READINGS FOR 8 NOVEMBER
1^st Reading: Wisdom 6:12-16, Wisdom is found by those who seek her.
Psalm 63: For you my soul is searching, O Lord my God.
2^nd Reading: I Thessalonians 4:13-18, Through Jesus, God will bring with him all those who have fallen asleep.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 25:1-13, Here is the bridegroom!  Come out to meet him.

POPE’S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR NOVEMBER
For the proper use of wealth
We pray for the proper use of wealth, that not succumbing to the temptation of selfishness, it may always be put at the service of the common good and in solidarity for those who have less.

SAINTS / FEAST DAYS THIS WEEK
9 November – Dedication of the Lateran Basilica
10 November – St Leo the Great
11 November – St Martin of Tours
12 November – St Josephat

PRESENTATION: OUR CHURCH FINANCES (Part 2) – Where does the money come from? And where does it go to? What should we do with it?  Is it enough?
We are very grateful to members of our PPC, and to our accountant Michael Cookson, who have prepared some really interesting details about our parish finances.  Please see the information sheets provided, plus Paul and David will be available for questions afterwards. 
This marks the second of three presentations on different aspects of our church funding.

PARISH QUIZ NIGHT: FRIDAY 20 NOVEMBER, 7.30pm  –  A FUN NIGHT OUT FOR PARISHIONERS, FRIENDS & FAMILY
 This is an important fundraiser for the refurbishment of the kitchen!
Quiz tickets: £2.50 each: available from members of the Social Committee (Vivienne, Emma, John, Mark, Joanne); also from the Parish Office on Thursdays, 10am to 4pm
OR please ring John on 07866 571200.
The evening includes raffle, cash bingo, and our licensed bar
The Social Committee welcomes good quality raffle prizes.  Please leave in the labelled box in the porch, or you could drop them off at 39 Kearsley Avenue.
PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD AND ENCOURAGE FRIENDS & FAMILY TO SUPPORT THIS GREAT NIGHT OUT!

COFFEE MORNING LAST WEEK
Many thanks to all who helped at last week’s coffee morning and all those who came along to support.  Generous donations: £82.35. Thank you everyone.

CHRISTMAS COFFEE MORNING & FAYRE – SUNDAY 6 DECEMBER
There will be some seasonal ‘stalls’ including jars of preserves and a ‘Guess-the-Weight-of-the-Cake’ competition, as in previous years.  If you have any seasonal chocolates or bottles that you can donate to the stalls, please leave them in the labelled box in the porch over the next few weeks. Many thanks!

FUTURE DATES / EVENTS
Sunday 15 November – 3^rd Finance Presentation
Sunday 22 November – Solemnity of Christ the King
Sunday 29 November – 1^st Sunday of Advent
Sunday 6 December – Christmas Coffee Morning & Fayre
Tuesday 15 December – Christmas Bingo

BLISTER PACKS: PILLS & TABLETS RECYCLED
Please use the labelled box in the porch  for your pill / tablet blisters packs, so that we can collect and recycle properly.  Currently, they cannot be recycled in our blue council bins.  Thank you to those who are already donating!

HYMN BOOK AMNESTY
It’s so easy to walk out of church and find you’re still clutching a hymn book!  Please can you have a look at home / in the car and check for any ‘strays’.  No one will be looking when you bring them back to church.  Many thanks!

WELCOMERS NEEDED 
We would love to expand our rota of welcomers, so please don’t be shy!  Have a chat with Father or Diane after Mass, if you’d like to find out a bit more, and see if it’s something that might interest you.

MASS INTENTIONS
Mass intentions are welcome, not just for our dear departed, but for any other occasion eg in thanksgiving, A successful outcome (exams / operation), wedding / anniversary blessings. Please write your name and intention, with the preferred date – if applicable – on a piece of paper and place in an envelope, along with your offering, either in the weekly offertory basket or through the presbytery door.  Every effort will be made to find a date as close as possible.

OFFERTORY ENVELOPES / GIFT AID / STANDING ORDERS!
If you are a taxpayer then you can easily help the parish to claim 25% extra on top of every donation you make – and it won’t cost you a penny!  Eg: a donation of £10 per week would result in £12.50 going to the church. If you are able to use gift aid, please collect a form from the porch on your way out today, and return it to the Parish Office asap. 
If you are a taxpayer who makes regular cash donations, please consider using an offertory envelope instead of just placing your ‘loose’ donations in the basket. This is really important: it can bring in more than £1000 to the church every year, as we’ll be able to claim gift aid directly on every donation you make.  It won’t cost you anything at all, but it will make a huge difference to our finances.
Please contact the Parish Office if you’d like to use envelopes – they are free! 
Even better – you can donate ‘painlessly’ each month by setting up a standing order with your bank.  Forms are available in the porch.

PRAYERFUL REFLECTION BEFORE MASS
Some of our parishioners who like to pray and have a few moments of quiet reflection before the start of Mass.  And of course, we have every opportunity to have a chat and catch-up after Mass. 
Our monthly coffee mornings provide an ideal occasion for this! 

VOTIVE CANDLES
People have been asking how much they should donate for a votive candle.  Fr John is happy to leave it to your discretion, as all donations will be gratefully received – whenever they are made.

GLUTEN FREE SACRAMENT AVAILABLE
Please indicate to Fr John if you need to receive a gf host when you come to receive communion.

ST IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA: The Loving Generosity of Christ
He is generous to exhaustion and what is most wonderful is that he gives himself thus entirely, not once only but every
day, if we wish it.  Every fresh Communion is a new gift, which Jesus Christ makes of himself.