Saint Mary of the Annunciation Catholic Church

Portsmouth, Ohio

e-Bulletin

 

January 6th, 2008

 Epiphany of the Lord

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January 7 – January 13

Mon.         12:00 pm          Linda and the Noesner Family                                                                      

Tues           12:00 pm           Eva Dzik/The Grandkids

 

Wed           12:00 pm           Ben Murnahan/Dave & Sally Ferrell

 

Thur          12:00 pm            Communion        

                                               

Fri               5:30 pm             Richard Kielmar/Mary Grooms & family

                                                                               

Sat                5:45 pm            Betty Jane Hufferd/Greg & Jodi  Stevens

 

Sun               9:00 am            Living & Deceased Members of the Parish

                  11:30 am            Wilma Barrett/Jim & Barb Maxey

 

Confession:  Saturday, 4:30-5 PM or by appointment.

Wedding: Couple must see priest 4 months in advance.

Baptism: Call Pastor (353-3858) for appointment.                   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Today’s Readings:  Currently many religious denominations are experiencing tensions among their members for a variety of reasons. Some tensions involve issues of gender (male/female ordinations), others of marital status (celibate/married clergy), and still others of sexual preference (heterosexual/homosexual orientation). Tensions were also a fact of life in the early Church. Nor were they absent from the Jewish communities of the Hebrew Scriptures.

      Reconciliation of ethnic and cultural traditions was one of the challenges of the early Christian community as well, as it struggled to unite the Gentile Christians with the Jewish Christians. Even though today’s second reading bears the name of the community of Ephesus, it is more likely that this Letter to the Ephesians was a “circular” letter, sent from one community to the next. Such a letter would address issues common to all communities in the area. We may assume, therefore, that the tension between Jews and Gentiles, which is a focal point in this correspondence, was an issue for most of the communities of Asia Minor.

      Do we approach our parish community with the sense of celebrating our diversity and with the hope of complementing one another’s giftedness of culture?

 

CAMELS BEARING HOPE

About these camels, we’re not too sure about them. Yes, every nativity scene shows the Magi seated on stately dromedaries, or leading their beasts of burden by bit and rein. But, quite honestly, the story of the Magi never tells us how they got there. They could have traveled on foot, in chariot, by camel, on horseback, even on an elephant – we just don’t know.

        The reason we keep putting them on camels in our art is because of Isaiah’s prophecy. He predicted that caravans of camels would fill Jerusalem, and that people from the East would come bearing gold and frankincense. “Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem!” he proclaims. “Your light has come.”

        In Matthew’s story, the Magi realize tht Jerusalem’s light has come. They follow the star and bring their gifts of gold and frankincense – myrrh, too. By telling about these gifts Matthew turns our attention back to Isaiah. Reading that prophecy, we realize that the light Isaiah mentioned is the Light of the World, Jesus Christ.

        When we see the Magi seated on camels, we are remembering Isaiah. When we remember Isaiah, we remember the light that came to shatter the darkness of our world. Those camels carry hope.

 

In Appreciation

Please extend a special thank you to Julie VanHoose, Gloria Horsley, Laura Estep and Mary Banalagay for preparing and providing food, drinks and serving ware for the Habitat workers. The workers said the food was delicious sand greatly appreciated.

                                    Sincerely,

                        Scioto County Habitat for Humanity

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PLEASE PRAY FOR: Ruth Emnett, Becky Miller, Courtney Clifford, Frank Balmert, Mary Grooms, Etta Ladd, Fr. Dwayne McNew and his Mother Ruth, Teresa Orlett, Ann Miller, Alison Thompson, Mary Archangeli, Tim Dever, Pat Augustin and please pray for those serving in our military.

 

STEWARDSHIP REPORT

December 23

Regular Collection.................................. $8,364.86

Maintenance Fund.................................. $1,533.00

Christmas................................................... $440.00

Thank you for your generosity to St. Mary Parish.

 

 

DAVE IS PLANNING A TRIP:  Called to Witness is an overseas program co-sponsored by Catholic Relief Services and the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry. It is designed to provide a firsthand experience of the developing world for adults serving and working in Catholic youth ministry. Through Called to Witness, CRS provides youth ministry professionals with an opportunity to enhance their ministry to young people and strengthen their ability to promote global justice in the Catholic educational community. Participants visit a variety of project sites and begin to build solidarity with our brothers and sisters overseas. Effort is made to emphasize CRS work that aids young people.

