DCYM in 2012!

Hi everyone!

I hope you all had a blessed Christmas and New Year with time to relax, be with family and friends, and pray.

This is a blog version of an email I just sent out. If for any reason you do not receive my emails, leave a comment here or contact me at dc.ym@stjanedechantal.org to be added to the list.

Our 2012 calendar can be found one post previous to this one, or by clicking this Google doc link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13QU4ZCwszd9nBIqE82KDBMrNhx7Gkyat31ftRnAvHDI/edit?pli=1

Please print it, add it to your online calendar, etc., whatever you need to do so you know about events over the next few months.

I wanted to pass along a few more details about some of these offerings, please read through them all or scroll to the sections that interest you. There is something for everyone! The new year is a great time to start attending DCYM or start attending again if you’ve taken a break for a couple weeks or even a couple months.

SERVICE

1) We have dates to go to SOME soup kitchen in downtown DC on the following 2^nd Sundays of the month– JAN 15 -bfast, FEB 12 -lunch, MARCH 11 –bfast.

There are plenty of spots left for each date and you can sign up now for any of the dates. Please get in touch/reply to sign up, to get more details, or to get a permission slip. You will earn 4 SSL/service hours for attending, plus more importantly, you are feeding the hungry, a Corporal Work of Mercy.

2) ENCOUNTER sign-ups. Encounter: the Gospel of Life service camp (EGL) is a week-long, local, overnight service/learning camp which will be held July 8-13. Participants (about 400 teens total from around the area) stay in a dorm (usually at UMD) and perform direct service to the less fortunate during the day in the DC area. In the evenings there are games, music, keynotes, prayer, and discussion. Participants earn 40 hours of service and have an amazing time, sometimes life-changing. Please reply/get in touch to get a reservation form and to learn more details. www.eglweb.org

3) It seems like we just had our fall drive, but our Lenten Canned Food Drive will be upon us soon. It’s not too early to sign up to assist with handing out bags the weekend of Feb 25-26 after all weekend Masses or sort and count food the following Sunday, March 4. Again, get in touch to do so.

SOCIAL

1) DCYM is joining with other youth groups in Montgomery County for a day-long SKI TRIP! The permission slip with details can be found at the following Google docs link:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DGbDTUoD1ELxNeX55mIX5H-tPkcnDfK5iiWnb7TrEnI/edit

Basic info: Sat, Jan 28^th all day, taking charter buses up and back, joining with other area youth groups to ensure the cheaper group rate. Price varies depending on package. RSVP by 1/23/12! Adult chaperones needed (take advantage of the bus and group rate!)

2) SMASH

it’s not the first Sunday of the month, but we’re having SMASH this coming Sunday, Jan 8^th. It will be “Dinner and a Movie.” Come to 5 PM Mass and then join us at the Seton Center until 8 PM for a chance to be with friends and relax. Movie isn’t decided…if you have any that are short (under 2 hours) and appropriate (not rated R, appropriate subject matter), please bring them! DVDs only – no VHS or Blu-Ray.

In February, SMASH will be a first-half Superbowl gamewatch! Join DCYM on Feb 5^th for 5 PM Mass, then come to the Seton Center to watch the big game with your friends and play a couple silly games, too. Bring a snack, drink, or dessert to share and dinner will be provided.

*DCYM is always looking for new lectors for 5 PM Mass. Don’t worry if you’ve never done it before…we can train you quickly! You simply need a clear speaking voice and a desire to proclaim God’s Word to others. Get in touch if interested or if you’d like to sign up to lector for SMASH for any of the dates in 2012 (current or new lectors).

3) On Monday, January 23^rd, join thousands of other teenagers from around the entire country for a really unique youth ministry experience – the YOUTH RALLY AND MARCH FOR LIFE! You’re in luck – there is no MCPS that day, and if you need a religious excuse note for another school please let me know. Attending this rally and march is not about being political – it’s about witnessing to a central Catholic belief – that life begins at conception and should be protected until natural death. Get in touch for more details – a permission slip and more detailed message will be forthcoming. The day is peaceful and safe. We’ll talk more about it on Mon, Jan 9^th at our regular meeting.

