Family Faith Formation – Kindergarten - 8th Grade

Promoting and empowering the Family Church!

The home is the first and most influential model of Christian life for children. Through the actions and words of parents and siblings, children learn the joy of work, unconditional love, generous forgiveness, and a belief in God and teachings of the Catholic Church.

The role of St. Thomas More’ Family Faith Formation program is to engage, empower, and support parents, the primary spiritual leaders of their family, to lead their children into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and explore and develop their Catholic faith. When we, as a community, emphasize strengthening the family church our parish community is inevitable strengthened too.

Family Faith Formation in the Home

The key to Family Faith Formation is parent commitment and modeling Catholic virtues with their children. The design of the Family Faith Formation is to work within the natural rhythms of your family life. “We placed the Gospel Weeklies on the table and the children naturally picked it up to read.  Now, we read and discuss the Gospel Weeklies over dinner – with the kids initiating it!”  Parents do not need to be experts in the Faith! You can do this! Lesson agendas, videos, and support provided.

Pflaum Gospel Weekly Curriculum

Parents receive the Pflaum Gospel Weekly lectionary based curriculum to assist them in sharing their faith. The colorful and engaging issues cover the scripture readings for Sunday Mass, doctrine on the teachings of the Catholic Church, and catechism on the sacraments, prayer and mortality.

The theme of each grade level of the Gospel Weekly is the Sunday Gospel making it easy for families to share the lesson together.  There are four levels of Gospel Weeklies:

• Promise: Kindergarten and First Grade
• Good News: Second and Third Grade
• Venture: Fourth and Fifth Grade
• Visions: Sixth – Eighth Grade

Family Faith Formation Gatherings

We invite children and their parents to gather as parish community each month for ‘Faith, Fun, and Fellowship Nights’.

• Children join their peers to engage in fun activities related to the liturgical season and to reinforce the Gospel Weekly lessons taught at home
• Parents are welcome to grow in faith and with engaging speakers and group discussions and to enjoy fellowship of the St. Thomas More community