On Eagle s. Wings. new beginnings. From the Pastor: January / February 2019 IN THIS ISSUE:

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1 On Eagle s From the Pastor: As I sit down to write this reflection, I am gazing out of my window to a dreary Monday morning. My thoughts are drawn to the New Year. I trust you got what you asked for for Christmas. The holidays are over, and we get to breathe a little until we begin the Lenten season. Perhaps you are partied out and are searching for some peace and quiet. Wings new beginnings January / February 2019 IN THIS ISSUE: Business Manager Update MLK Tribute Examples of Love New Year s Resolutions Personally, I think we are all too darn busy. Many of us would like to add five or six hours into our days just so we can get everything finished. I don t think that would even make a difference; we would just try to stuff more things into the day after that. The thing is, when we are too busy, we start to act differently. The patience we thought we had so much of runs out a little faster each day. We are more likely to get upset. Some people have a very short fuse that goes off at all the wrong times and is directed at all the wrong people. Some people don t eat right, maybe even skipping meals so that other things can get completed. Family meals don t really exist all that often because everyone is running from one thing to another. Where is the time we have for God? Is the time with the Almighty simply something we catch if we can, or do we make quality time a priority? How are our prayer lives? I know for me, I must make prayer a priority the very first thing in the morning. I carve out an hour or so for quiet time in my prayer room. But that really isn t enough; I also make sure that there are times throughout the day to pause for prayer. Short moments allow Jesus to be a part of my day. I mean after all, God gives us 24 hours each day, so the least we can do is acknowledge his presence once or twice. I finish with prayer as I lay in bed, replaying the day in my mind. I always find things I am thankful for that He placed in my life that day. I am not trying to tell you that I have the ideal plan for life and prayer. However, as this new year begins, maybe we can find a way to get more in touch with our spiritual lives. Perhaps you make an effort to find that special place where you can spend some quality time with Jesus. If we believe we belong to God, and yes, my friends we do, then we need to work on that relationship. Like any relationship, it takes effort to make it strong. And there has to be a give and take on both sides. God is doing his part; how about you? I have always found when Jesus is a part of my day, whether in prayer or the great gift of the Eucharist, life seems a bit more livable. The more we make time to slow down and invite the Lord into our hearts, the more we fill up with the love he has for us. When that love flows into our hearts, it can t but help overflow into our daily lives. Please take time for one another. Breathe every once in a while and just slow down. You and I are the only ones who control our lives. Invite Jesus into the chaos of your day and allow him to walk with you. Have a great 2019! Father Don West Pastor St. John Church, 9080 Cincinnati-Dayton Road, West Chester, OH 45069

2 From the Business Manager Welcome to 2019! Our parish has many blessings to count from last year. We had a good festival with wonderful weather, we started a reconstruction of our staff office area, we had gifts from generous parishioners like a new lawn mower/tractor, new lighting for our church entry and a list too long to mention. We had two amazing eagle scout projects last year, including a new line of posts along West Chester Road on the back of our property and outdoor stations of the cross in our Chapel garden. Thank you to all parishioners who shared their time, talent and treasure with us in Our parishioners, as always, are some of the most giving to outside organizations. We were able to give in meaningful ways to St. Vincent de Paul, St. Leo the Great, Campton Mission and Religious Retirement (and many more). We baptized babies, gave first communion, confirmed, married and blessed the sick. Our fall Night of Service was even bigger and better than ever and we are planning another one for this spring in May. We are a very dynamic parish and it shows! Our ministries are alive and active! You can drive by our parish campus any night of the week and see the lights on in almost every building. If you are looking to become more involved here, visit our website at and click on ->parish info ->parish forms ->stewardship/volunteer form. At the time of writing this article, we are about 2.5% behind our budgeted income from weekly giving. Weekly giving accounts for 85% of our annual income. Please prayerfully consider making a tax-deductible donation to your parish! Also, giving electronically is the perfect way to set it and forget it for your giving. If you are interested in setting up your regular contributions electronically, it is easy to do. Just click on the Donate/Payment button on our website and follow the instructions. As always, if you ever have questions about giving, I am available via phone, or in person! Don t hesitate to stop by, call or me with your questions. If you would like to give to St. John parish with a stock donation, that would mean a lot to us as well. Donations of stock to St. John Church are processed through our individual custodial account at Fifth Third Bank. To donate stock to our parish, please make sure to include the information below in your communication. Please note: the Archdiocese of Cincinnati Gift Acceptance Policy requires a donor name be included with the transfer. All stock transfers without a donor name and a recipient account number will be rejected and returned to the donor account. Company Name: Fifth Third Bank DTC Number: 2116 Account Number: IBV Account Name: St. John West Chester If you have any questions, please contact Marianne Ball in the parish office at ext. 119 or mball@stjohnwc.org. Have a blessed 2019! I pray daily for our parishioners. For 2019, I will be focused on praying for all of our parishioners, but especially those who are struggling with loss and health challenges. May your hearts and bodies be healed in the new year. God has called you by name, you are His! Share God s love with one another. Joan Seibenick Business Manager On Eagle s Wings January / February 2019 Page 2

3 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. - A Twentieth Century Prophet By Jerry Barney Back in 1968, I was a young Boy Scout traveling with my troop from Toledo to Point Pelee National Park in Canada to go camping. Along the way, our bus ride took us through downtown Detroit. This was shortly after the race riots. Out of my window I viewed first-hand the devastation brought about by their civil unrest. The city looked like a war zone, with buildings reduced to charred skeletal steel frames. It left me shaken and afraid. If Malcom X had his way, towns across our country could have ended up this way. Malcolm rightfully spoke out against the injustices served black people during his time, but he advocated that it be corrected by any means necessary. This phrase was a not so subtle allusion to include the option of violence. Malcolm s contemporary, Martin Luther King Jr., likewise spoke out against civil rights abuses, but his solution was based on the teachings of Jesus Christ and Mahatma Gandhi. MLK called for Civil Disobedience. A non-violent stance that ruled out absolutely the use of physical force. Providentially, Dr. King s point of view prevailed. Because of his efforts, and others like him, we avoided a civil war, and our country was put on a path moving us closer to a more just society. It is for this reason that I believe Martin Luther King Jr. was a prophet. Calling him a prophet may seem misplaced. However, I am using this term in the biblical sense. In modern parlance, a prophet is a fortune-teller, someone who foretells the future. Nostradamus is a 16th century example that comes to mind. Hal Lindsay and Jeane Dixon were popular soothsayers in the late 20th century. Today, TV commercials try to entice us to call the Psychic Hotline to hear the latest predictions. However, a prophet in the Bible is primarily concerned with the present moment rather then what might or will be. The Hebrew word for prophet is Nabi ; a word that means to speak for another. For example, Moses had a speech impediment (stuttering) and his brother Aaron served as his Nabi, he spoke on behalf of Moses. Isaiah, Jeremiah and others were Nabis for God. They spoke on behalf of Yahweh to the people of Israel. This fact can be seen in how they began their oracles using the phrase Thus says the Lord. If you examine the writings of the scriptural prophets, you ll find their messages are mostly about their present moment. They challenged their listeners to be faithful to God s covenant and addressed Social Justice concerns such as care for the widow, the orphan, and the poor. It is in this sense that Martin Luther King Jr. was truly a prophet. His public ministry took place at a time when America was torn by the sin of Racism. Segregation, public lynchings, unfair housing practices and other injustices were occurring to varying degrees throughout the United States. At the risk of his own life, (his house was once bombed) Dr. King boldly addressed these concerns in a peaceful manner. Thanks to his efforts and others like him, legislation was passed to help safeguard the rights of black people and others that were/are disenfranchised. Of course, we know like many prophets both old and new, he eventually paid the ultimate price. Thanks be to God for his service and may each of us find a way to honor his memory on January 15. God bless. Jerry Barney Deacon On Eagle s Wings January / February 2019 Page 3

4 Examples of Love By Josh Plandowski I always look for examples of God s love in my life. Each night I end my day with the Ignatian Daily Examen and review my day to see where God presented Himself. It is such a blessing to be able to look back each night and find numerous examples of God s presence and love manifested through the actions of others. These examples of God s love help keep me going even after a difficult day. In my life I am surrounded by so many examples of God s love. Here at St. John the Evangelist, I am constantly reminded of God s love by the generosity, kindness, and love that is shown to me by our parishioners. One recent example was at the Confirmation Retreat Part 2 on November 18. The power was out in the Center, so I had to change our retreat location to Favret Hall. It was chaotic moving venues, but it would not have been possible without the help of our volunteers. The Confirmation volunteers all stepped up and pitched in to make this retreat possible. I had volunteers who gathered supplies I had forgotten from the Center, served our pizza dinner, and got beverages set up on the table which I had forgotten to do. They stepped up and made sure everything ran smoothly. To have parishioners who step up and are ready to assist at a moment s notice is such a blessing. Their generosity in giving their time and talents truly reflected God s love to me. Of course, the one example of God s love that stands out the most is my wife, Jessica. Jessica is a constant reminder of God s love in my life. Her constant support, patience, and genuine care truly uplifts me each day. It has been a wonderful first year of marriage and I have learned so much from her. I have learned to focus on my successes and not my flaws, to be there for each other especially when we are having a rough week, and that maybe, I can put my dirty clothes in the hamper instead of right next to it on the floor. Her support has been such a blessing as my job can be stressful. I know that I can go home to someone who loves me and supports me. Her love is a constant reminder of God s unfailing love for me. God s love is unending and I can always turn to God for support, which I have done more than ever this year. I continue to grow in my relationship with God, thanks to the love and support I receive from those at St. John the Evangelist and from my wife, Jessica. Where are the examples of God s love in your life? How can you better reflect God s love to the people in your life? I encourage you to take some time to reflect on these questions as we strive to grow closer to God. Josh Plandowski Pastoral Associate of Youth Ministry On Eagle s Wings January / February 2019 Page 4

5 Making Resolutions with Christ in Mind By Angela Pugliano One of my favorite parts about the liturgical year is that we are given timely gifts of personal introspection each year. Of course, I am thinking of both Advent and Lent. Advent is a time to pause patiently throughout the weeks leading up to Christmas in an attempt to prepare ourselves for the miracle of Christ s birth. Lent is when we can make our own sacrifices in order to honor Jesus great sacrifice on the cross. As we enter 2019 and eventually prepare for the season of Lent, I am doubly reminded of the chance to start again. The New Year brings with it promises of resolutions: losing weight, eating healthier, reading more books, or accomplishing new goals at work. These resolutions are a chance for us to start over and rectify those mistakes we may have made in the previous year, where maybe we gained a few extra pounds or spent too much time in front of our smart phones. For me, it is difficult to stick to a resolution. Yes, I want to be a better person overall, but I often find it hard to consistently work on a resolution further than a few weeks into January. I guess you could say that I m a creature of habit. However, I find that when Lent rolls around, I have a far easier time sticking to my Lenten promise, which is usually comparable to a New Year s Resolution. Perhaps it s the pressure that comes with telling everyone what I gave up for Lent. While that may be a contributing factor, I think it is also the added motivation of Jesus sacrifice on my mind that keeps me in line. It is much easier for me to stick to a commitment when I remember the great sacrifice that He made for all of us. Having that on my mind keeps me more focused and sincere when sticking to a promise. What if I kept this important motivation with me throughout the entire year? Yes, having a Lenten intention is important in and of itself, but maybe if I remembered Christ a little more throughout January as well, I would be more likely to stick to a resolution. Remembering that Jesus wants so badly for his children to be stewards of their faith could play a huge role in our New Year s Resolutions. We hear all year long what Jesus wants us to do; maybe that can light our fires and remind us that we are not only changing to better ourselves, but to better the world around us. This year, I am going to try and channel my Lenten passion for change into a year-long promise. What will your resolutions be? Angela Pugliano Pastoral Associate of Communications On Eagle s Wings January / February 2019 Page 5

6 Congrats! Marriage To Those Who Received these Sacraments: October 13, 2018 Brittany Zins and Austin Barber Baptisms October 7, 2018 Otto William Breitenstein Mary Kathleen Uhlenhake Delilah Grace Raters Carson Edward Wahl December 8, 2018 Michaela Lynn Lamping October 13, 2018 Brielle Isma Sabatini November 11, 2018 Brandt Tyan Peet Logan James Miller November 25, 2018 Chet Joseph Orelli December 2, 2018 Maxwell Anthony Weaver Emmett Matthew Lunn On Eagle s Wings January / February 2019 Page 6

7 Our Prayers and Sympathy Go Out to... October Carlos Lange on the death of his daughter, Cornelia Carol Poniske on the death of her husband of 72 years, Jerry Poniske Douglas Rosequist on the death of his wife, Carol Rosequist Karen Brandner on the death of her husband, Dale Brandner November Mary Bonser on the death of her brother-in-law Vince Doyle on the death of his wife, Margie Doyle The Strubbe family on the death of Carol Strubbe Sandy Bell on the death of her husband, Howard Bell Maryann Walsh on the death of her husband, Bob Walsh Purchase Father Don s Book, Were Not Our Hearts Burning? today! Fr. Don shares his passion and heart for scripture in this inspirational book that takes the reader on a journey into Luke s gospel. Were Not Our Hearts Burning? is written in a conversational and engaging style, allowing the reader to connect with scripture in a very relatable and personal way. The book contains short reflections and is organized according to the liturgical year of the Church, beginning with the first Sunday of Advent and concluding with the Feast of Christ the King. Fr. Don hopes that these gospel conversations will help people begin to understand what Jesus offers us and to accept the challenge to hear the calling to be the people Christ calls us to be, and to share God s love with others. Purchase his newest book for $13 on Amazon, $10 in the office, or purchase his entire trilogy for only $25! On Eagle s Wings January / February 2019 Page 7

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