Youth Faith Formation
STM Paint Party (July 28th from 12-2:00 pm)
Middle and High School students come let your hair down in Mulhern Hall and enjoy a day of relaxing painting and great food. This event will be hosted by parishioner Terresa Ford. Paint party participants will be provided acrylic paints, brushes and canvas to create a painting of a still life set-up. Please bring a special item to add to the still life set up such as a rosary, photograph, or other item of significant meaning to you. Space is limited to 15 so register early.
STM IGNITE Friday Fellowship
STM Middle and High School Youth are invited to join us for “Friday Fellowship” via Zoom (nearly) every Friday this summer! Friday
Fellowship provides a safe place where the kids can come together and share what’s on their hearts. Anything goes! Bring your favorite beverage/snack and join Stewart Voegtlin and STM parishioner/intern Terresa Ford at noon (middle school) and 2 PM (high school). Contact Terresa Ford (terresaford2014@gmail.com) for more information.
STM SPARK (PK-5th Grade)
SPARK, now a cooperative program that benefits from family involvement in various capacities, provides catechetical instruction to children not enrolled in a parochial school. SPARK relies on small group conversations oriented around the Bible story and Gospel message, with special attention to sacramental themes, especially for those preparing to make their first reconciliation and communion. Prayer practices, imaginative play, and other multimodal activities are extended to meet children where they are. Primary concern is to invite children into an awareness of God’s activity in their lives and introduce them to all the ways they may walk alongside Jesus. SPARK meets on Sundays from 9 AM- 10 AM and begins in late August 2021. Register for SPARK | Learn More about SPARK
Catechists Needed
As of June 17, we require 14 volunteer catechists to make SPARK happen in late August.
We have a current enrollment of 112 children, with an expectation of 175-200. We require four catechists for Pre-K, three catechists for kindergarten, two catechists each for 1st and 4th grades, and three catechists for 5th grade.
We have worked to substantially lessen the burden on catechists:
- Lesson plans are provided for catechists (see attached example).
- Catechists are supported by parent volunteers.
- In-person gatherings are limited to two per month, sometimes with only one gathering per month (see attached calendar).
- Catechist children participate in children’s programming for free (CGS, SPARK, IGNITE).
- And we have shifted away from traditional pedagogy, i.e., school, and towards a true faith formation model, which rests on accompaniment and connection with children in meaningful ways.
This is the good news! The not-so-good news is we are reaching a crisis point. If folks don’t step forward, we’ll have to close registration.
Please consider reaching out to Stewart today. Send him an email. He is happy to answer any questions you might have. If you prefer to speak by phone, give him a call (404 309 4809).
STM IGNITE (6th-12th Grade)
IGNITE relies on small group conversations oriented around the Bible story and Gospel message. Prayer practices, role play, and other multimodal activities are extended to meet children where they are. Primary concern is to invite children into a relationship with Jesus built on Christian practice. Conversation topics are based on lectionary texts or social justice themes. Every other month a service project will stand in for a youth meeting. Service projects will be held on Saturdays and Sundays and will last no more than an hour. IGNITE meets on Sundays, (middle school) 3 PM – 4 PM, (high school) 4:05 PM – 5:05 PM and begins in September 2021. Register for IGNITE | Learn more about IGNITE
STM’s Confirmation programming is oriented around small group discussion of the “greatest commandment.” Small group discussions (held via Zoom) begin in late August. We will host a retreat at Ignatius House in December for confirmands, and the Confirmation Mass will be held in mid- to late-January. If your child is not enrolled in a parochial school, we encourage you to register them for STM IGNITE as well. Register for Confirmation | Learn more about Confirmation
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd – Enroll your 3 or 4 year old
Registration is now full.
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a Montessori-based catechesis model that respects the dignity of the child. CGS believes there is an innate desire in the child for God, and that they simply need the right environment to discover that. Children in CGS encounter Jesus and the God of salvation history through biblical stories presented with materials in the atrium (the CGS term for the gathering space) and make natural connections with liturgy and sacraments, making Mass relevant and connected to our story in Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd.
Starting September 12, CGS will be meeting in person. Our atrium can accommodate 3 or 4 year olds who are toilet-trained. If you have a child who will be three or four as of September and are interested in enrolling them in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd or if you are interested in becoming a catechist or assistant, please contact Andy Otto at aotto@stmga.org. To learn more about CGS, watch this short video:
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Contact Stewart Voegtlin – Email: svoegtlin@stmga.org