Parish Newsletter January 2023
Message From Father Angi

Many of our living rooms are cleared of Christmas trees, and advent candles have long been blown out. Christmas sweets have been put away to make room for workout goals. Today we celebrate the Feast of Epiphany. The question is, “What will your Epiphany be?” It may be that you’re in a rush to get things done. Perhaps it’s distractions, fears, or being tired; distracted by all the other things that vie for your attention, fears of what’s next or how things will turn out, tired of waiting for promises to be fulfilled.
 
Your tree is put away, and your grocery list contains no added sugars. Today, pause and feast in —the Epiphany—that Christ, the newborn King, has revealed Himself to us. For the next several years of our lives, realize that Jesus will reveal Himself to us even in our rush, distraction, fears, and weariness. Constant epiphanies over a lifetime are the key to how we make it to our golden years without being over-stimulated, over-marketed, and burnt out.
 
On December 14, Fr. Thomas Ebong met with Archbishop Schnurr seeking an extension on his time here in our family of parishes. The extension was granted so Fr. Thomas who will be with us until July 1, 2024. He will continue to celebrate Mass in our family of parishes and serve us as a parochial vicar alongside Fr. Alex and Fr. King.
 
Our Pathways Team continues to meet with Linda Banecker, our liaison from Catholic Leadership Institute. As decisions are made and plans are being developed, they will be communicated to the parishes. A Pastoral plan will need to be submitted to the Archbishop by no later than September 2023. Continue to pray as we move forward in our Beacons of Light process. 
Message from The Family Pathways Team : New Family Name and Survey

Through the Beacons of Light process, the three parishes of Guardian Angels, Immaculate Heart of Mary, & St. John Fisher have been joined together as one family. We are tasked with determining a name for the family of parishes and we need your help! Please check our parish website next weekend for a nomination form for you to suggest a family name. We'll be taking nominations through February 5th. 

Thank you for taking the Disciple Maker Index (DMI) survey! We had 271 responses which is just over 20% of our parishioners. IHM had a response rate around 45% and St John Fisher's rate was just over 60%. There were over 1,000 responses across the family which are now with the Catholic Leadership Institute to be analyzed. We will receive the results this spring/summer at which time we will share what we have learned with the entire family of parishes. As a reminder, we will conduct this survey every 2-4 years which will allow us to receive feedback and restructure as needed.
Thank You for Supporting Guardian Angels through the Catholic Education Foundation (CEF)

Our GA family generously donated, placing us near the top in the diocese in contributions to the CEF-SGO. We have many students who benefit from CEF scholarships. Families interested in learning more about financial assistance for Guardian Angels School, can learn more here. 
Greeters and Gift Bearers

How can your family contribute to the success of our liturgies? We are in need of individuals, couples and families to serve as greeters (stand at the Gathering Space doors and welcome Mass attendees to our parish) and gift bearers (bring up the bread, wine and collection basket at the Offertory Procession during Mass). We need volunteers for all 3 of our weekend Masses. There will be a formal sign up in February, but please consider volunteering for our January Masses now. Contact Kay Froehlich (kfroehlich@gaparish.org), Mary Fey (mtfey13@gmail.com) or see an usher when you get to Mass. Thank you for volunteering to serve in these important ministries!
7th Grade Confirmation Retreat

The 7th grade students of Guardian Angels Parish will be treated to a Confirmation retreat on Sunday, January 22. The retreat will begin with 10:00am Mass followed by a high energy experience by NET ministries, all on GA's campus. Please pray for our 7th graders as they continue their preparations for Confirmation next fall.
Catholic Schools Week—January 29-February 3, 2023

The theme of Catholic Schools Week 2023 is “Walking Together in Faith and Love.” As a thriving Catholic school, we strive to provide the best educational instruction and religious formation for your family. Catholic Schools Week is a wonderful time to thank God for the many blessings He gives us as well as show our gratitude to you for choosing Guardian Angels and trusting us to enrich your children’s lives! We also thank the parish for supporting our school through your donations and prayers.
Guardian Angels Follies Kick-Off Meeting

After a three-year hiatus, our annual spring music and dance show is returning to the stage with a new production! Our 2023 show dates are April 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 28th and 29th.

