God is Good Everyday! Faith Formation, Lent and Music

I forgot how much I enjoy working with Elementary age children for Faith Formation. My coworker is still out with an injury so I worked with the Faith Formation program again yesterday. We had the First Communion Retreat last Saturday and that just fueled my flame for formation again in young children.

Last night at the start of the program we had a gathering to pray and talk about the Liturgical Season of Lent with a powerpoint. Then out came the music. I had some videos stored on my computer from a few years ago when I was the coordinator, so I didn't have to work too hard to pull it all together.

A few of the older elementary (we had pre-5th at that time) remembered me and the music so they were leaders for the younger children in the "choreography".

This is one of the favorites - we made up our own "movements".


 This video has it all - music and choreography!

 

Prayer, powerpoint and music only lasted 10 minutes so it didn't infringe on the Catechist's time with the students, but enhanced the experience. If the children aren't engaged, they become bored and that leads to being tired and not paying attention. Elementary session is from 6-7pm, so that age is tired by this time of the day and need the music and movement to invigorate them for the rest of the lesson.

I feel so blessed to be able to enjoy time in prayer and Catechesis with all people, but especially children and youth.

The youth group meets from 6-7pm too, so I had them come out for the gathering with the younger students. After the elementary were released to their teachers we went to the youth room to work on posters for the March Food Drive.  They were so understanding of the situation.

At 7:00 we had a few minutes to get set up for the 6-10th grade to start at 7:15pm, playing music in the gathering area of course~

The youth gathered for prayer. Then we had a powerpoint that started with Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus in the Desert that youth volunteered to read. We then watched a great video from Busted Halo that was only a couple minutes long about our personal journey in the desert.

Make Faith Formation joyful. Learning can be joyful. Praise and worship can be joyful.
Lent is a penitential time, but still can be joy filled.

Ecclesiastes 8:15

"Therefore I praised joy, because there is nothing better for mortals under the sun than to eat and drink and be joyful;"

Mother Mary, Pray for us to be joyful and praise God everyday!  AMEN
God is good - EVERYDAY
and EVERYDAY God is good!

Approved Eucharistic Miracles for Faith Formation & Youth Ministry

Approved Eucharist Miracles can be very powerful to youth and young adults for faith formation and youth ministry.  One that is my favorite and I have come back to time and time again is the
Miracle of Lanciano.
There was a priest having doubts about the real presence in the 8th century. During the Mass the Body and Blood of Christ that would have had the appearance of Bread and Wine took on the appearance of Flesh and Blood. The Flesh is real flesh and the Blood is real blood. These Relics can still be viewed today and should have decomposed long ago.

There have been scientific tests done - the Flesh is of a heart and the Blood is type AB (which just happens to be the Blood type on the Shroud of Turin - but that is for another day!).

Eucharistic Miracles are not needed for the faithful, but can be a good teaching tool for the Real Presence. EVERY MASS AND EUCHARIST IS A MIRACLE - A SPECIAL GIFT!



Mother Mary, Pray for us to know the Miracle of every Mass through the Holy Eucharist and Real Presence. AMEN

First Eucharist Retreat

My coworker has taken a bad fall and broke her leg in a few places, she will be out for quite sometime. She has an elementary First Eucharist Retreat scheduled for Saturday. Being I had been the elementary coordinator in the past and was a second grade Catechist for many years, it was assigned to me. I am very sorry for her fall and pray for a speedy recovery from her injuries, but at the same time it gives me another good Lenten opportunity to teach and pray!

We will start the retreat with prayer and then move on to the prayer stations my coworker had already made. She made 3 beautiful stations for them to review as they prepare for First Communion.

Then we will gather together again and do a presentation Q&A that I had made years ago. (It can be downloaded below.)

Link for First Eucharist Retreat download.

After the Q&A - we will gather with Father and "break bread". Before we eat we will have the Bible readings for the Passover, Water into Wine, Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, and Last Supper - around the table. Each reading having a miracle and each with sharing a meal.

 The table will be set with loaves, grapes, grape juice, and wheat along with butter and grape jelly.

The children enjoy being a part of the meal and especially having Father come down with "images" to share and explain..

I am looking forward to working with the First Communicants again!

Mother Mary pray for us to have a good retreat on Saturday! Amen