Faith Formation for Middle School

Middle School Faith Formation meets on Tuesday evenings. Students normally enter by the side door of the church at 7:00 pm and, after some instruction/prayer are dismissed to their respective classrooms. Dismissal is at 8:30 pm from the Faith Formation deck.

Activities include a Bake Sale in October, a Family Service Project – caroling at the Care Center of Rossmoor in December, and a mandatory 8th grade Retreat Day in January. Parent Education Nights are presently in the planning stages. Students have a conduct code and there are parent volunteer opportunities.

Goals

Keeping in mind the developmental realities of middle school learners:

That the persons involved in the program grow in knowledge of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit; that they grow in joy of being in this faith community – one of love, prayer and service to others.
To grow in faith by learning about the Old Testament and how it is fulfilled in Jesus.
To grow in faith be becoming familiar with the New Testament, with the Person and Teachings of Jesus.
To deepen the learner's understanding of the history of our Catholic Church and its mission as handed down fro its founder, Jesus Christ.
To engender the understanding that each person has a mission as a member of the Church To begin the process of discerning what that may be in terms of the person's gifts and talents.
To provide parents with information and resources for Faith enrichment in the home; acknowledging that they are the primary educators of the children.
To provide a forum and context to process the many issues that face teens (and their families) who are in middle school today.
To promote ongoing deeper participation in the Sunday Liturgy, Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Topics

Grade 6: Creation, the Fall, the Promise, Abraham, Moses, the Passover, the Exodus, the Mosaic Law, David the Prophets.

Grade 7: The Annunciation, the Incarnation, the Public Ministry of Jesus, the events of our Redemption, the Seven Sacraments.

Grade 8: The Acts of the Apostles, St. Paul, St. Peter, Rome, the Council of Nicea, the barbarian invasion, roots of monasticism, the Crusades, the Great Schism, the Renaissance, the REformation, the Counter Reformation, Council of Trent, the New World, Catholicism in the U.S., the Impact of Spain, the Immigrants, the Twentieth Century, John Paul II.

Texts

The New American Bible, Walking by Faith, Salvation History (pub) Harcourt, Living Our Faith, Sacraments (pub) Harcourt, Living Our Faith, Jesus (pub) Harcourt; Church History, A Course on the People of God (pub) Sadler, Faith & Witness.

Contact Linda Williams at (925) 891-8935.