First reading:
The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a mighty savior. (Zep. 3:17a)
Psalm:
Cry out with joy and gladness, for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel. (Is. 12:2-3, 4, 5-6)
Second reading:
Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. (Phil. 4:6)
Gospel:
John answered them all, saying, “I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Lk. 3:16)
Live the Liturgy—Inspiration for the Week:
This Gaudete Sunday calls us to rejoice because the Lord is near. Does your heart rejoice and sing, or are the pressures and burdens of life weighing you down? We can easily become overwhelmed. The weaknesses and sins of life, indeed our own weakness and sin, eat away at the joy and hope God wants us to know. Those who are grounded in their faith and possess deep spiritual lives know that God is near. Realizing this puts life into perspective. We really want to be free from our burdens but do not always know how to achieve this. We keep stumbling and falling. Advent is a time when we can learn to “do life differently,” just like John the Baptist instructed the crowds. Joy and hope are the gifts God offers, not anxiety and despair.
Catholic Quotes—Words to Inspire the Faithful:
© Liturgical Publications Inc.
Events:
- AA Meetings:
- Tuesdays, 8:00 p.m., St. Francis Solanus, Interlaken
- Thursdays, noon, St. James the Apostle, Trumansburg
- Food Pantries:
- Ovid Federated church: Mondays, 10:00 a.m. (closed 12/24) Food Truck is every other Tuesday, 3:00 p.m. (Jan. 8)
- Interlaken Reformed church: Fridays, 3:00 p.m.
- Trumansburg Food Pantry: Methodist church every other Monday, 1:00–2:00 p.m. and 5:30-6:00 p.m. (Dec. 17)
- Bernard is Available: Fridays, 6:30 p.m. at St. Francis, no appointment needed
- Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA): Wednesdays, 7:00 p.m., St. James
- Confirmation Candidates: Eighth and ninth graders, Sundays, 4:00 p.m., St. James
- Robotics: Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays, 6:00-8:00 p.m., St. James
- Breads Needed: In the St. James pine room after Mass on December 16
- Remaining Choir Practice for Christmas: December 18, 7:00 p.m., Holy Cross
- Coffee Hour: First Sunday of the month following the 9:00 a.m. Mass, St. James
- Family Religion Education Program: January 6 at 6:00 p.m., St. James
The Season of Advent and Reconciliation:
During the season of Advent, the celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) will be celebrated in each church after each of the weekend Masses. The sacrament is also celebrated on Fridays at 6:30 p.m. in St. Francis Solanus church.
Catholic Ministries Appeal:
The 2018–2019 Catholic Ministries Appeal (CMA) report of December 4 stated that eighty-five parish households have pledged $22,362, nearly 75% toward our given parish goal of $29,979. Thank you. If you have not yet responded, please consider your financial participation. In the vestibule of the churches there are CMA pledge envelopes. CMA has produced an extraordinary video in connection with this year’s Appeal. It is posted to the diocesan website (www.dor.org) and the CMA page (www.dor/org/cma).
Christmas Masses:
Our Parish of Mary, Mother of Mercy will have three Christmas Masses. There will be two on Christmas Eve:
4:30 p.m. at St. James the Apostle, with children participating, and
8:00 p.m. at Holy Cross.
There will be one on Christmas day:
9:30 a.m. at St. Francis Solanus.
Please spread the word and plan now as to which Mass you will attend.
Church Calendars:
2019 church calendars are available in the church vestibules. Please take only one calendar per family.
Christmas Decorations at St. Francis:
All are welcome after the 5:00 p.m. Mass on December 22 to help in the Christmas decoration of the church.
Bakers Needed:
The Trumansburg Food Pantry needs 15 loaves of breads (banana, pumpkin, cranberry, etc.) for the Christmas distribution at the Trumansburg Food Pantry on December 17. Breads may be left in the St. James pine room after Mass on December 16. There is a sign-up sheet in the foyer.
Hat, Scarf, and Mitten Tree:
The annual hat, scarf, and mitten tree has been set up in pine room at St. James. The request is for new items, for all ages. Items will be taken to Catholic Charities of Tompkins/Tioga Counties before Christmas. Please consider making a gift of a hat, scarf, or mittens for someone in need.
Card Ministry:
Card Ministry is a working group of the parish’s Witness Committee. They are looking for parishioners who would be interested in writing and sending cards to our home-bound or parish members in nursing home. As a member of this work group, you would send cards once a month to (currently) seventeen individuals. If you are interested please contact Marilynn Frank at .
Ring Those Bells:
Bell ringers are needed to help collect donations at the entrance to the Shur Save for the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle campaign. The Salvation Army provides invaluable assistance to Trumansburg community members in need throughout the year. Please contact Judy Robertson at 387-6488 if you can take a shift.
Shur Save Donations:
At the Shur Save there is a box into which you can donate food for the food pantry to distribute. If you contribute, please check the expiration date first as they cannot use food items that are past the printed date. We can never have enough food to distribute but it needs to be safe too. Thank you for your consideration of this request and any possible donations you might be able to make.
