Hello Everyone,
Yesterday we celebrated the Thirty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Also known as the Solemnity of Christ the King of the Universe. It is also the last Sunday in the liturgical year. This coming weekend we will celebrate the First Sunday in Advent. Hard to believe we are already to Advent!
We will not have Confessions and Mass on Tuesday November 22nd. Fr. Maria and Dcn Jim will be out of town for a diocesan meeting.
Thanksgiving Day will be celebrated with Mass at St John the Baptist at 9am on Thursday November 24 and Mass at St Francis Xavier at 10:30am on Thursday November 24.
This Parish Office will close at noon on Wednesday November 23 and will remain closed until Monday November 28 when we resume our normal hours.
We are looking for help setting up St Francis Xavier Church for the Advent season. If you are available and can help, we will meet after the 8am Mass on Friday November 25th. The more hands that help, the quicker the setup. Thank you for your help in making the worship space look beautiful for Advent.
St. John the Baptist Christmas Bazaar is December 4, 2022. SJB will feature a Soup and chili lunch, Bake sale, and Basket raffles. Sweepstakes tickets are now available at the parish office in Merrill, and the back of St. John the Baptist Church, and the day of the bazaar. Please take as many tickets as you can sell as we are not allowed to mail them out according to the raffle license rules. This year’s prizes: 2 gravity chairs and a gift basket, 4—$100 CASH prizes, 2—$150 SCRIP Prizes. We are in need of basket items for the raffle. Call Karla at: 715-219-6070 or use the sign up sheets in the back of church. Also, thank you to those who supported our bake sale and pancake breakfast last week. Our profit was $536.00!! We plan on having these breakfasts continue in January and February. So save the dates: January 8, 2023 and February 12, 2023!
The Knights of Columbus will host Breakfast with St Nick Sunday December 4 after the 7:30 and 9am Mass at St Francis Xavier. Please join us for pancakes, eggs, and sausages cooked by our Knights. And of course, there will be a chance to visit with St. Nick! And afterwards...head up to St John the Baptist for lunch at the Christmas Bazaar!
This coming weekend is the start of Advent. One of the many Christian practices of Advent is an Advent wreath. The Advent wreath is a centuries old Christian tradition. The candles it holds light the way for the birth of Jesus, but the Advent wreath itself symbolizes many themes and beliefs central to the Christian faith. In parishes, Advent wreaths are placed anywhere on the altar, on a side table, or even hung from the ceiling. In the home, you might place your Advent wreath on an entry or dining table or another location where you, your family, and your guests can enjoy the wreath during the Advent season.
The circular shape of the Advent wreath symbolizes God’s infinite love for us…it's never-ending, just like the true Light of the World, Jesus, who leads us into eternal life. The materials of the Advent wreath lead us to reflect on the everlasting nature of God. Traditionally, Advent wreaths have been made of evergreen leaves, such as pine or fir, which maintain their green color beyond the season in which they are collected. Nowadays, there are many modern interpretations of Advent wreaths that still help us celebrate the traditional meaning of the wreath…preparing the way for the Light of the World. Battery-operated or LED wreaths are a good example of this as they simulate the four candles but don’t require lighting each week.
It's always a good idea to bless your Advent Wreath the night before or on the first Sunday of Advent. This is the USCCB approved way to bless your Advent Wreath in your home:
Make the Sign of the Cross.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
- Say, “Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”
- Then, read Scripture from the Book of Isaiah.
- Pray with the following blessing written by the USCCB.
“Lord our God,
we praise you for your Son, Jesus Christ:
He is Emmanuel, the hope of the peoples,
He is the wisdom that teaches and guides us,
He is the Savior of every nation.
Lord God,
let your blessing come upon us
as we light the candles of this wreath.
May the wreath and its light
be a sign of Christ’s promise to bring us salvation.
May He come quickly and not delay.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.”