Total collections needed for the month of December $76,057.70
December 1 & 2 $  18,831.61
December 8 & 9     11,894.12
December 15 & 16 15,663.73
December 22 & 23 17,664.64
December 29 & 30 14,205.36
Children Favors               1.88
 

 

Tuesday, January 8th:
• Evening Quilting
• Parish Council 7 p.m.
Wednesday, January 9th:
• CCD 7 p.m.
Thursday, January 10th:
• Perpetual Help Devotions
• Day Quilting after Perpetual Help
• Choir Practice 7:30 p.m.
 

Monday, January 7th:
NO Mass
Tuesday, January 8th:
8:00 a.m. – Virginia Hoeffner
Wednesday, January 9th:
8:00 a.m. – L & D members of Martha Hobbs
Thursday, January 10th:
8:00 a.m. – Jerry, Wilma, Leonard & Edna Forck
Friday, January 11th:
8:00 a.m. at Senior Center – Kathleen Rackers
Saturday, January 12th:
5:00 p.m. – Barbara Joannes Heislen
7:00 p.m. – L & D members of Marcia Rackers
Sunday, January 13th:
8:00 a.m. – The People of our Parish
10:00 a.m. – Emily Vogel Talken & family
 

Scrip Volunteer Schedule for
Saturday, January 12th
5 p.m. Cindy Luebbering & Sharon Twehous
Sunday, January 13th:
8 a.m. Rhonda Rackers & Lisa Hueste
10 a.m. Mary Lou Katnik & Missy Dorge
 

The Church’s Daily Prayer - The manner in which we begin and end each day becomes a lens through which we view the rest of the day. This is no contemporary wisdom. As long as human beings have been around to greet each new sunrise and pause in wonder at the setting of the sun, the need to mark the day’s beginning and end has been in our bones. The church, too, acknowledges the natural rhythms of the day by inviting us to share in the prayer called the Liturgy of the Hours. In recent centuries, the Liturgy of the Hours was commonly understood to be the domain of priests and nuns. Readers over forty may recall seeing their parish priests and religious praying what was then called the Divine Office from a book called a breviary. As a result of the Second Vatican Council, the Liturgy of the Hours has been restored to its proper place as an integral part of the church’s public prayer for all who have been baptized.

For most of us, the Sunday eucharist is our primary gathering for prayer each week. The Liturgy of the Hours invites us to pause during the course of each day, especially at morning and evening, to offer prayers of praise and petition to the God whose loving care permeates our days. Again, readers may recall praying the morning offering or the angelus, traditional prayers that were closely connected to particular times of day. In the Liturgy of the Hours, Morning Prayer calls us to offer praise and thanks to God for the wonders of creation and the great mystery of the resurrection. With psalms and hymns and a short reading from the scriptures, we acknowledge our dependence upon God’s mercy and seek God’s blessing on the day ahead.

                        LITURGICAL MINISTERS
                                                                 January 12th & 13th
5 p.m. Mass
Lay Ministers: James Haaf, Jane Haslag, Linda Heckman, Debbie & Vern Hemmel
Lector: Maureen LeRoy
Ushers: James & Ruby Radmacher, Tom Schneider, Philip Wolken
Servers: Amber Duenkel, Michaella Forck
Sacristan: Jean Decker
Musicians: Mary Jane

7 p.m. Mass
Lay Ministers: Ruth Schaefer, Doris Schneider, Kathy & Vince Stieferman, Angie Prenger
Lector: Doris Schneider
Ushers: David Doerhoff, Richard Dorge, Ronald Hagenhoff, Donald Kerperin
Servers: Isaac Wieberg & Ryan Robertson
Musicians: Kathy

8 a.m. Mass
Lay Ministers: Jo Lootens,Margaret Muenks, Barbara & Kenneth Schmitz, Shirley Toebben
Lector: Leona Duren
Ushers: Stephen LePage, Dan Sanning, Daniel & Shirley Talken
Servers: Mason Bilyeu, Shannon Bilyeu
Musicians: Barbara

10 a.m. Mass
Lay Ministers: Cecilia Prenger, Barbara Price, Nick & Rose Rackers, Cathy Singer
Lector: Kathy Rackers
Ushers: Lawrence Lage, Tony Rackers, James Singer, James Thessen
Servers: Kory Baldwin, Katelyn Boeckman
Sacristan: Kyle Distler
Musicians: Katnik/Sprenger
 

The Rich Fountain Home & School Association is holding their annual raffle. ONLY 800 tickets are being sold for a $3000 top price of 10 prizes. Tickets are $20 each. If interested in purchasing a ticket call Debbie Boehm at 744-5875 or James Howard at 455-9996. Drawing will be held April 15th, 2008.

St. Francis Xavier Parish will host the Jefferson City Metro Area Local Ultreya on Tuesday, January 8, at 7:00 PM. All Cursillistas are encouraged to attend. If you need further information contact Keith and Mary Jo Henke @ 395-4262.

St. Margaret Parish in Osage Bend has published a Centennial History book now available for purchase for $50. (+$5 S&H) per book if mailed. The 368 page hard bound book includes parish, community and family history and features over 800 pictures including weddings, families, events, rural life and by gone days. For further information call 573-496-3404.

The Collection: It is a familiar routine. A collection is taken up—for a baby gift, a departing colleague or a local event. With varying degrees of willingness, we put our money in the basket and feel that we have done our duty.

That same invitation is made to us in an entirely different context every Sunday as we gather to offer God thanks and praise. During the liturgy of the word, we listen to the voice of God in the scriptures, proclaim our belief in the creed and offer prayers for the needs of the church and the world. Then a collection is taken up.

It is commonly understood that the money given during the collection will be used to support the ongoing work of the church. This includes setting aside a portion of those funds to be used directly for those in need. But in this age of credit cards and automatic fund transfers, isn’t there a more efficient way to do this?

If it were only a matter of paying the bills, yes, there are probably simpler ways to collect money. But our monetary contributions are more than just financial transactions; they symbolize our willingness to place our lives at God’s disposal and to be ourselves transformed into the body and blood of Christ. The act of bringing our hard-earned money (in cash or check, in an envelope or not) and placing it in the basket together is a ritual sign of the real offering that will happen when the priest invites us, “Lift up your hearts,” and we respond, “We have lifted them up to the Lord.” Clearly, such a vision is beyond the realm of simple accounting. The pooling of our resources is a preparation for the pooling of our lives in loving service to one another and to the poor.

"Retired Certified Medical Assistant looking for elderly person to care for during daytime hours (Monday-Friday and every other Saturday) in the Taos or Wardsville area, starting January 2nd. For references and inquiries, please contact Tina at 694-0180."

Thank You Notes from 2006 Samaritan Center Families:
“Only God knows what our family has been thru in the past year. We would like to say that our family thanks you so very much for being there when we needed you the most. Thank you.”

“Our family would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts. It is rare for people to show such great compassion to others. God bless you and all of your families.”

“Thank you for adopting us one more year and make us happy. I want to wish you a very nice Christmas and Happy New Year. God bless you all.”

Additional Memorial Names: Norine Lage, Mike & Greg Lootens, Sherman & Lutheria West, Donny Rackers, Hubert & Catherine Rackers, Lawrence & Hilda Rackers, Lawrence & Regina Wilbers, Stanley & Mary Bernskoetter, Louetta Wilbers, Sharon Bernskoetter, Glenn Blank, Sandi Bias, Josephine Bias, Frank & Elizabeth Sandbothe, Eleanor Otto, Raymond & Isabell Sandbothe, Alice Lock, Gerald & Jane Sandbothe, G. Wytt Cable, Charles Knaebel, Louis Knaebel, William & Colletta Bax, David Bax, Beverly Bax.

A dance to benefit the firefighters of the Osage Fire Protection District on January 12, from 8:00 - 11:30 to be held at the Lions Club in Wardsville. Music will be provided by the band "Sun Down". Set-ups and ice will be provided. There will also be a 50/50 raffle held. Proceeds will go to the Firefighters Fund.