Our website: ihmparishlansing.org Find us on Facebook: Facebook.com/IHMLansing
Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish 3815 South Cedar Street Lansing, MI 48910 517-393-3030
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Stewardship: A way of Life…
Mass Schedule The Week Ahead
Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Lansing, MI Sunday, December 29, 2013 Page 2 website: ihmparishlansing.org
Sunday the 29th: The Holy Family
4:30 pm (Saturday) Elmer Barker —his girls
7:30 am Bud & Margaret Debo —Stan & Lynda Smith
9:30 am For the People of the Parish
11:30 am Mark Pearson —Marji & Rachel Pearson
Monday the 30th
8 am Intentions of Jennifer VanSumeren —Laurene Moore
Tuesday the 31st: New Year’s Eve
4:30 pm Daniel Emerick —Laurene Moore
Wednesday the 1st: New Year’s Day
9 am Leo Robles —Family
Thursday the 2nd: Saints Basil the Great/Gregory Nazianzen
8 am Rosalyn Spitzley —Linda & Pete Droste
Friday the 3rd
8 am Cody & Connor Baker —Faggion Family
Saturday the 4th: Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
8 am Ruth Reid and Carl & Vedetta Nichols —Family
4:30 pm Jennie Hunt —Joe & Mary Ann Nemshak
Sunday the 5th: The Epiphany of the Lord
7:30 am For the People of the Parish
9:30 am Dawn Simon —Blaine & Patti Simon
11:30 am Intentions of Pearl Shaughnessy —Rita Addison
Monday the 30th
No Edge 7th & 8th Grades, resume January 6th
No Charismatic Prayer Group
Tuesday the 31st
(Parish Office is open until 5 pm)
(Catechism Study will resume January 7)
Wednesday the 1st
Parish Office Closed - Happy New Year!
Thursday the 2nd
Parish Office Closed
Friday the 3rd
Bible Study 9:30 Parish Office
Saturday the 4th
Rosary Making 9 am Parish Office
Eucharistic Festival of Praise 7 pm Church (see pg. 5)
Sunday the 5th
Coffee & Donuts after 9:30 Mass Parish Family Center Religious Education Preschool—K 9:30 am Nursery Care 9:30 am room 104 Life Teen 5 pm Parish Family Center Confirmation Meeting 5 pm Parish Family Center Bible Study 6 pm Parish Office
Readings for next Sunday:
Is 60: 1-6, Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6
Mt 2:1-12 (20)
Parish Financial Stewardship
Sunday, December 22:
Please check next week’s bulletin for financial updates including our new Capital Campaign “Building Together with Christ.”
Please remember to return your Stewardship Commitment card. Our budgeting begins in January.
Total collected through 11/29: $ 406,680 Total budget: $ 405,110
Thank You Thank you to the advertisers on the back of our bulletin. In January, Dave Chulski, a representative from our bulletin publisher, Diocesan Publications, will be seeking new and renewing present parish bulletin ads. If you are interested in advertising please call the parish office for contact information. This is an excellent opportunity for local businesses to increase their visibility in the community. Advertising in the bulletin allows this publication to be printed each week at no cost to our parish.
May the Year 2014 bring peace, joy, hope and the love of Jesus to each of you.
Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish Sunday, December 29, 2013
517-393-3030 ihmparishlansing.org Page 3
Feast of the Holy Family: Learning to Love, Pray and Live in the School of Nazareth
Jesus spent 30 of his 33 earthly years in Nazareth. Some spiritual writers have called these the 'hidden years', because there is so little written about them in the Gospel narratives. However, they reveal the holiness of ordinary life and show us how it becomes extraordinary for those baptized into Christ. From antiquity the Christian family has rightly been called a domestic church. In our own Christian family we can learn the way of selfless love in the School of Nazareth.
During the Octave (eight days) of Christmas we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family. The significance of the Feast unfolds when we come to understand the deeper truths it reveals. It teaches us about Jesus, Mary, and Joseph - and about each one of us and our own families. Through our Baptism, we are invited to live our lives in Christ by living them in the Church - which is the Risen Body of Christ. The Church is the place where we learn, as the Apostle Paul reminded the Colossian Christians, to "put on love, that is, the bond of perfection". (Col. 3:14)
The Gospel of the Liturgy is taken from the presentation of Jesus in the temple account in St. Luke and the beautiful canticle of Zechariah. (Luke 2:22-40) However, upon leaving the temple to return to Nazareth, we read these words: "When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him."
