For some time now the Church has moved the celebration of All Saints on November 1^st to the Sunday after All Saints Day. This year that is in fact the next day November 2^nd.

A problem with this is that November 2^nd is also the Feast of all Faithful Departed, otherwise known as All Souls Day. We will try to recognize both feasts by celebrating Mass at 9.00am on Sunday November 2^nd for All Saints, and then celebrating All Souls at 4.00pm on the same day with Evening Prayer. We have traditionally used All Souls here to remember our own loved ones who have gone before us into the presence of the Lord. During the service at 4.00pm we will read the necrology listing those parish members who have died in the last year. The names do not have to be confined to that list, so if you have any names you wish to be added please call Bobby in the office and we will include them in the necrology.

I have always felt that the distinction between All Saints and All Souls is an invidious one, since all the saints were souls and many of the souls were unrecognized saints. However I suppose the distinction boils down to those who were officially recognized as saints in ages past. We all know that there have been many saints whose lives were so quiet that they never achieved any public recognition but who were unquestionably real saints. The feast of All Faithful Departed is the least we can do to remember them. I urge everyone to make a real effort to attend Evening Prayer on Sunday November 2^nd as well as Mass in the morning.

Praying for the departed is an ancient tradition. We know that they are with the Lord, and our prayers are mainly a way of expressing our gratitude for their lives and work. We have a number of days like Memorial Day in our civil calendar when we remember with gratitude those who have died for their country, and it is right to remember also those who devoted themselves to the service of God and his Church. There is not a day in the year which does not have a number of saints attached to it, there have been so many. Remembering on the Feast of All Faithful Departed those near and dear to us is another way of keeping their memory green in our hearts. We have not forgotten them of course and we may even think of them every day in one way or another, but once a year we have the opportunity of publicly giving thanks for them. We share with others in commemorating them as children of God like ourselves and we affirm our faith that one day we will be reunited with them in Heaven. The Feast of All Faithful Departed is therefore not really a gloomy time, despite the traditional black vestments. It is more a celebration of lives that were lived in God’s grace and of souls that are now with the Lord. We remember and we celebrate those who have realized in full Jesus’ promise that where he is we will be also.

During the four Sundays of Advent the altar is kept bare. That is when we reflect on the promise of Jesus’ birth. When the holiday arrives you can offer celebrations and remembrances in the form of flowers & greens. Names and intentions will be printed in Christmas bulletins.

Remember, too, that any Sunday presents an opportunity to memorialize loved ones or offer thanks for anniversaries, birthdays, graduations, or any special occasion. The altar guild does a wonderful job of turning your donations into a beautiful floral presence at our worship space.

The remaining Memorial Markers were put in place several weeks ago. A special THANKS goes to Ed Mueller and Art Kuenstler for plotting out the Area of Remembrance. Please stop and see the beautiful changes! Also, Art Kuenstler will be ordering Memorial Markers in the near future (see newsletter insert).

New Memorial Markers have been placed for the following people: Chris Susedik, Lois Cornale, Bob Cornale, Richard Andrews, Aino Rodima, Eino Rodima, Myrtle Dostal, Brian Weis, Patricia Jones, Agnes Smith, Wayne Wadis, and Ruth Wagner.

Submitted by Pat Kuenstler

For dates the clinic is open, you can also contact:
Telephone number – 414/481-1778
Website address - www.opendoorfreeclinic.org

Dinner will be served from 4:30 PM to 7 PM

Ticket Adults $8.00/person

Prices: Children $4.00/person

Donations: We still need empty wine bottles and used candles for table decorations. We still need supplies for the booze and theme baskets. For the Cherry Tree toys we need new small, simple and inexpensive toys for this ever popular kid’s activity. Please bring the toys to church anytime and give to them to Dana Washburn

Questions? Call Doris Holaday, Chairperson

The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra is offering a wonderful opportunity this year for those who love music and/or a celebration not centered on alcohol.

They are presenting a program called: Breaking Through To Joy which will feature two pieces: Mozart Concerto for Bassoon and Orchestra and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

The Mozart piece is a 20-minute concert for woodwinds and is light and airy. It will be the prelude to the highlight of the evening: a choral and orchestra performance of Beethoven’s famous Ninth Symphony, featuring the familiar Ode to Joy.

Ticket prices for the balcony are 25.00, if we get a group of ten or more, we will receive a 20% discount.

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Please fill out the following and return with payment to Andrew Eagan:

Name: _________________________________________________

Number attending: _________________

Phone number: __________________________________________

For ease of payment to the MSO please pay with Cash to Andrew Eagan before November 9, 2008.

Let’s ring in the New Year with Fellowship and Music!

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Donate a toy! Christmas is coming, and there is a huge need for new toys. kids kloset needs your help. Please donate an inexpensive new toy for girls, boys and babies to kids kloset. Any questions, please see Dolly Seidel. Thank you for your help.

A minister parked his car in a no-parking zone in a large city because he was short of time and couldn’t find a space with a meter. Then he put a note under the windshield wiper that read: "I have circled the block 10 times. If I don’t park here, I’ll miss my appointment. Forgive us our trespasses."

When he returned, he found a citation from a police office along with this note: "I’ve circled this block for 10 years. If I don’t give you a ticket I’ll lose my job. Lead us not into temptation."

People want the front of the bus, the back of the church, and the center of attention.

Somebody has said there are only two kinds of people in the world. There are those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good morning, Lord", and there are those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good Lord, it’s morning".