Religious Education Newsletter – Week of February 7, 2016
From Mr. Gale
Please note we will NOT have class on February 14!
Here are some links to the First Reconciliation pictures!
http://www.stjohnjackson.org/photo/first-reconciliation-2016/
https://www.facebook.com/stjohnjackson/posts/485783381609004
When we started the year, I “bit off more than I could chew” (and others as well!!) — we are going to shorten the Religious Ed calendar a bit for the end of the year. Our last day of class with be Sunday, April 24. Originally we were scheduled into May, but the First Holy Eucharist celebration is the weekend of May 1 (and more than half of our families have at least one student involved), Mother’s Day is the following Sunday (not a popular day for class with anyone), and then Pentecost is the Sunday after that (which will be VERY busy with other events the staff is connected with).
Please note we will NOT have class on:
- February 14 (President’s Day weekend, Valentine’s Day and a big RCIA weekend)
- Easter Sunday March 27
- April 3, the kick off to most school’s Spring Break
Lent begins NEXT WEEK already, February 10! Have you been thinking about how you will focus your attention with prayer, fasting and alms? Over these next few weeks, I will be sharing some articles I wrote a few years ago, taking a look at the SEVEN QUESTIONS Pontius Pilate poses to Jesus during the trial in John’s Gospel, chapters 19 & 20. We see seven distinct scenes where Pilate goes back and forth between Jesus in the praetorium and the Jews outside; seven times Pilate goes to one and then the other. During those seven scenes Pilate poses seven questions to Jesus. Over the weeks of Lent we will take a look at those SEVEN QUESTIONS. Are you the king of the Jews? What have you done? Then you are a king? What is truth? Where are you from? Do you not speak to me? Do you not know that I have the power to release you and I have the power to crucify you? What is Jesus saying to YOU in this? How do YOU ask these of Jesus?
Up-Coming Dates and Events
SNACK SCHEDULE 2016
Please note: with the change of schedule, we bumped up some of the dates for sharing snacks!! Thanks for doing this! 2/7 S-Z 2/21 WE provide 2/28 WE provide
3/6 WE provide 3/13 WE provide 3/20 A-D 3/22 – E-H 4/10 I-M
4/17 N-R 4/24 S-Z
FIRST HOLY EUCHARIST FOR 2ND GRADERS and our RCIA STUDENTS:
Retreat Date: Sunday, March 13 from 2:00-4:00. St. John Community Room. (Students attending do NOT have to also come to Religious Ed class on this date!)
Practice: Thursday evening April 28, 6:30pm
Celebration of the Sacrament: Families can choose between Saturday, April 30 4:00pm at St. Joseph Church or Sunday, May 1 2:00pm at St. John Church
REGIONAL CONFIRMATION RETREAT
All the regional Catholic Parishes are having a combined Confirmation Retreat on the weekend of April 16 & 17 at FaHoLo in Grass Lake. Details coming soon!
ALPHA, SOUP SUPPER and STATIONS DURING LENT
We are planning to launch Alpha 2 during six Fridays of Lent (ending before Good Friday). Alpha is opened to ALL parishioners, cradle Catholics as well as newcomers to the Faith; but it is especially geared for those who have never encountered the Church or Jesus. Alpha is a safe place to ask questions, explore, wrestle with some of life’s questions, and meet new friends. It is especially strong when we have a mix of people: some non-Catholic and others well-formed and living authentic Catholicism.
Fridays of Lent beginning with February 12, we will offer a light soup ‘n’ salad dinner starting at 5:00. The dinner will be served until 6:15; with Alpha beginning at 6:30 each week. The dinner is provided as a free will offering (no set charge!)! We are looking for a few soup cooks and a salad crew to help the Boy Scouts and Knights. We could also use a few more HOSTS and HELPERS for Alpha. Please contact me if interested. Come and see what all the excitement is about!
What we are memorizing:
Mass Responses, Our Father, Hail Mary, Act of Contrition, Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Why did God make us? To KNOW Him and LOVE Him and SERVE Him and to KNOW others and LOVE others and SERVE others in THIS WORLD and in HEAVEN.