Split among Elementary Faith Formation and Youth Ministry, the Religious Education Program offers a variety of opportunities for families and their students to draw closer to the Lord and strengthen their knowledge of Scripture and Catholicism.
Confessions: Sat, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2022
Life Teen (high school youth ministry) members at the “This Is My Body” retreat, summer 2022
ScheduleLiturgy
Saturday Vigil: 5:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m. (Spanish) Sunday: 7:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m. (reserved for 60 & above parishioners), 4:00 p.m. (Lifeteen) Daily Mass: Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri, 7:30 a.m.; Wed, 12 p.m. (noon) Adoration: Mon. - Thurs. 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Fri. 8:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Using Sophia Institute Press’ A Family of Faith Formation curriculum, the parish provides three options for Elementary Faith Formation. Students in kindergarten through eighth grade can enroll in Whole Family Faith Formation or the parenttaught Home Study Formation program. Classroom Formation offers students in kindergarten through sixth grade the option to learn from a volunteer catechist each week — parents receive a parent resource in order to engage with their
“Our volunteer catechists are amaz ing and share their faith in a classroom setting,” Andrea says. “They come up with innovative and creative ways to Religious Education Bringing Our Children and Families into Relationship with Christ
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A s a parish, St. Mark is dedicated to helping parents create a culture of faith, leading their students into a commit ted personal relationship with Christ that becomes part of their identity.
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NEWSLETTER
children about each lesson at home as well.
For Director of Religious Education Andrea Woolums, a mother of nine chil dren, the program is a unique and valu able way to engage our young Catholics with their faith.
The Home Study program is an online option — parents are given access to a digital catechist’s manual, which they use to teach their student each lesson at their own pace. Students then complete a choice of activities through a digital portal.
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Participants in the Whole Family option are placed into small groups called “pods.” These provide the oppor tunity for families to grow in faith, friendship and shared life together. This past year, the families in one pod discov ered a mutual love of camping, so camping trips have be come an important part of their pod life together! Another pod schedules potlucks and picnics outside of religious education time. All families meet three weeks a month — once as a pod, and twice for adult and student classes.
“Community building is huge and is a big part of the formation because you will be empowered if you meet another family that is living liturgical formation in the home,” Andrea says. “That’s how I grew my family forma tion in the home when I was raising my kids — learning fromTheothers.”curriculum provides parents with a variety of ac tivity options geared towards different ages and interests.
— AndreA Woolums
“Most lessons have five to eight options, and you can choose the one that fits your family,” Andrea says.
All information for Religious Education at St. Mark may be found on the parish website at www.stmarkdenton.org.
“One pod includes a mother of three sons, and she told me upfront, ‘We’re not into singing, dancing or crafts — so, we’re going to watch a video and have a discussion,’” Andrea adds. “That mom is just loving the program. She told me she’s never seen her sons retain the information as much as they do now. Her youngest is in fourth grade, and she is having her high school son teach the lessons.”LifeTeen and Edge offer fellowship and mentorship for students in high school and middle school, respectively. The programs are supported by a group of adults known as the core team. Members receive training on how to give their witness stories, which are often given during Sunday night“Wegatherings.relyontestimony and personal faith sharing in order to invite them deeper into relationship with Christ and the Church,” says Brad Horn, Coordinator of Youth Ministry and Confirmation. “I’ve found that the more that we share stories about what God has done for us in our lives, the more of an impact it has. Faith is not a set of rules, rituals or traditions, but a relationship. Having the students understand that is foundational for their under standing of Church teachings.”
“Community building is huge and is a big part of the formation because you will be empowered if you meet another family that is living liturgical formation in the home. That’s how I grew my family formation in the home when I was raising my kids — learning from others.”
High school juniors and seniors can apply to join a teen leadership team. Teen leaders will help to plan events, give witness stories, and lead small groups and activities. Each leader will have an adult core team mentor to accompany them as they grow in their rela tionship with the Lord, the use of their gifts, and more. Mentors will help teen leaders plan their testimony, and be accountable disciples.
Brad sees the success of Youth Ministry and Con firmation playing out in the lives of young adults who have graduated and maintained their faith as part of their“Iidentity.keepup with ones who have graduated and gone to college, and they are thriving in college,” he says. “A few have gotten involved in campus ministry and be come leaders.”
Brad Horn may be reached by calling 940-222-6703, or by email at bhorn@stmarkdenton.org
At this site, you can find registration forms and schedules. If you would like to speak with a ministry leader, you may contact Andrea Woolums by calling 940-222-8081, ext. 251, or emailing her at awoolums@stmarkdenton.org
Religious Education Bringing Our Children and Families into Relationship with Christ continued from front cover teach the content of lessons.”
