Wanted

If you have any unused Christmas cards, the J&P Group can make use of them. Please leave them on the table in the porch.

Many thanks.

Altar Servers

Re-registering is now complete and new rotas which include the 17 servers who have just completed their training are ready in the box in the Sacristy.

All servers are asked to collect their copy – last time round some remained uncollected for several weeks.

Christmas Mass Times

Christmas 2009

Sunday 20 December – Fourth Sunday of Advent
15.00 A celebration of readings and carols in preparation for Christmas for all the Parish family

Monday 21 December
20.00 Parish Service of Reconciliation and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament

Thursday 24 December – Christmas Eve
17.00 Evening Prayer
21.00 Carols and readings, blessing of the crib, First Mass of Christmas (Mulled wine and mince pies after Mass in the Parish Hall)
The John Fisher School Chapel
21.00 Carols and First Mass of Christmas

Friday 25 December – Christmas Day
08.30 Mass with carols
10.00 Family Mass
12.00 Mass with carols
The John Fisher School Chapel
08.30 Mass
(Note: There are no evening Masses in the Croydon Deanery on Christmas Day)

Sacrament of Reconciliation
Christmas Eve – 10.40-12.00 and 17.30-18.30

Saturday 26 December – St Stephen the Martyr
09.40 Morning Prayer
10.00 Sung Mass
18.30 First Mass of Sunday

Sunday 27 December - The Holy Family
08.30 Mass
10.00 Family Mass
12.00 Mass with hymns
18.30 Mass

By tradition, all your offertory gifts on Christmas Day are your personal gifts to your priests. Many thanks to all who have helped towards making Christmas a happy and prayerful time for the Parish.

Please pray for peace during this Christmas season, especially in the Middle East; for our sisters and brothers in Muqueibleh, Jifna and Bethlehem; for the Christian minorities in the Holy Land and in Islamic nations, especially those suffering harassment and for our servicemen and women in Afghanistan and their families.

School Open Days and Applications

COLOMA CONVENT GIRLS’ SCHOOL
Sixth Form – For those unable to attend the Open Evenings there will be a joint Open Morning on Saturday 17^th October from 10.00am – 12 noon. The Prospectus and all relevant documents will be available from the School during the Open Evenings.

THE JOHN FISHER SCHOOL
Open Evening: Wednesday 30^th September from 6.00pm-9.00pm
Conducted Tours of the School will be available starting in the School Hall from 6.00pm The Headteacher, Mr M Scully, will address visitors at 6.15pm, 7.00pm and 7.45pm. The Prospectus, Supplementary Application Forms & Parish Priest’s Reference forms will be available on the evening. Further details from 020 8660 4555

ST PHILOMENA’S
Open Evenings are:
Year 7: Wednesday 30^th September from 4.00pm – 8.30 in the Marie Therese Hall.
Sixth Form Information Evening will take place on Tuesday 13^th October at 6.30pm in the Marie Therese Hall.

OAKWOOD
Open Day is on Saturday 3^rd October from 10.00am to 1.00pm
Oakwood is an independent primary school with a catholic ethos. The school is situated on the corner of Godstone Road and St. James Road, Purley. For further details please call 020 8668 8080.

LITTLE FISHES NURSERY AND LALEHAM LEA SCHOOL
OPENING EVENING: Thursday, 8^th October 6.00 – 7.30pm
OPEN MORNING: Saturday, 10^th October 10.30 – 12.00noon

Your local independent Catholic primary school offers mall class sizes and dedicated teachers with a wide ranging music curriculum and outstanding sports facilities giving excellent academic results. Outstanding Ofsted Certificate, childcare vouchers accepted and all Nursery/Receiption children aged 3 – 5 receive LA funding. Some places available in the Early Years classes and in the School. Come and experience the strong community atmosphere of a school founded on Gospel values. Laleham Lea School for girls and boys aged 3 – 11, 29 Peaks Hill, Purley CR8 3JJ www.lalehamlea.co.uk 020 8660 3351 – contact us to arrange a visit.

MARGARET ROPER PRIMARY SCHOOL
Applications for admission to Margaret Roper should be received by 4^th December 2009 at the latest. Parents of children born between 1.9.2005 and 31.8.2006 should ensure that they complete a Margaret Roper supplementary application form for their child and return it to Margaret Roper, which is the Primary School for St. John the Baptist Parish, by that date.

A further Croydon Local Education Authority form also needs to be completed. Please ensure you complete this either ‘on-line’ at www.croydon.gov.uk/education/schools/primary or contact Admissions Team, Education Department, Taberner House, Park Lane, Croydon CR9 1TP. Tel: 8686 4433. It is important that you do not complete a ‘paper’ application form if you apply ‘on-line’.

