Staff Contact:  Kathie Beuscher, Director of Child Ministry 262.781.3480.

2011-2012 LFF Registration Form 2011-2012 Ministry Opportunities Safeguarding All God's Children	Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday Class Schedules First Eucharist Mass Reflection Sheet First Eucharist Time-Line
At PandaMania Vacation Bible School,, kids discovered that God is Wild about them! PandaMania was filled with incredible Bible-learning experiences; Bible Point crafts, team-building games, cool Bible songs, and tasty treats were just a few of the PandaMania activities that helped faith flow into real life. View the slideshow!

Children's Ministry Photo Gallery
First Eucharist, May 2011	Vacation Bible School
Annual Priceless Bake Sale	Easter Playgroup
Mother-Daughter Tea Party	Pumpkin Farm Visit

Children’s Ministry Opportunities for Sharing your Faith!  We are in need of help in the following ministries:

• Catechists

• Catechist Assistants

• Substitute catechists – on “as needed” basis.

• Office volunteers

• Additional help in the RISEN (Religious Instruction, Special Education Needs).

• Nursery volunteers

• Chldren's Ministry of the Word (CLOW)

• Advisory Team Members.

Mission Statement

The Children’s Ministry Program of St. Dominic Parish seeks to provide children (preschool - sixth grade) with the knowledge, experiences, and skills necessary to become faithful and fruitful disciples of Jesus. In keeping with their age, the children will assume responsibility as vital members of the parish and be able to participate in the essential mission, “To Seek Christ, Know Christ and Become Christ, each one for the sake of all.”

Kool Things 4 Kids

• Kidsword
  KidsWord and Little KidsWord are weekly pamphlets available in the north and south narthexes of church. These pamphlets contain activities based on the Sunday Gospel. Many young children use these pamphlets during the Mass to help stay focused. Other families use the pamphlets as “take home” materials.

• http://veggietales.com/index.php  - VeggieTales - purpose: to markedly enhance the moral and spiritual fabric of our society through creative media

• www.blestarewe.com - Religious education textbook site for day school and CF programs.

• www.alphabet-soup.net - Alphabet Soup contains thematic units, holiday units, games and activities for kids;  and crafts, humor and recipes for all! Be sure to check out the Kindergarten Kafe, recipes dictated by 5-year-olds! Includes plenty of free printables!

Parent Information

• Baptism

• Reconciliation

• First Eucharist

• www.blestarewe.com - religious education textbook site for day school and Christian Formation.

• Safeguarding All God's Children

Catechist Connection

• www.blestarewe.com - religious education textbook site for day school and CF.

• http://www.loyolapress.com/christ-our-life-religion-program.htm - Loyola Press resources website -Our response to God's gifts.

• www.cyberfaith.com - Catholic resources for people of faith.

• wwww.alphabet-soup.net - Alphabet Soup contains thematic units, holiday units, games and activities for kids; teacher and parent resources; and crafts, humor and recipes for all! Be sure to check out the Kindergarten Kafe, recipes dictated by 5-year-olds! Includes plenty of free printables!

• www.apples4theteacher.com - educational resources for teachers and kids (preK-grade 6) check out the great religious coloring pages!

Job Descriptions

• Catechist Job Description

• Classroom Assistant Job Description

• CLOW Leader Job Description

• CLOW Assistant Job Description

Top Reasons for Becoming a Catechist:

• Be Involved..."I want to stay involved in my child's education and teaching was a great way to do it."  "A church cannot survive without its parishioners working together for its success."

• Have a say..."Involvement in the religious education program enables us as parents to have a say in the way our children are brought up in the faith."  "I want to be part of the process of motivating people to work on that friendship with God at an early age."

• Do Something You Enjoy..."I enjoy working with kids and being with my son."  "It was excellent way to get involved and it was fun!"

• Be Surprised..."I was skeptical about what 4 & 5 year olds could take from Sunday school.  I was surprised!  It's so important to start them out as friends & hopefully they will continue through the program together."

• Be Good at Something…“I started teaching because I had to drop off the kids anyway, so I thought I’d might as well help out. Then I realized that not only did I enjoy teaching, but I was actually good at it!”

• Help Improve Your Catholic Parenting…“Teaching our Parish children provides the experience of learning how our young folk perceive the world and the Catholic faith as well as an opportunity to share the values and beliefs that our faith teaches us.”
  “I have learned a lot about parenting and raising my own children in the Catholic faith through becoming a better Catechist.”

• It is a Rewarding Experience…“I used to think that I am not the one who should be teaching since I felt that I didn’t know ‘all the answers’. But it really is a learning experience for me as well as them. And it’s okay to not know some of the answers-you
  praise them for a good question and tell them you’ll return next week with an answer.”  “The best thing about teaching in the
  program…there are too many to count! ……getting to know each child and the special gifts they have; how much they teach me!”

• Grow In Faith & Learn…“The time spent on preparing the lesson is time spent reflecting on your own faith and knowledge.”
  “Since I did not grow up Catholic, I think it is important that I know what my girls are learning.”  “It is very faith enriching for us to look at the weekly readings from a child’s point of view. Sometimes even adults take it in better when given simplistically.”

• Meet Wonderful People…“ I have met many wonderful people.”  “If all I did was come to Mass, all I would know would be faces in the crowd.”  “If you don’t have children in the program, it is a great way to meet other spiritual people and become
  more involved in the activities and community of the Parish.”

• Help Nourish the Faith of Children…“The most important reason to get involved is so that we can help nourish the faith in children. If we don’t get involved, who will teach them and prepare them to be active members in the parish as they grow?”

Lifelong Faith Formation Programs

• Sunday School (Preschool - First Grade)

  • This program meets during the 9:00 a.m. mass. Classes begin in September and conclude in May.

  • The Sunday program uses art, music, Scripture stories, and a variety of other activities to enable little children to participate in the faith life of the community at their own level and ability.

  • To enroll in this program, a child must be at least three years of age by September 1st, 2007

  The following texts provide the basis for the curriculum:

  • Preschool ,Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten: Discovering God published by Sadlier.

  • First Grade: Blest Are We published by Silver Burdett Ginn Religion Division

• Tuesday and Thursday K - 6 Classes

  • Tuesday classes are held from 6:15 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.

  • Thursday classes are held from 4:15 p.m. until 5:30 p.m.

  • Classes begin in September and conclude in May.

  • These programs provide a basic, formal religious education that is intended to support the faith development of the child in the family. A wide variety of age-appropriate learning strategies are used.

  • The basal series, Blest Are We: published by Silver Burdett Ginn Religion Division, is the series used throughout this program.

  The basic theme for each grade is:

  • Kindergarten - God’s love for us and His goodness in the world around us.

  • 1st - God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit.

  • 2nd - The sacraments of Eucharist and Reconciliation

  • 3rd - The Creed and The Church.

  • 4th - Morality, the 10 commandments and the sacrament of Reconciliation

  • 5th - An overview of the seven sacraments

  • 6th - Old Testament

  In addition, all levels will participate in service and prayer experiences.
   

• R.I.S.E.N. (Religious Instruction: Special Education Needs)
  Read the April 2010 SeekChrist article about our RISEN program!

  RISEN is a collaborative effort among the neighboring Catholic parishes. This program is designed to meet the individual needs of people who are cognitively disabled. Groups are available for preschoolers through adults. Currently, St. Dominic parish hosts the Children’s and Youth Ministry components. The adult component meets at St. Luke parish.

  The program at St. Dominic meets on Sunday mornings during the 9:00 a.m. mass. Classes are held twice a month, September through May. Using curriculum selected with the input of a special needs professional, the classes help prepare children for fuller participation in the church. Children are prepared for the reception of Eucharist and Reconciliation whenever possible.

  This program is underwritten by the Knights of Columbus.
   

• C.L.O.W. (Children’s Liturgy of the Word)

  CLOW is an alternative worship experience for children in grades one through four. During most 9:00 a.m. masses, September through June, children are offered the opportunity to leave the worshipping community for simplified readings and reflections on those readings. Children return to the assembly at the presentation of the gifts.

  CLOW is open to any child who would benefit from this type of worship experience. There is no registration or fees necessary for participation. The only pre-requisite for CLOW is a willingness to behave in a manner appropriate for worship.
   

• Home Schooling

  While it is preferred that all children receive their formal catechesis within Children’s Ministry or day school classes, we recognize that there are circumstances where home schooling is preferred. To participate in home schooling, we require that following:

  • Initial meeting (August - September) with Director and parent(s). Child(ren) may be present when age appropriate. At this initial meeting: Dialogue about mutual responsibilities, including assessment and evaluation. Written agreement presented and signed by Director, parent(s) and child(ren). Fee paid.

  • Participation in two seasonal sessions and any other sessions required for specific grade level.

  • Evaluation meeting (May - June) with Director, parent(s), and child(ren). At this meeting Director will look at completed book(s), Director and family will discuss what they have learned during the year, and they will evaluate the process and make suggestions for the future.
     

• Children's Ministry Retreat Program (Currently Not Scheduled)

  Children’s Ministry is currently in the process of developing and implementing a yearly retreat experience for all children in grades one and beyond. Retreat experiences are currently offered on the second, fourth, and sixth grade levels. The second and fourth grade retreats are considered part of the preparation for sacraments. Sixth graders are offered evenings of reflection that deal with issues of importance to pre-teens.