As my time at Saint Matthew's comes to a close, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for your support of Religious Education during my time as REC. It has been an honour to serve in this role, and I feel incredibly blessed to have been part of the Saint Matthew’s community since 2015.

Throughout my time here, I’ve had the privilege of teaching many of your children, and they have become a cherished part of my journey. The memories I’ve created with them will stay with me always. Our students are filled with spirit, joy, and kindness that brightens every day. I will miss their smiling faces and warm greetings more than words can express.

As we approach the Christmas season, I wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas, filled with love, joy, and cherished moments together. May the blessings of this holiday season continue to bring you peace and happiness in the year ahead and beyond. 

Second Sunday of Advent Gospel Reading 

Luke 3:1-6 John preaches repentance and baptises in the region of the Jordan.

Background on the Gospel Reading

This week and next, our Gospel readings focus on John the Baptist and his role in preparing people for Jesus. John was a prophet, like the ones in the Old Testament, and he called the people to change their ways and ask for forgiveness. He baptised people to help them turn back to God and get ready for the coming of Jesus.

In today’s Gospel, Luke gives us details about the leaders of the time, showing us that Jesus’ coming is not just part of a spiritual story but part of real history. Jesus came to save all people, and His birth happened in the midst of real-world events.

John the Baptist’s message reminds us that Advent is a time to prepare for Jesus’ coming. Just like John called the people to change their hearts and get ready for Jesus, we are called to do the same. We can prepare by changing our lives, saying sorry for the times we’ve been unkind or made mistakes, and trying to be more like Jesus. We’re also called to share the good news of Jesus with others, just like John did, and to live in a way that shows we are ready for Jesus to come again.

Family Connection

During Advent, we often add special activities to our busy days to get ready for Christmas. John the Baptist reminds us that one of the best ways to prepare for Jesus' coming is by saying sorry for the things we’ve done wrong. This is called repentance. 

Read the Gospel from Luke 3:1-6 After reading the Gospel, prepare a simple reconciliation service at home to get ready for Christmas.

Find a quiet space, maybe around your Advent wreath. Then, each person can take a moment to pray silently and ask God to forgive their sins. After that, you can pray the Act of Contrition together. Finally, celebrate God’s forgiveness by sharing a sign of peace with one another.

Advent Prayer Celebration

Thank you to our Year 2 classes and their teachers who led us in a thoughtful and inspiring prayer celebration in Week 6. The celebration focused on the theme of Advent, using the Gospel of John. The prayer celebration helped us pause and reflect on the true meaning of this season.

Advent is a time for reflection, renewal, and preparation as we open our hearts to welcome the birth of Jesus. We are in the first week of Advent, which focuses on the theme of Hope. This weekend, we light our second candle and focus on Peace. 

St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal 

Thank you for your generous donations to our annual St. Vincent de Paul Christmas Hamper Appeal. We are already seeing many thoughtful contributions, and we are truly grateful for your kindness.

These donations will directly support 15 families in our local St. Vincent de Paul Conference who are facing difficult times this Christmas season. Each class has been assigned a family to collect donations for, ensuring they can share in the joy and festivities of Christmas and bring some holiday cheer to their households.

Your generosity is making a real difference, and we appreciate your continued support in helping others this Christmas. Please ensure your donations are added to the hampers by Monday, 9 December, Week 9.