In order for Follies to make a successful return, we need lots of people to join the effort. Anyone and everyone is invited to participate in Angels Follies, no experience required. We welcome singers, dancers, and support behind the scenes in a variety of roles.

To learn more about the 2023 production, please plan to attend our kickoff meet and greet informational meeting on Sunday, January 8th at 7pm in the Guardian Angels undercroft. See flyer for details. Questions? Call Kathy Myers at 513-236-6676.
Volunteers Needed for Fish Fry

We are in the process of finalizing plans for our 2023 Fish Fry Events. Keep an eye out on upcoming bulletins and the Parish website for more information. If you would like to volunteer, please reach out to Marianne Glassmeyer at mglassmeyer@outlook.com.  
Special Thank You

A special thanks to Mr. Dave Auxier, Pastoral Associate of Liturgy and Music for Immaculate Heart of Mary parish, for directing the music during our school liturgies while Mr. Stegeman is out. We appreciate his willingness to help out and keep the music alive during our Masses!
Eastside Catholic Youth Ministries
 
Eastside Catholic Youth Ministries (ECYM) is the group of ministries serving our Family of Parishes. There are a wide range of opportunities for students in grades 5-12, open to youth of all schools and faith backgrounds. Join us as we seek to have fun, enjoy fellowship, and grow as disciples. For event details, please watch for emails from Bradley Barnes or visit gaparish.org.
 
If you would like information about upcoming opportunities, please contact Bradley Barnes at youth@gaparish.org or 513-624-3148.
Save the Date: Camp Gaudeo is June 26-30
 
As we begin a new liturgical year, we’re hoping that you can mark your family’s calendar for our 9th annual middle school camp called “Camp GAudeo.” Camp is always an incredible time of gathering the youth of our parish, and we’re so excited to see what God has in store for June 26th-30th. Registrations will open in late January, but we are hoping that families can mark their calendars now and fit this week of ministry for current 5th-8th grade students into their future planning. We are also looking to expand to a second camp week offered on July 10th-14th (further details to come). Email Bradley Barnes for more information.
 
We are currently looking for high school students who are interested in volunteering for this event. We are typically able to offer 50+ hours of community service credit, and high school counselors participate in all activities for free! Register a current high school student through this Volunteer Application Form. 
Year End Tax Statements

All year-end tax letters to parishioners will be mailed out by January 31, 2023. Only parishioners with contributions of $250.00 and over will receive a tax letter. You may call the parish office at 513.231.7440 and request a tax letter if your contribution is less than $250.00.
Volunteer Healthcare Professionals Needed
Young Men's Faith and Fellowship

When: 1st and 3rd Monday every month from 8:00-9:00pm 
Where: Guardian Angels Catholic Church in Room B in the undercroft or by zoom 
Age: 20s - 40s 
Join together in brotherhood with other men to grow in virtue and faith. Each session combines the best research from science with the teaching of the Catholic faith and the wisdom of the saints to develop the vision of a man fully alive and capable of transforming himself, his family, and greater society. Join us every session or as your schedule permits. No religious expertise or background required. Contact the group at mensfaith@gaparish.org for more information or to join via zoom. 
Young Women's Faith and Fellowship

When: 2nd and 4th Wednesdays every month from 8:00-9:00 pm
Where: Guardian Angels Catholic Church in Room B in the undercroft
Age: 20s - 40s
Join together with other women to expand your Catholic faith and build meaningful relationships as we dive into "Ways to Pray" from the Blessed is She devotional. No prior knowledge or materials are needed; come as you are! Join us every session or as your schedule permits. Contact the group at womensfaith@gaparish.org for more information. 
Fathers Team

Each Friday, Fathers Team will be meeting for Fathers Team "Lite” which consists of a review and discussion of the upcoming Sunday's scripture readings. All GA fathers are invited to join either in person or via Zoom. Our meeting will start at 6:05 am Friday morning and last for one hour. Together we explore the readings and consider how the scripture's message can be applied to our daily lives. If you are holding back because you’re not an expert, join the crowd....neither are any of us! Join us in person in the Undercroft (Conference Room B), or by Zoom, this Friday at 6:05 am. Contact us at GAfathersteam@gmail.com for the zoom information, or to get on the GA Fathers Team email distribution.
RCIA Program

The S3 Family of Parishes will be combining efforts to create one RCIA program for those interested in learning more about the Catholic faith. Meetings will be held at Immaculate Heart of Mary on Thursday evenings as well as dismissals after 9:30 a.m. Mass at IHM. If you know someone interested in becoming Catholic, please contact Jay Mather (513) 388-4188.
Parish Reminders
Make Offertory Donations Online
Giving to Guardian Angels Parish has never been easier. Offertory donations can be made online. If you are interested in establishing a one-time or recurring gift through our online platform, just click the button below. Once you have an account setup, you can make any changes to your giving yourself through the website.
8am & 10am Masses Streamed Each Sunday
The 8am and 10am Masses are livestreamed each Sunday and can be viewed on our YouTube channel and Facebook page live or they can be played back on either channel at a later time.
School News
Upcoming Open Houses
 
This year Guardian Angels School will offer two Open House opportunities for families interested in learning more about our school.
 
A Preschool Open House will be held Monday, January 9th from 5:00-7:00pm. This event is specifically for anyone considering enrolling their child(ren) in the preschool and/or pre-k program for the 2023-2024 school year. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP through the link below.
 
An Open House for K-8 will be held Sunday, January 29th from 1:00-3:00pm. This Open House is specifically for anyone considering enrolling their child(ren) in kindergarten through eighth grade for the 2023-2024 school year. This event is a great way to meet current families, talk with teachers in their classrooms, and get a feel for the community you will find here. Please RSVP through the link below.
 
A flyer is attached if you would like to share it with anyone who is interested in learning more about Guardian Angels School.
School Masses

Please join our school community in celebrating the Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the school year. Grade level Masses are offered on most Tuesdays for Kindergarten through 5th grade and Wednesdays for 6th through 8th grade. All-School Masses are held throughout the year and are live-streamed to the Guardian Angels YouTube channel. Visitors are welcome to attend any school Mass, although seating is limited for all-school Masses.
Please include our school community in your daily prayers!
School Playground Hours

We want to remind everyone of the hours of operation for our newer playground equipment. The portion of the playground that was installed last year sits outside the area where our old equipment sat. Since it is outside the mulch area and is now closer to other property lines, the portion of the equipment with the slide CANNOT be used outside of the posted playground operating hours. Those hours are 8:00am-6:00pm. 
Other News
Shop On AmazonSmile To Support GA
If you shop on Amazon, please consider shopping through AmazonSmile. You can shop AmazonSmile online or through the app. If you shop on Amazon, you can sign-up to have a portion of your purchase come back to Guardian Angels. Now when you make purchases through the AmazonSmile app OR page, and have GA selected as your beneficiary, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products back to GA. 
Learn More On FORMED.org
 
Did you know that all parishioners have access to a bevy of incredible Catholic content through Formed.org? Parishioners can use this platform to discover the many ebooks, audio resources, movies and Bible studies that are available on your phone, tablet, smart tv or computer.


If you are new to the website:
  1. click on sign-up
  2. Choose I belong to a Parish or Organization
  3. Search Guardian Angels Parish (make sure you select the one on Beechmont in Cincinnati)
  4. Then create your own account

This treasure trove of material is provided as a gift to you as a valued member of our Faith Family.
Stay Connected with GA on Social Media
Stay up-to-date with all things GA by following us on social media. 
Guardian Angels is active on several social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The links to our social media channels at the bottom of every parish newsletter.
Bulletin Advertising Available
Our bulletin publisher is looking for new advertisers and sponsors. Thanks to our sponsors, the bulletin is published weekly at no cost to our parish. Please consider purchasing an ad. Your ad and participation make the bulletin successful, and you attract customers! If interested, please email Sherry Montel or call/text her at 614 301-7444.

Advertisements and sponsorships can be purchased for a business, family, charity, in Honor or in Memory of a Loved One, or to support the church or a community service organization, such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters. We appreciate your support.
Have News to Share?
If you are part of a parish organization and have news you would like to share with our community, please email the parish office. To be included in next month's newsletter, your information must be received by the last Monday of this month.