OVERVIEW OF EVENT

“Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Mt. 28: 19-20)

NOTE: The materials needed and basic format for this event are listed below. If questions arise, please contact Sue Brodfehrer at 502/636-0296 or family@archlou.org.

Materials needed for this 2-2 1/2 hour intergenerational event:

Outreach component – boxes or baskets for collection at doors

Centerpieces

• White pillar candle surrounded by evergreen or wreath (artificial or real)
• Unframed pictures of individuals and families of all cultures and nations

• Event agenda
• Prayer services – opening and closing (Note: If making copies of songs, you will need to obtain permission from publisher.)
• Table questions and explanation of table symbols (one per table)
• Outreach over 200 years and discussion questions

• Two-inch-long white ribbons and safety pins are needed for all participants in each group
• Adults – page 7
• Youth – page 8
• Young children – page 9

• One-half sheet of paper for table petition (1 per table)
• Pencils or pens
• Copies of Baptismal Covenant (1 per person)
• DVD or video of Pay It Forward (optional)

Suggestions for home kits:

• Have each household take home their covenant and a table picture as a reminder of their commitment to reach out to others. In a home conversation, they could decide on at least one way they, as a household, could help someone to see the face of Christ. This could be by doing a good deed, a project, or a service for another within the next month.
• Create a sheet of outreach opportunities in the parish and community. Send it home with them and encourage action.

Kits for Sick and Shut-ins:

• A copy of Outreach in the Archdiocese and the Baptismal Covenant. Encourage them to think of and put into action some outreach to another. This may be as simple as a phone call, a smile, a note of encouragement or a kind word.
• A 2-inch-long white ribbon to remind them of their baptism.

Suggestions for bulletin announcements:

• Brainstorm to come up with a catchy phrase to advertise the event.
• State clearly when, where and why.
• Provide registration information (see sample in section 1 of the manual).

OVERALL FORMAT AND SCHEDULE

Theme: Our Mission – A Call to Service

Outreach Component: Socks, gloves, hats, scarves

Gathering: 60 minutes

Table setting 

• A white pillar candle surrounded by evergreens or a wreath (artificial or real). This represents God at the center of our world with no beginning and no end.
• Unframed pictures of individuals and families from all cultures and nations. These could be cut from newspapers and magazines and placed on each table. These are pictures of God’s children, our sisters and brothers.

Prayer (See appendix for printable copy)

• Prior to event, ask participants to bring their baptismal candles. (Have extra candles available if needed)
• Have the Easter candle present and lit along with some holy water.
• Before the prayer begins, have one person from each table volunteer to take the light from the Paschal candle back to the table. Make sure they have a candle.

Opening Song suggestions: “You are the Voice” (Haas), “Here I Am Lord” (Schutte), “Let There be Peace on Earth,” or other appropriate song.

Table volunteers come forward to take the light from the Paschal candle back to his or her table and light the centerpiece candle.

Opening Song

Table Talk
Set up "Table Tents." (See appendix for printable copy.) On one side are the table discussion questions, and on the other side the table symbols are explained.
   
Each participant, starting with the tallest at the table, shares stories of his/her own baptism.   

Table questions for discussion:

• At what age were you baptized?
• Where were you baptized? Who was present?
• What do you remember, or have been told about what happened at your baptism?
• What items of remembrance do you have of your baptism?

The following background information may be used with the adult activity, as a handout at tables, in take home kits, or the kits for the sick and shut-ins. (See appendix for printable copy.)

OUTREACH IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OVER THE PAST 200 YEARS

Expand this list to include omitted outreach efforts. Add your parish outreach and community ministries.

Catholic Charities Agency was established to:

• coordinate and plan the work of charitable institution under diocesan authority
• direct services for children and families
• organize and direct the work of professional workers / volunteers into needed areas of service
• act as a link between Catholic social work and other community welfare organizations.

from the “History of the Catholic Charities Agency," Archdiocese of Louisville

Catholic Conference of Kentucky was established to:

• provide a unified voice for the Church in matters of public policy
• serve as liaison to government and the legislature
• coordinate communications and activities between the church and secular agencies 

The bishops of the four dioceses of Kentucky constitute CCK's Board of Directors. The Archbishop of Louisville is Board Chairperson.