Mark I t’s hard to believe, but the chil dren have now returned to school, summer vacations are complete, and the time when things get busier here at our parish has begun. We call them vacations, but the British call them “holidays.” Of course, it’s easy to see that the words “holiday” and “holy day” share the same roots. There was a time when the only “holidays” peo ple experienced were indeed “holy days.” That included Sunday, to be sure, but the reason people had these “holy days” was to celebrate religious times and occasions. We’re all pretty familiar with the term “Holy Day of Obligation.”
The Mass is a Gift, to God and Our Parish Community
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, A Letter From Our Pastor
In fact, there was one last month. On Aug. 15, we celebrated the So lemnity of the Assumption of Mary, which is usually a Holy Day of Obligation, except when it falls on a Friday or Monday like it did this year. A solemnity is a feast day of the highest rank in the Church — and as we are told in the Code of Canon Law (1247), “On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are obliged to partici pate in the Mass.”
In PastorFr.Christ,George
Note that what this actually says is that Sunday is, in fact, a Holy Day of Obligation — we should view our weekly Mass attendance this way, as well. Sometimes in our busy modern lives, we may lose sight of how important this is. Of course, our Mass atten dance goes hand in hand with stewardship — how we take and responsibly use the gifts God has given us, then return and share those gifts with the Lord and those around us. Although going to Mass is a gift to the Lord, it is also a gift to our community and to ourselves. We need that time to step back from our daily worries and concerns, and to look deeper into the meaning of living and of the importance of our relationship withThisGod.month, and always, let us each consider how important it is to attend Mass. If we are really going to be committed to stewardship, we need to real ize the significance of setting aside time each week and on designated holy days to be with the Lord and with our parish community at Mass. We must be completely committed to living out our Catholic faith!
Saint Mark4 Vacation Bible A Time for Our Children We thank all those who shared their time and talents in making our 2022 Vacation Bible School this past summer a success!
Mark 5 Bible School: to Share in Faith and Fun
hen the church needs a new roof or the local food bank needs donations, we jump at the chance to give for the sake of the need. It’s part of our human nature — we identify a need, and we want to give of our time, tal ent and treasure to help.
Stewardship: A Need to Give
But as a stewardship people, we are called to give of ourselves not simply because the Church has needs, but because each of us has a need to give . As the Unit ed States Conference of Catholic Bishops states in its pastoral letter on stewardship, Stewardship: A Disciple’s
As Christ’s disciples, we follow His example, and we give of ourselves for the sake of others, out of love and an inherent need to give. That’s not to say that we gain nothing through our gifts. In fact, in His goodness, God sees to it that we do. Most of us have experienced what happens when we give of our time, talent or treasure. We feel as though we get more out of it than we give. If you speak to someone who serves at the soup kitchen or someone who has made it a regular practice to tithe to the Church, you are likely to find that he or she feels blessed to be able to give. As the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops points out, “To be a Christian disciple is a rewarding way of life, a way of companionship with Jesus, and the prac tice of stewardship as a part of it is itself a source of deep joy. Those who live this way are happy people who have found the meaning and purpose of living” (Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response, Find21).out for yourself. Get involved in a ministry. Make a commitment to put some money in the collection basket next Sunday. Don’t wait to find out if there is a need — give of yourself right now. You will be richly blessed for doing so.
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Jesus Christ showed us the perfect example of this selfgiving love when He died on the cross. His death was a completely selfless act. He gave of Himself for our sake, offering us — through that gift — life everlasting.
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Response , “We need to give our money to individuals and families in need, to the Church, and to other worth while charitable organizations because giving money is good for the soul and because we need to return thanks to a loving God for all of the many blessings each of us has received” (67).
Jesus Christ showed us the perfect example of this self-giving
As fellow members of the Body of Christ, created in God’s image, we should strive to go beyond simply co-ex isting with one another on earth. The life we live should be fueled by love for each other. This love should dictate how we live — by giving of ourselves.
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This past summer, the men and women of St. Mark’s Parish had a valuable opportunity to hear presentations and participate in discussions about our faith, celebrate Mass, spend time in adoration and build fellowship with one another.
The Women’s Conference was held on Saturday, June 11, and the Men’s Conference was held on the following Saturday, June 18. At both conferences, we welcomed speakers who engaged the attendees in important topics relating to the Catholic faith. We thank all those who attended the conferences this past June.
Offer Valuable Time for Fellowship and Formation in the Faith
Men’s and Women’s Conferences
Saint Mark 6500 Crawford Road│Argyle, TX 76226 (940) 387-6223│www.stmarkdenton.org Saint Mark