Church of the Immaculate Conception

Church of the Immaculate Conception 1180 State Highway 206, Greene, New York 13778 Rev. Msgr. John P. Putano, Administrator Website: iccgreene.wordpress.com Email: immcongreene@syrdio.org Facebook: Church of the Immaculate Conception And ICC Youth Group Parish Office: Tue. thru Thurs. 10:30 am to 4:30 pm Mary Wentlent, Parish Manager 656-9546 Audrée Beach, Admin. Asst. 656-9546 Fax 656-7667 Baptism & RCIA ICC Parish Office 656-9546 Religious Education: Kathy Nichols knichols3@hotmail.com 692-4702 Youth Ministry: ICC Parish Council: Nancy Amell, Francis Feldpausch - President, Donna Heisler, Joanne Moxley, Penny Sweet, Zach Urda. ICC Trustees: Jackie Henninge - 656-9501; jackiehenninge@frontier.com Robert Larkin - 279-3900; robertmlarkin@gmail.com Feel free to contact the Trustees or Council Members with any concerns you have about our parish.

We at Immaculate Conception are a group of people bound together by our belief in Jesus Christ as our Savior. When we

were baptized, we were called to share in His work. Therefore we pledge ourselves to build a community where all are

welcomed, loved, needed and appreciated. Armed with the faith in the Immaculate Conception of Mary, we will celebrate

the gift of life together in word and sacrament.

January 2 and 3, 2016 The Epiphany of the Lord

We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.

Weekend Mass Schedule Pastoral Care Area South: Saturday Vigil Mass: 4:00 pm Immaculate Conception, Greene 5:45 pm St. Joseph, Oxford Sunday: 8:45 am St. Joseph, Oxford 10:15 am Immaculate Conception, Greene 4:00 pm St. Paul, Norwich

Church of the Immaculate Conception, Greene, New York Page 2

Mass Schedule SATURDAY 1/2/16

4:00 pm For Parishioners

SUNDAY 1/3/16 The Epiphany of the Lord

10:15 am † Paul Chambers by Bev & Jim Doughty

† Joanne Auricchio by Parish Family THURSDAY 1/7/16

8:30 am Communion Service

SATURDAY 1/9/16 4:00 pm For Our Parish Family

SUNDAY 1/10/16 The Baptism of the Lord

10:15 am † George J. Kirnie by Trepa Family † Annie Wentlent by Parish Family

ICC WEEK AT A GLANCE SUNDAY 1/3 Epiphany 8:45 p Religious Education Class - AC 11:30 a Confession MONDAY 1/4 6 p Cub Scouts 7 p American Legion TUESDAY 1/5 WEDNESDAY 1/6 THURSDAY 1/7 8 a Rosary 9:30 a Bible Study 6 p Bible Study 6 pm Cub Scouts 7 p Knights of Columbus FRIDAY 1/8 SATURDAY 1/9 3:15 p Confession SUNDAY 1/10 The Baptism of the Lord 8:45 p Religious Education Class - AC 11:30 a Confession Location Codes: S—Sanctuary; H—Parish Hall; K—Kitchen;

CR—Cry Room; L—Library; P—Pavilion; AC—All Church;

OF-Out Front; OB-Out Back; SJ—St. Joseph’s, DT—Downtown.

Sacrificial Giving and Expenses for the month of November 2015:November 2015:November 2015:November 2015: Total Income: $ 13,275.13 Total Expense: $ 7,341.90 Expenses include: accountant fees, Holy Family School, insurance, Remember St. Paul’s advice: “God loves a cheer-ful giver.” (2 Cor.9:7)

LAY PERSONS SCHEDULE Weekend of: Weekend of: January 3, 2016 January 10, 2016

4:00 pm Saturday 4:00 pm Saturday E. M.’s: S. Carlin S. Northrup J. Trepa J. Moxley

Lector: D. Maginsky C. Gibbons Servers: Adult Volunteer Adult Volunteer

10:15 am Sunday: 10:15 am Sunday: E. M.’s: E. Browning L. Detweiler B. Doughty B. Norton M. Kim M. Browning Lector: L. Detweiler H. Barker Servers: J. Browning C. Leonard N. Erickson L. Flanagan J. Eroshevich C. Grant Counters: D. Maginsky E. Browning T. Mulvey B. Norton CLOW: M. & M. Feldpausch

