Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Ash Wednesday launched us on a journey this holy season, toward the crucifixion of Christ on Good Friday and the glory of his resurrection on Easter Sunday. On the first weekend of Lent 2018, St. Bernard s Church put on its fifth Teen ACTS retreat. We give God the glory for pouring out mercy and wisdom and joy upon the teens and the adult volunteers! See photos and read more about Teen ACTS on page 3 of this newsletter. Plans are gearing up for the St. Bernard s women s ACTS retreat (April 5-8) and the men s retreat (April 19-22) at Camp Loughridge. Directors Gabrielle Hansen and Paul Dudley and their teams are anchored in prayer and faith. May the Lord bless them with endurance, humility and openness to his will. Watch the weekly ACTS emails for information about ways you can support these retreats. Write letters of encouragement, come to the Candlelight service, and/or introduce yourself to new friends at the Potluck lunch. Let s share our faith joyfully, boldly and authentically as disciples of Christ! ACTS retreats center on the acronym of our name: Adoration, Community, Theology and Service. Do you know someone who wants to attend? Please invite them! Everyone is welcome. Look for registration forms at our table in the Commons, or check out our website: www.stbernardacts.org. These conversation hearts made a creative display for February. Thank you to our wonderful and dedicated helpers. Check out this newsletter for information about: the Pentecost Praise Event on May 20, hosted by St. Bernard s, for the five Tulsa-area ACTS parishes updates on faith-sharing groups and service opportunities Sibling Spotlight Thank you for reading! Have a blessed Lent and happy Easter, Jean Yaeger, ACTS Core facilitator 1
Adoration We adore God through worship and devotion. During Lent, consider attending daily Mass, meditating on the Scriptures, or praying Stations of the Cross at 7pm every Friday in church. Save the date for a special celebration of the Holy Spirit at 6:30pm on Pentecost Sunday, May 20, at St. Bernard s. All five Tulsa-area ACTS parishes will be participating in this joy-filled hour of praise. Our ACTS Chapter includes St. Bernard s along with Christ the King, St. Mary s, St. Benedict s in Broken Arrow and St. Benedict s in Shawnee. We want to fill the sanctuary with sounds of praise to honor the Holy Spirit and the birthday of the Church. The St. Bernard s ACTS music group will lead the singing, interspersed by reflections on the fruit of the Spirit. Don t miss it! Community Gather with fellow parishioners for dinner in the community room at 6pm every Friday during Lent. These simple meatless meals allow people the time to meet one another, eat and visit before Stations of the Cross. *** The women of St. Bernard s are invited to the next Clairvaux Club book discussion, which will feature Perfectly Yourself by Matthew Kelly. The discussion will take place at 7pm June 19 in the community room. Perfectly Yourself: Discovering God s Dream for You covers topics including virtue, passion, integrity, knowing your unique purpose, fasting, simplicity, and freedom from anxiety. Theology Learn more about Catholic teaching by attending some of the classes and small groups available in our parish. Here s what s going on this spring (open to all): Presentation on the Shroud of Turin, 9:45am, March 11, in the gym. Men of the Upper Room meets at 5:30am Wednesdays in the gym. Through April 18. True Reformers: Saints of the Catholic Reformation book discussion on the third Thursday of every month at 7pm in room E-4. Epic: A Journey Through Church History DVD series at 9:30am Tuesdays in G8. Lessons ongoing. Pivotal Players DVD series at 6:30pm Tuesdays in room G-8. James: Pearls of Wisdom DVD series at 10am Thursdays in room D-12. Walking with Mary DVD series at 10am the second Wednesday of every month in room D-12. Service Where can you share your time, talent and treasure in ways that reflect generosity and gratitude? One way is by taking part in the St. Bernard s annual Dinner Extravaganza. Proceeds from the 2018 event will benefit various ministries, including ACTS. The Dinner Extravaganza starts at 6pm on Saturday, May 5, at the Renaissance Hotel & Convention Center. The $100 ticket price includes dinner for one, music by The Mid Life Crisis Band, 99 drawings for $100 and the chance to win a 2018 Ford Mustang or $25,000.Look for tickets on sale in the Commons after most Masses. *** 7-9pm Tuesday, March 6 2