GROW IN FAITH/CATECHESIS

Over the next few months on Monday nights, DCYM will be participating in an amazing Bible study on DVD called The Teen Timeline, or T3, by Ascension Press. Don’t let the phrase “Bible study” turn you away – this series is really captivating and interesting. The host/narrator, Mark Hart, is a nationally renowned and hilarious youth ministry leader and speaker. You’ll come away with a new appreciation and knowledge of the Bible and your Catholic faith.

Here is a promo link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1Nuyt1QS1M

Please get in touch if you would like to order your own workbook to follow along if you will be present all or most weeks – highly recommended. They are $15 and will help you get the most out of the DVDs/study.

Contact me with any questions, to RSVP, or to change your email contact info!

Blessings on your week,

Rebecca

2012 Calendar!

I’m (re)posting the 2012 calendar!

Much of it is the same as what was given out in the fall, but a few more dates are confirmed. Please print one/add it to your smartphone calendar/whatever you need to do so you know what’s going on for DCYM!

I won’t be at every event bc of my baby on the way but everything will still go on and I’ll be back before you know it!

Parents and adult volunteers – I do need some help while I am away – look for an email with details about how you can help.

GOOGLE DOC LINK TO CALENDAR

DCYM CALENDAR 2012

(all subject to change and/or addition; see bulletin or use contact info below for most updated calendar)

Rebecca Carlson, Youth Minister, St. Jane de Chantal Parish

email dc.ym@stjanedechantal.org   website/blog http://dechantalym.wordpress.com/

Facebook “Rebecca DCYM Carlson”  301 530 1640 ext 13 (Seton Center)         908 625 7713 (cell)

All Monday Gatherings are from 7-9 PM in the Seton Center and all SMASH events begin with 5 PM Sunday Mass and continue at the Seton Center from 6-8 PM (unless otherwise noted).

January

1              No SMASH

8              SMASH

9              Monday Gathering

15           SOME soup kitchen, breakfast

16           No Monday Gathering, No MCPS

22           March for Life concerts, area parishes, details TBD

23           Youth Rally and National March for Life, 6:30am-6pm, No MCPS

28           Ski Trip with other MoCo youth groups

30           Monday Gathering

February

5              SMASH – Superbowl Game Watch

6, 13, 27                Mon Gatherings

12           SOME soup kitchen, lunch

20           No Monday Gathering (No MCPS, President’s Day)

22           Ash Wednesday

March

4                     SMASH

3-4          Food Drive (Collect and sort food)

5, 12, 19, 26 Monday Gatherings

11           SOME soup kitchen, breakfast

11           Dodgeball w other MoCo youth groups

30           Living Stations of the Cross (rehearsals TBD)

April

1              SMASH

2-9          Spring break (no Monday Gatherings, possible extra events)

8              Easter

16, 30    Monday Gatherings

21           National Shrine/Catholic University visit

23           No Mon gathering, Confirmation

May

6              Aloha/Cinco de Mayo SMASH

7, 14, 21                Monday Gatherings

28           No Monday Gathering (Memorial Day)

TBD        Lockout w other MoCo youth groups

June

3                     SMASH (last until fall)

4&11      Last Monday Gatherings

9              “Dilexio” Youth Rally at St. Martin Church

15                 Beach Trip

July

8-13       Encounter (prep meetings TBD)

It’s still Advent! Some fun links to help you

http://centerforfaithjustice.wordpress.com/2011/12/13/linus-and-luke/

Above is a link from a blog post written by my friend Mike. Charlie Brown Christmas is one of my fav movies of all time btw, not just fav Christmas movie.

