St. John the Baptist Parish, Plum City, WI St. Joseph Parish, Arkansaw, WI

PARISH STAFF Pastor: Very Reverend Joseph Okine-Quartey St. John the Baptist Parish, Plum City, WI Suzanne Brunner, Housekeeping, St. John the Baptist Rectory Dave Drier, Maintenance Director, St. Joseph St. Joseph Parish, Arkansaw, WI Gwen Glaus, Housekeeping, St. John the Baptist Church Vickie Hartung, Housekeeping, St. Joseph JUNE 27, 2021 Pete Helmueller, Maintenance Director, St. John the Baptist Dorothy Kopp, Bookkeeper Denise Pelzel, Secretary Aletha Pullen, Bulletin Editor Robyn Trannel, Director of Religions Education

PARISH COUNCILS St. John the Baptist Parish Pastoral Council Connie Ahlers, Kevin Coulson, Peggy Gilles, Gwen Glaus, Sarah Hinrichs, Steve King, Dianne Lecheler, Terry Pelzel, Mike Rhiel, Audrey Ryan, Jacqui Steele, and *Dan Wieser (Chair) Parish Finance Council Marie Berger, Jeff Bergmann (Chair), *Todd Glaus, and Deb Radle

St. Joseph Parish Pastoral Council Dave Anibas, Brad Bauer, Bud Bauer, David Drier (Chair), Gerald Leiffring, Linda Leiffring, Howard Martin, and Dennis Milliren Parish Finance Council *Jeff Brunner, *Dale Klein (Chair), and Sue Milliren

*Corporate Board Members

ORGANIZATIONS Holy Name Society Parish Council of Catholic Women Knights of Columbus St. Ann’s Altar Society

BIRTHDAY & ANNIVERSARY BLESSINGS Jon Bechel’s Birthday: 6/29 Gavin Trannel’s Birthday: 7/1 Irene Helmueller’s Birthday: 7/2 Della Larson’s Birthday: 7/3 Dave & Brenda Drier’s 50th Anniversary: 7/3

Central Office, Rectory, and St. Joseph Catholic Church Bulletin Announcements St. John the Baptist Catholic Church W7805 County Road Z, Arkansaw, WI, 54721 [email protected] 212 Church Road, Plum City, 54761 [email protected] Bulletin Deadline: Monday Noon

[email protected] Office: 715-647-2901 | Rectory: 715-647-2301 Follow us on Facebook for Live Stream Masses, Bulletins, and More! (The Parishes of St. John the Baptist & St. Joseph) IN HIS TOUCH IS LIFE One of the songs I learned as a child growing up in Ghana is known as Woyaya. In this song, Osibisa, the composer said the following: We are going, heaven knows where we are going. We know within. We will get there, heaven knows how we will get there. We know we will. It will be hard, we know. And the road will be muddy and rough. But we'll get there. Heaven knows how we will get there. We know we will…. It is said that all is well that ends well. Four years ago, I was assigned to our twin parishes to shepherd God’s flock in Plum City and Arkansaw. Having been forewarned, I knew it would be hard and that the road was going to be muddy and rough. All the same, I also knew within that we would certainly make it. Today, we look back and are thankful to God for bringing us this far. Through your individual and collective efforts, we laid our hands to the plow and did not look back. Far from reinventing the wheel, we set ourselves the goal of breaking new grounds to grow both spiritually and materially. God saw our efforts, He loved us and blessed our hard work with His grace. He shined the light of his kindness through the darkness of our lives and set our twin parishes en route to revival and growth. As I count my blessings, I am thankful to all of you without exception for buying into the dream of making our twin parishes a family of faith, love, and unity. I am profoundly grateful to you my dear parishioners for your kindness both to the Church and to me. I thank my able council members and the various committees for the diligence and the dedication you brought to all you did for the twin parishes. I am equally grateful to all who played diverse roles in our Church lives - our sacristans, altar servers, extraordinary ministers, lectors, ushers, money counters, DREs, CCD teachers, and musicians. I ask my office staff to take my thanks in profusion for the great job they did to keep the Church going. You made the office a welcoming place to all, you made it easier for parishioners to walk in and do business with us without any fear or reluctance. To my handymen and the ladies who kept my house and both Churches, I say bravo for your selfless services. They worked behind the scenes to ensure that our Church is clean and has a safe environment for worship. To them also I am very grateful. The ladies in both parishes have always been wonderful. You have made many throngs work in these last four years. I am especially indebted to the ladies who came together to reach out to the homebound and other seniors in the heart of the pandemic. My wish is that the two women’s groups: the PCCW and St. Ann’s Altar Society would be more active and would find better patronage than before. This I believe is not impossible. The men need commendation, too. Many works in and around the Church got done because you were there. I salute the Knights of Columbus for their formidable support to the twin parishes. The timely interventions they make and their quick response to some of the spiritual, social, and material needs of the Church need commendation. I found TMIY to be a very educative and spirit-filled program and I appreciate the men who make it happen in the parish. I would encourage many more men to participate and benefit from its many fruits. The cemetery keepers need a special mention and my list will certainly not be complete without them. Burying the dead is a corporal work of mercy and these work around the clock, pro bono, to ensure that this aspect of our faith is taken care of. To all and sundry, I say a very big thank you for the many contributions you made to facilitate the journey I embarked on with St. Joseph and St. John the Baptist parishes four years ago. Everything you did for me and the Church was aimed at keeping our twin parishes alive and in the light. This is exactly what the liturgy of this 13th Sunday is all about. The readings tell us that God threw us into being and we should thus seek life and not death. Seeking life means living in the company of God, as living in the company of the devil brings death (1st Reading). Living in God's company means being in contact with him, being in touch with him, allowing him to hold you by the hand. Faith has generally been defined as holding on to God’s hand or allowing God to hold your hand in the darkness of life. All we did in our parishes these past years was to demonstrate our faith in God who gives life to those who hold on to him and are in constant contact with him. In our gospel reading, the hemorrhaging woman touched Jesus. Jesus himself held Jarius' Daughter by the hand. They both had life subsequently. Contact with God always brings life. This is why my parting words with you is to ask you to continue to seek life. May we all continue to establish a healthy relationship with God who gives us life. And when has given us life, may we continue to live our lives in charity, generously and mutually enriching the lives of one another (see 2nd Reading). May the life we find in God be lived also in faith and be devoid of fear. And may every good we have done in aid of St. John the Baptist and St. Joseph parishes be sown for the eternal harvest. God bless us all. Have a blissful week Fr. Joseph Okine-Quartey

St. John the Baptist Catholic Church • Page 2 • St. Joseph Catholic Church MASS SCHEDULE & DAILY READINGS ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISHIONERS Diocesan Annual Appeal Update Monday: June 28 - St. Irenaeus A special thank you to all parishioners who generously donated to • No Mass the annual appeal. The appeal ends at the end of June. If you • Readings: Gn 18:16-33/Ps 103:1b-2, 3-4, 8-9, 10-11 [8a]/Mt 8:18-22 would still like to make a donation, please make check’s payable to Tuesday: June 29 - Sts. Peter and Paul the Apostles St. John the Baptist Church and simply put Annual Appeal in the • Communion Service: 8:30 a.m., St. John the Baptist -  Oliver & memo field. Thank you again for your continued support. Marie Helmueller • Readings: Acts 12:1-11/Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 [5]/ Many Hands Make for Light Work 2 Tm 4:6-8, 17-18/Mt 16:13-19 We will be deep cleaning the rectory Wednesday, June 30th from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in preparation of Father Jojo’s arrival. If you Wednesday: June 30 - The First Martyrs of the Holy Roman are able to help, it would be greatly appreciated. Please bring Church cleaning supplies and a step stool! Thank you! • Communion Service: 8:30 a.m., St. John the Baptist -  Eugene & Irma Helmueller • Readings: Gn 21:5, 8-20a/Ps 34:7-8, 10-11, 12-13 [7a]/Mt 8:28-34 LITURGICAL ROLES: ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST

Thursday: July 1 - St. Junipero Serra Money Counting Rosary • Communion Service: 8:30 a.m., St. John the Baptist - Living & Wed., June 30, 9:00 a.m. Sun., July 4, 8:00 a.m. Deceased Members of the Bechel - Berger Families Monica Krings, Carol Bechel, Monica Krings • Readings: Gn 22:1b-19/Ps 115:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9 [9]/Mt 9:1-8 & Julie Tschumperlin Sun., July 4, 10:15 a.m. Announcements & Lector Ann Bechel Friday: July 2 Sun., July 4, 8:00 a.m. Sacristan • Communion Service: 8:30 a.m., St. John the Baptist -  Art & Theresa Kane Sun., July 4, 8:00 a.m. Dorothy Sticht Sun., July 4, 10:15 a.m. Peggy Gilles • Readings: Gn 23:1-4, 19; 24:1-8, 62-67/ Ryan Trannel Sun., July 4, 10:15 a.m. Ps 106:1b-2, 3-4a, 4b-5 [1b]/Mt 9:9-13 Extraordinary Minister Aletha Pullen

Saturday: July 3 - St. Thomas the Apostle Sun., July 4, 8:00 a.m. Servers • Mass: 4:00 p.m., St. Joseph -  Bernard & Joyce Keeler Monica Krings Sun., July 4, 8:00 a.m. Sun., July 4, 10:15 a.m. Peyton Brunner • Readings: Eph 2:19-22/Ps 117:1bc, 2 [Mk 16:15]/Jn 20:24-29 Ramona Schneider Sun., July 4, 10:15 a.m. Sunday: July 4 - 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time Music Olivia & Lilly Pullen • Mass: 8:00 a.m., St. John the Baptist -  James Glaus Sun., July 4, 8:00 a.m. Usher • Mass: 10:15 a.m., St. John the Baptist - St. John the Baptist & Arleen Ebensperger & Sun., July 4, 8:00 a.m. St. Joseph Parishioners Gwen Glaus Lonnie Harmon & Roger Gilles • Readings: Ez 2:2-5/Ps 123:1-2, 2, 3-4 [2cd]/2 Cor 12:7-10/Mk 6:1-6 Sun., July 4, 10:15 a.m. Sun., July 4, 10:15 a.m. Annie & Sara Hansen Dan Wieser & Steve King The Rosary is prayed before Mass

POPE FRANCIS’ MONTHLY INTENTION FRUITS OF OUR GENEROSITY - ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST June: The Beauty of Marriage June 4th through June 18th, 2021 Let us pray for young people who are preparing for marriage with the Adult Envelopes (67).…....…...…...…... $ 4,972.00 support of a Christian community: may they grow in love, with generosity, faithfulness and patience. Offertory…………...….....…....…….…... $ 349.75 Total Income.…..……..…….………….. $ 5,321.75 THAT MAN IS YOU “That Man Is You” group will be meeting this Friday, July 2nd at 6:30 a.m. by Father Joseph It is time to renew advertisements for our garden for the First Friday Rosary. All men are welcome to Parish Bulletin. We would, therefore, like to attend. Please contact Dan Wieser at (715) 279-2152 or Tom thank all individuals and local businesses Pullen at (607) 244-3010 if you have any questions. Thanks! who patronize it. Last year, some of the parishioners at St. John the Baptist & St. A great way for Father Joe to stay connected with us! Joseph’s came together to publish the Pro-Life advertisement. We Father Joe has a Nixplay smart digital picture frame that you can would like to include this advertisement in this year’s bulletin, too. If send pictures to easily. Share events in your life with Father Joe. you have any questions, please contact Denise Pelzel (715-495- Simply email pictures to: [email protected] 4883) or the Parish Office (715-647-2901). Please place your donation in a separate envelope and place in the collection basket or bring it to the Parish Office. Please make checks payable to LPI.

St. John the Baptist Catholic Church • Page 3 • St. Joseph Catholic Church Father Joe, It is with saddened hearts that we say good bye to you. You came into our parish and into our lives, with great love and dedication. We will forever be grateful for that. We can only hope that your journey in life will bring you back to our parish, even if for only a visit, but always know that our thoughts , prayers, and love will be with you always. We wish you the best for whatever lies ahead for you. Thank you so much for all you have done for us. We have been truly blessed to have you in our lives. - St. Joseph’s Parishioners LITURGICAL ROLES: ST. JOSEPH Announcements & Lector Music Sat., July 3, 4:00 p.m. Sat., July 3, 4:00 p.m. Don Peterson Beth Pattison & Sara Hansen Extraordinary Minister Rosary Father Joe and his farewell present from St. John the Baptist Sat., July 3, 4:00 p.m. Sat., July 3, 4:00 p.m. and St. Joseph’s Parishes - a new set of vestments. Mary Berger Madalyn Fleishauer or Joyce Haigh Father Joe, we have been blessed to have you be a part of our parish family. You will forever be in our thoughts and in FRUITS OF OUR GENEROSITY - ST. JOSEPH our prayers. May the Lord bless and keep you always. June 4th through June 18th, 2021 Adult Envelopes (27).…....…..…...…… $ 1,650.00 LIKE AN OCEAN Offertory…………....…….…..….……… $ 138.00 BY REV. FR. JOSEPH OKINE-QUARTEY Building Repair (1).…....….……....…… $ 25.00 Coming Soon Total Income.…….………..….……….. $ 1,813.00 This book is a collection of reflections meant to accompany the lectionary of the Mass. It aims at giving MISSION COOPERATIVE PROGRAM 2021 little insights to priests and laity as they prepare to We welcome Fr. Sajan Srambicckal V.C., a Vincentian participate actively and consciously in the celebration of Missionary Priest from India, to our parish this weekend to the liturgy. It is a good resource participate in our Annual Missionary Cooperation Plan. He material to enhance personal will share his missionary experience at all the Masses this meditations on aspects of the weekend and will make an appeal on behalf of the Gospels. As it tries to answer the Vincentian Missions. The Vincentian Missionaries need our “So what?” question of scripture help to carry out their many missionary, educational and reading, it makes available various charitable activities in their missions. They also request our lines of thought to facilitate the special financial support for to respond the deadly Covid-19 outbreak in India. The pandemic has taken a serious toll on duty of every homilist. their missions, impacting their overall health and well-being, financial stability and entire way of life. There will be special collection next weekend (July 3rd & 4th, please use the specially marked envelope attached to this weekend’s bulletin) to help the Missionary work of the Vincentian Missionaries. We urge you to be very generous in your mission offering since these Missionaries need our help. ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST’S 52ND KARNIVAL Thank you very much for your prayers and generous Prize Winners financial support. The Vincentian Missionaries keep you 1st - $1000: Larry Eccles 9th - $200: Jenni Bechel and our parish in their prayers and Masses. 2nd - $800: Sue Bauer 10th - $200: Tom Florer 3rd - $500: Jerome Kane 11th - $200: Tom Unser PRAYER WARRIORS 4th - $500: Adriana Theurauf 12th - $150: Steve King If you would like to offer prayers for those who are in need or 5th - $500: Randy Jackson 13th - $150: Doug Watkins are aware of someone who needs prayers please contact 6th - $250: Tom Heath 14th - $100: Jerod Chilson the Parish Office or send an email to: 7th - $250: Ed Daleiden 15th - $100: Fallon Ratzlow [email protected]. 8th - $200: Brynn Markewicz