Saint Luke 2019 Confirmation and Youth Ministry Information February 2019 Information Packet 1
Agenda The purpose of the Parent Information Session is: To get an overview of the Confirmation Retreat what students and parents can expect To know how to help - volunteer opportunities Examples include student check-in, food (prep and serving), pre-retreat logistics support, Saving Grace play rehearsals, etc. Confirmation Background Confirmation Milestone Dates, Catechist Contacts, and Retreat Requirements At the end of the deck - Appendix Confirmation Requirements Catechist Information Confirmation Retreat Day of Retreat Schedule student s view and parent volunteers view Parent Volunteer Sign-up Genius Saving Grace Play Background Student Sign-up Genius Rehearsals 2
Confirmation Milestone Dates Sacrament of Confirmation Parent Meetings Mandatory Meeting for Parents of 8 th Graders on Sept 30, 2018 (Sunday at 10:45am in the Gym) OR Oct 14, 2018 (Sunday at 9:15am in the Gym) Parent Information Session on Feb 13, 2019 Confirmation Retreat April 6 Complete paperwork for attendance: March 30, 2019 Date: April 6, 2019 at Saint Luke Church, Flaherty Hall Agenda: Faith formation, Play Rehearsal, Mass, Rite of Enrollment, and Play Performance Confirmation Rehearsal (May 13) and Mass (May 15) Confirmation Rehearsal: May 13, 2019, 6pm 7pm Saint Luke Church, Flaherty Hall: Confirmandi and their Sponsors must attend Confirmation Mass: May 15, 2019, 7pm Confirmandi will need to arrive at 6:15pm, Flaherty Hall for gowns and seat assignment If your child cannot attend the Confirmation Retreat or the Confirmation Rehearsal or the Confirmation Mass Please contact Saint Luke PSR staff (Joyce Franklin at jfranklin@saintlukemclean.org or Page Slusser at pslusser@saintlukemclean.org) as soon as possible so that other arrangements can be 3 made.
Catechist Contact Information Confirmation delivered by Saint Luke Parish School of Religion (PSR) Faith Formation team Joyce Franklin at jfranklin@saintlukemclean.org or Page Slusser at pslusser@saintlukemclean.org. Confirmation preparation delivered by Saint Luke Catechists: Sunday, 9:00am Donna Bobalek djbobalek@msn.com Sunday, 10:30am Marcel Jemio mjemio@faithification.org Sunday, 10:30am assistant Connor Reilly connorpreilly@gmail.com Monday 4:30pm - Susan Cosper smcosper@verizon.net Monday - assistant - Julie Carleton pdcarleton@yahoo.com SLS Grade 8 Religion - Kevin Cyron kcyron@stlukeschool.com SLS Grade 8 Religion - Brian Sweeney bsweeney@stlukeschool.com SLS Grade 8 Room Parent - Kimberly Briggs kwbriggs@gmail.com HS Youth Ministry Fatimah Estorninos fatima.estorninos@gmail.com HS Youth Ministry Benj Emrich - youthministry@saintlukemclean.org Confirmation Preparation Confirmation Candidate Booklet Confirmation Preparation class book For more information about Confirmation Preparation, please contact your child s Catechist 4
Confirmandi (as of Feb 11, 2019) Category Count Category Count Saint Luke School 8 th Grade 21 PSR Sunday 9am 8 th Grade 15 PSR Sunday 1030am 8 th Grade 12 PSR Monday 430pm 8 th Grade 26 Non-PSR, Non SLS 8 th Grade 4 High School Confirmandi (YM) 7 Total 85 7 th Grade material 6 8 th Grade 76 9 th Grade 5 10 th Grade 1 11 th Grade 1 Home School 2 Total 85 Category Count Category Count Candidates for Confirmation 83 Already Confirmed 2 Total 85 Candidates attending Retreat 84 Not attending Retreat 1 Total 85 5
Confirmation Retreat Requirements Arlington Diocese (Diocese of Arlington) The Confirmation Retreat is a required element in order to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. The Arlington Diocese requires an 8:1 supervision ratio to be maintained at all times. (Arlington Diocese Code of Conduct) Saint Luke PSR Staff (from Confirmation Candidate Booklet) In order to attend the Saint Luke Confirmation Retreat, the Faith Formation team needs the following by March 30, 2019: Each student needs to have submitted a completed permission/medical release form Each student needs to have submitted their Confirmation Retreat payment Each parent volunteer needs to provide their emergency contact information The Faith Formation team will be following up with parents to ensure that all required paperwork has been completed. The Faith Formation team will be monitoring Confirmation Prep attendance. Confirmation Retreat Core Team Provide a safe, memorable, faith-filled experience enriched with the support of the parish community Support through prayer and action for all Confirmandi to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation 6
