What: Youth Ministry for Grades 6-8

When:  Most Sundays at 5pm

Where:  Saint Raphael Church

Why:   Faith Formation should meet people where they are. We want to seize the opportunity to engage our 6th-8th graders and their Parents in a setting more like Youth Ministry than a classroom, where faith formation and community will come together to encounter God through prayer, service, and discussion. It is a refuge where middle schoolers can explore who it is God made them to be. Although this ministry will replace PSR for 6th-8th graders, we encourage and welcome all Saint Raphael 6th-8th graders to join in the fun!

How:   The Middle School Ministry program is supported by 3 pillars of sessions: Unite, Ignite, and Invite. Together they allow us to share the great adventure of the faith, to grow in community together, and to help prepare our young teens for a lifelong friendship with Christ.

UNITE:   Once a month, all 6th-8th graders and their parents will UNITE with Christ and each other as we share dinner and discussion. Topics will vary each month to help initiate discussion and spiritual growth within your family. This is an excellent opportunity to come together to share your own experiences and join together in the great adventure of  faith.

IGNITE:  Once a month, 8th graders only will meet to be formed for the Sacrament of Confirmation and IGNITE the light of Christ and the fire of the Holy Spirit in their hearts.

INVITE:  Once or twice per month, we INVITE all 6th-8th graders to join us in the Community Room to continue our adventure together, exploring our faith, and encouraging them to evaluate their lives and choices in the light of the Gospel. We’ll seek to always answer “why does this matter to me?” and to draw the connection that faith isn’t one subject or facet of life, but is integral to our identity and how we occupy our place in the world. This is also an opportunity to invite friends from other areas of our lives to join us in a mixture of fun and faith!

Hi Everyone!

I’m so excited to welcome you to Middle School Ministry (MSM)! This is a place where we come together to have fun, support each other, and grow in faith as we explore what it means to follow Jesus. Whether you’re just starting your journey, or you’ve been walking with God for a while, there’s a space for you here.

I want to remind you that no matter what’s happing in your life, you are loved by God and He has a special plan just for you. Life can be challenging, but you don’t have to face it alone. We’re here to walk alongside you, pray for you, and grow together as a community of faith.

Keep being kind, stay strong, and remember to keep God at the center of everything you do. I’m excited to see all the amazing things God has in store for you as we take this journey together!

With blessings and prayers,

Cheryl

Once a month, all 6th, 7th, and 8th graders and at least one parent/guardian will join together to UNITE with Christ and each other as we share dinner and discussion, uniting in community and faith formation. 

This pillar replaces PSR for all 6-8th graders who do not attend a Catholic school, but we encourage ALL Saint Raphael families with 6th-8th graders to register and join us. 

Topics will vary each month to help initiate discussion and spiritual growth within your family. This is an excellent opportunity to come together to share your own experiences and join together in the great adventure of  faith.

UNITE meets one Sunday evening each month from 5:00-7:30pm in the Saint Raphael PAC. Meetings are usually the first Sunday of each month but may vary because of holidays. Check the schedule  for a complete list of UNITE dates.

Dinner is always included! Meals will be home cooked with love by our team of Angel Chefs, giving you a Sunday evening free to share food and fellowship, spending time with one another and grow in your own spirituality. 

This is an excellent opportunity to grow in your faith through inter-generational discussion between adults and middle-schoolers as we explore our Catholic faith.

This new format is an opportunity to connect with your middle-schooler, to unite with them, as a community, and as Christians.

We INVITE ALL 6th-8th graders to join in the fun!

Once or twice per month, we INVITE all 6th-8th graders to join us in the Community Room to continue our adventure together, exploring our faith, and encouraging them to evaluate their lives and choices in the light of the Gospel. 

INVITE is for ALL 6th-8th graders and meets 5:00-6:30pm once or twice each month on the Sundays that do not have Unite or Ignite. See below for a complete schedule of dates.

INVITE continues the adventure together, exploring our faith, and encouraging our middle schoolers to evaluate their lives and choices in the light of the Gospel. We will always seek to answer "why does this matter to me?" and to draw the connection that faith isn't one subject or facet of life, but is integral to our identity and how we occupy our place in the world.

INVITE is formatted in a Youth Ministry Model were together we will gather together in fun and games, proclaim the Gospel,  break open the message in small group discussions, and adjourn with communal prayer.

INVITE is open to ALL 6th, 7th, and 8th graders from all schools, and it is also an opportunity to INVITE friends to join us in a mixture of fun and faith!

This is perfect opportunity to grow in faith and friendship! 

IGNITE is for all 8th graders seeking the Sacrament of Confirmation. 

(Link to IGNITE Confirmation Prep)

Students in Catholic School may register for Confirmation preparation only.  Students attending public school register for Confirmation though MSM.

MSM is the Middle School Ministry program. It is supported by 3 pillars of sessions:

Unite, Ignite, and Invite. Together they allow us to share the great adventure of faith, to grow in community together, and to help prepare our middle schoolers for a lifelong friendship with Christ.

