Welcome to the New Family Faith Formation Program!

We kicked off Family Faith Formation for our K-6th graders and their families this past weekend — with the second grade sacramental year meeting later in the month. Our monthly family theme is God and Creation, where we learn about God’s love story with all of us through his planned and purposeful creation of the universe.
Families will unpack the wonder in God’s creation throughout the second week, and children will receive age-specific learning in an after school session during the third week. Family Mass marks the fourth week, with families participating and later joining with all parishioners for donuts and beverages after the 10:30 Mass.
We continue to need volunteers who can join us the first Saturday of the month to help work with children on activities and/or as instructors during the third week in the church hall for one hour. Please pray about this and ask God to speak to your heart—if interested, please contact Cindy Bryan at cindybryan@stjfchurch.org.
Did you know? Research has shown that grade-level faith formation classes, though effective in the past, are no longer the best mode for helping children grow closer to God. Our new Family Faith program will be centered around family learning and living our faith with, in and through the family God has given us. |
What can this new program do?
* Provide Faith Formation using a variety of platforms including in-person family faith nights, virtual story times, community service, home learning and family masses.
* Empower and equip parents who are the primary teachers of faith to their children to find opportunities and support to bring faith into both their homes and their daily living.
* Share our faith stories and form relationships with others in our parish
* Provide experiences and encounters with Jesus to help our children learn, live and LOVE our Catholic faith and strengthen relationships within families.
WHO is this program for?
EVERYONE! All ages, children, teens, young adults, parents, grandparents, caregivers, members of our faith community.
WHEN will this program meet?
Family faith is a flexible a new program that provides a variety of learning platforms.
* Week 1 of each month will meet as a community for family faith night where we will share a meal, have large and small group activities, group prayer and discussion and review of materials for the following week activities to be completed at home.
* Week 2 of each month will be activities to be completed as a family or on own at home
to promote learning, prayer and faith within in the walls of the family home
* Week 3 of each month will be virtual story and prayer time with guest readers each month. By next year, the hope is to have enough volunteers that during this week, there will be in person small group grade level meetings. Click here to be connected to the virtual session via Zoom.
* Week 4 will be Family Mass at 10:30 am with different families participating serving as greeters, gift bearers and passing out bulletins with a reception downstairs following Mass.
* Provide Faith Formation using a variety of platforms including in-person family faith nights, virtual story times, community service, home learning and family masses.
* Empower and equip parents who are the primary teachers of faith to their children to find opportunities and support to bring faith into both their homes and their daily living.
* Share our faith stories and form relationships with others in our parish
* Provide experiences and encounters with Jesus to help our children learn, live and LOVE our Catholic faith and strengthen relationships within families.
WHO is this program for?
EVERYONE! All ages, children, teens, young adults, parents, grandparents, caregivers, members of our faith community.
WHEN will this program meet?
Family faith is a flexible a new program that provides a variety of learning platforms.
* Week 1 of each month will meet as a community for family faith night where we will share a meal, have large and small group activities, group prayer and discussion and review of materials for the following week activities to be completed at home.
* Week 2 of each month will be activities to be completed as a family or on own at home
to promote learning, prayer and faith within in the walls of the family home
* Week 3 of each month will be virtual story and prayer time with guest readers each month. By next year, the hope is to have enough volunteers that during this week, there will be in person small group grade level meetings. Click here to be connected to the virtual session via Zoom.
* Week 4 will be Family Mass at 10:30 am with different families participating serving as greeters, gift bearers and passing out bulletins with a reception downstairs following Mass.
Monthly Resources
October
As a reminder, the new monthly format for Kindergarten-8th grade looks like this:
Week 1: Family Faith Night at church
Week 2: Materials to complete at home
Week 3: Zoom meeting (click to be connected) with fun and interactive Family Story and Prayer Night
Week 4: Family Mass 10:30am Mass (let Melissa know if you want to get involved, all welcome!)
See calendar for planning purposes. Any questions, please reach out to Melissa Jordan 860-214-7412 or Melissa.Jordan@stjfchurch.org
Week 1: Family Faith Night at church
Week 2: Materials to complete at home
Week 3: Zoom meeting (click to be connected) with fun and interactive Family Story and Prayer Night
Week 4: Family Mass 10:30am Mass (let Melissa know if you want to get involved, all welcome!)
See calendar for planning purposes. Any questions, please reach out to Melissa Jordan 860-214-7412 or Melissa.Jordan@stjfchurch.org
Resources
Click on the images to print:
November
December
January
FEbruary
March
APril
MAy
June