Confirmation Retreat Requirements Parents (from Saint Luke Confirmation Candidate Booklet) Parents, as the first educators of your children, you play a primary role in sacramental preparation. Your attendance at meetings and the weekend celebration of the Eucharist is vital. There is no substitute for your actual presence. Your interest, involvement and concern make a difference in your child s perception of what this sacrament and the Christian life are all about. Each candidate, with the help of his or her parents, is responsible for choosing a sponsor. Confirmandi (from Saint Luke Confirmation Candidate Booklet) Attendance at Mass each week and on Holy Days of Obligation. Enrollment in and regular attendance at Faith Formation classes (or Catholic school); any absence must be excused. More than two absences are a matter for serious consideration. Regular attendance at Faith Formation classes the two years prior to Confirmation, as well as, the year you are to receive the sacrament. Participation in all Rites which take place at Mass (encouraging support and involvement of the entire believing community). Retreat Attendance (April 6, 2019). 7
Confirmation Retreat Schedule Tentative Student View 10:45 am - 11am Student Check-in (Narthex) 11 am 12:15pm Opening Prayer, Icebreaker, and Keynote (Flaherty Hall) 12:15 pm 1pm Lunch and Free Time (Gym, Fields) 1pm 3:15 pm Faith Experience Breakout Sessions (Patio, Gym, Flaherty Hall) 3:15 pm 4pm Saving Grace Rehearsal with The Restless (Flaherty Hall) 4pm 5:15pm Dinner, Free Time, T-shirts, and Mass Prep (Gym, Fields, and Flaherty Hall) 5:30pm 6:15pm Mass and Rite of Enrollment 6:15pm 6:30pm Saving Grace student-led Q&A 6:30pm 7:30pm Saving Grace play! 7:30pm 8pm Check-out and Dessert 8
Theme Location 3 Breakout Sessions [1:00 1:40; 1:45 2:25; and 2:30 3:10] running concurrently Volunteer Needs Love God Chapel Patio Lectio Divina Luke 5: 1-11 The Call of Simon & the Fishermen Simon and the other apostles who were called by Jesus left everything behind to follow him. As members of Christ s body, the Church, we are also called. We are called to be holy and this may require that we also leave certain things behind. Session leader will walk students through the Scripture passage using the steps of Lectio Divina: Reading Meditation Praying Contemplation Action Activity: Students will reflect on the attitudes or feelings (such as pride, jealousy, apathy, envy, greed, etc.) that distract them from following Jesus on the path to holiness. Students will write down these distractions on note cards and then burn them in the fire pit as a sign of their willingness to let go of these feelings and give themselves fully to Christ. 1 Adult Session Leader 2 Adults Volunteers (or more) to manage the fire pit on the patio Love Neighbor Gym Option 1: Rosary Craft Students will assemble durable rosaries that will be donated to our military troops serving overseas via Holy Cross Ministries. Option 2: Grate Patrol Students will sort and pack bags of donated food items to be handed out to the homeless in Washington, DC. (Food donations will be made by the students in the weeks leading up to the Retreat). Both options will include a brief introduction about the Projects, and the impact they have made in our local community and across the world. 2 Adult Session Leaders to introduce the Craft and give instructions. 2 Craft Volunteers (Sharers) to assist the students and help with setup, supplies, between sessions. Nurture Disciples Flaherty Hall Spiritual Gifts Assessment Brief discussion of Matthew 5: 13-16 (The Similes of Salt and Light) and our shared mission, as members of Christ s Church, to have an effect on the world and the people around us. God has given each of us certain gifts, and these gifts were meant to be shared. 1 Adult Session Leader 2-3 Life Teen members Students will take a survey to assess their individual Spiritual Gifts. Members of Life Teen will speak to the Confirmandi about opportunities within the Parish and our local Diocese where they can put their gifts to work for good. 9
