fourth Sunday of advent

Worship Schedule Saturday Dec 23-St. John of Kanty, Priest 4pm SG + Agnes Lambries Sunday Dec 24-Fourth Sunday of Advent 9am HT + Deceased Members of Koenig & Schneider Families 5pm HT + Bernice Scharenbroch (Christmas Eve) 10pm SG + Edward Broeckert (Christmas Eve) Monday Dec. 25-The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas) 8am HT + Julie Salm 10:30am SG + Ambrose Kaltenbrun 7pm HT + Dorothy Schnell Tuesday Dec 26-St. Stephen, The First Martyr

8:15am HT + Erv. Sr. & Kevin Koenig

Wednesday Dec 27-St. John, Apostle & Evangelist 8:15am HT+ Special Intention Thursday Dec 28-The Holy Innocents, Martyrs

8:15am SG + Joe Dyzbalys

Friday Dec 29-St. Thomas Becket, Bishop 8:15am SG + James Wagner Saturday Dec 30-Sixth Day within the Octave of the Nativity 4pm SG + Ambrose Kaltenbrun Sunday Dec 31-The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph

8am HT + Jack Bushman

10am SG + Pitz & Binversie Families 7pm HT + Intentions of Holy Trinity & St. Gregory Parishioners

Liturgical Ministers December 25, 30, 31

Greeters Dec. 25 HT 8am: Guy & Mary Jo Grube SG10:30 am: N-Open, M-Open

HT 7pm: Volunteers Dec.30 SG 4pm: N-Eleanor Shea & Betty Schleh, M-Ed & Mary Olig

Dec. 31 HT 8am: Jane Rautmann & Pam Reindl SG10am: N-Dale & Mardelle Christel, M-Cecelia DeBruin HT 7pm: Volunteers

Lectors Dec. 25 HT 8am: Nancy Augustine SG10:30 am: Mary Ann Ristow

HT 7pm: Volunteers Dec. 30 SG 4pm: Isaac Isselmann Dec. 31 HT 8am: Bea Knier

SG10am: Jean Blattner HT 7pm: Volunteers Extra Ordinary Ministers of the Eucharist

Dec. 25 HT 8am: Dennis & Karen Graf, Joleen Bonde, Larry Steffen SG10:30am: Pat Milligan, Jean Blattner, Mary Ann Ristow, and Mary Olig

HT 7pm: Volunteers Dec. 30 SG 4pm: Mary Olig, Ann Scheibl Dec. 31 HT 8am: Dennis & Lois Albright, Jackie Platz, Mary Jo Grube

SG 10am: Steve Noworatzky, Julie Galien HT 7pm: Volunteers Ushers

Dec. 25 HT 8am: Jim Augustine, Kevin Bonde, Gary Linzmeier SG 10:30am: Lyle Schwoerer, NEED 3 MORE USHERS HT 7pm: Volunteers

Dec. 30 SG 4pm: Mike & Isabella Scheibl Dec. 31 HT 8am: Dennis Graf, Randy Neils, Joseph Meyer SG 10am: Max Christel, Rich Galien

HT 7pm: Volunteers Servers Dec. 25 HT 8am: Gretchen & Mckenna Augustine

SG 10:30 am: Eli & Isaac Egan HT 7pm: Volunteers Dec. 30 SG 4pm: Reagan Isselmann

Dec. 31 HT 8am: Thomas Vogel, Mason Mueller SG 10am: Kayla & Alayna Peterson HT 7pm: Volunteers

Scrip: 4pmSG: Helen Gosse 8amHT: No Scrip Sales at HT on Dec. 25 or Dec. 31 10amSG: Marlene Zutz

St. Gregory Stewardship: December 15, 16, & 17, 2017 Weekly Per Family Envelopes $ 6,116.00 $28.45 Loose $ 264.00 $ 1.23 Total $ 6,380.00 $29.68 Support Budget/Week: $ 3,558.00 $16.55 Difference this Week: $ 2,822.00 $13.13

