27 October 2008

Come and See

Dear Villagers,

Thank you to all who helped to make our Retreat this past weekend such a great success! We had an amazing time on our Fall Retreat 2008: Come and See. The highlights of our Retreat were Mass, Reconciliation, and Eucharistic Adoration Saturday night. We meditated on Pope John Paul II's World Youth Day Message from 1996.

Hear Pope John Paul's words spoken to your heart! "Dear young people, like the first disciples, follow Jesus! Do not be afraid to draw near to Him, to cross the threshold of his dwelling, to speak with Him, face to face, as you talk with a friend (Exodus 33:11). Do not be afraid of the «new life» He is offering. He Himself makes it possible for you to receive that life and practise it, with the help of his grace and the gift of his Spirit."

We also had fun doing a physical challenge course, racing go carts, and eating Taco Bell late at night! To see some pictures of Fall Retreat 2008, go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/findthevillage/collections/72157607096833965/ and click on Fall Retreat 08. More pictures are still to come!!!

I know all the Volunteers and I look forward to seeing everyone this Sunday, especially those who weren't able to join us this past weekend. It will be great to all be together again for our Adoration night this Sunday. And hey- we'll have pizza, too!

Share your favorite Retreat experience!

20 October 2008

Exhileration @ Village


Dear Villagers,


Congratulations to all competitors in last nights game, "That Crazy Game With Wheels And Running!" If you blow up this picture you'll see some facial expressions of exhileration! Who knew learning about the divisions in the Church down through the ages would be so exhilerating? A special thanks to Tim Carpenter, our Director of Faith Formation at St Thomas for coming and speaking with us.


The only thing more fun than racing across a parking lot in a shopping cart- is go-kart racing with all of your friends! Today is the official deadline for this weekend's Fall Retreat- but space is still available if you want to come. :) Don't miss our Late night Taco Bell Run, Physical Challenge Course, Mass and Reconciliation, Eucharistic Adoration, and all sorts of crazy competitions... Not to mention- our good friend Father Selvam will be joining us for much of the weekend!


God Bless You All!

The News:


Next Week- No Village

Next Sunday we'll all be totally exhausted after a full weekend of go-kart racing, taco bell eating, challenge courses, Eucharistic Adoration, and real conversations!!! What say we skip our regular Village Meeting?! If you aren't able to join us on Retreat, please pray for us.

14 October 2008

Familial Unity

***Early Bird Registration Deadline for Spring Retreat***
Wednesday, October 15th


Dear Villagers,

This past weekend I headed out to New York for a family wedding! The wedding was complete with all of the traditions, white dress, beautiful vows of faithfulness, and lots of dancing. :)

So many times throughout the weekend I came back to the idea of unity. Families are the very structure of society, or as Pope John Paul II puts it, the smallest cell of the human family. It is in our family that we first experience unity- living together, depending upon one another and often sharing rooms! Each family is built on love, sacrifice, and the wedding promises of total, faithful, fruitful, and free love!

Throughout our rich Catholic history, God has compared His love for His people as the love of a Bridegroom for his Bride. When Jesus established the Church we came to see Him as the Bridegroom of His Church, the Bride. In the priesthood, we see men answering God's call to stand in His place as the Bridegroom caring for His Church the Bride.

Jesus prayed that His followers would remain in that familial unity throughout the history of the world. Just before he was handed over to suffer and die, he said, "I pray not only for these but also for those who through their teaching will come to believe in me. May they all be one, just as, Father, you are in me and I am in you, so that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe it was you who sent me." John 17:20-21

Join us this Sunday as Tim Carpenter leads us in a discussion of division through the history of the Church, along with Christ's own teachings on unity in our Christian family.

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Village News

The Village Fall Retreat, "Come and See" October 24-26, 2008, Cost $60
Register by Wed Oct 15th for early bird drawings, like Taco Bell Gift Cards, 5 lbs of Fun Dip, and more! Registrations postmarked October 15th will also be accepted. Registration deadline is Monday, October 20th.

The goal of this retreat is to discover the person of Jesus and allow our lives to be transformed by our encounter with Him. The Village Fall Retreat is a great opportunity to grow in your faith, worship God, and have tons of fun! This retreat will include Mass,Reconciliation, solid talks, small groups, Eucharistic Adoration, free time, games, go cart racing, and of course- our Late Night Taco Bell run!

Next Week @ Village- The Divided Christian Church

Grown Up Soda
Our next GUS meeting is this Friday October 17th from 6:30-8pm at St Thomas. This month's theme is Friendship in Chaos. When you volunteer with GUS you become a Christian Role Model to young Catholics. GUS is a very important ministry!

Communication
The Youth Minister Beth Montgomery can be reached at St Thomas at (734) 761-8606. For emergencies or other things of an immediate nature you can reach me on my cell. If I miss it, leave a message- I check them regularly!! :)




08 October 2008

It's Retreat Time!

Dear Village Family,

It's Retreat Time! This wonderful month of October will hold even morejoy than usual, as it contains our Village Fall Retreat. Our themethis fall is "Come and See" - those beautiful words of Jesus that gaverise to the adventures of those first disciples in Bethany.

The Village Fall Retreat is a great opportunity to grow in your faith,worship God, and have tons of fun! The goal of this retreat is todiscover the person of Jesus and allow our lives to be transformed byour encounter with Him. This retreat will include Mass,Reconciliation, solid talks, small groups, Eucharistic Adoration, freetime, games, go cart racing, challenge courses, and of course- ourLate Night Taco Bell run!

This year we will be retreat-ing at a new location, FaHoLo Camp andConference Center in Grass Lake- and the cost is much lower than inthe past, at only $60.

All those who register by Wednesday, October 15th will beautomatically entered into our drawings for early bird prizes- 5 lbsof Fun Dip, $25 to Taco Bell, and more!
______________________
The Village Fall Retreat, "Come and See"
October 24-26, 2008, Cost $60
  • The goal of this retreat is to discover the person of Jesus and allowour lives to be transformed by our encounter with Him.The Village Fall Retreat is a great opportunity to grow in your faith,worship God, and have tons of fun!
  • This retreat will include Mass,Reconciliation, solid talks, small groups, Eucharistic Adoration, freetime, games, go cart racing, and of course- our Late Night Taco Bellrun! Register by Wed Oct 15th for early bird drawings, like Taco BellGift Cards, 5 lbs of Fun Dip, and more!

Next Week- Saints through the Ages
Next Sunday we will plunge into more of the untapped wisdom of theChurch as we explore the Saints! We will discover how they havealtered the course of history by their surrender to God. Come todiscuss how God might use each of us to be His heroes in this day andage!

Grown Up Soda
Our next GUS meeting will be next Friday October 17th from 6:30-8pm atSt Thomas. This month's theme is Friendship in Chaos. When youvolunteer with GUS you become a Christian Role Model to youngCatholics. GUS is a very important ministry!