Celebrating the Holidays Amidst Our Losses
Wednesday, November 14th 7:00 - 8:30 pm, Parish Chapel
“Emphasis will be on discerning God’s direction for your celebration of the holidays this year and how you might simplify your practices to match your energy level and current situation.”
 

Praying with Body, Mind and Spirit:  Moving through Advent
Saturday, December 1, 2007
As we begin to get caught up in the busyness of the holidays, it is good to stop for awhile and reflect on the season we are preparing to celebrate. All are invited to relax, unwind and experience a new dimension in personal prayer using your body, mind and spirit to pray with Scripture, guided meditation and music of the season.  Bring a journal for some quiet reflection.  Basic movements will be taught which can be done by anyone, regardless of experience or physical limitation.  
Time:               9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Cost:                $40.00 (includes lunch).
Leader:            Janene Ternes (Spiritual director & founder of Prayer in Motion) 
Location:         Manresa Jesuit Retreat House, 1390 Quarton Rd., Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304
Registration:    Phone:  248-644-4933 or online at www.manresa-sj.org 

 
· Christmas Celebrations that Work Better than Just Buying Gifts as Usual:  Talk with your family – brainstorm ideas that will simplify Christmas celebrations and put the emphasis on the real reasons for the season:  Jesus’ birth, and bringing your family closer together.
 

· Service Projects to Help Others:  Participate as a family in service projects, to live the gospel message of caring for those who are most in need our help.
 

· Charities that Improve the World:  Support a charity that helps to create a better world.
 

•  A resource that helps donors make informed decisions about supporting a charity is Charity Watch at: http://charitywatch.org/toprated.html\

· Be a Thoughtful Shopper:  Buy products that support local businesses, or international products that support fair trade, to support the well-being of our brothers and sisters around the world.  Buy products that use less packaging, to reduce the landfills that destroy the beautiful world God has given us.
 

•  Explore the resources for Fair Trade at: http://www.stfrancisa2.com/socialministry/shopping.htm 

•  Shop locally for fair trade goods from around the world at stores like 10,000 Villages, 7 Loaves, Orchid Lane.

•  Attend a unique holiday shopping experience:

December 2:  The First Baptist Church of Ann Arbor (512 E. Huron) hosts the Alternative Holiday Fair.  Vendors such as Ten Thousand Villages, Heifer International, SERRV, and local peace and justice organizations will be selling fairly traded goods and/or items that promote peace and justice. The Alternative Holiday Fair is a great shopping substitute for those looking to support important causes with their holiday shopping dollars.
 

· Get Politically Active:  support a cause that promotes your morals.  Sign a petition, write a letter, or volunteer on a campaign.
 

•  One example of a quick and easy campaign is the Nuclear Disarmament Petition at:  http://www.stfrancisa2.com/socialministry/disarmament.htm

•  Or lend your support to the US National Council of Churches, Petition to Close Guantanamo.  Read their statement and sign the petition at::  http://www.witnesstorture.org/node/258

· Prayer for Those in Need:  Pray for those in need, those who are sick, those who are traveling, those who are alone on the holidays, or anyone else who needs our prayers.
 

· Explore Existing Resources That Help Us Think Differently About Christmas
 

•  Organize a Work of Human Hands consignment sale before Christmas.  This is a group that sells hand-made items from developing countries and supplies income to many who have very little.  It is a great way to raise awareness for children and adults about the needs of the world, while buying some very quality gifts for Christmas.  It doesn’t take a lot to do this: order the goods, advertise the sale, man the sale, and send back any unsold goods and money collected.  If you would be interested, contact Rory Hoipkemier at rhoipkemier@dioceseoflansing.org. 

•  Join Sojourners in their launch of their new Advent preparation resource - including Bible scholarship, action suggestions, prayers, and themes you can use for each of the four Sundays - available exclusively to members of Sojourners’ Faith & Justice Churches network.

If you join Sojourners’ Faith & Justice Churches today, you will receive unlimited access to their exclusive Advent resource. Your annual membership includes: 

*Exclusive listing in Sojourners’ online church database
*Sermons on social justice themes
*Ready-to-use, small-group study resources
*Organizing toolkits
*Subscription to Sojourners magazine, including 15 years of archived content
*Discussion boards
*And much more...

If you would like to learn more, you can call 1-800-714-7474, or enroll via a secure form on the Web site http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=network.learn_more&promotioncode=cn_pc1.
 
 

•  Check out the New American Dream website for stories, resources, and tips for simplifying the holidays and consuming wisely.  The site includes an Alternative Gift Registry to help you celebrate Christmas in a way that complements your value system.  http://www.newdream.org/buy/gift_reg.php