discipleship group ministry & confirmation 2020 …...jean wold: director of religious education...
TRANSCRIPT
Discipleship Group Ministry & Confirmation 2020-2021 Information Packet for
Parents of 8th Grade Teens St. Michael Catholic Church & St. Albert Catholic Church
July 2020
To 8th Grade Families:
Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ from Fr. Brian Park, STMA Catholic youth ministry, and the faith formation departments of St. Michael and St. Albert. We pray that you have had a blessed summer so far and we are looking forward to walking with your family during the upcoming 8th grade year.
8th grade is an exciting time for your child as they begin moving closer to the high school years. It also marks an important moment in their faith journey when they will have the opportunity to enroll and participate in our Discipleship Group Ministry leading to discernment of the reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation.
In this correspondence you will find general information about our 8th grade programs along with detailed registration information based on your school and parish status. Please follow the enclosed instructions for registration. We ask families to enroll as soon as possible as this helps us with preparing for the upcoming year.
Also, please plan on attending a required Parent Information Meeting just for parents of new 8th Grade Discipleship Group participants. You have two options to choose from:
Option 1: Schedule a time to meet with Ruth Gladitsch individually. ● Contact info: [email protected]
OR Option 2: Sign up for one of the large-group Parent Information Meetings:
● Tuesday, Sept. 15 – 7:00 p.m. at St. Albert Catholic Church ● Wednesday, Sept. 16 – 7:00 p.m. at St. Michael Catholic Church
o You will be notified late August when sign-up is available
Please know that you are in our prayers as we entrust ourselves, our families, and the days that lies ahead to our Lord Jesus Christ.
For His Glory,
Fr. Brian Park Ruth Gladitsch Jean Wold Bob Swift John O’Sullivan Gabrielle Swift
Note: We are prepared to make necessary accommodations due to COVID-19 for all youth and family programming..
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Belonging.
This is the #1 reason why young people in America join and leave churches. We all have a desire to be known, to belong, to be safe and to be loved. This is exactly what Discipleship Groups aim to fulfill for your child as the foundation for a life-long journey and learning about what it means to be a Catholic Christian in today's crazy world.
St. Albert and St. Michael parishes recognize that the three primary influences in a teen's life: parents, peers and adult mentors are essential in the spiritual life and personal growth of teens. D-Groups incorporate all three into a dynamic and powerful opportunity for each of our young people to find their place in this world and in the Catholic Church.
Discipleship groups are formed with parent input, are led by trained and faithful adult mentors, and foster positive peer relationships that are Christ-centered. D-Groups employ the Socratic method of teaching to discover a variety of Catholic lessons with themes ranging from fundamentals of prayer, to the Sacraments and more! These groups begin in 8th grade and continue for the entire five-year journey from 8th grade through high school graduation.
What is the Relationship between D-Groups & Confirmation? The Sacrament of Confirmation at St. Michael and St. Albert is something that is open to any teen in grades 8-12 who is actively living out their Catholic Faith on a personal level, is involved in a Discipleship Group, and whose family is active in the life of the parish, particularly through Family Formation.
Discipleship groups, are NOT "Confirmation Class," but rather is something your child commits to for five years, regardless of when they choose to be Confirmed. D-Group leaders accompany their teens in this discernment process and support them in every stage of their personal faith journey towards deeper devotion to Christ and fullness of life in the Catholic Church. More information about Confirmation preparation will be available at the parent information meetings for parents of registered D-Group participants in September.
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REGISTRATION LINKS: DISCIPLESHIP GROUPS: stmacatholicouth.org/breakaway
TLC - St. Albert: churchofstalbert.org/tlc-totallifelong-catechesis LIFT - St. Michael: stmcatholicchurch.org/lift IMPACT - St. Michael: stmcatholicchurch.org/impact
If you are a St. Albert Parishioner and
Attend Public School
Attend Catholic School
Are Home Schooled
REGISTER FOR BOTH
Discipleship Groups
AND TLC (Family Formation)
HOW TO GET STARTED If you are a St. Michael
Parishioner and
Attend Public School
Attend Catholic School
Are Home Schooled
REGISTER FOR BOTH
Discipleship Groups
AND LIFT (Family Formation) OR
IMPACT (Adult Only Formation)
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WHY FAMILY AND ADULT FORMATION?
One of the primary influences in a Teen’s life and faith journey is their PARENTS.
Despite what the media would have us believe, parents are still the most important
influence on their children. FAMILY FORMATION takes advantage of this!