The Christian family is the first cell of the whole Church. It is the place where we begin the journey toward holiness and become more fully human. The Incarnate Word, Jesus Christ, became one of us. He was born into a human family. That was neither accidental nor incidental. There, in what the late Pope Paul VI called the "School of Nazareth", we can learn the way of love. The late Pope's reflection called "The Example of Nazareth" is in the Office of Readings for the Liturgy of the Hours (the breviary) for the Feast of the Holy family.
The house of Nazareth is a school of prayer where we learn to listen, to meditate, to penetrate the deepest meaning of the manifestation of the Son of God, drawing
our example from Mary, Joseph and Jesus.
Every moment of his time among us Jesus was saving, redeeming, and re-creating the world. From his conception, throughout His saving life, death and Resurrection, the One whom scripture calls the "New Adam" was making all things new. The Fathers of the last great Council of the Church put it this way: In the holy habitation of Nazareth Jesus transformed family life. Already blessed as God's plan for the whole human race and the first society, the Christian family has been elevated in Christ to a Sacrament, a vehicle of grace and sign of God's presence. The Church proclaims Christian marriage, and the family founded upon it, is a vocation, a response to the call of the Lord. In the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, we learn the way of love in the School of Nazareth.
Article adapted by the IHM Worship Commission. Information taken from Deacon Fournier’s 1/1/2012 homily at www.catholic.org
FAITH
Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish Sunday, December 29, 2013
Page 4 Website: ihmparishlansing.org
Handing on the (through the Domestic Church)
with Jen Brown
“Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern
what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.” —Romans 12:2
The Incarnation: Christ in His Creation “The word was made flesh, and dwelt among us”
—John 1:14
Today I looked up the origins of several of our current Christmas traditions – for instance: where did we get the Christmas tree from? Well, some historians say that it was a pagan tradition that Christians adopted. The website ChristmasTreeHistory.com notes that the Egyptians valued evergreens as a symbol of life and that in later centuries, Druid priests used evergreens like mistletoe to symbolize the birth of a god. Some trace the tradition to St. Boniface, saying he first used a fir tree and its triangular shape to explain the Trinity; still others look to Latvia and an event where it was burned in the town square with paper flowers on it. It was most likely Christians in Germany who brought in the Christian meaning and popularized the Christmas tree as we know it today.
When the Puritans came over from the Old World, they rejected any parts of Christmas that had anything pagan associated with it. So Christmas trees? Banned. Mistletoe? Gone. But not so with the Catholics!
There is such a thing as a “Catholic worldview”, a way in which we view Christ and all of reality. Our nation tends to see things from a Protestant/Puritan point of view and it can be easy for us to view our faith that way, too. For many Protestants, religion is imposed on the culture, put on top of a bad mess. Everything in the world is bad, and the Word of God – the Bible – is the antidote.
But a thoroughly Catholic viewpoint is quite different. Catholic thinking is based in reality: It’s not one of many lenses, it is THE lens. It isn’t something we put on for Sunday or when a situation goes bad, but a way of seeing everything in light of truth. When we say that marriage is between one man and woman it is because we look to the Creator of marriage and get His understanding of what marriage is, rather than our own.
One of the beautiful things about the Catholic viewpoint is that it allows us to look at creation and see Christ in it. He invites us to see him in all that he created. He not only came into human culture, he used things in human culture to show who God is and what His own mission was. He used images and stories that the people around him would understand in order to explain deeper realities. He used their culture and the symbols of their culture to teach them about God’s love and his plan of salvation.
Symbols help us understand God: a Christmas tree is alive when other trees are dead. We can see the pagan traditions of the evergreen and say Yes: they CAN be a symbol of life AND they symbolize that a God was born. A wreath can remind us of eternal life. The star in Bethlehem and candles: that Christ is the light of the world. Some symbols effect what they symbolize (the Sacraments). Water symbolizes cleansing, but it also baptizes, cleansing the new Christian of sin. Bread symbolizes sustenance but it also becomes the Body of Christ for our nourishment.
So when we look at things in our culture, we can look at their true nature and see God in them. So, a tree – which in itself is good, because it was created by God – might be used for ill (pagans worshiping it). But this doesn’t mean that we can’t use a tree to celebrate life. An evergreen helps us to imagine everlasting life. So why not use that symbol in our culture at Christmas?
Movies are my favorite way of using something in our culture to explain deeper realities. I can see in movies like Gladiator (my favorite movie) conversions and virtue. I can watch “The King’s Speech” (my second favorite movie) and see how a man chooses to overcome his fears to become one of the greatest leaders of his country and be challenged to overcome my fears so that I can serve God’s people. We can take any number of things in our world and look at them through a Catholic
worldview and ask “Can this be used to show Christ?” After all, St Patrick and his use of the shamrock to explain the Trinity!
