ST. THOMAS AQUINAS PARISH

MASS SCHEDULE

December 1, 2019 First Sunday of Advent

Saturday, November 30: 4:00 PM Mass at St. John the Baptist 5:30 PM Safety for the Albino children in Tanzania Sunday, December 1: 7:30 AM Rosary for Life 8:00 AM †Mary Jane Popelka 9:30 AM Mass at St. John the Baptist Monday, December 2: 8:00 AM Mass at St. John the Baptist Tuesday, December 3: 8:00 AM Mass at St. John the Baptist Wednesday, December 4: 8:00 AM †Gene Blindauer 8:30-9:30 AM Adoration

Thursday, December 5: 8:00 AM Mass at St. John the Baptist Friday, December 6: 8:00 AM †Jon Ahlswede Saturday, December 7: 4:00 PM Mass at St. John the Baptist 5:00 PM Rosary for Life 5:30 PM †Chuck Leon Sunday, December 8: 8:00 AM †Audrey Barrette 9:30 AM Mass at St. John the Baptist

Liturgical Ministers Schedule

Saturday, 5:30pm November 30 Vigil: First Sunday of Advent

Lector: Konrad Kaczkowski

Ministers: Judith Menne, Duane Dippel, Christopher Donlon, Lynette Fiebrink, Juanita Kasuboski, Christine Koenigs

Sunday, 8:00am December 1 First Sunday of Advent Lector: Mary Jo Jetzer

Ministers: Lisa Holzmann, Diane Slabe, Dennis & JoAnn Streblow, Katherine Suemnicht, Bev Verhulst

Saturday, 5:30pm December 7 Vigil: Second Sunday of Advent

Lector: Lynn Kulow

Ministers: Lynn & Randy Kulow, Christine Koenigs, Judith Menne, Ann Buechel-Haack, Red Platz

Sunday, 8:00am December 8 Second Sunday of Advent Lector: Bill Linn Ministers: Richard Vogel, Al Zemlicka, Bev & Dave Dippel, Lisa Holzmann, Arlene Klaetsch

Holy Dusters: Friday, December 6th

After the 8am Mass. Thank you!

First Sunday of Advent Isaiah 2:1-5

Romans 13:11-14 Matthew 24:37-44

Monday...Matthew 8:5-11 Tuesday...Luke: 10:21-24

Wednesday…Matthew 15:29-37 Thursday...Matthew 7:21, 24-27

Friday...Matthew 9:27-31 Saturday…Matthew 9:35-10:1,5a,6-8

Second Sunday of Advent Isaiah 11:1-10 Romans 15:4-9 Matthew 3:1-12

MASS SCHEDULE

DATE STA SJB

Immac. Conc.

Dec. 9 ———

8:00am

Advent Penance Service

Dec. 16

Dec. 19

———

6:30pm

6:30pm

———

Christmas Eve (Vigil)

Dec. 24 4:00pm 4:00pm

6:00pm 6:00pm

Christmas Day Dec. 25 8:00am 9:30am

Thank You Off the Rail (OTR) Kelley & Daniel Sadiq! JOY NIGHT

Through your generosity the Wednesday Faith Formation program made 30 lunches for Sal-vation Army Homeless Center in Sheboygan. The lunch included OTR style sandwiches

complete with a care note, cookie, pickle, apple and orange. In addition to the lunches the kids

also made 12 Thanksgiving centerpieces for Cedar Landing and started on Christmas gifts

for Rocky Knoll & Meals on Wheels.

November 23 & 24 Collection Stewardship Envelopes $2376.00

Loose Collection $533.00

Bldg. & Maint. Envelopes $30.00

Thank you!

