DECEMBER 17 2017 St. Bernard Congregation of Appleton THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT Welcome and inspire all to share Christ s love through faith and service. MASS: SAT SUN TUE 1617 W. Pine Street Appleton, WI 54914 (920) 739-0331 4:30 PM 8:00 AM/10:00 AM 8:00 AM WED 8:00 AM THU 8:00 AM FRI 8:00 AM PRIEST: FR. DENNIS RYAN DEACONS MIKE EASH DON NASS MAURY REED JOE VANG BOB VINCENT Connect: ONLINE stbernardappleton.org FACEBOOK stbernardappleton/ EMAIL stbernard@stbernardappleton.org
DEAR PARISHIONERS A Blessed Christmas to each of you individually and as a family. As we gather as families and loved ones, we wish one another Merry Christmas. This expression so familiar to us can have deep meaning for us. The Day we celebrate is not an event, but a person, not an idea, but the experience of love and mercy. The event of Christmas brings to us the Child Jesus, sent by the Father offering us the long awaited reconciliation of humankind and our God. Humankind long awaited the coming of one who would bring peace. The brokenness of nations and of peoples divided one and all from true fellowship and a life of peace. St. Bernard wrote, It is as if God the Father sent upon the earth a purse full of his mercy. This purse was burst open during the Lord s passion to pour forth its hidden contents-the price of our redemption. A human person broke the relationship of love, and a divine-human person was to restore it. We celebrate Jesus coming as a child, but even more so we celebrate the gift Jesus gives us. Eternal life welcomes all through the gift of mercy extended to each of us. Are we with words and understanding of the love Jesus gives to us for instance, Jesus the Christ, brother, God our Savior, Prince of Peace, Forgiver of sins, gift of mercy? When we grow this relationship we not only have one who walks the journey of the earth with us, but Jesus paves the way for us to live in Heaven forever. A Blessed Christmas to you, Fr. Dennis Ryan PRAYERS AND SYMPATHY Sympathy and prayers are extended to the families of the deceased. Mother of Ann (Bill) Guyon THANK YOU Thank you to everyone who volunteered for our Christmas Plant Deliveries. Thank you to our Parishioners who gave gifts for the Angel Tree! Please consider a role in volunteering for our Care Ministry. It s not a big commitment, and we work around your schedule. We will be having a training session in January for new volunteers. If you have questions, call Cathy at 739-0331. MASS INTENTIONS Saturday, December 16 4:30 pm In Memory of Maria Bach Tuyet Hoang Sunday, December 17 Mike Tassoul AND Members of St. Bernard 10:00 am In Memory of David Mleziva Tuesday, December 19 Jack Cody Wednesday, December 20 Randal Sengstock Thursday, December 21 Michael Murphy Friday, December 22 Ken Koehnke Saturday, December 23 4:30 pm In Memory of Richard Faltynski Sunday, December 24 10:00 am In Memory of Donald Maas 4:00 pm In Memory of Ronald Beschta AND Members of St. Bernard 10:00 pm Living & Deceased Members of the Don & Helen Alferi Family SUN 17 MON 18 TUE 19 7:30 am Rosary 10:00 am Mass 11:30 am Alpha Act. Ctr. 6:00 pm Alpha Machine Shed 6:30 pm Alpha Training RM. 109 8:45 am Stretch N Tone Act. Ctr. 6:30 pm Pastoral Council Act. Ctr.
DID YOU KNOW ALPHA Our Parish Office Hours during Christmas and New Years Our Parish Office will be closed Monday, December 25 & January 1. Our Parish Office will open at noon on Tuesday, December 26 & January 2. Stretch N Tone.Come Join Us! Join us on Tuesday and Friday mornings at 8:45 am in our Activity Center. What a great way to begin your mornings. We socialize, laugh and WORK OUT! Don t worry, we don t do anything too strenuous and we use chairs for balance. No registration required, just show up with your Tennis Shoes on! TV and DVD Player Needs Upgrade The TV and DVD Player in our Parish Lounge is used for viewing of Mass, and showing videos for small groups and funerals. There are many more uses, if we have the right equipment. If you would like to contribute to the $600 toward the purchase of these items, please contact Rhonda or Colleen at 739-0331. Pill Packing for Friends of Haiti St. Bernard Parish Social Justice Committee will be car pooling to Green Bay Tuesday, January 9. We are preparing for the spring mission trip. We leave the parking lot of St. Bernard at 5:15 pm, and return at 8:30 pm. All are welcome to join us. No experience necessary. WED 20 1:00 pm Care Giver Mtg. 4:30 pm & 6:30 pm F.F. K-5 F.F. 1-10 Act. Ctr. 6:30 pm Choir Practice Music Rm. THU 21 FRI 22 6:30 pm Finance Council Act. Ctr. 6:30 pm Handbell Practice Music Rm.
