"For this very reason make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. [...] So there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." ~2 Peter 1:5-11

Saint John's wants to help each person know God's love so that we may be freed from the power of darkness and be transformed into God's sons and daughters.
 

Programs We Offer

• The Entire Family
  • Discipleship Sunday
  • Family Discipleship
    • (Age 0-2) Catholic Childcare
    • (Age 3-5) Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
    • (Gr 1-5) Family of Faith 
    • ASCEND (MS, HS & Adults)
      • Foundations
      • Transformation
    • Resources for Parents
• Youth
  • Gr 5-8 Youth Group
  • Gr 9-12 Next Level
  • Youth Camps, Trips, and Conferences 
  • What is God's Plan for My Life?
• Adults
  • Young Adults
  • Catholic Watchmen  
  • Small Groups
  • Bible Studies
  • Home Learning Opportunities
  • Marriage Retreats & Counseling
• Why Catholic?
  • Catholic Topics
  • Becoming Catholic (OCIA)

Faith Formation at Saint John's

Our Mission

"Creating vibrant Catholic cultures."

Saint John the Evangelist Faith Formation pre-evangelizes and evangelizes parishioners and then calls, nurtures, and equips them to be intentional, missionary disciples of Jesus Christ in the Catholic Church so they might create vibrant Catholic cultures in their homes and might lead a life pleasing to God, all for His Glory.

Our Vision

• Do everything God's way, not our own.
• Create vibrant Catholic cultures in the home and family.
• Proclaim the message of salvation of the paschal mystery of Jesus Christ with great spiritual power to bring about repentance of sin, conversion of hearts, and a decision of faith. (from The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith)
• Meet each soul where they are at, but love them too much to let them stay there.
• Our pillars: the Eucharist and the Blessed Virgin Mary. 
• "Caritas in veritate."  Love in truth.
• In imitation of the Holy Family and Saint John the Evangelist, the "Beloved Disciple."

Our Programs:

Family Discipleship - Family discipleship pre-evangelizes, evangelizes, catechizes, equips, and inspires parents and children to create vibrant Catholic cultures in their homes to help the family thrive in an apostolic age.

The Programs within Family Discipleship:

Catholic Childcare (Ages 0-2) - Catholic Childcare provides a safe and enjoyable experience for babies and toddlers during Family Discipleship to allow parents of young children chances each month to grow in their faith by engaging in ASCEND with ease-of-mind and with their full attention.

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) (Ages 3 to 5) - CGS provides additional catechesis to young children according to the CGS model to assist parents in evangelizing and catechizing their own children and to enable parents to fully engage in ASCEND.

Family of Faith (Grades K-5) - Family of Faith provides additional catechesis for school-aged children and equips and inspires families to create vibrant Catholic cultures in their homes and with each other and to enable parents to fully engage in ASCEND.

ASCEND (Teens and Adults) - ASCEND pre-evangelizes, evangelizes, catechizes, equips, and inspires parents and teens to create vibrant Catholic cultures in their homes and family to help the faith of families thrive within a wider culture that is ambivalent or antithetical to the practices and beliefs of our Catholic religion.

• The ASCEND Journey
  • Establish a Firm Foundation.
  • Climb the Mountain.
  • Be Transformed.
  • Return to the Valley & Tend God's Vineyards and Flocks.

• The Four Levels of ASCEND
  • Foundations (Stage 1 of ASCEND) - Pre-evangelizes and evangelizes teens and adults to inspire them to turn away from sin and towards God (repent), surrender themselves to God (be converted), and to become disciples of Christ.
  • Transformation (Stage 2 of ASCEND) - Inspires and motivates teen and adult disciples to begin to be transformed by God's grace through prayer, virtuous living, and the renewal of their mind so they might become missionary disciples of Christ in His Catholic Church.
  • Preparation (Stage 3 of ASCEND) - Inspire and equip missionary disciples to learn their charisms, talents, and weaknesses and to learn a basic Christian anthropology so they might be prepared to serve God and neighbor through the loving and intentional fulfillment of their vocational duties according to the "Gospel of Life."
  • Mission (Stage 4 of ASCEND) - Further equip, support, and strengthen missionary disciples in their loving service to God, family, and neighbor, and to encourage them to strive for sainthood with greater discernment, prudence, and fortitude.

Youth Ministry - Inspire and equip youth and their parents to strive to be saints within a wider culture that is ambivalent or antithetical to the beliefs and practices of the Catholic religion.

Discipleship Sunday - Vision: Evangelize.  Call and nurture disciples of Christ.  Bring God back into Sunday.  Bring families back into the Church.  "Let the children (little ones) come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven."
 

Sacramental Preparation:

OCIA (The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) - Pre-evangelizes and evangelizes prospective Catholics and then calls, nurtures, and equips them to be intentional, missionary disciples of Jesus Christ in the Catholic Church so they might create vibrant Catholic cultures in their homes and family lives and might lead a life pleasing to God, all for His Glory.  "To make saintly Catholic disciples."

Marriage Preparation - Inspire and equip couples to commit to free, total, faithful, fruitful, and loving marriages centered on creating a strong Catholic culture in the home and parish and on mutual, complete self-gift between spouses.  "To make saintly marriages."

Baptism Preparation - Inspire and equip parents to intentionally create a vibrant Catholic culture in their home and family life to enable parents to inspire their children to become saints.  "To make saintly families."

First Confession and First Communion Preparation - Inspire and equip children and their parents to live a life of Sacramental union with God through daily prayer, monthly Confession, and weekly (or daily) assistance at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the fruitful reception of Holy Communion while in a state of grace.  "To make saintly children."

Confirmation Preparation - Inspire and equip teens, their parents, and their sponsors to help prepare the minds and hearts of the teens to receive a further outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of Confirmation so they will commit to be lifelong, intentional disciples of Jesus Christ in His One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church through Christ-centered friendships, ongoing Catholic formation, daily prayer, monthly Confession, and weekly (or daily) assistance at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the fruitful reception of Holy Communion while in a state of grace.  "To make saintly youth."