…” ’The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, until the day when the LORD sends rain upon the earth’.” She left and did as Elijah had said. She was able to eat for a year, and he and her son as well; the jar of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, as the LORD had foretold through Elijah.” The first reading this weekend is a powerful story of the blessings that come when we place our trust in the Lord. The woman did as Elijah the prophet had directed….she shared what she had with the Lord….and in so doing, she found the abundance of God’s grace and blessings. She never ran out!!! It’s a powerful reminder of God’s promise to us when we live, love and share in the ways of the Lord.
…The scriptures this weekend offer a profound message to us, as a community, as we begin our efforts to provide over 7,200 meals for the Thanksgiving holiday across our region. Thanks to your help, we are working to collect 650 frozen turkeys and at least 400 pies. It’s the recipe to provide for our sisters and brothers in Akron, Cleveland, Berea, Brunswick and surrounding areas. As we give to others, we renew our trust that a good and gracious God will care for and provide for us in our need. If you are reading this online before the weekend, please remember to bring your turkey/pie to Mass this weekend. If you are reading this at Mass, remember that we will continue to collect the turkeys/pies until we meet the goal of caring for all in need. As we work together to give, share, serve, we trust that that jar ‘will never run out.’
…We are also working to line up the 800+ volunteers needed to cook, pack, carve, clean, and serve these meals on Thanksgiving and the days before. All the information can be found at: www.StAmbrose.us/thanksgiving.
…This is a very special week for our second graders who will be celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation. As God forgives us, we are called to forgive one another. The more we forgive, the more we will come to know, again and again, the promise of God….that the jar (of forgiveness and mercy) will never run out. Please pray for our young members that they may know the peace of the Lord. May this peace and forgiveness live on in their families and in their homes. Their special song, I got peace in my soul” is our prayer and hope for our youngest members.
…This Sunday evening is also the Rite of Enrollment for our Confirmation candidates. We pray that God’s Spirit will strengthen the hearts of our teens. May God give them courage to walk forward in faith, hope and love in the ways of the Lord. Please keep our teens in your prayers as they prepare for Confirmation this coming May (in the new Church!!).
…Finally…you can see some real progress on the Church (which they continue to assure us will be done for Easter). The walls to the left and right of the front entrance are forming the new sacristy (left) and new Family Room (cry room, brides’ room, etc.) on the right. The addition on the south side of the building will make a home for the music ministry, along with some additional seating. Please continue to pray for all those working on the project…and to pray for our community that we may use this time to renew our efforts to be the Church of Christ….alive and strong in the ways of the Lord.
…This weekend we will be praying the Stewardship Prayer which really speaks of the building blocks of our community of faith. May it call us to live and love in the ways of the Lord.
…This coming Tuesday, Dobie Moser is continuing our efforts in the Promise to Protect and Pledge to Heal – to create a community that is welcoming, safe and caring for all the children of God. The Pastoral Council and parish leaders will be coming together to continue to reflect on how best we can create a spirit and culture where our Community CARES – Concerned, Alert, Response – Everyone Safe. Watch for some follow up details in the coming weeks.
…Please pray for the Bishops of the United States who are meeting together this coming week to pray and discuss ways to bring healing to the Church.
…Saint Ambrose School and Littlest Angels PreSchool are hosting an Open House this Sunday from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm. Our school and preschool are really thriving. Come and learn about the great things going on to help all of our students grow and mature in the ways of the Lord. Come for a visit, or contact Breanne Logue for more information (BLogue@StASchool.us). Everything for every student….every day.
…As many of you have heard, our Littlest Angels Preschool should be moving into a new building across from the south parking lot for next school year. This will allow us to better serve all of our littlest angels and families. Watch for details in the coming weeks. This will also allow Saint Ambrose School to develop both a STEM/science lab and Fine Arts space. This is very exciting for our community!!!
…In two weeks, the weekend of November 25/26, we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King. We will be celebrating the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Aged and Infirmed at all the weekend Masses. Please invite family members and neighbors to join us as we come together in prayer and seek the healing grace and mercy of the Lord. The anointing will take place as part of all the weekend Masses.
…Many thanks to all who have responded to our appeal for an increase in the weekly collections. You can see in today’s bulletin that many have responded with great generosity which is helping us ‘catch up’ to the amount needed to support our parish community. God bless you for your goodness. As we give to the Lord, the Lord promises to care for us in our need.
…If you are on Facebook, you can see that Fr. Rob and his 65 pilgrims are having an amazing experience in the Holy Land. Please keep them in your prayers as they pray for us and our parish community.
…This weekend, in the bulletin, you are receiving the Stewardship Prayer as we renew God’s house, may this prayer renew our hearts and our commitment to be a Church centered on Christ and filled with God’s Spirit. Thank you for all you do for the Lord and our parish community.
