MASS INTENTIONS

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Fourth Sunday of Advent:

Today’s Gospel tells about Mary’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth. Elizabeth will give birth to John the Baptist.  John will call people to prepare the way for the coming Messiah.  These two women are very important in God’s plan for the salvation of all people.

This last Sunday of advent is a good time to reflect on Mary’s and Elizabeth’s complete hope and trust in the goodness of God.  Now is a good time to renew our own hope and trust in the Lord.

Prayer Moment:  

Loving Jesus, may the greatest gift we give all people this Christmas will always be love.

A Vocation View:  

Mary trusted that the Lord’s words to her would be fulfilled.  Step out in faith and God will be there to guide you.

Stock Donations: Effective immediately, donations of stocks to St. Martin of Tours Church will be processed through St. Martin of Tours new individual custodial account at Fifth Third Bank.  Please contact Lois Sundrup for specific information and delivery instructions.

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PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SICK OF OUR PARISH:

Remember in your prayers those who are in nursing homes, sick at home, and all who have received prayer blankets.

In April 2003, new national hospital-patient privacy laws were enacted.  Therefore, many hospitals will not notify St. Martin's of your admission.  If you would like someone from St. Martin's to visit you in the hospital, please call the parish office to notify us.

Recent Baptisms:

Maya Ann Gaskins, daughter of Shane and Sarah.

Madison Marie Hoehn, daughter of Brent and Mary Jane.

Kaya Marie Kroeger, daughter of Christopher and Christine.

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The following parishioners have entered Eternal Life.  Please remember them in your prayers:

Anna Lunz beloved wife of the late Andrew Lunz.

Carmella Helmes beloved wife of Tony Helmes, loving mother of Sharon Gundrum, Tina Hoffmeier and Mark Helmes.

Mary LaMott beloved wife of the late Earl LaMott, loving mother of Michael LaMott.

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PASTORS NOTES

Welcome to All:  Christmas is a time for homecoming and that is especially true for the Church community.  There is always a warm welcome for everyone at the Manger!   In that spirit, we extend a warm welcome to all those who are joining our parish community for our Christmas liturgies.  We are delighted that you are with us for these wonderful days of celebration and please know that you are always welcome here at St. Martin.  We are happy to welcome home all of our college students who are on their Christmas break and family members who are visiting from out of town.

Let Christmas come into our world

And bring us warmth and cheer

Bring us faith in place of doubt

And strength in place of fear

Bring us hope

and bring us love

To guide our hearts forever…

Let Christmas come into our world

And bring us all together.

Many blessings during these final days of Advent.

Fr. Terry

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Because of the Christmas Holidays, the Parish Office will close at 12:00 noon on Thursday, December 24^th and be closed all day Friday, December 25^th.

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St. Vincent de Paul: This month St. Vincent de Paul is in need of gift cards, personal care products, toilet paper, laundry detergent etc.

Also, St. Vincent de Paul is still selling chances for a one year family YMCA membership.  Chances are available after all Masses in the back of church.

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Facts of Life:

And she brought forth her first born Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke Chap. 2)

St. Martin’s Prayer for Peace is every Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. in church.  Please come to pray for our country, for peace in the world and for the safety of our brave soldiers stationed around the world.  All are welcome to join us.

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Telephone Prayer Chain:  Are you or someone you know in need of prayers?  St. Martin’s Telephone Prayer Chain will take your request for prayers without a lot of questions and call it through to a team of 28 devout people who will be praying for your request.  Give us a call and put your needs in God’s hands.  For prayer requests or to join the prayer group, call Bob or Mary at 662-0178 or call Peg at 922-7575.

St. Martin’s Prayer Chain is easy to join and very gratifying . . . No monthly meetings, no dues, and no running for office.  You must be willing to take a request for prayers and pass it on to the next team member on the list.  Above all, you are asked to take a few minutes each day to pray for the requests you receive.

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La Rosa's Buddy Card Sale- Benefits St. Martin's Athletic Association.  Cost $10.00, available after all Masses with the Gift Certificates, or contact Amy Richter at 662-1081.

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Thanks to everyone who visited the card making booth at Day with Santa!  All together we have 63 cards to take to patients of Veterans Administration Hospital.  In July, we delivered a large batch of get well cards made at the Parish Festival and the hospital was most appreciative.  What a way to honor our patron saint who shared his uniform cloak with a stranger and was a veteran before he was a bishop! 

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Our Monday night Bible Study group will begin a new study on Monday night, January 11th and continuing for 7 weeks.  We will study the book: "Food from Heaven: The Eucharist in Scripture."  We meet from 7:00 to 8:30 pm in the Red School Building.  If you would like to join us as we seek to know Christ better through our study of sacred communion, please contact Marti Barnes at 661-2000 or Ron Hancock at 451-8021.  Study Guide will be used; cost is only $7.00.

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Thank You to the following parishioners who have made a donation to St. Martin’s Christmas Flower Fund.

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Play St. Martin’s BINGO on Wednesday evenings in Fr. Mick Hall.  Doors open at 5:00 p.m. games begin at 7:00 p.m.  To volunteer to work please contact Mary Noble at 941-2783 or Email her at mnoble@zoomtown.com.  If you are scheduled to work at bingo, please arrive by 6:00 p.m. 

Bingo provides a substantial amount of financial assistance to the parish.  Without bingo we would have to raise school tuition.  Please call to schedule your night to work.

We need brown paper grocery bags for Bingo.  Please drop bags off at the Parish Office. Thank You.

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FINGERPRINTING:  In the Archdiocesan Children’s Protection Decree, all employees and volunteers must be fingerprinted through the Archdiocese and attend a Child Protection Workshop. If you are a new volunteer for any sports, the parent of a Kindergarten child, going on field trips with the school for the first time, or new to St. Martin in any way and will be working with the children, you must be fingerprinted and attend  a Child Protection workshop BEFORE you can work with children.  Please note that the fingerprinting “clearance process” could take up to three weeks, and you will NOT be permitted to participate with the children at this time. If you have lived out of state at any time over the past five years, the “clearance process” could take months.

 St. Teresa of Avila will offer fingerprinting Monday thru Friday every afternoon from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm.  Friday ONLY - they will offer fingerprinting from 9:00 to 10:00 am.  Also, they will be available every 2nd Thursday of the month from 5:00 pm to 6:45 pm.   Questions please call the parish office at 921-9200. 

St. James, White Oak, will have fingerprinting available Monday’s 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, Thursday’s 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. and Friday’s

1:00 to 3:00 p.m.  Questions, call the parish office at 741-5300. 

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CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO MAKE IT EASIER TO DONATE to St. Martin of Tours Parish by credit card.  Just go to www.saintmartin.org and click the “Online Giving” icon.  You will be in the St. Martin of Tours “E-Giving” page.  Select the type of contribution: Sunday; Second; or Other. Other contribution can be used also for paying tuition online. There are only three steps on the “E-Giving” page: 1) Enter your information; 2) Confirm the information; and 3) Get a receipt.

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In order to save paper & postage any Lector, Greeter or Eucharistic Minister who would like to receive their monthly schedule by Email, please send your Email address to Deidre at deidrere@fuse.net

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McAuley High School will be holding auditions for girls and boys in grades 5-8 for the Children’s Chorus in the spring production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.  Auditions will be held at McAuley High School in Room 7 on Thursday, January 14, 2010, from 3:30-5 p.m.  Performance dates for Joseph are March 25-28, 2010.  Interested students should prepare 16-32 bars of a Broadway or Disney song, and bring their own accompaniment to the audition.  To schedule an audition time, or for further information, please contact Mrs. Alecia Lewkowich, director, at (513) 681-1800 x 2268 or lewkowicha@mcauleyhs.net. 

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Catholic Charities Senior Corps programs are looking for volunteers 55 years or older to help in schools who can spend time with children, work in the office, or assist with administrative duties.  A stipend is available for classroom volunteers meeting income requirements.  For more information call Dave or Mike at 241-7745.

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Open your heart to the coming of Christ in a celebration of Lessons In Carols on Monday, December 21, 2009 at 7:00 pm. at St. Antoninus Church. Join us to reflect the true meaning of Christmas in this special evening of music and prayer.  Music will be offered by the Giving Glory Contemporary Music Group, directed by Peg Delaney.

Mother of Mercy and Elder Class of 1981 Reunion, as well as, St. Catharine of Siena 1977 (Others welcome also!)  December 23 at 7:30PM, at Price Hill Chili.    PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD!
Questions - email Laura McCarthy at lauramaret@aol.com

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ST MARTIN’S WILL BEGIN RECYCLING PAPER AGAIN!  Beginning the second week of January you may bring newspapers, magazines, catalogs, mail, school papers, office papers, envelopes and cardboard (cardboard boxes must be broken down).  No cereal or soda cartons, food wrap, food containers, tissue products, phone books, plastic or glass. The recycling bin will be located on the St. Martin Side of the Red School Building.  This is done at no cost to us and depending on the amount of paper recycled, we will receive some funds. Please begin saving your paper now!!