We are SO CLOSE!!

Holy cow it is crunch time!

NCYC is just over 2 weeks away and I am so excited! More than a year of work is almost done and soon we will be loading buses and heading to Indianapolis.

As you can imagine, there are still lots of details to take care of, so I’m very busy until we leave. If you need to contact me, email, text or message me on Remind. 

The goal is have all your goodie bags done by Monday the 11th. CHS kids listen to the announcements for pick up instructions. West kids, I’ll bring your bags to school some day next week. I’ll let you know what day!

If you go to East or CF, I’ll text you to make arrangements to get your stuff to you.

Remember to make getting to mass a priority the next few weekends. Also, make time for prayer! Our hearts need to be open to how God is calling us. This trip can change your faith life if you let it!

Go to: www.ncyc.info and click the  “schedule” tab to start looking at workshops. If you can make a plan ahead of time - it will help you be less overwhelmed.

I cannot wait to share this experience with you all! NCYC is the BEST part of my job and I can’t wait for us to be Blessed, Broken and Given.

Peace!

Annie 

 

Meetings, Meetings, Meetings!

It’s the final countdown!! (I hope you sang that!)

I need to see you all before we leave. Group meetings are set for the following days. All meetings are at BLESSED MARIA at 6:30pm. 

Tuesday, Oct. 22

Wednesday, Oct. 23

Monday, Oct. 28

Monday, Nov. 4

All high school youth and a parent are REQUIRED to attend ONE of these meetings. It is highly important as this is the last time I’ll see most of you before we leave and there is A LOT of important information I need to share with you. I promise to get you out in 45 minutes.

Please bring $15 CASH per person to the meeting. This will cover evening snacks, tips for our bus drivers and our hotel housekeeping staff. I will have envelopes for you at the meetings.

If you are behind on payments - I really need you to get caught up as soon as possible. I can take your money at the meetings - we can even take credit card payments for a fee of $3.00 per transaction. It is important that everyone be paid in full by November 21st. 

Looking forward to seeing you all soon!

Email me with questions: anniezeets@gmail.com

Peace, 

Annie 

33 Days to Indy!

I'm baaaack!

Can you believe NCYC 2019 is just 33 days away???

I am working on getting trade items ready, t-shirts ordered, a snack plan for each night at the hotel, bus lists, first aid kids and lots of other small things that need to happen before we hit the road to Indy.

As we begin to prepare for this journey, I hope you are adding prayer into your daily life and getting to mass each weekend. Our hearts must be open if we have any hope of encountering Christ at NCYC 2019. He will be there, ready to embrace you in His arms if you are ready!

Please feel free to share this blog with family and friends. I will be updating as we get ready for our journey and while we are in Indianapolis.

I ask that you pray for our group of 161 teens and 39 adult faith mentors (largest group in the Archdiocese of Dubuque!) as we get ready for NCYC 2019! We will be praying for you too!

Peace,
Annie

CALLED

Wow!!
NCYC 2017 has come to an end, but what we experienced will last a lifetime.

First I need to say that this group of 141 kids and 25 adults has been stellar! Please make sure you thank our amazing adult chaperones if you see them around.
Barb Cannon
Carrie Evans
Chris Evans
Kathryn Fain
Kris Frush
Sami Graff
Lori Harms
Brenda Harrison
Kathy Joblinske
Jennifer Kneeland
James Larsen
Ray Larsen
Cary Meier
Stacie Mills
Tom Novotney
Jade Pint
Bob Pranger
Kathy Rath
Melissa Schoer
Sean Schott
Susie Sigwarth
Rebecca Swanson
Cindy Weber
Pat Wiss

These adults have made this trip incredibly meaningful. They walked the journey with the kids and I am forever grateful that they said YES to this call.

Parents: Your kids will be different when they come home. NCYC is hard to describe. It's all the best parts of being catholic wrapped up into 3 days of singing, dancing, praying, listening, reflecting and feeling the true presence of Christ.
Please take some time to talk to your kids about this experience.
A few questions to begin a conversation;
What was your favorite part of NCYC?
What speakers did you hear?
What was one thing you heard that really spoke to you?
What can we do as a family to help keep the spirit of NCYC alive?

The real work starts tomorrow when we go back to our daily lives.

We can't stop here.

Bus 24, 25 and 26 experienced NCYC 2017 together - now we want to bring that faith, that fire, back to you.

We are:
Called by Name
Called to More
Called to Listen
Called to Serve

The real work begins tomorrow.

Are you ready?

Peace!

We Made It!

We have arrived in Indy!
The kids were awesome on the buses.
They were great when we stopped for lunch.
They were spectacular when we checked in to the hotel.
Do you see a pattern here?!

These. Kids. Are. Awesome!!!

I'll update more when we get to Lucas Oil Stadium.

Peace!

2 days to Indy!

2 DAYS!!

As we countdown to NCYC 2017, I am writing so you have the link to our travel blog.

My hope is to update a few times each day and have students share some favorite moments from each day.

I will also be posting on facebook - search my name - I'll make my page public until the 20th. Hope to "go live" on facebook too.

Be sure to head to www.ncyc.info to watch the morning and evening sessions each day.

Remember the parishes are hosting a watch party on Thursday night at COR @220 E. 4th Street. Arrive about 6:45pm. Snacks and drinks will be served.

Buses load at 4:30am on Thursday at St. Eds!

Please keep us in your prayers. We will be praying for you too!

Peace,
Annie

Holy Week Thoughts

Holy Week.

The most sacred time in the church year.

As we begin the Triduum, I always like to reflect on what this all really means.  For me, this is when I truly see Jesus as human.

The Last Supper; This is when Jesus gives us the most important gift; the Eucharist. And he did this by breaking bread with his friends. What a great reminder to take the time to share a meal with those you love. Family dinners are a great way to reconnect in this busy world. Even if it can't happen everyday, I would encourage you to set a goal of family dinner once a week.

Jesus knew he was going to die. And he knew it was to save us. But for that brief moment in the garden, when he asks his Father to take the burden away, we see that Jesus is a lot like us.  To see him vulnerable is an incredible moment for me. I am guilty of feeling as though my struggles are more than others. I think we all can be that way. But knowing Jesus felt that way, yet still accepted his fate, which was death on a cross, reminds me to face challenges head on and with courage.
I have known several people who have suffered greatly from illness and disease. Health issues that would eventually take their lives. And these people knew this would happen.  And I believe it was because of their deep faith and relationship with Jesus that they were able to accept that death was coming, make peace with it, and die with dignity and grace. (I'm talking about you, JJ!)

As a mother, I also think about Mary. How difficult it must have been to watch your only son be persecuted, tortured and nailed to a cross. I had the privilege of attending the Agnus Dei presentation last weekend at St. Eds.  Paula Moore, who has a gorgeous voice, sang a song called "Silently". The song was about Mary as she silently stood in the crowd and watched her son travel to his death. It was a beautifully haunting reminder of the great faith of Mary. As the tears streamed down my face, I put myself in Mary's shoes. What grief she must have felt watching her son suffer, yet her constant faith allowed her to do what God asked her to do so many years ago; bear the Son of God and watch him suffer and die.

So as we enter into these last days of Lent, let's try to focus on the real meaning of it all; we live because HE died.

Wishing you a safe and blessed Easter!