Welcome to the Religious Formation K-5 Home Page!
Glad you stopped by to learn a little more about this
faith-filled ministry at St. Thomas More.
For immediate questions answered, Trish Pabis, Coordinator of Religious Formation K-5 and Sacramental Prep, can be reached via email at: relformation@stmva.org
Registration for Religious Formation K-5
PLEASE NOTE: It is never too late to register for Religious Formation K-5 (RF K-5). We'd love to have your youth join our gatherings to share stories about our Catholic faith and how we are living out our call to be missionary disciples. Please contact Trish Pabis directly or complete the fillable PDF registration form as stated below to have your youth participate.
Registration for Religious Formation K-5 will occur both on-line and via paper registration forms for the 2022/2023 academic year. Please click on the file at the end of this section to access a "fillable PDF" file. Please fill out the form, save it, and send the file to Trish Pabis, Coordinator of RF K-5, at Relformation@stmva.org.
The fee for the Religious Formation K-5 is $40 per youth; $100 maximum per family (fees are pro-rated if entering the program mid to late year). No child / youth will be denied Religious Formation based on inability to pay the registration fee. Scholarships are available. Please contact Trish Pabis to discuss your situation in confidence.
Religious Formation Catechists who have children enrolled in the program will have the registration fees waived. “Adult Helpers” in the classrooms with have the registration fees reduced by 50%. Interested in sharing your gifts and talents, please contact Trish Pabis at relformation@stmva.org to learn more about volunteering with this ministry.
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Religious Formation K-5 Schedule |
Vision for Religious Formation K-5: |
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For the 2022-2023 academic year, the Religious Formation K-5 (RF K-5) Program at St. Thomas More Catholic Church will be returning to the traditional individual grade-level format.
The RF K-5 gatherings will occur on most Sunday mornings from 10 am until 11 am. This time enables RF K-5 youth to meet at the same time as our Middle School youth (grades 6-8) providing opportunities for collaboration and mentoring between the different age groups. The tentative start date will be Sunday, August 28 in the Nave at 10 am. This will be a Parent / Youth gathering which will include an Opening Prayer service followed by the youth being dismissed to their classrooms while the parents remain in the Nave for a brief overview of the year's program. Two different types of gatherings will occur on Sundays from 10 am until 11 am. The first is the individual grade-level format which will be referred to as "RF K-5 Gathering". The second is instead of dividing up into individual grades, attendance to the gathering occurs as a family thus it will be referred to as "Sunday Family Activity." "Sunday Family Activity" is an opportunity for the individual families of STM to meet one another in a relaxed and playful environment. The classrooms will be set up with crafts, games, challenges, and relay races for families to participate in as a unit. Families can attend for 5 minutes, or the entire 60 minutes. They can do one event, or all events. 2022/2023 Calendar:
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By virtue of faith and our baptism, we, the parents and catechists at STM, are called to be "a witness of faith and keeper of the memory of God." (Directory for Catechesis, pg 73, para 113). As parents, we have the primary role in educating our children about the Catholic faith. As Catechists, we support and accompany the parents as we proclaim the Gospel and God's love for all of creation.
At St. Thomas More Catholic Church, the Catechists follow the Catechetical Curriculum set forth by the Richmond Diocese to help supplement the parents’ teachings at home. It is the Religious Formation’s vision to explore the 6 Key Concepts at an age-appropriate level for each student in a nurturing, faith-filled environment. The Key Concepts are: 1. Knowledge of Faith 2. Liturgical Education 3. Moral Education 4. Teaching to pray 5. Education for Community Life 6. Missionary Initiation | ||
Ways to volunteer with the Religious Formation K-5 Program
There are several ways to be involved with the RF K-5 Program at St. Thomas More Catholic Church (STM). You can either volunteer as a lead or co-Catechist being responsible for lesson plans and sharing of the faith. There is also a need for classroom assistants / helpers who are present in the classroom to provide assistance with activities and redirection of behavior.
You do not need to have children enrolled in the program to volunteer. Please keep in mind, in order to work with children, you will need to have had VIRTUS training as well as a background check. It is the policy of the Diocese of Richmond that any adult over the age of 18 years who is interested in volunteering and interacting directly with children is required to attend the Protecting God’s Children (PGC) course to become VIRTUS certified. PGC is a 3 hour course that involves watching a video and having participant discussion. VIRTUS training is provided in various locations throughout the Diocese of Richmond including STM. STM has two certified VIRTUS instructors who regularly schedule classes throughout the year at STM. Please refer to the Diocesan website (www.Richmonddiocese.orgrichmonddiocese.org/registering-for-an-upcoming-virtus-training-program/) for training dates and locations, or contact Trish Pabis to inquire more about this requirement. A background check must be completed every 5 years. You will be notified by Coordinator of Religious Formation K-5 whenever your background check has expired and needs to be renewed. STM will cover the costs associated with the background checks.
You do not need to have children enrolled in the program to volunteer. Please keep in mind, in order to work with children, you will need to have had VIRTUS training as well as a background check. It is the policy of the Diocese of Richmond that any adult over the age of 18 years who is interested in volunteering and interacting directly with children is required to attend the Protecting God’s Children (PGC) course to become VIRTUS certified. PGC is a 3 hour course that involves watching a video and having participant discussion. VIRTUS training is provided in various locations throughout the Diocese of Richmond including STM. STM has two certified VIRTUS instructors who regularly schedule classes throughout the year at STM. Please refer to the Diocesan website (www.Richmonddiocese.orgrichmonddiocese.org/registering-for-an-upcoming-virtus-training-program/) for training dates and locations, or contact Trish Pabis to inquire more about this requirement. A background check must be completed every 5 years. You will be notified by Coordinator of Religious Formation K-5 whenever your background check has expired and needs to be renewed. STM will cover the costs associated with the background checks.
