Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
SUNDAY SCRIPTURE – QUESTIONS TO PONDER
~ As we come close to Advent, consider how God has delivered you from darkness to light.
~ Can you take time this week for a prayer of gratitude that, through baptism, you are a child of God?
~ The second criminal rebukes the first for lacking fear of God. How do you practice reverence to God?
(Pastoral Liturgy)
READINGS FOR THE WEEKEND: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/112022.cfm
LIVE-STREAMING: Visit https://www.youtube.com/c/StPolycarpSmyrnaDE for live stream at 8:30 am on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and 4 pm on Saturdays.
PARISH WEBSITE: Visit: www.saintpolycarp.org/.
WEEKLY PARISH BULLETIN: CLICK HERE . BULLETIN OVERFLOW: Bulletin Overflow – CLICK HERE
THIS WEEKEND, NOVEMBER 19/20 (& week of November 20)
REMINDER: BVM SODALITY ADVENT RETREAT, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19TH – 8:30 AM TO 1 PM. (Rosary at 8:00 am, Mass at 8:30 am))
The retreat will begin with Mass at 8:30 am. Deacon Frank will be our Retreat Master. The Retreat theme is Mary and the Eucharist. Lunch will be provided. Those interested in attending must register in advance. Contact: Betty Sloven at (302) 547 – 8174 or churchladybetty@gmail.com.
ST POLYCARP PARISH’S ANNUAL FALL CLEANUP: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19TH 9 AM TO 1 PM
WE NEED YOU! Come join us for the Annual Fall Cleanup. Please bring a rake, blowers, gloves and your friends. This is a great opportunity for Confirmandi volunteer hours. We welcome folks on riding mowers that can vacuum up the leaves. We appreciate any amount of time you are able to give. We need to clear the ground of leaves, branches and debris. Light refreshments will be available. Please text or call Michael Pyle at (302) 423 – 9732 or email Mike at mjpyle58@msn.com so we can know how many folks to expect.
BLESSINGS: The blessing of Musicians and Cantors will take place on Sunday, November 20th at the 10:30 am Mass.
CHILDREN’S LITURGY OF THE WORD will be offered this Sunday, November 20th, during the 10:30am Mass. (CLoW is offered on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month.) All children ages PreK – 4th grade are welcome to join us. Children will be called to come forward before the First Reading. They will return to you after the General Intercessions. All catechists and assistants have a cleared background check. If you are interested in helping with this ministry, please contact Erica Taylor at (302) 653-4101.
THE VOCATION CHALICE MINISTRY: Sunday, November 20 at the 10:30 am Mass – Trias Family Please arrive 15 minutes before your Mass time and pick up materials in the sacristy.
COME TO THE BROTHER VINCENT CHUCK WAGON! Tickets for the January 14th Dinner and Show, sponsored by the Brother Vincent Knights of Columbus and the Columbiettes, are on sale this weekend after Masses at the Church exits. The show features The Legends of Country Music – Sean Jamison and Jenna Young with Country Music. Tickets are $40.00 each. Tickets may be purchased by check (made payable to Brother Vincent Council), by credit card through Faith Direct CLICK HERE, or by using this QR code. 
EUCHARISTIC REVIVAL – PARISHIONER SURVEY: PLEASE RETURN NO LATER THAN NOVEMBER 20th The Liturgy Committee would like to know your thoughts on what you would prefer to attend as a session for Eucharistic Revival (deepening our formation) near the Feast of St. Polycarp. Please place your survey in one of the boxes at the entrances to the Church no later than Sunday, November 20th. There are extra copies of the survey underneath the return survey boxes at the entrances to the Church or CLICK HERE TO VIEW/PRINT THE SURVEY.
Our Giving Tree Committee coordinates the Christmas gifts for needy children in our community. We work closely with our Parish School of Religion and the Smyrna
School District to identify children in need. The Giving Tree, with the children’s requests, are set up inside the Main Entrance of the Church. Please purchase a gift for the child on the tag you choose and return it to the Parish Hall no later than Sunday, December 4th. Questions? Contact Fran Walls at (302) 653 – 1450. Thank You!
