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Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Friday, December 8
7:00 p.m. Vigil (December 7)
9:00 a.m.
12:15 p.m.
6:00 p.m. (Spanish)
| This weekend, Scott Hahn comes to St. Lawrence on December 8 & 9! Please pray & share the gift of a warm St. Lawrence welcome to all who come through our doors. | |
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My dear parish family,
An important aspect of our preparation for Christmas is spiritual, and praying a novena is how we fulfill our spiritual journey. Novenas usually are prayed for 9 days prior to the feast day. As we prepare for Christmas, I invite the entire parish to pray the Christmas novena together. The novena is on the parish website (www.saintlaw.org). The novena runs from December 16 – 24. You can pray it privately, in ministry meetings, in your groups, or at home with your family. As we prepare to welcome the King of Glory, may our hearts be ready to be opened when he comes and knocks.
Also, we are rounding up our work on the site development project. The architectural firm that is working on the design is going to have some pictures and drawings so that we all can see the suggested site plan for our parish property. We shall mount these images in the narthex. I am grateful to the members of the Site Development Committee, the Finance Council, the Pastoral Council, our ministry leaders, and staff, who have all guided me in one way or another through this site development phase of the project. I continue to count on and rely on the generous support of our entire community to help us ensure that, during this 50th-anniversary celebration, as we rejoice in the benevolence of those who came before us, we shall also do our best to plant a seed for the generations to come.
This is a friendly reminder to check the website and bulletin frequently for all the Advent events and Christmas Mass schedule.
God bless you and see you at Mass!
Father Henry
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Advent Penance Services
Dec. 11 Mary Our Queen (Peachtree Corners) 7:00 p.m.
Dec. 13 Christ Our Hope (Lithonia) 7:00 p.m.
Dec. 14 St. Oliver (Snellville) 7:00 p.m.
Dec 15 Corpus Christi (Stone Mountain) 7:00 p.m.
Dec. 18 St. Patrick (Norcross) 7:00 p.m.
Dec. 19 Holy Cross (Atlanta) 7:00 p.m.
Dec. 19 John Paul II (Gainesville) 7:00 p.m.
Dec. 20 St. Marguerite (Lawrenceville) 7:00 p.m.
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Families with children in the 5th grade or lower, this ministry is perfect for you. Young Families of Faith is a welcoming, faith-based community where families and friends gather to enjoy delicious meals. After dinner, children ages zero to 6 can go to the nursery; children 7 and older go to Johnson Hall to play games while parents have engaging discussions and the sought-after adult time. Join us for our next potluck gathering on Friday, December 15th, from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. in Cogswell Hall. We will start eating at 6:30. We are looking forward to meeting you and your family! For more information, please email Julie Donlin at julie.donlin@hotmail.com. |  |  | We're honored you've chosen to worship with us at St. Lawrence during the holidays. For the safety of all, vehicles must park in designated, marked parking spaces only. All roads and driveways which are fire lanes must be kept unobstructed and available to emergency response vehicles at all times. Please note that during certain holy days, we will have police officers available to help direct the flow of traffic. Thank you in advance for your understanding, and for the grace that you offer each other this holiday season as we warmly welcome all in the rich generous spirit that for which St. Lawrence is well known. | |
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Adults, are you seeking to deepen your faith in the New Year? The Rescue Project is a Catholic experience of the gospel surrounded by food, conversation, and prayer.
The Archdiocese encourages all parishes to participate, and at St. Lawrence, we begin on Tuesday, January 16, in Cogswell Hall from 7:00 pm-8:30 pm. See and hear the gospel proclaimed in a compelling and attractive way over eight weeks in a small group format, ending on February 27.
Registration is open! Seats are limited. Click here to register or go to the parish website. It is free, with the option of purchasing a Participant’s Book for $15.For more information, go to www.rescueproject.us
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Grades K-5 & Edge, Grades 6-8, meet this Sunday, December 10, and it is Family Prayer Day. Then we’re on Christmas break and resume on January 7. Have a joyful Advent and a Merry Christmas! And keep checking the Narthex News!