Your boxed envelopes have finally arrived and are on a table in the vestibule. The manufacturer of the envelopes had some major problems with their printing equipment and greatly regrets the delay. A Bequest in Your Will, no matter what the amount, can help the parish continue its mission of spreading the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the Church He founded & serving God’s people. Everyone should have a will no matter what your financial circumstances, to assure that your possessions will be distributed as you desire. When making your bequest, please use the full legal name and address: Church of the Immaculate Conception 1180 State Highway 206 Greene, NY 13778

Page 5

A new series of adult bible study classes are beginning at our parish "The Bible Timeline" will be a 24-week series, always meeting on Thursday evenings from 6-7 pm, beginning on Thursday, January 7th.

"The Bible Timeline" is a fascinating study that takes you on a journey through the entire Bible. You will go deep into each period of salvation history and discover the amazing stories woven throughout all of Scripture, learning about the major people, places, and events of the Bible and how together they form the foundation of the Catholic faith. A second class on "Mary, the Blessed Mother" will be held on Sunday mornings from 9-10 am, begin-ning on Sunday, January 3rd. To register for either of these classes, visit evangelization.com & follow the prompts for "I'm a study participant." You will be asked to join a study and enter our zip code (13778). On the map that appears, simply click on Greene and then "More Information" to get to the list of bible study classes offered at our parish this winter. By registering online, you can easily pay for your study materials & be registered to have ac-cess to all video lessons. If you do not have inter-net access & would like to register for one of these classes, please call the church office at 656-9546.

On Sunday afternoon, January 17, our parish will be hosting a D.I.Y. event with Dad in the parish hall. There will be pizza, wings, chili, snacks and refreshments for all to enjoy while Dads and their kids make a fun craft together. Save this date on your home calendar for a fun afternoon. More in-formation will be in the bulletin next week.

Save the Date! The 2nd Annual ICC Super Bowl Pool will be back in January. Beginning the first weekend in January you will be able to purchase your tickets at $20 per spot. More information will be coming! All proceeds will benefit the Building and grounds projects at ICC.

Are You Traveling? For nationwide Mass times while you are traveling, call 1-800-627-7846 or go online www.masstimes.org. The web site also provides a map. Both services are free

Church of the Immaculate Conception, Greene, NY

Volunteer Opportunities Greene Food Pantry The first weekend of each month we take up a collection of non-perishable foods for our local food pantry. May & November we cover the hours at the Pantry. Meals On Wheels Our volunteers make the deliveries for August & February: Mon, Wed, Fri, 11:15am. Our Brother’s Keeper—We take donations of CLEAN blankets, quilts, sheets, towels, batting & fiber fill. & yarn. Please bag the items. Bottle & Can Drive - drop off your refundable items n the bin next to the Rectory garage. St. Pauly Textile collection shed in our parking lot. Donate your unwanted clothes & fabric items & ICC receives 2 cents per pound collected.

A Thank You Note TO all the wonderful parishioners who remembered their Priest in this Christmas Season with a thoughtful card, gift or prayers for a speedy recovery from my chest cold, I am most grateful. May God bless you all for your many kindnesses to me and generosity to our parish with a healthy and happy New Year 2016. Gratefully, Fr. Gerard Lupa

A Thought for the Election Year 2016 “Freedom is a fragile thing and is never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people.” President Ronald Reagan As responsible Catholic citizens, be sure you are registered to vote and then exercise that precious right in the elections.

January 3, 2016

Your first responsibility is to take care of your needs and the needs of your family - not necessarily all their wants. In looking at what we need versus what we want, we end up placing material things and money in their proper perspective.

Root Funeral Home Greene’s Oldest Funeral Home

Member New York State Funeral Director Assoc.

Serving Greene, Oxford and the surrounding communities.

Charles C. Dietrich

607-656-4212 23 North Chenango Street Greene, New York 13778

www.rootfh.com

NEVILLE LAW OFFICENEVILLE LAW OFFICENEVILLE LAW OFFICENEVILLE LAW OFFICE Chris P. Neville, Esq.

Robert M. Larkin, Of Counsel P. O. Box 570 * 36 Genesee St.

