November 2022 Newsletter – On God’s Journey

“But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

November brings together several liturgical events that lead us on a journey. We spend the first couple of days of November celebrating all the saints and then remember all those who have gone before us, our dearly departed family members, friends, co-workers, and all those we loved. We start in our faith history. By the sixth of the month we are reading about the end times, the last things, from Luke’s gospel. We study eschatology — death, judgment, the coming final destiny of our souls and of the souls of all humanity. We focus on our ultimate destination. On November twentieth we conclude in the celebration of our one and only King – Jesus Christ Who will rule and reign over us forever in the Eternal Kingdom of God. Shortly thereafter the Church year ends and we start anew in Advent, the new Church year, expectantly awaiting the return of Jesus.

What we must be careful of in considering this time of the liturgical year is avoiding the temptation of seeing it as just repeating over and over. Here we go again, ending one cycle, beginning another, it will happen again in November 2023, 2024, 2025… and so on. Rather, we are to use this time as a reminder of the fact that we are moving along a linear timeline from our start in God to our ultimate end in God, and what we are to do in-between. Just as Scripture begins in God’s creation and ends in Jesus’ return, speaking along the way of God’s love for us, so must we live in a constant journey toward God, a closer likeness to His love in our everyday environments, and our ultimate end where we stand before the Son of Man. Jesus asks us to be the difference, the Kingdom builders along the journey. Let us then do as Jesus asks, staying awake – and that means being engaged – getting to work building the Kingdom, walking the gospel path, and praying in worship, as families, and alone.

Welcome to November and all the opportunities God offers for discipleship, charity, thsanksgiving, and Kingdom building.

In November we celebrate All Souls and All Saints day, recall our beloved family, friends, and all those we loved who have gone on before us. There is a brief report on our XXVI Holy Synod, an invitation to a VERY IMPORTANT Seniorate and youth gathering on December 3rd, as well as our Pizza and Game Night on November 12th. Of course we give thanks. Note that we still have tickets available for our for our $2,500 Christmas Vigil Raffle. Get them soon.

Have you ever felt alone and abandoned? See what God does through His people in the story of Little Larry and see how you can help out too.

Check that and more in our November 2022 Newsletter.

CONVO 2010 is here!

Monday – Friday – CONVO 2010 at Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ.

Youth from all over our Church will be assembling this week to study, pray, worship, have fun, fellowship, probably eat and sleep (although past experiences put these two in question). Please keep all of our youth and the 190 others who will be uplifted, loved, and taught during this week.

Thanks also to all of you who had either donated money for snacks, made snacks, provided for snacks for all the participants. And, again, for, lo, these many months, thank you for your sacrifice in allowing our youth to attend this great event. God bless you all!

Thank you!!!

T H A N K S for your support to complete a project of the National United Youth Association: You are all to be highly praised and thanked for your contribution towards the completion of this most ambitious project of the national Youth Association.

We have now, for the second year, joined with other concerned parishes of our Holy Church, to pool our funds and with a great concerted effort complete this task. Please know that your worthy donations will soon be mingling with those of the rest of the Church to aid some village somewhere in this planet to achieve self-sustenance and to perpetuate the skilis to continue to maintain a healthier way of life and a promise for those who will follow in this village.

Therefore, TODAY please take humble pride in knowing that you have done a great work for someone in this world, who will only have a thought of you to give you thanks. Thanks!!!

Project Heifer – help us buy an ark

On Sunday, November 15th, we ask for your support to complete a project of the National United Youth Association.

Our parish generously contributed to the “Project to assist Heifer International” last year. Given the response from across the Church, we came up about $2,200 short of the $5,000 needed to purchase an ark of animals.

Therefore, on 11/15, the youth of our parish will be holding a BAKE SALE for this purpose. With these combined funds we will help the NUYA pursue the goal of helping a village somewhere on our planet to attain self-sufficiency. Please mark this on your calendar and plan your support!

Thanks!!!