11th Sunday in Ordinary Time

13 June 2021

Immaculate Conception Parish

Fairbank, Iowa 50629

Today’s Readings Ezekiel 17:22-24

Psalm 92:2-16

2 Corinthians 5:6-10

Mark 4:26-34

PASTOR’S PARAGRAPHS 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time

June 13, 2021

A greenhouse is a fitting environment for growing plants of various kinds. There are greenhouses for flowers, such as roses, lilies, and lilacs; there are greenhouses for shrubs and plants; and there are greenhouses for vegetables, such as radishes, salad greens, potatoes, and peas. The greenhouse provides warmth, sunshine, water, and proper soil which plants need to grow and develop. Every time I come across a greenhouse off a road I am curious about what kind of life is growing inside it. How about you?

The Lord talks about growth in the kingdom this Sunday. He presents two parables about seeds. In the first, he compares the kingdom to a man who sows seeds and waits for them to grow (“first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear” Mk. 4:28). In the second, He compares the kingdom to a mustard seed which becomes a large plant. The reason for these parables, which were addressed to farmers, was simple. The Lord had been dead for some forty years when Mark wrote his Gospel (ca. 70 AD). Christians had heard the Lord’s teachings, followed His way, and waited eagerly for His return. But He did not return, and people were asking, “When is He coming again?” St. Mark answered the question by including these parables in his Gospel. His point was that the kingdom is like a tiny seed which was planted by Jesus along the dusty roads of Palestine, grew through the Twelve Apostles, seventy-two disciples, and thousands of converts through the years, and continues until the Lord returns. As a plant grows slowly and steadily, so too, the kingdom grows slowly and steadily. No one at the time of the Roman Empire could imagine how large and influential the Catholic Church would become through the centuries (no one, that is, except God).

The parables highlight three kingdom qualities. First, the kingdom is mysterious. This means we can’t fully understand it. It comes from God and is subject to God’s will. God acts in strange ways. As we don’t know how the plant grows day by day, we can’t fully understand how the kingdom grows day by day. Our part is to trust and surrender.

Second, the kingdom is uncontrollable. We can’t control or guide it. It is not within our power. We can’t urge it on or stop it. That is because God is in charge. This may frustrate us at times because we are so used to controlling and directing things in life. But God is beyond our control, and so is His kingdom.

Third, the kingdom is progressive. This means it grows steadily through the years. It progresses from tiny beginnings (one Savior and twelve close followers) to great endings (the Church today and tomorrow, numbering more than a billion followers). Progress takes place on God’s timetable, and is complete when He wills it.

Summer is a time for growth and development. May God’s Word and the sacraments help kingdom values of justice, love, truth, and peace to grow within us.

God bless you. Fr. Ray Atwood dbq151@dbqarch.org 319-283-9577

Ma

With Waverly, IA 5

Lord, We Lift Up to You in Prayer…. Eric Schmidtke, Esther Kajewski Dave Chase,

Charlie Corey, Marci Willey, Ron Babinat, Lindsey Ernst,

Michael McDonough, Leo Wickman,

Mary Ellen Youngblut, Sherry Duffy, Don Brandt,

Mary Ann Ryan Jim Shields Dianna Snyder

victims of hatred, racism, violence, natural disaster; terrorism,

and all in our parish, our community, and our hearts who are

suffering and in need of Christ’s healing touch May they

know His loving Presence in the eyes, hands and hearts of those

who give them care. May our prayers for help and healing rise like incense

to our God of hope, love and mercy.

Communion To Our Sick Or Homebound Ministry: contact Michelle Weepie 319-635-2428 or Bob Byersdorfer 319-635-2330

I C Parish Prayer Chain Hotline: Please contact

Vivian Rourke at 319-238-3225 (V) or 319-238-2083 (M)

Sacrament Of The Sick ~ Anointing for the seriously ill

or dyng, call the Sacred Heart Parish Center 319-283-3743, or if having surgery speak with Father Atwood in the Sacristy before or after Mass

Baptism Class For Parents: All parents who wish to

have their child baptized at Immaculate Conception parish are required to attend a baptism class prior to scheduling the baptism. Please contact Deacon Jim at 319-509-1210 for scheduling details.

