St. Peter s Church. The Epiphany of the Lord January 6, We welcome James Patrick Herres, Lincoln Matthias Prough,

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1 The Epiphany of the Lord January 6, 2019 Mission Statement We, the parishioners of St. Peter s Church, are called to holiness by God as present day disciples of Jesus Christ. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are united in service to God to share our faith with one another and our community. May our participation in the Holy Sacraments, our ministries and our devotion to Mary bring glory to God and His Kingdom. Emergency Contact In the event of an emergency, please call the rectory at If no answer, please call This is a pager. You will be instructed to enter your phone number and Fr. Bechtel will return your call. Pregnancy Support Catholic Social Services (800) Crisis Pregnancy Help line (888) 4-OPTIONS Endless Mountains Pregnancy Care Center (570) Religious Education and Formation Religious Education classes are held for Pre-K 12 th grade. Classes begin in September and conclude in May. Pre-K (ages 3-5) is held during the 8:30am Mass. K-12 th begins at 9:30am and concludes at 10:40am. To register, please contact the Religious Education Office at or the Rectory at Children s Liturgy (grades K-4 th ) is held during the 8:30am Mass when Religious Education classes are in session. Welcome to St. Peter s Church! If you are visiting Tioga County this weekend, welcome and thank you for worshiping with us! If you are searching for a Spiritual home, we welcome you to join us and invite you to become part of our church family. Please complete this form and return it to the parish office or drop it in the offertory basket. Request for Parishioner Registration Form Name Phone Address St. Peter s Church 47 Central Avenue, Wellsboro, Pennsylvania Rectory Phone: ~ Fax: Religious Education Office: Website: ~ stpch@ptd.net Rectory Office Hours Monday through Thursday 9:00 2:00pm Parish Staff Pastor: Rev. David Bechtel Dbechtel00@yahoo.com Secretary: Connie Spang stpch@ptd.net Business Manager: Patti Mitchell stpadm@ptd.net Directors of Religious Ed.: Maureen Poirier & Melissa Mann stpreled@ptd.net Maintenance Staff: Connie Spang, Francis Kennedy Schedule of Weekend Masses Saturday Vigil: 5:00pm ~~ Sunday: 8:30am Reconciliation Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 11:45am -12:00noon; Saturday 4:15 4:45pm; By appointment by calling the Rectory. We welcome James Patrick Herres, son of Joseph Herres & Joanna Simonis Herres, AND Lincoln Matthias Prough, son of Patrick Prough & Florence Simonis Prough, into the One, Holy, Catholic Church through the waters of Baptism. Parish Contact Listing Women s Bible Study Sue Singer St.John Neumann s Prayer Group Christina Simonis Contemplative Spirituality Group Kate Black Cards & Games Patty Kramer Knights of Columbus George Gamble Social Concerns Karen Plumley Parish Rummage Sale Mary Lasko Pat Gorda Church Linens & Decorations Sue Singer Buildings & Grounds Rick Joachim Cemetery Committee Howard Rutledge Fundraising Dinners Paul Urner Music Ministry Christina Simonis , Marilyn deguzman Samaritan House Linda Sampson Youth Group Maureen Poirier/ Melissa Mann Eucharistic Adoration Rhonda Gooch Finance Council Priscilla Walrath Parish Council Rectory Worship Committee Rectory Sunday Nursing Home Communion Eileen Evert Prayer Chain Kate Black Order of Secular Carmelite Lori Makos ChristLife Norb Josten Prayer Shawl Ministry - Jan Bernethy

2 The Epiphany of the Lord January 6, 2019 Date Time Confession Time and Mass Intention Monday 1/7 No Mass Tuesday 1/8 7:30am In Memory of Mary Agnes Bushner (Robert Bechtel) Wednesday 1/9 Thursday 1/10 Friday 1/11 Saturday 1/12 11:45am-12:00pm 12:10pm 11:45am-12:00pm 12:10pm 11:45am-12:00pm 12:10pm 4:00-4:45pm 5:00pm Confessions In Memory of Carrie Henry (Friend of St. Peter s) Confessions In Ana Turton (Poirier Family) Confessions In Memory of Sylvia Lin (Samaritan House Family) Confessions In Memory of David Bufano (Ron & Celeste Waclawik) Sunday 1/13 8:30am All Living and Deceased Members of St. Peter s Parish The Sanctuary Candle is offered in Honor of Parishioners of St. Peter s The Week Ahead SUNDAY, January 6, 2019 Religious Ed Pre-School:8:30-9:30am; K-12 th :9:30-10:40am R.C.I.A. 9:30am, Parish Center TUESDAY, January 8, 2019 Adoration 8:00am-6:30pm; Benediction 6:30pm Women s Bible Study 9:00am, Parish Center AA/Al-Anon 8:00pm, Parish Center WEDNESDAY, January 9, 2019 ChristLife 6:00pm, Parish Center THURSDAY, January Cards & Games 12:00pm, Parish Center MOMS Next 7:00pm, Parish Center FRIDAY, January 11, 2019 Rectory Closed SUNDAY, January 13, 2019 Religious Ed Pre-School:8:30-9:30am; K-12 th :9:30-10:40am R.C.I.A. 9:30am, Parish Center Secular Carmelites 11:30am, Parish Center FOOD PANTRY DONATIONS This month s food pantry items are: Canned Fruit (15oz.) and Pork & Beans. A donation box can be found at the entrance of the church. GOODIES FOR OUR TROOPS This month s Goodies for our Troops items are: foot aids (insoles, powder, cream), eye drops, lip balms, 1# coffee, coffee singles, candy bars, M&M s & Reece s, microwave popcorn & personal notes (cards, letters, drawings from children.) A donation box can be found at the entrance of the church. ST. THOMAS/ST. CATHERINE MASS SCHEDULE Saturday Evening 7:00pm, St. Catherine, Westfield Sunday Morning 11:30am, St. Thomas, Elkland Ministers of the Altar Schedule January 12 th /13 th 5:00pm Altar Servers: J.Grab, M.Mann, A.Tokarz Lectors: T.Sampson, L.Sampson E. Min.: B.Chiaramonte, B.Butler, I.Dziengowski, N.Ostapowicz 8:30am Altar Servers: E.Benjamin, W.Feil, B.Levindoski Lectors: N.Bickham, N.Kennedy E. Min.: T.Gamble, N.Josten, M.Stirnaman, L.Whitney Sacramental Information Baptisms - Parents anticipating the birth of their first child are asked to attend baptismal instructions classes before the birth of their child, if possible. Note: Baptisms cannot be scheduled until all the necessary paperwork is completed. Contact the Rectory to schedule. Confirmation - Confirmation is administered every year to all 8 th grade students in our Parish Religious Education program. Children wishing to receive Confirmation must be enrolled and participating in the program for two years before they are eligible to receive the sacrament. Marriages- In order to complete the necessary paperwork, couples are asked to contact the Rectory at least one full year in advance of the proposed marriage date. Anointing of the Sick - Please contact the Rectory if a member of your family has become sick or hospitalized. Monthly Visitations - Any parishioner who is homebound and wishes to receive the Eucharist on a monthly basis is asked to contact the Rectory to schedule a visit. Rite of Christian Initiation in Adults (R.C.I.A.) - The R.C.I.A. prepares unbaptized adults for reception into the Catholic Church. The program is adapted to the needs of each person and prepares them for full initiation into the faith. Contact the Rectory for more information.

3 Liturgical Reflection The Epiphany of the Lord FIRST READING: Isaiah 60:1-6 There is reason for Israel to hope. The Lord shines upon the people. God is in their midst! A reversal of fortune is taking place. Jerusalem will no longer be insignificant among the nations. Now, other lands will depend upon Jerusalem for light. Jerusalem will see a variety of people streaming toward her: exiles returning home, as well as people from other lands, laden with rich gifts. The restoration of Jerusalem and the praise of God are intimately related. RESPONSORIAL PSALM: 72 Psalm 72 gives a description of the perfect king of Israel. He would be someone who was filled with wisdom like Solomon, as well as a great warrior who could enlarge the boundaries of Israel from sea to sea, an accomplishment of David, and someone who guaranteed justice in the land, especially to the poor. As with the First Reading, we hear that even the Gentile kings would recognize the splendor of that king s reign and come to pay him homage. SECOND READING: Ephesians 3:2-3, 5-6 In Paul s letter to the Ephesians, he speaks of Christ as the one who gathers all to share it the same promise, the same inheritance, making them members of the same body. God s plan reaches completion on earth, in which Jews and Gentiles equally participate in the culmination of God s plan for human salvation. GOSPEL: Matthew 2:1-12 The star represents a highly significant and imminent birth or other event. The wise ones from the East believe that the star signals the birth of the King of the Jews to whom they all homage as their Lord. This manifestation of God by the star touches true seekers everywhere even those on the fringes. The visit of the Wise Men is tinged with foreboding danger, pointing to Jesus Death and Resurrection. This feast with its star and arrival of the Magi, reminds us that God has a plan that is worked out in time, whether Biblical time or the time of our own lives. THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD Today we celebrate that the child born in the darkness of night in a lowly manger is revealed as the manifestation of God. Christ is revealed in many ways: as Lord, as King, as the one in whom God is present and acts. All of these manifestations are lights that shine on Christ, revealing a deeper understanding of who he is. The Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord has several themes. First, we have the wise men being guided through darkness by the light of the star. Second, we have the star as a sign that leads the wise men to Jesus. Third, we have the manifestation of God to Gentiles, not just Jews, pointing to the reality that Jesus came for all people. Fourth, we have the mystery that God does reveal his very self in human flesh. Parish News and Activities ADULT FAITH FORMATION Those who ve completed Discovering Christ this past fall are invited to continue their journey into a deeper relationship with our Lord in Following Christ. This second, 7-week series of the ChristLife program, will convene on Wednesdays, beginning January 9 th, from 6:30 8:30pm in the parish Center. If you have not already confirmed your participation, please call Norb Josten at * YEAR END DONATIONS 2018 financial statements will be prepared upon request. If you would like a 2018 statement, please call the rectory or write send statement on your weekly offering envelope. * PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY The Prayer Shawl Ministry creates beautiful shawls to help comfort those who are sick, bereaved, shut-in, nursing home resident, or those experiencing loneliness or stress. The shawls are like being wrapped in prayers and love. Our hope is that those who receive them will feel the hands of God around them, giving them healing and comfort. If you know of someone in need of a shawl, please contact Jan Bernethy at SANCTUARY CANDLES A candle is kept burning day and night whenever the Blessed Sacrament is reserved in Catholic churches. It is an emblem of Christ s abiding love and a reminder to the faithful to respond with loving adoration in return. Sanctuary candles are available to remember or honor your loved ones. Call the rectory to reserve a week. If we live as Jesus taught us, and in harmony with what we proclaim, our witness will bear fruit. Pope Francis

4 That s The Way It Is! A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is a Christmas classic. During the month of December you will find the movie version on many TV channels. The story chronicles the redemption of a rich miser named Scrooge. I am sure we all know the story from start to finish. Scrooge is a rich, greedy miser with no love or generosity in his heart. By the end of the story, Scrooge gives generously to his fellow man and uses his money to help the poor, in particular his staff member Bob Cratchet and his ill son Tiny Tim. I would like to offer a bit of a different take on this Christmas classic. There are certain elements in the story that many people do not realize. Bob Cratchet is Scrooge s employee. The story notes how small his Christmas dinner is because he cannot afford to provide his family with a large Christmas dinner. The Christmas goose is said to be very small for the size of his family, along with the Christmas pudding. Tiny Tim is ill and cannot walk without a crutch. Bob Cratchet cannot afford the doctors or their medical treatments that can help Tiny Tim walk and recover from his illness. Scrooge, being the rich person can help make the lives of the Cratchet family better. While I certainly agree that Scrooge has an obligation to use his money to better his community, and in particular the lives of the Cratchet family, Scrooge is not the only person who has that responsibility. What I note about the story is that everyone feels sorry for the Cratchet family, but none of them actually lift a finger to help the Cratchet family with their own resources. They all stand back and blame Scrooge for not helping. Scrooge, because he is rich, is apparently supposed to shoulder all the burden for assisting the Cratchet family and the community. What about the butcher? The butcher knew that the goose was far too small for the Cratchet family. What stopped him from upgrading the order and not charging for the upgrade? Why did the butcher have to wait on Scrooge? How about the medical personnel? What stopped them from offering free medical care to Tiny Tim? Why did they have to wait for Scrooge to pay them before they would help? What about anyone else who knew the situation of the Cratchet family? They could have taken it upon themselves to do a small act of kindness to the family to help ease their burden. No one needed to wait on Scrooge. Yet the story revolves around what Scrooge should do. I think we need to reflect more on what everyone should have done according to their means. It is true that the more blessings we are given, the more responsibility we have to use those blessings to be a blessing to others. At the same time, the rich aren t the only ones with those responsibilities. Everyone has that obligation based on the blessings they have been given. In the story, the butcher might not have had the means that Scrooge had available to him. Let s assume that the butcher was making an average income. The butcher could have upgraded the Cratchet s order and helped give them a merrier Christmas than they otherwise would have had. The medical personnel did not have the means that Scrooge had available. Though as medical personnel, I think we can assume they had a handsome income. They could have offered some medical care for Tiny Tim at reduced cost or no cost. As Christians, we are all called to have care and concern for the poor. We cannot just step back and say Let the rich do it they are, after all, rich. Most of us aren t rich and therefore most of us to not have the means to make an impact in an individual s life or the life of the community the same way a rich person does. We need to be mindful of the fact that what matters isn t whether we can solve a person s problems. What matters is that we make the choice to do what we can for the person. For example: we can t get someone who is homeless a home. The problem of homelessness goes far deeper than just housing. That does not entail we can t feed them. That does not entail we can t give them a blanket. Here in Tioga County, there is a homeless shelter. We can volunteer at the shelter. Maybe we know that our neighbor can t pay their water bill or electric bill for the month. We can pay their bill for them. Everyone has a cross they must carry for reasons known only to God. We can t take those crosses away, but we can help people to carry them. That is what matters. In this New Year, let us remember that all of us have an obligation to our fellow man and to use whatever blessings we have large or small to be a blessing to others. We should not just sit back and pass off our obligation to the rich. What matters isn t how large the act of kindness is. What matters is that whatever act of kindness we do is done in great love. May you all have a happy and healthy 2019! Happy New Year! The Reverend David W. Bechtel, Pastor

5 News From the Vatican WE LIKE THE MAGI MUST LOOK UP, SO WE CAN SEE THE STAR Pope Francis says that like the Magi, we must look to the sky. Only in this way, will we be able to see the Star Pope Francis stressed this in his greetings pilgrims during today s General Audience, Jan. 2, 2019, his first audience of the New Year. Acknowledging January 6, 2019, marks the Epiphany, Francis said: Like the Magi, we also raise our gaze to the heavens; only in this way, will we be able to see the star that invites us to walk the paths of goodness. Happy New Year to all! TRUST IN THE FATHER WHO KNOWS WHAT WE NEED Pope Francis continues his catechesis on the Lord s Prayer at the Wednesday General Audience, reminding us that we need to avoid hypocrisy and remain open to God s will. He began by saying how St. Matthew s Gospel strategically places the text of the Our Father at the centre of the Sermon on the Mount, which begins with the Beatitudes. This location is significant because it condenses the fundamental aspects of Jesus message, he said. The Beatitudes - In the Beatitudes, Jesus awards the gift of happiness to categories of people, who in His time, and our own, were not very highly regarded, said the Pope: the poor, the meek, the merciful, the humble of heart. The peacemakers, who until then were on the margins of history, become builders of the Kingdom of God. It is from here, said Pope Francis, that the newness of the Gospel emerges. The Law is not to be abolished, but requires a new interpretation, finding its fulfillment in the Gospel of love and reconciliation. The Gospel challenges us, said the Pope, the Gospel is revolutionary. Love has no boundaries - This is the great secret behind the Sermon on the Mount, continued Pope Francis: Be children of your Father who is in Heaven. God asks us to invoke Him with the name of Father, to let ourselves be renewed by His power, to reflect a ray of His goodness for a world thirsting for good news. As sons and daughters, brothers and sisters of our Heavenly Father, Jesus invites us to love our enemies, because love has no boundaries. Beware the prayer of the hypocrites - Before giving us the Our Father, said Pope Francis, Jesus warns us of two obstacles to prayer. He does so by distancing Himself from two groups of His time: the hypocrites and the pagans. We do not pray in order to be admired by others, said the Pope. Rather than just an outward show without inward conversion, Christian prayer has no credible witness other that its own conscience. It is a continuous dialogue with Father. Beware the prayer of the pagans - The second group is that of the pagans, who pray with formality and wordiness, presenting their petitions without a spirit of quiet openness to God s will. Pope Francis suggested that silent prayer is often enough, placing oneself under the gaze of God, remembering His love as a Father. Jesus tells us to pray like children to a Father who knows what we need before we even ask. God needs nothing - It is beautiful to think that our God does not need sacrifices to win His favor, concluded Pope Francis. Our God needs nothing: in prayer He asks only that we keep open a channel of communication with Him so we can recognize we are always His beloved children, because He loves us so much. Vatican News Service Pro Life News PRIESTS FOR LIFE Reflection on today s readings - The opening and closing prayer, the Preface, and the readings of today s feast all work powerfully together to enable us to communicate the message of the sanctity of life. Epiphany is about revelation and manifestation, and that, of course is what Christ does. Not only does he reveal the Father to us, but he reveals us to ourselves. He shows us that this human nature of ours, that can be so troublesome and burdened, has in fact been renewed. The Preface proclaims, You have renewed humanity in his immortal image. That, indeed is the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel that Paul proclaims to the Ephesians in the second reading. As the alternative opening prayer says, it is a promise that God will draw us to the life where your Spirit makes all life complete. Death is no longer the final word for the human family, and this gift is shared not only by one nation or one people, but by all humanity. The universal offer of God s salvation extends to those still in the womb. Epiphany not only tells us that there are no national or ethnic boundaries to God s call, but that there are no artificial boundaries between born and unborn, wanted or unwanted, convenient or inconvenient. Moreover, the epiphany most needed in our time is the ability to see beyond the appearances of those who are smaller and weaker, and beyond the illusion created when some are declared non-persons under the law. Breaking through all this darkness and blurriness is the clear light of Christ, which shines on every human life without exception, bringing those lives God s love and giving us the sacred obligation to love them as well.

6 Diocese of Scranton News OFFICIAL NOTICE The faithful of the Diocese of Scranton are hereby advised that John Tokarick is not a Roman Catholic Priest and is not permitted to function as a priest in the Roman Catholic Church. Furthermore, the Catholic faithful should not receive the sacraments from Tokarick or attend his celebration of the sacraments, wherever they may be held. DIOCESE ADDS NAMES TO LIST OF CREDIBLY ACCUSED INDIVIDUALS Following the release of the Grand Jury report last year, Bishop Bambera made a promise that he would be more open and transparent in the way that the Diocese handles occurrences of child sexual abuse. That commitment remains true. In August, the Diocese published on its website a list of all clergy, staff and volunteers who had been credibly accused of child sexual abuse. Since then, additional victims have come forward. Eleven new names have been added to the online list. Those new names are listed below. We will continue to alert you periodically in the case that additional individuals are added to this list. If you are aware of additional allegations of wrongdoing or any information that should be included on this list, please contact our Victim Assistance Coordinator Mary Beth Pacuska at (570) or Monsignor Thomas Muldowney, Vicar General, at (570) If you have suffered abuse by clergy or anyone working on behalf of the Diocese, you are encouraged to contact Mary Beth Pacuska. These names have been added to the original list of credibly accused individuals: DIOCESAN CLERGY Polcha, Michael C. Pulicare, Michael J. MEMBERS OF RELIGIOUS ORDERS Bourbon, Francis C. (S.J.) Fertal, Joseph (SVD) Garrity, Stephen M., (S.J.) Long, Arthur J. (S.J.) Pisaneschi, Sister Clare (M.P.F.) Rebovich, John (OSJ) LAITY Maroni, Mark Smith, Richard Yarros, David Notice Regarding Sexual Abuse of a Child It is the policy of the Diocese of Scranton to report any allegation of sexual abuse of a minor to law enforcement. If you are a victim of sexual abuse committed by a priest, deacon, religious or lay employee or volunteer of the Diocese of Scranton, you are encouraged to immediately report the matter to law enforcement. If any priest, deacon, religious, lay employee or volunteer of the Diocese of Scranton has cause or reason to suspect that a minor has been subjected to any form of abuse, including child sexual abuse, the matter will be reported to law enforcement. In accordance with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania s Child Protective Services Laws, reports of suspected child abuse should also be made immediately by phone to the 24-HourChild Abuse hotline (ChildLine) at or electronically at It is also the policy of the Diocese to adhere to all civil and state regulations. To this end, the Diocese is equally committed to adhering to the norms of the Code of Canon Law and to upholding the tenets of the USCCB Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, which includes supporting victims of sexual abuse in their pursuit of emotional and spiritual wellbeing. As such, information regarding an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor should also be reported to the Victim Assistance Coordinator Mary Beth Pacuska at ( ) or to Diocesan officials, including the Vicar General, Monsignor Thomas M. Muldowney, at ( ). ANNUAL APPEAL Thank you to those who have already made a pledge to the Diocesan Annual Appeal. St. Peter s Annual Appeal Parish Goal: $ 46,500 Current Pledged Amount: $ 30,728 If you have not yet given your support, please: Call the Development Office at , to make a pledge or give a gift by credit card, Mail a check to the Diocesan Appeal Office at 300 Wyoming Ave., Scranton, PA 18503, or Give online at Our parish is reimbursed 75% for any gifts made to the Appeal in excess of our Appeal goal. WEDDING ANNIVERSARY MASS His Excellency, the Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera and the Office for Parish Life wish to invite couples celebrating their 25 th or 50 th wedding anniversary in 2019 to a diocesan Wedding Anniversary Mass on Sunday, June 30 th. The event includes a 2:30 pm mass at St. Peter s Cathedral followed by a reception. Requests for an invitation, with a mailing address, should be made through your pastor before April 2 nd.

7 ANNUAL MARCH FOR LIFE The Annual March for Life is the World's Largest peaceful Pro-Life event! Come join the crowd and be inspired by great speakers and music and take a stand for life in our nation's capital! The theme for this year's march is "Unique from Day One: Pro-Life is Pro- Science". Pennsylvanians for Human Life-Scranton Chapter is coordinating their annual bus trip to the March for Life 2019 in Washington D.C. on Friday, January 18th. Buses leave for Washington D.C. at 6:45am from the Keyser Oak Shopping Center in Scranton. The Pro-Life Rally begins at 12 noon on the National Mall - 12th Street, Washington, D.C. March begins at approximately 1:00pm. Bus returns at approximately 11:45pm. Cost is $40 for adults & $20 for children. Limited sponsorships are available. Payment required in advance. Please make check payable to Pennsylvanians for Human Life and send to Pennsylvanians for Human Life 400 Wyoming Ave. Suite 110 Scranton Pa For detailed information about the March, please visit their home page at For more information on our bus trip, visit us at or call ANNUAL RESPECT LIFE PRAYER BREAKFAST The Annual Respect Life Prayer Breakfast, hosted by Pennsylvanians for Human Life, Scranton Chapter will be held on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019 beginning at 9am at Fiorelli Catering, 1501 Main Street in Peckville. Cost is $22 per adult, $10 for children 6-12, children 5 and under are free. Register and payment in advance only by Friday, January 25, Additional registration forms are available on our website. Clip and send reservation with check payable to Pennsylvanians for Human Life to: Anne Domin, 632 Gardner Road, Elmhurst Twp, Pa Contact Anne for reservations or questions at For more information visit us at Our featured speaker this year is Seth Drayer, Vice President of Created Equal, a pro-life education and outreach organization based in Columbus, Ohio. Seth leads Created Equal s mission to equip pro-life defenders with the scientific/philosophic case for life and conversational skills to create dialogue about abortion in their hometowns. He also engages university professors in formal debate, and has appeared on national television shows Fox & Friends and Hannity. Seth holds a Bachelor of Arts from Indiana University and has been in full-time pro-life ministry since Articulate with his content and engaging with his listeners, his timely message inspires and reaches people of all ages and affiliations. A Prayer for the New Year O God of new beginnings and Wonderful surprises, thank You for the gift of a new year. May it be a time of grace for me, a time to grow in faith and love, a time to renew my commitment to following Your Son, Jesus. May it be a year of blessing for me, a time to cherish my family and friends, a time to renew my efforts at work, a time to embrace my faith more fully. Walk with me, please, in every day and every hour of this new year, that the light of Christ might shine through me, in spite of my weaknesses and failings. Above all, may I remember this year that I am a pilgrim on the sacred path to You. Amen Stewardship Sunday Collection December 23, 2018: $5, Weekly Goal to Meet Expenses: $5, Difference:($ 10.00) Year-to-Date Budget Variance:($8,220.40) Christmas Collection December 25, 2018: $14, This collection was deposited in our Savings account and is not reflected in our Year-to-Date Budget Variance. Sunday Collection December 30, 2018: $6, (Includes Solemnity of Mary Collection of $1,595.25) Weekly Goal to Meet Expenses: $5, Difference: $ Year-to-Date Budget Variance:($7,352.40) We are grateful to all those who financially sacrifice every week to support our parish and its ministries.

8 Please patronize our sponsors and thank them for their support. Their advertising helps to make our bulletin possible. Connect with us: bakertilly.com Two Waln Street Wellsboro, PA If Akiko s Not Your Florist, She Should Be Shop 24/7 at Akiko, Clark & Joe Hewitt 25 Main Street Wellsboro, PA Games Imagination Fun Your proprietors Julian and Anja Stam Consider it all joy! James 1:2 A Gift in Your Will We hope you'll consider including a gift to St. Peter s Church in your will or living trust. Called a charitable bequest, just a few sentences in your will or trust are all that is needed. Share this sample bequest language for St. Peter s Church with your estate planning attorney: BULLETIN ADVERTISING SPACE AVAILABLE We currently have advertising space available in our weekly bulletin. If you are interested in placing an ad, please call the rectory. "I, [name], of [city, state, zip], give, devise and bequeath to St. Peter s Church, Wellsboro [written amount or percentage of the estate or description of property] for its unrestricted use and purpose." Parish Prayer List Nettie Mays, Nan Bowser, Trish Knowlton, Judy Nagel, Sue Evert, Valerie Tobin, Shirley Mekos Broughton, Donna Brennan, Mary Mekos, Antoinette Davis, Jonathan Hardman, Stephen Hurd, Stephanie Hemighaus, Suzie Alexander, Larry Sasani, Wendy Doan-Newcomb, Syler Sullivan, Adrienne Gilbert, Rita Grinnan, Bob Murphy, Sylvia Smith, Tom Mohr, Carol Weatherby, Carol Shine, Teresa Pavlock, Jerry Pierce, Joann Black, Gabriel, Melissa & Daniel Espinoza, Lori Lopaz, Patricia Quattrone, Larry Jackson, Katie Seip, Lisa Jones, Floyd Williammee, Renee Kennedy, Gay Furlong, Elsa DiBernardo, Fran Rose, Christine Palmer, June Sherman, Kathy Smith, Tim Bogaczyk, Beth Valdez, Virginia Shaefer, Charles Barrett, Joe Engel, Darleen Kohler, Victoria Salerno, Bob Snyder, Don Brooks, Paul Beuter, Jerry Eckert, Cole Salerno, Mark Kilmer, Margaret Barnett, Frank Dziengowski, Jr., Stephen Horvatch, Fr. Paul Mullen, Helene Carpenter, Clark Hewitt, Everett Dean Brown, Roberta Mahar, Bud Boyce, Marian Coolidge, Kay Evans, Elizabeth Payne, Cindy Sereno, Denny Young, Cindy Copp, Carolyn Tester, Tom Brown, Richard Stankiewicz, Jim Callahan, Mary Antoniw, Ruth Russell, Edward Turk Cruttenden, Agnes Worden, Larry Mommicco, Anne Marie Beuter, Carol Fasick, Skip Warriner, Jim Honeywell, Beverly Willsea, Stephanie Calicchia, Jacoby Aratari, Doris Coumbe, Michael Bowen, Lou Kirby, Linda Kichline, and Sharron Pierce Jones. Eternal Rest Grant Unto Them, O Lord and Let the Perpetual Light Shine Upon Them. Sylvia Darrow Lord, this we know, no matter how difficult life may be at this time, we know you will not stop loving us and will always hold us in the palm of your hand. We are reaching to you, Lord, to hold us, comfort us, and heal us. Lord, this we know, you are faithful in your love for us today and forever. You are with us, and we are with you. Amen.