The 3 pillars of MSM are: Unite - a family-centered, intergenerational evening of formation, Ignite - our formation evening for 8th graders preparing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, and Invite - youth ministry-style drop-in evenings for middle schoolers.

Yes and No… let me explain.

Yes, the UNITE pillar of MSM is designed to replace PSR by incorporating lessons from middle school PSR into a youth ministry and family fellowship model. This removes the classroom setting and replaces it with a fellowship setting that encourages interaction, community, and mutual support while sharing a meal together. The lesson topics will rotate on a three year cycle so that subjects will be covered by all participants throughout their time in middle school.

No, INVITE does not directly replace PSR. Although INVITE attendance is optional, it is encouraged to help enhance and deepen faith, formation, and fellowship among our middle schoolers. It is an excellent opportunity for rising teens to have fun while sharing in their faith with friends in their own age group.

IGNITE Confirmation provides preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation for 8th

graders. All 8 th graders who do not attend a Catholic elementary school are required to also register and participate in UNITE.

We do not subscribe to any pre-formed curricula. Instead, we have built our program around the proclamation of the Kerygma, the basic gospel message of Jesus Christ as lived out in the lives of saints and our lives today. That message is, at its essence, this:

         -God created us good, and has a plan and a purpose for our lives

         -We mess that plan up by sinning, we become less than ourselves

         -Jesus became human and died for us to restore God’s plan for us

         -We need to accept that healing restoration in our lives (repentance)

         -We need to live a healed life (prayer, worship, service)

Woven through this proclamation, we are able to touch on all of the topics found in the scope and sequence of a standard religious ed textbook, including revelation, the Trinity, Jesus Christ, sin and grace, the Church, Sacraments, and building the Kingdom of God.

Registration will begin July 1st, and more information will be sent out before then.

We do our best to be consistent, however, between federal holidays, religious holidays, school events, and other special events, as well as availability of event space, it is very difficult to be absolutely consistent. For the most part, UNITE Dinners and IGNITE Confirmation each take place once a month. INVITE nights fill in the other available

Sundays.

When registering for UNITE, you will be asked to submit the $125 Materials Fee (this can be waived for financial hardship without issue). This fee covers all books, activities, and materials we will use throughout the year, as well as covers the cost of food. We do not make money on any of our ministries, but try to cover our expenses adequately.

When registering for IGNITE Confirmation preparation, you will be asked to submit the $100 Sacrament Materials Fee (this can be waived for financial hardship without issue), as well as a copy of their Baptismal Certificate (if they were not baptized at Saint Raphael or not in Saint Raphael School). This is an additional fee because of the separate events and

materials associated with Confirmation formation.

There are no up-front fees associated with INVITE, however, students will be responsible for covering their cost of any off-site activities.

Preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation is completed in the IGNITE pillar of MSM.

No. The structure of MSM is such that you and your middle schooler can participate as much or as little as you want.

All 6th, 7th, and 8th graders are encouraged to attend UNITE (with a parent/guardian) and INVITE pillars.

It is expected that anyone who would have attended PSR attend the monthly UNITE.

IGNITE is for 8th graders only. Any 8th graders desiring the Sacrament of Confirmation at Saint Raphael are required to attend IGNITE.  Any 8th grade who does not attend a Catholic school must also attend UNITE to complete their formation.

No, but we certainly hope that they do!

All 6th, 7th, and 8th graders are encouraged to attend UNITE (with a parent/guardian) and INVITE pillars. 

IGNITE is for 8th graders only. Any 8th graders desiring the Sacrament of Confirmation at Saint Raphael are required to attend IGNITE.  Any 8th grade who does not attend a Catholic school must also attend UNITE to complete their formation.

UNITE is for all 6th-8th graders and their parents. It is an opportunity to UNITE with

Christ and each other as we share dinner and discussion. This pillar replaces PSR for all 6-8th graders who do not attend a Catholic school, although all families with 6-8th graders are welcome and encouraged to register. Topics will vary each month to help initiate discussion and share in spiritual growth within your family. This is an excellent opportunity to come together to share your own experiences and explore our Catholic faith together as we UNITE with Christ. Dinner is always provided and catered by A Taste of Excellence. This is not a drop off event. At least one parent/guardian must be in attendance with their 6-8th grade student.

UNITE meets once per month in the Saint Raphael PAC.

The Catholic Church firmly believes that parents are the primary teachers of the faith for their children (CCC #2223). The UNITE program is specifically designed to partner with parents/guardians to help foster that parent/child relationship and promote faith formation.

Because parents are the primary teachers of the faith for their children, it is essential

that at least one parent/guardian participate within this pillar. Although we understand that special circumstances may arise on occasion, trading parental attendance with other families each month is not permitted. The UNITE program is specifically designed to partner with parents/guardians to help foster that parent/child relationship within the family and promote faith formation.  If your family is experiencing extraordinary hardships that prohibit parent participation, please contact our Middle School Minister.

