HRC SEEKERS KID’S MINISTRY
SEEKERS is Holy Redeemer’s religious education program for kids. But more than just a religious education program, SEEKERS aims to introduce kids to the fullness and beauty of Catholicism lived out in a dynamic and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Kids are given the opportunity to encounter the living Jesus, through praise and worship, Eucharistic adoration, prayers, small group discussions and age appropriate retreats. SEEKERS is also the program through which kid’s prepare to receive the sacraments at Holy Redeemer, whether it’s Baptism, First Reconciliation, Communion or Confirmation.
PARENT INVOLVEMENT
Since the faith life of the kids is significantly affected by their faith life at home, a big part of SEEKERS also includes opportunities for parents to gather to pray, discuss and grow in their knowledge and experience of the faith as well. Apart from parent involvement for first communion prep retreats and reconciliation services, we will be returning to Whole Family Gatherings at the start of every “topic series” which begins with a family meal in the family center, after which, the kids walk to the Ministry center for games, their talk topic, and small group discussion.
IT’S FREE & OPEN TO ALL KIDS
One of the best things about Holy Redeemer’s Kid’s Ministry is that it is 100% free thanks to parishioner tithing and planned-giving. SEEKERS is open to all kids K through 8th and you don’t even need to be a parishioner at Holy Redeemer to sign up. If you need a place where your kids can grow in the faith, then we want to do all we can to help you. So sign them up right away! We are certain they will enjoy, be engaged and blessed by it.
If you would like to help support our programs and help SEEKERS continue to be a 100% free for kids, then we invite you to sign up as a planned giver, regardless of which parish you belong to, by going to our giving page: holyredeemerburton.org/planned-giving.
SEEKERS registration for the 2024-2025 season begins September 1st, 2024
We recommend you sign up here online but you can also pick up a registration packet from the parish office
WEEKLY MEETING DESCRIPTION
SEEKERS kids fall under three main meeting groups: Pre-K/K kids in the Atrium, 1st-4th Grade kids in SEEKERS ADVENTURE, and 5th-7th Graders in SEEKERS DISCOVERY. Kids transition to Youth Group in 8th Grade. Go to https://www.holyredeemerburton.org/youth-ministry for more information on our Youth Ministry Program.
Each SEEKERS gathering includes a large group game, praise and worship, a short presentation on the day’s topic followed by grade/age based breakout groups of about 6-8 kids. Breakout groups provide the opportunity for the kids to pray, grow in friendship and discuss the topic and ways to live out their faith at their age and level of understanding.
Weekly meetings are held on Sundays from3:30-4:45pm from the end of September to early May in the Holy Redeemer Ministry Center across the parking lot from the Church next to the outreach building. Please refer to the SEEKERS calendar for a list of all meeting dates and times for the year.
THE PROGRAMS WE USE
PRE K & K: this year will follow the SEEKERS format for the older grades but will focus more on bible stories, coloring, crafts and prayer. Class size will still be limited to 12 kids.
1st -7th Grade SEEKERS is a small group based Children’s Ministry program we developed right here at Holy Redeemer with an emphasis on forming the children into genuine disciples of Jesus in an atmosphere of fun and faith-filled encounters. Adult small group leaders (SEEKERS Ministers) facilitate groups of about 6-8 children in discussions relating to the weekly Sunday message series at Mass and what it means to live out our Catholic faith. (Note: SEEKERS kids transition to Youth Group in 8th Grade. Go to https://www.holyredeemerburton.org/youth-ministry for more information on our Youth Ministry Program)
DISCOVERY RETREAT - A recent and essential part of SEEKERS is our annual Discovery Retreat for our Middle School SEEKERS. More than just learning about Jesus, the retreat gives the kids the opportunity to encounter the living Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. Retreats are facilitated by adult staff, volunteers and members of our high school youth group.
FOR CHILDREN PREPARING FOR 1ST COMMUNION
Readiness to receive communion is based on each child’s sense of the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharistic communion host and their participation at Mass. This is why, historically in the Church, communion was only allowed at a later age. The disposition to receive Holy Communion, however, as Pope St. Pius X declared to the Church in 1910, can happen much earlier. As such, 1st communion and confession at Holy Redeemer is open to children as early as 1st Grade who go through the “discernment process worksheet packet” and participate in our SEEKERS children’s ministry. You can pick up a packet from the Religious Education office or print it out by clicking on the link below.
Have your child work on these sheets during or immediately after Mass. We recommend he/she does this over several Masses. Once your child has gone through each sheet at least once (they may choose to do particular sheets they enjoy more than once) and when you feel that he/she is ready to move forward in the process, help him/her write their prayer on the final sheet, bind the sheets together into a short booklet and submit it to the Religious Education office. This booklet will constitute your child’s formal request to receive final preparation for first communion as well as your intention to bring them to the monthly Saturday first confession and communion prayer/prep sessions (refer to the SEEKERS calendar for complete dates). First Communion Discernment Packets should be competed by the “Acceptance into Final Preparation for First Communion” ceremony in January to be eligible to be part of the first communion class that year.
Once children are officially enrolled as first communion candidates, they and their parents are invited to attend First Communion Prep sessions one Saturday every other month beginning October to April. Please refer to the current ministry year calendar for specific dates and times.
FOR 8th GRADERS SEEKING THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION
The Sacrament of Confirmation gives a disciple a “special strength… to spread and defend the faith” (CCC #1285). Through this Sacrament, we receive “supernatural” grace - gifts that help us serve Jesus and His Church. We fully experience these gifts when we have the right disposition (i.e. understanding the nature and purpose of the Sacrament) and genuine desire to receive the graces and effects of the Sacrament. At Holy Redeemer, preparation for Confirmation can begin as early as 8th Grade.
In order to properly be disposed to receiving this Sacrament, Confirmation Preparation at Holy Redeemer includes growing in that sense of being part of the Church family by attending weekly Youth Group meetings and discerning how they might want to serve the parish once they are confirmed by helping with a different parish ministry about once a month during the prep process. Candidates, ideally with their sponsors, attend check-in sessions about once a month to share about their experience in their current service assignment, grow in their understanding and appreciation of the sacrament and finalize their next assignment. Parents are welcome to attend these sessions as well.
Each Confirmation candidate must have a sponsor who acts as their role model and helps ensure that they are properly disposed to receive the graces of the sacrament. Sponsors must be a practicing Catholic of at least 16 years of age, is not a parent of the candidate, who has been confirmed and already received the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist. If you do not have a sponsor, we can recommend one of our teens or volunteers to take this role.
Teens who would like to begin preparation to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation Please contact John Mira, Coordinator of Youth Ministry at newapostles.hrc@gmail.com, or Raffy Urgino, Director of Religious Education at raffyu.hrc@gmail.com.
DRE, and Evangelization
810-244-1693
raffyu.hrc@gmail.com