Life Stages Spirituality

Interested in helping to identify the types and formats of our learning offerings for parishioners of all ages and life stages?  Consider joining the Life Stages Spirituality Council.  

A Life Stages Spirituality council member would be asked to:

• Provide insight into the challenges and needs of a particular life stage – communicate what’s needed
• Provide feedback and direction into the types, times, frequency & platform of programming appealing to a particular life stage – communicate the best way to fulfill needs
• Assist prioritization of needs and interests across all life stages – help juggle the needs of all

A Life Stages Spirituality council member would NOT be asked to:

• To be Catholic theology experts; we have resources and staff for that.
• To have all the answers or have it all together; you wouldn’t represent anyone.
• To develop or select curriculum; we have resources and staff for that.
• To have an ‘agenda’ for your life stage; we juggle the needs of all life stages.

Our Invitation: We are looking for men, women and teens who can represent the needs of their life stage on our quest to become the people God created us to be.

If you'd like to get involved or learn more, contact the staff representative to the Life Stages Spirituality Council, Mary McDonald.

Our Adult Learning Committee meets 1-2 times each year to plan adult learning opportunities and helps 'host' events on an as needed basis throughout the year.  If you're interested in exploring faith-based adult education opportunities, love to learn and help others learn and have a general interest in Spiritual growth, Bible study and speakers, we welcome you!  No experience required. 

Our Baptism ministers provide a welcoming celebration of initiation to the Church for infants and young children and their families at Baptism ceremonies.  At each Baptism, attendants prepare materials prior to the ceremony, assist the presider during the ceremony and clean up after the service.  The Baptism attendant is also a point of contact and support person for the family on the day of the service.

All training is provided and new Baptism attendants shadow experienced attendants before serving alone.  Baptism attendants spend about 90 minutes 2-3 times per year in this ministry.

If you want to be a welcoming presence to our newest members of the Church and their families, we welcome you to this ministry.

Mentor couples assist engaged couples preparing for the Sacrament of Marriage as they focus on the growth of their relationship and consider the many aspects of marital life.

A mentor couple welcomes an engaged couple into their home 3-5 times prior to a wedding ceremony to complete a preparation inventory tool and offer support and relationship exercises for the engaged couple to practice.  Each mentor meeting, including preparation time and follow through, is 2-3 hours and each mentor couple mentors an average of 1-2 engaged couples each year.

No prior experience is required, but a couple with a stable and mature marital relationship who practices active listening and empathy would be wonderful candidates for a mentor couple.  Eight hours of training in the Prepare/Enrich model of ministry is provided to mentor couples and on-going support is provided at annual meetings and discussions with our pastor.

Our RCIA team members instruct, mentor and encourage our RCIA catechumens (un-baptized) and candidates (baptized).  Although RCIA is an acronym for Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, our team has the opportunity to work with children and adults during this process. 

Team members prepare and lead sessions for catechumens and candidates on a rotating basis and participate in various rites as necessary.  

Although no prior experience is required, being a team member is special and ideal members are open to sharing their faith, enjoy interacting with those interested in becoming Catholic and have a knowledge of scripture and a commitment to expand that knowledge.

All volunteers should be registered parishioners and should complete all aspects of VIRTUS Training (E3).

Vacation Bible School (VBS) is a highlight of summer for the young people that attend.  If you'd like to help make it a success, there are many ways to get involved:

• Station Leader - teach prepared lessons
• Crew Leader - manage and encourage a small group of campers
• Drama Team - plan skits, help with music
• Making decorations and decorating the space prior to the start ofVBS.
• Preparing and serving snacks and cleaning up afterwards.
• Assisting teachers during classes
• Co-teaching a class of campers
• Teaching music or art classes
• Supervising outdoor play
• Parking lot monitor - monitor arrival and/or departure times to ensure camper safety
• Cleaning up at end of each day

Enjoy spending time with our high schoolers, but can't be a catechist?  Think it's important for youth to learn and grow faith through service?  Committed to a local justice or outreach ministry? 

