Follow Jesus’ Way

1. Follow Jesus’ Way The Pulse of L.I.F.E.

2. L.I.F.E.is… “Living in Faith Everyday” “Forming Adults to Create Households of Faith”

3. Welcome Back! November 11, 2012 32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time Cycle B Mark 12: 38-44

4. Where L.I.F.E.has taken us most recently: September… Back to School “vignettes” answered YOUR questions on papal infallibility, Scripture/Bible use in Mass, priestly celibacy, etc. Good insights and thoughts by all! October… Our Saints…with humor and truth! What did you learn about these treasures of the Church?

5. This month, did you… • Have a favorite insight from a homily? • Bring items to the food cart? • Try preparing for Mass by studying the readings in advance? • Look at one of the L.I.F.E-recommended websites? • Hear something about our faith that enlightened or challenged you?

6. Biblical thoughts we pondered…as we journeyed through Ordinary Time… October 21…Whoever wishes to be the first among you will be the slave of all…to serve and to give your life for all. Like James and John, do we understand this name that we have been given? October 28…Master, I want to see. Go your way, your faith has saved you. Like Bartimaeus, do we want to see enough? November 4…Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart; love your neighbor as yourself. Like the scribe, do we appreciate this answer?

7. Feast Days (Oct. 14-Nov. 10) any favorites of yours? Oct. 15 St. Teresa of Avila Oct. 16 St. Margaret Mary St. Hedway Oct. 17 St. Ignatius of Antioch Oct. 18 St. Luke, Evangelist Oct. 20 St. Paul of the Cross Oct. 23 St. John/Capistrano

8. Feast Days (Oct. 14-Nov. 10) any favorites of yours? Oct. 24 St. Anthony Mary Claret Oct. 31 All Hallows’ Eve Nov. 1 All Saints Nov. 2 All Souls Nov. 3 St. Martin de Porres Nov. 9 Dedication of the Lateran Basilica Nov. 10 St. Leo the Great

9. We & the world contemplate and share this early Fall… *NOVEMBER is Native American Heritage Month Nov. 11 Veterans’ Day/Armistice Day in USA Remembrance Day in Canada Nov. 13 World Kindness Day Nov. 14 World Diabetes Day Nov. 15 Fast for World Harvest Day Nov. 17 World Peace Day Nov. 20 International Children’s Day Nov. 22 Thanksgiving (USA) and Stop the Violence Day

10. What is St. Augustine all about? Can you see these happening????.... • Fellowship and feeding! • Outreach within and beyond our borders! • Formation for all…ongoing, ongoing, ongoing!

11. L.I.F.E(Living in Faith Everyday)What was St. Augustine Parish doing to bring about the reign of God during the last month? • Our Food Pantry… feeding about 60-70 families this month. ***See the bulletin for special needs and requests!! Where can I find this?? ***Help the pantry: participate in Food Lion Community Rewards program • Collecting and posting names, and praying for those in our church family separated from usby military service or the Peace Corps in areas of conflict and unrest. • Offering funeral receptions for our bereaved. • Operating a seasonal children’s clothing closet.

12. and…“Healthy Bodies and Big Smiles”come weekly… Tuesdays in St. Augustine’s parking lot ….a wonderful sight when the Bon Secours CARE-A-VAN and the VDH Dental ”Smiles” vans pull in! So very many children and adults being given good care…and such a visible sign of our support of their work!!

13. …a new service on Care-a-van Tuesdays!!!!! JAMES HOUSE is now offering, on site, their counseling services in areas of domestic violence and sexual abuse…

14. Domestic Violence Awareness In October, did you notice? • The James House figures: …and read the statistics? • Signs in the bathrooms, in English and in Spanish, to help people report this crime? • Alerting information in the bulletin? • Information on the airing of the documentary, “Half the Sky”?

15. …and a new service on Mondays! Commonwealth Catholic Charities …has individual and group counseling at St. Augustine on Mondays. Contact Ms. Rodriguez Perez at 804-545-5951

16. …&…Caring for God’s Creation Improved recycling becomes a reality! It’s not easy being Green! Are you & yours part of the effort already? What happened in your life on April 22? Did Earth Day happen?

17. What can you do?????...BEGIN! • Begin…bring your own cup to L.I.F.E.! • Begin to participate in recycling at home. • Begin to buy “green” whenever possible. • Begin to think “green” in all that you do and in all that you teach your children & grandchildren.

18. and…St. Augustine continues… • Providing food for the Men’s Shelter • Serving as mentors in local schools & reading to children at the CARE-A-VAN • Buying and utilizing fair trade coffee • Adopting a highway • Caring for the homebound and hospitalized • Providing prayer shawls for so many in need of comfort • Sponsoring children and the aged within CFCA Please come join others in these ministries!

19. …and in the wider community… • We continue in our role as a Red Crossdisaster shelter site. • We continue our involvement with CCHASM…assisting our own parishioners as well as our neighbors. • We continue to pray for the needs of the wider Richmond community, joining many other Christian Churches and Richmond Hill. When?

