Good Morning!

We hope everyone enjoyed the first week of Religious Education classes. Thank you to all who were able to join us for our Parent & Student Welcome! While we aim to educate your children about the faith and offer opportunities to encounter the Lord during Religious Education, we know that practice of the faith must be a priority outside of your child's time with us. As parents, the best way to pass on the Catholic Faith is to allow your children to witness YOUR example of prayer and worship:

Talk to your kids about how important God is in your life. Share how your own faith journey has looked over the years.
Make a plan to pray together with your children even just for a minute or two before school or before the big game or before dinner.
Try to make going to church as a family a priority every weekend. SSM has five Mass times here every weekend including Saturday evening. Try to build it into your calendar as a non-negotiable activity for your family every week.
Ask your kids questions and keep the conversation going after classes each week. Consider inviting your child to: “Teach me something YOU learned about Jesus today.”
Lastly, parents, please join your students again this year for our Religious Education family events. Parent will be invited to join your child for our Family Mass & Dinner in October, Eucharistic Adoration during Advent, and Stations of the Cross during Lent. Please watch for information and plan to accompany your children for these special opportunities to encounter the Lord together!

Ultimately, we know that parents are the best and most important teachers of the faith. The Religious Education team is here to support you in this important role. Please reach out with any questions or needs. We look forward to a wonderful year!

God Bless,

Sandy Kimmey

Director of Religious Education

s.kimmey@stephen.org

402.861.4510

FAQ's for Religious Education Classes

How do we enter the building for classes? All Students should enter through school doors by flagpole and wait in commons till bell rings at the top of class. Once the bell has rung, children may walk to their classrooms. All classes are held in the school classrooms. No students are allowed into the classroom before class time and the catechist must be present.

How long is class? Class time is one hour.

Do they need to bring anything?All supplies are provided in the classroom unless specifically requested.

Will all children be dismissed at the end of class?Pre-school through Grade 2 will not be dismissed till an adult or older sibling picks them up at their classroom. Please let the catechist know who will be picking up your child. If you are running late, please let the office know (402-896-5683) and we will have the students wait in the office. Grades 3-8 will be dismissed by their catechist at the end class.

Parking Lot Safety Please pull into a parking space to pick up your child/children. DO NOT pull up and sit in the right of ways. This causes congestion and students darting into the parking lot. We will have adult crossing guards to help children cross at the end of class. Please follow the crossing guard instructions if they ask you to pull into a space. Safety First!!

I have a child who will be absent. What do I do?Please use the following email to inform us if your child/children will be absent. RE.attendance@stephen.org or call us at 402-896-5683. Informing the catechist is fine, but you must also inform the office. Parents will receive a phone call during class time if a child is absent and no notice was given to Rel. Ed. Office.

I need to change my class time. May I do that? We will change a child's class time if there is room where you are wanting to switch to. All class assignments are done on a first come, first serve basis. Please contact Eileen at e.smith@stephen.org or 402-896-5683 to request a class change.

Parent-Led Faith Formation

Welcome back! Our first Parent Gathering will be on Wednesday September 3^rd at 7:00pm. Each family will receive two textbooks: a Parent’s Guide and an Activity Book as part of the curriculum, A Family of Faith: Catechesis for the Whole Family, Volume 1, by Sophia Institute Press.

At the beginning of each month, parents will gather for a discussion of the background readings for the home activities. The “Parent Gatherings” will be led by China Weil, Father Matthew Pohlman, or Sandy Kimmey. Throughout the month, parents will then choose which activities best suit your children’s learning needs and complete them as a family. Mid-month, your children will join you and the other families in this program for a “Community Gathering,” led by Sarah Valasek, where you will discuss the activities and share your family’s experiences. The first Community Gathering will be September 21st at 7:00pm.

Our Parish Middle School Ministry, CATCHING FIRE, will launch a youth group program in early 2026 and is looking for volunteers to join the core leadership team! If you are feeling the call to action with our Middle Schoolers, let's talk! No matter what your level of interest is, no matter what your skill set, no matter what your availability might be --- let's talk! Please contact Mike Kennedy, Coordinator of Middle School Ministry at m.kennedy@stephen.org or (402) 861-4509.