in the crib reminds us that in taking on our humanity God is one with us. This Christmas as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Emmanuel, may I wish you the great joy of sensing God's presence in your lives and in your families. As God seeks to be one with us may we be one with God.          +William Nolan, Bishop of Galloway

CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE FOODBANK
The Foodbank at the Church of the Nazarene in Glasgow Street is desperately short of tinned meat, juice, ultra-heat treatment (UHT) milk and tinned fruit. Can you help, please?

MASS AND CHRISTMAS LUNCH FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
Young people aged fourteen and over are invited to Saint Joseph's, Hill Street, Kilmarnock on Tuesday 3 January 2017 for Mass at 12.30 pm followed by a Christmas lunch in the hall. Please let Father Stephen McGrattan know if you will be coming for catering purposes on info@StephenMcGrattan.org.uk or accept the Facebook invitation at Galloway Catholic Youth. The cost is £5 to be paid on the day. Why not share transport with others from your parish?

BURNS SUPPER
The 2017 Burns Supper will take place in the Parish Centre on Saturday 28 January at 7.00 pm. Patrons are asked to be seated by 6.50 pm for a prompt start. The Immortal Memory will be delivered by Reverend Don Currie, Pastor of South Beach Baptist Church, Saltcoats, shown below left. Kevin Thomas, former Head of Environmental Health for North Ayrshire Council, shown below centre, will propose the Toast to the Lassies and our parishioner, Angela Body, shown below right, will reply. Other participants are Bill Andrew, Rachel Brown, Calum Coldwell,
Canon Matt, Aidan and Bethany McGrath, George McGrattan and Ciaran Sinclair. Tickets cost £15 and can be booked in advance though the Parish Office on 01294 464063. Patrons can request group seating arrangements to be with friends. The meal will be prepared and served by Michael and Fiona Brown, family and friends. Vegetarian meals are available with notice as an alternative to the traditional Burns Supper main course. There are more details on the Church website. Your support is appreciated.


SPECIAL RELIGIOUS EDUCATION (SPRED) GROUP CHRISTMAS DRAW
The recent draw made £5800 towards finding new premises for SPRED. A list of prize-winners is on the notice board.

THANK YOU
Thank you from Christine McMail and family for all the Mass cards, cards, thoughts, prayers and all the support given in their recent bereavement.

HOMELESSNESS IN NORTH AYRSHIRE
The inter-church group who are concerned with homelessness around us would like to appeal for donations of household cleaning materials to help people get started when they are housed. They also need new socks, gloves and pyjamas for those who are housed in the Homeless Hostels. A full list of requirements is on the box at the back of the Church. Thank you.

VISITORS
Are you visiting us for Mass? Please know that you are very welcome. During the 10.30 am Mass outwith holidays, there is a Children’s Liturgy provided for preschool children, children in Primaries 1 to 3 and a Sacramental Programme for children in Primary 4. After the 10.30 am Mass, tea, coffee cakes and buns are available in the Parish Centre. At both of our weekend Masses, we have a second collection for Church maintenance.


ADVERTISER SUPPORT
Our advertisers would welcome your support. We are grateful for their continuing sponsorship. We are grateful for the support of Mr and Mrs Sohal, Nisa Stores, Glasgow Street for the weekly donation of tea, coffee and milk for the Sunday teas.

PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE ADULTS - MISSION STATEMENT
The Catholic Church in Scotland is concerned with the lives, safety, wholeness and well-being of each individual person within God's purpose for everyone. It seeks to safeguard the welfare of people of all ages who are involved in whatever capacity
with the Church and its organisations. As a Church community, we accept that it is the responsibility of all of us, ordained, professed, paid and voluntary members, to work together to prevent the physical, sexual, emotional abuse or neglect of children, young people and vulnerable adults.