Consider chaperoning a service event or planning an event for our high schoolers!  High school service events occur throughout the year so you can volunteer as your schedule allows.

VIRTUS Training is required for all our youth volunteers.

If you are interested in organizing an event or volunteering at an existing event, contact Dez Sobiech.

Enjoy spending time with and learning from our high schoolers?  

Consider helping make our annual, day-long retreat a fun, faith-filled event for our teens.  There are many ways to be involved:

• Feed them
• Facilitate small groups
• Join the Youth Retreat Team (high school students already confirmed)

Enjoy spending time with our youth, but can't be a catechist?  Think it's important for youth to learn and grow faith through service? 

Consider helping at a service event with our elementary aged youth!  Service events occur throughout the year so you can volunteer as your schedule allows.  Service events might include:

• Creating Christmas boxes of necessities for distribution by our outreach partners
• Making no-sew/tie blankets for distribution by the Annunciation Sisters to the people of North Minneapolis
• Making sandwiches for distribution to the homeless by MN Sandwich Project

VIRTUS Training is required for all our youth volunteers.

If you are interested in organizing an event or volunteering at an existing event, contact Mary McDonald.

Enjoy creating a warm welcome?  Want to help our youth celebrate the milestone of their First Reconciliation? 

Consider volunteering at our First Reconciliation Reception.  First Reconciliation usually takes place in November and a volunteer could expect to spend 2.5 hours to set-up, host and clean-up for the reception.

Intersted in hosting?  Contact Mary McDonald.
 

Like spending time with youth? Comfortable sharing your faith experiences?  Have patience interacting with (other people's) youth?  Want to grow your own faith in a comfortable space? 

Consider being an elementary program catechist!  Lead a small group of elementary aged youth as they progress on their faith journey.  Working in pairs, catechists meet with youth typically 2-3 times per month from Oct. - Apr. completing prepared, easy, engaging lessons, service projects, prayer experiences, games and interactive presentations.

No experience necessary; training is provided.  VIRTUS Training is required for all youth volunteers.

To volunteer, contact Mary McDonald.

Like spending time with tweens? Comfortable sharing your faith experiences?  Have patience interacting with (other people's) tweens?  Want to grow your own faith in a comfortable space? 

Consider being a middle school program catechist!  Lead a small group of middle schoolers as they progress on their faith journey.  Working in pairs, catechists meet with youth 1-2 times per month from Oct. - Apr. completing prepared, easy, engaging lessons, service projects, prayer experiences, games and interactive presentations.

No experience necessary; training is provided.  VIRTUS Training is required for all youth volunteers.

To volunteer, contact our Middle School Faith Formation Coordinator, Lori Skare.

Like spending time with teens? Comfortable sharing your faith experiences?  Want to grow your own faith at the same time? 

Consider being a Confirmation small group leader!  Lead a small group of high schoolers as they progress on their faith journey.  Working in pairs, leaders meet with teens 1-2 times per month for three months in "Year One" and seven months in "Year Two," as well as attending one half-day and one full-day retreat.  Lesson plans are easy to follow and include discussions, Bible study, service projects, prayer experiences, and group building.

No experience necessary; training is provided.  VIRTUS Training is required for all adult volunteers working with youth.

To volunteer, contact our Director of Outreach & Confirmation, Dez Sobiech.

Organize and lead a "Spring Fling" group for our Year 1 Confirmation students and other interested youth.  Put your plan together in the fall for a group that will meet in the spring, any time between mid-March and June.  Spring Fling groups can be developed out of almost any area of interest or expertise, providing you tie it to faith and sharing our gifts through service or social justice.

Intriqued?  Contact Dez for more information.

All adult volunteers working with you must complete the Virtus training program.

Interested in helping grow the faith of our youth through hands-on re-enactment of Bible stories? 

