Greetings to the Parents/Guardians of all Confirmation Candidates:

 

                My name is Ann Kirst.  My husband Joe and I are two of the many facilitators of the Parents for Life group at Light of Christ.  If you are not already involved in the Parents for Life group, we would like to cordially invite you to join us at any time.  We meet every Sunday night following the 6 PM Life Teen mass.  All parents of teens and pre-teens are welcome to attend.  We have parents attend who are married, divorced or widowed.  We even have some grandparents attend.  If you are currently involved, please keep coming – we love to see you!  Let us know how else we can serve your needs.

 

                I hope that you are already aware of what Life Teen is.  Following a spirit-filled mass full of uplifting music, the teens gather in the youth room for their “Life Night” where they are led by a core team of adults to learn more about their faith, while also having a great time.  Their nights encompass their spiritual, educational, emotional and social needs.  If your high schooler has not been attending Sunday Life Nights, you should encourage them to start.

 

Incorporated into the Life Teen program is a parent’s ministry called Parents for Life.  The Parents for Life program has a two-fold purpose.  First, it is a support system for the Life Teen program.  We, as parents of the Light of Christ teens, are called to assist with Sunday night food preparation, transportation, chaperoning or fulfilling other needs of the teens. 

 

Secondly, it is a support system for the parents.  While the teens are meeting each Sunday night after mass for their Life Night, the Parents for Life also meet. We have presentations based on the topics the teens are covering that night, along with prayer and fellowship.  We also have opportunities to discuss any current issues and/or problems that parents are having.  Some of the topics we have covered in the past few months are “The Mouse and the Remote Control”, “In Search of Excellence” and “How Far is Too Far??”. It’s a great way to meet other parents of the parish.  Often times we finally get to meet the parents of some of our teen’s friends.  This can be a real blessing.  Activities for Middle Schoolers are also available each Sunday night after the Life Teen Mass so the whole family can be in the same place at the same time!  All meetings end at 9 PM.

 

Besides having lots of fun, the teens and parents always have plenty of food!!   Each week between the Life Teen mass and the Life Nights, an assorted array of food is served, depending on the theme of the night. Examples of some menus we’ve had are a baked potato and salad bar, Mexican night, chicken dinner and oftentimes, the teens favorite, pizza.

 

Parents for Life is also a great place to find out about other events for parents that are happening in the Parish.  Annually, there is a Women’s Retreat in the fall and a Men’s Retreat in the spring.  In addition, Life Teen Parent’s Retreats are also presented. Watch the bulletin for further details.

 

Thank you for this opportunity to tell you about Life Teen and the Parents for Life programs.  As you can tell, we are very excited about this ministry and pray for its continued growth.  If you have any questions, please feel free to call Joe or me at 796-0121 or e-mail us at [email protected].  Hope to see you soon!    

 

Sincerely,