Steubenville 2010: What a BLAST!

We had a wonderful time at Steubenville once again this year! Overall, the conference boasted over 1200 participants. We had 29 high school youth from in and around Rochester and 7 youth from our St. Francis parish. It was a music filled, non-stop, thought-provoking, entertaining, spirit-filled, blessed weekend.

The conference was crammed with dynamic speakers such as Ennie Hickman, Fr. Jose Robles-Sanchez, Mary Bielski, Matt Smith, Fr. John Amsberry, and Shannon Dietz. All had powerful personal stories and each encouraged the youth to live out our Catholic faith and to know God in a new and deeper way. Powerful sessions of Adoration, praise and worship and liturgies were great experiences for our youth. Here is a reflection from one of our students:


“My experience at the Steubenville North Conference was absolutely amazing. It was unlike any of my past encounters with God. Adoration on Saturday night was a very moving time during the weekend. The feeling you get after going to Confession then kneeling with 1300 other teens and adults praising God in an untraditional and enjoyable way is indescribable! Listening to the speakers talk about their own struggles gives you hope for your own life. You were not created to be like anyone else. God loves you for who you are. I can honestly say that Steubenville North changed my life forever.”

Hannah Friedrich

A HUGE thank you goes out to all parents, students, chaperones, and volunteers who helped organize these kids to get to the conference.  We'd like to recognize Terri Pass, Theresa Peters, Dave Hubka and our own Paula Wick and JP Bida for volunteering their time and energy to participate as chaperones and lead these youth through the weekend.  Another special thank you goes to Sandy Hocraffer for all her work as Group Leader  before, during, and after the conference. Thank you, Sandy!

Finally, thanks Partnership for Youth and Steubenville North core team for another GREAT conference!

See the entire album at:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=72051&id=1382666462&l=021ea0dabb

We're already talking about next year:

Join us!

Donations for Haiti

We're collecting School supplies for Haiti!  At our Luau for Haiti event on Friday, August 6th we'll have the opportunity to collect and assemble backpacks full of school supplies for youth in Haiti.  As you are out doing your own school supplies shopping please remember this good cause!  Any traditional school supplies welcome--except crayons (since these will be transported to Haiti, we don't want to risk melting!)

Paper, pencils, notebooks, folders, backpacks, markers and pens--please help us collect supplies! 

Please donate by dropping supplies off at the parish center or at the box in the gathering space by Thursday, August 5th.

Join us for Service Splash 2010

Due to weather...

SERVICE SPLASH WILL BE HELD THURSDAY, JULY 29TH  1-5 PM.

Permission forms available in the Parish Center Office or Gathering Space kiosk.  Please turn in forms by Monday, July 19th.  Hope to see you there!

Steubenville 2010: What a BLAST!

Here's a small sample of Steubenville 2010...more to come!

High School Movie Night

Monday, August 2nd

6-9:30 pm

Count on Revenge...
The Count of Monte Cristo

Love, betrayal, adventure, jealousy, mercy, justice, fidelty, faith and friendship---what more could a movie offer?  If you've never read or seen this story before this is sure to be one you won't want to miss!  Join us as we dive into this movie and discuss these themes and more  and how they relate to our faith.

US Bishops Review:
Count of Monte Cristo -- Rousing adaptation of Alexander Dumas' classic adventure tale about a sailor (Jim Caviezel) falsely imprisoned for treason who eventually escapes, reinvents himself as a count and wreaks revenge on the close friend (Guy Pearce) who framed him. As a deft visual storyteller, director Kevin Reynolds honors his source material by seamlessly interweaving themes of jealousy, betrayal and vengeance transformed into mercy and redemption in an opulent production, although it underplays the main character's spiritual struggles with God. An implied affair, fleeting sexuality and intermittent sword fights and gunplay. A-II -- adults and adolescents. (PG-13) 2002

ART NIGHT-YOUTH HELP NEEDED!!!

