Please find information below that will guide tonight's lesson for Kindergarten through Grade 8. You will need the unique code assigned to your child sent to you by email a few days before Christmas. If you have not enrolled your child, please complete the faith formation enrollment form by visiting https://sbcatholic.church/ff-enroll-2020 | https://smcatholic.church/ff-enroll-2020

Tonight's lesson is preparing families for this coming Sunday's Gospel, Sunday, February 14, 2021. 
Due to the inclement weather and the reality of over 30+ families with limited access to broadband connections, students may submit weekly review questions as late as noon on Saturday, February 13, 2021. Be safe!

6th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday, February 14, 2021 

Scripture Background

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus adds to his growing community. By touching and healing a leper, Jesus shows us that God’s love is for everyone. People in Jesus’ time feared lepers and made them live apart from others. Jesus, reaching out to the leper gives us an example to do the same for people who many consider outcasts and outsiders.

Connecting Scripture to Doctrine 

(Preschool): Sunday is Valentine’s Day. It is said that when Saint Valentine was sent to prison, he sent notes to young couples to encourage them in their faith. Ask your child to share with the family the Valentine’s Day activity. Display the Valentine banner made during the lesson. Note how the activity can help your whole family express your love for God by showing love and kindness for each other

Promise (Grades K–1): Your child learned that Jesus cared for people who are left out. Ask your child to share with the family what he or she learned about caring. The Valentine’s Day celebration is a good reminder of how important it is for your family to show love for one another and to all you meet.

Good News (Grades 2–3): Your child learned how Jesus reached out to heal people who were sick. The children also learned how they can reach out to people in need. Talk about ways your family can care for the sick or reach out to people who need your help. Ask your child to share the story of Saint Damien who worked with the lepers in Hawaii.

Venture (Grades 4–6): The class learned this week that Jesus used his humanity as well as his divinity to bring the Good News to people. In the story “The Visitors,” the class also learned that understanding can lead to compassion for others. Talk about ways your family can grow in understanding and compassion. Your child learned that Holy Communion is most important in bringing the community together. Talk about your family’s attitudes toward going to Mass and receiving Holy Communion.

Visions (Grades 7–9): Two important parts of this week’s lesson are the role of Holy Communion in building the Christian community and the value and meaning of the Eighth Commandment. Talk together as a family about the Mass and how each of you can better participate and can make Holy Communion the center of your family worship. Ask your son or daughter to share what the class learned about the Sacrament of Reconciliation and about telling the truth and avoiding lies. Remind one another that you are members of the Body of Christ.

Sharing the Lesson with Your Family  

This coming Wednesday is Ash Wednesday— the first day of Lent. When you complete your conversation about the week’s Gospel lesson, as your family prayer, plan to go to church to receive ashes. On the way home, ask God to bless your family during Lent and to help you grow in your love for Jesus and the Church.

The pacing guide is for a 60 minute single-session lession, the pacing guide is a suggestion for how to present the lesson. Please adapt the lesson to suit your family or linked Family Faith Formation Reflection Group (FFFRG) as needed. Families who regularly gather for Sunday Mass in-person or Livestream are encouraged to get together for faith formation lessons when possible. 

Step 1: Login in to the parish-based Pflaum Gospel Weeklies digital learning platform through the Pflaum App using the unique code assigned to your child. If you have not done so already, follow the link, using the unique code assigned as your child's user name (the whole thing, starting with two letters), then create your own password. Make sure to save your login info in a safe place!

The digital platform for the weekly lesson: https://pflaum.zinioapps.com/sign-up.

Step 2: Begin weekly lesson

• As a family, open session with Gathering Song and Gathering Prayer. You may use the Gathering Ritual in last Sunday's Bulletin as an alternate opening. (5 minutes)

• View Weekly Video posted below to coordinate with the lesson for the week, allowing you to select the video appropriate for your age group. (5 minutes)

• Complete Share Experiences (15 minutes)

• Complete Discover Gospel and Doctrine (20 minutes)

• Complete the activities in Live the Gospel (20 minutes)

• Submit the weekly lesson review questions appropriate to your age group by 8:00 p.m. Central Time Thursday, February 4, 2021 located in the link below. Please use the email address faithformation@myparishfamily.church when your child's catechist's email is requested. 

The weekly lesson assessment is a short quiz each child takes upon completing their lesson. It is a simple and practical way for each child to answer questions from the weekly lesson for gauging each child's progress for completing the needed material.  We understand this unique year of faith formation we are experiencing as a parish family due to COVID-19 social distancing guidelines appropriate for the health and safety of our families.  Because the Faith Formation year is starting later than normal, additional activities will be provided so that your child can continue at the age-appropriate level. Children set to celebrate Sacraments of Initiation and First Reconciliation will soon learn about these digitally based programs later this month.

Thank you for your patience as we transition from in-person model to a model where families can learn together as a Family Faith Formation Reflection Group (FFFRG).  As we progress, group facilitators will be identified, trained, and commissioned. Summer program coordinators for faith formation, and service and outreach programs and activities will also be identified, trained, and commissioned. 

+ Be Healthy, + Be Smart, + Be Holy! God bless you.

Father Anthony, OSB