      This year, over 100 applications were received for the program. Only 8 youth ministers were accepted, and Dave was one. He will be leaving on April 13 and head to Nigeria, West Africa, and return on April 27. During this time, he will be working in villages and clinics. Nigeria has an epidemic of HIV, and he will be spending time in an orphanage where all the children there have lost parents from the disease. This is an exciting opportunity for Dave and for our parish as we continue to work to being about the Kingdom of God. Call Dave, if you can help him in any way, 355-1830.

 

30 ways to live a holier life…20th one.  Walk away. Leave when the conversation or jokes get vulgar, racist, or intolerant. If you stay, and say nothing, you give silent approval.

 

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR MEN’S RETREAT at Milford, OH,  Jesuit Retreat House, February 1-3, 2008. Please contact Andy Glockner, at 354-1539 or 353-2161 for more information

 

SIGN YOUR LIFE AWAY!!  Er, better make that “Sign, to prevent life from being taken away”! Scioto County Right to Life is once again offering the opportunity to have your name added to the list of defenders of God’s precious gift of human life, which will appear in our local papers later this month of January, around the anniversary of the 1973 Supreme Court’s “Roe vs. Wade” decision, which legalized abortion. As the deadline is Sunday, January 6th, please sign the form (available at the back of Church), and submit it with your donation of $5 per name, and leave it with the person collecting the forms at the back of Church.

 

MASS WITH THE BISHOP! Bishop Campbell, will be celebrant at a Mass on Tuesday, January 22, at 10:30 AM at St. Joseph Cathedral, 212 E. Broad St., in observance of the “day of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion, and of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life”. This day coincides with the anniversary of the Supreme Courts 1973 “Roe vs. Wade” decision, which legalized abortion.

 

Youth Doings

BOSCO BASH:  This year we will be having a Diocesan wide Junior High Rally. The theme of the day centers on Don Bosco, patron saint of students. The rally will be held at the Salesian Center in downtown Columbus. This event is open to all students in 6th-8th grades and will be held on Sunday, January 27th. Cost is $25/person (this includes dinner) and the deadline to register is January 10. Parents will be needed as drivers and chaperones. Come join hundreds of other junior high students in exploring and celebrating your faith.

 

DON’T FORGET TO PICK UP YOUR NEW SCHEDULES!!

 

Ministries Schedule

Saturday, Jan. 12 – 5:45 pm

 

 Reader I            Gerald Martin

 Reader II          Mary Ann Malone

 Host:                  Carol Donini

 Cup 1                 Julia Smith

 Cup 2                 Elizabeth Hurst

 Cup 3                 Deacon Chris

 Cup 4                 Debbie Lindner

 Servers               Jerrod Lewis

                             Katie O’Neill

                             Jeff July

Greeters              Donna Kayser

                             Abby Castle

                                            

Sunday, Jan. 13 – 9:00 am

 

 Reader I            Deanna Cassidy

 Reader II          Andrew Glockner

 Host                   Frank Bruch

 Cup 1                 Angela Stuart

 Cup 2                 Patrick Donini

 Cup 3                 Anne Emnett

 Cup 4                 Ellis Holcomb

 Servers               Megan McHugh

                             Andrew Nichols

                             Jeff Emnett

 Greeters             Donna Boren

                             Jean Dillow

 

Sunday, Jan. 13– 11:30 am

 

 Reader I            Rick Estep

 Reader II          Susan Frasher

 Host:                  Ann Cantrell

 Cup 1                 David Stump

 Cup 2                 Laura Wooten

 Cup 3                 Deacon George

 Cup 4                 Ramona Littlejohn

 Servers               Michael Brown

                             Blake Glockner

                             Matthew Mohr

Greeters              Leo Glockner

                             Suzette Doerr

 Counters:          Dorothy Goodman

                             John Sheets

 Cleaning:          Betty Martin

                             Estalene Petrey

 

 

This week’s Sponsor

Compliments of

Sperry Auto Parts, Inc.

So. Portsmouth, KY

932-4477