Living in Communion:
Fed and Forgiven 2010
Living in Communion Week #4 (pdf)
Living in Communion Week #3 (pdf)
Living in Communion Week #2 (pdf)
Living in Communion Week #1 (pdf)
Parent Interview Information (pdf)
Important Date Information (pdf)
Maundy Thursday Ceremony (pdf)
Dear 4th (and a few 5th) Grade Parents...
Welcome to this part of the life-long journey of faith with your child! For me,
sharing this time with boys and girls is a personal privilege as much as a pastoral
delight. I love their excitement and thoughtfulness, their sensitivity that this is
an important personal experience, and their energy in learning. Thanks for
entrusting your family to our Family and to me!
- FOC's Living in Communion "faith-steps" include ALL 4th graders regardless of
whether or not they are already receiving the sacrament. "Early 1st Communion" is
a one-time, abbreviated introduction for children up to about 3rd grade; Fed and
Forgiven is higher, deeper, wider, longer, and age-appropriate to 4th grade and
older. Please include your youngster even if he/she resists because "I already
know all that stuff"!
- A few 5th graders are participating this year as each year because they have
come to our congregation recently and missed Communion instruction in their
previous churches. Encourage your 4th grade student to help any 5th grader to be
at home with us. After all, that's "the Family of Christ 'way'!"
- Parents are welcome - even encouraged - to participate in the class. It helps
you follow-up with your child and to prepare at home.
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- Use and adapt the on-line resources as you think best. Of course I'd like you to
use it daily and use it all - but I know that with today's schedules at work and
school, recreation and homework, children's commitments and interest levels, and
your own energy... doing everything just isn't always possible. Here...
Use familyofchristonline.com regularly
- At the bottom of this letter, there's a schedule of dates. Each week
(after Wednesday) go to familyofchristonline.com and access material
I've used that week or homework for the following week. We put the
material in .pdf format.
- If you are NOT on the internet, please communicate with me and/or
Marilyn Syverson (our Faith Formation admin person) without hesitation
or delay we will provide you with written material. We do need
to know if you need this however; I don't automatically hand out paper
to all students (it's a matter of good stewardship).
- A major experience in First Communion preparation is the Seder Meal. Each
year's event is so successful that we know we have to include it, even though the
timing may be awkward for some families. (Eastern Carver County Schools are on
spring break at that time, unfortunately for our church schedule!)
Mark your family calendar for Palm Sunday afternoon,
*March 14th at 4:00 pm and watch for news or notes.
*Denotes a change from previously set date!
- The Ceremony of First Communion for first-time students and a "Communion
renewal" for communing students is during worship during Holy Week in a unique
and quite special worship service. It's on Maundy Thursday, April 1st.
Put that date on your family calendar, too - 7:00 pm
Invite family, sponsors & godparents,
and you and your child's personal friends.
ALTERNATE DATE FOR FIRST/RENEWAL COMMUNION
SUNDAY, APRIL 11, 10:45
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Never hesitate to be in touch with me by email (nate@familyofchristonline.com) or
by phone. My home number is 952-934-7870 - or you can use my e-mail link from
this website or call me at church, ext 13.
God go with you! Pastor Nate Castens
 "Opening the Bible" - Daily Bible readings for families
I provide an 8-week series of Bible readings and prayer-starters for children.
(Wednesdays are a "free day" since they're studying with me and using the Bible in
class.) I selected these Bible stories and readings with youngsters in mind...
- Stories of interest to children - Samuel, Jesus as a 12-year-old, etc
- Psalms/Songs that "work" for us all
- A few classic Bible readings
My suggestion is that together you and your child plan when and how to read
together - or if he/she prefers to do this alone, that you help them decide when
and how to make this a new habit of faith. However... don't be obsessive about this!
It's not easy to start a new habit, and if you're like me, daily is pretty hard to pull
off at first. If you miss a day or two or three at the beginning, just go on. Don't
try to make up missed readings - it will soon get to be too much to catch up, and
then you'll just quit.
Be sure your child has an age-appropriate Bible. The one most students are using is
the Contemporary English Version of the Bible (the Bible with the child-friendly
picture of Jesus on the cover). That's the version/translation we'll use in class.
Most weeks I'll also provide an at-home Bible study with questions directly
connecting to our study of Holy Communion. Please be faithful with this
"homework." I don't think it's hard or time-consuming, and I will be using this Bible
information as part of how and what I'll teach.
These are in PDF files that you can download and print. If your son/daughter can
remember to bring it to class, all the better!
 "Worshipping Faithfully"
A part of the Christian family's faithful life is worshiping - faithfully. Even if
weekly worship isn't a family priority or habit, make it so during this period of
preparation. Holy Baptism and Holy Communion don't "work" well if the student and
the family he/she lives in 24/7 don't cultivate their Christian nurture and
relationships. If you're new to this idea, try it. If you need more info, look
elsewhere on our website for worship times, worship/music styles, and other
encouragements.
 "Sharing Faith"
I also provide other material for your teaching and learning together at home. In
this way you are "sharing faith" with each other. All this is organized in weekly
units like this:
- January 13 - God loves... Alfredo's story of belonging
- January 20 - Welcome home... Celebrations old and new
- January 27 - Mystery and the Real Presence... "In, with, under..."
- February 3 -Sacraments... Forgiveness and sharing
- February 10 - Hands open... Receive the gifts
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