I C Cemetery – contact the parish office

Funeral Dinners: Group #2 May, June, July, August

We provide desserts & serve a catered meal

I C STAFF ~ Fr. Ray Atwood, Pastor ~

IC Parish Office Wednesday Mornings after 8AM Mass Office at Sacred Heart Parish Center 319-283-3743

Sacred Heart Rectory 319-283-9577 email: dbq151@dbqarch.org

~ Deacon Jim Patera ~ Office at Sacred Heart Parish Center 319-283-3743

Cell phone 319-509-1210

~Glenda Kleitsch IC Secretary/Bookkeeper~

I C Parish Office PH: 319-635-2211 located at 405 Fairbank St I C Parish Office hours:

Mon-Thurs 8AM – 3PM Closed Friday Mailing address: P O BOX 505 Fairbank IA 50629

email: icfairbank@gmail.com website: http://icfairbank.weebly.com/

Archdiocesan website: www.dbqarch.org

~Dan & Lynda Cutsforth, DRE & Youth Ministry~ DRE Office PH :319-635-2211

located in the Parish Center at 405 Faribank St Mailing address: P O Box 505, Fairbank IA 50629

Dan email: dcutsforth@dunkerton.k12.ia.us Lynda email: cutsforthlynda@yahoo.com

Jean Sauerbrei, Facility Rental Coordinator PH: 319-635-9151/ cell 319-296-8459

or email jmsauerbrei@yahoo.com

Religious Education will be purchasing new Bibles to use in the classrooms next year. We will be purchasing The Catholic Children’s Bible for younger students, and Breakthrough! The Bible for Young Catholics for grades 5 and older. In addition, we will start a new program in the Fall of presenting Bibles to 5th and 6th graders. We will make this presentation at a Back-to-School Mass in the Fall. The Bibles we will be purchasing have been placed in the entry of the church for the parish to look at. If anyone would like to purchase one of these for home, please call or text Dan. If you would like to sponsor one of these Bibles either for the class set or for an individual 5th or 6th grader, the sponsor cost is $30, and checks may be made out to I.C. Church. The donor’s names will be printed inside the cover. If you want to sponsor a Bible, please contact Dan or Glenda in the parish office.

June 2021 Mon Jun 14 Staff Meeting 8:30 – 11AM Office Closed June 20 – 25 Father Atwood – Vacation June 21-26 Garage Sale – Sacred Heart Gym June 24 – 26 Fairbank Days – “Blue Collar Salute”

July 2021 Sat July 3 First Saturday Mass 8:30AM July 5 – 9 Office closed July 8 KC Meeting – Parish Hall 7PM

Please return any baby bottles that was distributed for the fundraiser for Mary’s Inn Maternity Home in May. We are missing around 15 bottles and would like to use them again for next year’s drive. You can return them to the office or put them in the entrance of the church.

A Message from our cemetery caretakers The cemetery was beautifully decorated for Memorial

Day in remembrance of your loved ones. But now it is time to remove all the extra items, flowers, and solar lights. We ask that you limit yourself to just a couple items on your loved ones resting

place. Share in the care. Thank you.

Thank you!!!! to Ron & crew for all their hard work and doing such a fantastic job on the cemetery all year long.

Sun June13 8:30 AM IC Ron,Evelyn & Leonard Salisbury, Nicholas & Gertrude Kerns M. Deacon Jim EM: Michelle Weepie, Dianne Rourke

Lector: Lori Beierschmitt Sun June 13 10:30 AM SH Gary Stejskal Mon June 14 8:30 AM SH Marilyn Gallo Wed June 16 8:30 AM IC Ralph Higgins Thurs June 17 8:30 AM SH Alice Kauten Fri June 18 8:30 AM SH Bruce Jessen

Sat June 19 4:30 PM SH Wally & Helena Walrath, Rev Steven Harrington Sun June 20 8:30AM IC For the People

M: Deacon Jim EM: Kelly Galleger Lector: Mary Bodensteiner

Sun June 20 10:30AM SH William Nehl

Ushers/Greeters for June Kelly Rundquist, Katlyn Rundquist

Tom Kleitsch, Joe & Dianne Rubino Sunday, June 27 8:30AM Mass

M. Deacon Jim EM: Joe Kleitsch Lector: Kaylee Kleitsch

If you are new to our parish or just visiting – If you would like to officially claim us as your Parish Family – we would love to have you! Contact the parish office for Information and a registration form 319-635-2211

A special note to those who were raised here in the IC church, are out on your own now making your way in the world, and still claim us as your parish. That’s great!! Please register yourself as an official new household member! And yes, that will bring you budget envelopes in the mail and your name on our Guild roster; but those are also part of being parish family.

Parish Financial $upport June 6 - 10 Budget $2295 Offertory $167 Building Fund $650 Prayer Garden in Memory of Dixie Rubino $20

We offer our sympathy and prayers to ….. the Family of Ed Sadler for the loss of your husband, dad, grandpa, and friend. Those we love remain with us, for love itself lives on.

Cherished memories never fade because one loved is gone.

Those we love can never be more than a thought apart,

for as long as there’s a memory they live on in our hearts.

Oelwein Sacred Heart

Annual Garage Sale Sacred Heart Gym

Mon June 21 to Fri June 25

9 AM to 7 PM

Sat June 26 9AM to noon

Not selling the garage but they have

lots of good stuff to ‘rummage’ thru!!

Lots of treasures to choose from,

including larger items and furniture!!!

Help make this the Greatest Garage

Sale Ever!! Everyone is Invited!!

.

Background on the Gospel Reading Mark 4:26-34

After Lent, the Easter season, and three Sundays of feast days—Pentecost, Most Holy Trinity, and Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ—the Church returns to Ordinary Time. This Sunday’s Gospel from Mark carries a significant message regarding faith and the

Kingdom of God. In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus appears reluctant to reveal his identity as the Son of God. After performing miracles of healing, he warns those cured to tell no one (see Mark

1:44, 3:12, 5:43, 7:36, and 8:26). Also, when preaching, Jesus chooses to speak to the crowds in parables, leaving them to discern his message. Only to his disciples does he

explain the parable’s meaning, and he does this in private at a later time. Today’s Gospel Reading consists of two parables about seeds. In the first, Jesus tells those gathered that this is “how it is with the kingdom of God.” A man scatters seed

which over time sprouts and develops. Then when the grain is ripe, the man harvests his crop. The emphasis in the parable is on the seed, which seemingly has the power to grow on its own. In this it is like the Kingdom of God. While on earth, Jesus planted the seeds of the kingdom by his life, miracles, teaching, and suffering. However, the

kingdom is not yet fully established. Although already present in Jesus and his group of twelve, it has yet to come to fruition; just as the seed in the parable needs time to grow,

so does God’s kingdom. The second parable focuses on the tiny mustard seed. Though not the smallest of all

seeds, it is most likely the smallest that a first-century farmer in Jesus’ part of the world would have sown. Small as the mustard seed is, it develops into a tree. Though the

mustard tree generally averages only nine to twelve feet in height, it has a wide expanse and provides a nesting place for birds. Just as the tree welcomes the birds, so

is God’s kingdom welcoming and open to many. These parables help us discern something about the kingdom of God and our own faith. In God we live and move and have our being, but God is a mystery and his

kingdom, though present, has not yet come into its fullness. Today, the Kingdom of God is present in the Church. The mission of proclaiming the Good News of the

Kingdom given to the Apostles is now given to us. But just as seeds need time to come to fruition, so does the Kingdom of God. That is why in the Lord’s Prayer, we pray, “thy kingdom come.” We know that it will come in its fullness at the end of time. All we need

is faith. From Loyola Press Sunday Connection

Homily Notes: What did I hear that I would like to remember or think about later?

The youth of I.C are invited to join St. A's youth for Totus Tuus, which is a week-long summer program for Catholic youth in Grades 1-12. St. A's will be hosting this awesome program July 18th-23rd. College students & Seminarians engage the youth with skits, songs, games and inspiring, interactive teaching. Totus Tuus demonstrates that one can be a faithful, practicing Catholic and still have fun! Please email Lori Schutte (dbq109ff@dbqarch.org) or call St. A's Parish office (319-827-6682) to get registered