Saint Mar y of the Assumption West Point & Saint Boniface Farmington

December 8, 2019 Weekend Mass Schedule Saturday 5:30 pm St. Mary’s Sunday 8:00 am St. Mary’s Sunday 10:30 am St. Boniface

St. Mary Parish Office 109 4th Street • P.O. Box 68 West Point, IA 52656

Phone ............................................. (319) 837-6808 Email .................... westpointstmary@diodav.org Website ..................... www.westpointstmary.org Parish Council President .............. George Kieler Trustee ........................................ Anthony Schulte Trustee ..................................... Roger Fullenkamp

Saint Boniface Parish Office 609 Washington Street • P.O. Box 247 Farmington, IA 52626

Phone ............................................ (319) 878-3736 Parish Council President ............... Craig Witting Trustee ........................................... Todd Herdrich Trustee ............................... Richard Breckenridge

Pastoral Staff Pastor Rev. Dennis Hoffman ................. (319) 837-8120 Office Phone ............................... (319) 837-6808 E-Mail .............................. hoffmand@diodav.org Rectory Address………………603 Bel Air Dr Fr. Dennis’ Office Hours: Tuesday ............................... 10:30 am to Noon Wednesday ..................... 10:00 am to 11:30 am

Parish Coordinator Rebecca Hannum ......................... (319) 837-6808 E-Mail .............. westpointstmarypa@diodav.org Rebecca’s Office Hours Monday-Friday………....8:00 am to 4:00 pm

Secretary Deb Fullenkamp .......................... (319) 837-6808 E-Mail………….westpointstmary@diodav.org Deb’s Office Hours Monday-Thursday ................ 8:00 am to Noon Every other Friday ............... 8:00 am to Noon

Director of Religious Education Dixie Booten ................................. (319) 837-8905 Cell ................................................. (319) 371-5043 Email .............. westpointstmarydre@diodav.org

John wore clothing made of camel's hair and had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. At that time Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. - Mt 3:4-6

Eucharistic Adoration Friday (WP) 8:00 am-5:00 pm. Confessions Saturday (WP) 4:30-5:00 pm and as announced. Baptisms /Weddings Please fill out a form found on the Parish website and call St. Mary’s Parish Office at (319) 837-6808 to make an appt. with Father. For weddings please contact the office 6 months prior to the wedding. Sick Calls: Contact the Parish Office if you or a family member are unable to attend Mass and receive the Sacraments due to illness or age. Please notify the Parish Office if you go into the hospital, we would like to visit you.

Parish Prayer Lines St. Mary…...Eleanor Menke @(319) 837-6895 St. Boniface……….(319) 835-5520/592-3238

Holy Trinity Catholic Schools Website .................. www.holytrinityschools.org CAO: Michael Sheerin • (319) 837-6131 School Board President: Steve Link School Board Vice President: Loren Menke West Point Representative: Ray Menke

High School (Grades 7-12) Principal: Jason Woodley •(319) 372-2486 2600 Avenue A • Fort Madison, IA 52627

Elementary (Grades K-6) Principal: Michael Sheerin • (319) 837-6131 413 Avenue C • West Point, IA 52656

Early Childhood Center 413 Avenue C • West Point, IA ,52657 Phone (319)837-6131 2213 Avenue J • Fort Madison, IA 52627 Phone (319) 372-6428

Second Collection

Gifts cards for those experiencing challenging circumstances.

Dec 9 Immaculate Conception HTC School Board Dec 13 HTC Homecoming Dec 15 SM Lessons & Carols Dec 17 SB Parish Council Mtg Dec 18 SM decorate church Please come and help. Dec 27 NO ADORATION

Parish Offices Closed

Tuesday, Dec. 24th - Wednesday Jan. 1st.

For Christmas & New Years

The Knights of Columbus monthly meeting

for December is cancelled. Meetings will

resume January 28th. Meetings are held the

4th Tuesday of every month. All members are

encouraged to attend and help out anyway

they can. We need your participation to help

guide us in our efforts and provide suggestion

for future activities.

An Advent Activity for the whole family.

Once again this year St. Mary's will be participating in the Reverse Advent Calendar for the Fort Madison Food Pantry. Instead of receiving something each day of Advent with the reverse calendar you place a non-perishable food item in a box each day as designated by the calendar. At the end advent boxes are donated to the Food Pantry. If you would like to

participate you need not take your box to the food pantry simply bring it back to the church and it will be delivered for you. Maria Rauenbuehler will be coordinating this service project and will be placing Advent Collection boxes in the Ossenbrink Center.

Parishes Dec. 8th 1:00 pm St. John, Houghton

Dec. 8th 2:30 pm St. Mary, West Point

Dec. 8th 4:00 pm Ss Mary & Joseph, Ft. Madison

Dec. 15th 11:30 am St. Boniface, Farmington

Religious Ed Dec. 18th 7:00 pm St. Mary’s, West Point

St. Mary's will be joining with organizations throughout Lee County to support Christmas for Kids and Teens once again this year Christmas for Kids and Teens benefits lower income families with children newborn through 18 years old in North Lee County including; Montrose, Argyle, Donnellson, Fort Madison, Wever, Denmark, St. Paul, Pilot Grove, Houghton and West Point. There is a collection box located in the Ossenbrink Center. Toys, books, gift cards and cash are all wonderful, welcome donations. Donations can be dropped off no later than December 8th.

Christmas Mass Schedule

Tuesday, December 24th

St. Mary’s @ 4:00 pm

(Children may bring an unwrapped gift to Baby Jesus

diapers, wipes, formula, etc.)

St. Boniface @ 7:00 pm

St. Mary’s @ 10:00 pm

(Choir sings Christmas Carols at 9:30 pm)

Wednesday, December 25th

St. Mary’s @ 8:00 am Mary Mother of God

(Holy Day of Obligation)

Tuesday, December 31st St. Boniface @ 5:30 pm

Wednesday, January 1st

St. Mary’s @ 8:00 am

Advent Penance Service

In recognizing the holidays can be a difficult time for families after the loss of a loved one the funeral homes in West Point invite you to their holiday remembrance service.

Schmitz Funeral Home: Tuesday December 10th @ 6:30 pm in Donnellson,

Thursday, December 12th @ 3:00 in Farmington Saturday, December 14th @ 9:00 am

Happy times and events bring fond memories and a renewed sense of love and kinship with others. The anticipation is half the joy of the event itself. The coming of the Lord is that kind of event that people have been looking forward to for generations with fervent hope and desire. We know that Christmas is rushed. Sales begin in August and carols blare long before the season begins. Everyone laments the commercial aspects of the season, but as Advent begins, do something to help you be more mindful of the Lord’s coming. Use an Advent wreath, or enthrone the Bible prominently, or read the readings from the Bible assigned to each day. Postpone the tree and decorations until closer to Christmas. Establish new

family rituals, customs and prayers that help remind everyone that we are preparing to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Fasting, daily Mass, a special celebration of reconciliation, reaching out to those alienated from family or society, and visiting the homebound manifest the love of the Christ Child and the Holy Family. Resist the temptation to rush the season. In his own time and in his own way, God will come. Our task is simply to be watchful and ready.

As we prepare for Christmas by decorating our homes for the coming of the infant Jesus, why not volunteer to do the same for our church. We are asking for volunteers to help move decorations from storage to the church after 8:00 am Mass on Sunday, December 15th. Some of the boxes are heavy so it would be nice to have some men volunteers. On Wednesday, December 18th after the Mass we will need help putting the decoration out. Please volunteer to help us prepare the church for the birth of our Lord, the infant child Jesus.

The Flower Cottage in Ft. Madison (phone #372-3675) will offer poinsettias locally grow at a discount price for churches. The poinsettias come sleeved and the pots will be decorated with foil of your choosing. They will also include a memorial card and deliver them to the church. Please give them our church name along with the person you wish to remember. The Flower Cottage will be delivering them on Friday, December 20th. We ask that all flowers donated be in the Ossenbrink Center on that day.

Pope Francis unveiled a massive bronze sculpture depicting 140 migrants in Saint Peter’s Square in the Vatican Sunday, September 29th the first sculpture to be installed in the piazza in over 400 years. The presence of the sculpture in St Peter’s Square is meant to commemorate the 105th World Day of Migrants and Refugees. The 20-foot tall, 3.5-ton bronze sculpture was created by Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz at the behest of the Vatican’s office for Migrants and Refugees, after impressing the pope with his sculpture “Homeless Jesus” in November 2013. Timothy Schmaltz, has spent 25 years sculpting large-scale works in bronze. They are installed all over the world, including Rome and the Vatican. The migrant sculpture bears the title “Angels Unaware” in reference to the biblical passage from the Letter to the Hebrews: “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” “Angels Unawares” is a life-size sculpture in bronze and clay, that depicts a group of migrants and refugees from different cultural and

racial backgrounds and from diverse historic periods in time. The figures stand together, shoulder to shoulder, huddled on a raft. Within this diverse crowd of people, angel wings emerge from the center, suggesting the presence of something sacred among them. In fact, the sculptural work interprets the belief that the sacred is to be found in the stranger, in this case, in refugees and migrants. In unveiling the sculpture at midday Sunday, the pope was accompanied by the artist along with four migrants. Earlier that morning, the pontiff celebrated an open-air Mass in the Square dedicated to migrants and refugees. During his Angelus message, the pope said that he was inaugurating the work to emphasize the Church’s commitment to migrants and refugees. “I wanted this artistic work here in St. Peter’s Square, to remind everyone of the evangelical challenge of hospitality,” he said. ~Parts taken from Vatican News

