Christ the King Church
195A Brandon Road
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523

Parish Newsletter

March 15, 2023

Staying Connected


ST. STEPHEN PARISH

FINANCIAL REPORT

 

The financial statement summarizes the St Stephen Parish financial performance for 2022 and the operating budget for 2023. it can be found here.

 

Our parishioners continued their generous financial support in 2022. Mass attendance, while improving, has not fully recovered from the effects of the pandemic; however, plate collections for the year remained strong at 90% of pre-pandemic levels. Operating costs were effectively controlled - and we continue to rely on our volunteers for administration, office staff, bookkeeping and many other functions. As a result, we ended the year “in the black” with operating revenues exceeding costs by $38,000. These funds are being used to contribute to the costs of improvements to our facilities.

 

For 2023 we are conservatively budgeting for breakeven operations.  We will be incurring some nonrecurring maintenance, repair and other costs as we prepare for the merger of St Stephen and Christ the King parishes. Also, ongoing inflationary pressures continue to affect operating expenses. In response, we are implementing cost reduction efficiencies in anticipation of the merger. For example, we now have a combined music staff from which musicians are assigned for the Masses at St Stephen and CTK, resulting in consistent music quality. During 2023 we will proceed with the combination of other operations in the areas of finance, maintenance and certain administrative functions.

Over the past three years we have been working to improve our facilities. Completed projects include repaving and restriping of the parking lot, upgrading of parking lot and pathway lighting, replacement of wood siding panels on the church, new appliances in the parish hall kitchen and the new sound system in the church. More improvements are planned - replacement of the heating/air conditioning system in the church, upgrading of the restrooms in the parish hall, repairs to the flooring in the hall and cleaning of carpets in the church.

 

Thanks to your continued support and generosity, our parish continues to be in sound financial condition as we move toward the merger with Christ the King.

Movie and Soup Night

Movie and Soup Night

“The Passion of the Christ”

Thursday, March 30 at 6:30pm

St. Stephen Parish Hall

 

Come for Lenten Soup (free) and watch the movie: "The Passion of the Christ" on March 30th at 6.30pm (after the 6pm Mass honoring our Mother of Perpetual Help).


This will be held at St. Stephen. Introduction will be given by Rabbi Roberto Graetz, Rabbi Emeritus from Temple Isaiah, Lafayette. He will speak about anti-Semitism in the movie as well as in Christianity in the United States. He will stay for the entire movie and answer questions at the end.

Lenten Reconciliation Service

You are invited to attend our Lenten

Reconciliation Service

 

Saturday, March 25 at 3pm or

Monday, March 27 at 6pm

in the church


St. Stephen Church

Friday, March 24 at 6pm



Come and experience the

healing power of the

Sacrament of Reconciliation

as we journey together during Lent.

Stations Of The Cross Every Friday

Christ the King Church

Please join us every Friday in Lent to pray

The Stations of the Cross

 6:30pm in the church


From St. Stephen Church: Our outdoor Stations path is available from Noon - 6pm on Fridays. An audio guide and a PDF file of the Stations is available on the home page of our website: www.saintstephenparish.org

  

This 14-step devotion commemorates

Jesus’ passion and death.

Adult Faith Formation

Christ the King/St. Stephen Church

Adult Faith Formation

Lenten Series 2023


Our Adult Faith Formation Lenten Series

Continues this Week!


Our Lenten Scripture Study continues this Friday, March 17, 24 & 31 at 10am

in the Ministry Center Chapel.


Our next Lectio Divina (Divine Reading) of the upcoming Sunday readings

Tuesday, March 21 & 28 - 7pm to 8pm in the Parish Hall.

Attend one or all of the sessions.


Please see more information and other events by clicking here

Easter Egg Hunt

Annual Easter Egg Hunt

Saturday, April 8th on CTK’s Lawn Area

 

The annual Easter Egg Hunt is back again this year at CTK! The Knights of Columbus are holding their CTK Easter Egg Hunt so come join us for a morning of fun and excitement on the lawn.  


The Easter Bunny will be arriving at 10am and the Easter Egg Hunt will follow our usual schedule: 10:15 am for 1-4 years old, 10:45am, for 5-7 years old and 11:15am for 8-10 years old.  Bring your Easter baskets, get a picture with the Easter Bunny, participate in the Easter egg Hunt, and enjoy some refreshments and games as we celebrate Easter weekend.  Please bring a canned good to donate to charity.  We look forward to seeing everyone!   

We Welcome Back Altar Servers

Christ the King Church is excited to bring youth

back into our weekend masses!

as well as our Friday 8:00 am School Mass. 


