WHAT'S HAPPENING AT ST. MARY'S Fr. Raphael Assamah Pastor Office: 712.246.1718 [email protected]www.parishesonline.com/ shenandoah Diane Strunk Secretary Laurie Johnson Visitation Ministry 246.9812 Lynda Marshall Religious Education Brad & Kandra Johnson Youth Ministry Mike O’Hearn Pastoral Council Justin Trowbridge Finance Council Dana Wenstrand Leon McEnaney Trustees Linda McGargill Council of Faith Formation Sue Hanna & Jane Emge Music Coordinators Erwin Aust KC Grand Knight Bernadette Stanbrough Ladies Guild President Mary Beth Gowing Organist Catholic Charities www.CatholicCharitiesDM.org 515-244-3761 St. Mary's Catholic Church Saturday - Dec 3 3:30PM - Confessions 4:30PM - Mass for Mike Martin+ Sunday - Dec 4 6:30AM - Mass for People of Faith Community 8:30AM - Mass in Hamburg 10:30AM - Mass for Gerald A Head+ Monday - Dec 5 No Mass - Fr. Raphael Day Off Tuesday - Dec 6 9-Noon - Business Forum Meeting - Atlantic 4PM - Mass for Gary Laughlin+ Wednesday - Dec 7 Noon - Mass for Lotus Foster+ Thursday - Dec 8 - Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Noon - Mass for Eileen Dinville+ 7:30PM - Mass for Roena Shea+ Friday - Dec 9 Noon - Mass for Eileen Davey+ Saturday - Dec 10 3:30PM - Confessions 4:30PM - Mass for Peg Callahan+ Sunday - Dec 11 6:30AM - Mass for People of Faith Community 8:30AM - Mass in Hamburg 10:30AM - Mass for James Busick+ Stewardship Report Tithes $1558.00 Plate $ 185.00 Catholic Campaign for Human Development $ 6.00 Building Fund $ 75.00 Total $1824.00 Thanks you for your faithful Stewardship!!! December 4th, 2016 Second Sunday of Advent On this Second Sunday of Advent our focus begins to shift from the end of time to the time immediately before the first coming of Christ into the world. Yet the message is still the same: God's reign is at hand. As we worship together today, let us heed John the Baptist, whose message of preparing those people of Israel so long egos in our own hearts: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths." An Advent Prayer to Prepare My Heart for Christ’s Coming Father, just as You sent John the Baptist to prepare the way for Jesus, help me to clear the path in my heart, too. Show me the distractions in my life that block me from all-out worship of You this Advent. Lord, I await Your coming! As I celebrate the first Advent––the first coming––I look toward the day where I will see You face to face. I imagine what it will be like. Give me a heart, Lord, that looks for Your coming on a daily basis. Help me to live my life where I'm constantly seeking Your presence. My offering to You today is my righteous life for I know I am only clean because of Jesus. Show me today how I need to be refined, purified, forgiven. Give me the strength to ask for forgiveness and to then change my ways.
St. Mary's Catholic Church Saturday - Dec 3 3:30PM - Confessions 4:30PM - Mass for Mike Martin+ Sunday - Dec 4 6:30AM - Mass for People of Faith Community 8:30AM - Mass in Hamburg 10:30AM - Mass for Gerald A Head+ Monday - Dec 5 No Mass - Fr. Raphael Day Off Tuesday - Dec 6 9-Noon - Business Forum Meeting - Atlantic 4PM - Mass for Gary Laughlin+ Wednesday - Dec 7 Noon - Mass for Lotus Foster+ Thursday - Dec 8 - Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Noon - Mass for Eileen Dinville+ 7:30PM - Mass for Roena Shea+ Friday - Dec 9 Noon - Mass for Eileen Davey+
Saturday - Dec 10 3:30PM - Confessions 4:30PM - Mass for Peg Callahan+ Sunday - Dec 11 6:30AM - Mass for People of Faith Community 8:30AM - Mass in Hamburg 10:30AM - Mass for James Busick+
Stewardship Report Tithes $1558.00
Plate $ 185.00
Catholic Campaign for
Human Development $ 6.00
Building Fund $ 75.00
Total $1824.00
Thanks you for your faithful Stewardship!!!
December 4th, 2016 Second Sunday of Advent
On this Second Sunday of Advent our focus begins to shift from the end of time to the time immediately before the first coming of Christ into the world.
Yet the message is still the same: God's reign is at hand. As we worship together today, let us heed John the Baptist, whose message of preparing
those people of Israel so long egos in our own hearts: "Prepare the way of the
Lord, make straight his paths."
