1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity
3. catholicism

To Discover, Equip, and Live Out
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Pastoral Team
Pastor
Rev. John P. Bergstadt – Phone Ext. 211
Deacons
Manny Torres & Nicholas Williams
Business Administrator
Deacon Manny Torres – Phone Ext. 213
Pastoral Associate
Sister Kathy Lange, SCSC - Phone Ext. 214
Pastoral Minister
Ruth Holloway – Phone Ext. 209
Coordinator of Liturgy and Music
Karen Bernsteen – Phone Ext. 232
Director of Faith Formation
Sister Gretchen Krueger, O.P. – Phone Ext. 204
Faith Formation Facilitator Grades 1-6
Susan Casleton – Phone Ext. 205
Coordinator of HS Faith Formation/Confirmation
Amy Koehler – Phone Ext. 212
Coordinator of Youth Ministry
Jody Engebos – Phone Ext. 215
School Principal
Vicki Marotz – Phone Ext. 223
Parish Trustees
Gary Lockstein
Bob Buss
Councils & Committee Chairpersons
Pastoral Council- Jeff Taylor
Meets first Thursday of the month
Finance Council- John Style
Meets third Monday of the month
Social Concerns- Lori Janowski
Site Advisory Council- Kelly Williams
Board of Faith Formation- Dave Wojcik
Stewardship- Roseann Mader
Welcoming - Vern Ruhland
Building & Grounds – Mark Heinzen
Councils & Committee Meetings are
open to all parishioners.
Parish Office 434-2145 Faith Formation Office 434-2417 School Office 434-3822
Parish Office fax# (920) 434-5015
School Office fax# (920) 434-5016
Welcome to Saint John the Baptist Catholic Parish – Howard, Wisconsin
This Week at St. John’s
O God, Hear Our Prayer
Saturday, Dec. 20
4:30pm
Esther Bertrand
Sunday, Dec. 21
8:00am People of the Parish
10:00am Joe Socha & Tom LaCombe
Tuesday, Dec. 23
8:30am
Liturgy of the Word
Wednesday, December 24 - Christmas Eve
Masses at 4:00pm – 6:30pm – 11:00pm
Thursday, December 25 - Christmas Day
Mass at 9:00am - People of the Parish
Friday, Dec. 26
8:30am
Bill Barcome
Saturday, Dec. 27
4:30pm
Terese Jacquart
James M. Jacquart
Sunday, Dec. 28
8:00am People of the Parish
10:00am Art & Laverna Thibodeau
Schedule of Worship
Scripture Readings
December 25, 2014 – the Nativity of the Lord
Reading I Isaiah 9:1-6
Reading II Titus 2:11-14
Gospel Luke 2:1-14
December 28, 2014 – The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph
Reading I Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14
Reading II Colossians 3:12-21
Gospel Luke 2:22-40
Stewardship of Treasure
From the week of December 14, 2014
Weekly Contribution Budget
Weekly Envelopes
Loose Collection
Total
Sunday, December 21 2014
CHURCHTIME Christmas Program after the 10:00am Mass
Boy Scout Troop 1113 – 6:30pm, Ministry Center
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
Men’s Choir – 6:00pm, Church
Living Waters – 7:15pm, Church
Men’s Bible Study – 7:00pm, Conference Room
AA – 8:00pm, Corner Room
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
No Breaking Open the Sunday Readings Today!
The Red Cross Blood Drive from 7am to Noon, Gym
The Parish Office Center is closed Today!
Thursday, December 25, 2014
Merry Christmas!
Friday, December 26, 2014
The Parish Office Center is Closed Today!
$22,800
$17,113.63
+ 941.05
$18,054.68
Thanks for all your contributions
throughout the year!
Any contributions that you would like credited for
tax purposes for the year 2014 must be in by
December 31st.
If you are dropping off your envelope after hours,
we do have a mail slot in the door on the porch
entrance to the parish office.
Children’s Stewardship
Here are just a few of the many “offerings” to God from the
youth at St. John the Baptist.
