Join us for Social (coffee & donuts) after All Sunday Masses.

Faith Formation Bake Sale after 9:00 & 11:00 am Masses in the Social Hall

Monday, December 17 Mass 8:30 am Rosary Cenacle 6:30 pm

Parish Reconciliation 7:00 pm

Tuesday, December 18 Mass 8:30 am Regnum Christi 9:00 am Grief Group 1:00 pm

Wednesday, December 19 Sunday by Sunday 10:00 am Doing What MATters 10:00 am Scripture Study 12:30 pm H.S. Youth Group 6:30 pm Women’s Welcome 6:30 pm Evening Prayer 6:30 pm Scripture Study 7:15pm

Thursday, December 20 Rosary 10:30 am Mass follows Choir 7:30 pm

Friday, December 21 8:30 am Mass PARISH OFFICE CLOSES AT NOON

Sunday, December 23 4th Sunday of Advent Children’s Choir Rehearsal 12:15 pm

PARISH OFFICE CLOSURE: The Parish Offices will close at Noon on Friday, Dec. 21st and re-open after the Christmas break on Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019.

Rev. Ronald J. Babich, Pastor 7010 Valley Park Dr., Clarkston, Michigan 48346 (248) 625-4580

Visit us at www.stdanielclarkston.org, like us at www.facebook.com/StDanielClarkston or follow us at www.twitter.com/StDanielParish

Parish Mission Statement: We, the St. Daniel Catholic community, through Word and Sacrament, are committed to joyfully serve our neighbors as Disciples of Christ.

Adopted by the Pastoral Council December 16, 2018

Upcoming Events

Today’s Events

Third Sunday of Advent

Lighting the Third

Advent Candle

Safety Plan Implementation- We have been advised by our security company and it has been recommended by

our Pastoral Council, that effective the weekend of December 22nd, the back

church entrance door by the working sacristy will be an emergency exit door only.

All parishioners must enter through the front entrances to the church. This is not

to make things difficult for our parishioners, but is to make our parish more secure

and safe for all.

Prayers for Our Military:

Joshua Goolsby – AirForce Lt. Jamel Chokr - Coast Guard

Please Pray For… Names on the prayer list will be listed for six consecutive Sundays, unless other arrangements are made with the Christian Service Office. After six weeks, names will be removed unless contact is made via 248-625-4583 or christianservice@stdanielclarkston.org. Thank you for your assistance in keeping the prayer lists updated! Prayers Requested For:

Page 2 St. Daniel Community, Clarkston

This Week at St. Daniel Parish Activities, Volunteer Schedules & Sacramental Celebrations

Readings for the Week

Monday, Gn 49: 2, 8-10/Mt 1: 1-17

Tuesday, Jer 23:5-8/Mt 1:18-25

Wednesday, Jgs 13: 2-7, 24-25a/Lk 1: 5-25

Thursday, Is 7:10-14/Lk 1: 26-38

Friday, Sg 2:8-14/Lk 1: 39-45

Saturday,1 Sam 1:-24-28/Lk 1: 46-56

4th Sunday of Advent

Mi 5:1-4a/Heb 10:5-10/ Lk 1:39-45

Quote for the Week (Based on the Gospel Reading from

the Sunday listed above)

Liturgical Ministers

December 22 – 5:00 p.m. Lectors: M. Gemborys, M. McCracken Servers: R. Majewski, Z. Torres Ushers: S. & D. Chamberlain,

P. Carpentier, T. Kwapisz, R. Stawarz, M. Zurek

December 23 – 7:30 a.m. Lectors: S. Learmont, B. Menzies Servers: C. Nehonsky Ushers: D. & P. Blust, F. Ruggirello J2 Rzepka

December 23 – 9:00 a.m. Lectors: O. Catenacci, D. Gravel Servers: J. Jernigan, K. Streetman Ushers: J. Borth, M. Gravel,

B. Hoekstra, M. Kirchner, M. & M. VanGilder

December 23 – 11:00 a.m.

