Assisi Youth Ministry (Fulton, MD): 2009

Here's our activities for October

Celebrate World Youth Day! This weekend, October 24/25, wecelebrate young people in our community and our world. Please pray for all young people that they may strive to live lives of holiness.

Middle School Hayride (sponsored by HCYM) will be held at LarrilandFarm on Friday, October 30, 7:30-9:45 pm. Permission slips & more info can be found on the AYM Middle page of the parish website and thebulletin board. Cost is $15 and sign-ups are due Sunday, October 25.

Work Camp Informational Meeting will be held this Sunday, October 25 at 5:00 pm. All young people currently in high school (& their parents) are invited to learn more about this week-long summer service learning experience.

Teaching Mass will be held on Tuesday, October 27 at 5:00 pm. All are welcome! Please note that all Middle School young people are expected to attend the Teaching Mass in lieu of their regular class time.

New Website! Check out the parish’s re-designed website at http://www.instrumentofpeace.org/! The new website will be up on October 26 and has some great features – articles, readings for the day and much more!

Confirmation registration forms are due this Wednesday, October 21.

GIFT
GROWING IN FAITH TOGETHER
2008-2009

ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI GIFT PROGRAM & POLICY HANDBOOK
Revised 7/2008

The Catholic parish community of St. Francis of Assisi offers programs for children and adults to assist their growth in faith, based on the following principles:

• Growth in faith is a life-long process.
• Parents are the primary educators of their children's faith; the parish supports their efforts.
• Growth in faith is rooted in an integrated experience of Worship, Word, Service, and Community.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:

The Office of Religious Education and Youth Ministry
St. Francis Parish Office
8300 Old Columbia Road
Fulton, MD 20759
Religious Education 410-880-1285
religiouseducation@instrumentofpeace.org
Youth Ministry 410-880-4800
youthminister@instrumentofpeace.org
Parish Office 410-792-0470
FAX - 410-792-0472
www.instrumentofpeace.org

Dear Friends,

From its very inception, St. Francis of Assisi Parish has placed a high priority on faith formation.

The second declaration of our mission statement states:
As people redeemed by Christ, we will bear witness to his teaching and treasure our Christian and Catholic tradition. We pledge to live our faith ever more fully, understand it ever more deeply, and pass it on enthusiastically to our children.

The GIFT (Growing In Faith Together) program was developed to achieve this mission. It has changed over the years so that it would continue to meet the needs of our growing parish, the families participating, and the constraints of our facilities.

This Programs and Policy Handbook has been published to ensure that all who are traveling on their journey of faith are aware of what is available at St. Francis and what is needed of those who register. We hope that this document will serve to inform and clarify for all, how they can enhance their knowledge of the Catholic Church and continue to discover their relationship with God.

May God be with you on the journey.

Sincerely,
Fr. Dennis Diehl
Pastor

GIFT PROGRAMS

PARISH CELEBRATIONS

All members of the parish community are welcome to participate in prayer and catechetical
celebrations. A year-long theme will tie together the content of each event; although parishioners may attend any or all of the celebrations. To respect the time constraints of busy families, all other religious education and youth ministry programs are cancelled the week following Sunday Parish Celebrations to encourage all to participate.

In celebration of the parish’s 20th Anniversary, the parish celebrations will have a Franciscan
theme. A nominal fee per family will be charged for the meals which generally conclude each
parish celebration. Sign up is required, and registration will be held 2-3 weeks prior to each event.

Learning in God's House Together (LIGHT) Program &
Little Lambs Pre-Kindergarten

The LIGHT Program, for grades preK-5, consists of classroom sessions meeting on Monday and
Tuesday evenings. You may select any one session: Monday at 4:25-5:35 or 6:00-7:10 p.m. at St. Francis, or Tuesday at 5:00-6:10 p.m. at St. Paul’s Lutheran. As space allows each family will
choose the session that best fits their schedule. Class size is limited to 12 children. The
program enables young people to develop a faith community with their peers while learning about God and the Catholic Church. Catechists incorporate a variety of learning formats including textbook, Scripture, movement, crafts, videos, and music. Texts are the RCL Faith First Legacy Edition Series. The sessions run from September through March with a break from mid-December through mid-January.

AYM MIDDLE
(Middle School Youth Ministry)

The AYM Middle program for grades 6-8 will meet Monday afternoon from 4:15-5:30 or 5:45-7:00 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Fulton; or Tuesday afternoon from 4:45-6:00 p.m. at St. Francis.

