Valley Fair Update

Here are some pictures from our day at Valley Fair. As you can see, we had beautiful weather. We took almost 40 people this year!

Join us next year!

Matt Maher Concert 9.12.08

This is Matt Maher. The youth group will be going to his concert on September 12th. Check out his video and join us for the concert! Contact Carol with any questions!

Youth Ministry Parent Meeting

Parents of youth grades 6-12,

I want to hear from you! On Wednesday, September 17th we will be having a parent round table discussion about the youth ministry program at St. Francis of Assisi Church. I would like to invite you to participate in this event if you have a child in grades 6-12. It is my belief that it is the role of the parish community to draw in young people and pass down that living faith that is evident in the lives of its adult members. It is our responsibility and privilege to share the joy of Christ in our lives.

Please come with ideas, hopes, dreams and a willingness to participate and work together. I believe it is the desire of this parish to have the youth embrace a relationship with Christ and practice it within the framework of our Catholic faith. How can God use you towards that goal?

Parent Round Table

Discussion on Youth Ministry

Wednesday, September 17th @ 7:45 pm

Matt Maher Concert 9.12.08

All youth grades 9-12 are invited to attend the upcoming Matt Maher Concert on Sept 12th in Coon Rapids, MN. Cost will be determined by the number of participants. We will potentially travel with other Rochester Catholic youth who are interested in the concert. Total cost will be about $25 for the concert and a bus (Cost could be lower depending on the number of people in our group.) We would leave at about 5 pm on that Friday.

Be sure to visit Matt's website. He has a great bio and links to his myspace and facebook pages as well. Contact Carol if you are interested in going (or parents if you are interested in coming along!) Get your friends together soon...September 12th will be here before we know it!

Attention all Valley Fair-goers!

I am really excited for Saturday to come! It looks like it should be nice weather but with Minnesota we never really know! I would suggest sunscreen, good shoes to walk in, and maybe some extra money for goodies!

We have 30+ people going. WOOHOO!

ATTENTION PARENTS: If you need to reach me on Saturday, please call (763)234-0132 (my cell)

Don't worry--you're at the right place!

I changed the layout and scheme of the blog today. My goal is to make it readable, organized, accessible and fun! Feel free to let me know what you think. But don't worry, although the colors and format has changed...the information is all here!

Carol, what have you been up to?

Well, let me tell you!

I spent a week (August 11-15th) in Belleville, Illinois at the Institute in Adolescent Catechesis presented by the Center for Ministry Development. The conference was held at Our Lady of the Snows Shrine. It was a beautiful setting for the conference and provided many devotional areas as well.

The conference was a gathering of about 50 people from Directors of Religious Education to Youth Ministers to Diocesan members. There were speakers, small group discussions, activities and time for prayer and reflection.

I come back from this experience rejuvenated and hopeful. It was encouraging to be in community with other Catholic people who are passionate about empowering youth to live as disciples for Christ and embrace and know their rich, Catholic faith!

One message I brought back from this conference was the idea that the ideal youth ministry is one that takes advantage of its community. This means that the living faith that is present within our adult community should be organized and empowered in such a way that our faith is accessible to our youth. We invite the youth into this community and empower them to become leaders and disciples for Jesus Christ.

This was a great week for me full of thinking and dreaming and prayer. I am grateful for the opportunity to experience a conference like this. If you would like to know more, please ask. I would like to talk about it with you!

Valley Fair

Just a few reminders!

-Don't forget your bag lunches! (We will have coolers available to keep them cool!)
-Arrive at the church a little early Saturday morning (like 8:20 am) so we can leave on time!
-If you haven't turned in your permission form or your money...do that ASAP!
-Cell phones: if you have them, bring them! This will allow for better communication throughout the day. I will have mine with me. My cell phone number is 763-234-0132.
-Remember to watch the weather for that day and dress accordingly. (Keep in mind that modesty is always a priority because we represent Christ wherever we go!)
-Call me if you have any other questions or concerns! 289-2427

Church Picnic

I hope I will see everyone at the parish picnic this Sunday. Father Ned will be there and I will be organizing the kids games for the day. It looks like good weather and the Canadian Honker will be catering. It should be fun for the whole family!

I hope to see you there!

Wall-E Update

Hey everyone!
I just wanted to let you know about our Wall-E movie and service day! We had a really good time. We enjoyed having a little pizza picnic and played ladderball before the movie. If you haven't seen Wall-E yet, you might want to check this one out. Not only did we think about the consequences of consumerism and excess, there were also some very good themes of sacrificial love. This would be a good movie for the whole family.

Again, the U.S. Catholic Bishop's review can be found here: http://www.usccb.org/movies/current.shtml The USCCB constantly reviews upcoming and current movies and television shows--a great tool for parents!

Thanks to all of you who came. To the rest: we look forward to seeing you at our next event!

Valley Fair

(click to view a bigger version)

Space is limited for Valley Fair...sign up today!
Children younger than 6th grade are welcome if they are accompanied by their parents...at this price you can make it a trip for the whole family!
Don't miss out...seats are filling up!