3rd Sunday of Advent, December 13, 2015 SAINT JAMES PARISH 602 W. 2ND STREET WASHINGTON, IOWA 52353 (319) 653-4504 WWW.STJAMESWASHINGTON.ORG Contact Information Pastor Rev. Bernie Weir Office: 653-4504 ext. 1 Cell: (319) 458-0412 bweir@stjameswashington.org Parish Office Genoveva Diaz...653-4504 ext. 2 gdiaz@stjameswashington.org Business Manager Mary Ward...653-4504 ext. 3 mward@stjameswashington.org Faith Formation Coordinator Lori Fritz...653-4504 ext. 4 lfritz@stjameswashington.org Youth Ministry Coordinator Mary Sue Marek...653-4504 ext. 5 mmarek@stjameswashington.org School Principal Chet Wisniewski...653-3631 ext. 1 cwisniewski@stjameswashington.org School Office Becky Adam...653-3631 ext. 2 badam@stjameswashington.org Prayer Chain Mary Fladung... (319) 653-6142 Weekend Mass Schedule Saturday... 5:30pm Sunday... 9:00am, 11:30am Spanish Rosary Sunday... 8:35am Wednesday. 4:00 pm (Halcyon House) Thursday... 3:00 pm (McCreedy Home) Thursday...4:00 pm (Care Center) s Thursday at 5:30pm-6:00pm and Saturday at 4:30pm-5:00pm. Mission Statement To Glorify God through Word, Worship and Service.
SOCIAL ACTION GIFTING TREE IS HERE! Thanks to the St. James Elves, all the gift tags have been hung and many, many gifts returned for our 14 families!! This is just a quick reminder that all gifts must be returned by the deadline of 10 a.m. Sunday, December 13th! Our elves will be delivering to HACAP on Thursday, December 17th! A special thanks to EVERYONE for your generosity!! NEWS/NOTES PLEASE JOIN US! SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13 TH @ 4:30PM In the St. James Youth Room for the ST. JAMES YOUTH GROUP CHRISTMAS PARTY!!! ALL 9 TH -12 TH GRADERS ARE WELCOME BRING YOUR FRIENDS! WEAR YOUR SANTA HATS AND BRING A CHRISTMAS TREAT TO SHARE! ADA UPDATE Thanks to the 146 families that gave generously to this years ADA. We are only $275 from our goal. Every contribution matters, whether big or small. Please help us reach our goal by the end of 2015. Thank You! SCRIP CARDS Scrip Gift Cards to many of your favorite local and national retailers are available for sale. Stop by the parish office or school office. Gift cards are purchased for normal face value and the retailers donate a portion of the sales to St. James School. These funds go towards our school scholarship fund or a student of your choosing at St. James School. Scrip will be for sale on Sunday after the 9:00 am Mass or you can stop by the school or parish office. POINSETTIAS Memorial Poinsettias are available for $12.00 each to decorate the church for the Christmas season. Please put checks in collection baskets at Mass or drop off to Gen Diaz in the Parish office. Please indicate who the poinsettia is in memory of in the memo portion of check. For more information contact Lynn Horak at 653-4080. YOUR INVITED! The Hispanic Ministry would like to invite you to the December festivities: POSADAS Las s will start on Wed., Dec. 16th thru Tue. Dec. 22nd at 6:30pm followed by refreshments each night and a treat bag for the children. LAST DAY OF LA POSADA Last day of la will be on Wednesday, Dec. 23rd at 6:30pm followed by an Authentic Mexican meal and piñata for everyone. Do you want to hear wonderful Christmas Music? If so join us for the St. James Christmas Program at the Washington Community Center on Wednesday, December 16 th. The pre-program starts at 6:30 PM and the program at 7 PM. We are asking for a food donation which will go to help feed the hungry of Washington County. After listening to the outstanding music styling s of the St. James students you will leave full of Christmas cheer. Los s are a great way to prepare for Christmas. We start at 6:30 each night from the 16 th to the 23 rd. Los s have a traditional song telling the story of Mary and Joseph looking for an Inn. This is followed by the rosary and snacks in Tobin Hall. Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend. Advent : Due to the year of Mercy there are extra times in all of the parishes during this advent Season. This year we will not have a Communal Reconciliation Service. Instead confessions will be at the following times. We will not be inviting other priests this year. December 17 th 8:30 AM to 9:30 AM December 17 th 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM December 21 st 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM December 22 nd 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM 24 hours of s will be held at St. Pat s in Iowa City starting on December 14 th at 8 PM and going until 8 PM on December 15 th. Let s see if we can out ugly each other: December 19 th and 20 th is St. James wear your ugly Christmas sweater to Church Day. We will see if we can out ugly each other. If you are like me you don t think that you own an ugly Christmas sweater. Let others be your judge. December 24 th and 25 th Christmas 24 th 5 PM English 7 PM Spanish 25 th Midnight English 9 AM depending on who is there Bi-lingual or English New Year s Masses December 31 st 5:30 PM January 1 st 9 AM Men s Night Out: December 29 th 6:30 until everyone goes home. The rules are the same as last year. You must be at least 18 years old. You have to have your wife s, girlfriend s or mother s permission to attend. You don t need to bring anything. The parish will provide everything. We will have coffee and tea. If you want something more adult to drink, bring it with you and some to share. Call the parish office to make your reservation at 319-653-4504 Invite your friends and family. BULLETIN DEADLINES Due to the upcoming holiday, deadlines for submitting information for the bulletin are noon on: December 15th for the weekend of December 27th. December 22nd for the weekend of January 3rd. Following the holidays, the weekly deadline for the bulletin articles will be Monday at noon. 2
STEWARDSHIP OF TREASURE 5 WEEK MONTH November 2015 Income Budget Actual Difference Church Envelopes $22,333.00 $23,404.00 1,071.00 School Envelopes $10,417.00 $17,004.00 6,587.00 Building & Main $1,292.00 $655-637.00 School Scholarship $1,000 $122-878 Offertory $1,375.00 $1,906.00 531.00 Other $445.00 $445.00 November Total $36,417.00 $45,536.00 7,119.00 NEWS/NOTES THE NOEL TOUR Compassion International presents the Noel Tour: Josh Wilson, Dan Bremnes and JJ Heller. Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts, Friday, December 18th @ 7:30 pm. $50 Family 4-Pack- $30 VIP, $20 General Admission- $18 Group. For more information visit www.fairfieldacc.com or call at 641-472-2787. Readings for the Week of December 13, 2015 Sunday: Zep 3:14-18a.Is 12:2-6,Phil 4:4-7,Lk 3:10-18 Monday: Nm 24:2-7, 15-17a,Ps 25:4-9,Mt 21:23-27 Tuesday: Zep 3:1-2, 9-13,Ps 34:2-3, 6-7, 17-19, 23, Mt 21:28-32 Wednesday: Is 45:6b-8, 18, 21b-25,Ps 85:9-14,Lk 7:18b-23 Thursday: Gn 49:2, 8-10,Ps 72:1-4, 7-8, 17,Mt 1:1-17 Friday: Jer 23:5-8,Ps 72:1-2, 12-13, 18-19,Mt 1:18-25 Saturday: Jgs 13:2-7, 24-25a,Ps 71:3-6, 16-17,Lk 1:5-25 Next Sunday: Liturgical Publications Inc Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion Mi 5:1-4a,Ps 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19,Heb 10:5-10,Lk 1:39-45 Saturday, Dec. 19th 5:30 pm Roger Adam Marty Beenblossom Jeff Bell Melissa Hennigan Deborah Holland Deanna Meyer Marty Young Sunday, Dec. 20th 9:00 am Mary Altenhofen Aaron Fisher Laura Fisher Marjorie Schrock Don Sobaski Paul Horak Jerry Strabala SUNSHINE COMMITTEE Help St. James reach out to parishioners in need. If you are aware of someone who needs a card of encouragement or concern call Charlotte Lindmeier at 653-6274. MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER Longest Married Couple January 10 th Deadline is approaching: "Worldwide Marriage Encounter is again conducting its annual search for the Longest Married Couple in the United States as well as each of the 50 states. Please consider nominating family or friends who are blessed with long marriages. Couples can only win by being nominated and the nominations should be sent to Dick & Diane Baumbach at dickanddiane66@bellsouth.netor by calling 321-613-5180. Nominations can also be mailed to Dick & Diane Baumbach at 8934 Puerto Del Rio Dr. #402 Cape Canaveral, FL 32920." SCHOLARSHIP