Please see the GIFT calendar for scheduled sessions. The sessions will include large & small
group gatherings, prayer, and community building. Adults are needed to help facilitate the small
groups (divided by grade level), prepare large group sessions, chaperone activities, and serve as
part of the Leadership Team.

AYM HIGH
(High School Youth Ministry)

The AYM HIGH Youth Ministry for grades 9-12 will meet Sunday evenings from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at St. Francis. Please see the Religious Education calendar for scheduled Sundays. The evenings will include spiritual, catechetical, service and social activities. Adults are needed to lead small groups as catechists, prepare large group sessions, chaperone activities, serve as part of the Leadership Team.

FAMILY PROGRAM
(At-Home Religious Education)

With busy family schedules, parish program times are not always convenient. If this describes
your family, the family program is for you. Using this multi-faceted home study program, your
family decides its own schedule and meets at its own pace. An orientation session in the fall and
a family project are the only requirements other than your regular weekly family sessions. It is
recommended, though, that your family take advantage of other programs at the parish to
Revised 7/2008 provide seasonal enrichment activities – Children’s Liturgy of the Word, Parish Celebrations, Lenten Stations of the Cross, Stations of the Resurrection during the Easter season, etc…Watch the weekly bulletin for details about these and other programs with a family focus.

Each child in grades K-8 receives a textbook, the parents get the Family Guide resource, and
each family receives a copy of At Home With The Word- a yearly resource book for the Sunday
readings. The textbook publisher, RCL, also maintains an extensive website-www.faithfirst.com with supplemental material for the textbooks and a correlation to the readings of the Liturgical
Year. Arrangements can also be made to accommodate families with high school young people.

FAMILY LIFE CURRICULUM

Children in grades K-8 receive Benziger’s Family Life textbooks. Topics are presented in ageappropriate styles and encompass issues that face today’s Catholic families such as love, respect, emotions, rules, human development and sexuality. Parents are primarily responsible for teaching the material in these books; however, some topics will be taught in class and will require parental/guardian permission. The syllabus distributed with elementary Religious Education textbooks includes a correlation guide to related material taught in the LIGHT program.

Select AYM High general or small group sessions may address sexuality and morality topics
relevant to high school teens. Parents/guardians will be notified of these topics before-hand.
In addition, a Mother/Daughter & Father/Son breakfast is held on a Saturday morning for 5th and 6th grade youth where puberty, conception and child-birth, and the Church’s teaching on chastity are addressed. Individual male and female sessions are facilitated by adult members of the community who have a sound knowledge of and love for the Catholic moral teachings as well as a comfortable and inviting manner of interacting with parents/guardians and their youth. The
breakfast this year is scheduled for Saturday, January 10.

FEE STRUCTURE FOR LIGHT & AYM

The fees for any or all of the above programs are used to cover the cost of textbooks, materials
and supplies, facilities, staff, and training for volunteers.

The fees are:

Before August 1 and Returning families
*New parishioners after July 31
$90 for 1 child $125 for 1 child
$180 for 2 children $215 for 2 children
$210 for 3 or more children $245 for 3 or more children
Full-time Catechists receive a 50% discount off of their tuition.

If financial aid is needed, please contact the pastor, the Coordinator of Religious Education or
Coordinator of Youth Ministry to make arrangements.

ADULT FAITH FORMATION

With the understanding that learning is a life long process, Adult Faith Formation offers
opportunities for adults to share and grow in faith with other Catholic Christian adults. Check the
bulletin for information on bible studies, parenting workshops, guest speakers, prayer services
and other opportunities. A lending library of adult and children’s books and video tapes is
available to parishioners—see the shelves in the Gathering Space near the rest rooms.
Revised 7/2008

ADULT INQUIRY SESSIONS

Open forum sessions are held the second Tuesday of each month from October to May from
7:30-9:00 p.m. These sessions are intended for returning Catholics, adult Catholics seeking
Confirmation and non-Catholic adults seeking a faith community. No registration is required-these are no-obligation, drop-in meetings.

ADULTS GROWING IN FAITH TOGETHER

Once-a-month on the fourth Tuesday from 7:30-9:00, these sessions offer adult Catholics the
opportunity to learn more about Catholic Christianity and how to integrate it in our 21st Century
lives. See bulletin and website for topics and registration information.

RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION FOR ADULTS/CHILDREN
(RCIA/RCIA adapted for youth)

People seeking to join the Catholic Church are invited to participate in our RCIA process. Adults
(RCIA) meet weekly on Sunday mornings at 9:45 a.m. to learn about the Catholic Church, share
faith experiences, and support one another. Youth 8 and older who have never been baptized
meet to learn about the Church and explore the role God and Church play in their lives. The
schedule for youth is set based on the needs of the candidates. RCIA is an on-going, year-round
process. Call the Religious Education Office at any time for information. RCIA is a process that is
dependent on each individual’s needs and faith back-ground. Generally a minimum of a full
calendar year is needed to prepare to celebrate the sacraments. Seekers are encouraged to
attend with a sponsor.

SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION

A combination of meetings, catechetical sessions, and liturgical celebrations are all part of the
preparation process. Archdiocesan regulations state that children are to be enrolled in a Catholic
school or a parish religious education program approved by the pastor for at least one year prior
to entrance into the program for immediate preparation.

First Eucharist and Reconciliation preparation is offered beginning in the second grade. Parent
meetings are required and are held prior to the preparation classes. These meetings give you the
opportunity to register, give further information about the sacramental programs, and answer any questions you may have.

Confirmation preparation is offered beginning in high school. A required parent & candidate
meeting will be held on October 8 at 7 pm. At the meeting, the structure, calendar, and focus of
the preparation will be explained. Catechists are needed to teach the 7-week In-Home
Preparation Sessions.

Sacramental preparation is a freestanding program, separate from the regular religious education and youth ministry opportunities. The Religious Education and Youth Ministry programs you choose for your family do not affect it. All children and young people of the parish are invited to prepare for the sacraments and are presumed to be receiving religious education either in one of the parish programs or in a Catholic school.

The fees cover the cost of the textbooks, materials, supplies, and the Confirmation retreat. The
fees are:
First Reconciliation preparation - $35
First Eucharist preparation - $35
Confirmation preparation - $150

GIFT POLICIES & EXPECTATIONS

ATTENDANCE

All GIFT programs are designed to ensure the maximal learning experience for those who
participate. Consistent attendance is vital to providing that experience. Though there are
circumstances that preclude attendance at a particular session, it is hoped that parents place a
high priority on attendance at religious education and youth ministry programs and will work in
cooperation with the teachers/catechists/coordinator when children have to miss a class. Your
child must attend the session for which he/she is registered-there are no make up sessions. A
calendar is included with registration. Keep this handy to anticipate and avoid scheduling conflicts.

PARENT RESPONSIBILITY: WORKING WITH YOUR CHILDREN

Parents are the primary educators of their children. It is important to remember that, just like
school, your child's faith formation needs your support and encouragement. A syllabus is provided for LIGHT at the beginning of the year to keep parents notified of what their children are learning.

Discuss the lessons or sessions with your child. Pray with them regularly and bring them to Mass.

Your children are in our program for no more than 24 hours A YEAR! You have 24/7 to share your faith.

PROGRAMS AT ST. PAUL’S LUTHERAN CHURCH

Our friends and neighbors at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church graciously open their home to us for
some of our elementary and middle school sessions. This has been a successful and rewarding
partnership for our communities and is important to our St. Francis parish until we are able to build more space.

It is expected that everyone from St. Francis respects this generous gift and is a careful and considerate guest in their building and on their grounds.

Parents must escort their elementary age children to and from their rooms. Please be aware that St. Paul’s sponsors community groups in other parts of the building while our children are on-site.

Also, the intersection in front of St. Paul’s is a dangerous one—use caution when turning. The
driveway at St. Paul’s can be accessed through the cemetery off Murphy Road. This is a 2-way
driveway; please help us maintain traffic flow by not blocking the driveway.

PROGRAM CANCELLATION POLICY
(for activities and sessions scheduled on the parish calendar)

For the LIGHT and AYM Middle Monday and Tuesday evening programs, the cancellation policy will follow the Howard County School schedule. If Howard County cancels classes or closes
school early for any reason, programs will be cancelled. For Sunday AYM sessions, cancellations
will be posted on AYM voice mail, ext. #17 and on the parish website. And of course, please use
your own best judgment of driving conditions in your area when deciding whether to attend any of our programs.

CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR POLICY

Though there are few behavior problems in our classes, the following policy has been developed
to ensure that we are able to quickly identify and deal with any concerns of catechists and
parents. Respect for our volunteer catechists, the other students and the facility is assumed. A
progression of steps will be taken if the teacher feels that action is warranted.