20. Small Group Study • EveryWoman: Women of all ages gather prayerfully to systematically study and share insights on worldwide efforts toward a just and peaceful world. They have continued to gather since 2010 and, this Fall, are reading Abraham, A Journey into the Heart of Three Faiths by Bruce Feiler and later will enjoy Miriam’s Kitchen: A Memoir by Elizabeth Erhlich. • Ecumenical Men’s Bible Study: Men of St. Augustine and of St. John Episcopal meet 2x monthly on Saturday mornings (Deacon Eric has attended!...and breakfast is integral). Contact Darren Van Guilder here today to consider joining these men. • These men and women join others in on-going small adult communities sharing & pondering our weekly Scripture readings. **Tuesday a.m. group meets after daily Mass and is open to all! Would you like to be part of small groups like this? Men & women, call Eileen!

21. WINGS arrived on Sept. 12! “Women in God’s Spirit” …a ministry of encouragement & enrichment for women of all ages who seek to deepen their faith and grow in their relationship with God and one another …groups will meet weekly during the school year & have 3 different seasons, focusing on three areas of spiritual growth: 1) Catholic teachings; 2) Scripture; 3) Spiritual witness talks.

22. St. Augustine Formation Events Summary… • Daytime Learning Opportunities Tuesday: Bible study after daily Mass in Room PC 1-2 Wednesday: WINGS 9:45a.m.-11:30 a.m. in Room PC 1-2 (in the Fall) Thursday: Women’s Scripture Group in individual homes Saturday: Men’s Breakfast Study Group (every other week) • Evening Learning Opportunities Tuesdays (2nd and 4th): “EveryWoman”…for every woman and about every woman! (reading/issues study group resuming the Fall in PC 1-2) Outreach activities are a part of this group’s focus!

23. Upcoming St. A’s Events **(October 11 YEAR of FAITH began) November 17 Giving Tree Up November 18 Welcoming & Orientation for New 10:00a.m. Parishioners (NO Poor Box Breakfast!) November 20 Holy Hour 7p.m. November 25 Men’s Shelter 6p.m. December 1-2 Advent and Year C begin December 7 Vigil of Immaculate Conception 7:30p.m. Bilingual Vigil Mass December 9 Giving Tree Gift Sorting 6p.m. Dec. 11-12 Mananitas/Our Lady of Guadalupe December 17 Parish Reconciliation Service 7:30p.m. December Posadas

24. Great Area-wide Opportunities *Visual Arts Center: Families of Abraham Exhibit…until November 21st. *Cathedral of the Sacred Heart: November 26 Benefit Concert for Catholic Charities 7p.m. December 1 Annual Free Concert in Commemoration of World Aids Day 7:30p.m.

25. Website of the Month This is such a winner for our busy, but still spiritually searching lives! www.loyolapress.com/3-minute-retreats-daily-online-prayer.htm

26. AND WHERE WILL L.I.F.E. TAKE US THIS MONTH?

27. We are still in, and ending soon,Mark (Year B) Who is Mark? • Wrote around the year 70 CE…the earliest to bring the story of the Jesus into narrative form…the Jesus who is the servant of all! • Hoped to strengthen the faith of his community. (Scholars believe that he wrote for the Church of Rome) • Hoped also to teach them what discipleship means…and what it may cost. His writings have a sense of urgency! • His is the shortest Gospel with no infancy narrative and, originally, no post-Resurrection appearances of Jesus.

28. Father Mike and Mark Hoggard ask of us… • Remember that the Lectionary has a specific purpose in its arrangement of readings. BUT,…this often causes readings to be heard “out of context.” • During this “Year of Mark” (Year B), we are challenged to gradually read Mark …chapter by chapter, verse by verse, immersing ourselves in its revelation of Jesus’ character & mission. • P.S. Father Mike says: Read Job!

29. …and today???? Year of the Faith Kick-off! 4-7-8-9-10!

30. Word of the Month Catholic????

31. A Warm WELCOME! To everyone newly registered in L.I.F.E. and to all guests today

32. …and, today, for whom shall we pray?

33. …and, always, prayer for those journeying toward full initiation into the Catholic Faith! • RebekahGugamuck Catechumen • Allie Dicken Inquirer

34. An invitation… If you, or someone you know, has questions about becoming Catholic, please consider a time of thoughtful inquiry, of welcomed questions, of discerning conversation… Call Eileen Brown 275-7962, ext. 1113

35. …need Adult Confirmation? If you are a Catholic adult who has never been confirmed and would like to prepare for this sacrament of initiation, please contact: Eileen Brown at the Parish Office 275-7962, Ext. 1113 Call Eileen also if you are in need of a CATHOLIC BIBLE!

36. Where will L.I.F.E. take us in December? Mark Hoggard returns as our guest with his new presentation on Vatican II **Bring a friend to a “Slice of L.I.F.E.”

37. To Adults with Youth in L.I.F.E. • A reminder : the handout “Disciples at Home” is to be used in the coming week to be a source of good “faith-dialoguing” with your children in grades 7 through 12. • A reminder : youth/children/adults are not to be texting or using cell phones during L.I.F.E. Do have that discussion!!

38. Reminder for all in L.I.F.E. Each July: Remember to assist the staff by returning your yearly invoices for L.I.F.E. promptly!! Postcard reminders sent…children will get books after fees are paid!