A great time

I've gotten reports from servers, families, and priests that the field trip to St. Bernadette was successful and enjoyable. Fr. Gober was very impressed with the server's catechesis and he credited that to the families. Both Fr. Reid and Fr. Gober were grateful for the time and effort put into the questions presented to them in the Q&A session. We all had fun running around Linville Falls as well. Look for more trips in the future!

Just a reminder that we have training this Tuesday from 4:15 until 5:45 as usual and we'll be covering Missa Cantata work and reviewing the field trip.

Please keep all of the servers and their families in your prayers but please pray especially for Mr. Stefano who's enduring some blessed challenges and has requested prayers.

Anyone want to fill in for Ac2 on Saturday March 5th? If so please email me.

Field Trip!!!

So here's the list of what's going on and what needs to happen:

Servers need to eat breakfast prior to attending. A very gracious parent is supplying snacks and some beverages in an ice-chest, but servers are still on their own to ensure they have enough to eat outside of lunch which will be provided.

Servers need to bring outdoor clothes. If we do go hiking, we're not going hard-core. It will be a maximum of 2 miles on easy trails around Linville Falls or field games.

Servers need to bring great attitudes and a willingness to be open to God and open to being teammates with the other servers.

We decided to simplify the trip and decrease the driving and only go to one parish. Fr. Reid chose Linville = we go to Linville, NC.

No permission slip = no Linville. No permission slip = no Linville. No permission slip = no Linville. We're Catholic; it's always better in 3's. If you need a permission slip, email me.

Each server needs to bring 3 thoughtful questions written down on paper to ask the priests.

Here's the itinerary....suggestions are welcome. We've never done this before.
8:00 AM Morning Prayer and Rosary at St. Ann’s
+ Collect permission slips
9:00 AM Mass with Fr. Reid
+ Select servers to serve Mass
10:00 AM depart for Linville, NC
+ Rides - Do you want to ride up with your parents if they're driving?
-Leaders are Brady, Joseph, & Benjamin.
-Questions, Games, & CD of Archbishop Fulton Sheen
-if in the cars at 12:00, pray Angelus
12:30 PM Lunch (pizza at St. Bernadette)
-Discussion from the car rides
-Office of Readings – Liturgy of the Hours
1:30 PM Tour St. Bernadette with Fr. Reid
2:30 PM Holy Hour / Adoration / Confession?
-Chaplet of Divine Mercy at 3pm
3:30 PM Hiking at Linville Falls/Gorge (if weather permits) or use the church parking lot for some football/ultimate Frisbee – group choice – either will be fun and either will be free.
-If we have poor weather, we’ll go straight to the question and answer session and bypass outdoor activities.
4:30 PM Q & A session with Fr. Reid & Fr. Gober
5:15 PM depart for Charlotte
-6pm Angelus
7:30 PM pick up in Charlotte

Parents please be aware that we may come home earlier. You will be informed on the ride home if this need arises.

February Shake-Up

Two big ticket items:

First and most pressing is the February Mass Schedule. Due to circumstances, the change in training times in the last few weeks has wreaked havoc on the schedule. After taking time to review individual needs and ministry needs, I've re-worked the February Mass schedule. Please understand that I don't like this kind of change with such short notice. I have been trying to really address individual needs, but I have to make decisions based on the group as a whole.
Please also note, that the next training session is on February 12th at 10:00 AM and everyone needs to be there to catch up.

If you can't make a particular date based on the current schedule, let me know.

For future scheduling, I am waiting to post March scheduling information until the weekend of the February 12th when I'll start my new job at CMC-Pineville ICU. Once they give me a schedule at that time, I'll make the server schedule as opposed to making something now and having to change things again.

We have a green light for our Monday February 21st Server Field Trip. Servers and parents are invited on the trip; everyone can obviously come to the Mass.
Here's the rough draft itinerary:

• Everyone meet at St. Ann at 9:00 AM for Mass.
• Carpool up to the St. Lawrence Basilica in Asheville, NC. (Bring a snack for the ride up)
• Tour the Basilica with Fr. Reid and pray the rosary. (Bring your rosary)
• Lunch in Asheville at a restaurant. (Can someone head up research on a decent one?)
• Travel to either Linville, NC or Tryon, NC (Fr. Reid hasn't confirmed which one yet.)
• Tour the 2nd parish with Fr. Reid and Fr. Gober.
• Question and Answer session with Fr. Reid and Fr. Gober. (More on that to come)
• Carpool back to St. Ann.

We intend to throw in a outside activity during the day. This is the first time we've done this but I really think it's going to be a wonderful opportunity for the servers. I'll need someone to organize carpooling which can be done via email and during the Saturday Feb 12th training session.

Thanks to Griffin and Will for stepping up and assisting at the Candlemas this past Wednesday. It was good to try it out, and we'll be better prepared for next year. Comment away...