Family Formation Workshops: "Fostering Your Child's Faith at Home"

The following series of workshops are designed to assist parents in their role as the first and best educators of the faith:

• Feb 26 - Simple Home Rituals that Help Children Lead Home Prayer
• March 4 - Managing Chores, Homework and Electronics Usage to Enable Children to Care for Themselves and Their Environment
• March 11 - Family Service Projects that Help Children Learn to Care for Others
• March 18 - Parenting Teenagers: Resources to Prepare Yourselves
• March 25 - Modeling Behaviors that Teach Virtuous Living and Forgiveness
• March 31 - Hands-on Easter traditions with Fr. Frank and Kate Lynch. Enjoy Easter baskets, decorating eggs, palm weaving and lamb cakes!

• Watch the Catholicism Series: Learn what Catholics believe and why, while being immersed in the art, architecture, literature, beliefs, and practices of the Catholic tradition in this 10-part series filmed in 15 countries. Tuesdays from February 28th through May 8th, 6:30-8:30PM.

• Bible Study: Currently studying the Passion of Christ according to St. Mark on select Sundays 10:15-11:45AM in the Rectory dining room. Dates: Feb 19; March 4, 18; April 1, 15, 29; May 6, 20. Contact Katie Garwood (katiemgarwood@gmail.com) for information or to receive e-mail notices.

• Women's Spiritual Reflection: Lenten meetings are on February 28th and March 27th.

• Men's Spirituality Group: Meet the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month at 6:15am in the Parish Center.

• Celebrate Lenten Liturgy: We are blessed with beautiful and meaningful liturgy celebrated within a vibrant community. Write down now in your family calendar the important dates you will attend. Please invite others - friends and family - to celebrate with us!

• Lenten Reconciliation Service: Celebrate the sacrament of Reconciliation on March 28th, 7:00-8:30PM in the church. Whole families are welcome. Note that the Family Formation Workshop on March 25th will help parents learn about and better understand this important sacrament.

The greatest goal of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is to provide the time and space for the child to come into good relationship with Jesus the Good Shepherd.  One of the best ways that children learn how to be in good relationships is through the examples around them.  Consider how you want to improve relationships this Lent.

• Mardi Gras Potluck Party: Join any time 5-10PM in the Parish Center this Sunday, February 19th. Remember, when you join other parishioners for social events, you demonstrate to your children that St. Teresa's is an important community to you and your family.

"Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me" (Matt 25:40) 

There are many ways parents or whole families can serve together to be imitators of Jesus Christ. When we care for our parish and all those who Jesus teaches us are our neighbors, we build the Kingdom of God here and now, with our children. Some particularly imminent and family-supportive service opportunities are listed below. Links are to the new VolunteerSpot web tool we are using to schedule sign-ups. (You can sign up through VolunteerSpot, and you can later un-sign-up or make a change, if needed.)

• Hot Cross Bun Baking: Help bake and bag hot cross buns on February 20th or 21st to support St. Teresa's Lenten outreach on Ash Wednesday at nearby El stations, bus stops, and busy intersections.

• 9AM Nursery Supervision: We need one adult and one teen (or mature pre-teen) each Sunday to staff the nursery for children who are under 3 years of age during the 9AM Mass.  Sign-ups run through June, 2012.

• Children's Liturgy of the Word Leaders: Help children reflect on the mass readings in a meaningful way. We need new leaders to share the load ... and the joy! Please contact Laura Anderson (laura.g.anderson@gmail.com) to learn more or get involved.

• Learn more family-friendly service opportunities at a "mini service fair" in the March 11th Family Formation Workshop. Bring your child(ren) along to this workshop.