Old Bulletins

January 30-31 1999

All Things Considered

CONTRIBUTION STATEMENTS are prepared at the end of each year so that those who itemize their taxes are able to use this statement for their tax deductions. Ever since I became a pastor (1985), I have made it a practice to sign each statement individually. This practice gives me the opportunity to thank people for their support and for their service to our community.

It also proves to be an interesting study. Some people obviously tithe a percentage of their income. You can see it in the amount and the frequency of the giving ($23 - $16.50 etc.). I want to thank those who have given real thought and prayer to their consideration of how they will support the parish. I also want to thank the many who give real support to our community through service.

Both the financial and volunteer support that our people give is very generous. Almost 70% of our people give a dollar-a-day ($365 per year) or more to support our vision. Over 60% of our families are involved in some aspect of service within our community.

COMMITMENT CARDS Along with your year end statement, some of you will find another commitment card as well. The return of these commitment cards becomes more important now that we are beginning to prepare our budget for the coming fiscal year (July 1,1999 to June 30, 2000).

The Finance Council needs to know what we can count on in the way of financial support. Most of the income from pledge payments will end in June. That will mean that approximately $23,000 will no longer be coming in through pledge payments. But we will have to budget so that we will be able to make our $30,000 monthly mortgage payment plus fund the daily operation of the parish. Not knowing how much income we can depend upon will mean that we may have to trim our operating expenses. So your commitment card becomes an important part of our budgeting process.

If you have not yet returned your card, please prayerfully look at your resources and needs and figure out what percentage of your income you can return to the Lord. Please fill out your card and return it by mail or through the collection. Your commitment will make it much easier for the Finance Council to plan wisely. Thanks!

CARNIVAL The French call it Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday), the Spanish and Italians call it Carnival (meaning farewell to meat). In both cases, it is a century old celebration in preparation for Lent: the season of fasting, abstinence, prayer and penance. I hope you will make plans to participate in our Mardi Gras on Saturday, February 13. It should be fun for the whole family.

As is the custom with both Mardi Gras and Carnival, costumes are a part of the fun for both young and old, but not necessary. Please put the date on your calendar. Fr. Dave Howell

PRAYER LIST

Please pray that the sick will respond to God's healing will, especially: Ron, Eileen Auld, Marilyn (mother of Steve Crowell), Cinnamon Reichardt & child, Debbie, Nancy, Steve, Jeanette, Bob, Pete, Vivian, Jane, Timothy, Zora, Mary Kay, Wayne, Ed, Merle, Tom, Keith, Ruth, Mary, Victor, David, Kenneth, Cheryl, Laurie and John.

YEARLY CONTRIBUTION STATEMENTS

YEARLY CONTRIBUTION STATEMENTS will be in the Gathering Area the weekend of January 30 & 31 and February 6 & 7. Please pick up your statement as postage has increased and it will be a savings to the parish. How does the system work? Your contributions are posted to your statement on a weekly basis (Monday only). If you place your Sunday envelope/bldg. fund envelope in the collection basket over the weekend (example) of January 9/10 the amount is posted to your account on Monday, January 11. If you mail in your envelope or drop it off at the office during the week it will not be posted to your account until Monday, January 18.

ON THE JOURNEY

It's hard to believe but lent is just around the corner. Now is the time for us to decide how we will observe this special period. Last year nearly one hundred and fifty of us attended the small faith group meetings and the follow up evaluations were very positive. The "Follow Me" program is designed around the Sunday lectionary readings with time for prayer, discussion and reflection. Most of the groups meet in individual homes and offer a casual, friendly atmosphere to meet your neighbors, laugh a little and deepen your understanding of Scripture. The times and locations of our small groups are listed in the gathering area. Please consider making this one of your lenten practices this year. For more information call me at the office. Yours on the journey, Marilyn

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

There will be a Family Retreat for lent, Jesus Solves the Puzzle". It will be held on Saturday, February 20, from 1:00-7:00 p.m. The themes for the retreat are communication, prayer and hurting and healing. It would be a wonderful way to share the lenten season and grow as a family. Please call the office to register. The Rite of Enrollment for the children in the Eucharist program will be Sunday, February 14, at the 11:00 liturgy. Sister Maryetta

YOUTH NEWS

I've been writing these youth articles for two and one-half years now, and thus far have made no mistakes. Well now I have two corrections to make from last week. First, Ashley Lange's phone number for the babysitter list should be 229-1265. Secondly, I'd like to make it clear that the teens have volunteered only their names as possibilities, not their time. So that being straightened out, here are three more names to add to your list: Becky DuPuis - 229-2714
Colleen Collins - 227-0208
Chris Start - 229-3162

After much consideration, there will be no meeting tonight. David Yanok is opening his home to anyone who would like to watch the Superbowl game. Call him at 220-8304 for more details.

Congratulations are in order for John Spalding. He is part of a new youth committee within our diocese, the Diocesan Youth Advisory Council. He represents the whole Lansing Diocese. We are proud of him for the work and time he is committing to this. Our next meeting will be Feb. 14, 7-8:30 pm. Margaret Callaghan

MARRIAGE DIFFICULTY

Marriage Difficulty Retrouvaille is helping couples put the pieces back together. Retrouvaille weekends are held at St. Francis Retreat Center in DeWitt on February 12-14, 1999 and May 21-23, 1999. For further information call (517)669-8321, Ext. 36.

