ST. MARK’S BOTTINEAU & ST. ANDREW’S WESTHOPE

PARISH OFFICE: (701) 228-3164 RECTORY: (701) 228-5164 stsmanda@utma.com

322 Sinclair St. • Bottineau, ND • 58318 - www.stmark-standrew.org

December 9-10th, 2017 2nd Sunday of Advent

PARISH STAFF

Fr Michael Hickin, Pastor

Ursula Palmer, Secretary

Cathy Miller, Custodian

Ambre Gillstrap, Custodian

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Valerie Heth, DRE

St. Andrew’s Parish

Ursula Palmer, DRE

St. Mark’s Parish

WEEKEND MASS SCHEDULE

Saturday 5:30 pm, Bottineau

Sunday 9:00 am, Westhope

And 11:00 am, Bottineau

CONFESSIONS

Saturday, 4:30 pm, Bottineau

Sunday, 8:30 am, Westhope

Or by Appointment

OFFICE HOURS

Tue 12:30pm-5:00pm

Wed 9:00am-3:30pm

Thurs 12:30pm-5:00pm

Fri 9:00am-5:00pm

PARISH NEWS AND EVENTS

UPCOMING EVENTS St. Andrew’s Dec 10—Relig ed

Dec 17—Men serving pan-cake & sau-sage breakfast after Mass

St. Mark’s

Dec 9-10—Bake Sale:K-6 Christmas Giving Project Dec 13—BACMA ministerial assoc mtg, 10:30 am Dec 13—Religious Ed—Christmas Fun. Dec 14—Steering Comm. Mtg 5:30 pm Next Steps Dec 14—ADULT ED., Catholicism series - Chap 5, Thur, 7pm in Rectory Basement Stewardship Moment.

December 10, 2017 – Second Sunday of Advent “Prepare the way of the Lord…” - MARK 1:3

We are all called to live a holy life. We are all called to invite others to live holy lives. Living a stewardship lifestyle, being grateful and generous with our gifts, does just that – it puts us on the path to holiness and it invites others to be holy, too.

Report for December 3, 2017

St Andrew’s: Ad env $ 265 Pl $ 45 Ch $ 16

St Mark’s: Ad env $2871.10 Plate $79 Ch $54.72 Building Imprv. $1755.50 Cem. Fund $

Saturday, December 9, 5:30 p.m. St. Mark’s (†Annetta Lexa) Sun, December 10, 9 a.m. St. Andrew’s (Parishioners) Sun, 11 a.m. St. Mark’s (†Pamela Schmidt) Tue, December 12, 12 p.m. St. Mark’s

(† Al and Mary Pugh) Wed, December 13, 7:30 a.m. St. Mark’s († Everett Lahr) Thursday, December 14, 9 a.m. St. Andrew’s (†Vince Yezzi) Friday, December 15, 11 a.m. Good Sam (†Personal Intentions) Saturday, December 16, 5:30 p.m. St. Mark’s (†Delmar Haberman) Sun, December 17, 9 a.m. St. Andrew’s (Parishioners) Sun, 11 a.m. St. Mark’s (†Jeffrey Shriver)

Home Communion Any St. Mark parishioners desiring Ho-ly Communion at home, call Claudia Trebas (228-2339) by Monday evening to be put on the list. To add or remove a name, please contact Deb Wyman at 245-6538 or the parish office.

PARISHIONERS, FAMILY, AND FRIENDS: Mili-tary personnel & their families, Cindy Volk,

Clay Gunderson, Sylvia Frazer, Harvey Soland, Jodee Blaze, Dave Woeste, Fred Salinsky, Todd Pigeon, Duane Indridson, Carol Carbonneau, Ann O’Connell, David Schultz, Donna Jones; Jerry Volk, Cindy Haman, Sandy Janzen, Charles Carbonneau, Bonnie Clark; Ja-net Kraft; Noah Signalness; Joe Schmaltz; a special private intention.

St. Andrew’s Health Center: Marion Honer Trinity Homes, Minot: Eva Bauer Good Sam: Helen Hoffert, Regan Benning, Frances Boice, Maria Barballa, Pete Anderson, Ronnie Houle, Ernie Houle, Jane Kuntz. For those who would like to write to Carol Carbonneau, her address is: 215 S. Maple, Watertown SD 57201

MASS INTENTION REQUEST

A Mass intention is requested for :

_____________________________________________

From:

_____________________________________________

Suggested offering $10.00 per Mass intention.

We are the clay

You are the Potter.

Mt 25:40

Fri-Sun, Jan 5-7. Little Flower Parish,

Rugby. “The Spirit Will Guide You to All Truth” Jn 16:13

St. Mark’s Ministries for December 16-17 DATE EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS READER GIFT BEARERS USHERS GREETERS COUNTERS

Satr. Bread: Julie Hoffman

Vicki Gangl and Bobbi Aus Deb Stewart Pat and Rita Lauer

Merle Allard & Dennis Lagasse

Rita Lauer

Maryls Richard

Sun. Bread: Jen Nero

Wayne Barbot/Vickie Boenke

Northern Lights Apostles (NLA)

NLA Mike Haberman Mike Nero

Northern Lights Apostles

Carla Eisenzimmer

Marie Meloni—Beach

From the Pastor’s Pen

A Voice cries out. Whose voice? In the first Reading, Is 40, it’s Isaiah’s voice. The prophet an-nounces the return of the Israelites from their exile in Babylon. This occurred some 700 yrs before Christ’s birth. At the time, it was one of God’s most dramatic expressions of love for his peo-ple. This amazing return happened through an unlikely person, Cyrus, King of Persia. He was not a Jew, nor even a believer. Cy-rus was an instrument of God’s loving plan.

