THE EDGE
Middle School Ministry

(grades 5, 6, 7, 8)

In many respects middle schoolers are on the edge because so much is going on in their lives. It can be a very stressful and difficult time for them and parents, too!

As a Catholic community, we at St. Charles want to give our middle school youth the edge they need in life: Jesus, the Word, the Eucharist, and the Church!

Edge groups build houses with Legos before a lesson about Matthew 8:5-13 and the new wording of the prayer before Communion: "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed."

 

The Edge Meets Monday Nights, 7:30 to 8:30 pm in Borromeo Hall 

Fall EDGE Session...The Isrealites: Our Older Brothers and Sisters

• October 8 - In the Beginning  Parent Letter
• October 15 - Our Ancient Relatives Parent Letter
• October 22 - Covenant with God Parent Letter
• October 29 - King David: A Man after God's Own Heart  Parent Letter
• November 5 - Prepare the Way of the Lord Parent Letter

Saturday, December 8 - Feast of the Immaculate Conception (7pm, Mass)

Wednesday, December 12 - Parish Advent Reconciliation Service 7pm, in Church

Saturday, January 5 - Middle School Youth Rally at Mission Dolores in San Francisco with Jesse Manibusan, 1:15pm-8:00pm
Download flyer.
Register here.

Winter EDGE Session...The Sacraments

• Janaury 28 - Baptism: Welcome to the Family
• February 4 - Confirmation: Strengthened in the Spirit
• February 11 - Eucharist: Come to the Table 
• February 18 - No EDGE (President's Holiday)
• Febraury 25 - Reconciliation: Turn Back to Jesus
• March 4 - Anointing of the Sick: Two Kinds of Healing
• March 11 - Marriage: Serving God's People
• March 18 - Holy Orders: Serving God's People

Parish Lenten Connection (for the whole parish family) March 19, 2013, 7-8:30pm, Church. Please join us for dinner anytime from 5:30pm to 6:45pm, Borromeo Hall

Spring EDGE Session…Living the Faith

• April 8 - Having Meaning and Purpose in Your Life
• April 15 - Dealing with Peer Pressure
• April 22 - What's Up with Put Downs?
• April 29 - Friends
• May 6 - Edge Family Potluck/Slide Show/Edger Awards (for the whole family! Parents and siblings invited. Starts at a special time: 6:30 pm) 

for your safety

As per the mandate of the US Bishops' Charter, the Archdiocese of San Francisco requires us at St. Charles to make sure that all children and teens in our parish receive formal personal safety training. We appreciate the time and effort the Archdiocese has put forth to make these courses convenient, informative, and also entertaining.

Follow-Up: After taking the course, we ask that parents follow-up with a discussion to make sure that the youth has understood the information and to encourage parent/youth communication on personal safety issues. Please use the following discussion guide and contact us to let us know that you have followed-up so that we can record it in our files.
Thank-you for helping ensure the safety of our Edgers!
Click here for Edge Safety Discussion Guide

EDGE members are asked to take the online safety course for their age level.

• 5th Graders:       Block the Bully
• 6th Graders:       Be Safe, Stay Safe
• 7th/8th Graders: Bullying, Not Cool

You will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the course. Please print this out and submit the certificate with your registration (or bring to an EDGE night).

Statistics:
-1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys is sexually abused before the age of 18.
-Kids age 5-11 are the most at risk to suffer child abuse.

At Catholic parishes and schools across the nation, young people are participating in special training programs designed to support parents as we teach our young people to how be safe.

The training was mandated by the 2002 Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People issued by the United States Catholic Bishops, confirming the Bishops' deep commitment to creating a safe environment for all God's children.  

Edge Leaders are high school youth who give of their time to lead small groups of Edgers. They arrive at 6:30pm to prepare for the EDGE night. This is a time of fellowship, prayer, leadership training, and class preparation.

EDGE LEADERS PRAYER
Thank-you, Lord, for calling me to be an Edge leader.
Nurture in me a disciple's heart:
a heart that rejoices in your coming
a heart sustained by your Spirit
a heart encouraged by fellow disciples.
Grow in my heart:
a disciple's commitment to serve
a disciple's willingness to learn
a disciple's joy in becoming
a medium of your grace.
Bless the members of my group: [names]
and I offer these special intentions...
In the name of the Father
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen

(adapted from a prayer in Prayer for Parish Groups by Donal Harrington and Julie Kavanagh.)

Edge Parents

Parents are a very important part of our program!

We need parents to support us by:

• bringing snacks and/or staying to prepare/serve/clean up snacks
• coming to an Edge night to offer your presence and support to the teen leaders
  (After you register, you will receive an email from "Sign-Up Genius" inviting you to sign-up for as many Edge nights as you wish. Contact us if you have not received this invitation.)

Parents are asked to read the family letters that are posted on "The Schedule" tab after each Edge Night. If you look on the Edge schedule on that tab, you'll see the parent letter linked right after each date/topic that is listed.

Parents are asked to take the online safety course "The Safe Haven". This is a convenient service from the Archdiocese to help keep our children safe.

Registration - 3 ways to register:

Please use this LINK to order your EDGERS T-Shirt and proceed to one of the registration options.

Option 1) Online

Use this online form to register up to five students in your family for any of the Religious Education Programs (K - 4, 1st Penance/1st Eucharist, EDGE, Confirmation Level One, Confirmation Level Two):  Religious Education Registration Form

 Edge Permission Form you may fill out this form online, print it, sign it and return it to the Parish Office at 880 Tamarack Avenue,  San Carlos, CA  94070.  The Parish Office must have a file copy with a parent's signature on it, please mail or bring the first night of EDGE.

Option 2) Print, Complete, and Return to Parish Office - Attn: Religious Education Office

• Religious Education Registration Form
• Edge Permission/Emergency Form (Religious Education office must have this form on file)

Option 3) Contact Religious Education Office to request a packet be mailed

Phone - 650-591-7349 ext. 34  or Email - mbaeza@stcharlesparish.org or stop by the Parish Center and pick one up.