June GIFT Follow Up Email
Thank you for attending our June GIFT
Gatherings: Evaluation Meetings. If you were not able to attend the GIFT
sessions this month, please click
the link here to download the
PowerPoint presentation from the event. We have begun a long-range planning
process – this process began with our
PARISH CONVOCATION ON MAY 18TH
FROM 11:30-4:00 PM. The process will examine seven areas
of parish life – everyone will be asked to participate in the areas that are of
interest to them. Even if you are new to the parish, we want your input! Each
month, we will focus on a different area of parish life during study groups. The
study groups will be held on the 2nd week of each month; on Sunday
from 11:30-1:30 pm, Monday from 7-9pm, and Tuesday from 10-12 noon (you only
need to attend one each month). Here are the topics for each month:
Prayer & Worship (June)
Justice & Charity (July)
Community Building (August)
Catechesis (Sept)
Stewardship (October)
Pastoral Care & Ministry to
Families (Nov)
Evangelization (Dec)
Watch the Best Practices for Parishes bulletin boards and the weekly
bulletin for more information!
If you have not already completed the survey, you still by clicking here. (survey is in
google docs – you should not need to sign in to complete this, but please let
me know if you have trouble with it). We used the results received to plan
the evaluation meetings, but we’d still like to have your input!
At the evaluation meetings, we asked
all present to rank a list of suggested topics for 2014-15. The results are attached.
Here are additional comments from the
adult sessions:
·
Liked the topics from 2012-13
Orientations better than this years
·
Liked discussions about parenting and
learning from one another
·
CRS video about the girl in Guatemala
·
Human side of priests/deacons
·
Loved when Fr. Craig teaches us
·
Don’t use video only – need to allow
more time for discussions
·
Move the announcements to the adult
part of the gatherings
The adults participated in a
discussion about two additional ideas, here are some comments:
1) We asked about the format
of the gatherings, i.e. should we keep families groups together (and not do
break-out groups)?
a.
Not every time
b.
Maybe have a shorter break out time
(1/2 hour with kids, ½ hour without)
c.
Some like it the way it is, but maybe
have kids stay sometimes, like Christmas and Easter
d.
Perhaps have a series of topics –
like Sept/Oct would be the same, or Nov/Dec that way you could delve deeper
into a topic
2)
Because our faith is relational, and
we learn from one another, we’d like to help families put together small faith sharing groups so that they
could gather together. The families would decide how this would work – you could
decide on your meeting day & time, the format, what materials you wanted to
use, etc. I could help families get started. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THIS IDEA, LET ME KNOW – AND I WILL GATHER US
TOGETHER TO TALK MORE!
Here are some comments from the children’s evaluation sessions:
1)
What were some of the activities or topics you
especially liked?
a.
Pizza
b.
Movies - when
Jesus multiplied food & liked the
one where Jesus healed the crippled man
c.
Arts & Crafts - Dove & wreath, camel –
cycles of seasons
d.
Learned more about faith
e.
Once a month, getting more out of it
2)
What did you not like?
a.
Too long all together.
b.
Review of other years not very interesting.
Learn most when participating in sacraments
c.
5-8th group had some immature kids as
they’re too young. Maybe have a 5-6th grade and 7-8th
grade group done separately. 5th graders confused, 8th
graders bored, learn better in smaller groups. Allow middle school students to
be catechist helpers.
d.
3 – said they didn’t learn or remember much
3)
Are there any church topics you’d like to learn
more about?
a.
Middle schoolers – Adam & Eve & Creation
4)
Are there any service projects/field trips you’d
like to do?
a.
Tours of cathedrals, movie outings, library. If
MS field trip, do on a MSYM night.
Other Resources:
Pinterest –
Summer Family Faith Ideas http://www.pinterest.com/smff2013/
Vibrant Faith @
Home – www.vibrantfaithathome.org
This is a great resource – even has a iPhone app –
which offers short 5-10 minute long activities that families can do at home to
explore or teach faith topics.
Sabrina’s Blog
– Do you children ever ask you faith related questions that you are just not sure
how to answer? Or do really cool things related to their faith that you want to
share with the community? If so, follow the blog http://faqsfaithandquestions.blogspot.com
Announcements:
·
Best Practices for Parishes – our Long
Range Planning process is meeting this week – Monday June 9 from 7-9pm or
Tuesday, June 10th from 10-12 noon. This month is Prayer and Worship
so we’ll be evaluating everything we do at Mass, Baptism, Confirmation, First
Communion, funerals, weddings, and RCIA. If you have participated in any of
these things, your input is especially welcome.
·
Mission Trip to Ecuador – thank you
for your generous support and donations. The group will be blessed on Saturday,
June 14th at 5:00 pm, please come pray with us. You can follow daily
updates at www.sabrinaspence.blogspot.com .
·
Melanie, our Music Director is
retiring as of June 30th. She will host two Youth Concerts – June 22nd
and June 29th at 4pm. Please come and support her and the youth of
the parish!
·
Please prayerfully consider serving
the parish community as Catechist. Catechists are men and women who share their
faith with young people. They lead breakout groups during GIFT. My plan is to
have two teams of Catechists – one team covering all grade levels for Sunday
and one team for Wednesday. That way, catechists could attend the adult session
on the alternate day. It is a commitment, but only once a month. We will have a
training for all catechists in the area on August 23rd from 10-3pm
at St. Charles. Additionally, I would be willing to work with you and would
pair you with an experienced catechist.
