Newsletter - 24 November


WELCOME

As we approach Advent, we cast our minds back to the time when baby Jesus was born in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago. Can you imagine, just for a moment, how history might have been different had Joseph and Mary been welcomed in Bethlehem? Instead, the couple were turned away time and time again from all the inns they knocked at, as the heavily pregnant Mary was longing to find somewhere clean, warm and comfortable, like any other mother, to give birth to her first baby. After an innkeeper took pity on them, they were ‘welcome’ to use his stable, surrounded by friendly and lowly animals, for Mary to give birth. The animals’ manger, from which they were normally fed, was used as baby Jesus’s first cradle.

This story is an early example of the importance of a welcome and is still relevant today. The word itself is translated into hundreds of languages. To name just a few examples: Kalosorisma (Greek), Bienvenue (French), Bienvenido (Spanish), Wilkommen (German), Benvenuti (Italian) Witamy (Polish) and Boas-vindas (Portuguese). In fact, it is such an important greeting that it is usually the first word you see when reaching your destination abroad.

And so, the same should be the case at our parish of Christ the King. Our Welcome Team is there to greet you and to give you a warm friendly welcome. Some of our duties include answering your queries, helping you find a seat, making sure communion is given to those who have mobility issues, and to ensure that communion is delivered in an orderly fashion. And all this done with a smile!

Our Welcome Team members are divided into 3 groups to cover all the weekend masses, the 5.30pm on Saturdays, the 9.00am and 11.00am on Sundays. We are also in attendance at important masses during the Liturgical calendar.

Why not join our team? If you go to any of the three masses mentioned above, on a regular basis, this is a very worthwhile ministry. There is no better feeling than putting a smile on the face of a parishioner who has come through the parish doors for Mass. It makes no difference if you have had a dreadful week or are feeling a little under the weather, we will try to make all who walk through the parish doors feel most welcome. We hope that this will show you that we are a caring parish, which in another way, may also help make the Mass mean more to you.

The more volunteers we can recruit, the bigger the welcome we can give you! Please ask any member of our team if you are interested in joining us. Or you can contact the parish office for further information cockfosters@rcdow.org.uk

Thank you and God Bless.

Dawn Leonard, Volunteer Team Coordinator


Focus of the Week

CARITAS WESTMINSTER LAUNCHES ADVENT GIVING CALENDAR

The Advent Giving Calendar, produced by Caritas Westminster, will be available in the parish to encourage adults and children alike to support others this Christmas. It is also a practical tool to help to collect extra donations for the busy winter period.

The collection point in our Church will be in the entrance hall where the Food bank crates are kept.

Please get in touch with one of the OCH members or with me for more details if you would like to volunteer during this Advent by collecting the donations and dropping them to the Food Bank in Enfield.

Please send financial donations directly to the North Enfield Food Bank : 07826 542 119

info@northenfield.foodbank.org.uk

Let us start preparing our heart with joy and gratitude for the coming of Lord Jesus!

Caterina, Pastoral Assistant


CHRISTMAS PROGRAMME

Please collect a Christmas and New Year programme from the entrance hall.


Notices of the Week

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Volunteer for the Parish


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Newsletter - 1 December

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Newsletter - 17 November