The heart of Isaiah’s message is that God’s word accom-plishes what it says. In Hebrew, the word for “word” is the same as the word for “deed”.

“Let there be light. And there was light.” As at the begin-ning in creation, so in Isaiah’s day, but with this difference, the word comes through God’s prophet.

Moved by God, this voice of one in the wilderness announces not just a dream or a statement, but a fact, a deed. St. Mark quotes this passage from Isaiah, seeing it fulfilled in a new way in John the Baptist. The Baptist’s voice

proclaims the coming of the Shepherd Isaiah announced, the one who’d feed his flock and carry the lambs in his bosom. The One John announces is the Word of God, and this Word is also a fact, a Deed—He is our Redeemer. Put all this together (Scriptures, Isaiah, John, Jesus), and what do you get? Two thoughts. One, consider how you listen to our readings at Mass. The lector does not just pronounce words. These words

carry the Word, the Deeds of God. They’re powerful! “Here comes with power the Lord God” (Is 40:10). God has gathered us as believers to listen to this Word, week in and week out. Maybe the effect is not often evi-

dent and immediate. But, these words are effecting a great change in us. They are gradually moving through us to effect what we await, what St. Peter called God’s promised “new heavens and a new earth” (2Pe 3:13).

As we come to church, we listen, we feed on the Eucharist, then we return to the world. Two, the hope is this: our words echo the love we’ve received. Our words become deeds in the people we en-

counter. The Deed we celebrate at Mass becomes God’s Deed of transformation outside the church walls. You don’t have to quote people the Bible. What you have to do is simply echo in your own voice your trust that

God’s Plan of Loving Kindness moves forth over time— even through the unlikely persons/prophets we are. Advent celebrates the coming of the Word. He comes in power, and that power is found precisely in the words we

choose to address to one another. Whoa!

Dec 23-24, 4th Sunday of Advent, Masses as usual

Sun, Dec 24, 4:30 pm, St. Andrew’s, Westhope

Sun, Dec 24, 7:30 pm, St. Mark’s, Bottineau

Mon, Dec 25, 11:00 Am, St. Mark’s, Bottineau

Communal Penance Service. The best gift you can give Jesus and your loved ones for Christmas is a pure heart. Celebrate the Lord’s Birth with your own rebirth inthe Sacrament of Reconciliation. Area Communal Penance Services include: Rugby, Weds, Dec 13, 3 & 7pm; Rolla, Sun, Dec 10, 2 pm; Dunseith & Towner both on Mon, Dec 11, 7 pm.

Commemoratives. Donate $20 towards a 7-day candle or 6” poinsettia in memory of a loved one. We will attach their names. Please turn in your slip with: Name: _______

_____________

7-day candle __

Pointsettia __

St. Andrew’s Ministries

DATE EUCHARISTIC

MINISTERS READER GIFT BEARERS ALTAR SERVERS COUNTERS USHERS

Sun. Dec. 17 Lenny & Roberta Linda Ellingson Zane Family Anthony & Jude Tom & Howard Tom Henry & Wayne Miller

A word from the Trappist monks of Holland, Manitoba. Contemplation is a long

and attentive consideration or observation of something. To concentrate the mind on spiritual matters, such as achieving closer union with God, is the daily task of a Trappist Monk. This task is easily connected with devo-tion and silence. Most people need to sit in silence every now and then to get in touch with how they feel in regards to a situation. When do you find time to contemplate your daily and year to year life? Is it in the quiet of a car ride home from work? Perhaps during a morning coffee? These times are essential for everyone to remain in check with our own feelings and emotions. Capital Improvements—St. Mark’s 2018 projects include: (1) a new propane boiler (that can switch back &

forth between being the main or back-up to our electric boiler); (2) cleaning/sealing/re-grouting the limestone of the church façade, pillars, 4 Chaplains Memorial; (3) putting in a sprinkler system . These long-range, once-in-a-generation expenses will continue to put to work our First Sunday of the Month “Building Fund” collections. Thank you for investing in the future of our Faith and our Community.

A Thank You from Catholic Charities. Besides those checks individuals sent in, $508.00 in anonymous cash donations were sent to support the good works of Catholic Charities, ND. These donations are vital in keep-ing alive the services that reach those who struggle with a crisis pregnancy, mental health issues, intellectual disabil-ities, adoption, and guardianship. Thank you!

K-6 Christmas Giving Project. St. Mark’s Relig Ed children are dedicating the weekly Children’s Collection to purchasing rice, beans and a goat for children in Haiti. See the bulletin board display in the social hall. Bake Sale, this wkend, Dec 9-10.

The Advent Wreath’s circular shape symbolizes eternity. Its candles say in words of light that we’re in a period of waiting and of darkness. In the parish or in the home, the Advent Wreath marks our anticipation for the Coming of Christ, the Light of the world. Prayer for lighting the second candle. God of power and mercy open our hearts in welcome. Remove the things that hinder us from receiving Christ with joy so that we may share his wisdom and become one with him when he comes in glory, for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

LEFSE—for sale after Masses next wkend, Dec 9-10. Support Bott Cnty Rt to Life.

Catholicism— the truth and beauty of the Catholic Faith in an epic media experience. Next mtg, Lesson 5: The Indispensable Men-Peter, Paul & the Missionary Adventure. Learn how the Holy Spirit worked through the Apostles and first disciples to build the Church. St. Mark’s Rectory basement,

Thur, Dec 14, 7 pm.

Time & Talent Sheets. Our

goal is to tabulate the T&T Surveys to be reviewed by our Parish Coun-cils in January. Many hands make for light work. We are not saved by service, but for service.

Steering Committee Mtg, Dec 14, 5: 30 p.m. “Next Steps.” We will discuss im-mediate 1st steps and some approaches to long-range planning. Please join us and help shape our future.