PARISH OFFICE: The Parish Office will close at noon on Wednesday, November 23rd, and remain closed until Monday, November 28th, for the Thanksgiving Holiday.
THANKSGIVING DAY MASS: Thanksgiving Day Mass will be celebrated at St. Dennis Church in Galena, MD at 9 am on Thursday, November 24th. All are invited to attend this special Mass. St. Dennis is encouraging those who attend to bring canned goods and boxed cereals to donate. Please place these items in the wicker baskets in front of the St. Joseph statue in the sanctuary before Mass. Mass will not be celebrated at St. Polycarp on Thanksgiving Day, so join us at St. Dennis.
EARLY SUBMISSION DATES FOR THE WEEKLY BULLETIN: Early submission dates have been set by our bulletin publisher for the holiday season. All submissions that you would like to appear in the bulletin will need to be submitted earlier. These dates seem weeks away but they will be here before we know it. Plan now and submit early. Bulletin Date December 4, submit by noon November 23: Bulletin Date December 11, submit by noon December 1. To view all early submission dates CLICK HERE.
THE DIALOG: Don’t forget to pick-up the new issue of “The Dialog” as you leave Mass this weekend. New issues of The Dialog, the official newspaper of the Diocese of Wilmington, are available 26 times a year (every other weekend). It’s website www.thedialog.org is updated daily. Make sure to check out the Datebook on page 14 for happenings around the Diocese.
NEXT WEEKEND, NOVEMBER 26/27 (& week of November 27)
BIDS NOW BEING ACCEPTED!
WHAT: Help out the church with this annual fundraiser and Parish tradition of putting up a parking spot to the highest bidder! You will have the reserved spot (with your name on it) for one year. With the winter weather coming, you will want to have that close spot for you or a loved one. Makes a perfect gift!
WHERE: Back parking lot by the brick wall around the HVAC unit, practically right under the portico!
HOW: Please submit your bid amount by December 1st at 3pm by emailing financialmanager@saintpolycarp.org with the Subject Line: “Parking Spot Bid” or dropping it in the collection basket or black drop box under the portico labeled “Parking Spot Bid” with your name & phone number on it. Besides individual bidders, Parish organizations or groups can consider putting in a collective bid for your group. All bids MUST be in writing.
PARISHIONER COFFEE: Parishioners are welcome to share a morning of snacks, conversation and a short video after the 8:30 am Mass on Tuesday, November 29th in the parish hall.. This invitation is open to all parishioners who would like to enjoy some coffee and good company. Feel free to bring snacks or anything you would like to share. For additional information, contact Cookie Ruane, (302) 540 – 6429.
RELICS OF ST. PADRE PIO: On November 29, 2022, between 8:30am and 7:00pm, St. Jude the Apostle Church (152 Tulip Dr., Lewes, DE) invites all to venerate three relics of St. Padre Pio throughout the day: 1. Crusts of the wounds from his stigmata; 2. A lock of his hair; 3. Gauze with his blood stains from the stigmata.
Veneration begins after the 8am daily Mass and concludes with Mass at 6pm. https://saintpolycarp.org/relics-of-st-padre-pio/
UPCOMING/ONGOING
COME ONE – COME ALL! COLUMBIETTES COOKIE WALK 2022: Saturday, December 3rd, after the 4 pm Mass and Sunday, December 4th, after the 10:30 am Mass Homemade cookies lovingly baked by our Columbiettes! Many varieties to tickle your taste buds! One dollar per bag!
DEANERY ADVENT PENANCE SERVICE will be held on Thursday, December 15th, at Holy Cross Church in Dover.
CHANGE THE WORLD: BECOME CATHOLIC! Is there someone you would like to invite to explore the Catholic faith – someone unbaptized, or baptized in a non-Catholic Christian tradition? Do you know someone who needs Confirmation and/or First Eucharist? Perhaps, the Catholic faith can fulfill their desires for a closer relationship with Our Lord. Then, the RCIA process is for them. Please contact Deacon Frank Weber for more information. DeaconFrank@saintpolycarp.org or leave a message with the Parish office at (302) 653-8279.
CONNECTED IN CHRIST (ADULT FAITH FORMATION) meets every Tuesday at 9:30 AM in the Parish Library – ALL are welcome. Please join us. If you have any questions, please call Cookie Ruane at 302-540-6429.