 

And below is a link explaining Advent in two minutes if you’re still not quite sure what this season is about!

http://bustedhalo.com/video/advent-in-two-minutes

 

Last night I was genuinely surprised and blessed with a surprise baby shower from DCYM! Thank you all for the gifts, beautiful cake, and fellowship. The only bad part was our Advent lesson, which I had already bumped from the week before bc of logistics, still didn’t happen! So even though it will be close to the end of Advent next week we can still do some learning. In the meantime, here’s a great link if you are so inclined to do some self-guided learning about common Advent traditions.

http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0372.html

 

Some Advent resources

Below are some links to Advent resources for you and your family to check out. What Advent traditions does your family have, if any? Waiting to put Jesus out in the Nativity scene? Lighting an Advent wreath? An Advent calendar? A Jesse tree?

Do you celebrate any of the awesome feast days that fall in Advent (St. Nicholas (12/6), Immaculate Conception, which is a Holy Day of Obligation (12/8), St. Juan Diego (12/9), Our Lady of Guadalupe (12/12), St. Lucy (12/13)…)

http://lifeteen.com/adventcalendar/

http://catechistsjourney.loyolapress.com/2011/11/30/ample-advent-resources/

Encounter 2012

Individual parish registration forms are now available by request (email dc.ym@stjanedechantal.org) or can be picked up at DCYM events for Encounter: The Gospel of Life service camp which will be held July 8-13. A refundable $100 deposit check made out to “St. Jane de Chantal” must accompany the form. The form and check will hold a spot for you, though attendance is not guaranteed.

What is Encounter?

Encounter is a local, week-long (Sun-Fri) overnight service learning camp. About 300 teenagers from the area attend the camp. Accomodations are at the University of Maryland. During the day participants break into small groups and go out to do direct service at different sites in the DC Metro area. Sites include but are not limited to: soup kitchens, nursing homes, UCP and The Arc, summer camps for disadvantaged children, etc.

In the evenings there is time for small group reflection and sharing and large group programming including keynote speakers, witness talks, catechesis, music and dancing, and prayer. Daily Mass is offered each morning and there is a Reconciliation Night.

HELP!

This year we very much need adult (21+) chaperones to attend with the group since Rebecca will not be able to serve as a full-time overnight chaperone. All necessary training will be provided and Rebecca will prepare the participants and will be available and will stop in often during the camp. 6 teens from the parish can attend for every chaperone we have. It would be a shame to turn away teens or to not be able to bring a group at all. Please contact Rebecca ASAP if you can chaperone this camp. Teens, please ask your parents. You can spend as much or as little time with them as you desire, and having them help will allow you and 5 other teens to attend. Please consider asking older siblings, neighbors, other family members, etc.

Contact Rebecca with any other questions/concerns.

Happy New Year!!

I think I did this post title last year also, it just doesn’t get old for me! Made you think twice, right? Well, it IS the new year, for the Church, that is! The new church year or liturgical year always begins on Advent.

So last night we celebrated with some sparkling cider (and lots and lots of Panera bagels…thank you, Fisher family), and also with a few games of Manhunt and some chatting outside since it was sooo beautiful out.

We also had a nice Advent Wreath prayer to finish our evening together, and a chance for people to give their reactions to the new Mass translation that we talked about and prepared for for so many weeks this fall.

Our main activity was a service project – we wrote out Christmas cards for deployed service members and residents of Maplewood to brighten their days and reflected for a bit on WHY as Catholics we do acts of service.

Some answers:

-makes us feel good

-Jesus told us to

-good for our souls

We then talked about how none of those are wrong answers at all, but at the heart of service is LOVE, or charity.

Love is willing another’s good, doing what’s best for them, and doing it even when we don’t HAVE to or don’t FEEL like it. We do it freely to please God and follow Jesus’ example and teachings from Scripture, not merely because he “made” us. Sometimes it makes us feel good and that’s great, but sometimes it doesn’t. God is still present. When we do service it is good for our soul and we are able to be Christ to others and see Christ in others. We do service for all people, for the least people – whether they are unborn, elderly, foreign, poor, homeless, disabled, sick, imprisoned, rude, weird, or we don’t like them, or if we really do like them – our friends and family.

How does the Church organize and talk about service/works and creating a just society? With the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy and Principles of Catholic Social Teaching. Click on them to see them and read and learn more. We went over them briefly last night.

