A New Year - a new beginning?

Hey people!

How was your Christmas? Stuffed yourself with food and presents? Leave yourself some stomach for New Year Parties!

As 2009 comes to a close, we are confronted with the new year 2010. A lot of my friends are making a lot of New Year Resolutions now "I'm going on a diet in 2010 so that I can fit myself into those pretty dresses." "I'm going to study everynight in preparations for my 'O' levels this year.".

It's good to make resolutions but the question is: Do we follow them through? For me, I've learnt that making resolutions and not sticking to them is one of the best way of killing your self-confidence. So what do I do? I don't make any resolutions at all, cause everyday is a new beginning, so why must we wait for a new year to make resolutions?

Updates

1) Fund Raising - We wanna say a BIG THANK YOU to all who have supported us in our fund raising! We managed to raise 3k of which 1.5k will be going to IJHCC and the other 1.5k going towards youth efforts 2010. THANK YOU!

2) LiG 2010. Bible sharing. Fellowship. Ministry.

3) Youth Exhibition 2010 coming up!

4) Intercessories - Once every 2 weeks, a group of young adults and youths will come together to pray for the needs of everyone in the parish. If you have any petitions, please send them back to our email and we will pray for you:) This week, we pray especially for a prosperous and blessed New Year!

As this is the last email for 2009, let me say a big thank you to all who have supported us in one way or another over the past 2 years. You rock!

Peace,

Joachim

A Blessed Christmas to You!

STAY AWAKE SO YOU MIGHT BE READY!

Are you ready for God to come into your hearts? After all the weeks of preparations, it's finally here. CHRISTMAS!!! Our youths have been doing fund-raising for IJHCC for the past few weeks and we would like to thank you for your generous support and kind donations. Not to bore you with a whole list of updates, we would just like to take this opportunity to invite you to our Christmas Pageant this 24 Dec @ 11pm in church. Do come and experience once again the magic of Christmas - where Christ was born for us.

Peace,

Joachim

Stay Awake so You might be Ready

Last week of fund raising for our Advent Program! If you are still hesitating about bidding for art pieces, hesitate no more! If you would want to donate cash donations, please call me @ 92394826.

Finally, on the 24th of Dec, be brought into the Nativity Scene - Singapore style by all our Youth Ministries in the Christmas pageant @ 11pm.

1) An Advent Young Artist Exposition: Art created by our youths for this joyous season in aid of fund raising. The art pieces will be on sale and on auction this last week. Come and support our young and talented artists!

2) An Advent Fund Raising: The Music Ministry are selling ice-cream floats and ice cream this Sunday! Look around for them to quench your thirst and heat!

3) Living in God (LiG). 2010

4) Intercessories - Once every 2 weeks, a group of young adults and youths will come together to pray for the needs of everyone in the parish. If you have any petitions, please send them back to our email and we will pray for you:) This week, we pray especially for the lost who are looking for God.

As the year draws to a close, there will be some upcoming changes in our structure and name. Stand by!

Peace,

Joachim

2nd Week of Sales

Stay Awake so You might be Ready

2 more weeks to Christmas and our fund-raising efforts are in full swing! Who are we raising funds for? We are raising funds for IJHCC, a charity home for children and disadvantaged youths. You had a taste of the Drama Ministry the previous weekend and the Young Artists Exposition last weekend. What's on for the upcoming weekends? Check it out below!

1) An Advent Session for the Parish: Footsteps of God - Jesus. What's the big deal about God being born to us? Discover with popular apologist, Steve Ray's video this Friday, 11 Dec 09, 8pm in the Parish Hall. Invite your friends along!

2) An Advent Young Artist Exposition: Art created by our youths for this joyous season in aid of fund raising. The art pieces will be on sale and on auction the next 2 weeks. Come and support our young and talented artists!

3) An Advent Fund Raising: The Media Ministry will be selling Christian themed t-shirts in aid of fund raising. Each shirt will be on sale for $15 and we are looking to sell all 300 pieces. Different designs for a different personality. Please spread the word and spread the donations:)

4) Living in God (LiG). 2010

5) School of Witness 2010 - Check out our blog! Interested? Get back to us!

