Christmas Letter 2011 to the People of St. Barbara

My dear People of St. Barbara,

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means "God is with us." (Matt 1:23)

We have celebrated His Divine Presence among us for 100 years as a community of faith at St. Barbara.  Our Centennial Year has indeed been a year of grace and blessedness.  Our Centennial Celebration has provided us with the opportunity to focus on the importance of the many parishioners who contribute to the life of our parish.  St. Barbara’s Community of Faith is all about people working, sharing, and praying together.  Each of us is an important member of this community.

In last year’s Christmas letter, I expressed the hope of celebrating Christmas 2011 in a beautifully restored St. Barbara Church.  Much work has been done on the outside of the Church during this past year.  Because of the progress of the Centennial Campaign, I am pleased to announce that the Archdiocese has approved the painting of our church’s interior, beginning this January 2012.

When contemplating your Christmas gift, please consider how God has blessed you.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could average per family $100 for our 100 years?  (If you would like to apply your Christmas Gift to St. Barbara’s Debt Reduction, just write Debt Reduction on your Envelope/Check, and the Archdiocese will match.  Thanks to your generosity, we are very close to paying back all past loans.)  Because Christmas is on Sunday, I ask you to also please remember your regular Sunday offering.

Fr. Andrzej and I invite you to join with us in celebrating the Birth of Christ and encourage you to be present in our community throughout the New Year.  Without you, St. Barbara would be missing someone special.  Wishing you a Blessed Christmas!
 

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Dennis Ziomek