New Year, New WorX!
 
Happy 2017! The Center for FaithJustice is pleased to begin publishing a monthly newsletter. Too often, the mainstream media bombard the public with stories of violence and polarization. Our goal is to do the opposite by highlighting positive stories about the good WorX of our program participants and alumni.  We hope that by sharing stories of their actions, others may be inspired to make a difference in their own communities!

Please help us spread the news of good deeds performed by those members of your school, parish or community who have attended our programs. These acts can range from staying in touch with a service site they worked at during their time on WorX programs, to volunteering at new service sites, to acts of generosity, and more! If you know someone who is doing something exceptional to help others and further our mission to inspire the next generation of leaders, serve those in need and advocate for justice, please contact Tara Hank at  tkhank@faithjustice.org or 609-498-6216. 

We hope that this collaborative effort will enable our alumni and partners to stay connected and engaged after their WorX weeks have finished. We want to be able to affirm that the future is bright when we come together to work for good!

Continue reading to learn about how students are doing good WorX in their communities!

Student Spotlight:
A Birthday Party Designed to Give to Others

Kristyn Klemm attended ServiceworX through St. Bernard of Clairvaux Roman Catholic Church this past summer as part of her Confirmation preparation. Like many ServiceworX students, it was her first time volunteering and she was apprehensive about what ServiceworX would entail. Klemm’s grandparents describe her as “naturally shy,” but she was able to extend herself beyond her comfort zone to embrace the challenges and gifts that accompany serving one's community. Klemm and her peers participated in a variety of service projects ranging from visiting with the elderly at nursing homes to playing with children at low-income pre-schools to sorting food at the food bank. When asked what she thought about the ServiceworX experience, Klemm stated, “It was really fun and a lot better than I expected. It was fun to be with friends and do service work.”

The St. Bernard ServiceworX group sorted food at the Community Food Bank of New Jersey (CFBNJ) twice during their week. The site was a favorite among many of the students because of the dynamic nature of the work, the teamwork it required and the sense of community it fostered.

Kristyn’s actions after the week concluded are testimony to how the WorX programs are transformative and inform students’ actions. Noting how lucky she is, Klemm decided to give to those less fortunate for her birthday. She invited friends to her 12th Birthday Party and asked that in lieu of gifts, they bring a donation for CFBNJ. The majority of  the party was spent volunteering at CFBNJ, sorting and packaging pasta boxes that would be distributed to food pantry clients.

When the girls finished at CFBNJ, they returned to Klemm’s house for cake and to assemble twelve Birthday-In-A-Box boxes. Birthday-In-A-Box is an idea that Klemm and her aunt devised while planning the party so the gift of a birthday party could be given to more kids, regardless of their socioeconomic status. Klemm and her friends painted 12 boxes and filled each one with 8 invitations, 8 hats, 8 plates, 8 napkins, 8 party blowers, 1 birthday banner, 1 tablecloth, 1 pack of birthday candles, 1 box of cake mix and frosting. The boxes were then packaged and donated by each guest to a food bank.

Krystin Klemm’s generosity, selflessness and creativity are inspiring. The Center for FaithJustice is proud to call Klemm a ServiceworX alumna and looks forward to seeing what she accomplishes in the future!

The above pictures show Kristyn Klemm and her friends with the pasta they packaged at CFBNJ and Klemm with the 12 Birthday-In-A-Box packages.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Day of Service
On January 16, over 100 students and volunteers participated in the annual Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Day of Service hosted by the Center for FaithJustice (CFJ) and the Church of Saint Ann in Lawrenceville. Students from New Jersey and Pennsylvania came together to serve at twelve nonprofits throughout the Trenton and Lawrenceville area. These agencies provided a variety of missions, including care for the environment, care for the elderly, youth services and human services.

The day began with a morning prayer service that reflected on the life and legacy of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Students were challenged to keep an open mind throughout the day and to notice the moments in which they saw God present. The day was filled with energy and a dedication to working toward the realization of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream for justice and equality. After lunch, volunteers led the students in powerful discussions to contemplate their day and reflect on where they witnessed God in their encounters. A closing prayer service with a call to action video by Kid President inspired students to not let the spirit of the day of service end when they returned home, but to remember their experiences and continue to work for justice.

This good news made the front page of the Trenton Monitor!  Click to read the full article and check out the photo gallery.  

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Day of Service would not be possible without the students who kept an open mind and heart throughout the day, the parents who gave up their day to chaperone the groups and the volunteers who helped the day run so smoothly. Thank you to everyone who participated in making the day a successful "day on, not a day off"!

The Center for FaithJustice (CFJ) and Georgian Court University (GCU), a Sisters of Mercy institution, are partnering to integrate faith-based service learning into college curricula.

Pictured on the right are the ribbons hanging at GCU after the  interdenominational prayer service at the beginning of the first semester. MercyworX is our next project- and you're invited! MercyworX is a program similar to JusticeworX, but with one unprecedented element ... the program will take place on GCU's campus and those who successfully complete the program will earn 3 transferable college credits! We integrated all the traditional components of JusticeworX that you love - service, education, and community - into a brand new environment, giving students a dynamic role of participant and scholar. Whether you are a one-time JusticeworX alum or a three-time returner, we promise that MercyworX will continue to provide a transformative experience. 

MercyworX will take place on campus the week of June 25 (followed by flexible online instruction) and offers a totally unique service experience for rising juniors and seniors. Participants will receive a taste of college life and study, while engaging with community partners along the Jersey Shore and reflecting upon these experiences with peers in a retreat-style format.

MercyworX would be ideal for a WorX alum who has caught the "bug" and might be interested in exploring service, social justice, or Catholic social thought at the college level. Applicants need to have completed at least their sophomore year of high school by June 2017.  Apply today- spaces are limited and filling fast!

As the new administration settles into office, please join us for 100 days of Prayer guided by new intentions each day to pray for a successful transition.

Every Wednesday, CFJ hosts a simple, but powerful experience, bringing the Catholic community together for an evening meal accompanied by faith, prayer and reflections on social justice. 

Our schedule: 

6:30 – 7:15 PM: A simple meal (think soup, pasta, etc.) prepared each week on a rotating schedule by group participants. Meals are prepared & served at the CASA (Convent at Saint Ann) in the dining room. 

7:15 – 8:00 PM: evening prayer in the ancient tradition of Vespers (think Psalms!)

Location/ address: The All Saints Chapel in the CASA, 24 Rossa Avenue, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648

We also invite everyone, whether or not you are able to attend Soup & Psalms, to let us include your intentions in our communal prayer. Our goal is to turn our home into your home, to build up the community of faith and to dream together the Kingdom of God as we work for justice. ALL ARE WELCOME!

Whether you can come once a year or every week, join us on our shared journey!

Registration is not required, but RSVPs are appreciated so that we can estimate how much food to make. You can RSVP on our Meetup page. There is not cost; voluntary donations can be made to the Center for FaithJustice via the website www.faithjustice.org or by check.