During Advent and Christmastide we are asked to pray for these intentions:

During Advent there will be a Sunday Evening Service at 4pm.  On 17th December this will be our Advent Penitential Service. Also today West End Churches Together have an Advent Service at 6pm at Ewesley Road Methodist Church.

Bible Alive have published an Advent booklet 'I am Here'. This is available at the back of church. It is a guided journey for us during Advent to help us to take a quiet moment for ourselves to pray and reflect.

Come along on Wednesday evening and take some time to prepare for Christmas in quiet and meditation. We will look at the Scriptures for Advent and reflect on the message of longing and waiting. We will meet for an hour in St Cuthbert's Chapel from 7.00pm. All are welcome.

PREPARE THE WAY FOR THE LORD.

A day of quiet prayer and reflection, including the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Saturday 9th December led by Fr Kevin Dixon and Fr Stephen Watson 10am-3pm at St Anne's Pennywell - bring a packed lunch. This has been organised for all the parishes in Sunderland. All are welcome.

Our first display on 'Sport' will be in church in December. Thanks for all your contributions. To celebrate the Baptism of Our Lord in January we will focus on parish baptismal records and display any photos or certificates of baptisms at St Joseph's, that you may have. So please search through your old photos and pass them on. They will be treated with loving care and copied. N.B. All copied photos mat be used for display . If you submit them, we accept this as your permission to display them. There's not much time, so let us have them soon, Ring Ann (.

Amnesty International are asking us to send cards with messages of hope and solidarity to victims of . . human rights violations and those who defend them. Cards will be available this weekend after Mass.

Many people have told us that instead of sending Christmas cards to friends and family they see regularly, they would rather make a donation to charity. To help, we will do an additional page in the newsletter with your names, and whatever greeting you want, in return for a donation to the Grace House Appeal. Please give details as soon as possible.

At our Liturgy meeting on Monday evening it was decided that the children should help to celebrate in our Christmas Day Mass. We are asking parents, who will be attending Mass with their children (aged 5-11) on Christmas Day, to come to a short meeting after 9.30am Mass this weekend to help prepare the children for this special event.

If you would like to make a donation towards decorating the church for Christmas, perhaps in memory of a loved one, pleas put your donation in an envelope and either place it in the Offertory Basket or hand it in to the presbytery. All donation must be received by Tuesday 19th December for names to be added to the memorial book.

Our next Fair Trade Stall is next weekend. This is the last one before Christmas, so come along with some extra cash to buy those stocking fillers and give our brothers and sisters in the Third World a decent wage. There will be no stall in January so come prepared to stock up.

Cooking apples will be on sale this Sunday (3rd December), after 9.30 Mass. Money raised will go to support Fr Daiy Sebastian in India.

An opportunity to meet others from Africa and the Caribbean with some food and drink. Wednesday 20th December 2006. in St Joseph's Parish Centre, Walker Terrace, Gateshead 6.30 - 8.30pm

St Anne's are holding their annual Christmas Fayre TODAY-SUNDAY 3rd December at 1pm. It promises to be full of the usual attractions and is guaranteed to be a great family day out!! So don't miss out- pop up after lunch, or for lunch if you wish!! See you there!!!

DREAMBOX once again are proud to present heir annual Panto' at St Joseph's Social Centre. This years production is Dick Whittington by David Farn and is on Saturday 9th December 006 at 3pm. The cost is £5 per ticket. Please telephone the box office ( or contact Rosina for Tickets or for further details.