Ministers Schedule

Saturday, December 16th 4:00 PM

Pat Scherry/Dan Scherry

Sacristan: Audrey Starbuck

Greeters: Jerry & Char Habeck,

Pegg Pleban

Lector: Mike Karney

Gifts/Ushers: Bill Fayak,

Jerry Habeck

Euch. Min.: Alice Muniz,

Jerry & Char Habeck

Servers: Dan Scherry,

Paul Hartenstein

Sunday, December 17th 11:00 AM Wilbert & Zella Kohler/Sue & Jim

Bommer

Sacristan: Terri Petz

Greeters: Dan & Kelly Sayler

Lector: Kelsie Sayler

Lit. of Word: Rhonda Hiesser

Gifts/Ushers: Ray & Sue Kershaw

Euch. Min.: Paul Hartenstein,

Sue Bommer, Marty Tansey

Servers: Nicole Kraus,

Madelyn Beury

Money Counters for Dec. 17

Linda Grady,

Rita Butler

Church Cleaners for week of Dec. 18

Louise Jackson

Candace Muskovich

Saturday, December 9

3:30 PM Confessions

4 PM MASS

Sunday, December 10

9:30 AM PSR CONFIRMATION

10:40 AM Confessions

11 AM MASS

Monday, December 11

Tuesday, December 12

Wednesday, December 13

6 PM Exercise

Thursday, December 14

10 AM Communion Service

Friday, December 15

7 AM Communion Service

Saturday, December 16

3:30 PM Confessions

4 PM MASS

Sunday, December 17

9:30 AM PSR CONFIRMATION

10:40 AM Confessions

11 AM MASS

(St. Mary Catholic Church(A Member of the St. John Neumann Deanery) December 9th & 10th, 2017 Second Sunday of Advent 46 E. Main Street - PO Box 576 Wakeman, OH 44889 440- 839-2023 Email: wakemanstmary@frontier.com WEB SITE: www.stmarywakeman.org)

This Weeks Scriptures

Monday Isaiah 35:1-10

Ps 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14

12/11Luke 5:17-26

Tuesday Zechariah 2:14-17

Judith 13:18, 19

12/12Luke 1:26-38

WednesdayDan 5:1-6, 13-14,16-17,23-28

Wednesday Isaiah 40:25-31

Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10

12/13Matthew 11:28-30

Thursday Isaiah 41:13-20

Ps 145:1, 9, 10-11, 12-13

12/14Matthew 11:11-15

Friday Isaiah 48:17-19

Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4, 6

12/15Matthew 11:16-19

Saturday Sirach 48:1-4, 9-11

Ps 80:2, 3, 15-16, 18-19

12/16Matthew 17:9, 10-13

3rd Sunday Isaiah 61:1-2, 10-11

of AdventLuke 1:46-48, 49-50, 53-54

Gaudete1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

12/17 John 1:6-8, 19-28

(Our Parish Mission Statement:Gathered as a family of faith in Christ Jesus, strengthened by His Word and Sacraments, we will set a living example of our faith by:Seeking Christ in all we meetGiving of our time, talent and treasure Supporting and strengthening our community andSharing our Faith)

Parish Staff

Pastoral Leader: Sr. Carroll Schemenauer

440-839-2023

Parish Chaplain: Fr. Kishore Kottana

419-929-4401

Finance: Cece Mees 440-839-2023

Administrative Assistant

Catechetical Leader

Webmaster

Sr. Rosemary Hug

Finance: Diane Wolf

(440) 839-2185 (H)

Maintenance:

Steve Matus

Youth Leaders:

Kristie Jarrett, Jenn Nolan,

& Libby French

Dear Parish Family,

We are now into the second week of preparing our hearts for Christmas! Today, St. John the Baptist invites us to take a vital step in preparing our hearts. He appeared in the desert announcing a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. You and I have to make a choice. Am I going to acknowledge that I have done wrong? Or am I going to blame someone else or something else? The New Testament teaches that salvation depends on admitting my wrong and that I need as John puts it One mightier than I. He will baptize by the Holy Spirit. We need that sacrament of baptism and also the adult renewal of baptism, opening oneself to the power of the Holy Spirit.