Archdiocesan Peace and Justice Commission was established to:

• “…further the education, the practice, and the witness of the Church in all areas where justice and peace are at issue.”  from "To Be Present In The Heart Of The World," Archbishop Thomas J. McDonough. This commission no longer exists but its mission is integrated into archdiocesan agencies.

Archdiocesan offices were established to reach out to assist parishes as they respond to the needs of all God’s people. Some provide direct social services: Respect Life, Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Campaign for Human Development, senior services.

Center for Interfaith Relations

Counseling services provided by Family Relations, now Family Ministries Counseling

Schuhmann Social Service Center

Society of St. Vincent de Paul's many services

Social service centers developed in parishes

Catholic Enrichment Center

Outreach ministries of the women and men religious communities: orphanages and hospitals; schools; homes for girls and women, senior adults, adults with physical or mental disabilities; home health services; support for families affected by AIDS, etc.
 
Catholic Services Appeal/Operation Rice Bowl/Catholic Education Foundation/Catholic Worker communities

Student service programs in Catholic religious education programs, elementary schools and high schools

CrossRoads Ministry

Youth outreach:  Service Learning Inner City Experience (S.L.I.C.E.), Kaleidoscope

Learning/Activity Sessions (40 Minutes)

Adult Activity (grade 11 through senior adult)  

Materials needed:   

• copies of “The Master’s Hand” (see appendix for printable copy)
• Two-inch-long white ribbons and safety pins

Invite someone to give a 20-minute presentation on the “Mission of the Church – Go Forth and Spread the Good News."

The presenter would address:

• the universal aspect of our Church and thus our baptismal call to reach out to peoples of every language, creed and color;
• some broad needs of our world and how our Church is responding; 
• focus on local outreach and how our local Church is responding.

The Record is an excellent resource for this material.

The speaker would then challenge the adults to come up with practical, concrete ways to spread God’s work and words in their everyday lives.

Facilitator role:

Have adults break into groups of 6-8 to develop specific ideas. (10-15 minutes)

Call everyone back to discuss their ideas with the entire group. (Remainder of time together)

In closing, read “The Touch of the Master’s Hand" (See appendix for printable copy). Give each person a two-inch-long white ribbon to wear in a loop as a sign of his or her baptismal commitment.

Suggestions for speakers: Through Catholic Services Appeal monies, archdiocesan staff members are available at no charge.

In addition, a parishioner or a staff person may want to give the entire presentation or speak to the part that addresses specific needs of the area or community.

Youth Activity (grade 6 through grade 10) 

A discussion on the meaning of church

Materials needed:

• A large map of the world
• Pencils
• For facilitator: World-Wide Prayer instruction sheet (see appendix)
• World-Wide Prayer slips for groups (see appendix for printable copy)
• Two-inch-long white ribbons and safety pins
• Candle and matches

Suggested facilitator input:

Begin with idea that the church cares about them and their faith journey. They, too, have a responsibility to share their faith with others. Because of our baptism, we are called to share the “Good News” of Jesus. We do this by our words and our actions.

Move the discussion to who needs help and prayers in the world, in our local community. Use some form of the following questions:

• What are you, a younger person, doing now to help others?
• How can youth improve the lives of others? 
• What are all of us, you included, called to do?

(Possible answers- Community service, praying for others, being a friend, inviting others to Mass or Youth group, etc.)

After 20 minutes, use the “World-Wide Prayer” activity. It may be adapted as suits your needs.

In closing, dim the lights or light a candle and have one person from each group share their worldwide prayers. Give each person a two-inch-long white ribbon to wear in a loop as a sign of his or her baptismal commitment.

