SAINT AUGUSTINE CHURCH WASHINGTON, DC

December 1, 2013

The First Sunday of Advent

Thank God for New Beginnings!

Every year we re-start the liturgical year with our celebration of Advent so that we as a community of believers dont take for granted the great value of living a new life in Christ! So, on this first Sunday of Advent we are exhorted to Wake up, and pay attention! We re-tell the story, starting from the beginning with the prophesies about the coming Messiah and culminating with his baptism at the Jordan. New beginnings, like the Advent season itself, signify hope and second chances. The challenge for us is to make the best of new beginnings when they come our way. Wasted chances and squandered opportunities are always a cause of great disappointment. The Year of Faith has officially ended and now a Life of Faith must commence! Recently we elected 8 new members to our Parish Pastoral Council which provides us the opportunity to have a fresh new start; building on the past and charting new ground into the future. But authentic Christian ministry does not start with tasks and programs but prayer and discernment. What is God doing? How does he want us to respond? How does God want to use us to carry out his work? As these questions are critical for Christian ministry they are equally pertinent and applicable to the individual life. The scriptures tell us today that it is time to wake up to the presence of God already in our midst. Wake up to the voice of God speaking to your heart. Wake up to the compassion of God filled with care for those we dont yet see. Wake up to the justice of God for those without a voice and without the leverage to get anyone to listen or care. So, as we begin another liturgical year lets make the best of this new beginning. May this Advent season give you a new hope for what is possible and make you into a source of hope for those who stopped caring a long time ago. Copyright Father Patrick A Smith, 2013

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Scripture Readings
1st Sunday of Advent Is 2:1-5 Rom 13:11-14 Mt 24:37- 44 2nd Sunday of Advent Is 11:1-10 Rom 15:4-9 Mt 3:1-12

Mass Intentions
Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec 2 Dorsey Davis 3 Eleanor Johnson 4 Frances Brooks 5 Marcia Taylor 6 James Washington - Deceased - Living - Living - Living - Living 911

Attendance

Bible Study meets every Wednesday at 7:00pm in the School Cafeteria.

First Friday Devotions

Friday, December 6, 2013 12:10 Mass 6pm-7pm Adoration 7pm-7:15pm Novena to St. Martin De Porres 7:15 pm Benediction 7:30pm Mass

REMEMBER ST. AUGUSTINE PARISH IN YOUR WILL & BEQUESTS

SEE WEB PAGE FOR FATHER PATS SERMON NOTES

ST AUGUSTINE SCHOOL COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN # 20000 ST. AUGUSTINE SCHOOL UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN #9670

1st Sunday of Advent

THIS SUNDAYS SECOND COLLECTION IS FOR OUR PARISH SCHOOL

NEXT SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2013 SECOND COLLECTION IS FOR THE RETIRED RELIGIOUS IN THE DIOCESE St. Augustine School Love to Learn; Learn to Love
SR. GLORIA AGUMAGU, HHCJ PRINCIPAL INFORMATION: 202-6672608

Catholic Education Corner

contact Saint Augustine Catholic School is now registering for the 2013-2014 school year for grades Pre-K through Eighth. For an application or more information, please the school office at 202-667-2608 or email: admissions@saintaugustine-dc.org .
Youth Altar Server Training

Please Pray for the Sick and Homebound

John Adams, Sr. Beatrice Alexander Florencia Alfonso Nora Basey Milton Bess Evelyn Bezell Thomas Brock Frances Brooks Brandon Brown Mary Burgan Eric Brown Andrew Burton Angela Callighan Agnes Carey Elizabeth Carter Antonia Cayabas Phillip Cephas Vincent Clarke, Sr. Annie Cole John Collins Tommie Cunningham Dorsey Davis Pauline Dines Joyce Dorsey Susan Epps Richard B. Fowler Barbara Ferguson Daniel Galloway Inez Gaskins Charles Gathers Valencia Green Delores V. Greene Thelma Givens Brian Harvey John Harris Patricia Herndon Deborah Jackson Eleanor Johnson Francis Kelly Sedonia Labee Keats Labule Louisa Lee Mary Leonard Bernadette Mahoney Von Martin Catherine Mason Florence Matthews Edna Mills Leona Miller John Monte Joyce Morton Sylvia Monroe Albert Nellums Julius Oben Ashley Redhead, Jr. Lisa Rivera Ruby Roberts Doris Silas Gertina Simms Kathleen Simms George Simmons Mary Smith Donnie Stewart Marcia Taylor Willis Thomas Juanita Towns Selma Twitty Beatrice Twyman Terry Vaughn Esperanza Walker Betty Washington James F. Washington Lillie White Dorothea Whitaker Teresa Wilkinson Virginia Winston Lozzie York

Training for new Altar Servers is being held on Saturdays from 9:15am to 11:00am in the Church. You must be in the third grade and up and have received your First Holy Communion.

Fall Trainings for New and Experienced Lectors and Extraordinary Ministers. Saturday, December 7th EMHC 10:00 am 11:30 am Lectors 11:30 am 1:00 pm
The DC Catholic Business Network newly formed board has already committed to donate a minimum of $1000 to St. Augustine School in the spring for scholarships or whatever else we decide. The more people who join and participate, the more money there will be to send to the school. Thanks. Pastoral Parish Council Pastoral Parish Council Meetings are held every 3rd Saturday of the Month at 9:00 AM in the Gingras Center. Meetings are open to all parishioners. BLACK COFFEE December 8 Please join the African Diaspora Ministry in our next Black Coffee fellowship on Sunday, December 8 as we examine the conflict in Kenya with a policy expert. We will start at 2:30 pm

Please Pray for Our Dead

Dorsey Davis

The Teenagers of St. Augustines are sponsoring a coat drive this season for those in need. We are asking for donations of gently used coats (all sizes & genders), and are especially in need of mens & womens winter coats sizes XXLG through 5X, with hoods. If you have any gently used coats youd like to donate, please bring your coats St. Augustines Church at 15th & V Streets, NW. We will have a storage container located at the back of the Church to collect the coats. The coats will be collected for Catholic Charities Coats of Many Colors campaign to be provided to those in need. If you want to support the effort, but you do not have the ability to provide coats, please consider going to the Catholic Charities web site www.catholiccharitiesdc.org to make a donation that will go directly to purchase much needed coats.

Our Parish Bookstore and Gift Shop Opens before and after weekend Masses. Use Visa or MasterCard ($10 min), check ($5min), or cash to buy: Bibles - Missals - Rosaries - Books on the Pope, Saints, Parish History, Faith, Discernment, Marriage, Childrens Books, Father Pats Homilies and more.

INTERESTED IN BECOMING A CATHOLIC, RECEIVING CONFIRMATION? SPONSORING INQUIRERS? RCIA MEETS TUESDAYS AT 6:45 8:45PM IN THE GINGRAS CENTER - SABRINA WILLIAMS AT 202-294-6990.
SEE GINGRAS CENTER BULLETIN BOARD FOR ANNOUNCEMENTS OF AVAILABLE EMPLOYMENT, YOUTH AND ADULT OPPORTUNITIES .