SUCCESS
SYNOD
STORIES
(pssst ... ideas to steal!)
evangelizing
with
cookies
going
Green
gratitude
jars
bible
&
brews
tapping
into
tourism
christ
in
concert
faith
through
fun & games
alpha
marriage
retreat
postcards
for the
pews
community
luncheon
a shrine
for a saint
tapping in
"We recently held a 'Cookies and Cards' event after our 10:30 a.m. Mass when we invited all parishioners to come to the church hall and spend some time in fellowship making Valentine's cards to be given to the nursing home residents, and also decorating Valentine's Day cookies. We had stations set up with card-making supplies and with cookies, frosting and decorations. The Altar Rosary ladies made sloppy joes for lunch for everyone. We had around 25 adults and children who came and they made 65 Valentines cards, which were delivered to the nursing homes by Valentine's Day. Each card said that it was from friends at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish. It was a good way to get some people together to enjoy some fellowship and also, in a small way, to evangelize to the nursing home residents from our parish, by showing our faith in action in doing something for others."
~Mary Kleinfehn
St. Thomas Aquinas, Knox
going from
large
to
small
"One of our priorities is to create a faith environment that promotes continuous growth and participation in the Catholic faith with our young people. We are a small parish and we don't have a lot of young people, but we want to keep the ones we have and encourage them to be active participants in the ministries of the parish. One way that we have had success is in having a children's Mass once a month, when the students in religious education perform the different ministries during the Mass. Some will bring up the gifts, serve or even lector. Since doing that, we have had two high school students who have become lectors for all the Masses, not just the children's Mass. It is great to see some young blood getting involved, and our hope is that those two will set an example for others."
~Mary Kleinfehn
St. Thomas Aquinas, Knox
caring
for
caregivers
