Our Welcoming Parish…especially for Christmas

I am always grateful for each of you who go out of your way to continue to make our parish a welcoming place for people. Each weekend we have more and more people either visiting for the first time or coming to join us as new members. Thanks to each of you who make an extra effort to introduce yourself to someone whom you have not met before.

This need of hospitality is especially true for next weekend at our Christmas Masses when many extra folks will be joining us for the liturgies. Thanks for making the extra effort to make ‘room in the pew’ next to you for our visitors. Our hospitality is an important factor in whether they come ack the next weekend. At the same time, join me in saying an extra prayer for all of our ‘disengaged’ parishioners who will be here for those Masses that they will be moved by the Holy Spirit to return to the sacraments on a weekly basis.

On another note, thanks again to those who have turned in their pledge card for our campaign. And for those who have been waiting to be able to make an ‘end-of-year’ commitment, thanks for returning your card in these final weeks of the year. Each and every parishioner’s contribution truly makes a difference!

Thanks to all of you who are so generous in remembering your parish as part of your charitable donations at this time of year.

Advent Peace to you,
Fr. Jim Deiters