Parish News

Holy Trinity Perch Fry is February 16, 2018. We will be in need of items for our silent auction and for our raffle, so when you are out Christmas shopping keep us in mind. We will be putting together another “SCRIP TREE” raffle item and invite you to donate any size scrip gift card to this particular raffle item. Raffle/Auction items and scrip cards can be dropped off at the office or given to any perch fry committee member. Sign-up sheets for volunteering will be in the back of church start-ing Jan. 7. Sign up early so you can get your favorite time and posi-tion. Diocesan Centennial Books are available for purchase at HT and SG after Mass at the Scrip table. Centennial books are $30, The New Testament is $15, and the Illustrated Kids is $10. They make great Christmas gifts! Please write separate checks for purchasing scrip and the purchase of the books. End of Year Reminder: Just a reminder there is only 1 week left til the end of the calendar year. The Dec. 30 & 31 weekend collection will be recorded in 2017. Any contributions dropped off at either parish office by noon on Friday December 29th will be recorded as a 2017 donation. After that the contribution will be recorded in 2018. Any questions, please call the parish office. NOTICE: Christian Women Calendar Fundraiser is getting close to the deadline. The stubs need to be turned in by Dec. 31, this is a state law. If you are getting together with family and friends over

Christmas and need more, stop in the back of church to pick some up. We still have some left! Through the Sacrament of Baptism St. Gregory parish welcomes into our Catholic Faith Commu-nity, Joshua Neumeyer, son of former St. Gregory Parishioner, Sarah Neumeyer. May God’s love and presence be with Joshua and his mother as

they begin their journey of faith together. St. Gregory Eucharistic Ministry schedule for January & February are available at all entrances to church. Please pick one up. Just a reminder; if you are not able to fulfill your scheduled time slot, please

Holy Trinity Stewardship for Dec. 17, 2017 Weekly Fiscal Year Budget

Envelopes $1,837.00 $88,100.00 Loose $ 231.55 $12,300.00 Total $ 2,068.55 $100,400.00 Support Budget/Week: $ 1,930.00 $45,440.76 received for year Difference This Week $ 138.55 $54,959.24 needed by 6/30/18

Dec. Green Sunday as of 12-21-17 $45.00

Christmas Blessings

To all our parishioners!

Fr. Pat Deacon Gary

Kathleen & Meg

SG Cleaning: Ed & Mary Olig Joyce Braun

HT Christian Women Calendar Winners are….

Dec. 10 - $30 Cheri Schneider, St. Nazianz

Dec. 11 - $20 Jordan Williams, Waldo Dec. 12 - $20 Sandy Roeck, Kiel Dec. 13 - $20 Mandy Brost, Kiel Dec. 14 - $20 Gary Koeppen, St. Nazianz Dec. 15 - $20 Mrs. Janet Hansen, Cleveland Dec. 16 - $20 Lori A. Jacobs, Chilton

Weekend of December 23 & 24, 2017

Pray for the Sick: John E. Meyer, Francis Scharenbroch,

Simon Scharenbroch, John Casper, Jon Saunders, Mary Mueller, Jeanette Schaller, Orville Bonde, Leon Mueller, Kay Binversie, Matt Kirklewski, Dennis Brost, Jim Endries, Rosaline Nenning, Julie Binversie Eugene Augustine, and Roger Mayr.

To add or remove a name from this listing, a family member should call your

Parish Office-SG: 773-2511 or HT: 773-2380 Thank you.

Holy Trinity:

Deceased members of

Koenig-Schneider Families

St. Gregory:

John & Marian Stiefvater ———————— Ed Neumeyer, Jr.