An Advent Prayer to Prepare My
Heart for Christ’s Coming
Father, just as You sent John the
Baptist to prepare the way for
Jesus, help me to clear the path in
my heart, too. Show me the
distractions in my life that block
me from all-out worship of You
this Advent. Lord, I await Your
coming! As I celebrate the first
Advent––the first coming––I look
toward the day where I will see
You face to face. I imagine what it
will be like. Give me a heart, Lord,
that looks for Your coming on a
daily basis. Help me to live my life
where I'm constantly seeking Your
presence. My offering to You
today is my righteous life for I
know I am only clean because of
Jesus. Show me today how I need
to be refined, purified, forgiven.
Give me the strength to ask for
forgiveness and to then change my
ways.
WHAT'S HAPPENING AT ST. MARY'S
Gospel Lesson "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, lection 2230
Ministers of Service Saturday Dec 10
4:30PM Mass
Sunday Dec 11
6:30AM Mass
Sunday Dec 11
10:30AM Mass Eucharistic Ministers Tom Hanna
Mike Teachout Donna Jauron Tim Moyer
Lynda Marshall Melissa Godfread Brad Johnson Emily Daoust
Lector Laurie Johnson Dana Wenstrand Joan Bloom
Ushers Gary Nebel Pam Nebel
Bob Stanbrough Tom Troxel
Altar Servers Gabe Johnson Elliott Aultman
Shut-Ins 1. Kay Frederick *if you are unable to do shut-ins, please find a replacement or call the office.
Cantors 4:30PM - Nancy Larson 10:30AM - Sue Hanna
Money Counters Mike Dinville & Ned Dermody
Cycle A -- Reflections on the Readings Second Sunday of Advent
Isaiah 11:1-10; Psalm 72; Romans 15:4-9; Matthew 3:1-12
The readings of today on the second Sunday of Advent address the challenges inherent in the exercise of authority.
The first nine verses of Chapter 11 of the Book of Isaiah may come from a coronation ceremony. The crowning of a new king gives people hope that this leader will be genuinely interested in their plight. The reading pleads for peace. The king's zeal for peace is so great that even predatory animals are no threat. Such a ruler could bring international security in place of military oppression.
Psalm 72 was probably recited on the occasion of a coronation or its anniversary. Borrowing from the court style of the ancient Near East, it emphasizes justice, peace, long life, and a worldwide kingdom. Like the first reading, it expresses the deep aspirations of the governed that the king will be concerned about their problems. Peace is much more than the cessation of hostilities. It embraces the celebration of life because people's needs are met.
Matthew presents John the Baptist as the first Christian preacher. Wearing the clothes of a latter-day Elijah (see 2 Kings 1:8), John solemnly proclaims that God is undertaking a new involvement with humankind.
John's is a baptism of repentance requiring the convert to adopt a new way of thinking and acting. The unlikely combination of Pharisees and Sadducees in this passage is evidence of this desire to reform. Calling upon Abraham is not enough; one must live according to the demands of the coming King. This King embraces the hurting: "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).
Baptism is a share in the royal messianic mission of Jesus. Anyone who shares this mantle also shares royal responsibilities, in particular, care for the afflicted and the hurting. In what ways are you preparing the way of the Lord?
WHAT'S HAPPENING AT ST. MARY'S
Fr. Bob Hoefler’s Prayer “Lord, I don’t know what this day will bring. I accept it as your gift to me and I ask you to help me live it as well as I can with the confidence that
will see me through all that happens-good and bad. Thank you for the peace that faith in you can bring. Help me never to lose faith in you. Amen.” Fr. Bob Hoefler July 10, 1947 – August 7, 2013, beloved pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Des Moines, Iowa.
M ESSAGE FROM BISHOP PATES
“Father Hoefler blessed our community in exercising a priesthood that was sacrificial, generous and effective. May he now enjoy the fullness of life with the Risen Savior forever.”
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ADVENT CANDLE CEREMONY
2nd
Sunday Leader: Christ is the Light that takes away the darkness All: Come, O Christ, the Light of the world. Leader: The glory of the Lord will be revealed, All: And all will see the saving power of our God. The candle is now lighted by the parishioner.
Leader: The Bethlehem candle, a symbol of preparation, is added on the Second Sunday of Advent. The prophecy of Micah that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5.2) has significance because it indicates how God had prepared even the least detail of the coming of Christ; and, “… He who promised us is faithful!” (Hebrews 10:23). ALL: The Lord is the joy of the humble, the treasure of the poor. And so we pray: Father, as the day of the Messiah’s coming draws near, make us a people of compassion and forgiveness. May all that we do and say make ready the way of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. We make this prayer through Jesus, Emmanuel, our God-with-us.