Thats the choice. Its sometimes expressed as accepting Jesus as my personal savior or welcoming Jesus into ones heart or making a good confession. This choice sets the tone for a persons life.

Still, we should not see it as a once for all choice. Rather, repentance is a daily task. The fact is we human beings are either repenting, learning from our mistakes and growing or we are falling back. Spiritually theres no standing still. C.S. Lewis observed Every time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something a little different from what it was before. On one side is harmony with God, and with other creatures. On the other side, war and hatred with God and with others. Hatred for God, says Lewis, means madness, horror, idiocy, rage, impotence, and eternal loneliness. This sounds extreme and it is, but you and I have seen it, and perhaps experienced it in our own person.

But lets not focus on the darkness, except as a warning. St. Peter tells us God is patient not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. God often sends people like John, as well as tribulations to remind us we cannot build any permanent heaven here on earth.

I remember a friend going through a bad time. He sought the counsel of a priest known for spiritual direction. When the man finished his tale of woe, the priest said to him, You need God. At first it seemed strange since the man had many good spiritual practices. But the man told me that he had gradually lost sight of what it is all about. We repeatedly need the reminder, Repent. Turn back to God.

This is the season to befriend reconciliation, both with God in the

sacrament as well as with others.

Advent is a special time to grow

deeper than the surface catholic going

through the motions. Get advice on how to pray, how to BE in Gods presence, how to be quiet enough to hear the loving thoughts of the Spirit to guide our journey of life this day. Ask the same Holy Spirit to give you advice on how to handle a situation, or what to do when you meet this person. If you take the time to BE in His presence (this can be in your own home, it doesnt have to be in church), to be outside of inner distractions, then you will hear the Spirit of the living Godyou will be shown what to do and what to say plus you will have the courage and the strength to act, to put your resolutions and plans into action.

Its a beautiful practice to form yourself in noticing little things throughout your routine daywhat you notice about creation, what you hear from the birds, how you notice goodness in another, how you can admire how they are trying to be the best they can be. It can encourage each one of us in our efforts to prepare our hearts in little things in our corner of the worldto grow graciously into the love and forgiveness of God. It can be a beautiful life!

Sr. Carroll

Last Week $ 2,098.25

Electronic Deposits 555.00

M.T.D. December 2,653.25

F.Y.T.D. $ 50,457.22

A very HAPPY BIRTHDAY this week to Bill Braden, Cynthia Jackson, Brayden Morris, Rich Andolsek, Joe Kovach, Raquel Huerta, and Derrick Andolsek. May each of you enjoy a pre-Christmas birthday with blessings galore!!!

RETIREMENT FUND FOR RELIGIOUS PRIESTS AND SISTERSthis weekend place your envelope for this purpose in the collection basket. If you forgot this weekend, please put your envelope in the basket next weekend. Thank You kindly for whatever you give to this national cause.

ADVENT CONFESSION SCHEDULE is on the back

table. Please pick one up

on your way out.

Caring Community will hold the Christmas Food Distribution on Tuesday, Dec. 19 from 9:30 11:00 a.m. Helpers are welcome to come by 8:30 to prepare.

NO Senior Enrichment Luncheon in December. Plans are coming for January.

FR. KISHORES BIRTHDAY IS NEXT SUNDAY, DEC. 17. Next weekend at both Masses, there will be a big box for you to place your birthday card for Father. Both Saturday and Sunday Mass Goers are welcome, invited to come to the birthday party for Father in the Social Hall about noon, after the 11 AM Mass. We will enjoy Fathers company as we enjoy a special cake and cookies with punch and coffee and sing Happy Birthday to him on his 53rd birthday!!!

A BIRDS EYE

VIEW of when ADVENT

ENDS AND CHRISTMAS

EVE BEGINSliturgically, of course. Advent ends with the Sunday, Dec. 24th 11 AM MASS. Christmas Eve begins with the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Christmas Eve, December 24th. There is a 7 PM Mass on Christmas Eve also. Fr. Jim Peiffer is our Celebrant at both Masses.

Then on Monday, Christmas Day, December 25th, we will have the 11 am Mass with Fr. Kishore presiding. Traditional carols will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Christmas Day.

The Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, which is on Monday, January 1 is NOT observed as a holy day of obligation in 2018, according to the USCCBs Liturgical Calendar.