From December 24 thru December 30 the Sanctuary Candle (s) are burning

in memory/honor of:

ST. GREGORY SCRIP Scrip is sold in the parish office: M-F 7:30 -12:00 & 12:30 - 4:00

Scrip is also sold after all Masses

Scrip sales ending December 17:$11,568.26 3% (average) profit to the parish:$347.05

Scrip Coordinators:

Debbie Griem 773-2708 Marlene Zutz 775-4253

Please see new scrip form insert- receipts will be given upon request

The following parish family members are serving

our nation in the Armed Forces: Jesse Augustine, Kurt Binversie, Joshua Kleinhans,

Jake Baumann, Michael Reindl, Anton Simon, Kelli Mangan, Dustin Koenig,

Matthew Koenig, Samuel Koenig, Greg Mueller, Brandon Mueller and Adam Satori.

We pray to the Lord that He watches over them and keeps them safe.

If there are any more names, please call the parish offices.

Sold in office: M, T, Th., F 9:00 –Noon & 1:00-4:00

Also sold after 8am Mass on Sunday

Sales ending Dec. 17 = $3,195.00 Profit ending Dec. 17 = $121.70

SCRIP COUNTER CLOSED DEC. 24, 25, 31 Merry Christmas!

Remember we have gift certificates for any scrip ! Betty Hardy & Sandy Neils

HT Scrip Coordinators~920-565-4588

HOLY TRINITY SCRIP PROGRAM

SCHOOL NEWS

Have you been blessed with an artistic talent - painting, wood-working, crafting, cooking, singing, etc? Please consider sharing it with others. We are seeking items for our Annual Art Auction to be held in late January. Your donation may be brought to the school office between 7:30 and 3:30 when school is in session. The school gym is available for walkers Monday-Friday after 1:30 on days school is in session. Please be sure to sign in at the office. The school will be unavailable for walkers from December 22-January 1 due to Christmas Break. Classes are back in session on January 2. "As we rejoice and celebrate this wonder-ful season of Christmas, let us not forget to thank baby Jesus for coming into our lives. Let us together prepare ourselves to welcome him into the homes of our hearts." Merry Christmas Wishes to you from all of us at SGS!

LOCAL Businesses that participate in our scrip programs: Piggly Wiggly, Riverview, Henning’s Cheese, Pine River Dairy, Four Seasons, Meat’s Opera Haus, Cenex, Holy Family, Millhome, Altona, Parker Johns, Log Cabin, McDonalds, Copps, Festival, Cousins Subs, Subway …...MANY MORE!

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

RE Coordinator ~ Jessica Fischer 920-645-1001 jschneider.ttht@yahoo.com

Next Classes:

K-6: January 3 January 10 7-11: January 7 January 21

GIFT-GIVING: Check out all of the $10

scrip cards available for

gift giving to bus drivers,

teachers, paper boys…

for that little something

extra. We also have gift

certificates for any avail-

able scrip. We have ac-

cess to a very long list of

scrip that we can order

besides what we have in inventory. It gives them

the choice of MANY

POSSIBILITES!

Dates to Remember

Christmas Obligation Choices: Sunday, Dec. 24-5pm at Holy Trinity Sunday, Dec. 24-10pm at St. Gregory Monday, Dec. 25-8am at Holy Trinity Monday, Dec. 25-10:30am at St. Gregory Monday, Dec. 25-7pm at Holy Trinity

Dec. 30 & 31 Second Collection: Green Sunday Dec. 31 New Years Eve Mass at HT at 7pm, Volunteers needed for ministries.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jan. 1 New Years Day Mass at SG 9am Jan. 2 SG Finance mtg 6pm, joint mtg 6:30pm Jan. 3 HT Holy Hour at 5:30pm Jan. 5 SG Holy Hour after 8:15am Mass Jan. 9 HT Finance Council mtg at 6pm, Parish Council at 7pm Jan. 16 SG Food Pantry 1-1:30pm Jan 27 & 28 Second Collection: Green Sunday & Anointing of the Sick after all Masses

ST. GREGORY PARISH OUTREACH INFORMA-

TION

Prayer Line; Lucille Heinzen at 773-2317 Nursing Home/Assisted Living; Carmen Pankratz 758-3790 SG Caring Hearts & Hands; Carmen Pankratz 758-3790

Food Pantry; Faye Riesterer at 773-2422

ST. GREGORY & HOLY TRINITY PARISHIONERS- Would you like to receive Communion at home?