While there are many evils attacking and wanting to divide the family, the Church
wants to build up and strengthen the family! Family Formation supports and equips
families as they come together to learn, share and live out the faith. Family Formation
and the Discipleship Group experience provide a sturdy foundation for faith to grow.
And, parents who practice a lived, personal relationship with God and His Church are
the most significant influence in their child’s faith and life choices. We are here to
support you and your family!
You as a parent are indispensable to the future faith life of your child.
What is TLC?
TLC is St. Albert’s Family Formation
Program for the entire family and meets
once a month during the school year.
churchofstalbert.org/tlc-totallifelong-catechesis
What is LIFT?
LIFT is St. Michael’s Family Formation
Program for the entire family and meets
once a month during the school year.
stmcatholicchurch.org/lift
What is IMPACT?
Impact is St. Michael’s Adult Only
Formation and meets three Wednesday
evenings during the school year.
stmcatholicchurch.org/impact
God always knocks at
the door of hearts. He
likes to do this. It
comes from His heart.
But, do you know what
He likes best? To
knock on the doors of
families and find
families that are
united, to find families
that love each other,
to find the families that
bring up their children
and educate them and
help them to keep
going forward and that
create a society of
goodness, of truth, and
of beauty.”
- Pope Francis
The family is vital in
passing a living
faith on to the next
generation.
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Staff Contact Information & Schedule Link For the complete schedule for 8th grade discipleship groups: Visit: www.stmacatholicyouth.org/breakaway
For questions about discipleship groups:
Ruth Gladitsch: Director of Youth Discipleship and Evangelization Office: 612-470-0927 Cell: 651-271-9715 (Text or call) [email protected] For questions about Confirmation requirements, family formation and sacramental preparation:
Bob Swift: Director of Faith Formation (St. Michael) Office: 763-497-2745 ext. 215 [email protected] Jean Wold: Director of Religious Education (St. Albert) Office: 763-497-3782 [email protected] For questions about middle school or high school youth ministry opportunities, including Core Team or summer events:
John O'Sullivan: Director of Youth Ministry (St. Michael) Office: 763-497-2745 ext 242 [email protected] Gabby Swift: Director of Youth Ministry (St. Albert) Cell: 612-418-9596 [email protected]
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Detailed instructions for ONLINE REGISTRATION THROUGH
ULTRACAMP
Registration Instructions
We have an online registration platform hosted by UltraCamp software, which allows families to save
personal information and easily access registrations and payment information for your entire family, all
in one place for both STMA Catholic Youth Ministry and St. Michael Faith Formation.
1. Create your UltraCamp family account and add account members (spouses and children)
Create your family account by clicking “Log Into Your Account/Register For An Event” on the STMA
Youth Ministry Home Page: www.stmacatholicyouth.org or by selecting the UltraCamp log in directly at:
https://www.ultracamp.com/clientlogin.aspx?idCamp=937&campCode=t14 Click “create an account”
link on the right hand side of the page. Complete the profile for the primary account holder (there will
be time to add a spouse and an unlimited number of children later on). Add family members by clicking
“add a parent or child to my account,” and completing the information for each person. Please include
all family members (parents, all children under 18 and younger). This information will be stored in your
family account and can be used to register for future youth events or faith formation ministries. ** Important Note for Youth Ministry: For teens registering for a Discipleship Group, Core Team, or any overnight
trip should uncheck the box that says “contact information for this person is the same as the primary contact” and
include a teen cell phone number (if they have one) under “primary phone number” and a parent phone number as
“secondary phone number.”
2. Make a Registration/Reservation
To register for an event, log into your account, click “register for an event” on the left side of the page.
Under “new registrations,” click on the name(s) of the person(s) you would like to register for the event.
A list of events that are available for that person will show up and you can select the desired event.
Depending on the event there may be medical forms, parental consent forms, questions related to
dietary restrictions, etc., Submit the registration once all the steps have been completed.
3. Pay for your Reservations
There are different payment options made available; making full payment with a credit card, payment
plans, or sending payment to the parish office. Scholarship options may also be available. Click “make a
payment” to view payment options. ** Important Note for Youth Ministry: After you set up your family account, we will be able to add the amounts
your family members earned through fundraising to your account and will be able to deduct from your totals
automatically. Please allow one or two weeks for this information to show up on your newly created account. If you have a concern regarding finances or ability to pay, please contact us for more information about financial
assistance and scholarships for youth events or assistance for your family.
4. Questions or have feedback? For Youth Ministry Events contact: [email protected]
For Faith Formation Ministries contact: [email protected]
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