Welcome to the St Bartholomew’s ARISE: Together in Christ Program!

Together with the Archdiocese of Boston, our parish is participating in this three-year program, (designed for the Archdiocese of Boston by Renew International).

ARISE: Together in Christ is a three-year, parish-centered process of spiritual renewal and evangelization that enables people to deepen their faith, develop a closer relationaship with Christ, grow in community, and reach out in service to others. The ARISE process applies the spiritual standards of Christ to all areas of life. It emphasizes people living in good relationship with one another, as they make concrete applications of the the gospel to their life situations.

The goals of the ARISE process are

• Teaching and witnessing to the Word of God in Sacred Scripture
• Developing vibrant communities of faith and service that are ongoing
• Implementing a strategy for adult faith formation
• Providing a concrete and practical means of evangelization
• Enhancing the celebration of the Sunday liturgy

(From RenewIntl.org, used with permission)

The ARISE process begins with a period of formation for the ARISE parish team, a group of 8-10 parishioners who will lead the parish through a process of spiritual renewal. Next fall there will be an opportunity for parishioners to participate in small faith-sharing communities that meet in homes and other locations throughout the parish over the course of six weeks. Over the next three years we will have the opportunity to reflect on these basic Gospel themes:

Season I Fall 2008 - Encountering Christ Today

Season II Lent 2009 - Change Our Hearts

Season III Fall 2009 - In the Footsteps of Christ

Season IV Lent 2010 - New Heart, New Spirit

Season V Fall 2010 - We Are the Good News!

A basic component of this exciting new program are small groups who gather to pray & reflect on provided texts. Are you being called to host a group or to facilitate the discussion? Training, ongoing support and all materials are provided.

Curious? Speak to any of our Arise Team members or a parish staff member.

Please pray for the success of the Renew Arise Together in Christ program in this Archdiocese.

In the fall, our parish will launch the ARISE Together in Christ program for Achieving Renewal, Inspiration, Sharing and Evangelization. In preparation for the launch, our ARISE Parish Team has developed the “5 for 10” series: 5 questions for 10 minutes of consideration and response. This week we focus on Achieving:

1. What are my life’s goals and what am I trying to achieve?
2. In the “big picture”, is what I am trying to achieve really important?
3. Does my faith life influence what I am trying to achieve?
4. What is a disciple of Jesus Christ trying to achieve?
5. Do I want to learn more about the ARISE process as a focus on achievement?

Next week’s “5 for 10” questions will be on Renewal.

| 8/2/2008 |

The ARISE Together in Christ process for Achieving Renewal, Inspiration, Sharing and Evangelization will be launched in our parish later this year. In preparation for the launch, our ARISE Parish Team has developed the “5 for 10” series: 5 questions for 10 minutes of consideration and response. This week we focus on Renewal:

6. Does my relationship with God need renewal?
7. Do I yearn for a renewal in my relationships with people?
8. Will spiritual renewal help me to be a better family member, friend and co-worker?
9. What should a disciple of Jesus Christ try to renew?
10. Do I want to learn more about the ARISE renewal process?

Next week’s “5 for 10” questions will be in Inspiration.

| 7/5/2008 |

ARISE Together in Christ Our parish will launch the ARISE Together in Christ process for Achieving Renewal, Inspiration, Sharing and Evangelizing later this year. In preparation for the launch, our ARISE Parish Team has developed the “5 for 10” series: 5 questions for 10 minutes of consideration and response. Inspiration is our focus this week:

11. What inspires me to improve my relationship with God.?
12. How do I inspire others to increase their faith?
13. Where do I look for inspiration?
14. How should a disciple of Jesus Christ inspire others?
15. Do I want to learn more about the inspiring ARISE process?

Next week's “5 for 10” questions will be on Sharing.

| 7/12/2008 |

The ARISE Together in Christ for Achieving Renewal, Inspiration, Sharing and Evangelization will be launched in our parish later this year. Our ARISE Parish Team presents its final set in the “5 for 10” series: 5 questions for 10 minutes of consideration and response. This week the focus is on Evangelization:

21. Whose evangelization efforts have brought me to the Church?
22. Do I recognize evangelization as an act of love?
23. Am I personally capable of evangelizing?
24. How does a disciple of Jesus Christ evangelize?
25. Do I want to learn more about the ARISE process as a vehicle for effective evangelization?

It is hoped that the questions in this five week series have demonstrated that the upcoming ARISE Together in Christ process will provide an excellent opportunity for all parishioners to deepen their faith, develop a closer relationship with Christ, grow in community, and reach out in service to others.

| 7/26/2008 |

Arise Team members: Allan & Patty Doyle, Carolyn Maynard, Peggy Powers, Dorothea O'Connell, Doug Motchok, David Tremblay, George Thissell.

Gracious God and Father,

We enter into your presence
realizing you know us better
than we know ourselves.
You know the cares and sufferings
we carry in our hearts.

You call us to holiness
and we trust you to lead us together
on our journey to be a renewed Church -
for with you all things are possible.

Create us anew in Jesus Christ your Son.
Liberate us from all that keeps us from you.
Heal us from every form of sin and violence.

Transform us to live your Word more profoundly.
Awaken us to the sacred; rebuild trust among us.
Enliven our parishes; reunite our families.

May your Holy Spirit empower us to live as a
community of love, freed to share in your work
of recreating our world and restoring justice.

We believe you are doing something new,
calling us to arise together in Christ
to celebrate the fullness of life.

Amen.