Yeah, you there! On the other side of the screen! Did you know that there's a God out there (the God, in fact) who wants to see you flourish? Would you believe that that God wants to start something in your family this year that could, if left unchecked, cause those little seeds of childhood faith to flower into something real, good, and meaningful?

 

I believe that God can start something new and exciting in your life this year. And if you're reading this newsletter, you've already taken the first step! We at St. Matthew's Family Faith & Youth ministry are ready to walk this road with you. Our role is simple: to Inspire, to Empower, to Listen to, and to Love you and your family, every step of the way.

 

We've got a great year lined up, and our amazing community is already gathering to celebrate and grow with you. Scroll down for schedules, class information, and ways to get involved this upcoming school year. I look forward to seeing you soon!

 

In the Peace of Christ,

 

William Heili

Director of Evangelization & Catechesis

 

• Please join us for our Kick-off Family Mass celebration on September 7th, which will begin at 6:00pm in St. Matthew's Church. Afterwards, the Knights of Columbus are graciously providing dinner for the whole family at the Family Life Center Gym!
• After Mass and Dinner, meet your child's classroom teacher at our Family Faith Open House!
• Remember that children who are not receiving communion can snack before mass. No judgment here!

It's game day! Join us from 6:30pm to 8:00pm in the Family Life Center parking lot for games, snacks, and fellowship. All Junior High and High School Youth are welcome to attend!

Please note that Confirmation programs will NOT begin on September 7th. Instead, Confirmation will kick-off on September 28th with it's first meeting in St. Matthew's Parish Hall. See you there!

Classes for 1st Communion, all PreK-5th grade children and parents, Junior High and High School Youth groups will begin on September 14th at 6:30pm at St. Matthew's Family Life Center (in the same building as JPII Catholic School). Keep in mind that 6:30pm will be the normal start time for classes throughout the year.

 

Please note that Confirmation will not begin until September 28th.

If you would like to preview our program calendar for the entire school year, just check out the linked document below!

launchdocs.google.com

 

Family Faith is hosting a fundraiser disc golf tournament on Saturday, September 10th! Whether you're just beginning or you're a seasoned local legend, you're invited to join in the fun! No discs? No worries! Registrants will receive two special-stamped discs for play. Registration fee varies by division of play. Spectators and interested parties are welcome! Proceeds to benefit St. Matthew's Family Faith Formation.

We're always working to improve our Family Faith Formation programs based on feedback and experience from previous years. Find out how our PreK-5th grade programs are structured this year by watching this video!

For families with children in PreK-5th grades and 1st Communion, you'll find our Tiered Elective Homework and class topics summarized each month in this section of the newsletter.

Using the Parent Guide and Children's Activity book for A Family of Faith volume III:

[Tier 1] If you can only attend classes this month:

• Attend classes on September 14th and 28th
• Attend classes on October 5th, 12th, and 26th

[Tier 2] If you want to start exploring A Family of Faith at home, start with the following:

• a) Read and Discuss the Story of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (Parent Guide p. 39), and
• b) Add to your routine the activities from "Your Catholic Home" (Parent Guide p.10)

[Tier 3] If you're ready to start some deeper discussions at home, try these:

• a) Memorize the Bible verse John 8:12, on Parent Guide p. 8 as a family, and
• b) Complete the Family Journeyboard craft on Parent Guide p.3, 26, & 38

[Tier 4] If you want to flex your skills and go even deeper, try this:

• Complete one additional activity from each lesson in the October Parent Guide Lesson 1, (Parent Guide p.15) and Lesson 2, (Parent Guide p. 27)

In our parent classes this month, we will cover...

• September 14th - Orientation to A Family of Faith, volume III
  • Understand the purpose of Family Faith Formation,
  • Understand the format of Family Faith Formation, including it’s class and at-home components
  • Know where to acquire schedules, paperwork, and other resources for the year

• September 28th - The Soul and Morality
  • Define the term soul,
  • List the powers of the human soul and their purposes,
  • Describe the purpose of morality in light of this definition of the soul,

1st Communion classes will cover the following content this month:

• September 14th - Signs of Grace: You are Forgiven Session 1

• September 28th - Signs of Grace: You are Forgiven Session 2

In Family Faith's PreK class this month, we will cover...

• September 14th: Introduction to Children's Liturgy of the Word

• September 28th: Children's Liturgy for 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time & the story of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

In Family Faith's K-1st grade class this month, we will cover...

• September 14th: Introduction to Children's Liturgy of the Word

• September 28th: Children's Liturgy for 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time & the story of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

In Family Faith's 3rd-5th grade class this month, we will cover...

• September 14th: Introduction to Children's Liturgy of the Word

• September 28th: Children's Liturgy for 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time & the story of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

In this section, you'll find resources paperwork, notices, and resources for Family Faith and 1st Communion, and a few fun things from our ministry team, too!

 

• What are you Passionate about? I am passionate about finding connections between things that seem unrelated. I love how God has left His fingerprints all over the world; I want to see them all, and share them with others, too!
• Hobbies? Disc golf & wakeboarding in the summer; skiing and poem-writing in the winter; Dungeons & Dragons all year-round!
• Favorite Scripture Passage? "For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery." - Galatians 5:1
• What's the Last Book You Read or Movie You Watched that You Really Enjoyed? I finished reading the classic sci-fi novel Dune by Frank Herbert this summer. My sister and I are in a phase where we're reading a bunch of classic sci-fi novels, one after the other. For a book about a desert planet, I found it pretty... dry.

Listen to this year's theme song for Family Faith Formation on YouTube: "Refiner's Fire" by The Worship Project

 

Please send your questions related to Family Faith Formation, 1st Communion Preparation, Confirmation, and Youth Groups to William Heili at St. Matthew's Parish Office.

Email: [email protected]
Phone: (307) 682-3319

Address: 900 Butler-Spaeth Road, Gillette, WY, USA