St. Mary Liturgical Roles

Saturday, (December 14) at 5:30 pm Lead Rosary: Dixie Booten Ushers: Matthew & Jill Garmoe Dalton Robu, Mike Salata Greeters: Myrna McVey, Mary Jane Montgomery Servers : Owen Krogmeier, Alison Robu Maria Rauenbuehler Lector: Karen Box Gift bearers: Carl & Rita Holtz E. Ministers: Susan Fedler, Karen Box, Sarah Schierbrock Bulletins: Matthew & Jill Garmoe Bernie & Ann Abolt Scrip: Alice McCannon, Maureen McGuire

Sunday, (December 15) at 8:00 am Lead Rosary: Kate Menke Ushers: Mel Sanders, Paul Walker Ron Fedler, Joseph Moran Greeters: Paul & Bess Walker Servers : Nick Booten, Lauren Otte, Chase Menke Lector: Nathan Menke Gift bearers: Tad & Angie Boeding E. Ministers: Steve & Sue Conrad, Marvin Menke Bulletins: Paul & Bess Walker, Mike & Nancy Sanders Scrip: Betty Ellison, Sandy Bethurem Counters: Sasha Rea, Jan Winnike

St. Boniface Liturgical Roles Sunday, (December 15) at 10:30 am Rosary: Liz Linnenbrink Ushers: Ellie & Bo Herdrich Greeters: Janey Lamborn, Mike Linnenbrink Servers : Ellie & Bo Herdrich Lector: Jessica Moore Gift bearers: Ted Wenke Family E. Ministers: Pat & Richard Millmier, Mark Meek Counters: Gavin Burgess, Kathy Bartholomew

St. Mary Mass Schedule Weekend Saturday (WP) 5:30 pm Sunday (WP) 8:00 am, (FA) 10:30 am Weekday Tuesday (FA) 9:00 am Every Third Tuesday (FA) 7:00 pm Wednesday (WP) 8:45 am Plus Second Wednesday (WP) Rel Ed Mass 6:30 pm 1st & 3rd Thursday (WPCC) 10:00 am Other Thursdays (WP) 7:30 am 1st Friday (WP) 5:30 am 1st Friday (DNCC) 10:00 am Other Fridays (WP) 7:30 am

Mass Intentions

The Parishioners of St. Mary’s & St. Boniface pray the rosary for world peace before weekend Masses.

Stewardship of Treasure

December 1, 2019 St. Mary’s

Adults $3,552.00 Offertory $145.00 Challenging circumstances $228.00 CCHD $60.00 Cemetery $100.00 Christmas $20.00 Votive lights $35.00 HTC $2,827.00 Envelopes 90

St Boniface Adults $1,021.00 Offertory $88.00 Votive lights $5.00 Envelopes 24

Tuesday, December 10 Parishioners

Wednesday, December 11 Ralph & Henrietta Blint

Thursday, December 12 Mary Rose Fedler

Friday, December 13 Lawrence Menke

Saturday, December 14 Ambrose & Ronnie Merschbrock

Sunday, December 15 Robert Kassmeyer Parishioners

Readings for the Week December 8, 2019

Sunday: Is 11:1-10/ Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 19/ Rom 15:4-9/Mt 3:1-12 Monday: Gn 3:9-15, 20/Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4/ Eph 1:3-6, 11-12/Lk 1:26-38 Tuesday: Is 40:1-11/Ps 96:1-2, 3 and 10ac, 11-12, 13/ Mt 18:12-14 Wednesday: Is 40:25-31/Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8 and 10/Mt 11:28-30 Thursday: Jgs 13:2-7, 24-25a/Ps 71:3-4a, 5-6ab, 16-17/ Lk 1:5-25 Friday: Is 48:17-19/Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6/Mt 11:16-19 Saturday: Sir 48:1-4, 9-11/Ps 80:2ac and 3b, 15-16, 18-19/ Mt 17:9a, 10-13 Sunday: Is 35:1-6a, 10/ Ps 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10 / Jas 5:7-10/Mt 11:2-11

AN ADVENT FESTIVAL OF LESSON AND CAROLS

On Sunday, December 15, 2019, we will celebrate an Advent Festival of Lessons and Carols at St. Mary’s. Through scripture, song, and prayer we will observe our joyful Advent waiting, together as a community. Please plan to

come and bring your family to be part of this parish event. It will be held in the church from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. A reception will follow in the Ossenbrink Center.

Mass Intentions St. Mary’s and St. Boniface will begin scheduling Mass intentions for 2020 beginning the first of December. Intentions are $5.00 per Mass and you may schedule up to six a year. (Three being on weekends and three being on weekdays.) Mass intention over the six will be sent to the Diocese for seminarians to say. Please call or stop by the parish office with your request or any questions.