We also spoke about and shared experiences from Encounter. There will be a separate post detailing this service camp.

 

See you all this Sunday for SMASH, next Monday to learn more about Advent, next weekend for our retreat, and Mon the 12th for evening prayer and Q&A night.

DCYM is busy!

Hi, DCYM families!

Here is a total update of what’s going on in DCYM! Would you like to receive this in email form and didn’t? Send me a message at dc.ym@stjanedechantal.org to be added to the list.  You can always reach out to me by email, phone, or facebook with any questions you may have about the ministry or calendar. I hope you will read all that the ministry is doing, but I have also broken things up by section to make it not so overwhelming! We’ve been having lots of great offerings, and will continue to have a lot going on through Advent and Christmas and beyond! I really hope each of you will get involved and come out to at least one event! And of course, you can always bring a friend!

ADVENT RETREAT, Dec 9-11

Please consider joining us for this awesome weekend retreat. A chance to get away, HAVE FUN, and focus on friendships and your relationship with Christ through small group discussion, ice-breakers and games, teen-led talks, a bonfire and s’mores, reflection time, free time, and prayer, Adoration, Mass, and Confession. We will be staying over on Friday and Saturday nights at the Bishop Claggett Center, leaving in the evening Friday and returning by Sunday afternoon. You won’t even miss practice or homework time! All you have to do to reserve your spot is email me with your t-shirt size by Wed, Nov 23^rd (day before Thanksgiving). Then return your permission slip and check for $110 by Dec 5^th. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE.

 

SOCIAL

THIS FRIDAY is laser tag at Shadowland! Remember, you must let me know you are joining us by this Wed to guarantee a ride. Bring your permission slip and $20 cash the night of. We’ll meet at 6:15 at the Seton Center. Are you an adult who can help drive? Get in touch!

Our next SMASH on Dec 4th will be a Christmas/Advent party! Karaoke, crafts, cookie decorating, silly relays, and delicious dinner! Lectors, ushers, and gift-bearers for Mass are needed!

Past events:

Our Haunted Forest night became pizza and movie night because of the snow, but we still had a great time together!

Our last SMASH, Scavenger SMASH, was awesome! We had a great Mass together with teen ushers, lectors, and gift-bearers, and afterwards a packed room of teens eating Popeye’s chicken (thanks to the Gomez-Bustillo family) and working together in teams to solve clues!

 

WEEKLY MONDAY GATHERINGS

Please consider coming out if you never have! Mondays can be just as fun as SMASH and our social outings. We play games or ice-breakers, have social time and snacks, plus it’s meaningful! We have some GREAT discussions about the faith and how it fits into our lives and close by praying together and for one another’s needs. We’re just about done learning about the new Roman Missal, and for the rest of the weeks until Christmas break we’ll have a night on social justice with a mini service project, a Q&A night where you can ask whatever you want, and some lessons and discussions on Advent.

 

SERVICE

We’ve already been to SOME this year and are going again on Dec 11^th to serve lunch. We also have dates in Jan, Feb, and March. Spots are going quickly, sign up and reserve one soon!

Looking for ways to get some service hours or SSL hours right at the parish? We’ll be sorting the food from our food drive this Sunday, Nov 20^th, from about 8:30 am -12:30 pm in Caulfield Hall. Come for part or all.

SOME is holding a Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day and needs volunteers! Let me know if you are interested and I will put you in touch with their coordinator.

The parish’s annual Advent Wreath Workshop will be on Sun, Nov 27^th in Caulfield Hall. Helpers are needed all day from 11 am – 1 pm, 1-2:30 pm, 2:30-4 pm, and 4-5:30 pm. You can help for one or more sessions.

 

EXTRAS

Sign-ups for Encounter summer service camp will start on Monday, Nov 28^th. It will be first-come, first-serve to reserve your spot (need a form and $100 refundable deposit), though without some adult (21+) chaperones we will be very limited in numbers or not be able to attend at all. Please consider, parents, if you or a friend/neighbor/relative/older child might be able to join us from July 8-13^th for this overnight service learning camp.

