Sunday 3rd December 2023 First Sunday of Advent

​"Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord."

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O come, let us adore Him! Please note that there will be one Mass only on Christmas Eve morning, and one Mass only on Christmas morning
 
Christmas & New Year Masses: Saturday 23rd December - 5p.m. Vigil
Christmas Eve Morning - Sunday 24th December - one Mass only at 10.30a.m. 
Christmas Eve - 5p.m. and 9p.m. (8.30p.m. Carol Service) 
Christmas Day - one Mass only at 10.30a.m. 
Boxing Day 26th December - No Mass.  New Year’s Day weekend - Masses as normal. 
New Year’s Day Mass - 10a.m. Tuesday 2nd January - No Mass
Services
 
Advent Confessions throughout Saturday 10a.m. -11a.m. Holy Hours & also 6p.m. - 7p.m. on Monday 18th & Tuesday 19th December. A good way to prepare ourselves spiritually for Christmas. 
 
Caring Sunday ~ A second collection will be taken up on 16th/17th December for St. Nicholas Care Fund, which ensures practical help where most needed. Please return Advent Caring Boxes by 14th January. 
 
ADVENT APPEAL 3rd until 11th December. Advent Appeal for Christmas all this week. Gifts for Refugees and Homeless. Please fill a large gift bag with the following for either Ladies or Gents: Warm hat, gloves, scarf, pants, shampoo, shower gel, deodorant, toothpaste/brush (ladies gifts to include sanitary products). A hand written card is always nice to include. Any other spare items to be put in separate bag in porch. Many thanks- Veronica McLaughlin and the volunteers. ​

​Let's Light up Bearsden - let's chase away the Darkness and let's do it... 'One candle at a time!' The Feast of the Immaculate Conception takes place on 8th December. We have a Novena - 9 days of looking forward to the Feast. We have an invitation this year to do something different to prepare.... Come and light a Candle in St Andrew's beside Our Lady's statue at least one day. There is no card machine at Our Lady's feet! Just help yourself to a candle... and light it... then say a wee prayer. Bring the kids, they just love the whole experience of lighting candles... They love 'doing things' rather than talking about them! Most of all, come and visit... Jesus the 'Light of the World'

Kelvin Choir will be performing their annual Christmas concert in St Andrew’s Church today, Sunday 3rd December at 3p.m. Audience participation encouraged. Tickets £6 (£3 children) at the door. Post-concert yuletide refreshments in the Upper Hall afterwards. Handbill with more info on Church noticeboard.
 
Lunch Club The next Lunch club is Thursday 7th December 12.30-2.30p.m. in the Upper Hall. All very welcome, so come along ~ bring a friend ~ enjoy a chat in great company in a nice warm space.
 
SPRED Mass at 12 Noon on 10th December and afterwards please join us for a chat, cuppas and home baking in the Upper Hall.
 
St Nicholas’ Family Festive Fair will be held in the Upper Hall on Sunday 17th December at 1p.m. Everyone is welcome - come along to enjoy a Christmas movie, hot chocolate and make some fun festive crafts to take home including baubles, reindeer dust and much more. Entry is £1 for adults and 50p per child which includes a tea/coffee & sweet treat. Craft tables start from as little as a £1. Bring the whole family and get into the festive spirit!
 
Young People's Christmas Photography Competition 2023 run by the Knights of St Columba. Interested? Theme: Jesus on the Cross Photographs with appropriate bible verse about Jesus on the Cross 
that best represents the scene in your Photo. Open to P4, P5, P6 & P7 (8 to 11 years of age) and S4, S5 & S6, (14 to 18 years of age). For more details, email [email protected].  Visit: https://ksc.org.uk/youth-young-people/ Deadline 7th December
 
SCIAF Real Gifts - why give more jumpers or ties or IT for Christmas?  Give your loved ones an ethical gift that makes a real difference to people who need it the most.  Visit: https://shop.sciaf.org.uk/
 
“SILENT LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS” An Advent video to enjoy from aWordinyourear available on this link and below.

