Vocations

A vocation is a call from God and our call is a gift from God. We have all been called to serve God in someway, whether it is to the religious life, the married life or the single life. We talk about vocations in CCD because it is never to early to think about how God is calling you. Our class was cancelled due to the snow, but for my treat I was going to make a Body of Christ fruit bowl. Each of our gifts makes up the body of Christ here on Earth. I was going to use berries to represent the Religious life since there are many different types of berries and many different types of Religious and Consecrated calls. I was going to use pineapple for married life and oranges for the single life, again many types of oranges and many types of vocations to the single life. The fruit would have been delicious just like this, but I wanted to make it even better so I used Agave nectar, which represents the Holy Spirit, who helps us with our vocation, to make the fruit sweeter and holds it all together. What gifts has God given you to help spread His good news?

The Baptism of Jesus

Since the topic for my class tonight is abortion, I thought I would focus my treat on the Baptism of Jesus which will be celebrated this Sunday. I made shortbread cookies in the shape of a shell, a symbol that is used to represent baptism. Sunday is the feast of the Baptism of Jesus, the scene of the baptism of Jesus is the first appearance of the adult Jesus in Matthew's Gospel (and, by the way, the first time Jesus speaks). Matthew's primary interest is not the baptism as such, but the voice from the heavens revealing that Jesus is the Son of God. The voice from heaven isn't directed to those present, but but to those who read this passage. Through the sacrament of baptism, we receive the Holy Spirit and are made sons and daughters of God. Now that is something to think about this year.

Merry Christmas

During the Advent Season our church has a Penance Service for all of the students. It is really nice to see everyone together showing our need for forgiveness. I have plenty of catholic books for the students to read while they are awaiting their turn so the time goes by pretty quickly. We also pray the rosary together.

Tonight is our last class for 2010 and since it's the Christmas season I made the students an edible manger with baby Jesus in the manger. For the manger I used pretzel sticks, marshmallow cream for the glue, graham cracker squares, and shredded wheat for the straw. For baby Jesus I just lined some gum drops up onto an unrolled fruit roll-up and then folded it like a blanket.

I pray that you have a very Merry Christmas and blessed New Year.

Advent wreath and Jesse Tree Celebration

Tonight was the big night for the Jesse tree celebration, the students have practiced so hard to do a good job. Grades 1 through six make ornaments representing a bible character and as the character is read the students put their ornament on the tree. The tree will be on display in the gathering room of the church throughout Advent. The students did a fantastic job reading the bible parts. Before the celebration we read the gospel for this coming Sunday and we talked about the Advent wreath. I made each student an edible wreath. I made cut-out sugar cookies the shape of a wreath and frosted them with green icing. For the candles I colored some store bought fondant and rolled it around toothpicks. It was very time consuming but well worth the effort.

Practice for the Jesse Tree Celebration

Every year the 6th grade has a Jesse tree celebration, the Jesse tree named after King David's father, is a tree of Jesus' ancestors. Here are the ancestors we celebrate, the ornament that is made and the class that makes the ornament:

Adam and Eve: 2nd grade
Ornament-apple

Noah: 1st grade:
Ornament-rainbow

Abraham: 5th grade:
Ornament-tent

Isaac: 6th grade:
Ornament-bundle of wood

Jacob: 3rd grade:
Ornament-ladder

Joseph of the Old Testament: 3rd grade:
Ornament-coat of many colors

Moses: 4th grade:
Ornament-ten commandments

Ruth: 5th grade:
Ornament-wheat

David: 6th grade:
Ornament-star of David

John the Baptist: 4th grade:
Ornament-shell

Blessed Virgin Mary: 2nd grade:
Ornament-crown

Joseph father of Jesus: 1st grade:
Ornament-tools

The birth of Jesus: 1st grade:
Carry manger to put under tree

Since the 6th grade class celebrates Isaac and King David, for my treat tonight I again made bundles of wood tied with licorice put today I dipped the pretzel sticks in chocolate. I also made star of David sugar cookies with purple icing since purple is the color for Advent.

Men of Faith

There are so many men of faith I could spend years telling there stories, but tonight we are going to talk about the men who will be represented on the Jesse tree, in December. Here they are:

Adam-The First Man
Noah-and the Flood
Abraham-Man of Faith
Isaac-The Victim
Jacob-The Man Who Wrestled With God
Joseph-The Favorite Son
Moses-The Liberator
David-The Chosen King
Joseph-Foster Father of Jesus
John-the Baptist
Jesus-The Son of God

For my treat I tied pretzel sticks up with licorice to represent the wood that Isaac carried. Read all about these great men in your bible.

All Saints and all Souls

November is the month for remembering our loved ones who have gone into eternity and to reflect on the Saints. We talked about purgatory and why we pray for the souls in purgatory and visit the cemetery. I am calling my treat for tonight "ghost in the cemetery". I made dirt pudding, put it in a clear cup and topped it with a peep ghost, and put a paper tomb stone on the spoon. We study the Saints to give us good examples to live by so while the students were enjoying there treat I gave a description of all the Saints that are on display in or around our church. Here is a list of them:

St. Aloysius Gonzaga

St. Isidore

St. Theresa of the Child Jesus

King David

St. James the Greater

St. Rita

Blessed Kateri Tekawitha

St. Anthony of Padua

St. Anne

St. Cecilia

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

St. Francis of Assisi

St. Louis

The Holy Family

St. Mary

Blessed Mother Theresa

St. Joseph

The Sacred Heart of Jesus

Today is the Feast of St. Martin de Porres so we also talked about him. If you can, go to the cometery to visit and pray for your loved ones.