MASSES FOR THE WEEK OF

APRIL 6– APRIL 12

MON. 6 8:30 AM

TUES. 7 8:30 AM

WED. 8 7:00 PM

THURS. 9 8:30 AM

FRI. 10 8:30 AM Communion Service

SAT. 11 5:00 PM

SUN. 12 8:00 AM

10:30 AM

Just a note to let you know when you request a mass intention the schedule may change according to Father’s commitments.

USHERS

SAT. 11 5:00 PM Kathy & Gene Trimbach, Megan &Tom Miller

SUN. 12 8:00 AM John Heitkamp, George Doviak, Alan Leingang, Rick

Monnier

10:30 AM Scott, Julie, Jeremiah & Caroline Lawson

ALTAR SERVERS

SAT. 11 5:00 PM

SUN. 12 8:00 AM

10:30 AM

EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS

SAT. 11 5:00 PM 7 volunteers needed

SUN. 12 8:00 AM 7 volunteers needed

10:30 AM 7 volunteers needed

LECTORS

WED. 11 7:00 PM

SAT. 11 5:00 PM

SUN. 12 8:00 AM

10:30 AM

CHILDREN’S LITURGY

SAT 4 5:00 PM

SUN. 5 10:30 AM

GREETERS

Volunteers are needed for all masses

NEXT WEEK’S READINGS

First Reading …………………………………………Acts 10: 34a, 37-43

Second Reading ………………………………………Colossians 3: 1-4

Gospel ………………………………………………..Mark 16: 1-7 (41)

HOME EUCHARIST

If you are unable to attend mass this week and would like to receive the Eucharist, call the Parish Office at 667-3419 before 3:30 on Friday or call Ann Fallert @ 667-3416 or Lavonne Fleming @ 667-7313 on Saturday and arrangements will be made for home communion.

Our thoughts and prayers remain with those serving our country at this time and with their loved ones at home. We pray for a safe homecoming and that the world may one day be at peace.

MINISTRY OF CARE

If you are home from the hospital and could use a meal brought in---call us.

If you could use a ride to the doctor or dentist---call us.

If you need a prescription picked up and you can't get it --- call us.

We are CARE GIVERS for St. John's parish. Let us be God's right hand by helping you.

Call 667-3419 or 667-6336

God calls us to share what we have to help others. Christ has set the example as the perfect Steward: “For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” The Catholic Ministries Appeal is one way all of us can support the mission of Christ’s Church in the 10 counties of our Archdiocese. Please be thankful, intentional, and prayerful as you make a pledge to this year’s Appeal. You can pick up a pledge information packet with pledge form in the back of the church. For more information please visit www.catholicappeal.info. Every gift matters.

St. John's MOM's Group - The St. John’s Mom’s Group would like to invite all mothers of young children to attend our meetings and/or events. The group meets twice a month on Thursday mornings from 9:15 to 11:00 a.m.

in the Parish Banquet Hall with the exception of the summer months. Babysitting is provided in room #108

Thursday, April 9 at 9:30 am - Easter Egg Hunt at the Catrone's house.
Bring an Easter basket/bucket for your eggs and and small snack to share.

Thursday, April 16 at 6:30 pm - Mom's Night Out at Bonefish Grill by the
Dayton Mall (yes, they have non-fish entrees).  Please RSVP to Kathy at
339-5360 or litespeed@woh.rr.com.
Saturday, April 18 at 6:00 pm - Craft and Hobby Night in the Banquet Hall.
Please RSVP to Kathy at 339-5360 or litespeed@woh.rr.com.

Thursday, April 23 at 9:15 am - Meeting in the Banquet Hall w/sitters.

YOUTH SCHEDULE:

March 29 5:00-10:00 pm 40 Days for Life/Laser Tag (Grades 6-12)

March 31 7:00 pm Clean Up Your Soul Night! (Parish Reconciliation

Service) Bring your family!

CLEAN UP YOUR SOUL NIGHT! Yep! That’s right! It’s time once again for our parish reconciliation service! You wouldn’t go too long without cleaning up your room (okay, so may be you would if only your parents would let you) or taking a shower to get rid of all that grimy dirt! Neither should you forgo the opportunity to get rid of the grime on your soul! The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a wonderfully uplifting experience and you won’t believe the feeling of relief you’ll feel after getting rid of all that junk! It’s a perfect way to get ready for Easter!! Join your St. John’s parish family as we celebrate this liberating Sacrament on March 31 at 7:00 pm!!