Wednesday, July 28th

6-7:30 pm

Activity Room

All youth grades 6+ are welcome to join us for a night of preparing tfor the upcoming Vacation Bible School held here at St. Francis Church August 2-6.  We will be creating signs, posters and other themed art to go along with the Baobab Blast theme and make the whole week more fun for everyone.  Whether you're a volunteer during VBS or not--please join us and bring your artistic talents!

We'll meet from 6-7:30 pm in the Activity Room.  Lemonade and snacks will be provided.  Come ready to help paint, glue, cut and paste!!

RSVP by emailing: youthminister@stfrancis-church.org
Friends are welcome....just come ready to work!
No permission forms necessary, please RSVP.

Steubenville North Youth Conference 2010

It's that time of year again and the Steubenville Conference will hit Rochester in just a few days.  So much work has gone into organizing this group and getting kids to the conference: meetings, emails, messages, fundraisers, phone calls, conversations, letters--and that's just for our group!

All Rochester parishes form one group to send youth to Steubenville and we will send 30 youth and 5 chaperones.  St. Francis alone will send 7 youth,  2 chaperones and several other volunteers.  St. Francis church has also benefitted this group and our young people through fundraisers.  Thank you to all who have been involved in helping us get to this point!

I am so excited for the confernce and I know the young people are too!  Please keep us, the volunteers, chaperones, and all the young people in your prayers this week.  We will take all prayer support for a safe, fun and faith-filled weekend!

Middle School Movie Night: The Rookie

Monday, July 26th
6-9:30 pm ~ Activity Room

Sports fans and non-sportsfans alike will love this Disney story of dreams coming true.  Join us on the 26th for food, fun and a good discussion following the  movie.  We'll serve hot dogs, popcorn and soda just like at a real baseball game!!

The Rookie -- Uplifting charmer based on the true story of 35-year-old Jim Morris (Dennis Quaid), a small-town Texas baseball coach and high school chemistry teacher who gets a second chance at the big leagues and becomes the oldest rookie baseball player in 40 years. In spite of a few sags in momentum, director John Lee Hancock's film pulls on the heartstrings, nudging the audience to think about forgotten dreams while pleasing and inspiring without discernible violence, sex or crude language. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops classification is A-I -- general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is G -- general audiences. 2002  Read full review: http://www.usccb.org/movies/r/therookie.shtml

Incredibles: UPDATE!

Another great movie night this week...

We watched "The Incredibles" and talked about family, identity, being tue to yourself and believing in yourself--all which was shown in the movie.  It ended up being a really 'super' night ;)

We had a great time.  Thanks to all who came...see you at the next one. 

We'll be watching The Rookie on Monday, July 26th.  See you then!

Middle School Movie Night: Date Changed!!

Movie Night has been re-scheduled for Wednesday, July 7th.  Please turn in permission forms by Friday, July 2nd
St. Francis of Assisi Monday Movie Nights--Middle School
The Incredibles
6-9:30 pm
Open to all students entering grades 6-8
St. Francis of Assisi Activity Room

Are you SUPER excited for this movie night?  Any middle school students are welcome to come and bring friends to this INCREDIBLE movie night.  There will be movie trivia, snacks and beverages.  After we watch the movie we'll discuss Heroes, strength, family and Gfts of the Spirit.  Come to learn more about the movie, each other and your faith!

Read the U.S. Bishops review of the movie (below) or at: www.usccb.org/movies
 Amusing animated adventure about a family of superheroes -- headed by strongman Mr. Incredible (voiced by Craig T. Nelson) and his stretchable wife (voiced by Holly Hunter) -- living a "normal" suburban life as part of a witness protection program, when they are forced out of early retirement to save the world from an evil genius. Much edgier than past Pixar films, director Brad Bird's comic-book confection blurs the line between kids' and adult entertainment, which despite amazing visuals and a sharp-witted script falls slightly short of its title. Some action violence, including gunplay, a foiled suicide attempt and mature thematic elements. A-II -- adults and adolescents. (PG) 2004

Permission forms are available at St. Francis Parish Center or by email request. Contact Carol Crawford for more information youthminister@stfrancis-church.org or 289-2427. All forms due the friday preceding movie night.