St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa, is expanding Catholic scholarships, which may be awarded to students who are active members of parishes, who graduate from a Catholic high school and/or who intend to be involved in campus ministry during their time at St. Ambrose. An online scholarship application is available at www.sau.edu/catholicscholarships. Priority deadline is Jan. 15, 2016. Admittance to the university is required for eligibility. Prospective students may qualify for multiple scholarship opportunities, grants and financial aid. For more information, call 563-333-6300. Gift Family Danny Greiner Eric Turner Mass Assistant Teresa Beenblossrom Baryy McNulty Altar Server Lector Music Kael Adam Luke Beenblossom Volunteer Needed Jean Peiffer (1) Carl Berst (2) Kirk Hittner Owen Horak Olivia Marek Brock sobaski Dale Torpey (1) Lynn Horak (2) Dave Miller Kirk Hittner PROTECTING GOD S CHILDREN To report child abuse contact: Iowa Department of Human Services Child Abuse Hotline: 800-362-2178 and if it involves clergy or church personnel also notify Alicia Owens, the Victim Assistance Coordinator, 563-349-5002; vac@diodav.org or PO Box 232, Bettendorf, IA 52722. KC HALL RENTAL To rent the KC Hall, contact Barb Baker @ (641)636-3886-home or @ (319)461-5902-cell
This week at St. James.. Monday, December 14 Adult Faith Formation Tuesday, December 15 MASS-The People Wednesday, December 16 MASS-Paul Pacha Thursday, December 17 MASS-Helen Neff Eucharistic Adoration Rosary Walk Friday, December 18 MASS-Arcenio Martinez Saturday, December 19 MASS-Margaurite Wehr Sunday, December 20 MASS-The People MASS-Kenney Martinez Muffins & Coffee Sunday FF 7:00 pm (YR) 3:30 pm (Up Home) 7:30 am (CH) 7:30 am (CH) 8:00 am (CH) 8:00 am (CH) 8:30 am (CH) 5:30 pm (CH) 8:25 am (CH) 5:30 pm (CH) 4:30 pm (CH) 9:00 am (CH) 11:30 am (CH) 10:00 am (TH) 10:00 am (CH) KEY: THB-Tobin Hall Basement, TH-Tobin Hall, CH-Church, CHB-Church Basement, KC-KC Hall, CR-Conf. Room, GYM-SJ School Gym THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT Today, the Third Sunday in Advent, is also called Gaudete Sunday. That name is taken from the Latin word Gaudete which is the first word of the introit of today s Mass. Gaudete means Rejoice. The first line of the introit in its entirety is Gaudete in Domino semper, meaning Rejoice in the Lord always. Joy and rejoicing are part of all of our readings on this day. As Christmas draws near, the Church emphasizes the joy which should be in our hearts over all that the birth of Jesus Christ means for us. Like Lent, Advent is a penitential season for us as Catholics. However, having passed the midpoint of Advent, we see some changes to encourage us in our spiritual preparation. Yes, this should have been a time when we have been spiritually preparing for the coming of Christ. It is not too late; it is never too late in the eyes of the Lord for us to make a determined effort to change, to repent, and to find ways to properly serve the Lord as disciples. On this day of Joy let us renew our efforts to be good stewards of all of our gifts. Stewardship, of course, is founded in trust. On Gaudete Sunday in 2013 Pope Francis said, Those who trust in God experience the peacefulness in their hearts and nothing and no one can take that away. Our joy is Christ. www.thecatholicsteward.com PARISHIONER INFORMATION UPDATE Have you remembered to notify the parish of an email or phone number change? Perhaps you had a change of address recently? Please take a moment to keep us informed. Return this form in the collection basket, or at the parish office. Name Address City/State/Zip Home Phone Cell Phone Email I prefer electronic communication. I would like to join St. James Parish. I m moving away, please remove me from roster. CHRISTMAS MASS SCHEDULE To assist in your holiday planning, here is the Christmas Mass schedule: December 24th, 2015 5:00 pm-english Mass 7:00 pm-spanish Mass December 25th, 2015 Midnight-English Mass 9:00 am-mass December 31st, 2015 5:30 pm-english Mass January 1st, 2016 9:00 am-english Mass