Lectors: L. & S. Shiel Server: J. Ellis, E. Neiman Ushers: E. Erickson, G. Gebrowsky,

M. Gunderson, J. Kupe, S. Speris, K. Williams

Calendar of Events

Monday, December 17

Mass 8:30 pm

Rosary Cenacle 6:30 pm

Parish Reconciliation 7:00 pm

Tuesday, December 18 Mass 8:30 am

Regnum Christi 9:00 am

Grief Group 1:00 pm

Wednesday, December 19

Sunday by Sunday 10:00 am

Doing What MATters 10:00 am

Scripture Study 12:30 pm

H. S. Youth Group 6:30 pm

Women’s Welcome 6:30 pm

Evening Prayer 6:30 pm

Scripture Study 7:15 pm

Thursday, December 20

Rosary 10:30 am Mass follows

Choir 7:30 pm

Friday, December 21

Mass 8:30 am

Saturday, December 22

Reconciliation 4:00 - 4:30 p.m.

Mass 5:00 p.m.

Sunday, December 23

4th Day of Advent

Masses: 7:30 & 9:00 & 11:00 am

Children Choir Rehearsal 12:15 pm

Eucharistic Adoration Schedule

7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday -Thursday 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Friday 4:00 to 5:00 p.m., Saturday

In whose presence do you most discover peace?

How can you participate in bringing peace on earth,

good will toward all?

Leo Amman Emma Beltram Linda Billette Al Bugai Carrie Cashmon Cindy Caitin Bill Chamberlin Lewis Collins Cheryl Cucci Anna Cyr Mike Daly Cass DeFiore Irene Delasko Pat Detkowski Becky Dolzynski Carol Druskinis Renee Garavaglia Mary Godfrey Bill Goolsby Suzanne Gozdor Nancy Grimmer Dee Hall Greg Hall Charlene Hernandez

Fr. Bob Humitz Amy Martocci Florence McDermand Sean McKain Carolyn Meleski Kristin Miller Dr. Bonnie Parker Mary Jo Reid Joe Rivera Edward Sanford Clare Schroeder David Shevock Dennis Slavin James Stewart Madalyn Stobbe Lynne Straney Jerry VanDeGienste Michael Walsh Fr. Francis Weingartz Kelsey Will Steve Wylie Thomas Zagorski Rob Zbiciak

Sacraments

New Baby in the House? Congratulations! To schedule the Sacrament of Baptism for your new addition, contact Deacon Mike McCormick at 248-623-5870!

Just Got Engaged? If you are interested in celebrating the Sacrament of Marriage at St. Daniel, please contact Deacon Mike McCormick at 248-623-5870 at least six months before the anticipated date – BEFORE any arrangements are made for reception facilities. A letter con-taining guidelines on how to establish a wed-ding date at the parish will be sent to the pro-spective bride or groom.

Today’s reading reminda us that the coming of Christ into the world is a time of rejoicing, for the Lord is soon to be in our midst in a manner unprecedented in human history. The prophet Zephaniah sets the tone for this Gaudette, or rejoicing Sunday. Zephaniah was the forerunner to Jeremiah and prophesied during the first decade of the reign of King Josiah (640-609 B.C.). Zephaniah called the Israelites in the southern kingdom of Judah idolaters and warned that God would punish them. But the prophet also spoke of divine mercy, a time when God’s anger would end and there would be a new beginning. In today’s Gospel reading, we hear that John the Baptist stirred the passions and hopes of the people of Israel that the messianic age was dawning. The crowds who came out to hear him (even the tax collectors and soldiers among them) ask John, “What should we do?” They want to know what to do to prepare for the presence of the Lord. John’s response caused many people to wonder “whether John might be the Christ.” But John made it clear to the crowds that “one mightier than I is coming.” John told them “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” - fire that transforms and renews. This announcement of impending transformation was the “good news” of John the Baptist. Once again we hear from Paul’s letters to the Philippians. The community at Philippi was the first community that Paul himself established (see Acts 16: 9-40) so he feels a special connection to them. In today’s reading, Paul speaks again with confidence as he urges: “Rejoice in the Lord always, I say it again: rejoice! The Lord is near.” Writing only twenty years after Jesus Resurrection and Ascension, first generation Christians were already expecting Jesus to return at any moment.