CANDLE SALES CONTINUE!!! The Young Neighbors in Action mission trip group will be selling "pie candles”! The candles look and smell like pies and come in a variety of "flavors". The large candles are $6 each or 2/$10 while the small candles are $3 each and all money goes towards the students’ summer mission trip!!!! Get yours after mass, from one of the participants or by stopping by the parish office!!! Thanks in advance for your support

BAPTISM PREP CLASSES - The next BAPTISMAL PREPARATION PROGRAM will be next Sunday, April 5, 2009 in Room # 100 at 1:00 p.m. This class is required prior to scheduling a Baptism. Please contact the Parish Office to register at 667-3419.

EASTER BASKETS FOR SHUT-INS will be provided again this year by our parish. Donations of the following are needed: assorted candies and chocolates, sugar-free candies, nuts, cellophane to cover the baskets, ribbon, small stuffed animals, Easter novelties and other miscellaneous items. Colored grass is also needed. There is a box in the Narthex for this purpose. Monetary donations to purchase items needed may be made through the St. Vincent De Paul Fund. Please mark these “Easter Baskets.” Stephen Ministry will be organizing the assembly of the baskets this Tuesday, March 31st at 7:00 p.m. in the Banquet Hall. We would love some help! We also need volunteers willing to assist in delivering the baskets. Please call the Parish Office at 667-3419 during office hours for more information. Our friends really loved receiving these baskets last year. Please show your support for them again this year. Thank you!

CEMETERY NOTICE - All winter decorations and old flowers must be removed from the parish cemetery by March 30.  Any flowers or decorations still in place after that will be removed by cemetery personnel.  Spring and Easter decorations can be placed starting April 6.

Spiritual Life Team Forming - Do you have an idea for spiritual growth that you'd like to see happen in our parish? Do you have an idea for a small group study, a one-day retreat, a marriage workshop, a topic speaker for young mothers, or a men's night out.... the list could be endless.

Please contact us with your ideas. The ISPD Parish Wide Education committee is looking to form a Spiritual Life Team to help plan and implement these events. Would you be interested in serving a year on this team? Please call or e-mail:

Tami Kueterman  669-9030  jkueterman@aol.com

Kathleen McCrillis 667-3710   smccrillis@earthlink.net

ATTENTION GOLFERS (DUFFERS) The St. John the Baptist Duffers Golf League is looking for additional participants. We currently have eighteen (18) teams and have room for twenty-two (22). This is a couples’ nine-hole league; however, you do not have to play with your spouse or significant other. Anyone of the opposite sex will suffice with a minimum age of 18. We play Friday evenings at Homestead GC with tee times beginning at 4:30pm and ending at 6:15pm (subject to change depending on the number of couples). The format is a two- person scramble, so if you are not a very good player, you can rely on your partner to help you. This puts the emphasis (for most of us) on fun rather than competition. If you can’t or don’t want to be a regular, you may choose to be on our sub list. Also, after golf each Friday, there is always a party with plenty of food and drink. These are hosted by one or two of the Duffers couples. Our “kickoff” meeting and dinner will be held April 17 at 6:00pm in the Parish Banquet Hall. Golf begins the following Friday, April 24 and runs through August 21. If you are interested and want more information, please contact John or Alice Sferro at 890-2515, 272-9407 (cell), or mmbenito@att.net

Refresh…A Women’s Morning - Women of St. Christopher Parish and St. John’s Parish we invite you to refresh your spirit at this seminar on Saturday, April 25^th at St. Christopher. Mark your calendars for this first time event brought to you by St. Christopher Parish Health Ministry and sponsored by Basic Vitamins. Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. with a light breakfast. The event will include four guest speakers focused on women’s issues. Come and enjoy a relaxing and educational morning just for women. Door prizes will be given and you will learn relaxation exercises! We will be finished at 12:15 p.m. and you’ll depart feeling totally refreshed! The cost is $5. Reservations are due by April 20^th. Call St. Christopher @898-3542 or see flyer in pamphlet rack in narthex. Then times will come when the Lord will refresh you. He will send you Jesus, whom he has appointed to be the Christ.

