Ministers Schedule

Saturday, Dec. 23rd Advent 4:00PM

Rose Ockenga/Kathy Sobieski

Sacristan: Alice Muniz

Greeters: Diane & Fred Wolf

Lector: Alice Ross

Gifts/Ushers: Fred & Diane Wolf

Euch. Min.: Paul Hartenstein,

Penny & John McClaflin

Servers: Dan & Walt

Sunday, Dec. 24th Advent 11:00 AM Rose Ockenga/Paul&Evelyn Hartenstein

Sacristan: Ethel Schmitt

Greeters: John & Cheryl Nolan

Lector: Paul Hartenstein

Gifts/Ushers: John & Cheryl Nolan

Euch. Min.: Germaine Matus,

Sister Carroll, Cheryl Nolan

Servers: Nate & Nicole Kraus

$ Counters for Dec. 24: Barb F & Nora B.

Sunday, Dec. 24th Christmas 4:30 PM

St. Marys Parishioners

Sacristan: Audrey Starbuck

Greeters: PSR/Youth Students

Lector: Confirmation Students

Gifts/Ushers: Pam & Gust Ristas

Euch. Min.:John & Cheryl Nolan, Germaine

Servers: McKenna & Katie Woodruff

Sunday, Dec. 24th Christmas 7:00pm

St. Marys Parishioners

Sacristan: Dan Scherry

Greeters: Jerry & Char Habeck

Lector: Mike Karney

Gifts/Ushers: Bill Fayak & Jerry Habeck

Euch. Min.: Tim Ross

Penny & John McClaflin

Servers: Dan & Paul

Sunday, Dec. 25th Christmas11:00AM

St. Marys Parishioners

Sacristan: Terri Petz

Greeters: Val & Pete Sabo

Lector: Larry Nagy

Gifts/Ushers: Ray & Sue Kershaw

(St. Mary Catholic Church(A Member of the St. John Neumann Deanery) December 16th & 17th, 2017 Third Sunday of Advent 46 E. Main Street - PO Box 576 Wakeman, OH 44889 440- 839-2023 Email: wakemanstmary@frontier.com WEB SITE: www.stmarywakeman.org)

Euch. Min.: Heidi Skrada,

Alice Muniz & Sr. Carroll

Servers: John & Jasmine Skrada

Money Counters for Monday, Dec. 25

Joe Kovach, Shawn Burke, Cathy Zuk

Saturday, December 16

3:30 PM Confessions

4 PM MASS

Sunday, December 17

9:30 AM PSR CONFIRMATION

Committee mtg. small mtg. room

10:40 AM Confessions

11 AM MASS

After Mass, Fr. Kishores

Birthday party

Monday, December 18

Tuesday, December 19

9:30-11:00 Christmas Food Distribution

8:30 Helpers needed for food distribution

Wednesday, December 20

6 PM Exercise

Thursday, December 21

10 AM Communion Service

Friday, December 22

7 AM Communion Service

Saturday, December 23

3:30 PM Confessions

4 PM MASS

Sunday, December 24

10:40 AM Confessions

11 AM MASS

After Mass, help decorate TREE

This Weeks Scriptures

Monday Jeremiah 23:5-8

Ps 72:1-2, 12-13, 18-19

12/18Matthew 1:18-25

Tuesday Judges 13:2-7, 24-25

Ps 71:3-4, 5-6, 16-17

12/19Luke 1:15-25

WednesdayDan 5:1-6, 13-14,16-17,23-28

Wednesday Isaiah 7:10-14

Ps 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

12/20Luke 1:26-38

Thursday Song of Songs 2:8-14

Ps 33:2-3, 11-12, 20-21

12/21Luke 1:39-45

Friday 1 Samuel 1:24-28

1 Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8

12/22Luke 1:46-56

Saturday Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24

Ps 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14

12/23Luke 1:57-66

4th Sunday 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8-12, 14, 16

of AdventPs 89:2-3, 4-5, 27, 29

Romans 16:25-27

12/24 Luke 1:26-38

(Our Parish Mission Statement:Gathered as a family of faith in Christ Jesus, strengthened by His Word and Sacraments, we will set a living example of our faith by:Seeking Christ in all we meetGiving of our time, talent and treasure Supporting and strengthening our community andSharing our FaithGathered as a family of faith in Christ Jesus, strengthened by His Word and Sacraments, we will set a living example of our faith by:Seeking Christ in all we meetGiving of our time, talent and treasure Supporting and strengthening our community andSharing our Faith)