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT ~ DECEMBER 1, 2019

Dear Parishioners: Welcome to the First Sunday of Advent and, with it, to the new Church Year! We are in the “A” Year of the three-year liturgical cycle, so you will be hearing the Gospel of Matthew on Sundays throughout the year. Among the really exciting things to which we can look forward in the new year are: 1. The launching of the 11-week long evangelization program called “Alpha” that has been going strong for the past twenty years or so

in England, Canada, and in many other places around the world. Dave Bardon, one of the trustees at St. Thomas Aquinas, took a long weekend in October to fly to Halifax, Nova Scotia, for an intensive exposure to “Alpha” and came back a true believer in the “Alpha”

dynamic. So, we’re going to give “Alpha” a try at STA and perhaps at SJB, too, if Plymouth folks are ready to take the plunge. More

about this later. 2. “Called For More,” the Catholic Leadership Institute’s initiative designed to help parishes build upon their strengths and take ad-vantage of opportunities. This two-year project, funded by a grant from the Lilly Foundation, will allow the Archdiocese of Milwaukee to move beyond the 2020 Plan which, for all intents and purposes is now fully operational; over the past eight years virtually every deanery in the Archdiocese has been restructured along the lines spelled out in the 2020 Plan. So, now is the time to look at what comes next in terms of parish development, staffing needs and assignment of priests in order to insure that the archdiocese’s 193 parishes con-tinue to thrive through the next decade. 3. The Archdiocesan Capital Campaign, still to be formally introduced. If I’ve got it right, this Campaign will fly under the banner of “Love One Another” and should be launched in early 2020 through a pilot program involving ten or more parishes. I am hoping to see STA and SJB included in the campaign’s “first wave,” which should “go active” next Summer. From start to finish, the Campaign will span five years and has a goal of $160 million. Each parish will retain 60% of what its members commit to the enterprise, so it sounds like a “win-win” to me. Once the Archdiocese unveils the Campaign with all of its talking points, I think you’ll think so, too. So, on top of everything else that will be transpiring in our parishes as part of the normal fare, 2020 promises to be a rather busy year. Hope you’re ready!

Father Phil

ADVENT GIVING TREES

Safe Harbor And Ronald McDonald House

One Giving Tree is designated for Safe Harbor and the

other Giving Tree is designated for the Ronald McDonald house needs.

We will be collecting all during the Advent season. Please place your unwrapped advent

giving gift under the tree or in the baskets at the entrances!!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL SUPPORT!!

Dynamic Catholic…..BEST ADVENT EVER. A

free daily email program featuring short and inspiring videos for advent. Sign up at Dynamiccatholic.com

CALLING ALL BAKERS… It is that time of year again, time for the St. Thomas Aquinas Christian Women “Christmas Cookie Walk” Last year our generous bakers gave us such a beautiful array of cookies so we are hoping we can count on all of you again this year. The cookie walk will take place on Saturday, December 14th, from 9:00am until noon. Besides cookies we will also need volunteers to decorate cookies on Friday Dec. 13th, decorate the display tables, and assemble boxes for the cookies after the 8:00am Mass. On Saturday we will need help with displaying the cookies, replenishing the plates, weighing up the boxes and taking the money. If you can help, please call Bev/876-2501, Janet/876-2278 or Lori/418-0101.

ADVENT WREATH CANDLE LIGHTING...The candles will be lit at the very beginning of Mass during the Opening Hymn. This is a great way for us to prepare to celebrate the birth of our Savior. Thank you to the families that already signed up, but there are still spots available!! Please sign up at the main entrance!

CHRISTIAN WOMEN CHRISTMAS DINNER… Thursday, December 5th ~ At Lake Street. Social hour 5:30 -

6:30pm, dinner at 6:30 ~ Entertainment to follow. Sign up at

the entrances or by putting your name and $12.00 in an

envelope and place into collection basket, or stop at the parish

office. Deadline is Dec. 2nd!

THE ELKHART LAKE LIONS CLUB…Breakfast with Santa will be held on Sunday, Dec. 8th STA. 9:00 to noon. The menu consist of scrambled eggs, pancakes and sausages (all you can eat).

“Bear Good Fruit” Advent Retreat

Saturday, December 7th 1 - 4 PM at St Fridolin ~ Mass to Follow

Light refreshments provided. Bring a journal if you journal.

Advent Booklet In preparation for our Advent journey we are

excited to share an Advent devotional book called “Let the Heavens Be Glad”, inspiration from

Henri J.M. Nouwen. Available at the entrances, Enjoy!!