High School/Confirmation – December 13 is our last session of the year. Wear an “Ugly Christmas Sweater” that day and win a prize! We return on January 10. Have a joyful Advent and a Merry Christmas! And keep checking the Narthex News!
🍩 Doughnuts for a cause!! 🍩 St. Lawrence Catholic Church is giving you the best reason to indulge in a dozen (or two) Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Until January 14, 2024, 50% of your order will be donated to help provide scholarships for our middle schoolers to attend Catholic summer camp when you purchase via our fundraising sales page! Simply buy online, visit your local store & redeem using your code. Treat yourself or even gift them to friends and family here.
Two High School Teen Summer programs: Learn more about Catholic Heart Work Camp (CHWC) and Steubenville-Atlanta (links below) by clicking on the links or contacting Nic at x 447! Enrollment is open now for CHWC and will open in January for Steubenville-Atlanta. Learn more about CHWC & Steubenville.
High School Bible Study! Looking for more? Open to all High School teens. Sunday night, rooms 205-207 from 6:15 pm – 7:30 pm. Contact Nic for more info.
Attention GGC students: Thursday, December 7 @ 2 pm, Building A-1300,
The Young Adult (19-39) Bible Study meets in rooms 208-210 from 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm. Doors open at 6:30 for socializing, all are welcome! Contact Nic Schmitz for more information. Follow us @st.lawyam.
This week on Formed.org. Shalom/Peace | "Peace" is a very important word in the Bible that refers not only to the absence of conflict but also to the presence of something else. https://watch.formed.org/videos/shalom-peace-advent-word-studies-the-bible-project
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Men's Discernment Retreat
Have you ever considered the possibility of serving God as a priest? Come pray and explore if this could be the vocation God has prepared for you.
Join us for our annual Men’s Discernment Retreat December 28th and 29th at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit.
Register at calledbychrist.com/events/discernment-retreat.
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Retrouvaille
A lifeline for married couples
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Matrimony: A calling to forgive! “Mercy is the force that reawakens us to new life and instills in us the courage to look to the future with hope.”
Retrouvaille offers a welcoming and loving space to couples who have been living with the misery of a failing marriage. Retrouvaille offers hope: hope that it is not too late, hope of a different and better marriage. Retrouvaille helps couples to show each other mercy through the opportunities it provides to listen, to forgive, to be reconciled and to move into their futures believing that God loves them and with His help and their efforts, their marriages can be healed and restored. Retrouvaille provides help for marriage problems/difficulties/crises. For more information about our upcoming Retrouvaille Weekend program, January 26-28,2024, contact: Mus and Rubina @ 404.234.6006 or visit our website: HelpOurMarriage.org
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The Sunday Morning Adult Bible Study Group continues its weekly bible study sessions at 9:00 AM each Sunday in the Divine Mercy room. We are currently studying one of the wisdom literature books, The Book of Sirach, using the Ignatius Bible Study Guide and Commentary as our guide. The inspirations contained in this book are extremely relevant to our times. All adults are invited! No previous bible study experience is necessary and extra copies of the book will be made available.”
We will continue to meet each Sunday in November and December with the following exceptions: December 24 (Christmas), and December 31 (New Year’s).
| If you are a Catholic who has been away from the church we have an invitation and a warm welcome for you. St. Lawrence is offering Catholics Returning Home sessions beginning on January 11th from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. This is your chance to get issues addressed, questions answered and learn about your Faith. We miss you and are not complete without you! Please consider attending. To register or get further details please call Eleanor Lashley at 770.963.8992! | Year-End Charitable Giving for Tax Benefits | |
Reminder: Year-End Charitable Giving for Tax Benefits
As the year draws to a close, it's an opportune time to consider charitable giving that not only supports causes close to our hearts but also offers potential tax benefits.
- Qualify for tax deductions by donating to St. Lawrence before December 31st*.
