Franciscan Chapel Center

Franciscan Mission Day — February 6 & 7
A Second Collection will be taken at all Masses this weekend to help our Franciscan Missionaries of the Japanese Province working in foreign lands. Please give your Franciscan envelopes in the Second Collection basket. Your prayers and support enable our missionaries afar to cry out the Divine message, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.” (Mk 15:15) Because of your generosity, we are able to serve the poor and needy in the mission lands.

Women’s Network News
Monthly Coffee Meeting
Three Boys and a Camel: A Family Vacation in the Mid-East
Wednesday, February 10, 10 am
Pyramids—Camel Rides---Frankincense & Myrrh!
We’re not in Kansas anymore!
Junko Butovitsch shares her exotic family vacation.

UPCOMING TOUR
Meet at Roppongi police box.
Children welcome. RSVP francesmoyer@hotmail.com

JAPAN GRAND PRIX INTERNATIONAL
ORCHID FESTIVAL 2010
Be dazzled by 100,000 orchids of 3000 varieties from 20 countries. Delight in colors both bold and subtle and the delicate, graceful forms, as well as creative arrangements. ¥2000 entrance fee.
Meet Thursday, February 18 at 9:30 am RSVP

PG– 13 Adult Religious Education
Stories can do a better job than theology in helping us describe issues of faith. Perhaps that is the reason we remember the Gospels better than Paul’s epistles. The novel The Shack by Wm. Paul Young was recommended by a former PG-13 participant who now lives in the U.S. The next PG- 13 Religious Education Program for Adults and Mature Teens will use the novel as a tool for examining our ideas of God, faith, forgiveness, evil, death and eternal life. We will meet on Monday, Feb. 15, from 7:30 to 9:00 pm in the Church Hall. A list of PG-13 books and topics is available at the reception desk.

Sons and Daughters Encounter (SADE)
In conjunction with a spiritual preparation for receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation, there is planned a “Sons And Daughters Encounter” (SADE for short) to be held at the Franciscan Chapel Center from Thursday 7:00 pm February 24 until Saturday 5:00 pm February 26. In addition to those preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation, it is open to all teen-agers and young adults. To register, contact Father Donnon at donfires@hotmail.com

General information for those interested...
SADE is one of 23 different programs originated by Fr. Gabriel Calvo, the founder of Marriage Encounter, all having as their ultimate goal developing Families in the Lord. Through the aid of teams sharing their own experiences with regard to various themes, and subsequent sharing in small groups, the participants consider the imperative questions of who they are as persons, as members of a family, as sons and daughters of God, and as founders of a future family. It is open to teen-agers and young adults. This program, which exists in a number of countries throughout the world, has profoundly influenced those who have experienced it. Even after decades many have stated that it was an experience that they will never forget, and one that had changed their lives. These very people would agree that it would have been a tragic loss if they had not taken the opportunity to go through this experience. It could well be said of this program: “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by”! (Luke 18:37)

The Chapel Center will be hosting a
family event on Saturday, April 24. We will also be having a raffle and the winning raffle tickets will be drawn at this event. If you are interested in donating prizes for the raffle or know of other potential donors, please contact Margaret Baxter mbaxter@gol.com with that information.

2010 Spring Omega

Challenging Lifestyles: Matthew 5:1-12
Blessed are...
...the poor in spirit.
...those who mourn.
…the meek.
...those who hunger and thirst.
...the merciful.
...the pure in heart.
...the peacemakers.
...the persecuted.

Omega is a weekly meeting of adults who are committeed to the Christian faith, and want to deepen that faith through fellowship with other mature Christians.

When: Thursdays 7:00-9:30 starting on February 4th
Where: The FCC basement
Topic: How can Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount” (Matt. 5:1-12) challenge us in our modern daily lives?
What to bring: Just yourself! Dinner will be provided the first two weeks.

Sign up at the FCC front desk, or email fccomega@gmail.com.