St. Bernard s Teen ACTS 2018 Thirty retreatants attended St. Bernard s Teen ACTS #5 at Camp Loughridge last month. Thank you to the team members who served so generously. They reported this: It was an amazing weekend led by the Holy Spirit. Thanks also to everyone who supported the retreat in many ways including cooking, music, transportation, and especially prayers. May God continue to bless these teens as they take fresh spiritual energy back to our parish and to their homes, schools and friends. We pray they will model the faith, courage and discipleship shown by the retreat patron, Blessed Stanley Rother. "The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel. Mark 1:15 3
Siblings who Servc Autumn Clump and Chris McDaniel are young adults who put their faith into action. The sister-brother duo pitch in on parish ministries including ACTS teams, Teen ACTS, and feeding the homeless each month with their parents, Walt and Elaine McDaniel. Q: When and why did you sign up for the ACTS retreat? They both attended in 2013 thanks to the influence of their mom. Q: What blessings stand out most from the weekend? For Chris, a key moment was the outpouring of love in the letters he received. Autumn felt the fire of the Holy Spirit during the Divine Mercy Chaplet. It was the presence of God that moved them most. Q: What influences you most in your faith journey? Autumn keeps Scripture verses posted on the wall of her office at work. Her favorite: For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 Chris wears a bracelet proclaiming Philippians 4:13: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Chris prayer for Lent: Stay with me, Lord, because I am weak and I need your strength. Stay with me, Lord, for I desire to love you and always be in your company. from St. Padre Pio Q: How do you strive to live out your faith? Chris belongs to the Knights of Columbus and sponsors a needy child in Haiti. You ll find a travel rosary in his car and Christian music on his playlist. Autumn teaches fourth-grade religious education and goes out of her way to help the people she encounters. She wears a Miraculous Medal around her neck every day. If I continue to keep faith in my sights and know God is always there, then the closer I will get to God. -- Autumn Q: Describe the Teen ACTS retreat from the perspective of an adult on team They both enjoyed the mentoring role! Autumn was excited to see the relationships and bonds that develop and strengthen. Chris cited the transformation that takes place as the teens grow closer to Jesus in such a short time. Autumn, 33, and her husband Casey love their dogs Kyra and Petey. When she s not working at the credit union, Autumn does crafts and writes stories. Chris, 29, a prep cook and aspiring chef, took a month-long culinary course in Italy, where he learned to make fresh pasta and tiramisu. He spends his spare time watching baseball and honing his skills in the kitchen. 4
The ACTS Core governing group has a two-fold mission: 1) to sponsor weekend retreats and 2) to encourage continued spiritual growth, servant hearts and strong community among the people of St. Bernard s. Core meetings, at 7 pm on the second Monday of each month in room D14, are open to everyone. We appreciate your prayers, feedback and suggestions! Also, ACTS always needs volunteers, including four new Core members each September to replace those completing their terms. So if you feel the Holy Spirit is calling you to be involved, what other answer can you give but YES? St. Bernard s Church ACTS Core 2017-2018 Jean Yaeger, facilitator (918) 520-3185 and jeany2@cox.net Leith Watkins, co-facilitator (918) 688-6507 and leithwatkins514@gmail.com Charles Harrison, finances (918) 697-2437 and charrison@eehlaw.com Annie Jones, communications (918) 740-2685 and tulsacubsfan@cox.net Lesa Clark, social and service (918) 855-7560 and lesa25ok@sbcglobal.net Jim Flusche, music (918) 381-6377 and jimflusche@aol.com Mickey Butler, women s inventory (918) 629-3849 and butlermickey@gmail.com Bob Niebergall, men s inventory (918) 829-5606 and niebergall0395@sbcglobal.net Lisa Williams, women s spirituality (918) 713-1594 and lwseabluetinker@gmail.com Damien Ochoa, men s spirituality (918) 899-0188 and damien8a@hotmail.com Rosemary Peek, women s retreat support (918) 949-5390 and r.peek@mail.com Julian Urrea, men s retreat support (918) 230-1481 and urreajulian@yahoo.com 5
6 St. Bernard s Parish ACTS Newsletter