Spaghetti Dinner on Saturday Night
I would like to invite and encourage everyone who is available to attend the Spaghetti Dinner in the Church Hall on Saturday, following the 4:30 p.m. Mass. A group of parishioners and school parents has organized this delicious Italian dinner. It will certainly be an enjoyable evening, with an opportunity to gather and visit as parishioners and friends before the busy holiday season ahead. Additionally, all funds from the free-will offering will support the ongoing development of the Meditation Garden located on the north side of the school. A special thank you to all who are involved in helping to organize this event, especially Kim and Chris Kelly, and Amanda and Shane Rios, who have been managing the growing Meditation garden. I hope to see you Saturday evening.
Craft Fair 2025
A big thank you to all those who took part in this past weekend’s Harvest Craft and Vendor Fair. The Fair is sponsored by the parish’s Christian Women Society and the Home and School Association representing our parish school. The gym, hall, and most school hallways were packed with vendors and crafters. In addition to the endless memorable hand-crafted items, there was plenty of food, not to mention a lot of visiting and excitement to see old friends. Thank you to all who took part in this annual event.
Advent Ahead
With Advent around the corner (just two weeks away), it would be good to prepare ourselves by asking how we can use the days of Advent to grow closer to Jesus Christ. Advent is a great time to make more room in our lives for Jesus. Here are just a few suggestions:
- Making sure we attend Mass on Sundays, and attend even more often during the week (the parish has an 8:00 a.m. Mass Monday through Saturday).
- Attend the Rosary after daily Mass or come for the Rosary at 3:00 p.m. in church, Monday through Friday.
- Plan to take part in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
- Prayerfully read the daily Mass Scriptures.
- Buy an extra gift for a child or family in need by participating in the parish Giving Tree outreach project.
The possibilities are endless. Take time to prepare to celebrate Christ’s birthday.
Call for Bakers for the
November 15 Spaghetti Dinner
Attention Bakers: The organizers of the November 15 Spaghetti Dinner are seeking parishioners to help with baked goods for desserts at the Spaghetti Dinner, which will follow the Saturday 4:30pm Mass in the Hall. If you can prepare homemade baked goods, please drop them off in disposable containers on Friday, November 14, between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. in the shed. If your baked goods contain nuts, please note that on your packaging.
The Holy Name Society will gather for Corporate Communion at the 8:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, November 16. Rosary will begin at 7:30 a.m. Breakfast will follow Mass in the Church Hall with the Confirmation candidates. All men of the Parish (and their sons) are invited to join the Holy Name Society. Please note that this Mass and meeting were originally scheduled for Sunday, November 9.
The Elegant Farmer School Fundraiser
If you ordered any of the delicious bakery products from the Elegant Farmer through the recent school fundraiser, orders can be picked up in the Church Hall on Monday, November 24, from 2:30 to 6:00 p.m. If you have any questions, please call or text Lauren Koier at (414) 841-3470 or email her at koierle6@gmail.com. Thank you for supporting the St. John’s Parish School.
Grandparents/ VIP Day
On November 5, we celebrated All Saints and invited Grandparents (and other Very Important Persons) to join us for their special day. Many of our students dressed as Saints, and our third graders did a great job of preparing and leading our Mass celebration. Our guests not only joined us for Mass, but also for lunch, a Bingo session, and a tour of their grandchild's classroom. The Bingo hall (our gym) was filled with laughter and cheers as each number was called. The food was great, Bingo was fun, and the Saint participation was awesome, but the best part of the day was seeing the joy on the faces of all in attendance. Thank you to all those who joined our celebration, and a big shout to our Home and School Association for making the event a great experience for our guests, staff, and students. They are awesome, and our school community is truly blessed to have such a wonderful group of parents to host and help at these special events. Please visit our Facebook page for more photos.
"Live a life that reflects God's love."
Register for Our Winter Book Study!
Registration is now open for our winter book study on The Confessions of St. Augustine of Hippo! To sign up, simply visit the parish website. Under “Lifelong Faith Formation,” choose “Adult Formation,” and then select “Book Studies.” Our first meeting will take place on Friday, November 28, at 6:00 p.m.. You may participate live and in person, live online, or by recording the sessions.
Looking for Deeper Faith, Fellowship, and Service?
Are you seeking a small faith-sharing group devoted to Christian service, contemplative prayer, and ongoing spiritual growth? Do you long to deepen your understanding of the faith within an intimate community of fellow disciples—while sharing in Eucharistic Adoration, reflective prayer, and acts of charity?
If so, I invite you to join a new initiative launching this January.
This small-group experience weaves together elements of the Emmaus 90 program from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, Jesus: The Way, the Truth, and the Life from Ascension Press, and outreach with the Kinship Community Food Center. Through Christ-centered study, service, journaling, prayer, and authentic community, participants will journey together toward a richer encounter with Jesus Christ. Groups of four to six will begin meeting in early January. For more information or to express interest, please contact jpshimek@stjohns-grfd.org.
To stay updated, join our SJE Adult Formation Flocknote or follow us on Facebook.
Friends, today in the Gospel, Jesus describes the world’s violent resistance to the establishment of God’s kingdom. From the earliest days until the present, the community of Jesus Christ has been the focus of the world’s violence. The old principle of “killing the messenger” applies here. The Church will announce, until the end of time, that the old world is passing away, that a new world of love, nonviolence, and life is emerging. This announcement always infuriates the world of sin—always. The twentieth century proved this by being the bloodiest on record—and the one with the most martyrs.
Jesus promises to give us “a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.” What do we do in the meantime? We maintain a detachment from this world that is passing away, our eyes fixed on the world that will never end. And we speak—confidently, boldly, provocatively—the message of the Gospel, the dying and rising of the Lord.
Jesus promises to give us “a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.” What do we do in the meantime? We maintain a detachment from this world that is passing away, our eyes fixed on the world that will never end. And we speak—confidently, boldly, provocatively—the message of the Gospel, the dying and rising of the Lord.
-Bishop Robert Barron
St. John’s is fortunate to have 24-hour Perpetual Adoration. Please take advantage of this fantastic opportunity to draw closer to God.
We have two open hours of Adoration:
Every Other Tuesday (twice per month), 1:00 to 2:00 a.m.
Saturdays, Midnight to 1:00 a.m.
We are also seeking a second Adorer for many late-evening and overnight hours, particularly on Saturdays at 1:00 a.m. Tuesdays at 10:00 p.m. Also on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 11:00 p.m. If you are looking for some quiet time to be with Our Lord, please consider signing up.
Call Kay Shomperlen at 414-763-1250 if you are interested.
Live-streaming: Mass and Adoration
We are live-streaming daily and Sunday Masses as well as Adoration for those who are unable to attend:
Daily Masses:
Monday thru Saturday 8:00 am
Weekend Masses:
Saturday at 4:30 pm
Sunday at 8:30 and 10:30 am
If you miss the Livestream, you can watch the upload of each Mass on our YouTube channel.
Scrip is available at all weekend Masses or during regular business hours at the parish office.
Download the RaiseRight app to reload cards, purchase ecards, or purchase physical cards. Contact the Parish Office or School Office for the enrollment code.