FCC Calendar for February 2010

February 2, 9, 16, & 23, Tuesdays Knitters for Love, 9 –11 am & 7-8:30 pm

February 3, Wednesday Springs Festivals Tour—Setsubun & Hina Matsuri, 10:45 am

February 3, 10, 17, & 24, Wednesdays Alpha Course, 7 pm

February 4, 11, 18, & 25, Thursdays Omega Course, 7 pm

February 6 & 7, Saturday & Sunday Engaged Encounter in Japanese, 8:30 am; Franciscan Mission Day Collection at all Masses

February 10, Wednesday Monthly Coffee Meeting, 10 am

February 15, Monday PG-13 Adult Religious Education, 7:30 pm

February 16, Tuesday Parish Council Meeting, 7-9 pm

February 17, Ash Wednesday Masses and Distribution of Ashes at 8 am, 12 noon, 6 pm & 7:30 pm

February 18, Thursday Orchid Festival 2010, 9:30 am

February 28, Sunday Religious Education Teachers’ Meeting, 11:30 am; Financial & Tax Planning for US Ex-pats, 3 pm

There will be a Special Collection after the Holy Communion for the relief efforts for the victims of the recent Haiti earthquake. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and was still recovering from deadly 2008 hurricanes when the quake struck. Let us pray and reach out to our brothers and sisters in their time of suffering. Give generously.

The Chapel Center is forming a Religious Education Committee and all parishioners are invited to participate. The first meeting is Tuesday, January 26, from 7:00 pm. Bring your ideas and suggestions for improving the religious education program for our parish. For details please contact Margaret Baxter 090-5318-9600.

Elizabeth Ministry
Next Sunday, January 31 is the last Sunday of the month, and there will be a blessing for expectant mothers after each Mass in the small chapel. The Elizabeth Ministry is looking for women in the church who are pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or trying to adopt...we'd like to help!
Contact Meg Sutherland at jeffsmegs@gmail.com

Women’s Network News
January Monthly Women's Coffee:
"Life With Breast Cancer: How to Help You, Your Friends, or Your Family Cope". Ulrica Marshall, leader of Bosom Buddies Tokyo, a breast cancer support group, will share her insights. Wednesday, January 27, 12 noon, Coffee Room. Muffins and drink provided.
For information contact Frances Moyer at francesmoyer@hotmail.com

Three Boys and a Camel:
A Family Vacation in the Mid-East Wednesday, February 10, 10 am
Pyramids—Camel Rides---Frankincense & Myrrh!
We’re not in Kansas anymore!
Junko Butovitsch shares her exotic family vacation.

UPCOMING TOURS
Meet at Roppongi police box.
Children welcome. RSVP francesmoyer@hotmail.com
JAPAN GRAND PRIX INTERNATIONAL ORCHID FESTIVAL 2010
Be dazzled by 100,000 orchids of 3000 varieties from 20 countries. Delight in colors both bold and subtle and the delicate, graceful forms, as well as creative arrangements. ¥2000 entrance fee. Meet 9:30 Thursday February 18 RSVP

Alpha Course—More good news!
The next Alpha course at the FCC will begin on Wednesday, February 3rd. Everyone is welcome! The twelve Wednesday meetings are a great way to reflect on the Christian faith and to meet new friends at the FCC. The evening begins at 7 pm with dinner, followed by a video talk and a small group discussion. Please sign up at the FCC reception desk, if you are interested.

Omega will start it's spring session on February 4th, and will meet every following Thursday for 12 weeks. Each meeting focuses on fellowship, prayer, and discussion of faith-based topics. All are welcome to attend, but in general the group is aimed at Christians who already have an active and mature faith. Sign-ups and more detailed information for the upcoming session will be available next week.

Adult Religious Education
Stories can do a better job than theology in helping us describe issues of faith. Perhaps that is the reason we remember the Gospels better than Paul’s epistles. The novel The Shack by Wm. Paul Young was recommended by a former PG-13 participant who now lives in the U.S. The next PG-13 Religious Education Program for Adults and Mature Teens will use the novel as a tool for examining our ideas of God, faith, forgiveness, evil, death and eternal life. We will meet on Monday, Feb. 15, from 7:30 to 9:00 pm in the Church Hall. A list of PG-13 books and topics is available at the reception desk.

