STATEMENT OF GIVING FOR INCOME TAXES: If you wish to receive a statement of your financial contributions to St. James Church for 2007, please indicate this on your Sunday offering envelope so that we can assure confidentiality. BAPTISM: Eldric Reed Venne, son of Eldric Thomas and Elizabeth Ann (McCall) Venne became a member of the Catholic community through the Sacrament of Baptism on January 1st. FUNERAL: A funeral was celebrated this week for Keagon Upton. Please remember him and his family in your prayers. WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY: We are celebrating 100 years of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity January 18-25. Jesus’ prayer for unity: That they may all be one as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me (John 17:21) is the constant prayer of the Church. Promoting Christian unity is an ecumenical movement among Christians to pray for unity among all Christians. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity started with an eight-day liturgical prayer in 1908 at Graymoor, Garrison, New York, with a small group of Franciscans in the Episcopal Church, began the annual observance of a Church Unity Octave for the “reunion” of the Church. Prayers for each day of the Octave can be found on http://www.geii.org Let us continue to pray for Christian Unity so that one day “all will be one”. RIGHT TO LIFE MARCH: The Champlain Valley Right to Life will hold its annual Plattsburgh March for Life on Sunday, January 13. The march starts at 1:30 PM at the Newman Center, 90 Broad Street, followed by a program at 2:00 PM at St. John’s Church. The speaker this year will be Father Thomas Euteneuer, President of the Human Life International, Pro-life Missionaries of the World. A reception will follow in the parish center at St. John’s. Those who cannot make the walk may join the group at St. John’s Church. VISIT OF POPE BENEDICT XVI TO NEW YORK CITY: Between April 15-20, 2008 Pope Benedict XVI will visit the United States. He will complete his visit with a Mass at Yankee Stadium in New York City. Buses will be leaving Plattsburgh for the Mass in New York. They will leave very early Sunday morning, April 20, 2008 from Seton Academy (across from St. Peter’s Church) parking lot. Premier Coach will take you directly to Yankee Stadium for the 2:30 p.m. Liturgy. Security necessitates an early arrival at the stadium. After the Papal Liturgy the coach will return to Plattsburgh with an estimated arrival of midnight. Coach will stop for meals at fast service restaurants. Meals are not included. Per person price is $65. Forms for you to complete are at the entrance to the Church. Down payment is $25 and is due by January 15, 2008. NEW BEGINNINGS: “NEW BEGINNINGS” is a group of divorced and separated people that meet every Thursday at 7:00 PM at St. Peter’s Church, Plattsburgh in the Upper Room. For more information contact St. Peter’s Rectory at 563-1692. EPIPHANY OF THE LORD: On this first Lord’s Day of the new year we come together in joy to celebrate the festival of the Epiphany of the Lord. Today is the high point of the Christmas season and one of the greatest days of the year. A shining star in the heavens proclaims the good news that Jesus Christ is the new-born Saviour. You will notice that the Bible readings overflow with superlatives. PRAYER OF BLESSING OF THE HOME AT EPIPHANY Lord our God, bless this household. May we be blessed with health, goodness of heart, gentleness, and the keeping of your law. We give thanks to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen