Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church

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2 Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church Monsignor Nevin Klinger J.C.L., M.A., Pastor Monsignor Robert Coll, Pastor Emeritus 4101 Old Bethlehem Pike, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, YOUR STEWARDSHIP IS THE SOURCE OF OUR GROWTH December 1-2, 2018: $13, PARISH CALENDAR FOR THE WEEK Monday, December 10, :00 a.m. Bible Study Finnegan Room 12:00 p.m. Sewing Sisters Finnegan Room 6:30 p.m. Bible Study Finnegan Room 7:00 p.m. Prayer Shawl Group Fritz Room 7:00 p.m. Contemp. Ensb. Rehearsal Church Tuesday, December 11, :30 p.m. We The Living Grief Group-Finnegan Rm. Wednesday, December 12, :00 a.m. Bible Study Finnegan Room 6:00 p.m. PREP 7:00 p.m. Choir Rehearsal Church 7:00 p.m. RCIA Finnegan Room Thursday, December 13, :00 p.m. Rosary Church 4:00 p.m. Youth Choir Rehearsal Church 7:30 p.m. CODA Fritz Room 8:00 p.m. Co-Ed Volleyball Hanlon Center Friday, December 14, :00 a.m. Top Gun Mtg. Finnegan Room 10:15 a.m. Tiny Tots Group Church Basement Saturday, December 15, :00 p.m. Confessions Church Sunday, December 16, :30 a.m. PREP 8:30 a.m. Adult Ed. Series Finnegan Room 4-5:30 p.m. Christmas Party Hanlon Center 6:00 p.m. Gaudete Concert Thank you for your support and generosity. The statement printed above expresses the gratitude felt in response to the generosity of the people of Assumption parish. For it is your weekly contributions that make much of what is done here possible. Thanks are extended to those who use envelopes and those who contribute through our Online Giving. MASS SCHEDULE Saturday Evening Vigil: 5:00 p.m. Sunday Morning: 7:30 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m. Monday Friday: 8:15 a.m. Holy Days: Vigil: 6:30 p.m. Holy Day: 9:00 a.m. & 6:30 p.m. CONFESSIONS Every Saturday: 4:00-4:45 p.m. and by appointment. DIOCESAN VICTIM ASSISTANCE COORDINATOR Wendy S. Krisak, M.A., NCC, LPC: Direct telephone: DIOCESAN SAFE ENVIRONMENT COORDINATOR Sr. Meg Cole, S.S.J.: Telephone: x 19 Please come and say the Rosary this Thursday, Dec. 13 We will recite the rosary at 3:00 p.m. in the church. Please note the time change for the winter months. Mission Statement The Church of the Assumption B.V.M. is dedicated to becoming a community of disciples of Jesus Christ. As disciples we make Jesus Christ a living reality in the lives of the members of our parish family. By guiding and encouraging our people to discipleship through a heightened awareness of our Lord s presence in their lives, the parish community becomes a visible and active expression of the living Christ in our world today.

3 Assumption Parish Staff Parish Office: ext. 10 Rev. Msgr. Nevin Klinger J.C.L., M.A., Pastor Deacon Don Elliott - ext 18, Deacon Stu Herman - ext. 19 Saint Michael the Archangel School: Mrs. Colleen Weiss, Principal; Mrs. Erin Faust, Vice Principal Assumption Preschool, Mrs. Andrea Powell, Director: powellandrea725@gmail.com Christina Durback, DRE: Parish & St. Michael Middle School: Dr. Dennis Varley: Director of Music: dennis.varley@desales.edu Mary Williams/Parish Office x10, abvmrect@ptd.net Kate Varley Room Scheduling/Bulletin x11, abvmkate@ptd.net In anticipation of Christmas, Monsignor Klinger invites you to come and enjoy good food and warm friendship in a beautiful setting at the Annual Adult Christmas Party. Sunday, December 16, :00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Hanlon Center If you d like to help out with our annual Christmas party or would like to donate finger food, please call Mary Thompson at Come for the Christmas Party and stay for the annual Gaudete Concert in the church at 6:00 p.m. audete: The Assumption Music Ministry will present their annual Advent candlelight concert after the parish Christmas Party on Sunday, December 16 at 6:00 p.m. The Gaudete concert will feature the Assumption Choir, the Y outh Choir, The Contemporary Ensemble and soloists. Plan on attending this spiritual and uplifting concert. Volunteers are still needed for setting up, handing out programs and candles, decorating the concert space, and cleaning up after the performance. If you are able to help, please Dr. Varley at dennis.varley@desales.edu. Can you deliver a Christmas flower to one of our homebound parishioners? We ll supply the flower, just Sharon at slencheski@mac.com or call or text her at and she ll contact you with more details. Flowers should be delivered starting December 16. SOAP PROJECT (Save Our Adolescents from Prostitution) With generous donations from parishioners, we were able to purchase 5 cases of soap. Soap will be distributed to motels with labels offering help to identify and report sex trafficking. We will label the soap on Monday, December 10, at 1:00 p.m. in the parish office. Call the office at if you can help!

4 Mrs. Colleen Weiss, Principal Mrs. Erin Faust, Assistant Principal YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN US! We invite our parish families to join our students and families of St. Michael the Archangel School as we kick off the holidays and spread our own Christmas joy. Please join us on Dec. 11 th for our Elementary School Christmas Concert at St. Joseph church. What a wonderful way to start your holiday filled with the voices of our children! REGISTRATION: We have opened up registration for the school year. If you have a child of Pre-K or Kindergarten age and will be enrolling them at St. Michael the Archangel School, we encourage you to register them as soon as possible. Applications are in the offices of both buildings, or call Marianne Gano, Director of Advancement at Please don t delay! Pre-K program: The program is Monday through Friday and is designed for children who turn four by October 15 th. Pennsylvania Learning Standards for Pre-Kindergarten will be followed. Our full day program is held from 8:30am-2:30pm with before and after care options provided. Our Pre- Kindergarten class is held at our Elementary School Campus located at 5040 St. Joseph Road in Coopersburg. Please contact Marianne Gano, Advancement Director at or mgano@st-mikes.com with any questions or more information. We are now accepting registrations for the fall. Friends of St. Mike's please bookmark this link so all your eligible holiday shopping will benefit St Michael the Archangel School. smile.amazon.com/ch/ school theme: Called to be Holy Called to be Saints Children/Youth Needed for the Christmas Eve 4 p.m. Mass: Children in grades 1 8 may participate in the presentation of the Gospel as shepherds, angels, wise men, Mary or Joseph. Youth in grades 5 8 may participate as lectors (readers of God s Word, or the petitions). To volunteer, please contact Mrs. Durback at the Religious Education Office by December 12. Attendance at a practice on Dec. 17, 3:30 4:30 p.m. is required. Children accepted on a firstcome, first-served basis. Help needed: On Dec. 27, 10 11:30 a.m., we will take down the chairs used for the Christmas Eve Masses in the Hanlon Center. Anyone who is able and willing, please contact Mrs. Durback at or durback@ptd.net. This time can be used toward the accomplishment of high school and Confirmation service requirements. Many hands make light work! In these beginning weeks of the new liturgical year, please remember in your prayers: Our 45 First Reconciliation candidates who will celebrate God s forgiving love in this Sacrament for the first time on 9 March. Our 54 Confirmation candidates who will celebrate the Holy Spirit in this Sacrament on 26 March. Our 43 First Eucharist candidates who will come to the Lord s table for the first time on 11 May. Reminder to PREP families: If inclement weather should cause the cancellation of a Sunday PREP session, we will send an notice of cancellation. We will have no phone chain this year. On Wednesdays note that if Southern Lehigh Schools dismiss early or cancel for the day, we will automatically cancel PREP that evening. Our final PREP sessions for the 2018 calendar year are Dec. 16 and 19. PREP sessions resume in the new year on January 6 and 9.

5 Monday, December 10: Advent Weekday 8:15 a.m. Joanne Kostecky Petito Tuesday, December 11: St. Damasus I 8:15 a.m. Edward Feege Wed., December 12: Our Lady of Guadalupe 8:15 a.m. Edward Feege Thursday, December 13: St. Lucy 8:15 a.m. Ana Silva & Maria Rebelo Friday, December 14: St. John of the Cross 8:15 a.m. Deceased members of the Daday Family Saturday, December 15: Advent Weekday No Morning Mass Vigil 5:00pm Barbara Bendas Sunday, December 16: 3rd Sunday of Advent 7:30 a.m. Charles F. Kramer, Jr. 10:00 a.m. Living & Deceased Parishioners 11:30 a.m. Ed Feege READINGS FOR THE WEEK Monday: Is 35:1-10; Ps 85:9-14; Lk 5:17-26 Tuesday: Is 40:1-11; Ps 96:1-3, 10ac, 11-13; Mt 18:12-14 Wednesday: Zec 2:14-17 or Rv 11:19a; 12:1-6a, Thursday: The Sanctuary Lamp burns this week in memory of Deacon Bernie Wisser. 10ab; Jdt 13:18bcde, 19; Lk 1:26-38 Is 41:13-20; Ps 145:1, 9-13ab; Mt 11:11-15 Friday: Is 48:17-19; Ps 1:1-4, 6; Mt 11:16-19 Saturday: Sir 48:1-4, 9-11; Ps 80: 2ac, 3b, 15-16, 18-19; Mt 17:9a, Sunday: Zep 3:14-18a; Is 12:2-6; Phil 4:4-7; Lk 3:10-18 Our best wishes go out to Aria Charlene DeLuca who was brought into our faith through Baptism on Sunday, December 2, May she carry her newly acquired Christian dignity through this life and into the next. Please pray for the repose of the souls of John Pavelco, Larry Kneiss and Bob Fulford who passed away. May the angels lead them into paradise, may the martyrs come to welcome them and lead them to the Holy City, the new and eternal Jerusalem. Grocery gift cards are on sale every weekend after all Masses and in the parish office Mon.-Fri. from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Assumption Church receives 5% of every dollar sold. On sale now: Giant, Weis, Valley Farm, Fresh Market, Macy s, Red Robin, Copperhead Grille, and Bell Hall Restaurant, Allentown, PA. Advent Giving Tree: At the front entrance of the church, tags are available for you to pick up then donate an item for the Mary s Shelter of the Lehigh Valley. Mary s Shelter provides residential and non-residential services for pregnant women and women and their newborns who are in need of a supportive environment because of lack of suitable housing or favorable family relationships. The Mary s Shelter is also involved in outreach to 180 families. Tagged items are household items, as well as baby items. Place your unwrapped gift in that area near the front entrance of the church (near Old Bethlehem Pk.) Assumption Church offers a beautifully bound Everlasting Remembrance for deceased family or friends. Remembrances will be enrolled as a member of the Purgatorial Society of Assumption Church and Masses will be celebrated at the church. In addition, a special Mass will be celebrated each November for the members of this Purgatorial Society. This remembrance is available for $50. in the parish office. Mass cards and special intention cards are available in the parish office for $10. You can remember someone by having the Sanctuary light (next to the Tabernacle) lit for your intention during the week. There is a special card available for $25. Memorial Altar Flowers: If you could like to donate altar flowers in thanksgiving or in loving memory of family members or friends, or to mark a special occasion, please contact the parish office. Your flower intentions will be published in the bulletin. The weekly cost is $65. The altar flowers were given in loving memory of: Santo, Rose, Frank and Roseann Orlando from Chris and Kathryn Orlando.