We invite boys and girls, 4th Grade through Teens, to join the Altar Server Ministry.   


Father Lee will conduct frequent training sessions for new Altar Servers. We hope to have three or four Altar Servers scheduled for each mass. Altar Servers should be available to serve a minimum of one weekend mass each month.


If you are interested, please fill out the Altar Server Registration Form, and return it to Christ the King School office, or Christ the King Parish office.


If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Father Lee or Heidi Nuti. Registration forms can be found here.


Email: lleescj49@hotmail.com

Heidi Nuti: hnuti@ctkschool.org

Over The Weekend

Congratulations to our newly baptized.

Welcome to Christ the King and St. Stephen Family!

Parents: Jessica & Scott

Children: Charlotte Hazel &

Everly Rose

Parents: Kyla & Chris

Baby: Theodore Arcadio


Parents: Lyndsay & Kevin

Baby: Kayleigh Marie

Parents: Janelle & Felipe

Child: Finnley Rae

Parents: Sara & Ryan

Baby: Avalie Michelle

Weekly Reflections

4th Sunday in Lent

Welcome to our weekly reflections on

the Sunday Scriptures.



The key to today’s gospel became clear when Jesus told his critics there is no sin in physical blindness. Real blindness occurs when we think we know everything—about everyoneRead More

Weekly Church Bulletin

Thank You For Your Financial Support

Give Now

To donate a one-time/on-line donation.

Or regular and/or second collections.

If you do not wish to give on-line,
you can continue to contribute using your offertory envelopes.

Offertory Envelopes and

Paper Checks

Can be sent directly to:

Christ the King Church

195A Brandon Rd.

Pleasant Hill, CA 94523

Offertory Envelopes and

Paper Checks

Can be sent directly to:

St. Stephen Church

1101 Keaveny Ct.

Walnut Creek, CA 94597

2023 Bishop’s Ministries Appeal


For more information on how to support the Appeal visit our parish website at ctkph.org

 

Envelopes and brochures are also available in the back of the church.


 You can click here to donate.

Mass Schedule

Weekday Masses

9am Mass - Monday - Friday

(9am Masses will be livestreamed)


6pm - Thursdays

(Rosary begins at 5:40pm)

(Rosary and Mass will be livestreamed)



Weekend Masses

Saturday

9am and 4pm Vigil

(Saturday 4pm Mass will be livestreamed)


Sunday

7:30am, 9am, 10:30am and 4pm

(10:30am Mass will be livestreamed).


Face Masks are encouraged.

Readings for Sunday Mass Here

Links to our services (live or archived) can be found at ctkph.org

or by clicking the Facebook or YouTube images below.

Ongoing Services

Sacrament of Reconciliation - Private Confessions every Saturday from 3pm to 3:30pm, in the church.


Drive-Thru Holy Communion - Every Sunday 11:30am to 12 noon, in front of the church.


Thursday Mass - 6pm - Honoring our Mother of Perpetual Help, Rosary begins at 5:40pm, in the church. Worship Aide Here  (Also livestreamed).

St. Stephen Church - Masses

St. Stephen Church

1101 Keaveny Ct.

Walnut Creek 94597


Saturday - Mass at 5pm

Sunday - Mass at 9:30am


St. Stephen Daily Mass: Monday - Friday at 8am

St. Patrick's Feast Day

St. Patrick (387-493) was born in Kilpatrick, Scotland, to Roman-British parents. He was kidnapped by Irish raiders at the age of sixteen and sold as a slave to a Druid high priest. He worked as a shepherd and spent much time in prayer as he labored in the fields. He also acquired a perfect knowledge of the Celtic language and the Druid cult, which later enabled him to evangelize the Celtic people. After six years of slavery, an angel told him to flee his oppressive master and return to his native land. Upon returning to Britain, Patrick desired to devote himself to God's service. He went to France and placed himself under the direction of St. Germain, who ordained him a priest and sent him to evangelize the pagans in Ireland. St. Patrick devoted the rest of his life to converting the island to Christianity. He was ordained a bishop and himself ordained many priests. He divided the country into dioceses, held local Church councils, founded monasteries, and urged the people to greater holiness. He suffered much opposition from the Druids and occult magicians, who, threatened by Christianity, conjured demonic power to defy Patrick. However, the prayer, faith, fearlessness, and episcopal authority of Patrick triumphed, and he was so successful in his endeavor that in the Middle Ages Ireland became known as the Land of Saints, and himself the "Apostle of Ireland." Later, the missionaries sent from Ireland to Europe were largely responsible for the Christianizing of the continent. St. Patrick's feast day is March 17th.

"To Hear the Gospel and Make a Difference"