6) Intercessories - Once every 2 weeks, a group of young adults and youths will come together to pray for the needs of everyone in the parish. If you have any petitions, please send them back to our email and we will pray for you:) This week, we pray especially for our relatives who are traveling abroad, that they may be safe and sound.

As the year draws to a close, there will be some upcoming changes in our structure and name. Please keep a lookout!

Peace,
Joachim

Upcoming Advent Week 3

Stay Awake so You might be Ready

The Sec 3s were in their Confirmation Camp in St Joseph's yesterday and Mass was celebrated for them by Friar Father Julian. One thing which he said during the homily struck me "We don't like to wait. We like everything to be fast fast."

As I reflected on this sentence, I realised that it is quite true. No one likes to wait, especially in Singapore. We don't like long queues in restaurants, that's why we have fast food. We don't like to wait for taxis in taxi stands, that's why we would rather stand by the roadside and wait for the cab. We don't like to wait to buy cinema tix, that's why we have a queue especially for credit card or internet bookings. We want to reap a harvest every few months, that's why we spur the growth on with growth fertilizers.

Today, in this fast modern world, we are constantly challenged to be in a spirit of waiting and to persevere in this waiting hope. We have to cling on to something, to persevere in this waiting hope and the only hope that we have is not in material wealth, but rather the love of God.

Are you waiting and persevering in this love of God?

1) An Advent Session for the Parish: Footprints of God - Mary. Ever wondered about the significance of Mary in our history? Why does the Catholic Church honor and respect her so much? Come and find out for yourself with this DVD screening by Steve Ray, a popular Bible scholar in the States. After the session, get ready to pop your long-awaited questions on Mary, to Sister Theresa (fsp)! Happening on 4 Dec, Friday, 8pm in the parish hall.

2) An Advent Movie Screening: Children of Men. In 2027, as humankind faces the likelihood of its own extinction, a disillusioned government agent agrees to help transport and protect a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea where her child's birth may help scientist to save the future of mankind. Happening on 5 Dec, Saturday, 8pm in the Youth Room. Admission by a pack of chips :)

3) An Advent Session for the Parish: Footprints of God - Jesus. What's the big deal about God being born to us? What's so great about Christmas? Come and find out for yourself with popular apologist, Steve Ray on 11 Dec 09, 8pm in the Parish Hall.

4) Altar Servers Camp - Our servers are organising an all-boys camp in Dec. It will be starting from 13 Dec to 16 Dec. Register outside the parish on 15 Nov and 22 Nov. There will be a parent's briefing on camp and collection of the consent forms on 22nd Nov. Venue will be at SFA. Cost: $20 per person

5) Living in God (LiG). 2010

6) School of Witness 2010 - Check out our blog! Interested? Get back to us!

7) Diocesan Vocation Camp - "St John Vianney: A Priest for All Men, A Man for All Priests" for our younger brothers ages between 14 to 17 year old. If you are interested in knowing how a priest is made, join them from Tuesday 1 December to Thursday 3 December. Time will be between 10am - 2pm. Venue will be at St Francis Xavier Major Seminary. Please register at seminariansonline@gmail.com.

8) Intercessories - Once every 2 weeks, a group of young adults and youths will come together to pray for the needs of everyone in the parish. If you have any petitions, please send them back to our email and we will pray for you:) This week, we pray for the sec 3 Confirmands who are having their Confirmation Mass this Sunday and give thanksgiving to God for the awesome camp they had experienced. May they continue to be fueled by the Spirit.

It was really heart-warming and terrific to see the Confirmands growing during this 3 days 2 nights camp. They reaffirmed their lives to God and grew in community together. If you are a Confirmand, I would just like reaffirm your active participation during this camp.

Don't ever forget your God-experience, because when all the whole world comes tumbling down on you, that's the only thing that will keep you sane.

Peace,

Joachim