Young Child Activity (kindergarten through grade 5)

Materials needed:

• Copies of the “Perfect World Puzzle” (see appendix for printable copy)
• Paper plates (optional)
• Glue or paste
• Age-appropriate scissors
• Two-inch-long white ribbons and safety pins

Provide for open space so that students can sit on the floor in a circle. Also, have tables and chairs available for cutting, coloring and pasting.

Begin with the students sitting on the floor facing the presenter. After bringing the children to the awareness that God made them and loves them very much, use the following questions to bring them to a broader understanding.

• Who is our neighbor and how does Jesus want us to treat our neighbor?
• How do we treat other children?
• How does it feel when someone loves you? When someone is unkind to you?

Lead them in a song: Use suggestions below or another Christian children’s song.

“Jesus Loves the Little Children”
“He has the Whole World in His Hands”
“This Little Light of Mine”
“J-E-S-U-S” (see appendix)

Have the children move to the tables. Using-age appropriate scissors, have them cut out the world puzzle and put it together on paper plates. (Younger children may just color a paper plate blue and green as a symbol of our world.)

Discuss the puzzle with students. How can they help make any of the concepts come about?

There may be other activities you have used that would fit well into this event. The following suggestions are from Pflaum Publishing Group.

• Ways to Love Others
• Taking the Right Path
• Praying as Jesus Prayed
• Names for Jesus
• Carry On

In closing, pin or tape a two-inch-long white looped ribbon on each child as a sign of his or her baptismal commitment.

Teach them the Lord’s Prayer using sign (see appendix), or sing the “J-E-S-U-S” song once again.

Whole Group Learning (40 minutes)

Materials needed:

• Pencils/pens
• Copies of Baptismal Covenant sheets (one per person)
• DVD or video of movie “Pay it Forward” and DVD or video player (option)
• Half sheet of paper for prayer intention (one per table)

Facilitator
Gather everyone back in a large space where families and friends can sit together around a table in intergenerational groupings. Have them decide on a team name. Some examples: One for Others, God’s Children, We are Called, Sassy Words and Ways, Good for All. Invite creativity that fits the theme of this event.

Beginning with the youngest, have each person at the table relate an idea that came from their activity session.

After about 8-10 minutes, give input around the following:

• Review the idea that we are here today, 200 years later, through the sweat, consistent hard work and faith of our ancestors. It is now our turn to go beyond ourselves and reach out to others in a very concrete way.
• By our Baptism, we are called to move beyond our comfort zone and work to improve the world by offering the Gospel message to others; to become like Christ so that our actions will speak as well as our words.
• Remind the group of the blessings we have received from God in this Archdiocese, in our country, and world.
• Introduce the idea that our faith asks us to love unconditionally as we are loved by our God; to forgive and ask forgiveness, and serve others.

At this point, you may wish to use scenes from the movie, “Pay it Forward.” See scene information and questions in the box below.

If you choose not to show scenes from the movie but want to use the concept, the background information below will help. After explaining the concept, have tables share if they have ever paid it forward or experienced the gift of having something paid forward.

“Pay It Forward” background: Trevor, a young 11-year-old seventh grade student, tries to complete an assignment given to him by Mr. Simonet, his social studies teacher. Mr. Simonet challenged the students to come up with an idea that would change the world and to put that idea into action. Trevor decided that he would select three people and help them in a way that no one else had. In turn, each of these three people must not pay his favor back, but rather pay it forward to someone else. They must help three other people in a BIG way.

Have each table team look at the pictures on the table and talk about ways they can help others. Then have individuals write a specific action on their Baptismal Covenant and sign it. The action needs to be a practical way they will take God’s word and care to others. Parents can help younger children.

Have team members share their personal commitments with one another. Each team then writes one prayer of petition for the closing intercessory prayers and selects one person to read it. Ask households to take home one of the table pictures along with their covenant/s.

Invite everyone to the prayer space or have all remain in this space for prayer.

Opening Song

Closing Song

See opening songs suggestions on page 3.