*I helped my mom bake and frost Christmas Cookies.
*I helped a friend pick up their dropped books.
*By doing the dishes.
***Spelling taken directly from the envelopes!
*13 youth envelopes were turned in for December 14…...$13.50
Eucharist
Tuesday
8:30am - Liturgy of the Word with Communion
Wednesday thru Friday 8:30am – Mass
Saturday
4:30pm – Mass
Sunday
8:00am & 10:00am – Masses
Holy Days As Announced
Reconciliation
Saturday
9:30am – 10:30am (Or by appointment)
Baptism
Baptism Class is held the last Thursday of each month.
Please call the Parish Office Center at 434-2145 to register.
Baptism will be celebrated on Baptism Sunday at any Mass.
Marriage
By arrangement with Fr. John or Deacon Manny eight months in
advance.
Sacrament of the Sick
Individually, by appointment – Communally, as announced.
Before you leave Church today…
 Stop in the Sunday Office to purchase SCRIP.
Scrip News
The last order before Christmas will be placed at 11:00 AM
TODAY, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21ST. We will NOT be
placing an order the week of December 29 th. Kwik Trip will
be at a 10% rebate through December 31, 2014. Beginning
January 1st, 2015 the rebate will drop to 5%.
Volunteers for: Dec 27 & 28
Jean Payette & Vicki Torres
January 3 & 4
Rose Romes & Cheryl Yursis
January 10 & 11
Mike & Shelly Stratman
Stewardship Corner
December 21, 2014 - 4th Sunday of Advent
“Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” – Luke 1:28
Faith is a gift from God. During this Christmas season take time
in silence and pray to God. Thank Him for all the gifts He has
given you. Try to set aside any anger or resentment you have and
really open your heart to receive the gift of God’s grace
December 21, 2014
Announcing Spring CRHP Dates
Women’s Weekend: March 7-8, 2015
Men’s Weekend: March 14-15, 2015
Adult Confirmation
Any adults, 18 years of age or older, who have never been
confirmed in the Catholic Church are encouraged to prepare for
the Sacrament of Confirmation this year, which will take place in
our parish on Sunday, May 17th, at a 2:00 p.m. Mass with Bishop
Robert Morneau. Five preparation sessions will be required and
will take place in the Fireplace Room of the church on the
following Wednesday nights from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.:
January 7 Sacraments: An Introduction
January 14 Baptism/Confirmation
January 21 Eucharist
January 28 Reconciliation/Anointing of the Sick
February 4 Marriage
Please call Sr. Kathy at the parish office soon (434-2145, Ext.
214) or e-mail [email protected] to indicate your interest. You
will need to furnish a recent copy of your baptismal certificate.
Area Happenings
Day Trip to Manitowoc on January 8, 2015
Join Fr. Patrick Beno on a day that includes: a visit to the RahrWest Art Museum, tour at the Franciscan Sisters of Christian
Charity Convent, lunch at Beerntsen's and a stop at the JJ Antique
Mall. Bus departs St. Agnes Parish parking lot at 9am and returns
at 5pm. Cost for the day is $50 per person. Call the St. Agnes
Parish Office (920-494-2534) for a spot on this trip!
**********
Need Marriage Help? – Do you feel alone? Are you frustrated or
angry with each other? Do you argue … or have you just stopped
talking to each other? Does talking about it only make it worse?
Retrouvaille helps couples through difficult times in their
marriages. For confidential information about or to register for the
upcoming weekend at the Redemptorist retreat center in
Oconomowoc January 16-18 call 800-470-2230 or visit
www.retrouvaille.org.
**********
The Knights of Columbus from St. John’s will be collecting the
aluminum cans thru December. They will be providing meals for
the St. John Homeless Shelter.
**********
K C Council 11834 - St Elizabeth Ann Seton Cribbage
Tournament - January 13, 2015 - 7:00pm
At Townline Sports Bar & Grill - 2544 Lineville Rd Green Bay
Doors open at 6:30 for food and refreshments.
The entry fee is $40.00 per team ($20.00 per person)
3 – 50/50 raffles
Prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place
Entry fee includes food and refreshments
(sandwich, chips, dessert, beer or soda)
4th Sunday of Advent
Everyone is invited to
St. John the Baptist
Appreciation
Breakfast
January 11, 2015
Serving 8:00am until the last
pancake and sausage are
served!
Come before or after Mass!
We give thanks to our parishioners,
and this is our way of saying
“Thank You” for all you do.
Come and enjoy!
**********
Current Food Pantry Needs
We send out a big Thank You to everyone who has been so
faithfully donating to our food pantry. You have been so careful
to see to the current needs, and we appreciate your generosity.
Currently, we are in need of: mayonnaise, ketchup, crackers of
any kind, canned chicken, complete boxed meals, Dinty Moore
stew, Hamburger Helper, cereal, pancake mix, syrup, frosting,
cake/brownie mixes, jelly, Jello, pudding, canned fruit, tuna,
liquid hand soap, dish soap, body wash, toothbrushes,
toothpaste, and laundry detergent.
**********
Blanketing Brown County
Once again, our parish will participate in a Blanket Collection
from January 6 through January 27, 2015. Please help those in
need by donating new and gently used blankets for distribution
to area shelters and agencies. Boxes will be available in the
Narthex after January 5th, and there will be other collection sites
throughout Brown County, including all Green Bay Fire
Stations. The Blanket Collection is sponsored by the Greater
Green Bay Labor Council Community Services Committee. For
additional information, please call 920-676-2028. Visit on
Facebook at: Blanketing Brown County.
Lenten Booklet 2015
St. John's has prepared our own Lenten reflection booklet
for several years now. Advent may not yet be upon us;
however Easter is very early next year so we will have to
get preparations going earlier than usual on our
booklet. Please consider preparing a reflection for the
booklet. Instructions are provided and it is a great way to
express
our
Faith.
Contact
Ruth Holloway:
[email protected] OR 434-2145 ext. 209
December 21, 2014
SJB Youth Group
Jody Engebos 920-737-7357
@stjohn_youth
@GreenBayLuvsGodFB:
Youth Ministry trips make
great Christmas gifts!
Something for that grandchild who has
‘everything’!
Gift them a week that they won’t forget… time
to focus on their faith and
have fun too!
Contact Jody Engebos for more details 
_________________________________
Seroogy Bars make awesome Christmas gifts!
No baking required! Please consider Seroogy bars from SJB
Youth Ministry – all sales go directly to the youth going on
2015 summer trips!
Contact Tracy Bensen 434-2145 x206. Please consider
selling Seroogy bars at your workplace for YM!
_________________________________
SJB visits CHWC in Oil City, PA
July 4-10, 2015
COACH BUSSING, HOUSEING, MEALS,
CONFERENCE FEES, T-SHIRTS
cost is about $500.00
4th Sunday of Advent
School News
Grace Annual Appeal supports
225 Students
Every dollar raised through the 2014-2015 GRACE Annual
Appeal goes directly to support the 225 GRACE students
receiving tuition grants for the current school year. This year,
students joined Fr. Dane to thank you for your support in a video
that can be viewed at the GRACE website at
www.gracesystem.org. Click on the article on the homepage.
Gifts to the Appeal can be made online or by sending your gift to
the GRACE Office at 1087 Kellogg Street, Green Bay, WI
54303.
EARLY REGISTRATION FOR CLASSICAL SCHOOL
Parents interested in enrolling their child(ren) at St. John Paul II
Classical School for the 2015-2016 school year can do so at the
GRACE Office, 1087 Kellogg Street, or by accessing the early
registration form at www.sjpclassicalschoolgreenbay.org. A
deposit is required to complete the application. This new
GRACE school will open with PreK-3 classes and grow by one
grade each year. Registrations will be accepted on a first-come,
first-served basis. The school will also sponsor a before & after
school program. For information at the GRACE Office, call
(920) 499-7330, ext. 303.
Prayer shapes everything we do. The family is the first
community children experience. May prayer encompass all
that your family does.
During the six weeks of Lent our children submitted their
prayers as a sign of their Stewardship to God. We
continue with their prayers:
Open registration starts January 1 –
guaranteed bus seats for prior
registration!!!
_________________________________
Steubenville Youth Conference
July 7-15 or July 24-26
St. Louis Eucharistic Conference or
St. Thomas campus in St Paul, MN
COACH BUSSING, HOUSING, MEALS,
CONFERENCE FEES, TSHIRTS
St. Louis is $485.00
St Paul is $300.00
_________________________________
If you are considering joining us on any of these summer trips
you should know that we have starting fundraising!
You’ve missed the car wash ($800!) and the sign up for the can
bin. Please sign up ASAP! Registrations forms and deposit
Lambeau Field clean up Dec 28 – ($30 each worker)
Stock Sale Jan. 12 total collected is divided by trip attendees)
Packer Playoff parking (total collected is divided by workers)
Seroogy Candy bar sales ($36 a box)
Project Andrew
THURSDAY • JANUARY 15, 2015 - 5:30 P.M.
MASS WITH BISHOP DAVID L. RICKEN
Followed by supper and
discussion
ST. MATTHEW PARISH
130 St. Matthew St.,
Green Bay, WI
CALLING HIGH SCHOOL &
COLLEGE MEN
Please join us for a gathering of
disciples open to the priesthood.
Local priests, pastoral leaders,
campus ministers and youth ministers are invited to bring men
from among their flock.
Please RSVP by January 9, 2015
Fr. Daniel Schuster - Vocation Director (920) 272-8289
[email protected]
WWW.GBDIOC.ORG/ANDREW
December 21, 2014
4th Sunday of Advent
Stewardship of Sharing Forms
The gift of sharing enables life to
happen here at St. John’s.
`
Christmas Worship
December 24, Christmas Eve
4:00pm Mass
Fr. John, assisted by Deacon Nick, will
be presiding and preaching.
“Living Waters”
6:30pm Mass
Please return your Stewardship of
Sharing forms in the boxes in the
narthex. Extra pledge forms will be
available in case you may need one.
You may also return your pledge form in the red boxes in the
narthex, offertory basket, drop if off or mail to the parish office.
Thank you for supporting the mission of our Church. Finding
Community, Through Eucharist
Investing in the future
Special thanks over 450 households that have already made their
commitment to our parish for the upcoming year. Whether you
commit to the regular usage of the envelopes or have money
withdrawn through the automatic withdrawal, your support is
vital and we are so grateful.
11:00pm Mass
If you are not accustomed to regular giving or have never made
a commitment, I would like to encourage you to do so this year.
A healthy parish involves everyone. Everyone can and should
give according to their means. How touching it was to hear that
the Downtown drop-in center requires sharing from everyone. If
one of the guests wants a cup of coffee, they are asked for a little
change if they have it or some volunteer work. We appreciate
so much more when we invest in what we receive. Thanks
for investing your money and yourself in our parish!
Fr. John will preside & Deacon Manny
will preach. Incense will be used at 11
pm. The incense won’t make you cough.
“Rachel, Christopher & Group”
We have spoken of Bishop Ricken’s plan for the mission of the
Diocese for the next six years. How do we get started? Where
do we begin? These first two years will be about coming to
know Jesus. That is our focus this Advent.
December 25, Christmas Day
12/24-25 It is Christmas! At 4:00, 6:30, 11:00 on Christmas
Eve and 9:00 a.m. on Christmas morn we will enter into the
mystery of Jesus who has come to save us. See you there!
Fr. John Girotti, assisted by Deacon
Nick, will preside and preach.
“Christine & Paul”
9:00am Mass
Fr. John will preside & Deacon Manny
will preach.
“Karen & Open to All”
December 31 New Year’s Eve
5:00pm
”Christine & Paul”
January 1, 2015
9:00am Mass
“Kim”
It would be a dream (but dreams do come true) if all of us
would seek out Mass at Christmas with hearts filled with
wonder and awe. When you choose Christmas Mass, please
think for a moment: which will help me and my family worship
most fully? We can hardly wait to see you there!
Advent 2014
12/27-28 Holy Family Sunday – Are our families getting
stronger or weaker?
12/31-01/01 New Years. 5:00 p.m. Fr. Bergstadt.
9:00 a.m. Fr. Girotti. For Catholic Christians, this is a
Day of Obligation. What am I saying? Good land – it is a day of
privilege to be able to gather!
01/03-04 Epiphany – Fr. Girotti will preside before he returns to
school at Catholic U in Washington, D. C.
01/10-11 We flip pancakes. We share food. We are family.
Please come!
Advent – Coming to Know Jesus
Being at St. John’s is a blessing throughout the year. However,
it is especially full of meaning during the Advent & Christmas
season. Whether you brought an image of the Christ Child to be
blessed or not, your family can make the connection. What a
great custom it is for the family (before opening any gifts) to
gather around the crèche, sing Silent Night and have the
youngest place the image of the Christ Child. It will be a
memory that lasts!
December 21, 2014
Catholics Returning Home
Do you know of anyone who considers themselves Catholic
but hasn’t been to church in a while? Do you know
someone who has been hurt or feels rejected by something
that might have happened in the church? Do you know
someone who has been thinking about returning to the
Catholic Church and/or who misses being part of a parish
family?
No matter how long a person has been away and no matter
what the reason, we invite them to consider renewing their
relationship with the Catholic Church. St. John the Baptist
Parish will be offering informal listening sessions and
updates on our Catholic faith for those who have been away
from the Church for various reasons. The six-week
program is open to inactive Catholics and will be held on
Monday evenings from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. beginning January
12, 2015 in the Fireplace Room in the church. Please
consider inviting someone and attend with them to provide
support. Please call Sr. Kathy to register at 920-434-2145,
Ext. 214, by January 7th.
Thanks to All
Many, many thanks to everyone who participated in our
parish Christmas outreach this year by taking an ornament
from our Sharing Trees and returning gifts(s) or buying and
donating SCRIP. Thanks also to all the St. John the Baptist
school classrooms for adopting a family for Christmas. So
far this year, St. John the Baptist has helped over 30
families as well as St. Vincent DePaul, Golden House, St.
John the Evangelist Homeless Shelter, the “Back to School”
program, Love Life Program, and Elizabeth Ministry. The
generosity of this parish is overwhelming! Thanks also to
members of the Social Concerns Committee to organized
this project and gave of their time to sort and organize all
the gifts that were brought in. May God continue to bless
St. John’s with a giving heart!
Pastoral Council Follow-Up
Greetings and God’s blessing to all of our parish members
and visitors during this advent season.
One of the main goals of the Pastoral Council is to help
promote open communication as we all work together to
fulfill our Parish Mission. We will continue to have more
listening sessions after masses after the holiday season
but you are always welcome to communicate your
comments, concerns or issues to the members of the
Pastoral Council. You can also connect with the members
of the Pastoral Council at any time through the “Pastoral
Council Feedback Page” on the parish website.
(http://www.sjbh.org/Feed-Back-Council-Plan.html)
Sincerely,
St John the Baptist Pastoral Council
4th Sunday of Advent
To All Saint John the Baptist Parishioners
Christmas 2014
Each weekend presents us with a unique opportunity to truly
welcome the visitors who worship with us. We recall that each
parishioner may be the personal contact who can warmly
welcome, enable visitors to feel at home and invite them to come
back soon. As a parishioner, your welcoming may be the
catalyst that will inspire our guests to return to worship with us
often in the future.
All parishioners even when not actively greeting or ushering at
the doors; please remember, that you are St. John's Ambassadors
of welcome, whether it be in the narthex, parking lot, walking up
to the church, or leaving after Mass. You demonstrate that our
community cares for and welcomes all.
Please reach out to those around you and say,
‘Welcome, glad you are here.”
Retirement Collection
Diocesan Priests’ Retirement Fund for Religious
Thank you to all who gave generously last weekend through the
Retirement Collection. If you still wish to donate, you may do
so. On behalf of our retired sisters, brothers, and religious order
priests, as well as our own diocesan priests, we thank you for
your generous care!
Young Adult Ministry
Upcoming Events
Serving individuals 18-39 in the Diocese of Green Bay
January 10: ENCOUNTER @ St. Francis of Assisi in Manitowoc.
February 13-15: YA Retreat “Into the Heart of Jesus.” For more
info visit: www.gbdioc.org/youngadult.
March 21: ENCOUNTER @ St. Jude in Oshkosh.
April 24: Christopher West “Fill These Hearts: God, Sex and the
Universal Long-ing” @ Sacred Heart in Shawano.
Summer 2016: World Youth Day in Kra-kow. Visit
www.gbdioc.org/wyd2016 for more on the diocesan pilgrimage.
Evangelization & Formation
Opportunities:
Wake up to God: With the Year of Con-secrated Life about to
begin, religious communities in the diocese have created
www.wakeuptoGod.org to educate people about religious life.
Check it out!
Koinonia Retreats in the Diocese of Green Bay 2014-15
schedule and flier: sites.google.com/site/greenbaykoinonia.
Event Contact - Phil Lawson, Young Adult Ministry
Discipleship and
Formation Coordinator:
(920) 272-8304 | [email protected]
4th Sunday of Advent
December 21, 2014
To our visiting guests during the Christmas Season at St. John the Baptist Parish:
On behalf of all St. John the Baptist parishioners, I wish to extend a warm welcome
to all our visiting guests that are worshiping with us over Christmas.
You honor us with your presence and are so glad you are joining us for worship at this blessed
and holy time of the year.
Please introduce yourselves and greet those in the pews around you and may your
stay with us be joyful and grace-filled. Thank you for being with us and hope to see you again real
soon.
We welcome you and your family anytime.
May the joy of Christmas always be in your heart.
Fr. John Bergstadt
Liturgical Ministries
The complete schedule is online at www.sjbh.org/parishcal.html
Saturday
Dec. 27
4:30pm
Sunday
Dec. 28
8:00am
Sunday
Dec. 28
10:00am
Eucharistic Minister
Brenda Baldwin
Debbie Baranczyk
Eileen Condon
Faye Klasen
Jim Baranczyk
Jackie Amschler
Patricia White
Wendy Hopp
Claudene Tomlinson
David Tomlinson
Don Berg
Eugene Gullickson
Gretchen Berg
Ken VanDeYacht
Linn Heinzen
Rosemary Piechowski
Anthony Plansky
Brianna Bodoh
Casey Chrudimsky
Colleen Thompson
Gloria D'souza
Karen Bodoh
Kathleen Plansky
Marilyn Johnson
Mary Graycarek
Sarah Patterson
Lector
1-Jim Jacquart
2-Michelle Schneider
Greeter
Damian Polczinski
Jeff Baker
Julie Baker
Patricia White
Usher
Chris Hopp - Head
Chuck Gille
Dan Cornell
Mike Gorniak
Vern Ruhland
William Martens
Carolyn Glime
Celia Glime
Mark Glime
Wes Glime
Brent Buchinger
Gregory Jossart
Joseph Jossart
Len Rentmeester - Head
Patrick Klapatch
Sam Rentmeester
Karen
Michael
John
Aaron Buergi
Kate Stumpf
Roy Stumpf
Sarah Stumpf
Chris Cohorst
Cole Cohorst
Ed Casleton - Head
Justin Casleton
Kathy Yaggie
Ronald Treml
Steve Gulan
Tony Yaggie
Christine
&
Paul
Altar Servers
Musicians
Gabrielle
and open to
all
Bridget Kapic
William Kapic
Lector
1-Deb Rentmeester
2-Leonard Rizzo
Altar Servers
Caleb Rentmeester
Sam Lyons
Lector
1-Michael Janczakowski
2-Nancy Nelson
Altar Servers
Juliette Weslow
Nicholas Weslow