Ms. Chermak's Blog

May 1, 2009

Dear Parent,
The First Communion preparations are going beautifully. Your children are delightful and their excitement is infectious. We look forward to a GREAT celebration! Thank you for all you do to create a meaningful day.

Just a few reminders:

 The children are invited to wear their communion outfits to church this Sunday for their second holy communion with their families. This will give other parishioners a chance to see your children and share their happiness.

Each child is assigned a spot for two adults in a reserved section. All parents have received a seating chart. Please refer to this, and find your spots. There are white name cards on the back of each pew to help you. Please help us by taking your seats right away, in the reserved sections, and telling your guests also to be seated. Remind your guests that the class is large - 92 - and to allow extra time to find parking, in case the lot should fill up. Our church is large; as many others guests who would like to attend are welcome!

 Remember that we have a professional videographer and photographer to help you to be present prayerfully for your child, and not to have to take pictures. Please do not videotape or photograph during the liturgy. Please inform your guests of this. You are welcome to take pictures after the ceremony.

 The children are to meet at 10:30 in their classrooms.

 If you have a chance, there is a letter on the back of the First Communion Countdown calendar for you to fill in for your child. In the midst of all your busy preparations, if you could possibly record your impressions of this time by completing the three or four sentences, it would be a nice keepsake for him or her.

 If you would like to have formal portraits, the photographer will be
available from 8:30 - 10:30 in the foyer.

Again, thank you for all your hard work to prepare your children so well, and to make this a day they will long remember.
See you Saturday!

Sincerely,

Ms. Elena Chermak
1-773-238-1851

March 20, 2009
Dear Second Grade Parent,
This letter will give you some information to help you prepare for your child's First Communion. Your child's First Communion will take place on Saturday, May 2, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. The mass begin at 11:00 a.m. and will be over by about 12:30 p.m. The children should meet in their classrooms by 10:30 a.m. These times will help with your planning.
The dress code for girls and boys is as follows:
Girls wear white dresses (of any length) and white socks or tights. They also wear veils or flower/baby's breath wreaths in their hair. They don't wear gloves for mass.
Boys wear sports coats and dress pants or suits of any color. They wear white or light colored shirts. They wear dress shoes. They also wear ties of any color. Over the years we've had suits and sports coats of just about any color. The boys always look very nice, as do the girls!
If you have a relative who is a priest, please let us know if he plans to attend the mass, and would like to concelebrate. Please call the religious education office (773)238-1851 with this information, send a note to school or C.F.F. or write to echermak@sjfschool.net to let us know.
We will have a reserved section for seating for 2 adults of each communicant's choice. This will give parents and guardians a chance to be close to the front. As many people as you'd like to invite may sit anywhere else in the church! All are welcome.
Your child will receive a CD of communion songs to be used at the liturgy. We are fortunate to have wonderful music here at Saint John Fisher and know the children enjoy listening to and singing along with this CD. We use music found in the Gather hymnal and hope the children have fond memories of their communion day when they hear these songs in the future. We encourage you to listen to this CD in the car or in your home to help the whole family familiarize themselves with the songs.
To also help your family prepare for the day, each child will receive a countdown to communion calendar which will allow your child and family to do something each day to get ready for the First Communion. We hope this calendar will be yet another way for your family to focus to the joy and spiritual significance of this day. Calendars will be distributed soon. Please look over the parent's brochure carefully, read the prayer blessing for your child as you present this calendar, and begin by opening door 30 on Friday, April 3rd.
To beautify the church, we are asking each family to make a small felt square communion banner. The directions are on the attached sheet. The banners are due by Thursday, April 23rd - school - April 26th, C.F.F. to be turned in to the homerooms or to rectory (C.F.F.).
We are also asking for a $30.00 communion/reconciliation fee to cover the cost of program booklets, projects, rings, flowers, decorations and the communion photograph. Make checks payable to the Office of Religious Education, and turn it in to your child's teacher, by Friday April 24th or Sunday, April 26th (C.F.F.).
A professional photographer will take a picture of each child as he or she receives communion. Each child will receive this candid picture which is included in the communion fee. We will also have a professional studio photographer in the foyer before each of the masses to take portraits of those children who would like them. There are no appointments for these portraits, so there may be a line at various times. These (optional) portraits start at 8:30 a.m. and go to 10:30 a.m. Remember that the children must be in their rooms 30 minutes before the liturgy begins when you are deciding on picture times.
We will also have a professional videographer to record the First Communion Liturgy. We offer this service to allow parents to enter fully into the celebration of the liturgy without having to record the event with a video camera. The videographer will have access to the altar and will record each child as he or she receives communion. We hope any families who would like a videotape or DVD of this event will take advantage of this service. An order form is attached.
Please do not take your own flash pictures or leave your seat for photographs or videotaping at any time during the mass. We find this to be very distracting to the children and the rest of the congregation. Your cooperation will help make this a prayerful time for everyone. Please also pass on this information to friends and relatives who will attend. After the liturgy, it is nice to take pictures outside of church, or on the altar. You may want to bring a camera for this.
Traditionally the children have worn their communion outfits to mass the next day (Sunday, May 3rd) - for their second holy communion - to give them another chance to get dressed up, and to continue their weekend celebration with all the parish community. We invite your children to wear their communion suits and dresses when they come to mass with your family on May 3rd.
First Communion is a time of great grace and blessing for our parish families. We look forward to celebrating with you. In the meantime, the best way you can prepare is to take your child to mass each Sunday, sit close to the front and help them to participate. Let them know why communion is important to you.
We look forward to seeing you on communion day. If you have any questions, please call the Religious Education Office: (773)238-1851 or e-mail to echermak@sjfschool.net .

