A-1 "A Few of My Favorite Things!" The Use and Care of Major Symbols in Liturgy
Fr. Steven Binsfeld, Pastor, Saint Mary, Alexandria, MN
Sing to 'My Favorite Things': "Books on the altar and pots in the walkways. The lectionary's tattered like it doesn't matter. Miniscule banners fly high overhead. These are a few of my favorite things!" Examine the use and care of major symbols in liturgy. How does one keep a focus in setting the environment for worship?

A-2 Africa and Asia and Us, Oh My!: Doing Mission Education
Kateri Mancini, Mission Educator, Mission Office, Diocese of St. Cloud, MN
This presentation will include a look at our global church and diocesan connections, and the importance of incorporating mission into the education curriculums in schools and parish faith formation programs, as well as share fun and easy ideas for how to do mission education.

A-3 An Hour with the Bishop
Bishop John F. Kinney, Bishop of the Diocese of St. Cloud, MN

A-4 Church in the Modern World: Vatican II Lived in Parishes Today
Father Steve Adrian, Pastor, St. Matthew's Church, St. Paul, MN
The Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World provides the local church with principals for witnessing to the mystery of God's love in a contemporary, pluralistic, divided and disparate society. Description of how one urban church undertook this challenge over the past 40 years.

A-5 Emerging Trends in Catholic Youth Ministry: The Pain and the Promise
Robert McCarty,Ph.D., Director, National Federation of Youth Ministers, Washington, DC
Have you noticed the changes in young people these past ten years? Our pastoral ministry with young people in schools and parishes has been greatly affected by the post modern context. This workshop will identify several critical factors impacting our ministry, characteristics of millennial spirituality, and elements of a new map for effectively responding to young people.

A-6 Eucharist & Justice
Bernie Evans, Professor of Pastoral Theology and Rural Social Ministries, School of Theology, St. John's University, Collegeville, MN
Our celebration of the Eucharist calls us to personal conversion as well as social transformation. We cannot participate fully in the Eucharist without challenging injustices that contradict what it is we celebrate. The Eucharist sends us forth to build a world more reflective of God's love and mercy, God's justice and peace.

A-7 Experiential Ways to Share Scripture with Youth
Tom Sparough, Space Painter, Juggler, Storyteller, Writer, and Facilitator
Sometimes it seems our kids are incapable of paying attention to scripture long enough to get something out of it. This workshop focuses on ways to share scripture with youth that keeps them awake, involved and listening. Come and look at scripture from a creative, dramatic, experiential, faith driven point of view. This is a renewing, uplifting, happening of a session.

A-8 Feeling Groovy: Becoming Whole in a Fragmented World
Ruth Stanley, OSB,PharmD, MA, FASHP, Holistic Services for the Centracare Heart Center, St. Cloud, MN
Are you stressed out, wondering how you'll ever get everything done and still be alive to tell about it? Well, there's hope! In this fun session you will learn why the body reacts the way it does and how you can shift toward wholeness in a heartbeat. Discover simple techniques to rebalance your body, mind, heart, and spirit for better health and overall well being. Take time to feel groovy again!

A-9 Food for the Soul: Chocolate and Discipleship
Jackie Witter, Ed.D. Director of iLLUMINARE, Project of St. Paul’s Monastery, St. Paul, MN
This session will explore how our senses can be gateways to inspired thoughts about the spiritual life. We will sample We have a ‘sense-able God’ whose love and presence are revealed to us in even the most ordinary elements of our lives. Chocolate can give us insights into the ways we know and experience God’s presence among us, and can deepen and enrich our spiritual lives in surprising and delightful ways. This reflection on the ordinary and extraordinary gift of chocolate can lead us to greater awareness of God’s presence all around us. Come to ‘taste and see the goodness of the Lord’.

A-10 From Success to Significance: Faith Formation in the Later Middle Years of the 50s and 60s
Dr. Richard Johnson, Ph.D., PCSG, Senior Adult Ministry, Johnson Institute, St. Louis, MO
The later middle-age years are a time of dramatic spiritual growth potential that call for striking re definitions in all the life arenas; career, family, relationships, self, leisure, and of course the spiritual life arena. After years of primarily pursuing success, Later Middle Agers now become interested in discovering new lie significance. This presentation offers a panoramic view of the special spiritual development needs of this age group, and gives practical suggestions fro relevant programmatic efforts to ignite the energy depth of this group.