Wednesday 4^th November, 2009, parents of prospective pupils are cordially invited to view the school from 10.00am – 12.00pm. Mr D J Mooney, the headteacher, will give an introduction at 10.00am. An indication of numbers attending would be helpful. Please telephone 020 8660 0115 or email: office@margaretroper.croydon.sch.uk.

Fashion Show

NOT TO BE MISSED!

Fashion through the Ages
Presented by Students of The University of Creative Arts, Epsom. Cost on the door £5 (Students £3) including refreshments. The CWG will be hosting this evening to raise funds for the missionary work to be carried out in Africa in 2010 by Chris Vaz and James Fleury. Please make a note in your diary.

Holy Week and Easter 2009

Palm Sunday 5th April
18.30 (sat) Blessing of palms and Mass
08.30 Blessing of palms and Mass
10.00 Palm Procession and Family Mass (assemble in hall for the Blessing of palms)
12.00 Blessing of palms and Mass with hymns
15.30 Eucharistic Adoration
16.00 Evening Prayer and Benediction
18.30 Blessing of palms and Mass

Monday 6th April
07.00 Morning Prayer
07.30 Mass
09.40 Morning Prayer
10.00 Mass followed by Eucharistic Adoration
20.00 Lenten Reconciliation Service with Absolution, concluding with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament

Tuesday 7th April
07.30 Mass
09.40 Rosary
10.00 Mass

Wednesday 8th April
07.30 Mass
09.40 Morning Prayer
10.00 Mass
20.00 Healing Service – Churches together in Purley & Kenley, St James Riddlesdown

Maundy Thursday 9th April
11.30 Chrism Mass in the Cathedral of St George with Archbishop Kevin and the Bishops and Clergy of the Diocese
20.00 Solemn Mass of the Last Supper (after mass there will ne watching at the Place of Repose until midnight, with Compline (Night Prayer) at 23.45)

Good Friday 10th April
09.00 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer
09.45 Gathering Service prior to the Ecumenical Walk of Witness
10.30-11.30 Walk of Witness to Tesco’s for an Ecumenical Service
11.00 Stations of the Cross for children and young people (There will be a workshop to prepare for this event – watch the newsletter for details)
15.00 Solumn Liturgy of Good Friday with the reading of the Passion, Veneration of the Cross and Holy Communion
20.00 Meditation around the Cross

Holy Saturday 11th April
09.45 Office of Readings and Morning Prayer
17.00 Evening Prayer
20.00 Solemn Easter Vigil and Solemn Mass (During the Vigil we will receive new members into our Parish family through Baptism and Reception. Please come and welcome them)

Easter Sunday 12th April
0600 Sunrise Service – Higher Drive Recreation Ground
08.30 Mass
10.00 Family Mass
12.00 Mass

Easter Week 13-18th April
09.40 Morning Prayer (Mon, Wed, Friday) Rosary (Tues, Thurs)
10.00 Mass

Sacrament of Reconciliation
Holy Saturday 10.30-11/30, 18.00-19.00

Services at The John Fisher School Chapel
Maundy Thursday 20.00 Mass
Good Friday 15.00 Liturgy

UPDATE: Canon Jim’s Email

Canon Jim’s new email address is CanonJim@johnthebaptistpurley.org.uk

Please update your address books.

IMPORTANT: Canon Jim’s Email

Canon Jim’s email address jimpannett@hotmail.com has been hijacked by someone running a Nigerian 401 scam.

If you receive one of these emails, delete it immediately.

Do not send anything to jimpannett@hotmail.com and please add jimpannett@hotmail.com to your junk email filter.

Canon Jim will have a new email address shortly, but in the meantime, you can email Liz on office@johnthebaptistpurley.org.uk.

Youth Cafe

Youth Café
This Sunday after the 18.30 Mass and every Sunday evening until 8 February. All in Year 10 who hope to be Confirmed next November should be attending.
Fr Brendan

Plant an Olive Tree in Bethlehem

This Christmas our parish is supporting this aid program to plant olive trees near Bethlehem to aid our Christian brothers and sisters in Palestine. Canon Jim has set us a target of 200 trees, and a field has been reserved for St John the Baptist Purley in Beth Sahur (Shepherds Fields). Please support this program.

We have identified over nine sites within the West Bank where sustainable Olive groves can be planted. Each site has been carefully selected and prepared to accept three year old Olive saplings with have been sourced locally and are certificated against disease. Irrigation has been secured for each site is fenced where necessary. Most importantly we have ensured that all OliveAid sites are positioned in non conflict areas ensuring the long term security of the Olives groves and their crop.

A local management infrastructure working in partnership with local farmers and the community monitors both the planting and the ongoing husbandry of the trees to ensure that they reach their fruiting maturity in seven years. OliveAid intend to plant 10,000 trees in the Apr 08 Mar 09 season with a further 20,000 trees next season.

We cannot accelerate the growth of the Olive tress but we can with your help maximise the number of trees planted this season so please give generously.

You can download the brochere here.