SPIRITUALITY FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM

STEWARDSHIP REPORT

Stewardship Report Last weekend approximately 1214 people participated in the Liturgies. These folks contributed $12,055.44 to the parish. Last year on this Sunday the contributions totaled $8,683.65.

COUNCIL OF CATHOLIC WOMEN

COUNCIL OF CATHOLIC WOMEN meets at St. Mary's Chelsea on Wed., Jan. 27. Please call Joanne Fredal, 428-8010 for more information.

CELEBRATING LITURGY

January 31
Zep 2:3;3:12-13/1 Cor 1:26-31/Mt 5:1-12a

February 1
Heb 11:32-40/Mk 5:1-20
9:00 a.m. Fredrick Thomas Cupples

February 2 Presentation of the Lord
Mal 3:1-5/Heb 2:14-18/Lk 2:22-40
9:00 a.m. Communion Service

Wednesday, February 3
Heb 12:4-7,11-15/Mk 6:1-6
7:00 p.m. Roland Anderson

Thursday, February 4
Heb 12:18-19,21-24/Mk 6:7-13

9:00 a.m. Paul Chisholm

Friday, February 5 Agatha, virgin, martyr
Heb 13:1-8/Mk 6:14-29
9:00 a.m. James L. O'Donnell

Saturday, February 6 Paul Miki, relig., missionary, and companions, martyrs
Heb 13:15-17,20-21/Mk 6:30-34

Sunday, February 7
Is 58:7-10/1 Cor 2:1-5/Mt 5:13-16
4:30 (Vigil) Mary & Carl Wojewodzki
9:00 a.m.St. Mary Magdalen Parishioners
11:00 a.m. Todd Park

LITURGICAL MINISTERS SCHEDULE

Weekend of February 7 & 8

4:30 p.m. Saturday

Minister of the Word:
Jim Kronk, Jean Feterl

Ministers of the Eucharist:
Joanne Pasienza, Judy Kronk, Steve & Kathy Reichardt

Ministry of Server:
Robert Green, Patrick Green

Ministry of Hospitality:
Katie Barazsu, Kathy Petrocella, Mary Janke, Diane Morrison, Bob & Ruth Green

9:00 a.m. Sunday

Minister of the Word:
Ruth Sadasivan, Steve Stegmaier

Ministers of the Eucharist:
Mary Ellen Magon, Jane Skerritt, Joyce Gonda, Ken Urbanski, Kyle & Randy Wilson, Judy Scharf, Chris Kovanda, Tammy Ritter

Ministry of Server:
Jacqueline Wilson, Keith Colley, Kris Colley

Ministry of Hospitality:
Gonda family, May & Harry Dreckmann, John & Jan Denzer, Al & Cheryl Beaudet

Nursery: Ann O'Reilly

11:00 a.m. Sunday

Minister of the Word:
Dan Schifko, Barb Buwa

Ministers of the Eucharist:
Duke & Priscilla Davis, Donna & Al Rushak, Maureen Graham, Steve & Maureen Crowell, Kay Thurmon, Kyle & Renee Geran

Ministry of Server:
Angie Schifko, Colleen Holden

Ministry of Hospitality:
Lisa Schifko & family, Jahrling family, Hurn family, Kubus family

Nursery:
Need

THE WEEK AHEAD

Monday, February 1
7:30 p.m. K of C (Rectory Basement)
7:00 p.m. BeFrienders Meeting (Social Hall)
7:30 p.m. Lector/Hospitality Training

Tuesday, February 2
6:30 p.m. Journey Team Meeting
7:30 p.m. Inquiry/Journey

Wednesday, February 3
7:30 p.m. Worship Meeting

Thursday, February 4
10:00 a.m. Women of the Old Testament
6:30 p.m. Scripture Rosary
6:30 p.m. Eucharistic/Lector/Hospitality Training
7:30 p.m. Music Ministry
8:00 p.m. Altar Servers Training

Friday, February 5
No Activities Planned

Saturday, February 6
9:30 a.m. Eucharistic MInisters Training
10:30 a.m. Altar Servers Training

Sunday, February 7
9:00 a.m. Liturgy Commissioning of BeFrienders
12:30 p.m. Infant Baptism
7:30 p.m. We Are What We Were When

THREE MINUTES MORE

Before each weekend Liturgy begins, there is a three minute explanation of a segment of the Mass. This column offers additional information.

Having stated our particular reason for giving thanks in the Preface or first part of the Eucharistic Prayer, each of them concludes by joining our voices with those of heaven who endlessly thank God by singing the Holy, Holy. THE HOLY, HOLY is the first of three acclamations in the Eucharistic Prayer. Like so much of our Liturgy, it is rooted in Judaism and borrowed from the synagogue service. When God called the Prophet Isaiah, it was during a temple liturgy. As the clouds of incense ascended, he saw the heavens open and heard the angels sing, "Holy, holy, holy..." (see Isaiah 6). In a very real way, during the Eucharistic Prayer the heavens are opened again as Christ comes to us in this unique way. So with gratitude, we join our voices with all the angels and saints, knowing that through Christ, heaven is our destination.

The Holy, Holy continues with "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord." This is the acclamation used to greet Jesus as He entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday (Matthew 21.9). It was the eastern Church that first combined this verse with those from Isaiah. By the fourth century it was included in the Roman Liturgy. The words "hosannah in the highest" were added to complete this acclamation. This Hebrew word was an imperative meaning God save us! All together, this acclamation becomes a prayer of reliance on God who saves us in Christ. For it is with Christ, through Christ and in Christ that we will come to the eternal banquet of heaven.