Happy New Year to you all! I hope you are starting this new year with a profound sense of hope and peace, even while things continue to be scary as all h*ck. Know that you are in my prayers and that we are guided by a God who wants good for us, as individuals, and as a parish/community. Here’s this week’s Beta- I love the questions this week, there’s so much to talk about; why Jesus was baptized, the implications of our own baptism, the Holy Spirit, the Trinity- oh my! So much.
I hope you’re having a good Advent. This week, barely into our year of Mark, we take a side trip into the Gospel of John. John the Baptist is a vivid character, and I hope you have some fun conversations around how he identifies himself (or… doesn’t) this week. Enjoy!
Once again this year, we have been blessed with an anonymous donor who will match all donations made to the Salem St. Vincent de Paul Society during the month of December. This is an opportunity for members of the Salem community to double the value of a gift to help Christ and His poor. What better way to celebrate this Christmas season, especially in this year of a pandemic, than to help the needy in our own city. We can't be at the church doors for our regular collections, but all donations made in the month of December will qualify for the match.