Greetings from the Adult Faith Formation Team!

My name is Pam Janssen. I serve the parish as the Adult Faith Formation Coordinator and as a member of the RCIA Leadership Team. In June of 2003 I was commissioned by Bishop Robert Banks as a lay ecclesial minister in the Diocese of Green Bay, specifically in the area of religious education / formation.

With the blessing of the parish, and the full support of our pastor, Fr. Patrick, an Adult Faith Formation Team was formed in September of 2003. The team is comprised of a representative cross-section of parish life, with the intention that we will thus be attuned to the various needs of the many parishioners on whose behalf we do our work. The original members of the AFF Team included Alan and Rosemary “Rosie” Kraszewski, Doris Malcheski, Jim and Jackie Resick, Ron and Nancy Lenz, Tom and Paula Maroszek, and me, serving as the parish staff liaison and coordinator. After a series of meetings and in-services, the group presented a six-year plan to the parish council, based on the United States Council of Catholic Bishops pastoral letter, Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us.

The plan is comprised of three, two-year stages. We began in Advent of 2003 with the focus on “Prayer and Liturgical Life” and moved to “Knowledge of the Faith and Moral Formation” in Advent, 2005. In Advent 2007 we go forward with the focus on “Communal Life and Missionary Spirit.”

In the past four years we have said goodbye to Rosie, and Alan, Tom and Paula. Becky and Rod Ruechel, Emily Lenz, Steve Warden, and most recently, Mike and Donna Bertrand and Paul Bertrand have joined our team.

So, what’s happened around the parish? Well, since I no longer get to make a list for Santa Claus, here’s a list for you…

• Parish book sales
• A parish BookCart
• The Parish Mission
• The Prayer Chain
• The Adult Faith Formation Update and the Stewardship Formation Page in the weekly parish bulletin
• The ABC’s of Faith inserts in the bulletin
• An Adult Faith Formation Bulletin Board located near the $crip Table
• Calendars of Events for Advent and for Lent
• 2nd Wednesday Bread and Breakfast
• 15 Minutes on Friday (a reflection on the Sunday Scriptures that follows Stations of the Cross during Lent)
• A Lent Scripture Series at the senior apartments
• An ecumenical collaborative effort with Peace Lutheran Church in offering Vacation Bible School to our parish youngsters
• Parent Sacrament Formation Sessions
• An Adult Faith Formation page and calendar of events on the parish website
• www.abvm.org, a recent, total remodeling of the parish website by member Paul Bertrand
• Mass and a Movie (outdoors) on the parish feast day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
• Music (from the movies, Sister Act and Sister Act II) and an ice-cream social following the parish feast day this past August 15th
• Hospitality in hosting the House of Hope Benefit and the Day of Reflection for Parish Ministers
• A Life in the Spirit Seminar
• Lent Speaker Series
• Collaboration in sponsoring Lent Evening Prayer with the Council of Catholic Women
• A presentation on Catholic Theology and the Left Behind Series / Da Vinci Code
• An Advent Breakfast Series

In looking back at this list, I can’t help but be overwhelmed with gratitude for the blessings the members of the Adult Faith Formation Team have shared with me and all of the members of our parish faith community. Talk about dedication! One of our objectives is to make continued growth in the faith an intentional part of everyday life. As a team, our call to discipleship is a call to foster our own spiritual growth so that we may help you in your own call to grow in your faith.

Together, may we continue to meet our call, to love and serve the Lord.

Peace and All Good,

Pam, Doris, Ron and Nancy,
Jim and Jackie, Becky and Rod,
Emily, Steve, Mike and Donna, and Paul