Greene, New York 13778

607607607607----656656656656----4515451545154515

St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery

Oxford, New York A beautiful, peaceful resting place

Double Plot $700 1 casket & 1 urn or 2 urns

607-843-8785

Continuing Our Tradition of Service Since 1914

Bartles Pharmacy

10 Lafayette Park. Oxford, NY 13830

607-843-2841

A Professional Agency for Personal & Business Insurance

Gray & Sons Agency, Inc.

Kathy Pilkington Robert J. Greene

607-656-4455 18-22 Genesee Street, Greene, NY 13778

•Construction •Lawn Mowing/Brush Hogging •Home Improvement •Excavating

607-226-4119 607-316-2969 Gerry Reiss Mike Reiss Oxford, New York

Molly S. Nolan Licensed R.E. Salesperson

607-725-6308 Cell

KENNEDY FUNERAL HOME, INC.

21 North Chenango St., Greene, NY 13778 607-656-7714

service@kennedyfuneralhome.net http://kennedyfuneralhome.net

Your Ad Here! $100.00 small; $200.00 me-dium; $300.00 large; for one year. The ad is shared with St. Joseph’s bulletin. Call 656-9546

BY PATRONIZING OUR BULLETIN ADVERTISERS

YOU ARE SAYING “THANK YOU”

FOR HELPING TO PUBLISH OUR BULLETIN.

Parish Registration FormParish Registration FormParish Registration FormParish Registration Form Name: Address: City: State: Zip Code: Phone: e-mail:

� I am new to the parish and wish to register. � I am previously registered and would once again like envelopes.

Mail to: Immaculate Conception Church, 1180 State Hwy. 206, Greene, NY 13778 or place in collection basket

January 3, 2016

A Convert’s View “After graduation, I started attending RCIA at the local Catholic parish. Every Sunday at Mass, I would watch people take the Eucharist, and I yearned for the day when I , too, could partake. I also ached to be rec-onciled with God and His Church. I couldn’t wait to experience the great release of Confession. My first confession was an amazing experience! The priest was awesome. It is enough for you to know that for some time I had felt much guilt, sadness and pain for the many sins of my life. In the confessional, as the priest absolved me of my sins, I felt the hug of God. I was forgiven. I walked out and sat in a pew crying for joy. From the moment I left the confessional that day, my pain was over. I was reconciled! And so on Easter 1999, I was confirmed in the Catholic Church. Received the Eucharist for the first time and cried at that as well. The Catholic Church is where the full-ness of the Faith resides. This is where the abundant life in to be found, whether some people take advan-tage of it or not. Jason Shanks, former Evangelical Protestant

A Healthy Body/Healthy Soul 51 Healthy Foods You Can Say “Yes” To, cont… Tufts University Health & Nutrition Newsletter

13. Brussels Spouts- another no-surprise inclusion, brussels sprouts may do your body even more good than you’d guess. A half-cup of brussels sprouts - only about 4 sprouts - delivers 235 micrograms of vi-tamin K, which is almost double what the average American gets in a whole day. 14. Canola Oil - Here’s where substitution is really the key. Replacing butter, lard of other saturated fats with vegetable oils that contain monounsaturated and poly unsaturated fats can pay dividends for your heart. Canola oil is the very lowest in saturated fat, with other choices such as safflower and soybean oil close behind; the differences are small enough that you should pick whichever polyunsaturated oil you prefer. Olive oil has the highest proportion of mono-unsaturated fat and has earned heart-healthy labeling from the FDA, but it’s not necessarily best. Let taste drive y our choice. When you want flavor-free oil, go with polyunsaturated; when you want flavor, pick olive or peanut oils. Whichever you choose, remem-ber that all fat contains 120 calories a tablespoon - so go easy, and don’t add fat to your diet just to get more vegetable oil.

Church of the Immaculate Conception, Greene, New York Page 3

Father’s NotesFather’s NotesFather’s NotesFather’s Notes

The Sunshine And The Shadows Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice. Psalm

96:11

Look back over the past year. Do you find yourself yearning for the coming of the Kingdom? You may have lost a loved one, you may yourself have been seriously ill. Anxieties and grief may have been your lot, and with more shadow than sunshine in your life. Because of our fallen nature, we are inclined to dwell on pain and suffering. We fret over the calamities of the world: unemployment, hatred, cruelty and war. We question why these thing must be. We know God wants us to be happy, and yet many things cause us pain. Is this the result of our free will? And what about death, the great riddle? Does God give us answers? God answers by giving us sun and stars, clouds and rain, green budding life, glowing ruby and purple fruits, spectacular flaming autumns, blankets of soft white snow, the fragrance of newly mowed grass, friendship, laughter and love. God gives us all these things and asks nothing in return. Dear God, help us to praise you even for the shadow in our life which makes the sunshine glow all the brighter and draws us closer to you. Joan Zrilich

Freed From Sin By Grace “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.” Luke 1:28

Jesus is truly God, and is uniquely holy by reason of His divinity. Mary is human, and is holy by the grace & merits of her Son. Jesus is free of original sin because He is God. Mary was kept free from original sin by the grace of Jesus. She was conceived by her parents in the normal way, but from the moment of her conception she existed in a state of holiness which would have belonged to all human beings had there been no original sin. It is also Catholic dogma that Mary remained free from personal sin throughout her life. She was not immune to the problems of living in a world touched by sin. She had to cooperate with God’s grace, and she had to cope with evil, above all the unjust murder of her Son on the cross. Mary was tempted as we are. But she did not sin. She cooperated with God’s grace, and in this she is a model for us. When we are tempted to think that sin cannot be defeated, Mary witnesses to the fact that the grace of Christ can conquer the powers of hell. Fr. Oscar Lukefahr, C. M.

Page 4 Church of the Immaculate Conception, Greene, New York

Conversion and Confession are year-round ex-

periences; use the following as a regular daily

prayer. Fr. Lupa

An Act of Contrition Loving and merciful God, forgive me for the times when I have strayed from you like a wayward sheep from its shepherd. For the times I thought I could get along without you, I am sorry. For the other times I have been seduced by the false idols this world has to offer, I am sorry. For the times I have failed to recognize you in the least of my brothers and sisters, I am sorry. For the times when I have hurt those closest to me through my selfish-ness, I am sorry. Lord, in your goodness remember not that I have sinned but that I am your beloved child; help me always to walk the path of love. Amen. Nancy Bevenga

Religious Education Kathy Nichols, Coordinator - 656-9546 Sundays 8:45 - 10:00 am Class - January 3, 10, 17, 24, 31

World Marriage Day 2016, will be celebrated on February 7, 2:30 pm at the Cathedral in Syracuse. Bishop Cunningham will celebrate the Mass and witness the renewal of marriage vows of all couples in attendance. He will specially honor those cou-ples celebrating their 25th, 50th and those celebrat-ing an anniversary beyond their 50th year. Please contact the Parish Office to register. We will celebrate WMD here at Immaculate Con-ception the following weekend, 2/13 & 14.

Dear friends, The nice thing about Christmas Eve is that it's the one night of the year that most hectic sched-ules come to a grinding halt and we come to-gether as a parish family to celebrate Jesus com-ing into our life! Thank you to the many people who decorated the church and also volunteered during a Mass to make sure our community had a place for Catholic worship this Christmas season. The children’s pageant on x-mas eve was just wonderful. Joseph led the way with confidence, the shepherds kept watch over their little sheep, the wise men journeyed from afar, the angels helped each other even when the smallest one tripped, and Mary took great care of the real baby in her arms as her headpiece began to slip down over her eyes! Savanna Straniero did a fantastic job of narrating the Bible story. Thank you chil-dren and parents, for helping us all remember the reason for the season! Our parish family is just like our family at home. Some are always grumpy, some talk a lot, and some radiate joy just by walking in the room! But we are also a family who works together to leave the world a better place than when we got here! If you are a member of the parish, thank you for doing your part to make us successful. If you are visiting, we hope your worship experience helps to strengthen you on your journey. Our parish has begun a series of adult learning opportunities via several different Bible Studies. They can help us all discover the rich history and beauty of the Catholic Church. Find more infor-mation elsewhere in this bulletin. Thank you for choosing ICC for worship today! Peace! ~Mary Wentlent

March For Life Washington, D. C. - January 22, 2016 It's time to be thinking about attending the March for Life in Washington, DC on January 22. Buses leave on the 21st and return late on the 22nd. The bus out of Oneonta, where individuals stay overnight in a recreation hall, costs $70. Other buses going through Binghamton vary in price. Please contact Jean Jones for further info and ques-tions for this very worthy cause at: 607-639-4464 or rajones106@tds.net. The Bible has much to say about the “shedding

of innocent blood” (2 Kings 21:16) and

“remaining silent” (Prov 21:11).