Your palm leaves of last year, kindly bring them over and put them in a basket placed inside the Main Chapel near the altar table for you to put in. Thank you.

Fundraising Committee Meeting
is scheduled for Tuesday, January 19, from 7:00 pm.

The Chapel Center is forming a Religious Education Committee and all parishioners are invited to participate. The first meeting is Tuesday, January 26, from 7:00 pm. Bring your ideas and suggestions for improving the religious education program for our parish.
For details please contact Margaret Baxter 090-5318-9600.

Women’s Network News
TOKYO TOURS:
Meet at the police box at Roppongi Crossing & RSVP francesmoyer@hotmail.com

TOKYO INTERNATIONAL GREAT QUILT FESTIVAL 2010—
Pennsylvanian quilts, Korean nubi, and Japanese quilting using indigo dyed fabric are among the variety of quilting styles on display. View quilting that reflects the creativity and imagination of different cultures. Meet Thursday, January 21, 9:30 am
Entrance fee ¥ 2000.

SPRING FESTIVALS TOUR
Learn about two spring festivals. First observe Buddhist priests at the Zoojooji Temple driving out the demons on Setsubun Day. Afterward go to the doll shops to view the gorgeous Emperor and Empress dolls find their court for Hina Matsuri, Dolls Day.

January Monthly Women's Coffee:
"Life With Breast Cancer: How to Help You, Your Friends, or Your Family Cope". Ulrica Marshall, leader of Bosom Buddies Tokyo, a breast cancer support group, will share her insights.
Wednesday, January 27, 12 noon, Coffee Room.
Muffins and drink provided.
For information contact Frances Moyer at francesmoyer@hotmail.com

Blessing of Expectant Mothers- On the last weekend of every month after all the Masses, the blessing will be offered. You may receive the blessing each month for your health and the baby that you have conceived.

Thank you from the Rice Program to...
• The ASIJ Girl Scouts and their leaders for generously donating wonderful amenity kits full of necessary daily items for our homeless brothers in Shibuya. The kits were distributed over the holidays and were much appreciated.
Thank you!
• All who donated warm gloves and cookies prior to Christmas. On Christmas morning the people we serve in Shibuya each received a gift bag including the daily onigiri, hokaron hand warmers, warm gloves and Christmas cookies. A gift from our wonderful parish community - thank you all for your generosity!
• Alico Insurance Co. for providing an outstanding team of volunteers to make onigiri over the holidays. We appreciate our corporate donors!
• Finally, thank you to all who generously donated their time to make/distribute onigiri over the holidays. Your gift of time makes it possible for us to continue this important ministry 365 days a year. Thank you!

UPDATES ON OUR PRIESTS
Fr. Jose Gloria: Temporarily at Our Lady of Guadalupe parish in Hebbronville, Texas, he is about to begin a sabbatical leave (the first in 50 years of priesthood), with plans to visit Cuba and Siena, Italy before entering a renewal course in Petropolis, Brazil. Last fall, after almost six years at FCC, Fr. Jose felt that his mission in Tokyo had been completed, and he decided to return to his province. At his request, there were no notices or farewells. He misses FCC and sends his warm regards. Thank you for everything, Fr. Jose!

Fr. Russell Becker: In order to direct two retreats for Franciscan friars, he left for the United States on Jan. 11, due to return to Tokyo on Feb. 13. Fr. Russell has spent several periods with us over the past three years, using his talents to improve our liturgy and other areas of the parish. He hopes to join us permanently as pastor, and we hope the same, but a few obstacles need to be overcome first. Please keep that intention in your prayers.

Parish Council Meeting
on Tuesday, January 12, 7 pm at St. Francis Hall, Basement. All are welcome to attend.

Adult Religious Education
In your student days, did you ever notice how often teachers answered questions no one asked and left unanswered the real questions? The next PG-13 session for adults and mature teens will be called Stump the Chump. Instead of using a book as a discussion starter, we will have a free discussion, including the chance to pose questions about faith, Christian life in Tokyo etc. with the hope that someone or other in the group might understand the question and have a hint of an answer. We will meet on Jan. 18 from 7:30 to 9:00 pm in the Church Hall. A list of PG-13 books and topics is available at the reception desk.