Deep Sense of Gratitude:
Rev. Robert C. Bradler, diocesan director for the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, expressed a “…deep sense of gratitude” to the parish for the World Mission Sunday collection that amounted to $781. “Your people, through their prayers and generous response to World Mission Sunday, will enable Our Holy Father to each out to the countless number of people throughout the world who need our love and support.”
Grateful:
Anne Haus, coordinator of the Trumansburg Food Pantry, wrote: “The time of thanksgiving is here! I am grateful for all your church has done to make the Trumansburg Food Pantry an important ministry for helping our neighbors in need.”
November Attendance and Collections:
The average number of people at Mass on Saturdays in November, at the 5:00 p.m. at St. Francis, were 68, with an average collection of $597. On Sundays in November, at the 9:00 a.m. Mass at St. James, there were on average 104 people in attendance with a collection of $944. At the 10:30 a.m. Mass at Holy Cross there were generally 86 people with an average collection of $811.
Sisters of St. Joseph of Rochester:
The sisters have a prayer ministry and throughout 2018 Sister Anne Marie Burns will be praying for our parish and parishioners. Such an act of love offers us the opportunity to keep Sr. Anne Marie and the Sisters of St. Joseph in our prayers.
Pregnancy Care Center of the Finger Lakes:
Pregnancy Care Center of the Finger Lakes, located at 551 Exchange St. in Geneva, is offering a “Forgiven and Set Free” post abortive ten-week session beginning October 4 until December 13. There is no cost involved. “If you regret your abortion, you are not alone. Let us help you learn to forgive yourself. Pleased join us for this healing ministry program.” For more information phone 315 789 0708.
Cancer Services Program (CSP):
Cortland and Tompkins Counties offer free cancer screenings to those who are uninsured or have health insurance that does not cover these screenings. The screening services are provided in local health centers, doctors’ offices, and hospitals. For more information, contact CSP at 866 442 2262.
Toiletries and Hygiene Products:
There is a basket in the vestibule of St. James church for donations of toiletries. The request comes from Catholic Charities which is in need of items like shampoo, toothpaste, diapers etc. The items will be transferred to the Catholic Charities office in Ithaca.
Ministry Schedule for St. Francis Solanus Church, Interlaken
Saturday Vigil Mass at 5:00 p.m.
December 15, 2018 (third weekend):
Lectors: Kathleen Rourke [for Scott Hamula], Ann Buddle
EMs: Robin Hamula, Millie Messmer (for Kathleen Rourke), Cathy DelSignore
December 22, 2018 (fourth weekend):
Lectors: Gerry Messmer and Millie Messmer
EMs: Cathy DelSignore, Mary Davidson, Robin Hamula
Christmas Day:
Tuesday, December 25 9:30 a.m. at Saint Francis Solanus
Lectors: Donna Ryan and Barbara Willers
EMs:
Ministry Schedule for St. James the Apostle, Trumansburg
Sunday Mass at 9:00 a.m.
December 16 (third Sunday):
Lectors: Donna Ryan and Nancy Olszewski
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion: Beth and Tom Duff, Debbie Short
December 23 (fourth Sunday):
Lector 1: Barbara Willlers (for Beth Duff) and Tim Davis
EMs: Deborah Short (for Tom Duff), Joan Hogan, Mark Scibilia-Carver (for Tim O’Boyle)
Christmas Eve:
Monday, December 24 4:30 p.m. at Saint James, Children’s Mass
Lectors: Scott Hamula and Nancy Olszewski
EMs: Robin Hamula, Cathy DelSignore
12/2/18 | 12/9/18 | 12/16/18 | 12/23/18 | 12/30/18 | |
Greeter in addition to Usher | M. Maleski | M. Maleski | |||
Altar Ser 1 | P. Schirmer | G. Frank | G. Frank | G. Frank | M. Humulock |
Altar Ser 2 | |||||
Lector 1 | M. Humulock | E. Moore | K. Knapp | N. Shumway | P. Motill |
Lector 2 | T. Humulock | J. Swanson | L. Kurkchi | J. Liedenfrost° | M. Frank |
Extraordinary Min 1 | L.A. Fox | D. Moore | L.A. Fox | S. Limoncelli | F. Grasek |
Extraordinary Min 2 | F. Grasek | D. Brandow° | K. Sinkiewicz | D. Moore | T. Humulock |
Extraordinary Min 3 | D. Traphagen | S. Limoncelli | M. Frank | P. Schirmer | D. Brandow |
2 Envelopes | |||||
Usher 1 (Lead) | J. Taylor | S. Brandow° | J. Taylor | M. Maleski | T. Grasek |
Usher 2 | J. Swanson | M. Maleski | T. Humulock | A. Reagan | S. Brandow |
Usher 3 | T. Grasek | ||||
Usher 4 |