A-11 God’s Life, Hospitality, and Human Diversity
Miguel Diaz, Associate Professor of Theology, School of Theology, St. John's University, Collegeville, MN
The doctrine of the Trinity serves as a signpost for understanding God's life. This doctrine affirms that God's life is essentially communal, hospitable, and diverse. God, who is simultaneously one but diverse (Father, Son, and Spirit), 'ex-ists' because of perpetual inter-personal giving and receiving. God's life and human participation in divine life is the subject of this workshop.

A-12 Heralds of the Good News: Becoming the Best You Can Be (for Catholic School Teachers and Catechists)
Dr. Saundra Kennedy, National Consultant, William H. Sadlier, Inc.
"Catechist" comes from a word meaning "to echo" and, as catechists, our ministry is to "echo the person of Jesus." Whether we are catechists in a parish or Catholic school setting, we are called to proclaim the Good News of Jesus. This presentation will examine the various qualities of a good catechist and what it takes to become the very best Herald you can be!

A-13 Houses, Squares, and Rocketships: Algebraic Thinking Through Patterning
Melissa Hanzsek-Brill, Adjunct Professor, Education Department, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, MN
Using a variety of patterns, this session will explore how to recognize and describe, extend, and generalize patterns. Multiple interpretations of each pattern will be investigated wherever appropriate. These pattern explorations will incorporate the use of a Tchart/table for organizing data about each pattern and a variety of manipulatives for creating interesting patterns.

A-14 JustFaith: A Strategy of Engaging Communities in a Life of Compassion
Jack Jezreel, Director, JustFaith Ministries
JustFaith, used in 90 dioceses and with 10,000 graduates, is an intensive formation program focused on Catholic social teaching, parish social ministry, and spiritual growth. Come learn about this life changing program that has empowered people and parishes all over the country to become more active agents of God's compassion for the world.

A-15 Miscarriage - A Pastoral Response
Kristi Warne, Youth Minister, Sts. Peter and Paul Church, Richmond, MN
Did you know that almost 30% of families have experienced a loss of a baby by the trauma of a miscarriage? How are we in church communities reaching out to those families mourning in silence? This is a multi-faceted outreach ministry ready to help the Priest, Deacon, Parish Nurse, Lay-Ministers, and women's groups.

A-16 On the Streets or in the Classroom?
Chris Codden, Director of the Office of Marriage and Family, Diocese of St. Cloud, MN
Chris will share the results of the recent diocesan survey on what parishes/schools are using to teach chastity, respect life and family life. Also included will be ideas and recommendations of materials, outlines, and videos that can be used to supplement your programs.

A-17 Praying with the Scriptures with Children
Katie Smith-Myott, Consultant, Loyola Press, Chicago, IL
Hands on practical ideas for leading all ages of children in prayer with the Scriptures. Experience and learn a variety of ways to do this that you can use immediately.

A-18 Schools, Parishes & Work: Crossing Generational Boundaries
Janet Brinkman, PHR , Human Resources, Diocese of St. Cloud, MN
TALKING ABOUT OUR GENERATIONS is a training program that introduces the four generations of workers who are side-by-side in the workplace for the first time in history. Traditionalist, Baby Boomers, Generation Xers, and Millennials have preferred ways of managing and being managed. And because of their shared experiences, employees of similar ages often bring common approaches, ideas, and values to the workplace. The characteristics identified in the DVD, while focused on the workplace, are also characteristics of the four generations that can be used to illustrate the changing dynamics in our schools, our parishes and in our society as a whole.

A-19 Spirituality and Decision-Making
Barbara Sutton, Director of Ministerial Formation, School of Theology, St. John's University, Collegeville, MN
“Who to listen to?” Decision-making in a parish can be a challenge because while one knows that consultation should take place, we often don’t know how to begin. And, besides that, we don’t want the process to last forever! This workshop will lead participants from a Robert’s Rules of Order model for decision-making to a process grounded in Christian discernment. It will provide guidelines for incorporating prayer, listening to the Tradition and to one another, reading the signs of the time and seeking consensus.

A-20 Why Should I Serve on My Parish Pastoral Council?
Fr. Bob Rolfes, Chancellor, Diocese of St. Cloud,and Pastor, St. Mary Help of Christians, St. Augusta/ St. Wendelin, Luxemburg, Jane Marrin, Director, Planning Office, Diocese of St. Cloud, MN
Join Fr. Bob Rolfes, Chancellor and Jane Marrin, Director of Planning, as they define the role of the Parish Pastoral Council. They will challenge you to accept the responsibility of serving your parish on this critical visionary body that helps to define parish life. Bring your comments, concerns and questions. As always, if you can stump the presenters you will receive a small gift that will give you bragging rights at home in your parish!