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Sat. 12/6 4:00PM People of the Parish

Sun.12/7 8:00AM Scott Lloyd

(Breakfast Friends)

11:00AM John Skerda Sr.

(Martha & Family)

Mon. 10:00AM Immaculate Conception

Dave Emery

(Knight’s of Columbus)

7:00PM Christine Bruno

(Gene & Tracy)

Tues. 9:00AM Pauline Muscarella

(Family)

Wed. 9:30AM Rockwell

Elizabeth Reich

(PCCW)

Thurs. 7:00PM Mass available at

Sacred Heart, Lewisburg

Fri. 10:00AM Kramm’s Watsontown

James Dempsey

(Henry Ludwig)

Sat.12/13 4:00PM Salamon, Tobias &

Valushin Families

(Eleanor Valushin)

Sun12/14 8:00AM In Honoe of St. Lucy

(Muscarella Family)

11:00AM John C. Anderson

(Tom & Marian Lang)

PLEASE REMEMBER THE COMMITMENT YOU MADE TO THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN FOR THE RECTORY RESTORATION BY CONTINUING YOUR SUPPORT THROUGH YOUR PLEDGES. THANK YOU.

ST JOSEPH IS A TITHING PARISH

God’s Plan for Giving

In return for the Lord’s generosity, our people returned to God the following:

Sunday’s Collection: $3,153.00

Last Year’s Collection: $1,869.48

November 23^rd Collection: $2,904.43

Last Year’s Collection: $4,033.08

Campaign for Human Development: $ 550.00

From the Pastor: “To paraphrase St. Paul, ‘It is owing to God’s favor that salvation is ours through faith’. This is not our doing it is God’s gift.”

I thank everyone so much for how good they are in that they share their blessings in accomplishing the mission and work of our parish.

Sincere Blessings,

Father Tom

IN PREPARATION FOR

DECEMBER 14, 2008

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT

First Reading: Isaiah 61:1-2a, 10-11

Isaiah describes the joy and salvation which will accompany the coming of Christ. He compares the plants which spring from a garden to the justice that will spring from all nations.

Second Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

Paul reminds the Thessalonians to constantly ready themselves for Christ’s arrival. He tells them to “avoid any semblance of evil” so that they may be found irreproachable when Jesus does arrive.

Gospel: John 1:6-8, 19-28

John explains that he is only a messenger to the people for one more powerful than himself. John stresses to them that they must make a path for the one so powerful that he is not fit to unfasten the strap of his sandal.

YOUR PARISH NEEDS $7,900 PER WEEK

TO MEET ITS EXPENSES.

RETIREMENT FUND FOR RELIGIOUS, DEC. 14, 2008: The average Catholic Sister, Brother, or older Priest remains in active ministry until age 74. Today, 37,870 religious women and men are past age 70 and need our help with the current cost of living and health care. Please give generously next weekend for this collection. Thank you.

“KEY ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE WEEK”

OUR 2008 FINANCIAL RENEWAL PROGRAM continues to be well-received by our parish family. Many have already responded to Father Tom’s letter, and their positive response has added a significant increase to our offertory collection proceeds. Just a reminder: Please use the special commitment card to indicate your new level of offering, and then, in succeeding weeks, resume the use of your regular offertory envelopes.

MEMORIAL POINSETTIA PLANTS

Poinsettia Plants will be placed in the sanctuary for the Christmas Season. If you wish to remember your beloved deceased or honor a member or members of your family, please place the names of the person or persons to be honored in an envelope with your donation of $15 and place it in the collection basket. Names will be added to one of our Christmas season bulletins. Thank you.

In Memory or In Honor of:

__________________________________________

Requested by:

__________________________________________

REMEMBER THOSE WHO ARE SICK IN YOUR PRAYERS, especially: Mary Helen Prosseda, , Barbara and Bob Starski, Derrick Dull, Bill Sarvis and Rose Marie Waltman. If you would like to have a name mentioned in the bulletin or if someone is well and we can remove their name, please call the parish office at 742-4356.

WE HAVE THE FOLLOWING ITEMS TO BE MEMORALIZED. If you would like to remember a loved one by memorializing any of these items, please call the Parish Office. Please keep checking the list for new items:

A Pair of Green Wall Scarves $960 and a Purple Chasuble $1,035. Items listed above will not be purchased until the memorial donations are given.

WEIS AND GIANT MARKET GROCERY GIFT CARDS: Please consider purchasing grocery gift cards this week to buy your groceries. By using these gift cards, you are helping our parish. The proceeds from last weekend were $25.00.

If you would like to order gifts cards to be given as gifts, please contact the parish office one week in advance. Orders must be pre-paid also. Thank you.

ST. JOSEPH HAPPENINGS

Dec 12 Fish Dinner 4 – 7 PM

Dec. 18 Penance Service 7 PM

Dec. 23 Confessions 7 PM

Jan. 4, 2009 Epiphany Open House 3 – 6 PM

PENANCE SERVICE SCHEDULE

Dec. 15 St. Joseph, Danville

Dec. 16 St. Monica, Sunbury

Dec. 17 St. Pius X, Selinsgrove

Dec. 18 St. Joseph, Milton

Services begin at 7:00 PM

WE ARE LOOKING FOR A NEW FACILITY COORDINATOR: The Facility Coordinator takes care of the rental of the Parish Center and Picnic Grove. If you think that you would like to take on this job, please call the Parish Office as soon as possible.

PCCW

Red Cross Donations for December

Canned soups, sauerkraut & sweet potatoes

Migrant Kit Donations for December

Soap & washcloths

PCCW NEWS & EVENT

January 5, 2009: Annual Epiphany Dinner will be held at the Wynding Brook Golf Club @ 6:00 PM. Entrée choices are Shrimp Scampi ($21) or Roast Pork Loin ($20). Dinner includes salad, potato, vegetable, rolls w/ butter, ice cream, hot tea and coffee. The tax and tip are included in the price. Please call Mary Rose Knelly @ 742-3465 for reservations by Dec. 28^th. Mike Fleming will present a program titled “Popcorn Cinema Road Show.”

MEMORIALIZE A TREE: Because of having to remove our trees that were here for over 80 years, we would now like to replace them. We will be planting Forest Pansy Redbud trees which will be 8-10 feet tall. The cost of a tree is $420.00. We are accepting donations in any amount. Please make sure to write down who you would like the tree to be in memory of or in honor of. Make checks payable to St. Joseph Church.

RE-CREATION: “An Evening of Christmas” hosted by St. Monica School Sunbury, will be performed live by Re-Creation on Saturday, Dec. 13^th @ 7 PM in the Selinsgrove High School Auditorium. Come and enjoy the sparkling, energetic professional entertainment. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children/students. Please call Barb Zack at 286-2168 for tickets and further information.

EMMANUEL CHRISTMAS CONCERT WITH BISHOP KEVIN RHOADES: Join Bishop Rhoades at the 4^th Annual Diocesan Christmas Concert on Sunday, December 14, 2008 at Trinity High School in Camp Hill at 7:00 PM. Snow date will be Dec. 21^st. The Emmanuel Concert is a night of music and song celebrating as a Diocese the coming of our Lord. The concert features the musical gifts of Martin Doman, diocesan praise and workshop musician and well-known Catholic singer/songwriter. Tickets are $10 (children 5 and under are free), and there are group rates available. More information on the concert can be found on the Diocesan website. Visit www.hbgdiocese.org and click on the concert link for audio samples of the concert and much more.

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