The catechist will determine if the behavior is an ongoing problem or a one-time incident. For a
second incident, the Coordinator of Religious Education or Coordinator of Youth Ministry will be
notified. Parents will be notified by the catechist or the program coordinator to inform them of the disruption to the class. After a third incident, the child's parent will attend class with the child for at least one week. If the behavior still has not been corrected, the parent will teach the child at home or attend classes with the child.

REGISTERING FOR PROGRAMS

Registration packets for Religious Education programs become available in June. Families are
strongly encouraged to return their completed registration and payment to the parish office
before the end of July. New families joining the parish after classes have begun are asked to
call the parish office to discuss enrollment.

SAFETY

There will be many people bringing and picking up their children for the various programs. Please be careful driving on and off the parking lot. Note the traffic signs. Do not park along the driveway at St. Francis or St. Paul’s unless waiting in a pick-up line. Promptness in arrival and pick-up is important to ensure smooth running of each session. Children and youth will not be released from a session early without written parental consent or a responsible adult escorting them. If a driver must pick up a child early at St. Francis, he/she must park the car in the lot and walk into the building to escort the child to the car.

Drop-off and pick-up for LIGHT at St. Francis is done with a queue forming counter-clockwise around the parking lot. Drop-off and pick-up for LIGHT at St. Paul’s requires parking the car and entering the building by the side door. No elementary child will be dismissed without a parent, other adult as indicated by parent/guardian, or older sibling (with written parental consent). Cars waiting at St. Paul’s should be lined up single file so as not to block the driveway.

VOLUNTEERS

Volunteers are a very important part of our programs. Catechists and co-Catechists are always needed for all programs. For Grades K-5 , pre-K, Little Lambs and AYM Middle, the catechist /co-catechist commitment is for the entire year (Sept-March) on Monday or Tuesday afternoons or evenings. For the high school program, adults are needed to facilitate 3 or 6-week mini-courses and serve as Consistent Adult Presence (CAP).

Additional adult volunteers are needed as permanent substitutes, hall monitors, traffic coordinators, middle school and high school special event coordinators, chaperones, adults to serve on middle and high school leadership teams, and GIFT Committee members.

Without volunteers we would not be able to offer these programs for our children and young people, so please seriously consider how you can help pass on the tradition of faith to the young people of the parish.

All adult volunteer training requirement:

STAND training; catechists are also asked to attend a minimum of two other formation sessions
toward certification. Offered at St. Francis or at other parishes at reduced cost. Volunteers must
complete and sign an Archdiocesan Volunteer Application and Consent for Criminal History
Screening in compliance with the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s regulations.

GIFT Committee

The mission of the GIFT (Growing in Faith Together) Committee is to support and coordinate the effort of the parish to fulfill the parish mission statement. The Committee is responsible for
overseeing the coordination of all catechetical programming of the parish's ongoing formation in
the Catholic Church. The GIFT Committee meets three times per year. Some meetings, and
additional communication, will be managed through e-mail meetings. All interested parishioners
are welcome to join. Watch bulletin for meeting information.

Adult Faith Formation Team

The Adult Faith Formation Team is a sub-committee of the GIFT Committee. Its responsibility is to plan, implement, and provide programs for the continuing faith formation of the adults of the parish.

Youth Ministry Commission

The Youth Ministry Commission meets quarterly to oversee the High School and Middle
School youth ministry programs. The Commission provides vision, direction, support,
and advocacy for the parish’s ministry with our young people.

Any member of the parish is invited to become part of the GIFT Committee, the Adult Faith
Formation Team, or the Youth Ministry Commission. All committees welcome new faces and fresh ideas. Our religious education programs are always evolving to meet the needs of our growing parish.

If you are interested in becoming part of any committee, please call the Coordinator of Religious Education or the Coordinator of Youth Ministry at the parish office.

Assisi Youth Ministry (Fulton, MD)

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

AYM News for Parents and Youth in Assisi Youth Ministry, October 2009

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Welcome from The Coordinator

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Catechists and Volunteers

Confirmation

Family Home Program

AYM High

Reconciliation & Eucharist Preparation

AYM Middle, LIGHT & Little Lambs

Monday, August 31, 2009

St. Francis of Assisi GIFT Program & Policy handbook

MISSION STATEMENT

MISSION STATEMENT

2009/10 CALENDAR

AYM NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE

AYM INFORMATION

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