Finance Meeting Wednesday, December 14 6:30PM - Parish Hall
Ladies Guild News - Dana Wenstrand has invited us to her country home for our December Guild lunch outing! This will be Monday, Dec 12th, noon. RSVP to Bernadette, 712-370-2912, by Sunday Dec 11th. No cost for lunch, but if you'd like bring item for our local Food Pantry. Come join us! Ladies Guild will be collecting Christmas gifts for Garden View residents. Mark your gift Man or Woman and put in box at Church entry. Garden View Christmas party is Dec 15th so we will collect gifts thru Dec 12th. This is the only gift some residents receive. Thanks for your generosity!!!
Message from Fr. Raphael Assamah
Advent is a season on the Church's liturgical calendar year marked by a spiritual time of prayerful waiting, expectation, and preparation during the four weeks before Christmas. The Advent prayers collected in special Advent prayer books call to mind our spiritual preparation for the Lord's coming on Christmas Day, His present coming into our hearts, and His second coming at the end of the world.
It is that hope, however faint at times, and that God, however distant He sometimes seems, which brings to the world the anticipation of a King who will rule with truth and justice and righteousness over His people and in His creation. It is that hope that once anticipated, and now anticipates anew, the reign of an Anointed One, a Messiah, who will bring peace and justice and righteousness to the world.
Part of the expectation also anticipates a judgment on sin and a calling of the world to accountability before God. We long for God to come and set the world right! Yet, as the prophet Amos warned, the expectation of a coming judgment at the "Day of the Lord" may not be the day of light that we might want, because the penetrating light of God’s judgment on sin will shine just as brightly on God’s people.
Advent is also known as the "little Lent" and is a time of fasting and penance as we wait for the joy of the birth of Christ to dispel the world's darkness.
The Advent theme of spiritual preparation involves special Advent prayers that are focused on waiting, watching, and hoping for the Lord's coming. Many Advent prayer books include daily prayers during the four weeks of December, while others include meditations and reflections on the writings of popular Catholics and saints such as Pope John Paul II or Fulton Sheen. Other Advent wreath prayers are meant specifically to be said along with the lighting of an Advent wreath. Advent prayer books are a great way to prepare your hearts and minds--and the hearts and minds of your children and families--for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
May our preparation for the coming of Christ finds us awake and ready with the garment of righteousness.
WHAT'S HAPPENING AT ST. MARY'S
new din life.
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PARISH INFORMATION Church Office Hours - Mon - Weds - Fri 9-4, Tues 9-1, Thurs 9-5. Deadline for Bulletin news is noon on Wednesday. Baptism - Please contact Father Raphael or the Church Office to schedule a Baptism. A class is offered to first-time parents. Matrimony - Please call Father Raphael or the Church Office at least SIX MONTHS before your desired wedding date and before you make any other arrangements. ANOINTING OF THE SICK - Please contact Father Raphael or Church Office if someone in the parish is in the hospital, and need the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick or if a shut-in is in need of communion brought to them. PARISH REGISTRATION - If you would like to register in the parish, please introduce yourself by stopping by the Church Office. Forms are also available at the back of Church. Completed form can be dropped off in the collection basket. HALL RENTAL SCHEDULING - Please contact the Church Office. All communication must be done with the Church Office to schedule the usage of the Parish Hall. No parishioner is ever to take anything off the church property that is owned by the Church without permission. If you are in need of sacramental records or would like Masses offered for anyone, please contact the Church Office. Envelopes are in back of Church and can be put in collection basket. Masses are $5.00 per Mass. ______________________________________________________________________
Knights of Columbus - Join the Catholic Men's K of C's. K of C #1479 will have a 1st Degree Initiation prior to their Tuesday, December 13th monthly meeting at 6pm at St. Mary's hall in Shenandoah. All prospective new members are encouraged and welcome to attend. Any questions, call Grand Knight, Ernie Aust at 712-215-0553.
Please join the Religious Education and Youth Ministry students on December 18th as
they will be having a Christmas Program after the 10:30 Mass. The Ladies Guild will
host a small reception following the Program.
There will be no classes on December 25th and January 1st. Have a blessed holiday!
Please like us on Facebook! Religious Education has their own page. Posts of activities, events, cancellations, etc. will be found here!
St. Mary’s Faith Formation – Shenandoah
An Altar Server Training session is going to be held Sunday, December 4th at 3PM in the Parish Hall. All Altar Servers and all children 3rd Grade and above are encouraged to attend this session. Parents, please let Lynda Marshall know if you are planning to attend.
St. Mary's Church is seeking 2 Volunteers to count Money on Monday mornings after 9AM. If you can help, please contact the Diane at 712-246-1718.
St. Mary's Choir will be having Choir Practice every Monday night at 7:30pm. We gladly welcome new members.
