Welcome to the 2020/2021 Rooted year!
St. John Neumann
Middle School Ministry
(6th-8th Graders)
Parent Newsletter
ROOTED BEGINS SOON!!! - For some of you, Rooted begins in just a few days. You will receive an email in the next few days confirming your child's session. Our first session are on:
  • Session Sunday A - 6:00pm on 9/20
  • Session Monday M - 5:00pm on 9/21
  • Session Sunday B - 6:00pm on 9/27

ZOOM LINK - You should be receiving an email from Angela Davis in the next few days with a Zoom link for your child's Rooted sessions. Please stay tuned!

YOUTH NEWSLETTER - Please also be aware that, if you reported your youth's email address during registration or we otherwise have an email address on file for them, they will be getting a modified version of this email. You can find that YOUTH NEWSLETTER HERE. You will always be notified any time we send a newsletter to the youth. If your children responds to that newsletter, a parent will be included in our response back to them.
Middle School Faith Formation

Rooted is the Middle School Faith Formation program at St. John Neumann parish. Rooted takes a different approach to Faith Formation and consists of a series of sessions which follow a retreat model focused on providing an engaging and meaningful experience. The Rooted year consists of a series of two-and-a-half-hour sessions and two longer “retreat” days. Through these sessions, 6th, 7th, and 8th graders participate in learning, fellowship, service, prayer, and fun, with a focus on becoming more ROOTED in their Catholic faith.
Rooted Highlights!
Parent Meeting: Parents are expected to join their youth for the first half of the first Rooted session.
Material Pickup: If your youth is new to Rooted or has lost their materials, stop by the Faith Formation Office to pick up what they will need on Sunday (9/20) between 9:30am and 2:00pm.
Volunteers Needed: Rooted could still use a few more volunteers for each session. Email Angela Davis ([email protected]) for more information.
Expectations: Having a virtual format means new expectations this year. Please read through them below.
Middle School Youth Ministry

Branching Out is the Middle School Youth Ministry program at St. John Neumann parish. Branching Out aims to provide a number of opportunities for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders to engage in service-oriented, social, and faith-growing experiences to complement the Rooted program. As we become more ROOTED in our faith, we are called to BRANCH OUT as Christ's hands in the world around us.
Branching Out Highlights!
Topic Talk - Racism and Our Faith: Would your youth be interested in an event discussing current events and what our Church says about racism?
Edge Summer Camp 2021: We plan to bring a group to the Edge Summer Camp in GA (a Catholic recreational camp) in the summer of 2021. Registration will be in mid-October. Stay tuned for more information.
Rooted - Going Virtual - Due to our current public health concerns, Rooted will be conducted virtually through LIVE Zoom meetings during the first half of the 2020/2021 Rooted year. We will reevaluate in December.

The Rooted session dates and times and general format will remain the same for the regular session. Please stay tuned for updates as we approach the retreat dates.

You will be sent a Zoom link, specific to your child's session and grade, in the next few days.
Parent Meeting - All parents are expected to join their youth for their first Rooted session. About halfway through the session, parents will be released. It is best for parents to sit with their youth so that only one login per youth is being used. If you have two youth in Rooted, choose one to accompany for the Zoom call.
Material Pickup - ONLY youth who are new to Rooted (or those who have lost their materials from last year) will need to pick up materials. Each youth needs to have a “Catholic Connections Handbook” (blue textbook) and a “Catholic Youth Bible” (from SJN). We can replace any lost materials without charge this week ONLY. After this week, there will be a fee to replace lost materials. You may come to pick up your child’s materials in the Faith Formation Office (the glass doors near the top of the stairs) on Sunday (9/20) between 9:30am and 2:00pm.
Volunteers Needed - Rooted would still greatly benefit from the help of a few more volunteers for each of the sessions. Most of the volunteer roles still needed require little preparation or interaction during sessions. Contact Angela Davis ([email protected]) to sign up or with any questions you may have.
Important Details/Expectations Regarding Virtual Rooted - These expectations will help your youth make the most out of this Rooted year!
  • Each youth will need to have a device to access Zoom through. If you have two children in Rooted, they will each need their own device.
  • We highly recommend a desktop or laptop computer that is NOT a Chromebook if possible.
  • We ask that each youth has a quiet and private space during their Rooted session if possible. Wearing headphones would be a fine option.
  • Each youth should access the Zoom call a minute or two before the start of their session.
  • Each youth should be prepared before the session begins with their Rooted materials, blank paper, and markers/colored pencils.
  • If your child will have a smartphone or tablet available to them during Rooted, please have them download the free Poll Everywhere app from their app store to use during sessions. (It will ask you for a code, but you do not need the code yet.)
Thanksgiving Drive - The food drive bins for our annual Thanksgiving Drive will be in the Narthex between October 4th and November 15. We are asking all Faith Formation youth to donate $3 along with a specific food item:
  • 6th Grade Youth: Three cans of fruit
  • 7th Grade Youth: On e 24oz bottle of oil (olive or canola)
  • 8th Grade Youth: Two 2lb bags of flour or sugar

If you would prefer to donate financially only, please give online!
Skit Team - Calling all Rooted youth! Please let us know if your youth is interested in joining our skit team.
Branching Out Presents: Topic Talk - On Anti-Racism and Our Church - Let us know if your child would be interested in this event and we will schedule the date/time once we have a group established (in early October). Depending on the group's needs, this discussion can take place in-person (with masks and distancing) or virtually.

Edge Summer Camp - In the summer of 2021, Branching Out will take a group of rising 6th through 9th graders to Georgia for a week of Catholic summer camp full of fun, faith, mud, adventure, and more fun! Registration will happen this coming fall, so stay tuned for more information and get ready to camp! This camp is run through Life Teen. Check out their camp website or this promotional video!
Thank you for all you do to make your youth's faith formation a priority and for inviting us to support you along this wonderful journey.

Angela Davis
Coordinator of Middle School Faith Formation
St. John Neumann Church
Reston, VA 20191
[703-390-2345]  [[email protected]]  [www.saintjn.org]