Why can we do this? The ultimate use of culture is Christ becoming man. He came to us in a way that we could understand most deeply. We know what it is like to be human and he became human so that every human in every culture for all times could know him. Christ, the son of God, in all of his divine glory condescended and became one of us. Let us not forget how incredible and insane this is. Why would a God with all of his power and omnipotence choose to inhabit our limited, finite flesh? He did so, so that we could see ourselves through his eyes. His flesh is our flesh. “…Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself…” (Phil 2:6-7)
Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish ihmparishlansing.org 517 393-3030 FAX 393-0855
3815 South Cedar St. Lansing, Michigan 48910 Page 5
Children's Stewardship Corner…
Donations benefit St. Vincent Home for Children
Total to date: $ 829.75 Thank you for your good deeds!
Children’s Nursery Nursery care is a long time tradition at IHM during the Sunday 9:30 Mass experience. IHM is blessed to have two coordinators, Rochelle and Kevin Caslavka who provide this wonderful service. If your child is under three years old this program is offered in the north wing in room 104. For more details contact JoAnn Angers at 393-3033.
1st Eucharist Candidates IHM’s religious education, school, and homeschool programs will gather to be presented and prayed over. This event will take place January 11 and 12 during the 4;30, 9;30, and 11:30 Mass celebrations. These young people have prepared posters to introduce themselves and their families. They are sharing how their family prays, plays, and works together while seeking the prayerful support of the parish family. Posters will be on display in the gathering space.
Festival of Praise & Worship Join us this Saturday, January 4 (the first Saturday of the month) at 7 pm in Church for beautiful worship music, dynamic praise, prayer teams and Eucharistic Adoration. This event is city-wide presented by St. Mary Cathedral, St. Casimir, IHM and Resurrection Parishes.
Do you ever wonder? Is there more to life than this? Why is everyone talking about Jesus? Who is he? Why did he die? Can God really guide us? There are many questions we ask in this journey of life. We may be asking them or we may have friends who are asking these questions. Everyone at IHM and your friends are invited to a series of dinners, a video and discussion about the big questions of life. We begin on January 30 at 6:30 pm in the Parish Family Center and continue for 10 weeks together. To make sure we have enough food, we ask that you call the parish office and register for the "Alpha Course" by January 24th. If you can, bring $5 to help with the cost of supplies. We can't wait to see you!
Ministry to the Grieving Sparrow Hospice Bereavement services: Individual and group opportunities, contact Jana Johnson (517) 364-7208.
Susan Zimmerman (517) 339-4675 leads grieving in a discovery process of transformation, she is an author and presenter located in East Lansing and is certified in her field.
Toward Healing: Coping with the death of your child: The first of a ten-week series will start Monday January 13, 7 pm at St. James Catholic Church. “Understanding Your Grief: Ten Essential Touchstones for Finding Hope and Healing Your Heart.” Contact Rose Robertson, 676-5513 ([email protected]) or Pat Mentzer at 676-4232.
IHM has prayer circles who can be connected with to pray for those who have lost members of their family or friendship circles. Call the parish office at 517-393-3030 or email [email protected].
Focus on Youth. . . New Year It may be somewhat superficial, but the changing of the year gives us a natural excuse to set goals. New Year’s Resolutions can be a great thing, especially if we stick with them. Here are a few tips to help you stay on track for achieving your goals:
Be Real. We can set ourselves up to fail if we set our goals unrealistically. I may want my goal to be winning the lottery, but that’s not something I can realistically control or work towards. Sometimes, even something achievable can appear insurmountable if we have unrealistic expectations.
Track It. Writing your goal down, following the progress, and seeing the results helps immensely. It gives you something to serve as a visual reminder. Setting points of progress in between your starting point and your ending point help make each step its own reward and the final goal more attainable. There’s nothing more satisfying than checking off a box each day.
Tell Someone. Let people you trust know what you are trying to do. Our friends and family are awesome for support and encouragement as we push through. Other people can also hold you accountable and serve as an extra conscience. If your resolution is something that you can do with someone else, that’s even better. Working together lets you be supportive and supported.
Get Back Up. You might slip up and make a mistake or forget to do something. Maybe an emergency completely changes your schedule. Some days you might just want to quit. Don’t let it get you down. If you fall, pick yourself backup, and keep going. You always have another chance to be better if you keep working at it.
Pray. Last but not least, offer your resolution to God in prayer. Let God be a source of support and strength as we strive to do something new. As Paul tells us, “I have the strength for everything through Him who empowers me” (Phi 4:13). Ask others to pray for you as well, and share in your journey.
