eXaLT Family Praise Night - This Weekend! Retreat Photos, Summer Events and More Inside
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March 24, 2017STAY Youth Ministry and Confirmation 2016-2017 Year 
Dear Families,
Please take a look at some of the latest in youth ministry news. In this edition you will find the following announcements:- No Life Teen or Edge this Sunday - Instead, Join us for our 2nd eXaLT Family Event at St. William Church in Los Altos! (7pm-8:30pm including free dinner @ 6pm). Confirmation students get service credit for attendance!
- Confirmation Students: Don't forget this Saturday's Sponsor Session and Ritual of Commitment during 5pm Mass.
- Google Doc Sign Up sheet for Snacks and Meals for Edge, Life Teen, and Confirmation Sessions - Sign up HERE!
- Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities for youth, including the Seder Meal dinner and May Day Parade.
- It's TIME TO REGISTER for our Summer events: DYR (Registration is Live!), Life Teen Summer Camp (Space is limited), & Steubenville Youth Conference. Scroll all the way down to Check out these life-changing experiences!
God Bless,
Chris Mardesich
Youth Minister
Don't forget that we are gathering at an offsite event at St. William Church and therefore there will be no Edge or Life Teen this Sunday. The event is open to the whole family and we strongly encourage all to attend early, given the popularity of our last XLT in December. We think you'll love it so much that Confirmation Students who attend will receive a service credit for coming over! We hope to see you there, and let Chris know if you have any questions!
Special Invitation from our Host for the Evening, Andrew Brown:
Hello friends,
At the end of Mass the priest says, "please bow your head and pray for God's blessing". I was talking with my priest friend and we agreed that everyone is doing a great job of bowing their heads these days. Yet when we do it's to look down upon our ipad/iphone screens. So, what do you "bow down" to worship?
How can you let an encounter with Jesus Christ transform you?
Can you give an extra 1-2 hours of prayer on a Sunday to experience the Divine?
Do you want inspirational worship music that is not Gregorian chant or old church lady on the organ?Come and eXaLT our Maker! We'd love to have you out to praise God for being God and giving us His son Jesus most especially and readily available in the Eucharist. If you've never been to adoration come on down. If you're an "Adoration junkie" come on down. We'd love to have you.
5pm- Mass avialable
6pm- food
7pm- Prayer
8:30pm- ConclusionSt William's parish in Los Altos.
REMINDER: SPONSOR SESSION AND RITUAL OF WELCOMING THIS SATURDAY
All sponsors are encouraged to attend this Saturday's Confirmation Session for continued formation. There will be a special Ritual of Commitment at the 5pm Mass, which will involve both Confirmandi and Sponsors (or parent if Sponsor can't be present). Rehearsal for this special blessing will begin in the church at 4:30pm. Please plan to wear clothing that is at least semi-formal.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES!
Hey Teens! There are a few upcoming Service Opportunities within the parish, including the upcoming Seder Meal and Downtown May Day Parade. The community needs your help! Sign up to serve and find out more by clicking on this link.A Message of Gratitude from past event organizers of the parish to our youth:
St. Patrick's Day Dinner:
Be sure to pass along our (Terry's and my) sincerest appreciation to the Youth for their help at the St. Pat's dinner last Saturday evening. The Youth did a great job and, above all, I was impressed by how eager they were to help.I hope they realize how important they were to the success of the event. We are most appreciative for their capable help.
Ted
Knights of Columbus Crab Feed Dinner:Thank you and your volunteers for all the great help Saturday night.
...All did a great job, I thought. They were super well behaved, surprisingly professional in their approach and eager to take on additional tasks, such as the cake cutting and serving.
Please pass on my complements and thanks.
Jerry Lucha, Past Grand Knight
KofC Crab Dinner Chairman
THANK YOU TO OUR YOUTH!
SNACK SUPPORT NEEDED FOR UPCOMING GATHERINGS
Dear Parents, please consider volunteering to provide food and snacks for one of our upcoming Confirmation, Edge, or Life Teen Sessions. Click Here to go directly to our sign-up spreadsheet! Your support is greatly appreciated!
