January 2013

At the center of each one of us is a spark given to us by God at our baptism. This spark is the spirit of prayer, God's gift to each member of the Body of Christ. The matchstick given here to you represents this gift. The spark  of your imagination and dreams can be fanned into a flame if it is brought into Christ's community.

Think of the spark within you and how it becomes the fire of faith in the Church Community.

January's Meeting

Sparking the Flame: Communitas and Community

This month's agenda focused on the importance of sharing new ideas in the community to spark a new energy within our own parish communities.  Being that this month also celebrates vocations, we look to the gifts of those within our Church community to be those who spark new energy and/or sustain the flame.   

Please take time to reflect on this month's prayer service which includes paraphrased portions from Fr. Anthony Gittin's book titled, "A Presence that Disturbs: A Call to Radical Discipleship".   

The "Year of Faith" requires us to take a deeper look at how we are "sparking" the faith in others, and creating communities that meet the spiritual needs of  the faithful.  This book is an excellent read and challenges us to look at ways to stir up the dying fires that sometimes occur in our parishes so that we can build up new ideas, new excitement, and new communitas.  

Below you will find all the hand-outs from this month's meeting and a short video to summarize what was shared by those who attended the meeting.  

Please note next month's meeting date is changed from Friday, February 15 to TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12 .  We will celebrate with a Mardi Gras breakfast and lead into a Lenten Reflection.

Opening Prayer

Echo Newsletter, Jan 3-4. Issue  

Level I Online Courses, Winter/Spring

"Delightful Disciple" with Theresa May

"Vatican II ~ The Flow From Scripture" with Paul Hanley

Western Region Workshop Day on January 17 

"Learn the Bible this New Year" with Fr. Kevin Bunger "Catechetical Leader's Retreat", with Meg Castillini

"Lord of the Rings:The Hidden Catholic Meanings" at Holy Trinity

Winter Hours for the Resource Center (important!)

FaithQuest, screenshot handout...pass on to your catechists!

Catechetical Leaders' Directory ~ Finally done and updated! Please check your info!

ALSO, VERY, VERY IMPORTANT...

The new VIRTUS handbooks were distributed at our meeting.  Every parish is to get two copies, one for the CL and one for the pastor.   If you did not attend the meeting, could you please stop in and pick yours up or have someone from your parish do so. 

AND...MORE AROUND TOWN:

*St. Paul's in Rome is hosting Sr. Katie Eiffe on March 12 at 7pm to do another segment on Vatican II.  Call St. Paul's rectory for more info at 336-3082.

*St. Joseph's in Lee Center is hosting Adult "Let it Snow" nights every Tuesday night to help make the winter months go by without getting cabin fever!  They are sending me information, but if you would like to know more before it comes to me, please call St. Joe's at 336-2661. Click here for a listing of the "Let it Snow"series of events.

* +St. Mary of Mount Carmel/Blessed Sacrament will be hosting a Father/Son Retreat at the Good News Foundation, March 9-10.  This is open to all parishes!  Please RSVP by February 25, 2013.  Lodging, food, fun and prayer for fathers and sons.  Click here to download the brochure...and pass it on to others!

SHARING OF IDEAS: Sparks of Creativity!

+Check out Terri Panuccio's parish facebook page!  She is constantly adding prayers, events happening in the parish, photos of student work.  Her "friends" list keeps growing everyday!  Not only does she have friends from her own parish, but other folks in the community are friending her facebook page!  What a great example of evangelization!  If you have facebook, check out St. Marys Mount Carmel/Blessed Sacrament, Utica NY.  To start your own parish page, contact Terri to talk to her about her experience in setting up and maintaining.  

+Sr. Martha shared her Service Work paperwork. The student form is to be completed after a service project is done.  Questions include, Who did you serve?  What did you like best?  least?  What was the experience of those you served?  The form is signed by the student and by the supervisor of the project. Mary LaForest also uses a service completion form, which also includes reflection questions.  If you would like a copy of either form, we have them in our resource files in the office.

+Kathy Sledziona of St. Paul's in Rome is using the Pflaum Sacramental prep series.  She shared with the group the fun games  that Pflaum includes that are web-based.  I checked with Dave Barosci to make sure I can share the websites for games, as they are not on the regular website.  He was very happy to give permission and wants these sites to be shared.  So, check out the games at these websites and pass them on to your students/families!
 www.pflaum.com/reconciliation and www.pflaum.com/eucharist
 
+Cheryl Smith shared a service project that can easily be implemented and adapted to meet your needs.  26 Acts of Kindness, which began with Anne Curry, students can reflect on violence and ways to counter violence by doing acts of kindness in memory of the 26 victims of Newtown, CT.   

+Anne Elacqua shared a new twist to visiting nursing homes with students.  Her students did a "Snowman Contest" outside of the nursing home.  The snowmen were able to be seen by the patients and it gave them great joy.  Patients were asked to judge the wide variety of snowmen.  Later, the students came inside and did service work for the facility and patients.  A mixture of fun and work made it a positive experience for all.

Video: Fast Wrap Meeting