CHRISTMAS REMEMBRANCE SERVICE

Tuesday 7 December at Tobin Brothers Chapel, 22 Barkly St. Sunbury. Further info. on noticeboard St Anne’s Church. RSVP by Friday 28 November to 9373 7000 or email:
Christmas@tobinbrothers.com.au

CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT

SUNDAY 12 DECEMBER –VILLAGE GREEN 7.00PM

(organised by Sunbury Christian Churches and sponsored by Sunbury Community & Local Businesses).
Free sausage sizzle from 6.00pm provided by the Sunbury Kiwanis Club.
BYO seating.
Candles and drinks for sale by St John’s Ambulance. Performances by Salesian College Band, local primary schools, combined churches chorale & band, Sunbury Girl Guides.

INTERCHURCH CRIMINAL JUSTICE TASKFORCE

CRIMINAL JUSTICE FROM A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE

The Inter Church Criminal Justice Taskforce of the Victorian Council of Churches has just developed a publication to consider issues of criminal justice.
Practical recommendations are made to assist victims and families caught up in the justice system.
Ideas are also canvassed in relation to such areas as education, mental health, employment and accommodation so as to assist offenders to live a crime free life.
Some copies at the Welcoming Desk or you can download at www.css.org.au

SMALL CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES

The four Small Christian Community groups in the parish will be concluding the 2010 calendar year with a combined Mass and supper on Monday 22 November at 7.30pm in St Anne’s Church and afterwards in the Parish Centre.
All welcome.
Please bring a plate of food to share.

BLESSING AND OPENING OF CLASSROOMS AT ST ANNE’S

On 24 February 2009, Lucy Jackanic and I decided to accept a $3 million grant which the Federal Government under Kevin Rudd offered to all Australian primary schools. This was a marvellous opportunity for us as being in Sunbury where the Socio-Economic Status (S.E.S.) is 104.5, we never receive government grants for school buildings—only areas of less than 96 S.E.S. receive grants. On 26 March we had our first meeting with the architect Gerard Smith, who had done much work earlier at St Anne’s.
On 8 September, formal site meetings began and were conducted every fortnight including school holidays until 31 August 2010 often lasting 90 minutes. Shane Crawford, Deputy Principal, also kept a keen eye on this project and attended the site meetings and numerous spontaneous meetings with the workers.
Occasionally, as in all building projects, there were some thorny issues. While we were negotiating with one of Australia’s largest building companies, Lucy and I had between us fifty-five years of experience in building schools. The outcome was the project came in on 99.9% on budget.
Last Tuesday the opening was a joyous event as guests and parents were amazed at the extent and quality of the classrooms, computer rooms, shared spaces, student wellbeing rooms, and the multi-purpose facility.
This Building the Education Revolution (B.E.R.) project is Lucy’s fifth and largest project during her eight years with us—previous projects are Junior School refurbishment, twin classroom project, a new all-weather oval and the sealed carpark. Next Monday construction begins on a new netball court.

Fr Kevin

LETS BREAK THE SILENCE ON THE GREEN

Friday 19 November Sunbury Village Green 6.00pm—8.00pm. We invite you to come along to share your stories, thoughts and hopes with others. A silhouette will be available for either signing, writing your story or dedicating to someone you know who has a mental illness/health issue. These will be planted in the green. Presented by Sunbury Community Health Centre.

ADVENT REFLECTION / PRAYER DAY

Wed 1 December—10.00am to 3.00pm at St Mary’s Parish Lancefield/Romsey, 27 Chauncey St. Lancefield.
Facilitator John Stuart.
Cost: $5.00 BYO lunch to share. Tea/coffee provided.
RSVP Joanne—54 292 130 by Tue 30 November.

WELCOME HOME!

After 216 days in hospital and ‘seven trips to the operating theatre’ following a fall on Easter Monday, Joan Koren has returned home.

JOHN ARTHURSON

As John enters eternal life, he continues to gather people together. Hundreds attended his Vigil Prayers, Funeral Mass and Committal at the cemetery last Friday. Amidst the sadness of his departure at a relatively young age, Catholics gathered to pray and to remember. He was Principal of Catholic Regional College, Keilor North and Sacred Heart College, Kyneton. Both Colleges worked together providing refreshments, printing, choir and a portable address system. Our parishioners worked for hours in the kitchen to cater for the five hundred in the Parish Centre after the burial.
43 of John’s 45 first cousins attended the Mass concelebrated by nine priests. Later comments heard were ‘I was proud to be a Catholic today’ – ‘everything went so well’

Fr Kevin

AT THE GIFT SHOP

  • Edition 20 of Kairos featuring St Mary of the Cross plus a 2-page spread on our parish and an article on the Centennial Ball. Several parishioners requested copies so please make sure that you collect your copy from the Gift Shop.
  • Edition 21 (this week’s) of Kairos.
  • The 2011 Columban Calendar for only $7.00 each. Buy one of the best religious calendars in the world and you will be helping our missionaries at the same time.

GIANT CAR BOOT SALE

Car boot sale will be held by Sunbury Uniting Church on the Village Green on Saturday 20 November from 8.30am. There will be outside car sites and inside craft stalls. Site prices—outside $20, inside craft stalls $20.
Outside sites still available but be quick.  Many inside craft stalls, Devonshire tea/coffee, sausage sizzle, fresh fruit / veg stall.  If you don’t want to sell, come and buy – this is a great Christmas opportunity.  For the kids – jumping castle, pony rides, fairy floss and popcorn!
Further info/bookings ring Helen on 9744 7031 or 0407 506 507.

SUSPICIOUS PERSON ALERT

Melton Parish has advised us that there is an ‘unwelcome’ visitor who stalks presbyteries, targets churches—open doors, monies at the back of the church, handbags, and he cases his target. He is known to police.