ADULT SERIES The ACTS, The spread of the Kingdom builds on the Bible Timeline by showing how Christ s Kingdom on earth is empowered to carry out his work in the world. The book of Acts shows the Church, enlivened by the Holy Spirit, teaching, preaching, healing, and restoring outcasts in the same way that Jesus did on earth. The Acts of the Apostles provides an historic framework for understanding the rest of the New Testament. Paul s letter in particular come alive in a new way when they are read within the context of the Acts narrative. Sessions begin, Monday, January 8, 6:00 pm. Register at the Welcome Counter in the Narthex after Mass, call our Parish Office at 739-0331, or visit our website at stbernardappleton.org. HISTORY BOOKS The Diocese of Green Bay History Book These amazing books are available in our Parish Office during regular business hours. There are two books to choose from; Hard Cover Book-$35 Illustrated Graphic Novel-$15 The books commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Green Bay Diocese PLUS St. Bernard, Appleton has its own page! DEDUCTIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS Deductible Contributions for 2017 In accordance with IRS rules, contributions are deductible in the year that they are made. To receive credit for your donations in 2017, they must be placed in the collection, brought to our Parish Office, or made online on or before December 31. Our Office closes at noon on Friday, December 29. Any stock transactions to the Parish must take place with your stockbroker. Donations received after December 31, 2017 will not appear on your 2017 contribution statement even if dated in 2017 and/or made in a 2017 giving envelope. SAT 23 9:00 am Reconciliation 4:30 pm Mass FINANCIAL 12/15/2017 Wk 24 Fiscal YTD Total Env. $12,165 YTD Actual Env. $325,499 Budget Env. $16,827 YTD Budget Env. $403,846 Env. Over/(Under) ($78,347) Loose $2,048 YTD Loose $15,167 Budget Loose $712 YTD Budget Loose $17,077 Loose Over/(Under) ($1,910) Weekly Scrip Update Scrip Sales $11,150 Cost $10,593 Rebate $557 SUN 24 10:00 am Mass 4th Wk of Advent 4:00 pm Mass Christmas Eve 10:00 pm Mass Christmas Eve. Our Christmas Pageant is at our 4:00 pm Christmas Eve Mass. STAFF St. Bernard Staff Bookkeeper Barb Hoffman Bulletin Editor Lisa Hecht Care Ministry Coordinator Cathy Kulibert Director of Faith Formation Maurine Overesch (on Medical Leave) Director of Music, A/V & Tech. Rhonda Uschan Elementary Coordinator Deb Holzem Evangelization Coordinator Kara Main Maintenance Supervisor Jim Piette Minister of Administration Dr. Colleen Sargent-Day Parish Secretary Edna Ulrich
ADVENT/CHRISTMAS MASS TIME AT ST. BERNARD Christmas Day is on a Monday this year. The Fourth Sunday of Advent and Christmas Eve are both Sunday, December 24. There is an adjusted Mass Schedule for that weekend. For the Fourth Sunday of Advent, you may go to Mass on Saturday Evening or Sunday Morning. For Christmas, you may go to Mass on Sunday Evening or Monday Morning. We are reminded that the obligation to attend Mass for the 4 th Sunday of Advent and Christmas applies to each unique celebration. Even though both will be celebrated on December 24, attending one Mass does not satisfy the obligation for the other. The Mass schedule above reflects the Mass times for the Fourth Sunday of Advent and the ones that apply to Christmas Eve/Day. During this time may we together prepare for the peace of Christ to enter into our hearts and homes. CHRISTMAS DECORATION/MEMORIAL FUND Christmas Decoration/Memorial Fund Remember a loved one on Christmas with a donation to our Christmas Decoration/Memorial Fund. Please fill out the form below, place it in an envelope labeled Christmas Memorial, and put it in the collection basket or return to our Parish Office. From: Amount: Envelope #: In Memory of: