Begun in September 2006 by our Pastor, Father Freitas, Kids Klub is the elementary school aged youth group of our parish community. We have over 50 young people (Grade 5-8) show up twice each month for a Friday night of fun ! In fact our slogan is “If it’s Friday Night, its Kids Klub Night” because we don’t want anyone to miss out. Our focus is fun, but also faith and friendship. Service, and our Service Squad, are a big part of what we do at Kids Klub. Here is a summary
January 2008: We held our Jamin’ Jamaican Night. We conquered the cold with beach wear and fun activities (in door of course) plus we prepared some “Exam Survival Kits” which were to be given to parish high school students before they began their First Semester Exams. These offered some words, and snacks, of encouragement. January would not have been completed without a great Gym Riot, basketball, floor hockey and lots of sporting fun to top off our time.
February 2008 - was Fabulous !: We ventured outside for our Outdoor Gym Riots, some tobogganing and hot chocolate made for some adventurous times. Later in the month we led the Stations of the Cross as we entered the Season of Lent, and Lent would not be complete without our annual Lenten Bowl a Rama in which we raised $911.00 for Share Lent and then to top off the month, a trip to the Toronto Raptors !
Then in March, a Gym Riot brought us back to routine with a few extra special Easter door prizes won and crafts to be made. Speaking of Easter, well April had lots of excitement, Survivor Scavenger Hunt (was a grown up version of an Easter Egg hunt with lots of spunk and spirit; then we had Air Band Night, where teams got together to put on their own verison of Canadian Idol.
May was marvellous as we got rolling with a Gym Riot, with our favourite evening closer - Dodge Ball and then May Madness followed with lots of tournaments, play offs and even Pizza at the end. Then June - well - its was our Trip to Canada’s Wonderland - fabulous !
Our summer hosted “Rock the Block” in August - a three day long of Kids Klub Night - with activities that were really just amazing; Discipleship: It’s the Sweet Life was our theme and we had Mountain Monday with a 24ft Rock Wall, Tuesday Trip Ticket with Ontario Place as the destination, Wet Wednesday with some wonderful, water filled activities. At the end the 25 participants had a great three days.
The Fall got off to great start in September with Kids Kaos and just under 80 young people out for the first evening. The we had our first ever Fabulous Football Frenzy at Forbes Park. This year as part of our focus on Service, we undertook to sponsor an orphan child in Haiti. We introduce the Coin Can and gave Kids Klub members the chance to place loose coins when they come. Kids Klub members also worte cards to our sponsorsed child. During 2008, Kids Klub raised $158.00
Then our first Gym Riot in October had us host the largest Dodge Ball Game ever in Kids Klub history! During October we also held our 3rd annual Blanket Brigade in which we gathered 26 blankets for the homeless at the Bridges Shelter in Galt. This was followed by Power Hour which was non stop action, then a Trip to Playdium which sold out. November had us host the “Battle of the Volleyball” and Wildside Night launch our Faith Factor evenings and our Red Stocking Campaign, which help us collect school supplies for schools in Africa aided by Canadian Food for Children. Some 28 Red Stockings were gathered. We closed off December with St Nicholas Night - which was so much festive fun !
2008 - has been Amazing - thanks to all who are a part of Kids Klub - we can't wait to get going on 2009 !!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
PRAYER FOR THE NEW YEAR
Loving and Eternal God,
every good gift comes from You.
As we begin this New Year,
grant us unwavering faith,
constant hope, and love that endures.
Give order to our days, peace in our work,
everlasting happiness in our families,
and joy in our walk of faith.
Amen.
Mary, Mother of God
On New Year’s Day, we celebrate the beginning of a new calendar year. The Church has established it as the Feast of Mary, the Mother of God. Who better than the Blessed Virgin Mary to be a model for our beginning a New Year? Our Blessed Lady was the one whose freely given consent allowed the plan of God to unfold. It was she who always centered her life on the Son to whom she had given birth.
The Blessed Virgin Mary has always had a special place in the life of the Church. She is honoured not only for the unique privileges accorded her by God Himself, but also for her personal faith response to the Lord’s Will for her. She remains Mother of God and Mother of the Church. May the pattern of her faith be an inspiration for our lives and growth as a parish.
Loving and Eternal God,
every good gift comes from You.
As we begin this New Year,
grant us unwavering faith,
constant hope, and love that endures.
Give order to our days, peace in our work,
everlasting happiness in our families,
and joy in our walk of faith.
Amen.
Mary, Mother of God
On New Year’s Day, we celebrate the beginning of a new calendar year. The Church has established it as the Feast of Mary, the Mother of God. Who better than the Blessed Virgin Mary to be a model for our beginning a New Year? Our Blessed Lady was the one whose freely given consent allowed the plan of God to unfold. It was she who always centered her life on the Son to whom she had given birth.
The Blessed Virgin Mary has always had a special place in the life of the Church. She is honoured not only for the unique privileges accorded her by God Himself, but also for her personal faith response to the Lord’s Will for her. She remains Mother of God and Mother of the Church. May the pattern of her faith be an inspiration for our lives and growth as a parish.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
A CHRISTMAS PRAYER
Father, help us remember the birth of Jesus,
that we may share in the song of the angels,
the gladness of the shepherds
and the worship of the wise men.
Close the door of hate,
and open the door of love all over the world.
Let kindness come with every gift,
and good desires come with every greeting.
Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings,
and teach us to be merry.
May Christmas morning make us happy
to be Thy children;
and on Christmas evening,
bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts.
We make this prayer because of Jesus. Amen!
Father, help us remember the birth of Jesus,
that we may share in the song of the angels,
the gladness of the shepherds
and the worship of the wise men.
Close the door of hate,
and open the door of love all over the world.
Let kindness come with every gift,
and good desires come with every greeting.
Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings,
and teach us to be merry.
May Christmas morning make us happy
to be Thy children;
and on Christmas evening,
bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts.
We make this prayer because of Jesus. Amen!
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Advent: Week # 4
The Fourth Week of Advent, a times a forgotten celebration given its proximity to the Feast of the Christmas, send us an important message in question form - Are you Ready for Christmas ?
So are you ready for Christmas - it really does have to be the most asked question at this time of year. People are curious - is there anyone who is more behind than I am for Christmas ? People are interested - how did you get everything done so quickly ? People are intrigued - what have you been doing to get ready ?
Certainly this time of year is busy; the demands seem legion and the requirements long - but are you ready for Christmas ?
How do you know .......is it if he gifts are bought and wrapped, is it if the tree is up, lights working, well - actually no...it’s the Love Factor.... do you understand that this Season is about Love ?
★ That is why the Red Stocking Campaign was so important.
★ That is why Christmas Carolling at St Luke’s was so key.
★ That is why your high schoolers making Gifts for our shuts ins, or our Wize Guys collecting Canadian Tire Dollars, or our St Vincent de Paul helping families, or our Handling the Holidays evenings was so crucial.
★ That is why our reconciliation service was so life giving
They were all designed to remind us of Love: Gracious, Eternal: Sacrificial: Love by a Baby - a baby who changed everything. The baby changed everything.... His birth told us
■ all things pass away, all things
■ all things can be endured, all things
■ all things have a purpose and a plan, all things
■ all things - are not about the wrapped gift - but the gift of Love
If we remember that everything under a tree is about one who lay in a manger out of love- then my friends we are ready for Christmas !
So are you ready for Christmas - it really does have to be the most asked question at this time of year. People are curious - is there anyone who is more behind than I am for Christmas ? People are interested - how did you get everything done so quickly ? People are intrigued - what have you been doing to get ready ?
Certainly this time of year is busy; the demands seem legion and the requirements long - but are you ready for Christmas ?
How do you know .......is it if he gifts are bought and wrapped, is it if the tree is up, lights working, well - actually no...it’s the Love Factor.... do you understand that this Season is about Love ?
★ That is why the Red Stocking Campaign was so important.
★ That is why Christmas Carolling at St Luke’s was so key.
★ That is why your high schoolers making Gifts for our shuts ins, or our Wize Guys collecting Canadian Tire Dollars, or our St Vincent de Paul helping families, or our Handling the Holidays evenings was so crucial.
★ That is why our reconciliation service was so life giving
They were all designed to remind us of Love: Gracious, Eternal: Sacrificial: Love by a Baby - a baby who changed everything. The baby changed everything.... His birth told us
■ all things pass away, all things
■ all things can be endured, all things
■ all things have a purpose and a plan, all things
■ all things - are not about the wrapped gift - but the gift of Love
If we remember that everything under a tree is about one who lay in a manger out of love- then my friends we are ready for Christmas !
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Advent: Week # 3
It is hard to believe that this Sunday we lite the Pink Candle, and are in the Third Week of Advent. This Third Week is when our Children’s Choir has its annual trip to St Luke’s Place in order to sing Christmas Carols for our seniors. It is a parish wide event, aided by our Confirmation students and the Catholic Women’s League all of who help with a reception which follows. For the third year now we had a full house and a truly successful evening. Thank you to all involved
Our Children’s Ministry is looking forward to its Christmas Pageant again this year. Our rehearsals have started - what a joy to have so many children signed up; we are looking forward to the rehearsals this week and its presentation on Christmas Eve.
Our St Vincent de Paul Society aids some 30 families and individuals each month who are in need. We recently held our annual Christmas collection to aid them and were able to collect some $7,123.10 in donations, including from the Knights of Columbus and our Wize Guys, to assist the needy at Christmas. We anticipate being able to help more families than ever before because of the generosity of our parish family. We also packed up our Red Stockings tonight to be shipped by Canadian Food for Children to Africa. I hope to have totals next week for you; but early signs say we may have surpassed last year's total. Thanks to our young adults group for gathering together to pack the stockings.
We are blessed in our parish with a wonderful Youth Ministry. Our Kids Klub concluded a great 2008 where service, as well as fun, was our focus; an average of 50kids turned out on Fridays. Our Activ8 program for Grade 8's just finished a great retreat at Camp Brebeuf with 65 young people looking at what it means to be a Disciple. Our High Schoolers (Da Crew) have been very active this year with a definite “Nerve to Serve” demonstrated, not only with their own weekend at Camp Brebeuf, but also their willingness to serve as Peer Ministers to our Grade 8's and by their recently-prepared gift bags for our Shut-Ins. I wish to thank all of the adult leaders who aid me in our Youth Ministry programs. We are blessed!
Thank you to 30 “Older Adults” who joined us for our Country Christmas Trip. A great time was enjoyed by all (not to mention a great meal). We look forward to a Spring excursion to the Drayton Festival.
This evening we had a wonderfully peaceful gathering called "Handling the Holidays". Led by Sister Mary McIntyre, a trained social worker and spiritual director, over a dozen individuals who are facing the Christmas season with the challenge of grieving the death of someone they loved, gathered together in a spirit of prayer to discuss ways to help us cope and prepare for Christmas with renewed hope. What a beautiful time.
The pink candle is the candle of Joy and Hope - this past week at St Mary's has certainly been filled with such.
Our Children’s Ministry is looking forward to its Christmas Pageant again this year. Our rehearsals have started - what a joy to have so many children signed up; we are looking forward to the rehearsals this week and its presentation on Christmas Eve.
Our St Vincent de Paul Society aids some 30 families and individuals each month who are in need. We recently held our annual Christmas collection to aid them and were able to collect some $7,123.10 in donations, including from the Knights of Columbus and our Wize Guys, to assist the needy at Christmas. We anticipate being able to help more families than ever before because of the generosity of our parish family. We also packed up our Red Stockings tonight to be shipped by Canadian Food for Children to Africa. I hope to have totals next week for you; but early signs say we may have surpassed last year's total. Thanks to our young adults group for gathering together to pack the stockings.
We are blessed in our parish with a wonderful Youth Ministry. Our Kids Klub concluded a great 2008 where service, as well as fun, was our focus; an average of 50kids turned out on Fridays. Our Activ8 program for Grade 8's just finished a great retreat at Camp Brebeuf with 65 young people looking at what it means to be a Disciple. Our High Schoolers (Da Crew) have been very active this year with a definite “Nerve to Serve” demonstrated, not only with their own weekend at Camp Brebeuf, but also their willingness to serve as Peer Ministers to our Grade 8's and by their recently-prepared gift bags for our Shut-Ins. I wish to thank all of the adult leaders who aid me in our Youth Ministry programs. We are blessed!
Thank you to 30 “Older Adults” who joined us for our Country Christmas Trip. A great time was enjoyed by all (not to mention a great meal). We look forward to a Spring excursion to the Drayton Festival.
This evening we had a wonderfully peaceful gathering called "Handling the Holidays". Led by Sister Mary McIntyre, a trained social worker and spiritual director, over a dozen individuals who are facing the Christmas season with the challenge of grieving the death of someone they loved, gathered together in a spirit of prayer to discuss ways to help us cope and prepare for Christmas with renewed hope. What a beautiful time.
The pink candle is the candle of Joy and Hope - this past week at St Mary's has certainly been filled with such.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Advent - Week # 2
If you are like me the hours and days seem to be flooding into each other at a very rapid pace these days. Certainly while we are attempting during this Season of Advent to do some reflecting and refocusing; we are doing it in the midst of some busy days.
We welcomed this week Father Wayne Lobsinger and Father Frank Reutz. Father Lobsinger offered a wonderful presentation as part of our Tuesday Night Together series. His focus was on Advent: The Season of Mary, and led us to see the life of Mary in truly insightful new ways. Father Reutz led some 30 parishioners who are a part of our small group ministry (Celebrating the Word) in reflecting on their time together this past year as small groups. An Advent social for our small group ministry followed.
Our Red Stocking Campaign has been going on. Now in its 3rd year, every family in the parish is invited to pick up a Red Stocking and to return it filled with school supplies which are then in turn sent by Canadian Food for Children to mission schools in Africa. This gesture permits those schools to not only use these badly needed supplies, but also permits them to take the financial resources, they would have used to buy these supplies, and instead use them for a lunch program. We are partnering with our own three parish schools in this project and hope to collect over 400 Red Stockings by the end of Advent.
An exciting area of our parish life is the need we are experiencing for additional space to meet the needs of our growing community. We are beginning the process of looking into expanding our Parish Centre building. This renovated facility will be modernized to include ample storage, a larger more functional kitchen, expandable gathering space for larger functions (such as funeral receptions or parish socials) and will contain washroom facilities on the same level, accessible both during parish functions as well as Lord’s Day Masses. It will also serve a second purpose; with a video and audio link, it will become a place for accessible seating for families with small children, and others, during Lord’s Day Masses and seasonal celebrations, not to mention a safe passage for our children as they proceed to our Children’s Ministry without battling the elements. It will also contain two small votive shrines to St Anthony and St Joseph. Parishioner Response Forms and Town Hall meetings are on going during Advent to get input before we move forward. We will be entrusting this project to the loving care of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Our Advent Vespers tonight was attended by some 75 parishioners who came to hear our Youth Choir and Young Adults lead us in song, scripture and silent time before the Blessed Sacrament. We heard a message on Mary’s example of service, surrender and sacrifice given to us during Advent.
Advent has truly been busy - and the time is moving - but so is God's grace in the life of our parish ! Come Divine Messiah
We welcomed this week Father Wayne Lobsinger and Father Frank Reutz. Father Lobsinger offered a wonderful presentation as part of our Tuesday Night Together series. His focus was on Advent: The Season of Mary, and led us to see the life of Mary in truly insightful new ways. Father Reutz led some 30 parishioners who are a part of our small group ministry (Celebrating the Word) in reflecting on their time together this past year as small groups. An Advent social for our small group ministry followed.
Our Red Stocking Campaign has been going on. Now in its 3rd year, every family in the parish is invited to pick up a Red Stocking and to return it filled with school supplies which are then in turn sent by Canadian Food for Children to mission schools in Africa. This gesture permits those schools to not only use these badly needed supplies, but also permits them to take the financial resources, they would have used to buy these supplies, and instead use them for a lunch program. We are partnering with our own three parish schools in this project and hope to collect over 400 Red Stockings by the end of Advent.
An exciting area of our parish life is the need we are experiencing for additional space to meet the needs of our growing community. We are beginning the process of looking into expanding our Parish Centre building. This renovated facility will be modernized to include ample storage, a larger more functional kitchen, expandable gathering space for larger functions (such as funeral receptions or parish socials) and will contain washroom facilities on the same level, accessible both during parish functions as well as Lord’s Day Masses. It will also serve a second purpose; with a video and audio link, it will become a place for accessible seating for families with small children, and others, during Lord’s Day Masses and seasonal celebrations, not to mention a safe passage for our children as they proceed to our Children’s Ministry without battling the elements. It will also contain two small votive shrines to St Anthony and St Joseph. Parishioner Response Forms and Town Hall meetings are on going during Advent to get input before we move forward. We will be entrusting this project to the loving care of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Our Advent Vespers tonight was attended by some 75 parishioners who came to hear our Youth Choir and Young Adults lead us in song, scripture and silent time before the Blessed Sacrament. We heard a message on Mary’s example of service, surrender and sacrifice given to us during Advent.
Advent has truly been busy - and the time is moving - but so is God's grace in the life of our parish ! Come Divine Messiah
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