UNITE is designed for 6th, 7th, & 8th graders with a parent. It is a time to connect with your middle schooler without the distraction or responsibility of other children. With that in mind we ask that only your middle schooler and at least one parent/guardian attend.

However, we understand that this may be very difficult for large families. With that in mind, other siblings can attend with your family for dinner, however, please note that they will need to stay with their parent(s) during any break out sessions. Additionally, if your family is experiencing extraordinary hardships that prohibit parent participation, please contact

our Middle School Minister.

A short RSVP registration link will be emailed to each family 2 weeks prior to each dinner. Through this link, you will be able to tell us how many of your family members will be in attendance for dinner. As these dinners are catered, it is important that we have an accurate count of how many people will be attending at least four days prior to UNITE.

If you cannot attend UNITE, simply do not complete the RSVP registration for that

particular month.

Yes! We always make sure that we have some extra food for this purpose.

Dinners will be catered by A Taste of Excellence. Meal menus will be provided prior to each month's meeting.

Food and fellowship is integral to this faith formation model. Discussion and presentation will often coincide with dinner so it is important to be present for the entire session even if you do not intend to eat any food.

If you have specific food allergies or concerns about the meal we request that you bring your own meal to eat during dinner.

INVITE is for all 6th-8th graders and meets once or twice each month on the Sundays

that do not have Unite or Ignite. INVITE continues the adventure together, exploring our faith, and encouraging our middle schoolers to evaluate their lives and choices in the light of the Gospel. We will always seek to answer "why does this matter to me" and to draw the connection that faith isn't one subject or facet of life, but is integral to our identity and how

we occupy our place in the world. It is formatted in a Gather - Proclaim - Break -Send model as follows:

Gather: a time for welcoming each other, socializing, and having fun playing games

together. Proclaim: a brief faithful teaching. Topics will be relevant to the times and will vary each week.

Break: we will transition into small groups where we will be able to "break out" the message of the night in small group discussions.

Send: we will reunite in the large group for collaboration of insights and communal

prayer before we adjourn, taking the message and applying it to their lives at home.

INVITE is for all 6th-8th graders, whether they are in Public, Catholic, Private, or Home Schools. It is an opportunity to invite friends from other areas of our lives to join us in a mixture of fun and faith! It is a drop off event, so parents to not need to stay.

Invite usually meets in the parish community room. 

On these nights, highlighted in YELLOW on the schedule, we will meet somewhere off-site for a fun evening. This may be at a bowling alley, roller rink, or other location. More information on these dates and locations will be coming soon!

There is no need to report an absence for INVITE. We will, however, take attendance so that we know who is present.

IGNITE Confirmation is the formation program for 8 th Grade teens at Saint Raphael Parish to prepare them to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. It is a 1 year program, commencing in Spring of their 7 th Grade Year and ending with their Reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation in Spring of their 8 th Grade Year. It has 3 major components:

IGNITES (monthly social and catechetical sessions), Retreat (a day+ long opportunity to encounter Christ and explore the faith), and a Service Experience. For more information

about Confirmation, click here.

IGNITE is for 8th Grade only. 6th and 7th graders do not attend.

We're calling our Confirmation Program "IGNITE" because we want to take the time

of Confirmation Preparation and make it less about learning facts and more about the lived experience of faith, Igniting the fire in our hearts... 

We desire to let the Holy Spirit work freely in our lives to transform us to be the Church not just of the future but of right now. In every age, God raises up saints with the gifts, talents, and passions to turn the world on its head. How many of them are among us, needing our support and encouragement to be the best version of themselves? Let us work and pray

together to Unleash the Holy Spirit in the lives of our young people!

These are our monthly gatherings to pray, share, and discuss important topics relevant to Confirmation and faith beyond junior high. Meeting monthly underscores the reality that formation is a process, a journey—it cannot be completed without a community of support and a willingness to experience. That is also the reason formation differs from UNITE, INVITE, or day school Religion Classes. Our aim is not to attain mastery of a subject or earn something like a diploma. It is to open our minds and hearts to receive the graces that God desires to pour out upon us, to increase the vocabulary of the Holy Spirit in us, and to mature as disciples. 

IGNITE sessions follow the pattern of the Mass: Gather, Proclaim, Break, Send. We gather together as a large group, distinct from all other places and groups we are parts of, sharing in a common journey together towards Confirmation. Sometimes, this takes the form of a game or activity, or perhaps just the natural conversation at tables together. Then, we proclaim the lesson or message for the meeting. This helps us to understand and know how the Lord is working in us through His gospel, even today. We break into small groups in order to break open the message together and share how God is speaking to us and what is going on in our lives. Lastly, we gather together again to be sent out back to our lives, but hopefully a little bit changed than before.

IGNITE Confirmation meets in the parish room on the following scheduled Sundays.