St. Mary’s Catholic Church
31st Sunday in Ordinary Time November 3, 2013
Dear parishioners,
There are some lines in the readings that we sometimes overlook because we are trying to get the big picture. This one helps us keep things in perspective: “Before the Lord the whole universe is as a grain from a balance or a drop of morning dew come down upon earth.” It may not have been known to the author of Wisdom how truly enormous the universe is. It’s probably not clear to us either. I can’t comprehend the distance of a light year—the distance the light travels in a year—about 6 trillion miles! Our Milky Way galaxy has a diameter of 100,000 light years. The observable universe is 93 billion light years in diameter! And to God that is but a tiny grain!
I know I’ve told you this before, there is this quote, “The Spirit of God is a great soaring eagle and we have caged [him] up like a chirping canary.” (I tried to google the source but cannot find it. I don’t think I made it up!) God is beyond our comprehension so we humans have a tendency to make God into a small, understandable being. It would be better for us to acknowledge that we cannot comprehend and let God be God.
Besides God being incomprehensible, the Book of Wisdom tells us these things about God: God has mercy on all. God loves all things that are. Nothing could remain unless God wills it. God spares all things because they are God’s. God rebukes offenders little by little that we may abandon our wickedness and may believe in God. Our God truly is an awesome God—full of love and compassion.
Sister Carol
Weekend Masses
Sat Nov2 4:00 p.m. For the parish
Sun Nov3 10:00 a.m. Cara Simone King
Sat Nov 9 4:00 p.m. Gene Badertscher and
Imajean Mathewson
Sun Nov 10 10:00 a.m. For the parish
Communion Services
Tue Nov5 10:30 a.m. Richland
Wed Nov 6 10:30 a.m. Hilty
Fri Nov 8 8:00 a.m. St. Mary’s
SUNDAY COLLECTION
Adults $2,745.00 Loose $440.00
Children $ 48.28 Total $3,233.28
81 envelopes returned = 40
Thank You for your generosity!
Assignments for November 910, 2013
Money Counters: Deb Goldenetz, Chad Wolford
4:00 p.m.
Greeter: Peg Murphy
Cantor: Matt Meyer
Ushers: Mike Klima, Bob Minto
Lector: Jenny Roby
E.M.: Edna Conkling, Jennifer Tschuor, Dave Roby
Servers: Isaac Inmon & Basil Meyer
10:00 a.m.
Greeter-East door: Logan Welch
Greeter-West door: Aaron Welch
Cantor:
Ushers: Dave Hoffer, Matt Weisenborn
Lector 1: Matt Ellerbrock
Lector 2: Brian Miller
E.M.: Brian and Julia Miller, Audrey Miller,
Wes Lovett, Dave Gerschutz
Servers: Tom, Lane and Lexi Schulte
Father Mike Hohenbrink will be joining us to celebrate Mass with us on Wednesday evening, November 6, at 7 o’clock. Please come pray with us—especially parents of our PREP children who will be here anyway. We teach our children what is important by the things we live as important.
The Pastoral Council will meet on Tuesday, November 5, at 7 p.m. in the library.
Parish mini-retreat Are you looking for something to renew your spirit and enrich your life? Come to the parish mini-retreat, Sunday, November 10, 10 o’clock Mass till 2 o’clock. Father Tom Landgraff, an Oblate of St. Francis de Sales, is the presenter. Lunch is included. A sign-up sheet is in the main entrance. Please sign up by Wednesday, November 6, so we can prepare adequately.
RCIA We have begun RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) for those who are interested in becoming members of the Catholic Church. We meet on Thursday evenings at 7:30 in the church library. We are still in the Inquiry period, so you are welcome to join us and “catch up.”
Mass to Celebrate National Adoption Month
In celebration of National Adoption Month in November, Catholic Charities Diocese of Toledo invites families and individuals who have participated in an adoption through any agency to attend the 4 p.m. Mass at Rosary Cathedral in Toledo on Saturday, Nov. 23. Birth parents, adoptive parents and their children, and adult adoptees are all welcome to attend and receive a blessing. A light reception will follow the Mass. Please RSVP for the reception by Nov. 18 to Elyse Stirton at 419-244-6711, ext. 226.
The Mustard Seed is planning a Christmas Open House for Wednesday, November 13 (noon to 8), Thursday, November 14 (9 to 5), and Friday, November 15 (9 to 5). There will be many new products and all Advent and Christmas merchandise will be available. Come on out and put Christ in your Christmas. The Mustard Seed is behind St. John’s Catholic Church in Glandorf. Look for the large OPEN red, white and blue flag flying on the porch.You can reach us by calling 419-538-7220
Emmanuel Fall Fish Fry will be November 8th from 4-7 p.m. at Emmanuel UCC, 8375 Phillips Road, Bluffton, Ohio. Adults cost $7.00 and Children 10 and under are $3.50. The meal will offer fish, calico beans, potato salad, baked beans and many other varieties of salads along with cheesy potatoes, and dessert. Proceeds go to the Improvement Fund.
Thank you to the Bereavement Committee for planning the memorial service. Thank you to Roger Brodman for painting the wrought iron at the parish house.
Christmas Choir - Please help us celebrate Christmas this year by being a part of the Christmas Choir. Practice will be on Wednesdays 11-6, 12-4, 12-11 and 12-18 from 8-9 p.m. and Wednesdays 11-13 and 11-20 from 7-8 p.m. Choir is open to adults, young adults and high school students. If you can sing from the pew, you can sing with the choir. You don't need a solo voice. Please join us. If you have any questions, please contact Sheila Hausknecht 567-208-2296.
It’s time to begin theAdopt-a-Family Program at the Bluffton Food Pantry for Christmas. This program provides food and gifts to needy families inour area. There are 43 families this year requesting to be adopted and possibly more to sign up. The program will run the same as last year where a group or individual is given a number for a family that they want to provide for this Christmas season. All names are kept anonymous. We ask that a Christmas meal will be provided for the family along with enough food and supplies to last them through the end of the month. Some of the families may ask for help in making this Christmas special for their kids with some gifts for their children that they otherwise would not be able to provide. Some may just ask for a new pillow or blankets, maybe some new pajamas or shoes. Whatever you provide will be very much appreciated. We request that items be dropped off at St. John’s UCC basement between 8 – 10a.m. on December 21st. Call Sarah Shank at 419-358-0223 to be assigned a family.
Bluffton University’s Jazz Ensemble and University Chorale will present a concert at 2:30 p.m. today (Nov. 3) in Yoder Recital Hall. Admission is free.
P.R.E.P
K-6: Next class is Wednesday, November 6, 6:30–7:45. Mass is at 7:00 p.m. All are welcome!
Children’s Liturgy is during the 10 o’clock Mass.
Junior High & SNLY: Class is today,November 3, 2013 from 11 - 1 p.m.