Bulletin for December 30, 2007

EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATIONS THIS WEEK

SUNDAY-HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY & JOSEPH
First Reading: Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14
Second Reading: Colossians 3:12-21
Gospel: Matthew 2:13-15, 199-23

7:00 Rosella Beckett (Husband)
9:00 Dorothy Miller (Husband)
10:30 Andrew Michalo (Wife)
12:00 Charles & Mary Martin (Geiger)

MONDAY-7th DAY IN OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS
9:00 Jan Sowers (Card Club)

TUESDAY-BLESSED VIRGIN MARY MOTHER OF GOD
9:00 Mildred Zimmerman (Martin)

WEDNESDAY-STS. BASIL THE GREAT & GREGORY NAZIANZEN
9:00 Frank Pumphrey (Sheetz)

THURSDAY-HOLY NAME OF JESUS
9:00 Al Dexter (Meiring)

FRIDAY-ST. ELIZABETH SETON
9:00 Tom Gregory (Wife)

SATURDAY-ST. JOHN NEUMANN
9:00 Leonard Baker
5:00 Nancy Glynn (Marshall)

SUNDAY-EPIPHANY OF THE LORD
7:00 For Our Ascension Family
9:00 Marilyn Gaeke (Gaynor)
10:30 Don Callahan (Colussi)
12:00 Paula Deschler (Family)

SICK AND SHUT-IN LIST
As a parish family concerned for one another, we ask your prayerful support of our hospitalized members.
KETTERING: Norma Westgerdes, Sharon Hodge
MIAMI VALLEY: Marilyn Heindl

NURSING HOME OR HOMEBOUND PARISHIONERS
If you know of any parishioners who are homebound or in a nursing home that are not being visited by a Eucharistic Minister please let Sister Agnes know. We do want to keep in touch.

ASCENSION SYMPATHY
Our loving prayers and deepest sympathy are extended to the families of MARCELLA SALLY LINDBLOM and TODD TRUITT who were called to their eternal rest in recent days. Please pray for them and all our faithful departed friends and relatives.

BAPTISM PREP PROGRAM
Parents are encouraged to contact the Parish Office three or four months prior to the birth of their child. The Baptism Prep Class is usually held the first Sunday of the month in the Parish Office Building 10:00 a.m.-Noon. The next Baptism Preparation class is January 6. Please call Sr. Agnes, 253-5171, to register.

RICA
Persons interested in becoming Catholic are welcomed into the RCIA process at any time. For more information, call Deacon Vic at 253-5171.

END OF THE YEAR STATEMENT
In January we will be sending out year end contribution letters to only those who request theirs and those we are required by law.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Classes will resume on Sunday, January 6.

Volunteers needed: Would you be willing to discuss the Sunday gospel with students on Sunday mornings, or sub on Monday afternoons in the Elementary program? Please call the RE Office at 254-0622.

IT’S NEVER TOO LATE! If you have a child not currently attending Ascension School or in the Religious Education program Grades 1-8, please contact the please contact Sue Graham in the RE Office to register.

WELCOME, CHILDREN
The Religious Education Program welcomes school-age children who have never received religious education or who have not been baptized or received First Communion. We also have a Sunday morning Early Childhood Program for children age 3 (by September 30, 2007) – age 5. Please call Sue Graham in the Religious Education Office at 254-0622 to discuss the options for your child.

YOUTH MINISTRY
HS Dodgeball Tourney – start the New Year off with some fun. Saturday, January 5, 7:00-10:00 p.m. PAC. $2.00 per person.

LIFE Group Vocation Event – ALL LIFE Groups will join together Sunday, January 6, 7:00-9:00 p.m., Witzman Center for a special session on vocation awareness. Open to all parish HS youth.

HS Retreat Team forming – 9-12th grade teens are invited to assist in planning and leading our winter retreat on President’s Day weekend. Team meetings Sundays, 4:00-6:00 p.m. January/February. Contact the Youth Office for details, 253-1997 or jmurray@ascensionkettering.org.

Family Ski Trip – Sunday, January 27 at Perfect North Slopes. Overnight retreat option Saturday at YMCA with games, swimming and retreat activities. Open to JH & HS youth and family members. Flyers at church doors.

JUST A REMINDER
Starting January 2008 Direct Giving is available to help make things more convenient for you. We have added an Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) payment option for Sunday contributions. You determine your contribution level for each month and the donation is transferred for you. Forms are available in the narthex of church or the parish web site. This form of giving cost you nothing and provides many advantages to both you and your parish.

VINCENTIAN COLLECTION
The Vincentians of Ascension will be at the church entrances next weekend to receive your gift of love for the poor and needy. Thanks for your caring and sharing. God bless.

IS YOUR MARRIAGE HURTING IN ANYWAY?
Has your marriage grown cold, distant, unloving or uncaring? Then please consider Retrouvaille – a program designed to help heal and renew marriages. Retrouvaille is for marriages that have lost some of their spark, for marriages having difficulties in communication and even those marriages on the edge of separation or divorce. The next program begins January 11-13. For more information call 513-398-3137. Other weekends and locations are available – call for details.

ASCENSION PARISHIONER TO BE ORDAINED
On Saturday, January 12, Joseph Anthony Giambrone O.P., son of Ascension parishioners Al and Yvonne Giambrone, will be ordained a Transitional Deacon through the Imposition of Hands and the Prayer of Ordination by Archbishop Thomas Kelly O.P. at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC. This is a step on Joe’s journey to the priesthood. He will be ordained a priest in May of 2009. We keep Joe and the 6 other Dominican Friars who will be ordained with him in our prayers.

THANK YOU
A big thanks to all who did such a beautiful job to make Christmas a prayerful and uplifting experience here at Ascension. God bless you, one and all.
Thank you for your generous giving during this holy season.
Also, the Ascension staff says thank you for your thoughtfulness at Christmas and throughout the year.

JANUARY 6 – FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY
At the 5:00 p.m. Mass next weekend, we will again celebrate the custom of commemorating the wise men being led by the star to Jesus in the manger by inscribing 20+C+M+B+08 above the `church doors. This custom expresses the belief that the Lord remains with His people, protecting all who come and go. Parish households will be invited to share in this ritual in there own homes. Packets containing the prayer cards and chalk will be available at Masses next weekend.

BINGO WORKERS NEEDED
Bingo workers are needed on Thursday evenings. If you can work one Thursday a month in our SMOKE FREE bingo, please call Bingo Ralph at 299-2416 or Paul Nozar at 426-7593. No experience necessary. Proceeds from bingo go directly to Education Ascension. Education Ascension provides needed tuition assistance to Ascension families with children attending Ascension School or Religious education programs. Scholarships to Catholic high schools are also available.
This is a great way to help way to help out Ascension and meet some of your fellow Ascensionites. Try it! You’ll like it!

NEWLY REGISTERD PARISHIONERS
Welcome to our newly registered parishioners: Kevin Crisler, Crestwell Place; Jaime & Zoraika Naguit, Desai Court; William & Nancy Weston, Mardella Drive.

2008 GOLDEN WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES
The 2008 Golden Wedding Anniversary Mass for couples celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary will be held March 29 at St. Christopher Parish in Vandalia. Couples celebrating their Golden or Silver Wedding Anniversary during 2008 should notify the parish by February 15.

REPORTING ABUSE
If you know someone who has been abused at any time by an agent of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati (priest, deacon, employee or volunteer), the Archdiocese urges you to contact Sr. Mary Garke, the Victims’ Assistance Coordinator of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, at 1-800-686-2724 as well as the victim’s secular legal authorities.

PARISH OFFICE – HOLIDAY HOURS
The Parish Office will be closed for the Christmas holidays December 31 & January 1. Regular office hours resume January

PARENTING POINTERS
On this fourth day of Christmas, presents have probably all been opened (and hopefully still cherished) but Christmas is not over. Could your family still do a gift of “four calling birds”? Don’t know where to buy “calling birds”? Consider calling up a distant relative or taking a family hike to look for birds and listen.

MARRIAGE MOMENTS
By Susan Vogt www.SusanVogt.net
Ask your spouse if there’s one little annoying habit that he/she would like you to work on changing. You don’t HAVE to do it, but the best part of a New Year’s resolution might be making an effort to please the one you love most.

AFFORDABLE COUNSELING AND SUPPORT
During the time of holiday stress, the professional counseling staff of Catholic Social Service of the Miami Valley is available to offer personalized, confidential counseling services for individuals, couples or families. Counseling appointments are currently available by calling 223-7217 ext. 2136 at the Center for Families, 1046 Brown Street. Reduced fees are available to those who qualify for them.

ATTENTION CARROLL CLASS OF 1998!
10 year reunion plans are underway for the weekend of August 2008. Please send your most recent email and home address to carroll98@gmail.com so that we can contact you with further details. (Parents of the class of 1998, please help us out!)

MENTORS FOR YOUNG MOMS
Are you looking for an opportunity to make a positive difference in the life of someone else? The Life Resource Centre at the Dayton Right to Life offices invites you to share your parenting experiences with a young mom. Mentors are needed to support young parents 16-21 years who have a toddler. The next training session will be held on Saturday, January 5, from 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. at One Elizabeth Place, 627 Edwin C. Moses Blvd. The mentor commitment is weekly for a 10 month period. The next session starts January 17 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Call Elaine or Tai at 223-9227 to register or to receive more information.

ASCENSION’S ACTIVITIES FOR THE WEEK
Complete calendar online: www.ascensionkettering.org/calendar.htm

SUNDAY
9:00 Contemporary Choir
10:30 Traditional Choir
12:00 Anointing of the Sick

MONDAY
NO School

TUESDAY
NO School
NO RCIA

WEDNESDAY
NO School
7:00 Athletic Board Meeting-POB

THURSDAY
NO School
6:30 Bingo-PAC
7:00 Traditional Choir Practice

FRIDAY
NO School
7:30 Bridge Club-POB

SATURDAY
Athletic Sign-ups After Mass-WC
4:00 Confession
5:00 Mass

SUNDAY
Athletic Sign-ups After Mass-WC
10:00 Baptism Prep-POB
10:15 RE Middle School
10:30 Early Childhood
10:30 Traditional Choir
11:45 HSYM LIFE Groups-YMR
1:00 Scrapping-WC
5:00 HSYM LIFE Groups-YMR
7:00 HSYM LIFE Groups-YMR