Liturgy & Worship Observances and St. Daniel’s Directory

Page 3 St. Daniel Community, Clarkston

St. Daniel Church 7010 Valley Park Drive

Clarkston, MI 48346

Pastor – Rev. Ronald J. Babich (248) 625-4580; Fax: (248) 620-9839

Cushing Center Office Hours: Mon-Fri 9 am – 5 pm Website: www.stdanielclarkston.org

www.facebook.com/StDanielClarkston

Worship Coordinator – Marsha Eagleton…….….……...248-625-1482

Pastoral Associate - Deacon Mike McCormick…...…....248-623-5870

Spiritual Director - Helen Vardon……………...…….….248-623-5868

Music Director – Marcello Rossi……………....….…. .…248-625-4580

Director of Faith Formation – Rebecca Joseph...……......248-625-1750

Faith Formation Coordinator – Vikki Toth......................248-625-1750

Christian Service Coordinator – Nancy Steele……....….248-625-4583

Business Manager – Lori Johnston….…….………...……248-625-4580

Parish Secretary – Mary Wiencko………..………………248-625-4580

Maintenance – Scott Brancheau and Joe Viazanko....…....248-625-4580

Weekday Mass Schedule

Monday, Tuesday, Friday 8:30 am, Thursday 11:00 am Note: Mass will be cancelled in event of a funeral

Weekend Mass Schedule

Saturday: 5:00 pm Sunday: 7:30, 9:00, 11:00 am

Holy Day Mass Schedule

9:00 am & 7:00 pm

Sacrament of Reconciliation

Saturday 4:00-4:30 pm or by appointment

Baptisms

Please call Parish Office to schedule an appointment with Deacon Mike McCormick

Marriages

The couple must make an appointment for a personal interview with Fr. Ron Babich at least six months in advance of the wedding. The bride

or groom should be a registered parishioner in good standing.

Sick Calls and Communion for the Homebound

Please contact Nancy Steele at (248) 625-4583

R.C.I.A.

Mondays 6:00 pm in Cushing Center (October – Easter)

St. Vincent de Paul – St. Daniel Conference

Hotline number: (248) 795-1755

Funerals

Please contact Deacon Mike McCormick (248) 623-5870 Office

(517) 937-5138 Cell

3rd Sunday of Advent

Saturday, December 22nd, 5:00 p.m. Mass

++ Chester Ostaszewski Requested by Nancy Messina

Sunday, December 23rd, 7:30 a.m. Mass

++ Tyler Sadler Requested by Ron & Pam Sadler

Sunday, December 23rd, 11:00 a.m. Mass

++ Mary Francis Pokriefka Requested by Kathy Nalli

Rite of Welcoming On the first Sunday of Advent St. Dan’s celebrated the Rite of Welcoming for our RCIA participants. The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is the process for people who want to be baptized or confirmed in order to enter fully into the Catholic Church. Thanks to Deacon Mike who teaches and organizes this group. It was a beautiful celebration! Please give your prayers and support to those who will be studying and discerning before entering the Church at the Easter Vigil!

NO Faith Formation Classes until January 7, 2019

Confirmation Prep classes resume January 6, 2019.

Wednesday Morning Scripture Study-Sunday by Sunday No meetings on Dec 26 or Jan 2-Have a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year! Looking to Unleash the Gospel in your life? Please join the weekly Sunday by Sunday scripture group any Wednesday at 10:00 AM as we pray with, reflect on and study the upcoming Sunday scriptures with our focus on the Gospel of Luke this new liturgical year. For further information please contact Georgia Benoit at gamagmb@yahoo.com.

Wednesday Afternoon Bible Study No meetings on Dec 26 or Jan 2-Have a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year! Join us this fall for a new dynamic Bible Study – Kingdom of Happiness: Living the Beatitudes in Everyday Life paired with a study of The Eight Doors of the Kingdom: Meditations on the Beatitudes by Fr. Jacques Philippe. Most of us have all heard or read the beatitudes many times but do we realize that

these are much more than nice little sayings that Jesus gave us? We invite you to join us for a 16 week study- classes started on Wednesday, Oct 3 from 12:30-2:00pm in the Cushing Center. The cost for materials is $40. For more information or to register call Sheri Griffith at 248-425-8824.