6 RETIREMENT FUND FOR RELIGIOUS Aging religious need your help. Like many Americans, religious communities face rising retirement and healthcare costs and often struggle to provide for elderly members. Senior Catholic sisters, brothers, and religious order priests ministered for years for little to no pay. Their sacrifices now leave their religious communities without adequate retirement savings. Your gift to today s second collection for the Retirement Fund for Religious helps to provide medications, nursing care and more for tens of thousands of elderly religious. Many thanks for all those who share in the mission to ensure a safe, modest retirement for all our nation s elderly religious. Please be generous. Bishop Schlert asks the clergy and faithful of the Diocese of Allentown to celebrate the Ember Days for the season on Advent. Ember Days are quarterly observances with three days set aside (Wednesday, Friday and Saturday) to pray in gratitude for the blessings of the season, human labor, and to thank God publicly. Traditionally Embertide was a time to pray for priests. A FRANCISCAN CHRISTMAS Enjoy vignettes about the main characters of the Nativity story, sing some Christmas carols, and enjoy Christmas treats at the December 17 Mini- Retreat at St. Francis Retreat House in Easton. The Christmas dinner begins at 6:00 pm followed by six contemplative reflections and a birthday celebration. Please call ext 10 or stfrancisretreathouse.org by December 9. Donation is $30. The Advent Ember Days are: Wednesday, December 19 Friday, December 21 Saturday, December 22 Second Sunday of Advent Today s Readings: Bar 5:1 9; Ps 126:1 2, 2 3, 4 5, 6; Phil 1:4 6, 8 11; Lk 3:1 6: When John proclaimed a baptism of repentance, as today s Gospel relates, he called people to a deep change of heart. For John the Baptist, repentance was not simply regret for past failings, but a commitment to orient life around God s desires and purposes. What might living in alignment with God s desires look like? Our readings offer some clues. Baruch indicates that when mercy and justice are embraced like a royal garment, we may see the fruits of repentance. Paul notes how the Holy Spirit has been active within the church in Philippi, forming them to live in a loving and united community of faith, so they may witness to the love of God. And John himself suggests that a repentant heart clears a path for God to enter, leveling the mountains and valleys of our resistance, so that God might dwell within.

7 Our parish purchased, packed and sent over 95 boxes of goodies for our college students. Boxes were sent right after Thanksgiving, in time for final exams. Thank you to the people who helped with the College Connection Care Packages! We had a team of people who assembled and taped the boxes, a team who put the labels on the boxes, and volunteers who filled and sealed the boxes for our college students. Thanks to Rick Buckenmyer and Debbie and Dennis Melton for delivering the boxes to the post office! The response from our college students was overwhelmingly thankful! NEW PARISHIONERS Welcome! Our parish family invites all of its members to participate fully in our spiritual and social life. Please contact the parish office to register. BAPTISMS Baptisms are scheduled in the parish office after receipt of sponsor certificates. Baptisms take place immediately following the 11:30 a.m. Sunday Mass. Contact the parish office at x10 at least six weeks in advance. Parents must attend a Baptismal Preparation Class. WEDDINGS Couples must contact the pastor at least 6 months prior to the wedding. MARCH FOR LIFE FRIDAY JANUARY 18, 2018 Join Assumption B.V.M. and St. Joseph s Church as we March for Life in Washington D.C. Mass will be celebrated at 6:00 a.m. at ABVM. The bus departs Assumption Church at 7:00 a.m. The bus arrives at the National Mall in Washington DC at 11:00 a.m. *We will not stop for lunch. Please pack a bag for lunch. The bus returns to Assumption Church around 8:30-9:00 p.m. The schedule is as follows: 11:30-1:00 p.m. - Musical Opening and Rally Program - 1:00 3:00 p.m. - March up Constitution Avenue to Supreme Court and Capitol Building. The bus will depart soon after 3:00 p.m. On the way home, we will stop at a food court for dinner. COST: $25/person OR $75/family. To reserve a spot, Lisa Temple at: lisa_temple3@yahoo.com or call Payment is due Jan. 11, Make check payable to: Assumption BVM. Send check to: Lisa Temple, 5850 Woodcrest Drive Coopersburg, PA The March for Life is the world s largest annual human rights demonstration. This year s theme is: Unique from Day One: Pro-Life is Pro-Science BULLETIN All copy must be received in writing two Fridays prior to the intended Sunday publication. We reserve the right to edit all copy. All inserts must be received at least two weeks in advance. PRAYER CHAIN Call Carol Herman at or her at prayer@ealvinc.com and give her your name and intention. She will contact other parishioners participating in our Prayer Chain on your behalf. PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL The Council welcomes any comments or suggestions by parishioners. Please contact Jeanine Faust at faust2@epix.net this month. PARISH MEMORIALS Following the death of a relative or friend, offerings may be made to the Church in loving memory of the deceased. The offerings may specify a particular request or placed in the Parish Memorial Endowment, The Parish Education Endowment, or the Health Ministry Endowment. Our website: