Day Three: Wet Wednesday

Although everyone looked a little tired today - especially after yesterday's full day at Ontario Place - Wet Wednesday activities were great. We continued with our theme - Discipleship - and everyone started off by looking at what that call really means - to mirror Christ - and started asking how are we are suppose to live it out, even if others (and world) say you are “all wet”.

Each group then got together and created “Want Ads” for a Disciple - saying what makes up a good Disciple. After each group worked on them and they presented them to the entire group. We then talked about how things and people sometimes challenge us -and can discourage Disciples - and say they are all wet.....

So off we went to Forbes Park and played some water games - ya we got wet - but we also learned co operation and helping each other in a number of group games. See part of Discipleship is knowing we are not alone - we call on other Disciples to help us. That is why being part of a parish - a church - is so important - and why Sunday Mass is so vital - because we remember we are not alone; there are other Disciples there to help us.

When we got back - snack was awaiting us - fudgicals- and once we dried off a bit - then we all got new Jobs --- Father Freitas and our leaders Nicky, Mrs Henderson, Matt, Angie and Emily - all told us we were now official Disciples of Jesus - called to go out and mirror Him in our actions and deeds. Father Freitas even gave us official certificates and Nicky gave us prayer cards - Seek, Study and Serve we were told.

Rock the Block has been possible because of the great leaders we have had - our teens: Matthew, Emily and Angie have been great role models and examples of Discipleship. Mrs Henderson has done lots too in helping and providing care to the children, and we are grateful. We owe great thanks to Nicky, a volunteer from our parish, who has given a great deal of her time and talent in leading many of the activities. Her energy and devotion were appreciated by all.

We can't wait til Kids Klub - it too is all about Discipleship. Our first event will be September 12th from 7-8:30 p.m.- we are counting the days.

Hope to see everyone next summer at Rock the Block ! Remember Discipleship - its the sweet life !

Day Two: The Trip

Today was a great day ! Not only was the weather just the best - not too hot...not too cold...but the activities for Day Two of Rock the Block were just awesome. We started off at 9:00 a.m. arriving in our Parish Centre. It was great that everyone came on time. We reviewed yesterdays lesson - that we are invited to be a mirror image of Christ (as His disciples) even in the heavy climbing of life. We learned that today was going to be not only about fun, but also discovery. We were challenged to look for moments and times when we were, and could be, Disciples to one another and to other people. Our venue - Ontario Place.

Debby our bus driver got us safe to Ontario Place in record time, and we arrived at 10:30 a.m. The next few hours were filled with lots of activity and fun. We even developed a new word " Discipleish". We would compliment each other as the day went on if we saw something done by each other which represented the mirror image of Christ. Saying hello to a security guard, saying thank you to an attendant, letting others go in line before us, waiting for each other as we went from ride to ride - they all took on a brand new meaning in the rides, water park, and activities of Ontario Place which filled our day.

At 12:30 p.m. our three groups met up for lunch and then went off again until 5:00 p.m. for some afternoon fun - all in "Discipleish" fashion. Our teen leaders - Angie, Emily and Matt, along with Nicky and Father Freitas were good examples to us and certainly kept us safe as we travelled in our small groups.

As we got on the bus at shortly after 5:00 p.m. we paused for our group photo. A great keepsake of our time. The bus ride home was led by Nicky asking us to share what we saw. Everyone told an example of when someone did a "Discipleish" act. It was great to see everybody smile when their name was called out stating something they did. Everyone got a W.W.J.D. bracelet to remind us that the act of Discipleship begins with that simple question.

When we arrived back at the parish centre shortly after 6:30 p.m., Father Freitas led us in the Kids Klub prayer and we all agreed it was an awesome day - thanks to everyone who came. We can't wait for Wet Wednesday tomorrow and our final day of Rock the Block.

Rock the Block - Day One : The Wall

This summer we are having an event called ROCK THE BLOCK. It has the theme: Discipleship - Its the Sweet Life. Twenty five young people are a part of this great time and today was our first day. Father Freitas and Nikky Kloster are leading us and they along with Mrs Henderson, and three teen leaders; Matt, Emily and Angie all greeted us when we got in. But what really caught our eye was the 24 foot Rock Wall in the Parking Lot ! Wow !

We got to know each other with some games and then got divided into four groups - Smarties, Skittles, Jolly Ranchers and Rockets. Two groups went off to the Rock Wall and Two groups did some activities in the centre. The rock wall was awesome. We met "Captain" and his wife Susan and they got us pumped before we all had several tries to make it up the wall. Disciples never give up in reaching for new heights - the rock wall taught us that.

When the groups switched we went in to the Centre for an activity called "Mirror Image". Jesus ends the Gospel of Mark with the Disciples going out and doing the things that He did. We got into pairs and made a short skit of doing mirror images of our partner - we then presented that to the whole group. It was funny to see some of the things we came up with. Just as we mirrored other's actions by watching them we become disciples of Jesus by watching and following what we see Him doing in the scriptures.

Our great first day came to and end with snack, announcements about Tuesday, our closing prayer and then a little take home sweet - to remember the Sweet Life - Discipleship. We can't wait for tomorrow - Ontario Place here we come !