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR CONFIRMATION, EDGE AND LIFE TEEN FOR THE 2016-2017 SCHOOL YEAR Youth Ministry Recent Event Photos:CONFIRMATION WEEKEND RETREAT:
EDGE NIGHTS:
LIFE NIGHTS:
DSJ PRIESTS VS. SEMINARIANS GAME:
More Event Photos to Come in the Next Newsletter. Stay Tuned!WINTER/SPRING CALENDARS AND UPCOMING EVENTS:EDGE, Confirmation, & Life Teen Calendars
DIOCESAN YOUTH RETREATJune 11-16, 2017
Zephyr Point Conference Center
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE
St. Thomas Aquinas Youth Will be joining hundreds of Teenagers from all over the San Jose Diocese (Graduating 8th graders through graduating Seniors) to participate in the Diocese' largest high school youth ministry event of the year--DYR! We are pleased to announce that the Diocesan Youth Retreat (DYR) registration is officially open! Please follow the link below:
· Please note that the registration this year is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Click on the green ‘Tickets’ button on the upper right corner to register your teen. Parents with multiple teens will have to submit a separate registration for each teen.
· For financial assistance, please contact your Parish Youth Ministry Coordinator / Parish Leader first. Limited scholarships are available through the Diocese. Scholarships will be granted based on need.
Check out some footage from last year's amazing week! LIFE TEEN SUMMER CAMPJune 26-July 1, 2017
Big Bear Lake, CA
We are created for great things. We are meant to live with a joy that penetrates the darkness of this world. We desire more from our relationships and experiences. We want to live a bold life. We crave a love that will never leave us. We are meant to experience life.
Summer Camp with Life Teen is an incredible opportunity to bring your teens into an incredible experience of life. For over 10 years, Life Teen has provided experiences at summer camp where your middle school youth and high school teens are able to able to be free and confident in themselves, develop new friendships with other teens from your parish, and encounter God working in their lives. This is the summer that you begin to experience a bigger and better life than you ever thought possible.
Summer Camp Registration is now ready! Reserve a spot for your teen by filling out this form and turning in your deposit ASAP.
Space is limited (Last year we had a waitlist).STEUBENVILLE NOR CAL YOUTH CONFERENCEJuly 28-July 30, 2017
CSU East Bay // Hayward, CA
Each summer, Life Teen hosts six different Steubenville Youth Conferences (East, West, NYC, Atlanta, Lone Star, and NorCal) with the hopes of strengthening and inspiring teens and youth groups in their collective journeys to Christ. Evangelistic in nature, these weekend conferences are both a great “introduction” to the Gospel message for new or younger teens, while offering deep and moving experiences of prayer and fellowship for even your Youth Group regulars.
Cost: $350, including transportation, onsite housing, and t-shirt. Email Chris to register for this event, a first-ever in our area! MORE CALENDAR EVENTS:
SAVE THE DATE(S)!LIFE TEEN SUMMER CAMP
Big Bear, CA
June 26-July 1, 2017
Transformation happens here. Powerful Catholic sessions and prayer experiences, combined with ropes courses, kayaking, and nighttime activities will leave you with a Christ-filled experience that you will never forget. BIBLES AND BURRITOS
Select Wednesdays, 4-5pm dates TBD pending interest.
STAY Dermody
Do you own a Bible that's collecting dust because you aren't sure how to use it? Join us after school and we'll show you how to listen to God speaking to you through Scripture! Yes, the Bible is more than just "relevant," it's the Living Word. EDGE OVERNIGHT LOCK-IN
St. Thomas Aquinas
Date TBD, 7pm-9am
Lock-ins are fun, messy, and a great way to invite your friends to church! Bring your sleeping bags, pillows, and get your game on for games that will last through the night. OFFSITE DAYS AWAY
Various Locations
Check the semester calendar (soon to be uploaded on our website) for offsite social events that happen periodically throughout the year. SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
Throughout the year
Check future newsletters for opportunities and sign-ups for youth to give back to our communities! DIOCESAN YOUTH RETREAT
Zephyr, Lake Tahoe
June 11-16, 2017
In the beautiful setting of South Lake Tahoe, these five days away will leave you with faith-filled talks, activities, and no doubt that God is at work in your life. DYR is one of the largest collaborative events put together for the teens of our Diocese. STEUBENVILLE CONFERENCE
CSU Eastbay, Hayward, CA
July 28-30
Have you ever felt the energy of thousands of teens in the same room, on fire for their faith? Just recently, it was announced that a Steubenville Conference would be hosted in our area! Join us for a weekend trip to Hayward, where you'll hear some amazing talks, celebrate Mass, play frisbee with nuns, and grow closer to your faith. 