‘Take a beat…’ and remember the REASON FOR THE SEASON St Andrew’s and St Joseph’s Parishes are hosting an evening of Advent Reflection and Carol Singing to prepare for the season ahead. This will be held on Friday 22nd December from 6.30p.m. in St Andrew’s Church, followed by festive refreshments in the Hall. The Youth Ministries team are looking for volunteers to assist with reading reflections and prayers. We are looking for young and old(er) volunteers from both parishes, including any Pope Frances Faith Award and Caritas Candidates, Primary and Secondary pupils, readers/non-readers, anyone who can help us spread some Christmas cheer. If you can help, please email [email protected]

Catholic Social Teaching Thought for the Week - Sunday 3rd December 2023 (1st Sunday of Advent)
God’s heart has a special place for the poor, so much so that he himself “became poor”. The entire history of our redemption is marked by the presence of the poor. Salvation came to us from the “yes” uttered by a lowly maiden from a small town on the fringes of a great empire. Evangelii Gaudium, para. 197
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Laudato Si’ – On Care for our Common Home - It is foreseeable that, once certain resources have been depleted, the scene will be set for new wars, albeit under the guise of noble claims. War always does grave harm to the environment and to the cultural riches of peoples, risks which are magnified when one considers nuclear arms and biological weapons. (#57)
 
Lentfest 2024 - Call for Participants:  AGAP is seeking actors for forthcoming theatre productions. 
Open Auditions will be held tomorrow, 4th December 5p.m.-8p.m. in the Eyre Hall, 196 Clyde Street, G1 4JY. Please download the info pack with audition pieces and complete a short form. AGAP is keen to hear from musicians, poets and anyone wishing to take part in Lentfest as a performer or helper, and from any person or organisation wishing to propose an event for inclusion in the festival programme. Please visit: https://linktr.ee/agapglasgow or call 0141 552 5527

Saint Nicholas' PA presents the Family Festive Fair: Sunday 17th December after 12pm Mass.

Children’s Choir Dates at 10a.m. Mass St Andrew’s Church. If your child is not at St Nicholas’ and they would like to join the choir, please contact Annamaria ([email protected]/0141942 9799) to arrange rehearsal links: 4th December -East Dunbartonshire Schools Concert (P6 & 7 only) 10th December - 10a.m. Mass and 25th December- 10:30a.m. Mass
 
The Church is open until 5p.m. Monday to Saturday. Call in and enjoy the peace and quiet, and take time to sit in the stillness in the silence of God.
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Tea is served in the hut after daily Mass Monday to Thursday. All most welcome.
 
Before receiving Holy Communion, we are asked to make some act of reverence such as a bow.
 
For women affected by separation and divorce-confidential and peer support Friday 5th January 2024
St Patrick's, Dumbarton 6-8p.m. [email protected]
 
You can raise FREE donations for the parish every time you shop online. Take a moment to sign up at https://tinyurl.com/StAndrewsBearsden2023   

Our soup-run volunteers collect donations every evening from M&S Milngavie for delivery to 
St Gregory’s Foodbank and Aspire West End. If you are interested in volunteering once or twice a month, please get in touch with Veronica McLaughlin - [email protected]
 
Support For Drumchapel Foodbank. Non-perishable food items are always gratefully received and can be placed in the House porch. Donations can also be taken straight to the Foodbank at Ladyloan Pl Unit 9, G15 8LB. We regularly use cash donations to purchase food items for delivery straight to the foodbank. Our rota is always looking for more foodbank volunteer drivers. If you can help, please get in touch. Thanks for continuing to give the foodbank your support. 
 
Parish Bulletin: Items for inclusion should be sent to [email protected] by 5 p.m. on the Tuesday before publication. The Parish Bulletin is available weekly on our website/by email for all those on our Parish database and on the noticeboards in the Church porch and the Church grounds.

Please remember in your prayers those in need, those who are sick and housebound and those in hospital:
Recently Dead: Michael Dooley, Simon Gill, Willie Lamont, Ian MacDonald, John MacPhee, Robert McAteer, Margaret McCruiag, Brendan McGrath, Fay Mulligan, Catherine O’Connor, Henry Rossi and Eileen Ward.
Anniversaries: Pauline Boland, Roy Chapman, Rory Gormley, Jessie McColl, Mary McIntyre, Father John McKelvie, Anne McSherry, Phil Murphy, Paul Sheridan and Robert Teague.

A4 version of the bulletin is on this link and below.