We have 12 tickets for the Youth Rally and National March for Life which will be on Monday, January 23^rd, 2012!! Just like last year, there is no MCPS that day! What a blessing! Reserve your spot now for this unforgettable day of fun, cheering in an arena of thousands of teenagers, prayer, and witness to a central Catholic belief, the dignity and protection of the human person.

Quick service hour opportunity this weekend!

Dear DCYM families,

Do you/your teen need some service hours/SSL hours? Or do they just want to do a quick but helpful project this weekend? I have a very easy way.

This weekend after all Masses we will be handing out brown bags so parishioners know about and can more easily participate in our food drive.

So, when you’re already at Mass, come to the back/gathering space right after Communion and grab some brown bags from under the bench by the St. Jane statue or off a table. Then spread out to all the doors and hand them out to as many people as you can as they leave. You can come for more than one Mass too if you want more hours, just come about a half hour in to the Mass.

Don’t forget about sorting the food on Nov 20^th and the Advent Wreath Workshop on Nov 27^th. These are excellent opportunities to get involved in the parish and get some SSL hours, too.

Thanks for your help!

All Saints’ Day!!!

Below is a great video/link about not only how Halloween and All Saints’ Day are connected, but also about saints in general. We talked about this some last Monday.

Remember, a saint is a soul in Heaven, and we are told in the video multiple times that being a saint is being who you truly are. If we live for God first and remove sin from our life we can each become saints, in fact we are each CALLED to be saints.

Saints in the video are likened to older brothers and sisters…remember, they pray for us in Heaven if we ask, the way someone prays for us on Earth if we ask. And they’re that much closer to God! So if anyone challenges you, you are NOT worshipping the saints by praying to them, you are asking them to take your prayer to God.

Make sure you get to Mass today to celebrate this great feast, it’s a Holy Day of Obligation! Don’t think of it as an obligation though, think of it as an opportunity!

All Saints’ Day video link

Thanksgiving Service Opportunity at SOME

Here is a service opportunity for anyone who will be around for Thanksgiving.

I would like to tell you about SOME’s Thanksgiving Day Trot for Hunger.

As the preparations for the 10th Annual Thanksgiving Day Trot are well underway, we would like to ask you to consider volunteering for this event. SOME is excited to be hosting the city’s only turkey trot at a new location this year: Freedom Plaza in downtown Washington, DC. We are expecting over 6,000 participants for this 5k walk/run and we will need even more volunteers to help run and manage the Trot at our new location.

Volunteers are needed prior to, during, and after the race, and those roles are described below. We are also interested in finding people who would be willing to be volunteer captains.

If you are interested in volunteering for SOME’s 10th Annual Thanksgiving Day Trot for Hunger please contact Rebecca Potts-Dupre at rpotts-dupre@some.org or at 202.797.8806, ext. 1131.

I hope you will be able to join us to volunteer!

Descriptions of Volunteer Positions

Days Preceding Race

Race Advertising – Put up Trot flyers around the Washington Metropolitan Area (at coffee shops, running stores, etc.).

Packet Pick-up – Hand out packets and t-shirts to participants at the Old Post Office Pavilion on Friday, November 18 and Saturday, November 19, 11:00am-3:00pm.

Wednesday, November 23

12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Pre-race Set-up – Pitch tents, set up tables, hang banners at Freedom Plaza.

Day of Race

6:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (or when clean-up is complete)

Course – Post event signs at Metro stations and post route signs along course.  Help to set up and break down the race course.

Bag Check – Collect bags from participants before the race and return them after the race.

Water- Hand out water at the finish line, replenish supplies, and set-up and monitor recycling and trash receptacles.

Registration – Look up participants and give them their race number and t-shirt.

Food – Set up tables of fruit and other refreshments for race participants.

Volunteer booth – Refresh coffee and bagel supplies for volunteers.

10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (or when all supplies have been unloaded at SOME)

Clean-up Crew – Volunteers are needed to help to clean up the race site, reload the race supplies onto trucks, and unload the supplies at SOME’s headquarters.