Women’s Network Day Tours
TOKYO INTERNATIONAL GREAT QUILT FESTIVAL 2010—
Pennsylvanian quilts, Korean nubi, and Japanese quilting using indigo dyed fabric are among the variety of quilting styles on display. View quilting that reflects the creativity and imagination of different cultures. Meet Thursday, January 21, 9:30 am Roppongi Crossing. Entrance fee ¥ 2000. RSVP Frances Moyer at francesmoyer@hotmail.com

January Monthly Women's Coffee:
"Life With Breast Cancer: How to Help You, Your Friends, or Your Family Cope". Breast cancer has touched ourselves and those close to us. Ulrica Marshall, leader of Bosom Buddies Tokyo, a breast cancer support group, will share her insights to guide us should the unimaginable happen to us or our friends or family. Muffins and drink provided. Wednesday, January 27, 12 noon, Coffee Room. For information contact Frances Moyer at francesmoyer@hotmail.com

Tokyo Bosom Buddies
an English-speaking support group for breast cancer survivors, meets Tuesday, January 19 at 10 am at FCC. Contact: Ulrica Marshall at ulricamarshall@hotmail.com or 090-1763-4644.

Merry Christmas
December 24, Thursday Christmas Eve Masses
4 pm, Children Mass;
6 pm in Japanese;
9 pm in English

December 25, Friday Christmas Day Masses
in Japanese, 7 am;
in English, 8 am, 10 am, 12 noon, & 6 pm

December 31, New Year’s Eve
Adoration, 11 pm Mass, 12 Midnight

New Year’s Day, January 1st, 2010
Mass in Japanese, 7 am
Masses in English 8 am, 10 am, 12 noon, 6 pm

General:

That children may be respected and loved and never be the victims of exploitation in its various forms.

Mission:

That at Christmas the peoples of the earth may recognize in the Word Incarnate the light which illuminates every man and that the Nations may open their doors to Christ, the Savior of the world.

Rice-cake Making Program
We are seeking the ultimate gift, one hour of your time. Volunteers are needed to make rice cakes during this Christmas season when our regular volunteers are away. Making rice cakes (onigiri) is fun and easy. Please look for the sign-up board in the Chapel lobby.

Adult Religious Education
In your student days, did you ever notice how often teachers answered questions no one asked and left unanswered the real questions? The next PG-13 session for adults and mature teens will be called Stump the Chump. Instead of using a book as a discussion starter, we will have a free discussion, including the chance to pose questions about faith, Christian life in Tokyo etc. with the hope that someone or other in the group might understand the question and have a hint of an answer. We will meet on Jan. 18 from 7:30 to 9:00 pm in the Church Hall. A list of PG-13 books and topics is available at the reception desk.

Christmas and New Year’s Mass Schedule
December 24, Christmas Eve
Children’s Mass (in English), 4 pm
Mass in Japanese, 6 pm
Christmas Carols, 8:30 pm
Mass in English, 9 pm
December 25, Christmas Day
Mass in Japanese, 7 am
Masses in English 8 am, 10 am, 12 noon, 6 pm, and 7:30 pm

December 31, New Year’s Eve
Adoration, 11 pm Mass, 12 Midnight
New Year’s Day, January 1st, 2010
Mass in Japanese, 7 am
Masses in English 8 am, 10 am, 12 noon, 6 pm

May the Lord Jesus bless you and watch over you and your loved ones this Christmas and may He prosper and bless the work of your hands in the New year 2010.—The Friars

Stewardship of Treasure
Weekly target: ¥850,000—¥1,000,000
Suggested weekly donation: 1 hour of wages
Thank you for your continuing generosity!
Last Sunday’s Offering: December 13 ¥ 895,811
(includes $ check donations of $ 1,930)
Building Fund to date: $ 20,100
ATTENTION: CONTRIBUTORS BY US $ CHECK
Please make check payable to: Friends of the Franciscan Chapel Center or its abbreviation Friends of FCC.