Joe's Sales Pitch for Sign Up Sunday

Today is Sign Up Sunday! Today we are asking if you want to participate in the second 6-week session of Arise Together in Christ. So whether you are new to Arise and are planning to participate as a Lenten sacrafice, or if you are continuing from Season 1, we ask that you fill in the form that is located in your pew and put it in the collection basket. If you are not sure right now, you may also take the form and then drop it off at the rectory, or you can also fill out the form on line, on the St Mary’s parish web site.

Season 2 of Arise is perfect for Lent. Catholic teaching asks us to do something to bring us closer to God, something that makes us better prepared for Easter. Arise is an excellent opportunity for you to get involved and come to know other parishioners while deepening your faith during Lent.

Arise starts the week of Ash Wednesday and runs for 6 weeks. It will be completed before Easter. The meetings are 60-90 minutes, depending on the size of your group. Groups meet in the rectory, the lower church, at the Olive Branch, in people’s homes, and even at Forge Hill Assisted Living Center. We have groups that meet in the morning, afternoon and in the evenings of every day of the week. I’m sure we can accommodate your schedule.

It’s fun and a very worthwhile program. If there are any parishioners that participated in Season One here at mass, can you please stand up. And of those standing, can you please raise your hand if you are planning to participate in Season 2? Thank you! So you can see that it must be a worthwhile and rewarding program for this many people to sign up again. If you are considering participating in Arise and have not yet made up your mind, I welcome you to take a minute after mass to read the posters around the church. These are comments that were taken from the evaluations forms from Season I. You’ll read that people have deepened their faith, feel closer to God, and have grown closer with other parishioners. But more importantly, you’ll read that all their fears and anxieties they had about joining never happened. So, if you know any of the people that were standing, stop them after mass or give them a call, and ask them, or any member of the Arise Parish Team, any questions you may have.

If you participated in Season I and you wish to stay in the same group, you may do so; or, perhaps, like me, you want to meet new people, or your schedule may require you to select a different day or time, simply tell us by providing the information on the form. If you’re still on the fence and haven’t decided to join, because of a very busy schedule and you feel you can only attend some of the sessions, we WELCOME YOU TO DO SO! We learned from our evaluation forms that even attending a few meetings was a very worthwhile experience. If you’re still on the fence, and only want to attend 1 meeting to see what its like or to see if you will enjoy it, we WELCOME YOU TO DO THAT AS WELL! Just write that down on the form and let us know. We will be able to accommodate you. Once we gather all the forms and assemble the groups, you will be contacted with all the logistics for your group.

There is a renewed spirit within our parish that is starting to take hold. We are starting to feel it. And… We want YOU to be a part of it!! We want EVERYONE to be a part of it!

Just sign up and join the conversation. Start connecting your faith with your life, and start moving your faith into action.

And finally, whether you choose to participate or not, please pray for all of the Arise participants, that they may have the strength to take that first step toward God by filling out that form, and pray that they feel Him pulling them the rest of the way...

Workshop for Season II

This table has Mary Hazlett, Robbie Clary, Paul Clary, Ray Cadorette, and Katie McNeice listening very carefully.

Not all of St. Mary's Arise small group leaders attended this particular location. Workshops were held in different locations through out the diocese and at different times. Those that attended took up two tables. You will see Donna Strok and Nancy Rappa, hamming it up for the camera, Roland Robitaille looking thoughtful, with Donald Carpentier smiling behind him.

The new pastoral center in Braintree is beautiful. This is where the workshop for small group leaders was held. Here you can see Joan McGuire and Joe DePalo discussing theological differences.

The tables were circular which made for ease of interacting both with adjacent neighbors but also for group discussion within the entire table.

Not all of St. Mary's Arise small group leaders attended this particular location. Workshops were held in different locations through out the diocese and at different times. Those that attended took up two tables.

Now we can't wait for the session to start--week of Feb. 22nd.

Overview of Season Two

Change Our Hearts Season Two.
Here is the theme and scripture reference for each week in the six sessions:

Session 1: Repent and Believe the Good News!
Conversion is at the core of the Gospel message Conversion calls for a change of heart and mind Jesus' call to conversion is expressed in relation to God, to ourselves, and to others Conversion is the process of becoming Good News to one another
Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-18

Session 2: God's Beloved
Listening to Jesus, God's Beloved Son Being the Beloved of God Personal transfiguration Facing reality: in life, and in faith
Mark 9: 2-10

Session 3: Thirsting for New Life
Water, symbol of new life in Christ An encounter with Christ implies leading others to encounter him God thirsts for us
John 4: 5-30, 39-42

Session 4: From Darkness to LightFocus
We are called out of "night" into "day" Christ is the Light of the world Christians are called to live as children of the light
John 3: 1-21

Session 5: Bound Together by a Promise
The Covenant between God and God's people The Covenant is founded on love The Covenant is a two-way pledge of faithfulness, mercy and forgiveness The New Covenant fulfilled in Christ
Scripture Reading
Jeremiah 31: 31-34

Session 6: Into Holy Week with ChristFocus
Sharing in the great "conversion" of death into life Celebrating and making present the "triumph" of the cross in liturgy, and in life Sharing in the "Paschal Mystery" The "Paschal Mystery" as the foundation of our faith, our hope, and our love
Philippians 2: 6-11

Small Groups

What's a typical group like?

The typical Arise group is a small Christian community. There are anywhere from 4-15 people who come together to share faith and to reflect on ways God is at work in their lives. Every group has 5 elements:

* prayer
* learning
* sharing
* support
* mission

We follow a workbook that has prayer and scripture readings. In our prayers we support each other and the parish. We may also discuss things to do together as a service to individuals or the parish or just go out together to socialize.

What Faith Sharing is Not

Today, I went to another training session for Arise, Season II. Someone asked a question, which I didn't hear, but I certainly heard the answer. Faith Sharing does not have a response. It is one person talking. No one else expands, corrects, or reaffirms. It is different from bible study, and discussion.

Bible Study involves study. Learning background, and reading, and more importantly, right answers from wrong answers.

Discussion involves two are more people talking about a certain subject.

Faith sharing is simply one person stating how Jesus has affected them. No one else says anything. It's their story.

Arise Together in Christ is "faith sharing."

Comments on Session One

A few comments from Session One:

I had never read the Bible before. It was very interesting to me and how I want to continue to read more.

I would encourage people to attend.

I always feel that God is in my presence.

I like everything that was presented.


Praise God!

Sign Up Sheet

Sign Up Sheet
Season 2 – Changing our Heart



Name : _______________________________________

Address : _____________________________________

Email Address : ________________________________

Phone Number : ________________________________

This is my 1st season of Arise ________

I did participate in Season 1 ______

If you participated in Season 1 and your Season 1 Group stays together, do you want to try to stay in that group?

_____ YES _____ NO _____ Does Not Matter

Who was your Season 1 Small Group Leader?



When is it convenient for you to meet? Please check more than 1, if possible.

Times
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Fri
Sat
Sun

Morning

Afternoon

Evening

Will you be a small Group Leader? _____ Yes _____ No

Will you host a meeting? ______ Yes _____ No

Please return this form to Joe DePalo at depalo@comcast.net