St. Gregory parishioners please contact: Mary Olig 775-4756, Gene Riesterer 773-2585, Pat Milligan 758-5892, or the parish office 773-2511. Holy Trinity parishioners please contact Dennis and Karen

Graf at 693-8700 or the parish office 920-773-2380.

Mass Readings for Week of Dec. 25th thru Dec.31st

Readings Gospel

Mon/Dec. 25 Isaiah 52:7-10 John 1:1-18

Hebrews 1:1-6

Tues/Dec.26 Acts 6:8-10, 7:54-59 Matthew 10:17-22

Wed/Dec. 27 John 1:1-4 John 20:1, 2-8

Thurs/Dec.28 John 1:5-2:2 Matthew 2:13-18

Fri/Dec. 29 John 2:3-11 Luke 2:22-35

Sat/Dec. 30 John 2:12-17 Luke 2:36-40

Sun/Dec.31 Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14 Luke 2:22-40

Knights of Columbus Meeting Dates

The regular meeting is rotated between parishes at 7pm on the 4th Thursday

of each month (with exceptions at times.)

Lakeshore Memory Café

KIDERMUSIK@MEMORY CAFÉ – Several local fami-lies with toddlers and infants will join us as we sing, move together and make music! We’ll gather Wednesday, January 3, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Manitowoc Public Library’s Balkansky Room (707 Quay St). There is no charge and all are wel-come. Find us on Facebook. Safe, Social, Supportive; working to make Manito-woc County more dementia friendly.

Hear to Serve……

Touch

One snowy day, not so long ago, there was a car accident involving a priest and a minister. Both cars were pretty well damaged. However, the clerics escaped unhurt but shaken. As they were waiting for the police, the priest reached into his pocket and pulled out a small flask. He said to the minister, “You seem pretty shaken up. Take a drink, it will calm your nerves.” After the minister took a drink, the priest put the flask away. The minister said to the priest, “What are we going to tell the police? It all happened so fast.” The priest looked at the minis-ter and said, “I don’t have to worry what I tell them. I haven’t been drink-ing“ It’s amazing how we can touch other people’s lives in so many ways. In today’s Gospel, we see God touching the life of a young Jewish girl in a way she never dreamed possible. Not only is God going to touch her life in a spiritual sense, but God is going to touch her life and the rest of the world’s life in a very physical sense. The culmination of God’s salvation plan has now been put into play. God is going to touch us with the Incarnation. God has become flesh. God knows we are not angels. We have physical bodies. Eve-rything we take in is through our senses of taste, sight, touch, smell, and sound. When God comes to touch our senses, He comes in the most ordinary ways. He comes through the birth of an ordinary baby, born to an ordinary mother, who comes from a lackluster town. Yet, this child that is to be born in an ordinary way is going to touch the world in the most extraordinary manner. This ordinary mother is also going to touch the world in ways she never dreamed of when she said “yes” to God’s call. We all know the story about the birth of Jesus the Christ, His life, His death, and His resurrection. Jesus now calls us to be His hands and feet on this earth. Jesus calls us to touch all people that we meet. Not only are we to use our senses to see God in the world, we are to use our senses to see God in others and to touch their lives. Not only are we to touch others with kind words and our prayers, but we have to touch others with our actions and good works. Have we been like the fictional priest in the joke? Do we touch others in our life by always look-ing at how it may benefit us? Or are we like Mary who is willing to touch others without concern for her own well-being? Christmas is the celebration of the Incarnation. It is the joyous mystery of God becoming a human being like us in all ways but sin. It is a time for us to thank God, through our very own humanness. Let us use our common sense to help others to see, to hear, to taste, to touch, and to smell the goodness of the Incarnation as we know it. Christmas is also our time to transcend our human limitations and to thank God through our call to holiness. We can be like Mary and say “yes” to God,

so that we can touch others in ways we never dreamed of, in ways that will bring all of us closer to her Son who is fully God and fully man. Deo gratias,

Deacon Gary