St. Luke Confirmation Retreat - FAITH EXPERIENCE - Saturday April 6, 2019 Group "A" Teams: Group "B" Teams: Group "C" Teams: S 1:00 PM - 1:40 PM 1:00 PM - 1:40 PM 1:00 PM - 1:40 PM E Theme: Love God Theme: Nurture Disciples Theme: Love Neighbor S O Activity: Lectio Divina / Burn Distractions Activity: Spiritual Gifts Inventory OPTION 1: Durable Rosary Craft Project S N Session Leader: Volunteer TBD Session Leader: Volunteer TBD Session Leader: Volunteer TBD I E Location: Chapel / Patio Location: Flaherty Hall OPTION 2: Grate Patrol Project O Session Leader: Volunteer TBD N Location: Gym S 1:45 PM - 2:25 PM 1:45 PM - 2:25 PM 1:45 PM - 2:25 PM E Theme: Love Neighbor Theme: Love God Theme: Nurture Disciples S T OPTION 1: Durable Rosary Craft Project Activity: Lectio Divina / Burn Distractions Activity: Spiritual Gifts Inventory S W Session Leader: Volunteer TBD Session Leader: Volunteer TBD Session Leader: Volunteer TBD I O OPTION 2: Grate Patrol Project Location: Chapel / Patio Location: Flaherty Hall O Session Leader: Volunteer TBD N Location: Gym S 2:30 PM - 3:10 PM 2:30 PM - 3:10 PM 2:30 PM - 3:10 PM E T Theme: Nurture Disciples Theme: Love Neighbor Theme: Love God S H Activity: Spiritual Gifts Inventory OPTION 1: Durable Rosary Craft Project Activity: Lectio Divina / Burn Distractions S R Session Leader: Volunteer TBD Session Leader: Volunteer TBD Session Leader: Volunteer TBD I E Location: Flaherty Hall OPTION 2: Grate Patrol Project Location: Chapel / Patio O E Session Leader: Volunteer TBD N Location: Gym 10
Confirmation Retreat Volunteer Role Types Leaders: Volunteers who lead or facilitate sessions must be fully compliant with the Diocesan Policy for Volunteers rules (Office of Protection for Children and Young People, OPCYP) E.g., Core Team members, Faith Experience Session leaders, and Retreat Team leaders Assistants: Volunteers who are of high school age and who assist facilitators at the sessions do not have to comply with the Diocesan Child Protection rules E.g., Life Teen students, former-psr High School students Helpers: Volunteers, who do not directly interface with the faith experience sessions or play sessions, are encouraged to complete but do not have to complete the Diocesan Policy for Volunteers rules E.g., Retreat prep team (administrative and logistics), Food team (before and day of the Retreat), Cleanup team (at end of the Retreat), and Check-in/Check-out team Sharers: Volunteers, who contribute lightly in the faith experience sessions or play sessions up to 2 hours so that they can share in the Confirmation Retreat experience with their child, are encouraged to complete but do not have to complete the Diocesan Policy for Volunteers rules E.g., Parents, Grandparents who want to share the retreat experience with their child, grandchild. 11
Confirmation Retreat Parent Sign-Up Genius 12
Confirmation Retreat Play: Saving Grace Background Saving Grace is the story of a family s re-discovery of God s love - a Faith Journey Three part play: Prologue Act 1: Introduction to the Peters family - Loosely Connected Act 2: Family friction - Disconnected Act 3: Faith and Family re-discovered Reconnected The idea of presenting a play as part of the Confirmation Retreat was the result of a Design Thinking (brainstorming) session in 2016-2017. The purpose of the session was to encourage the students to generate and implement ideas to share Christ s love in meaningful ways. Purpose of the Play To bring God s love to our youth To let our youth be part of the creation process To remind our youth that God s love is real To take an active interest in our Catholic faith, in God, and in His never-ending mercy and forgiveness To have fun, be safe, and deliver a performance for our Saint Luke parishioners 13
