StM Faith Formation Newsletter

Happy New Year!

Faith formation classes resume this Sunday on January 5, 2025. We have missed seeing you and are excited to be returning. It is the time of year where sickness hits us, please be mindful of keeping your child home if they have a fever or virus symptoms. With that, we need many substitutes and adult volunteers to help with our programs. If you can help please visit our SUBSTITUTE SIGNUP to let us know.

Although Christmas Day has passed, we are still in the Christmas season until January 12, 2025 (Baptism of the Lord). This Sunday we will celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord which commemorates the visit of the Magi (three kings) to the baby Jesus. Our church will celebrate this feast with a beautiful Epiphany Concert starting at 7 pm in the church on Friday, January 3. This will be a wonderful family event to close out the season, we hope to see you there!

Many blessings,

The Faith Formation Team

Pre-School - Children’s Liturgy of the Word (CLOW): during the 8:30 am Mass

KINDERGARTEN CLASS: 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Elementary-Middle Sacrament Prep for Baptism, First Communion, Reconciliation: 3:15 – 4:30 pm

OCIA YOUTH: 3:15 - 4:30 pm

Middle Grades 3-8 - Challenge and Conquest Program (CC): 3:15 pm – 4:45 pm

High School - Confirmation: 12:30 pm – 2 pm or 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm

KINDERGARTEN - this class will be in Room 137 (ground floor next to the elevator)

OCIA YOUTH - PC Foundations - this class will be in the 1st floor Teacher Workroom

CLOW has moved to the Liturgy Department!

You can find Megan Bash there: mbash@stmcary.org.

SEE THE BULLETIN FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CLOW AND THE SCHEDULED DATES

ROOM: 137 (ground floor next to the elevator)

CLASS TIME: 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm (please note the time)

TEACHERS: Mrs. Pat Koppinger / Mrs. Heather Wallace

JANUARY 26 FROM 3:15 - 4:30 PM

BLUE & GOLD ROOM OF THE SCHOOL (CAFETERIA)

Required for First Holy Communion:

Copy of Baptismal Certificate and Data Sheet sent to Karen Dear.

WHEN YOU SIGN IN YOUR CHILD THIS WEEK, PLEASE LOOK FOR MISSING INFORMATION SHEET WITH YOUR CHILD'S TEACHER.

For Baptismal certificates, you can take a picture or scan and then email it to Joyce Blum. You do not need to bring in the original, a copy will suffice. If your child was baptized at St. Michael, you do not need to submit a certificate as we have that on file already.

We look forward to seeing you on Sunday for the first class of 2025! We have many exciting things in store for the upcoming year.

Our programs rely on your support. We continue to need volunteers to be extra hands. If groups would like to participate in an outside activity, move to the gym, or play on the fields, we need a second adult present. Some groups have two adults volunteering consistently, but some do not. By volunteering with a group, you give them the ability to fully participate in activities. The button below takes you to our Volunteer Sign-Up. We encourage you to join us for at least one Sunday this year.

Our next Confirmation meeting will be on Sunday, January 5th, 2025.

On Sunday, January 5th, Confirmation candidates will discuss the following questions that candidates raised during previous meetings: Is faith in God reasonable? Do faith and science contradict? To reflect on these questions, teens will watch an episode of the Search series episode 3 called "Why a God?" and chat about their thoughts with their small groups.

If you would like you watch this episode with your family, it can be found on Formed.org at the following link: https://watch.formed.org/the-search/season:1/videos/thesearch-ep3

Contact: Christina Dietzler (cdietzler@stmcary.org)

All Year 2 Confirmation Candidates are required to participate in the Confirmation retreat scheduled for Saturday, February 8th through Sunday, February 9th of 2025. Your teen received information about this retreat at the Open House and an additional handout with more details about the retreat at the Sunday, October 27th Confirmation meeting.

The cost of the retreat is $70. Payment can be submitted at the following Realm link below or you can bring a check or cash in an envelope with your teen's name on it to the next Confirmation meeting.

Registrhttps://onrealm.org/StMichaelArchangel/Registrations/Registrants/465bfbf2-f480-46fb-96fb-b2120100f901ants. The Parent Permission Form can be downloaded below in English and in Spanish.

All Confirmation Candidates in Year 1 and Year 2 need to submit the following paperwork by Sunday, December 8th, 2024. If your teen is in Year 2 of preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation, we may already have these forms if your teen submitted them last year. Please email Christina Dietzler at cdietzler@stmcary.org with any questions.

• Certificate of Baptism
• Certificate of First Holy Communion
• Confirmation Data Form
• Sponsor Form

This is a faith-based group that focuses on Catholic formation, socialization, and service, for high school-aged youth. Eligible youth will be in high school or of high school age. High School Youth Group encourages youth to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ in a supportive community and empowers them to be leaders in sharing the Gospel.

Youth Group will meet in the Parish Center on the following evenings in January 2025

Thursday, January 9th 6:30pm-8:30pm

Thursday, January 16th 6:30pm-8:30pm

Thursday, January 23rd 6:30pm-8:30pm

Thursday, January 30th 6:30pm-8:30pm

Contact: Christina Dietzler (cdietzler@stmcary.org)

We thank our many volunteers who come every week to share their gifts and talents with the youth of the St. Michael parish community. We welcome ALL parents, grandparents, and other adult family members to join us in this very worthy service to the parish.

WE STILL NEED VOLUNTEERS IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS:

• Door Monitors
• Confirmation Small Group Leaders (12:30 and 3 pm)
• Classroom Assistants
• Substitutes

Prerequisite: A desire to share your faith and to become Safe Environment Certified (Level C).

It is never too late to join our volunteer team, contact Joyce Blum if you are interested.

JOYCE BLUM: Director of Faith Formation

KAREN DEAR: Administrative Coordinator

MEGAN BASH: Children's Liturgy of the Word (CLOW) Coordinator

DARA HADLEY: Challenge and Conquest Coordinator (Grades 3-8)

CHRISTINA DIETZLER: High School-Youth Minister (Confirmation & Youth Group)

BILL BURNS: Associate Director of Adult Evangelization and Formation

WEEK OF December 22, 2024

WEEK of December 15, 2024

WEEK 9: December 8, 2024

WEEK 8: November 17, 2024

WEEK 7: November 10, 2024

WEEK 6: November 3, 2024

WEEK 5: October 27, 2024

WEEK 4: October 20, 2024

Fall Break: October 13, 2024

WEEK 3: October 6, 2024

WEEK 2: Sept 29, 2024

WEEK 1: Sept 22, 2024

OPEN HOUSE: Sept 15, 2024

August_2024 / Welcome Back

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Email: faithformation@stmcary.org
Website: https://www.stmichaelcary.org/#
Location: 804 High House Road, Cary, NC, USA
Phone: (919)468-6100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stmichaelcary