G.I.F.T. (K-5th Grade)

A new year of faith formation begins this Sunday, with a hybrid approach of in-person classes, virtual sessions, and at-home activities. Please pray for the catechists, parents, and students who will be participating in this new model of family-based catechesis.
 

Growing in Faith Together (G.I.F.T.), our parish program for elementary school children, supports parents in their effort to fulfill the promise they made at their child’s baptism: “to bring him/her up to keep God’s commandments as Christ taught us, by loving God and our neighbor.” We seek to help parents pass the Catholic faith on to their children and make it come alive in their everyday life.

 
Like the rest of our lives, faith formation will look different in the 2020-2021 school year.
 

• Faith formation for elementary school children will take place in a family-oriented, at-home format, with monthly in-person sessions. There will also be monthly in-person sessions devoted specifically to sacramental preparation, for students in the First Communion classes. 

Adjusting to the new reality will require patience and flexibility from all of us. In planning for the coming school year, we commit to the following principles, laid out by the Archdiocese of Atlanta:
 

1. To be present and welcoming and focus on the opportunity to connect - Instead of focusing on what has become temporarily unavailable, we will emphasize the opportunities we do have to help families stay connected to God, to one another, and to our church.
2.  To Simplify - Many parents are feeling overwhelmed at this time of uncertainty and social/safe distancing. We are here to support you, not burden you! By emphasizing family activities, rather than individual lesson plans for different grades, we will
3. To communicate expectations clearly  - We will explain how the online gatherings and family activities will work, dates and times, and any other expectations you may have.
4. To use technology with purpose - We will choose platforms that are user-friendly and efficient, keeping in mind the differing technological capacities of different families.
5. To keep it meaningful, keep it fun, and listen to your experiences - We will choose activities that make a space for meaningful faith conversations and rituals within homes and during the natural rhythms of family life (meals, family celebrations, baptism anniversaries, feast days and liturgical seasons, etc.). Enjoyable experiences that bring you closer to God and to one another, while strengthening their bond with their parish faith community, are key. We will reach out and listen to your concerns and possible frustrations.