(Jay) I have started on my own resolution, and I’ll share my results in about a month. Good luck, and have a great New Year.
Children’s Corner by JoAnn Angers, D.R.E.
The Gospel for December 29, 2013 comes from Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23. In this word search only find the words in capital letters.
JOSEPH WAS TOLD (in a) DREAM (to) TAKE MARY AND JESUS OUT (of) EGYPT (to) KEEP THE INFANT SAFE FROM KING HEROD.
T T F Y H D L O T X
T A K E R W D O Z C
J N R E S A F E E T
Y O A U G S M O R F
D M S F K Y C O Y F
A E G E N I P U C M
J N E I P I N T B K
J P D P E H T G X M
Health Ministry News During the holiday season, have you eaten too much and moved too little? The surplus calories lead to weight gain and weight related diseases such as diabetes. Daily exercise reduces the effects of overeating and lack of activity. Research volunteers who exercised once a day, despite overeating, maintained their blood sugar control and their fat cells did not show adverse changes. The daily exercise protected the volunteers from changes seen in the sedentary control group. Daily exercise can help you stay healthy despite rich holiday meals.
Page 6 ihmparishlansing.org Sunday, December 29, 2013
Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish 3815 South Cedar Street Lansing MI 48910 517-393-3030
IHM-St. Casimir School Kindergarten — 8th Grade, 882-6631
Religious Education
Preschool — 6th Grade, 393-3033
Religious Education 7th/8th Grades & High School
Complimenting Parent Efforts In Nurturing Faith
Dear Parents,
Presentation of Eucharist candidates will take place the weekend of January 11 & 12 during the 4:30, 9:30 & 11:30 masses. Religious education classes for preschoolers will resume January 5. Classes for grades 1 - 6 will restart on January 7.
IHM’s Religious Education Library continues to grow. There are many books and audio visuals that can support children, adults, and families. Take some time to learn of the many works available to support faith growth. If you wish to support building the library in memory of someone or in thanksgiving of someone or something please contact the religious education office. Your gift will be labeled with date and your intention.
Happy New Year from IHM’s Religious Education Staff!
Sincerely, JoAnn Angers, Driector of Religious Education and Social Ministry.
LIFE TEEN Youth Group – Enjoy the New Year, we are off this week. LIFE TEEN resumes next week January 5th. Contact Jay Jong at 393-3030 x221 or [email protected] with any questions.
Confirmation Candidates – Confirmation classes are off until next week January 5th. Don’t forget that Confirmation Retreat paperwork and payments are due if you haven’t done so already! Contact Jay Jong at 393-3030 x221 or [email protected] with any questions while Toni is on maternity leave.
EDGE – Enjoy your break! EDGE resumes next week January 6th. Contact Jay Jong at 393-3030 x221 or [email protected] with any questions while Toni is on maternity leave.
It is Never Too Late to Register… Begin 2014 with family involvement in religious education formation opportunities. Sunday mornings: 3 year olds, four year olds, and five year olds meet during the 9:30 Mass where they learn scripture, songs, stories that support growth in faith. In addition there are many activities and crafts that build on the experiences. TUESDAYS grades 1 - 6 meet during parents choice of the 4:30 & 7:00 pm hours to take part in classes that focus on faith and family where youngsters build on prayer, scripture, service, songs, and many other experiences to nurture and grow faith. If you have questions or would like to register please call JoAnn Angers, Director of Religious Education at (517) 393-3033.
The IHM-St. Casimir School Staff Team wants to wish you and your family a Happy New Year.
As we move into this holiday season, we want to take time to reflect on and show appreciation for your commitment to your children and your belief in IHM-St. Casimir School. We are blessed that you choose us to be partners in the spiritual and academic growth of the children. We are proud to be working with the children and as this year comes to a close we would like to take the time to thank you for this opportunity. May the Year 2014 bring peace, joy, hope and the love of Jesus to each of you. We pray all of you enjoy your family and find time to praise God for His blessings.
I am so touched by the generosity of our school families. I have always been amazed at how our families reach out to take care of our own school families and then you even go beyond that to the community. Moms and Dads you are giving not only your children a beautiful life lesson but you teach all of us about generosity. Thank you so much for sharing the beautiful gift of God’s son with not only your families but with everyone.
Angela Johnston, Principal
Simply Give! When you shop at Meijer on South Pennsylvania, if you donate $10 to the Simply Give program, your donation will be matched by Meijer and given directly to our St. Vincent de Paul Pantry now through January 4, 2014. Donation Cards are available in the gathering space of church, or at the Meijer check out lanes. Simply present the card at checkout along with your $10 donation. Keep your receipt along with the card for your charitable contribution records.
