The vision for this liturgical year is to continue to foster intergenerational faith development, in which all members of our St. Anne’s community can take part and become involved. This vision starts with a strong theme; a theme that can be intertwined into all aspects of our lives. Whether as parent, sibling, son or daughter, neighbor, employee, boss, etc., how can we live the Eucharist? Answering this question is the key when developing the path we are going to take. How are we going to ensure that the theme is always in the forefront and tied to activities or events?
As you continue to plan the liturgical year, we ask that you keep some basic questions in mind:
- Remember…Every committee/council is a JIF committee/council
- How can we interweave the theme into all that we do? Ask yourselves, does this plan reinforce the theme?
- As we move forward, how will we include all ages in our activities?
- How are we growing as a greater community?
- Are we continuing to use the theme imagery throughout the year; i.e. logo, basket, song?
Theme Imagery
The Logo:
- Please use the logo on all correspondence or materials shared with the St. Anne’s community.
- The logo will have a continuous place on the bulletin and website, but we ask that it be incorporated throughout Commissions and Ministries to create continuity and branding.
The Song: #808 – “Let us be Bread”
- The song will be used at various times throughout the year during liturgy, but perhaps it could be used at other times. For instance:
- To kick off a monthly meeting
- During the opening of Sunday’s Faith Formation classes.
- Opening song during an event or gathering
The Scripture Story: Matthew 14: 13-20
The Theme Symbol: Basket
- The basket symbolizes God’s abundant love and provision for us if we recognize what we have to give.
- Below are the ideas that we developed when brainstorming why “Basket” should be the physical symbol of this year’s theme:
- “Do This in Memory of Me – Living the Eucharist” What are you going put in your basket so that you can bring abundance to the community and parish.
- Loaves and Fishes and God’s abundance, the boy brought and God multiplied. What do we bring to God? What will we do knowing that God will bless us abundantly?
- Baskets are woven together; we as a community are woven together as a family. We are united. When one strand or part of the basket is broken the other parts support the weak.
- We already use baskets to bring our gifts to the altar. What other gifts can we bring in our baskets to mass and for the Lord in gratitude?
- Bread baskets at dinner tables, baskets of fruit, and gift baskets all provide nourishment and nurturing.
- Similar to the blessing cup, families can have a basket where they write what gifts/ spiritual sacrifices that they provided Jesus that day.
- Children know about baskets and can relate to the boy who brought the loaves and fishes. Easter baskets are a symbol that is already tangible to the young and this year we can build on that symbol.
- Be the light to the world. We are not to hide our light under a bushel basket.
- The symbol is not strictly Catholic and could be used for ministries outside of the parish like NAOMI as requested by the parish council.
- Baskets are not obvious as a symbol of Eucharist and will require discussion.
Additional Event or Activity Ideas:
- You are not being asked to reinvent the wheel. How can the theme be incorporated and infused into what is already happening?
- Use the ideas that developed during the convocation breakout sessions as a basis for events or activities.
- Examples of events/activities:
- “Weave a Basket” – The Theme team would ask the community to help weave the community basket. Every time an individual or group performs an act with the Theme in mind, we document the activity or event on a strip of paper and then weave it into the basket. The goal would to create an entire basket with the aid of all community members. A physical symbol that would represent our journey in faith together.
- Thermometer to Measure Volunteers: parishes are now starting to measure their growing number of volunteers with a thermometer, much like organizations do to measure monetary donations. How could St. Anne’s use baskets to measure volunteer growth?
- Basket of Giving: during the Advent season, ask the kids in Faith Formation to write down something that they did to help others or for the betterment of the community. Challenge them to do something each week.
- “How did you fill your basket today?” Stewardship can ask people to look beyond monetary contributions, but ask that we give of our life and time. Encourage to fill their basket and give back in new ways.
- Polka Fest: How can we blend the theme into the largest of St. Anne’s events? Charge a food donation for general admission? Or receive a raffle ticket when you bring in a food or clothing donation.