Wednesday Evening Scripture Study -The Gospel of John No meetings on Dec 26 or Jan 2-Have a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year! John’s Gospel is the written witness to his constant, loving pursuit of the Lord. To guide you through the intricate symbols within, Fr. Patrick Winslow carefully explains why this is one of the most beautiful and spiritually powerful books in the whole canon of Scripture. Please call Fred & Bev Novack at 248-623-2950 with questions or to sign up.

Faith Formation News

Page 4 St. Daniel Community, Clarkston

(second only to 2017 in numbers) who were VERY appreciative of our generosity and service. Thank you for sharing and caring!!! Clarkston Area Chamber of Commerce Recognizes St. Daniel K of C Council as Non-Profit Organization of the Year At the CHAMBER CHOICE AWARDS NIGHT held at the Carriage House in Pine Knob, the Clarkston Area Chamber of Commerce awarded our St. Daniel Council of the Knights of Columbus as the Non-Profit Organization of the Year in recognition of the charitable service provided to the Clarkston Community. Pictured are Council members Darwin Balcom, Bill King, Jack Will, Jerry Roberts, and John Weiler accepting this award. This is the second community award received by St. Daniel Council, as earlier the year, they were given similar recognition when awarded the Clarkston Community Award. Our thanks go to the Knights of Columbus of the St. Daniel Catholic Community for serving our church and community!

Knights Fifth Sunday Rosary St. Daniel’s Knights of Columbus Council 15967 is inviting all members of the parish community to participate in our 5th Sunday Rosary Program. This service will be conducted December 30 after the 11:00 a.m. Mass, using a finger Rosary. Knights will be providing all those in attendance with finger Rosaries. Participants may also bring their own Rosaries to use during the service. Please join us at the front of church near the lectern after Mass.

Christian Service Opportunities

Page 5 St. Daniel Community, Clarkston

Heartfelt Thanks A huge “thank you” to everyone who participated in the Giving Tree Program! You are truly an inspiration to so many people: the St. Daniel parish community; the people associated with the agencies; and the people

you were able to help directly and indirectly. Appreciation is also extended to all of our “elves” working behind the scenes on the logistics of this program to make it possible: volunteers who sorted the gift bags by agency and either delivered or made sure the gifts were picked up. Special thanks to those families or groups who stepped forward to adopt an entire family through our St. Vincent de Paul conference or Christian Service Office. May you receive as much joy from the experience as the families in need will on Christmas morning due to your loving kindness. Thank you to everyone! Please mark your calendar for

next year if you would like to help. Doing What MATters This fairly new Christian Service ministry uses your recycled plastic grocery bags to crochet sleeping mats, which are then distributed to organizations on the front lines of homelessness. Many of their patrons are living out in the elements. The sleeping mats will help to provide a layer of comfort and protection from the cold and hard ground. If you would like to lend your time and talent to Doing What MATters, the group gathers in the social hall on Wednesdays from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (next meeting, Dec. 19). It is a drop-in format: come to pick up supplies, receive instructions, etc., and then go whenever you are ready. The project can then be worked on at home and brought back to a future meeting. All are welcome, whether you crochet or not!

Annual Sleeping Bags for the Homeless Event Annually, St. Daniel parishioners join with Clarkston United Methodist Church (CUMC) to assist with the Sleeping Bags for the Homeless event at the North End Soup Kitchen in Flint. This year’s event was on Saturday, November 17. The purpose of SBFTH is to gather, deliver, and distribute sleeping bags and other useful winter items to homeless people just prior to the onset of winter. The SBFTH 2018 event was another huge success! We had 15 volunteers from St. Daniel (including Geoff Wright on behalf of the St. Daniel K of C), as part of a total of about 60 volunteers that supported the event. We had collected 275 sleeping bags (a new record!) as well as a huge load of coats, boots, warm clothing, hand-knitted mittens/hats/scarves, toiletries, gift cards, and other items. A lot of those sleeping bags and other items were donated by generous St. Daniel groups and parishioners. There were over 350 participants

St Daniel Grief Group is here to help anyone

who went through or is going through a

grieving process. God says we can not grieve

alone.