Thank you to our Sponsor of the Week…
Remember to honor our
veterans Brian & Cathy Variano See back of bulletin
Divine Life in the ParishDivine Life in the ParishDivine Life in the ParishDivine Life in the Parish Weekend Masses: Saturday: 4:30 pm Sunday: 7:30 am, 9:30 am, 11:30 am
Weekday Masses: Monday — Saturday: 8 am
Sacrament of Penance: Saturday 3 - 4 pm
Sick and Homebound: Call the parish office to request a hospital visit, sacrament of the sick, or communion.
Infant Baptism: Registered members and their families may arrange through the parish office in advance. Preparation class is normally required.
Sacrament of Marriage: Please make arrangements with the pastor or deacon at least nine months in advance of the proposed wedding date.
Welcome New parishioners! Please register by calling or stopping by the Parish Office. We encourage you to be an active and participating member by attending Sunday Mass weekly and supporting your parish in gratitude for what God has given you.
Mission Statement: As a Christ-centered, Spirit-led faith community, fed by Word and Sacrament, we strive to bring the “Good News” of God’s love into all areas of our lives, that we may draw others to Christ.
Parish Staff Contact Information Parish Office/Staff: 393-3030 Fax: 393-0855 Rev. John Byers, Pastor [email protected] Rev. George Daisy, In Residence Deacons: Bill Fudge & John Cameron
Website: ihmparishlansing.org
Business Mgr: Judy Thomas [email protected] Bookkeeper: Ann Schadler [email protected] Secretaries: Linda Richard [email protected]
Barbara Smith, Bulletin [email protected]
Coordinator of Evangelization & Discipleship 393-3030 Jennifer Brown [email protected]
Religious Education Pre-school – 6th grade…. 393-3033 JoAnn Angers (RCIA for children): [email protected]
Religious Education 7th/8th grades/High School/Young Adults: Jay Jong (LIFE TEEN) [email protected] Toni Watters (7th/8th, Confirm.): [email protected]
RCIA for Adults, Leah Hinman: [email protected]
Adult Faith Formation, Leah Hinman…………. 393-3030
Liturgy & Music, Dave Wiseman: [email protected]
School, Angela Johnston, Principal……...………... 882-6631 [email protected]
Social Ministry/Health Ministry JoAnn Angers .393-3033
Restorative Justice/Change of Heart,………….…..243-8605
St. Vincent de Paul, Dennis Harney……………...393-3030
Knights of Columbus: Ken Balcer Grand Knight...393-3030
[email protected] website: kofc10542.org
ICAP: Counseling Assistance Program……... 393-3030
Rosary Makers, Laurene Moore………………... 393-3030
Adoration Chapel, Jack Chan………………….. 668-8113
Office Hours: Mon and Wed 8:30 am - 5 pm, Tues and Thurs 8:30 am - 7 pm, Friday: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm, Saturday: 9 am - noon Page 7
Our Website: ihmparishlansing.org
Save The Date! Mary of Nazareth Movie showing at Celebration Cinema (E. Edgewood) Thursday, January 2, 6:30 pm, tickets at the door or online. Maryfilm.com.
SINGLES (mid 30s - 60s): Lansing Catholic Singles invite you to join them Jan. 4, 5 pm Mass at St. Martha Parish in Okemos. Meet at 4:40 pm, after Mass we’ll go to dinner and a movie at Studio C! For more information phone (517)321-7886 or email [email protected].
A Weekend Retreat for Men of the Parish: January 17 - 19, “God’s GPS: The Power of the Mass in Our Daily Lives.” This retreat will cover the most important aspects of worship and how they can influence and direct our lives. For reservations or questions call Pete Droste, 694-7047 or St. Francis Retreat Center, 517-669-8321 or 866-669-8321.
Prayer Service for Peace: St. Therese will host for the city of Lansing’s Pax Christi Prayer Service, January 1, 1:00 to 2:15 pm in the Church, 102 West Randolph St. We will remember the widening gap between rich and poor, the injustices that are the result of these differences, the inhumanities that result from these differences and how we can stand in solidarity with the poor to close the gaps and foster peace among peoples. Please consider this time of prayer, discussion and fellowship in the midst of your holiday festivities. All are welcome!
Pilgrimage: Join Father Jerry Hunko on October 5-14, 2014 on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Experience the places where Jesus walked and visit the places he lived and preached. Hotel accommodations will be comfortable and convenient to the holy sites. The group size is limited, so send your deposit today. $3,664.00 from Detroit. Price includes daily Mass, all meals, all taxes & tips. For information and itinerary call Educational Christian Tours, 800-654-4560 ext. 531.