- If you want to make an Archbishops Annual Appeal payment through St. Lawrence, please turn it in by next weekend otherwise any Annual Appeal Payments made directly to St. Lawrence will be posted to the 2024 Annual Appeal.
- Feel free to send any Annual Appeal payments directly to the Diocese to ensure timeliness.
- Archdiocese of Atlanta
- P.O. Box 96657
- Washington, DC 20090-6657
- https://www.givecentral.org/appeals-form-registration/acp6537f4f323692/user/guest
Remember, every contribution counts and can make a significant difference.
Feel free to reach out if you need guidance.
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Let us pray...
For our faithful departed especially: Rosemarie Carosone. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.
For the sick of our parish, especially: Caren Barnaby, Stuart Blackburn, Shirley Brown, Susan Clayton, Mary Jane Cofield, Pat Crellin, Bryan D’amico, Kim Davis, Karen Dekle, Antonio Diaz, Monique Eluka, Judy Fletcher, Maria Garza, Philip Gibson, Lynne Gormley, Peggy Grannan, Bob Haegi, Teresa Haywood, Mike Hernandez, Bob Lauman, Mary Lee, Fisher Londono, John Lucas, Claudia Luviano, Rose Mackin, Jack Martin, Martha Adriana Muñiz, Irene Muse, Gabriel Orozco, Gaudencio Ortiz, Lucy Pérez, Michelle Pérez, Tony Pérez, Gwen Persichetti, Betsy Podriznik, Carl Raimondi, Elvia Rosa Rodriguez, Maira Rodriguez, Joshua Rosas, Shirlee Schneider, Carlos Soares, Betty Suiter, Judy Szekely, Marlene Torres, Paul Van Name, Sidney Weaver, Gabriel Wegendt, and Laura Ann Wingate, along with their families and caregivers To add or remove names, contact Darleine Arce, parish secretary, at 770.963.8992 x442 or by email at darce@saintlaw.org.
For our men and women in uniform, especially: Vallerie Azansou, Philip Balmes, Nathan Barrick, Brandon Crocker, Jordan Crocker, Nathan Crocker, Ryan & Kirsten Crocker, Justin Ellis, Mario Flamenco, Giovanni Gachelin, Edgar Godinez, Isaac Gomez, Mark F. Gonzalez, Simone Hardy, Matthew Herbig, Brian Hodgson, Mariana Lacuzong, Nick McNabb, Brendon Murray, Wesley Phillips, Dillon Riedlinger, Dethan Stafford, Eileen Dilks Tatum, Philip Turner, Da’Maris Vanzandt, and Brandon Ware. If you have a son or daughter serving in the military and would like for his or her name to be on our prayer list, please contact Mary Jo Ware at careforthetroops@saintlaw.org.
For all pregnant mothers and mothers to be, especially: Rachael Bird, Ashley Blackwood, Caitlinrose Clemons, Tiffany Morley, Nneze Eluka Nwankwo, Virginia Partridge, Angelica Rios, Luz Mariela, To add your name to this list, please contact our Respect Life Ministry at respectlife@saintlaw.org.
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Our Stewardship of Treasure
December 2-3
Envelopes: $23,277.75
Online Giving: $10.249.00
Total: $33,526.75
Children’s Offertory: $501.00
Maintaining God's House: $5,149.00
The second collection this Sunday (December 10) is for St. Vincent de Paul.
Online Giving through Vanco Here is how it works: You authorize a specified amount of money to be electronically transferred directly from your checking, savings or credit card to the parish account. You also specify the frequency of the transfer. Of course you can cancel your authorization of transfer at any time by logging in to your account or by notifying us in writing: saintlaw.org/onlinegiving.
Text to Give: Simply text your donation amount to: 844-865-4493 dedicated for our Give Plus Text users. The first time you do this you will be given an option to fill in your card information. Subsequently, all you need to do is text your donation to that number. You will always be given a receipt and funds will be credited to your parish donation statement.
Thank you for your support!
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