Welcome to Our Parish!

C H U R C H O F T H E

MOST HOLY TRINITY

7321 East State Road 67 · Bryant, IN 47326-9636

2 4 D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7

TRINITY, INDIANA

Served by the Missionaries of the Precious Blood

Parish Pastor: Father Kenneth G. Alt, C.PP.S—frkalt78@gmail.com

Parish Secretary: Betsy Minnich—secretary@htcc1861.com

Bookkeeper: Bev Westgerdes

Religious Education: Linda Wellman, Director; Lori Jutte, Assistant Director

Choir Director: Agnes Schoch Organist: Maria Knapschaefer, Katie Reier, Leah Muhlenkamp

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Mass Schedule: Weekend Masses Saturday, 7:30pm; Sunday, 7:30am, 9:30am Daily Masses Monday—Tuesday, Thursday-Saturday 7:30am (Rosary before am Masses); Wednesday 7:00pm Eucharistic Adoration Thursday, 8:00am-9:00am

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Confessions: Saturday (After Morning Mass & Evening Mass) Anytime by Request

Baptism: Will be set up on an individual basis

Marriage: Please contact Father at least 6 months prior

to intended date of wedding

Parish Council Members: Jason Rosenbeck (President), Scott Bruggeman, Dale Evers, Anita Homan, Doug Muhlenkamp, Katie Muhlenkamp, Kent Muhlenkamp, Laurie Muhlenkamp

Bulletin: Please submit items for the bulletin to the Parish Office in writing or email by Monday evening

Missions: On the 1st Sunday of each month, a 2nd collection is taken up to support needs of the South American Missions in Peru served by the Missionaries of the Precious Blood

Telephone: 260-997-6450 Website: www.churchofthemostholytrinity.com

A Trinity of Persons, One Eternal God:

Praise and Honor to You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!

CHURCH OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY 2 TRIN ITY, INDIANA

4th Sunday of Advent Saturday December 23 7:30 pm Jerome Welling Sunday December 24 7:30 am Living and Deceased of the Parish 9:30 am James Reinhart SOLEMNITY OF THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST 4:30 pm For the People of the Parish 10:30 pm For the People of the Parish Monday December 25 8:30 am For the People of the Parish Tuesday December 26 Saint Stephen, the First Martyr 7:30 am Todd Homan Wednesday December 27 Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist 7:00 pm Lester & Dave Heirholzer Thursday December 28 The Holy Innocents, Martyrs 7:30 am Dorthy & Victor Link Friday December 29 St. Thomas Beckett, Bishop & Martyr 7:30 am Sr. Anita & Sr. Ann Carolyn Schmit Saturday December 30 Christmas Weekday 7:30 am Poor Souls The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph 7:30 pm Living and Deceased of the Parish Sunday December 31 7:30 am Mary Ann Chezem 9:30 am Steve Braun SOLEMNITY OF MARY, THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD 7:30 pm For the People Monday January 1 8:30 pm Marcel Welling

MASS SCHEDULE 17 DECEMBER 2017

SUNDAY TOTAL …… $ Envelopes …… $ Loose …… $ Envelope Average () …… $ Overall Average (160) …… $ OTHER Candles …… $ South American Missions …… $ Hall Rental …… $ Immaculate Conception …… $ Christmas Flowers …… $

Recommended weekly contribution is $27.00

PARISH SUPPORT

LITURGICAL APPOINTMENTS 12/30;12/31 Saturday 7:30 pm Sunday 7:30 am Sunday 9:30 am

Servers Faustina/Tim/Regina/Stanley Muhlenkamp Ed/Ryan Wellman Brad Muhlenkamp Kelsey Braun Emily/Morgan Reier

Lectors Linda Muhlenkamp Linda Wellman Edwin Pluimer

Distributors Linda Wellman Linda Heitkamp/Greg Wellman/Adam Westgerdes

Ushers Kevin/Gerard Muhlenkamp Ken Homan Ron Rosenbeck Dale Evers Richard Reinhart

Gifts Brian Link Family

Rosary Luke Muhlenkamp Family

UP & COMING 31 December (Sunday) New Year’s Eve Mass—7:30pm 1 January (Monday) New Year’s Day Mass—8:30am 3 January (Wednesday) High School Religion Classes resume 7 January (Sunday) Elementary/Middle School Religion Classes resume 20 January (Saturday) Solemn Eucharistic Adoration (after morning Mass through the day until 5:30pm)

NEW YEAR’S MASS LITURGICAL APPOINTMENTS 12/31;1/1 Sunday 7:30 pm Monday 8:30 am

Servers Betsy/Sara/Rachel Muhlenkamp Gavin/Kendra Muhlenkamp Ed Wellman

Lectors Jessica Lehman Mark Valentine

Distributors Lenny Muhlenkamp Marg Reier

Dennis Wellman

Doris Muhlenkamp

Ushers Dennis Homan Dennis Muhlenkamp Carl Muhlenkamp Steve Reitz

Gifts

Please Note:

When a Holy Day of Obligation falls on

a Saturday or a Monday, with the excep-

tion of the Immaculate Conception and

Christmas, Catholics in the United States

are dispensed from the obligation to at-

tend Mass. Mass will still be offered and

all are welcome to attend. For those

wishing to attend Mass, the schedule for

New Year’s Day Mass (Feast of Mary,

the Mother of God) is offered at the fol-

lowing times:

New Year’s Eve Mass—7:30pm

New Year’s Day Mass—8:30am

Great Adventure Bible Timeline

The second half of the Great Bible Timeline adult

education program will continue in January. If

you participated in the first half of this program

last year, please plan to attend weekly sessions

beginning on January 8th. The program is

projected to last through March 5th (with the

exception of inclement weather).

Each session will take place on Monday evenings

from 7:00-8:30pm in the School Hall. There will be

a synopsis of the completed portion of the

program given at the January 8th session. This

session is expected to last from 7:00-9:00pm.

If you have further questions/detail, please

contact Carl Zepeda.

Due to an early submission request, please see next

week’s bulletin for an over-view of the Parish Support for

the December 17th date.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

THIS WEEK IN OUR PARISH

Today 9:30-10:30 am NO Religion Class (Pre-K/Kindergarten) 10:30-11:30 am NO Religion Class (Grades 1-8) 4:30 pm Christmas Eve Mass (Children’s Mass) 10:30 pm Christmas Eve Mass

Monday 8:30 am Christmas Day Mass 7:30 pm NO RCIA class (this week and next week) Tuesday Wednesday 7:00 pm Weeknight Mass 8:00 pm NO High School Religion Class Thursday Friday Saturday 8:15 am Confessions 8:15 pm Confessions Sunday 9:30-10:30 am NO Religion Class (Pre-K/Kindergarten) 10:30-11:30 am NO Religion Class (Grades 1-8) 7:30 pm New Year’s Eve Mass (Feast of Mary, the Mother of God) Monday 8:30 am New Year’s Day Mass (Feast of Mary, the Mother of God)

24 DECEMBER 2017 3 4TH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

The Musings of Our Pastor

This year, unlike most years, we have a back-to-back moment in which we mark the 4th Sunday of Advent and immediately step into the

festive celebration of the Birth of Christ on Christmas Eve. The wonderful bridge giving us movement or passage out of the Advent Season

and into the Christmas Season is the powerful grace or virtue that is called "enduring hope". The focus of the Advent Season has directed our

attention to the coming of the Promised Messiah, who bears the name Emmanuel, a name that means "God-is-with-us". Obviously, faith

invites us to recognize Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son of God, as the long-awaited Promised Messiah, the fulfillment of the dreams and words

of the Old Testament Prophet Isaiah, who has been our spiritual guide throughout the Advent Season. Jesus is the fulfillment of the deepest

hopes and longings of the human heart. Hope is a Theological Virtue that buoys up our relationship with God, our trust or confidence in

God, our stamina for perseverance in pursuing the good things of God, even amidst the darkness of calamities, evil in the world, or bitter and

prolonged crosses. Hope may not always seem logical, but it is that driving conviction rooted in our faith, in God's abiding love and good-

ness, which assures us that in the end peace, justice, newness of life, and love itself will triumph over all the realities of sin, evil, and

death. Of all the things Catholic-Christian people should hold onto, we ought to cling tenaciously to this treasure of "enduring hope", which

is, in fact, a marvelous gift of God.

So where do you really and truly find the "Joy of Christmas"? Assembling together for prayer and worship of God with diverse people of

faith around the world, nourished with the special graces of the Eucharist and enriched by the heart-warming Christmas Carols, are ways we

can experience the "Joy of Christmas". The sharing of good meals, conversation, gift-giving, and traditional family activities all serve to stir

up within us the "Joy of Christmas". What about the "in-breaking of God" amidst our world and the messiness of human life through the

Mystery of the Incarnation, the Birth of Jesus Christ? Does this awesome and critical doctrine of our faith fill us with the "Joy of Christ-

mas"? Jesus has come to save us from our sins and we just cannot do that for ourselves! Jesus has come to model for us the facets or compo-

nents of authentic love, a love that sparkles of divine splendor and goodness, which we struggle to understand or live out in our earthly en-

deavors. Jesus has come to make all things new, especially where the greed or lust or abuse of power and disdain for others leaves a trail of

hurt and shattered lives for God's beloved sons and daughters. Jesus has come to lead us through the darkness of the grave of death into the

glory of God's loving embrace for all eternity. This "in-breaking of God" through the coming of his Son, Jesus, ought to ignite within us the

real "Joy of Christmas" for it is the basis of our "enduring hope". The hope that God's plan of salvation will liberate humanity and all of crea-

tion from the sad realities or consequences of sin once and for all! As Jesus finds a "home" within each of our hearts, and as we do our best

to be devoted to him in all things, we can be collaborators with Jesus in defeating sin or evil in the world. At the same time, we can be

"ambassadors of hope and new life" within the world. Hence, we can effectively celebrate and share with others the "Joy of Christmas" all

year long!

May you and your families have a Blessed Christmas. You have brought much joy to me in a variety of ways, and I thank you for your

kindness. Be assured of my prayers on your behalf.

Father Ken

For those who have contributed for Christmas Flowers in the memory of a loved one, names of

loved ones will be displayed on a plaque NEAR THE ALTAR. Please remember them within your pray-

ers. They will be remembered in the Masses of the Christmas Season.