Our Grief Group meets the third Tuesday of

each month at 1:00 p.m. in the lounge. All are

welcome. If you’re interested, please contact Helen Vardon

at 248-625-4580.

The next meeting is Tuesday, December 18th at 1:00 p.m.

and meets in the lounge.

Page 6 St. Daniel Community, Clarkston

Parish Life

Grief Group

FLOWER LADIES NEEDED If anyone would like to help our flower

ladies take care of the poinsettias, please

contact Nancy Grimmer at 248-625-4947.

Thank You.

Christmas Memorial Flowers

Making an offering for Christmas poinsettias

is a wonderful way to make our Church look

festive as well have prayers offered up

during the Masses on Christmas Eve and

Christmas Day for those being remembered.

Their names and the names of those who remembered them

will be posted in the Christmas bulletin. To have their names

listed in the Christmas bulletin, we will need the

envelope returned to the office no later than noon

on Thursday, December 14th.

If you would like to make an offering for Christmas poinsetti-

as in memory or honor of a loved one, and do not receive

Contribution Envelopes in the mail, we will have extra enve-

lopes at the back of the church.

Please CLEARLY PRINT all of the necessary information on

the envelope, then drop the envelope into the collection bas-

ket or at the Parish Office.

TO USE ONLINE GIVING: When logged in to your account

on the Online Giving website, choose “Give New Gift,” then

make a one-time donation to the Flower fund. List names of

those to be remembered under “Special Instructions.”

THE GOLD WRAPPING PAPER

Once upon a time, there was a man who worked very hard just to keep food on the table for his family. This particular year a few days before Christmas, he punished his little five-year-old daughter after learning that she had used up the family’s only roll of expensive gold wrapping paper. As money was tight, he became even more upset when on Christmas Eve he saw that the child had used all of the expensive gold paper to decorate one shoebox she had put under the Christmas tree. He also was concerned about where she had gotten money to buy what was in the shoebox. Nevertheless, the next morning the little girl filled with excitement, brought the gift box to her father and said, “This is for you, Daddy!” As he opened the box, the father was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction, now regretting how he had punished her. But when he opened the shoebox, he found it was empty and again his anger flared. “Don’t you know, young lady,: he said harshly, “when you give someone a present, there’s supposed to be something inside the package!” The little girl looked up at him with sad tears rolling from her eyes and whispered: “Daddy, it’s not empty. I blew kisses into it until it was all full.” The father was crushed. He fell on his knees and put his arms around his precious little girl. He begged her to forgive him for his unnecessary anger. An accident took the life of the child only a short time later. It is told that the father kept this little gold box by his bed for all the years of his life. Whenever he was discouraged or faced difficult problems, he would open the box, take out an imaginary kiss, and remember the love of this beautiful child who had put it there. In a very real sense, each of us has been given an invisible golden box filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children, family, friends and God. There is no more precious possession anyone could hold. Christmas is about more than gifts; it’s taking the time to refocus on what really matters in life and that is God, our family and friends, and loving our neighbors. Jesus came to give us life and for that life to be more abundant.

From Pastor, Tim Chappell’s Bulletin- 1st Congregational Church

Page 7 St. Daniel Community, Clarkston

Youth Stuff

St. Dan’s High School Youth Group Come to our Christmas Party on December 19 at 6:30pm! Youth Group is held every Wednesday from 6:30-8:30pm in the Cushing Center Library/Lounge-dinner is included! It is led by teens and no sign up is required, just show up when you can! No meeting on December 26!

Christmas Schedule

Christmas Eve

4:00 pm Church

4:00 pm Social Hall

8:00 pm

10:00 pm

Christmas Day

10:00 am

New Year’s Eve

4:00 pm

New Year’s Day

10:00 am