Sunday, November 29, 2020 St. Anthony of Padua Church 101 E Virginia Ave Effingham, IL 62401 (217) 347-7129 www.stanthony.com ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA PARISH EFFINGHAM, ILLINOIS My Dear Parish Family, It is almost incomprehensible to think that another year has practically come and gone. Indeed, here we are on the doorstep of the Christmas Season, these final four weeks is a time for we Christians to cleanse ourselves spiritually and make ready for the coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As the season approaches, we refer to this making ready as “preparing the way.” Advent guides us to explore what Christmas means to us personally and to discover that the greatest gift we can give to our family, friends, and the world is ourselves! Traditionally, Advent is a time of reflection and affirmation, with each week represented by a particular theme. Each week of Advent on Sunday, a representative Advent candle is lit. Catholic tradition states that the four candles, representing the four weeks of Advent, each stand for one thousand years, to total the four-thousand years from the time of Adam and Eve until the birth of the Savior. Advent is a period of time set apart for our exploration of faith, an inner search of our mind and heart. The four Sundays of Advent proclaim aspects of our divine nature: hope and faith, peace, love, and joy. The themes of Advent allow us—through meditation, prayer, and affirmation - to contemplate ways to share our deepest gifts: hope and faith, peace, love, and joy. Most Christians focus on hope during the first week of Advent. Perhaps, inspired by the view that “faith is the assurance of things hoped for,” we contemplate both hope and faith as we spiritually prepare our hearts and minds for Christmas. Week two offers us affirmation of the peace of God as our welcome companion. With quiet minds and open hearts, we find rest in the peace that surpasses all understanding. The third week of Advent teaches us the importance of love. From his birth, Jesus taught that we should love everyone: black, brown, or white; rich or poor; cool or nerdy; gay, straight, or questioning. At our core, “We are one in God’s love.” It’s a view of unconditional love that defines Christ consciousness quite succinctly. When we light the fourth Advent candle for joy, we remind ourselves of the spiritual truth of this season: “Unto us a child is born.” Christmas is not an event that happens only in December or two-thousand years ago in Palestine. Christmas happens as we open up to the possibility of hope; when we live in the understanding of peace; and when we give love. As we continue to experience this great pandemic, scripture reminds us that when things seem darkest, joy can come in unexpected places and in small packages. Fr. Al In the event of a death, accident or other life emergency, December 8th - Immaculate Conception Mass Schedule while offices are closed, please contact our priests at (217) 703-1042. St. Anthony Church Monday, December 7th: 5:30pm Tuesday, December 8th: 6:30am, 8:30am, 12:10pm Please pray for Restoration of Religious Liberty, those who are ill, those in Mass Sign-ups for the Holy Day will be available on hospitals and nursing homes, those Tuesday, December 1st. recovering from surgery, and all those serving our country. Also, Adelaida Anderson, Chuck Bierman, Steve St. Anthony Church Mass Times Bierman, Millie Braun, Daxton Elias Mon, Tues, Thurs. & Fri: 8:30am Brumleve, Marlene Bushue, Rosemary Bushur, Mary Lynn Saturday - 4:30pm Byers, Mary Conder, Lisa Crosson, Paul Deters, Dan L. Sunday 7:30am & 9:15am, 11:00am Feldhake, Dave Feldhake, Judy French, John Gapsis, Stacia Gorden, Sandy Gravenhorst, Mike Hartke, Charlie Live Streamed Masses at St. Anthony Hicks, Mark Jirak, Ingrid Kay, Susan Keenan, Tina Keller, Sunday at 9:15am Marita Kemme, Steve Koebele, Amy Beth Koester, Clete Tuesday, Thursday & Friday Masses at 8:30am Koester, Elisabeth Koester, Ralph Kortte, Tony Koste, St. Mary’s, Shumway Mass Times Terry Kraft, Dan Kruger, Lloyd Ludwig, Penny Meyer, Penny Mihlbachler, Sandy Mihlbachler, Jack Nisbet, Kathy Wednesday: 8:30am Nolan, Loretta Nolan, Bill Nuxoll, Cathy Polarek, Kenneth Saturday: 5:30pm Sunday: 8:30am Polarek, Jill Quandt, Marty Reed, Jim & Alice Rhodes, Reconciliation Times Anna Sparling, Mary Rubsam-Stuckey, Allen Wente, Carole Wheeler, Keith Willenborg, Dr. Mel Willenborg, Mon, Tues, Thurs. & Fri: 7:45am to 8:15am (St. Anthony) Paul V. Willenborg, Jerry Worman, Pauline Worman, Saturday: 3:15pm to 4:00pm(St. Anthony) Jamie Wrigley Saturday: 4:15pm to 5:00pm (St. Mary’s - Shumway) First Sunday of Advent November 29, 2020 Mass Intentions Calendar of Events Monday, November 30: Sun 11/29 10:00am Radio Mass - 8:30 a.m. Mass: Ted Richards Anniversary; Shirley AM 1090/FM 99.5 & 96.3 Wolfert; Art Kinkelaar; Twining Parish- Mon 11/30 9am - 1pm: Scrip Sales in Parish Office St. Paul’s Nigeria; Paul Keith; Phil Kinkelaar Anniversary Tues 12/1 9am - 1pm: Scrip Sales in Parish Office Tuesday, December 1: Wed 12/2 9am - 1pm: Scrip Sales in Parish Office 8:30 a.m. Mass: Otto & Mardell Goldstein Thur 12/3 9am - 1pm: Scrip Sales in Parish Office Wednesday, December 2: Mass at St. Mary’s, Shumway Fri 12/4 9am - 1pm: Scrip Sales in Parish Office Thursday, December 3: 9:00 a.m. Mass: Herman & Stella Mette Sat 12/5 Friday, December 4: First Saturday Mass and 8:30 a.m. Mass: Steve Huelsing Anniversary; Tom Devotion December 5th Bryant Anniversary; Clarence Haney Rosary - 6:10am Mass - 6:30am Anniversary; Bernie & Marcie Burford Meditations - 7:00am - 7:15am Family; Leonard Unkraut; Mary Kyle Esker CCW News Saturday, December 5: Dear Members, Due to 6:30 a.m. Mass: Jim Bloemer Family COVID we will not be 4:30 p.m. Mass: Frances Crouser having a cookie/candy sale Sunday, December 6: this December. We ask that you bake for family and stay 7:30 a.m. Mass: Bob Platt Anniversary safe! We do have a quilt to raffle. I believe it is fall colors 9:15 a.m. Mass: Don Boos Anniversary and we will hold the raffle around picnic time. Miss seeing 11:00a.m. Mass: Parishioners of St. Anthony all of you. Respectfully, Rita Devore, President Snow Removal Help Needed Our maintenance team is looking for someone who has snow removal equipment and the time, to remove the snow from our grade school parking lot and the two adjacent lots this win- ter. This person would fill an opening on our volunteering team. If interested please contact Bob Dust at 217-663-4623 or email at [email protected] Christmas & New Year’s Mass Schedule With the requirements due to Covid-19, we wanted to let you know early what the Mass schedule will be for Christmas & New Years. Mass times (listed below) will be the same as in years past. The biggest change will be that seating is still limited to the 150 people. We are doing what we can to add additional Masses. An email link to sign-up for each of these Masses will be sent out on December 15th. In order to keep to our limited number of parishioners at Mass, you MUST be signed up in order to attend a Mass. We encourage your family to watch Mass together on Christmas as part of your Christmas celebration at home. Each of the Christmas Masses will be live streamed for you to view. The obligation to attend Mass in person continues to be under suspension by the Bishop until further notice. Christmas Eve: 4:30pm 7:00pm, Midnight Christmas Day: 9:00am (Incense free) New Year’s Eve: 5:30pm New Year’s Day: 9:00am SAGS October/ November Highlights October Highlights: October 29th—6th grade led their modified All Saints Day celebration. The event was lived streamed on our SAGS Facebook page, and the students did a fantastic job on their saint attire and very informative reports.. Well Done! CALENDAR Nov. 30th - Advent Activities Begin Dec 1st - Junior High Reconciliation Dec. 3rd - Intermediate Reconciliation Dec. 1st-18th - Winter MAP Assessments Dec. 12th - Junior High and Intermediate choirs virtually celebrating the 12 days of Christmas. Dec. 18th -Primary Virtual Christmas Dec. 22nd -End of 1st Semester Celebrations Dec. 23rd-Jan 3rd - Christmas Break These events and more at stanthony.com! StuCo’s Corner - Halloween Coin Drive - raised over $10,000 dollars for Catholic Charities. - “Socktober” Activity—collected over 1,000 items for Catholic Charities in preparation for winter weather. - November will begin their “Break the Dress Code for October 30th—Primary celebrated their annual Halloween carnival at the High School. Thank you for the High School Good” mission: the last Wednesday of each month students student council for helping make this a wonderful day and and faculty will be allowed to wear jeans and spirit shirt memory for our primary and pre-k students. with a $1 donation. The funds will be donated to a different identified charity organization each month. November 11th –Virtual Veterans Day video was posted to help show our gratitude and respect for all our veterans and current military members. Extra-Curricular Corner All sports are on pause as the pandemic continues and we wait approval and more guidance from the IESA. Like & Follow SAGS Stay engaged and celebrate our good news @stagradeschool! St. Anthony High School Nov. 29, 2020 Paw Prints For the calendar . SAHS ENJOYS Dec. 2, Jr/Sr Mass in Church, 2:00pm; Fr/ THANKSGIVING Soph Rosary in Gym, 2:00pm LUNCHEON TRADITION Dec.