                              Acts 3:20

HOLY HOUR -   Our next Holy Hour is Tuesday, April 7th.  The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed on the altar from 7:00-8:00 p.m.   Come for the hour or for any part of the hour. 

2ND COLLECTION FOR PHASE II BUILDING PROJECT

Next weekend the second collection will be taken for pledges and other donations to our Phase II Building Project.

COFFEE, DONUTS AND BAGELS is next Sunday April 5^th in the Banquet Hall. Pastoral Council will host this month.

CATHOLIC TELEGRAPH

It is once again subscription renewal time for the Catholic Telegraph. Those wishing to receive this publication should return their envelope provided in your set with payment, to the Parish Office. The annual subscription rate is $24.00. If you would like to subscribe but are financially unable to do so, please contact the Parish Office, 667-3419 no later than April 6, to be added to the roster to receive the Catholic Telegraph.

The Over 50’s will be going to lunch on Wednesday, April 1, 2009 at 11:30 am at Colliers Restaurant in Springfield. We will meet at 10:45 am in the North parking lot at church to carpool. All parishioners 50 years and older are welcome to join us.

RCIA: This Sunday we celebrate the third and final scrutiny with our parish catechumens. They are preparing for the celebration on the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil, April 11. Please keep them and our parish candidates for full communion with the Catholic Church in your prayers.

Liturgical Bits & Bytes

HOLY WEEK Holy Week is the most sacred time in the life of a parish community. It is what we have been preparing for all of Lent. It is the highlight of what our faith life is all about. So don't miss the best part! As we enter the holiest of weeks, know that your presence at these liturgies is important. Each service is unique. The solemn liturgies for Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday are among the very best things we do in the church. Don't miss these celebrations! Yes, they are longer than usual. Yes, they are different, but isn't that to be expected? Special events always cause us to change our ordinary routine way of doing things. That should not surprise us. 

Join your parish community for these special celebrations. You won't be disappointed. The celebrations of this holy week are a climactic conclusion to our Lenten experience. As we move from the "hosannas" of Palm Sunday to the remembrance table of Holy Thursday, may our faith strengthen us to go from the Good Friday Cross of Calvary to the living waters of Holy Saturday and to the joy of Easter "Alleluias!"

YNIA - news

In July, 21 high school youth of our parish will be participating in a week long mission trip to San Francisco. We are collecting donations for a basket raffle in May to help fund this trip and are asking for help from the parish. Our themes will include Summer Fun, What’s Cooking and Family Fun Night. Items such as beach towels, gift cards, kitchen utensils, cookbooks, DVD’s, games, etc. are needed. All donations are appreciated and can be dropped off in the Narthex in the box marked St. John’s Youth Basket Raffle. If you have any questions, or need your donation picked up, contact Brenda Maus at 440-9659 or Lizann Makley at 667-5767. Thank you for your support of the youth of our parish!

Next Women of Spirit Planning Meeting

Ladies of the Parish, please join us on Thursday, April 2 for a Women of Spirit planning meeting. We begin at 6:30pm with a simple meal at the home of one of our parishioners and follow with sharing ideas about current and future events. We want to know what you think, please join us. For meeting location information, please contact Amy Puthoff at 667-6294.

LENTEN COMMUNAL PENANCE SERVICE

Our parish Lenten Communal Penance Service is Tuesday, March 31 at 7:00 pm. Six priests will be available for the Sacrament of Reconciliation [Confession].

PRESCHOOL OPENINGS St. John’s Early Childhood Program is a developmental preschool with a nurturing Christian environment. The planned curriculum is taught by trained and caring teachers. We currently have openings in two of our afternoon classes which meet from 12:30 till 3:00. The Threes and Fours opening is in the Tuesday/Friday class while the Fours and Fives attend on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Please contact Sally Minnich at 667-2629 for more information or to schedule a visit.

LAST WEEK’S COLLECTION

Adult (envelopes) $6991.00

Loose Checks $ 390.00

Loose Cash $ 389.00

Total $7770.00

St. Vincent outreach $ 90.00

Phase II Building $ 349.00

TOTAL OUTSTANDING BUILDING DEBT $423,100.00

ST. CHRISTOPHER, 435 E. National Road, Vandalia, OH 45377

Mass Schedule

Saturday: 5:00 p.m. - Sunday: 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Holy Day vigil: 7:00 p.m. - Holy Day: 9:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m.

(Collection envelopes will be forwarded to the proper parish)