Consider volunteering as a Godly Play Catechist.  A Good Shepherd catechist tells a scripture story to assist the children in having an experience of God, using a simple Montessori style, contemplative teaching approach.  Manipulatives are used to re-enact the Word of God and reflection time is included to wonder how God is speaking to us today.

Trained Good Shepherd or Godly Play catechists are desired, but training will be provided for volunteers making a 2-3 year commitment.  Volunteers would be called upon on Wednesday evenings 2-3 times per year, Oct. - Apr.  A one hour St. Thomas Becket specific training session is provided.

VIRTUS Training is required for all youth volunteers.

Interested in helping youth grow their faith through hands-on re-enactment of scripture?  To volunteer or learn more, contact Mary McDonald.

OUR GODLY PLAY PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY ON HOLD DUE TO COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS.

Do you like interacting with Pre-K and Kindergartners?  Interested in helping form the foundation of their faith? 

Consider joining our Sharing God's Story (SGS) ministry.  Working in pairs of two, Sharing God's Story catechists lead 4 & 5 year olds through age-appropriate faith-sharing activities.  The children sing, pray, hear a Bible story, talk about the story, and do a craft project.

During our Sunday morning liturgies (Oct. - Apr.) children are invited up to gather in front of the altar after the opening prayer and depart as a group with adult and teen SGS catechists. They return before the celebration of Eucharist.

No prior experience is required.  Weekly materials are provided and a 1 hour orientation session is offered.  Catechists volunteer for a 1 year session and are scheduled as their schedules allow.

VIRTUS Training is required for all our youth volunteers.

To learn more about Sharing God's Story or become a catechist, contact our Director of Faith Formation, Mary McDonald.

SHARING GOD'S STORY IS CURRENTLY ON HOLD DUE TO COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS.

Do you like interacting with elementary aged youth?  Interested in helping form the foundation of their faith? 

Consider joining our Children's Liturgy of the Word (CLOW) ministry.  Working in pairs of two, Children's Liturgy of the Word catechists lead 1st - 5th graders through a small group Children's Liturgy of the Word while their parents participate in Liturgy of the Word during Mass.  The readings are the same Scripture verses, but adapted to the children's level.  The "homily" is a shared discussion of the theme at the children's level.  Each session opens and closes with prayer.

During our Sunday morning liturgies (Oct. - Apr.) children are invited to gather in front of the altar after the opening prayer and depart as a group with adult and teen CLOW catechists. They return before the celebration of Eucharist.

No prior experience is required.  Weekly materials are provided and a 1 hour orientation session is offered.  Catechists volunteer for a 1 year session and are scheduled as their schedules allow.

VIRTUS Training is required for all our youth volunteers.

To learn more about Children's Liturgy of the Word or become a catechist, contact our Director of Faith Formation, Mary McDonald.

CHILDREN'S LITURGY OF THE WORD IS CURRENTLY ON HOLD DUE TO COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS.

Interested in helping to identify the types and formats of our learning offerings for parishioners of all ages and life stages? 

Consider joining the Life Long Spirituality Council.  A Life Stages Spirituality council member would be asked to:

• Provide insight into the challenges and needs of a particular life stage – communicate what’s needed
• Provide feedback and direction into the types, times, frequency & platform of programming appealing to a particular life stage – communicate the best way to fulfill needs
• Assist prioritization of needs and interests across all life stages – help juggle the needs of all

A Life Stages Spirituality council member would NOT be asked to:

• To be Catholic theology experts; we have resources and staff for that.
• To have all the answers or have it all together; you wouldn’t represent anyone.
• To develop or select curriculum; we have resources and staff for that.
• To have an ‘agenda’ for your life stage; we juggle the needs of all life stages.

Our Invitation: We are looking for men, women and teens who can represent the needs of their life stage on our quest to become the people God created us to be.

If you'd like to get involved or learn more, contact the staff representative to the Life Stages Spirituality Council, Mary McDonald.