Parish Staff

Pastoral Leader: Sr. Carroll Schemenauer

440-839-2023

Parish Chaplain: Fr. Kishore Kottana

419-929-4401

Finance: Cece Mees 440-839-2023

Administrative Assistant

Catechetical Leader

Webmaster

Sr. Rosemary Hug

Finance: Diane Wolf

(440) 839-2185 (H)

Maintenance:

Steve Matus

Youth Leaders:

Kristie Jarrett, Jenn Nolan,

& Libby French

Dear Parish Family,

This third Sunday of Advent expresses to us the seriousness of this life the one opportunity we have to prepare our hearts for Jesus. So lets begin by emphasizing the seriousness of giving our hearts, our lives to Jesus. We can get drowsy, just kind of drift along. We can begin thinking, well, I always have tomorrow. A person could even pretend that maybe theres another life where I can have a second chance.

I have heard that there are people who believe in reincarnation, and they go so far as to say that the New Testament teaches reincarnation. They point to Jesus statement that John the Baptist is Elijah, the one who is to come. Therefore, they say, John is the reincarnation of Elijah. Today, however, when they ask John, Are you Elijah? he responds, I am not.

So how do you reconcile the two verses? Jesus says John is Elijah and then John says he is not Elijah. Well, John is Elijah in the way Pope Francis is Peter. He fulfills the role of Peter today. Similarly just as Elijah called Israel to repentance so John calls his generation and us to repentance. This call to repentance is urgent because this life is the one chance we have. Jesus and his followers tell us that after death comes judgment and that the judgment involves two possibilities: heaven or hell.

Its a human thing to want to smooth over the starkness of the unknown of our death, but when you hear the Master Jesus speak, you do not get a sense of leisure, but a sense of urgency. Consider the very first words in his public ministry, The time has come. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the Gospel. Jesus picks up the message of John. Repent. This life is serious. Its your one chance. Take it. Prepare your heart for Jesus.

John not only preaches repentance but he illustrates how we prepare our hearts. That preparation has two steps. The first involves giving of self. John had great talents preaching, study, prayer, simplicity of life and fasting and he invested those talents for his people. Johns investment made him the greatest man of his generation. He is the last and greatest of the prophets. Jesus says, No man born of woman is greater than John. The Jewish historian, Josephus, has a paragraph on John the Baptist, describing him as a crucial figure. And in the Acts of the Apostles we see that he had followers as far away as Ephesus in modern Turkey. This fame indicates Johns self gift. You and I will probably not achieve fame, but please God we will follow Johns example of investing all.

John exemplifies something else, a second step we must take after making that effort to give all. That step is humility. When you think about it, humility is the best gift we can give. If I give, then start bragging about or if I give with strings attached, I will cut myself off from others and from God. John represents beautiful humility. He was the greatest man of his generation, yet when Jesus came, he said I am not worthy to untiehis sandal strap.

This is tricky business. Humility does not mean hiding ones gifts or worse burying them. It means giving all, then acknowledging the truth anything you and I could giveall that pales when we stand in front of Jesus like a grain of sand. So we see the seriousness of this one life we have to prepare our hearts for Jesus, especially after the example of John the Baptist: self-giving and humility.

We will never be able to outgive God!

Sr. Carroll

Last Week $ 2,296.00

Immaculate Conception 277.00

Religious Retirement 1,495.00

Electronic Deposits 55.00

M.T.D. December 6,776.25

F.Y.T.D. 54,580.22

Special Birthday Blessings on all who celebrate an anniversary of LIFE from now until Jan. 1:

Jarett Hreha, Marge Eschen, John McClaflin, Debbie Hreha, Kathy Burke, Lucy Lombardi, Jennifer Key, Germaine Matus, Diana Griffin, and Alice Ross! You celebrate in GOOD COMPANY with the SAVIOR OF THE WORLD!!

This Sunday is Fr. Kishores birthday. Dont forget your birthday card for him; place in the decorated box on back table. This will be taken over to the Hall after Mass on the 17thplease stop over for a piece of a beautifully decorated cake, nuts, and candies, cookies, punch and coffee!

Religious give thanks. A religious sister writes, When we see the generous response of so many thousands of persons in orde