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St. Francis de Sales Office Space The Peanuts Saving Grace has these elements Mean Girls Saint Cecilia Let them see you in me Wonder 16
Saving Grace Roles Main roles in all three acts (15) Greg, father Rachel, mother Alejandra, exchange student Cecilia, daughter (8 th grader) Ethan, son, (5 th grader) Supporting roles Greg s and Ethan s friends (9) Mike, Samir, Joshua, Office Team Members (3), Greg s Conscience (3) Rachel s friends (7) Lucy, Sally, Marci, Valerie, Judy, Mom #1, and Mom #2 Cecilia s friends (27) The Plastics (Regina, Gretchen, and Karen), PSR class (12), and Converge students (12) Act 1 Act 2 Act 3 Greg, father Rachel, mother Alejandra, exchange student Cecilia, daughter (8 th grader) Ethan, son, (5 th grader) Cecilia s friends (The Plastics) Greg s and Ethan s friends (Mike, Samir, Joshua, Office -3) Rachel s friends (Lucy, Sally, Marci, Mom #1, Mom #2) Greg, father Rachel, mother Alejandra, exchange student Cecilia, daughter (8 th grader) Ethan, son, (5 th grader) Cecilia s friends (The Plastics) Greg s and Ethan s friends (Greg s Conscience 3) Rachel s friends( Valerie) Greg, father Rachel, mother Alejandra, exchange student Cecilia, daughter (8 th grader) Ethan, son, (5 th grader) Cecilia s friends (PSR and Converge) 17
Saving Grace Sign-up Genius Saving Grace teams Acting team Be one of the actors in the play Design team Assist with scene changes, layout, props, skits, and script Lighting team Assist with spotlights, stage lights, and specialty lights Acting team: only sign up for one Act we will re-assess after two weeks If not enough actors sign up, then students who have signed up to act will be given the opportunity to have roles in multiple acts. If a student does not wish to be in an acting role, then the student can either be on the design team or lighting team. 18
Confirmation Retreat Student Sign-Up Genius 19
Next steps Complete all necessary forms by March 30 so that your child can attend the Confirmation Retreat on April 6 th If you can t attend the Retreat, please contact PSR Staff as soon as possible Sign up for Volunteer roles: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a0544a8a62daafa7-8thgrade Let us know if you are Diocesan compliant Sign up your child to be a Character in the Play and/or be on the Design Team and/or be on the Lighting Team: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a0544a8a62daafa7-confirmation Invite family and friends to the April 6 th Confirmation Retreat Mass and Play let your friends know and invite the families of your child's friends Invite family and friends to the May 15 th Confirmation Mass let your friends know and invite the families of your child's friends 20
Questions Please contact the Saint Luke PSR Staff if you have questions about the Confirmation requirements, Confirmation Rehearsal, and Confirmation Mass Joyce Franklin at jfranklin@saintlukemclean.org or Page Slusser at pslusser@saintlukemclean.org Please contact your child s Catechist if you have questions about Confirmation class preparation and content. If you don t know who your child s Catechist is, please contact the Saint Luke PSR Staff. Joyce Franklin at jfranklin@saintlukemclean.org or Page Slusser at pslusser@saintlukemclean.org Please contact the Confirmation Retreat Core Team if you have questions about the Confirmation Retreat Susan Cosper susan.m.cosper@gmail.com Isabel Cartagena isabelmariacartagena@gmail.com Jennifer Jemio marjenfam@gmail.com Tanya La Force Marcel Jemio mjemio@faithification.org With much support from Tiffany Lambert, Joyce Franklin, Page Slusser, Paul Skevington, Judy Werner, and Sandy Wallenhorst 21