CHRISTMAS 2015 ST. PETER’S CHURCH.
Each year in St. Peter’s Church, we begin our Christmas Celebrations with the Season of Advent. Advent begins four Sundays prior to Christmas Eve & Christmas Day which is a spiritual season of love, peace, hope & forgiveness with the lighting of a candle to reflect each emotion. It is a beautiful tradition with one of four candles lit each Sunday until all four candles are lit. During this special time we participate in anticipation the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our priest, Father Ronnie encourages us to come each Sunday and all Sundays to prepare our hearts to receive Jesus and to give thanks to God our Heavenly Father for his Son.

On Christmas Eve, December 24, we came together at 6:30 pm to sing and praise God. Charmaine the choir mistress and parish chair, led the choir in many traditional Christmas Carols with the congregation joining in. Our church was adorned with the beautiful nativity setting. Along with the usual parishioners we were blest to have many visitors join us in Yuletide celebration. The church was full. At 7:00 pm Father Ronnie celebrated Holy Mass. Father Spoke of the true meaning of Christmas, a season of Joy. It is a time of God showing His great love for us. It can be a time of healing and renewing strength. It is a lifetime of growth in holiness by generously giving of oneself. The First Reading was taken from the Prophet Isaiah which begins “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light” and further on “For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” The Second Reading shows us how to live “The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions... and “He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.”
The Gospel of Luke spoke of Mary and Joseph journeying to the City of Bethlehem to be registered, and how “the time came for her to deliver her child” and “And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth peace among those whom he favors. Fr. Ronnie spoke of Jesus not being born again in the manager but being born again each day in our hearts. He emphasized the importance of the Holy Eucharist and coming to Mass. Let Christmas be daily in our lives, allowing the lord to be reborn in our hearts, let our hearts be manager for the lord.

Father Ronnie Thanked everyone for coming and thanked all who have contributed to nurture our faith in the Holy Eucharist and community life.. He thanked everyone for their love and care and the support for the St. Peter’s pantry and to the church. Father gave us a special Christmas blessing and wished us all a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year 2016. And Fr. Ronnie asked the congregation to greet not as merry Christmas but blessed Christmas. We ended the evening with a beautiful birthday cake for Jesus and as people and children left all had smiles on their faces.

On Christmas Day, December 25, we parishioners of St. Peter came together at 10:30 am with Father Ronnie to celebrate Holy Mass and Jesus’ birth. There were not many parishioners but our voices carried to Heaven as we sang praises to God our Father and thanked Him for giving us His Most Beloved Son Jesus.

St. Peter’s parish.
Submitted by Mrs. Kathy Hamblin
Parish council.