Sincerely,

Ms. Earner Mrs. Nitsche Mrs. Paluch Mrs. Zelek Ms. Chermak Sister Jean

Start Countdown Calendar: Friday, April 3rd
Banner due: Friday April 24th (school) or April 26th (C.F.F.)
Fee due: Friday April 24th (school) or Sunday, April 26th (C.F.F.)
Names of Priest relatives to be included in program booklet due: Tuesday April 21st.
Video/DVD fee due: Friday, May 1st.
First Communion Day: Saturday, May 2, 2009 at 11:00 a.m.
Children to arrive at 10:30 a.m.

First Communion Videotape or DVD Order Form

If you would like a video or DVD of the First Communion, please fill out the form below and return it to your child's teacher by Friday, May 1st.

FIRST COMMUNION VIDEOTAPE/DVD

_______________________________________
Child's name and room number

_______________________________________
Your phone number

Videotapes and DVDs are $22.00.
Please make checks payable to the Office of Religious Education.
Please return this form by Friday, May 1st.

FIRST COMMUNION FAMILY ART PROJECT

Dear First Communion Parent,
We're asking your help to decorate the church for the First Communion Mass. We'd like you to decorate a felt rectangle (9" x12") with your child's name (first only, first name and last initial, or first and last name) and a symbol or symbols of your family or First Communion. We will assemble these squares into a large banners to decorate the church for the communion mass. We suggest you make the design and construction of your square a family project. For example, have your first communicant choose the colors, symbols or decorations. Make your square as simple or ornate as you wish. Felt pieces for the symbols are fine, or add some glitter, beads or lace to dress it up.
Make the design with the shorter side at the top. This becomes very important when we put all the squares together. It is also important that each square is 9 x 12. We place 95 of these next to each other to form a large banner. If they aren't the same size, the banner is crooked. Please include your child's name and room number or specify C.F.F. (written or taped) on the back. These squares will be returned after communion. Many parents in the past have kept, or framed, these banners as a communion keepsake.
Please use light, bright or pastel colors for the background. Avoid orange, black or brown as the background. Our experience has shown spring colors look the nicest. Please avoid stiff felt. Please be sure your banner is 9X12.

* * * A Plea and a Challenge * * *
A plea: Each year about three banners come in horizontal or bigger than 9x 12! It makes it very difficult to fit them in with the others. A challenge: Let's make this a year that they all come in with the short side on top, as in the pictures above.

Felt squares are available at the following location:
Jo Ann Fabrics - 135th and Rt.83 (Crestwood) - (also look in the craft section for more colors) or at any other fabric or craft store:Michael's for example. -Squares cost between 49 c. and 75 c.

We hope this is one more activity which will make your child's communion a day to remember. Please turn in your square by Friday, April 24th (school) or Sunday April 26th (C.F.F.) to your child's teacher. Thank you!

Communion Mass Songs 2009
"Please use these words to sing along with the cd.
These songs may also be found in the Gather song books in church.
We have included the verses on the cd, to give you more chances to learn the parts we sing together. Just learn the words on this sheet, (choruses and refrains) and not all the verses, although if you want to learn the verses too, that's fine. If the other people in your family want to learn these words, too, that would be great! (You can play the cd in the car.)"

All students received a cd with all the communion songs, as well as a set of words. We love the quality of this cd and appreciate all the support you give by encouraging your child to listen to this cd. It becomes a favorite, with each child listing their favorite song. With children listening to the cd on their computers, maybe next year we can encourage our musician to made a music video.

This year as we practiced, the children volunteers to "take the microphone" to lead us in a verse or two. They are great! The time spent following American Idol pays off!

I often tell the class that if American Idol had a category for First Communion class singers, we would win!

Today during the May crowning, the children had the chance to hear the musician who created the cd as he sang the music "live" for the ceremony. The experience was so inspiring I was certain there were future pianists and vocalists in our midst!

I remind the second graders that if they are ever unsure (okay, nervous) about something they are presenting at a liturgy (such as a reading) to sing louder ! I've tried it; it works!

This fall there was an interview of a British Rock Star on the radio. He said one of the best things a community could do together was to sing. He went on to say how gratifying it is to be able to navigate a complicated rhythm together, and to create a beautiful sound.

I look forward to hearing the children and all their musician/vocalists parents singing tomorrow. It all promises to be great fun and will help to create a meaningful experience.... long remembered.

Thank you for your participation in the communion banner. All 92 children brought their individual project to school. Thank you for directing and helping them. Thanks for following the directions. When you walk into church tomorrow you'll see all your hard work has paid off. You have created a giant banner - filled with 92 squares. It is stunning! Wait until you see it! It shows a burst of spring color and expresses the vitality of your families and children.

It adds to the joy of this communion day and will remain on display for our entire community to enjoy for the coming weeks.
Thank you!

With our second graders carefully looking on, our eighth graders presented the May Crowning today. In addition to being an ancient prayer of our church, this May Crowning is an opportunity for our entire community to see our eighth grade class - usually hard at work as students and athletes, suddenly transformed into beautiful, handsome, elegant young women and men, wearing their Sunday finest.

I hope they will long remember the experience of standing in the sanctuary - all 73 of them
- and looking out at the rest of the students sang to them.

We are proud of our eighth graders' efforts and achievements, and were happy to celebrate with them.

This prayer is printed on the program booklet and the communion calendar.
Sister Jean wrote this prayer years ago. It is a good prayer.

First Communion
Parent's Blessing

My dearest child,
I love you very much
and that is why being with you
today is very important.
I am happy that we are celebrating
your First Communion Day together,
and I am so proud of you.
You are a child of grace and beauty.
I ask God to bless you with good health,
good friends, and happiness.
May your heart always overflow
with gentle thoughts and beautiful dreams.
I ask God to bless you
in a special way,
because God loves you
and I love you.