Parish Christmas Buffet Lunch

Diocesan Pastoral Plan: Following on from the parish meeting on the 8th December, it would be helpful to have a gathering of persons who are concerned to further the discussion early in the New Year, with a view to enhancing the existing infrastructure. Given feedback on the day and the time, we will meet on Sunday 19th January after the 10.00 am Mass. To focus our thoughts and discussion, please have a look at the ‘buff coloured’ sheet / PDF (via e-mail) there is a non-exhaustive list of areas of concern (compiled by parishioners) for you to consider and perhaps make contribution, prior to the meeting. There may well be areas about which you have thoughts/ideas/ skills and abilities and other areas about which you are perhaps unaware or would not wish to be concerned or involved with and other things which are in between, besides! Essentially concerns are twofold, administrative and pastoral, you may have skills and aptitude in one area more so than another, but continued and further contribution to parish life in either area would be very much appreciated. The objective of a January meeting would be to be able to establish a core group / pastoral council to oversee the different elements of parish life with a view to making representation for the ‘moderated parish’. Growing the Church requires all kinds of talents, including yours, so do let your light shine, encouraging, supporting and being seminal in Her life in Dorking and surrounding areas.

Michael Pinches, Yolanda Dawes & Gary Dean R.I.P all died recently, and so we offer our prayers and sympathy to their families and friends at this time. Michael’s Funeral Mass will be at 11.00 this Friday, 10th January, followed by a private family burial. There will be light refreshments in the hall after the Funeral Mass. Yolanda Dawes Funeral Mass will be at 11.00 on Thursday 16th January, followed by cremation at Randalls Prak at 12.30. There will be a memorial Mass for Gary Dean R.I.P , husband of Angie Blackaby, early in February, however details of the cremation service will be announced, once finalised May they rest in peace.

New Lectionary: Having had the new translation of the Scripture for the last few weeks, just to remind you that the readings in all liturgies will no longer be from the Jerusalem Bible but the ‘English Standard Version- Catholic Edition’ should you wish to acquire a copy, while we await both the Sunday and Weekday people’s versions of the Missal. There is a sample copy of the ‘people’s version of the Sunday readings’, available in the repository and copies can be ordered for you, however, for the weekday readings, that is, the daily missal, will not be available until April 2025.

Immediate Parish needs:- There are a number of practical and pastoral concerns which need to be attended to, aside from any pastoral plans! Church cleaning: At present there are two people cleaning the church each week, one of whom is in their 80’s, and, who, with all due respect, should be having a somewhat more relaxed time of life. I couple of groups of four people, cleaning the church every other week, would see the job done in less than an hour. If you can wield a broom, a dust pan and brush or even a vacuum cleaner, and could help, please let Fr. Ian know with some contact details. First Holy Communion catechetical assistance: at the present time we have no-one assisting with this, so help on a Thursday afternoon especially, from 3.30 to 5 pm would be very much appreciated. A DBS check, via the Diocesan Safeguarding Team would have to be undertaken, but the process should be much quicker now. Children’s liturgy at the 10 am Sunday Mass. A number of people have offered to help with this, so, it would be a good idea to meet and discuss what is involved and to ascertain people’s willingness to undertake such matters. SO, watch out for a date for a meeting, probably a Sunday morning, after the 10 am Mass. As has been said, we have not had a children’s liturgy for a number of months now, and it would be greatly appreciated by a number of parents. If you feel you would be able to help with this, then those who have assisted before, will surely be able to pass on something of their abilities and experience to help with this. Again, assistance with children’s liturgy would require DBS checks be made, something the Diocese would undertake for the parish..

SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION: First Holy Communion The programme will resume on Tuesday 7th January and Thursday 9th January respectively. For the older children, Year 5 and above, the meeting will be on Tuesday at 4.15 in the small hall and last about 1 hour. For the younger children the meeting will begin at 4 pm, however, you are welcome to come to the hall from 3.30 onwards to give your child/ren a snack etc. Confirmation Programme: Our first meeting for those who signed up for the programme is this Thursday, 9th January at 7 pm. Adult formation / RCIA: We continue our programme, looking at Genesis 3 and the doctrine of Original Sin on Monday 13th January at 7 pm . At present, given the small number of people, we will probably meet in the presbytery.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CHRISTMAS OFFERING:- My grateful and sincere thanks to you for your Christmas offering. Thank you for the Christmas cards and the various goodies! Your kindness and generosity are very much appreciated. Thank you. On behalf of the parish, may I take this opportunity to thank all those who help in various aspects of the running of church and parish premises and the life of the parish, altar servers, the church cleaners and ‘ground staff’ (leaf sweepers etc) , the flower arrangers, special ministers of Holy Communion, readers, those who do the sacristy work and linen. Thanks to those who organise the music, the hymn choosers and those who helped with catechesis. At the present time, as we are without a secretary, particular thanks to those who have kept on top of various elements of administration, those who look after the different registers, money counters, gift aid organiser, bookkeepers and those who take care of various rotas. Thanks also to those who help with 'one off' bits and pieces across the year. Finally, apologies to those I have inevitably missed out or overlooked, as I’m sure I have; a special thanks to you! Once again, my thanks to all of you, for your kindness and generosity. (Fr. Ian)

Holy hour: This Thursday at 7 pm in the church there will be Eucharistic Adoration with the opportunity to reflect on the Gospel for the following Sunday, a time of silence and reflective music and finishing with praying the Rosary. Please feel free to attend for the whole hour or drop in as you are able The Gospel reflection will present some prompt questions as follows reflection. 'What does this tell us about God?' 'What does this tell us about ourselves?' 'What action is it calling us to take?' 'Who should we try to share it with?' After the 3rd reading of the scripture passage there will be a longer period of silence with one or two short periods of reflective music and prayer. The final 20 mins or so would be given to praying the Rosary.

Unto us a child is born, he is Christ, the Lord Wishing you all a Happy and Holy Christmas

Parish Christmas Buffet Lunch A big than you to all those who organised the lunch, the scribes, the shoppers, the cooks, chefs, waiters, waitresses, venue organisers and everyone who helped out in any way whatsoever.