GLUTEN FREE? Do you have an intolerance to gluten? If so, our parish offers gluten-free wafers to be consecrated for you. Please see our Sacristan 10 – 15 minutes before Mass and let them know that you need a gluten-free wafer put in the pyx. At Communion, please proceed down the aisle to the priest who will have the pyx in his hand and let him know you need a gluten-free host.
THE VOCATION CHALICE MINISTRY: Please consider signing up to host the vocation chalice in your home for a week. Text or call Alice Gaston at (302) 670 – 7924. For more information visit https://saintpolycarp.org/vocation-chalice/ November 20 at the 10:30 Mass – Trias, December 4 at the 10:30 Mass – Brink, December 18 at the 10:30 Mass – Bobeck
IS THAT YOU, FR. JIM? If you receive emails or texts from Fr. Jim asking for favors or gifts or stating something similar to “I am currently busy in a meeting now, no calls so just reply to my email.”, please ignore and delete. If an email looks suspicious and you’re not sure, give the office a call.
Have you had the opportunity to dive into FORMED? To sign up visit www.formed.org. Type in our Parish zip code (19977) and follow the steps to sign up or you can use the QR code below. Take advantage of your free subscription to FORMED! Enjoy thousands of hours of quality Catholic content! 
REDNER’S MARKETS 1% SAVE-A-TAPE FUNDRAISER: Turn your food shopping into cash for our parish. Simply be sure to obtain and scan your Redner’s Rewards Card each time you shop. Save your whole receipt. Bring your receipts to the Parish Office or put them into the collection basket. There is no expiration date – you can turn in receipts months old!
BULLETIN SPONSORS: Thank you to all of our weekly bulletin sponsors for your support during the year! Your support has not gone unnoticed by our parish community and is so appreciated!
USEFUL LINKS:
WEBSITE: www.saintpolycarp.org.
BULLETIN: https://www.jppc.net/onlinebulletins/301template.pdf
BULLETIN OVERFLOW: https://saintpolycarp.org/this-weeks-bulletin/
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/c/StPolycarpSmyrnaDE
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/SaintPolycarpCatholicChurch/
ONLINE GIVING: Please consider becoming an e-giver. It is easy to make your weekly or one time contributions in support of the Parish. For more information and to sign up for online giving, visit faith.direct/DE831
ST DENNIS: http://www.stdennischurch.org
DIOCESE OF WILMINGTON – LIVE STREAMING https://www.youtube.com/user/DioceseofWilm
FOR THE SAKE OF GOD’S CHILDREN: https://www.cdow.org/giving/fsgc/
THE DIALOG: http://thedialog.org/ Newspaper of the Diocese, copies available as you leave Church or online
EWTN: ewtn.com
FROM THE DIOCESE:
CATHOLIC FORUM/RELEVANT RADIO: Saturdays at 1:30 pm on Relevant Radio 640AM. Saturday, November 19th, tune-in to learn about the new book, “The Jesse Tree: An Advent Devotion,: with author, Eric Sammons. CLICK HERE You can listen online at cdow.org/CatholicForum, or by searching “Catholic Forum” on Apple, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or Amazon Music podcasts. “Like” Catholic Forum on Facebook at facebook.com/CatholicForum @CatholicForum.
MARRIAGE MOMENTS: During this week of Thanksgiving, take a moment to share with each other one thing that makes you thankful for your beloved and your marriage.
PARENTING POINTERS: The Friday after Thanksgiving is often called “Black Friday” because it starts the frenzy of holiday shopping. It’s especially challenging for kids not to get sucked into Christmas wish lists. Ask your children one gift they might like for Christmas that doesn’t cost any money.
LET US PRAY:
Lord, Jesus Christ, Our Sovereign King
The beginning and end of all things,
You have made Your Church to be a people
that bears witness to the goodness and beauty of Your kingdom.
By your Holy Spirit, You have united us as one body,
called to live as one family of God.
Fill our hearts with Your grace,
that we would be close to You
by being close to the vulnerable and marginalized.
Give us the patience to share one another’s burdens,
And give us the courage to always be friends of the truth.
May we remain with You always.
Amen.