Advent Program at Assumption

Fr. George McGinnis, a member of the Fathers of Mercy, will lead an Advent Mission at Assumption.

WHEN: Sunday, December 13 through Thursday, December 17, 2009.

WHAT TIME: The schedule will be the same for each evening:

5:30 - Dinner in the Assumption Parish Hall
6:30 - Holy Hour in the Church with Exposition, Adoration, Homily, and Benediction
7:30 - Dessert in the Assumption Parish Hall

Fr. McGinnis will be available for Confession before and after the Holy Hour.

CHILDCARE: Childcare will be provided during the Holy Hour for children who have not made First Holy Communion.

All Saints Day Party

The annual MARCH All Saints Day Party will be held at 3 p.m. on November 1. Kids should dress as their favorite saint and come prepared to tell the rest a little bit about that saint and their story.

E-mail Jordana Adams at adamsjct -- at -- gmail dot com for more information about location and what to bring.

First Thursdays at Assumption

During this Year for Priests, a plenary indulgence can be obtained on the first Thursday of the month by attending Mass, offering prayers to "Jesus Christ, supreme and eternal Priest, for the priests of the Church, or perform any good work to sanctify and mold them to his heart," going to confession and praying for the intentions of the Pope.

Fr. Michael has agreed to say the Mass for MARCH and all parishioners at Assumption on the First Thursdays beginning on September 3. Confessions will begin at 10:30 and Mass at 11.

First Fridays at St. Philip's

South MARCH has a wonderful program planned for First Fridays after mass at St. Philip's. They will be using the Great Adventure Bible Timeline as the basis for their program and dividing kids into 3 groups by age. Contact Erin Morel for more details about the curriculum and program. MorelFam -- at -- aol dot com

Rustic Cabin Family Camping

This is an event not to be missed. A trip into the woods is planned for all members MARCH. No need for a tent because 43 rustic (and I mean rustic) cabins are available for our group. The cabins have either 4 or 2 bunks with room on the floor for more. There is a dining hall for meal preparation, 3 bathhouses, a field for sports, other structures for activities, and a lake. All of this is in an area that is secluded and for the use of our group only. Here are the details so far:

Who: All families of any MARCH

What: Rustic Cabin Family Camping

Where: Montgomery Bell State Park located in Dickson just west of Nashville

Cost: Currently estimated to be $75 per family for the entire weekend (less for day trips) including food. This is subject to change but would not change dramatically

For more information e-mail Steven Glynn nolapark1 -- at -- bellsouth dot net

Civil War and Belle Meade Plantation

The MARCH group is scheduled as a group to go to the Home School Days Civil War and Belle Meade Plantation program on August 24, 2009 at 9:30. Cost is $5 per child who will participate in the event. Preschool siblings are welcome as observers at no cost. E-mail Robin Sparks nashvillesparks -- at -- bellsouth dot net to reserve your spot.

Spiritual Armor

An excellent talk by Fr. Martin Fox at the Dayton Homeschooling Conference.

MARCH Planning Meeting and Cook-Off

Midsummer is upon us and already it is time to begin thinking about the Fall. Therefore, it is also time for our annual MARCH Fall planning meeting, at which we will discuss ideas and make plans for homeschool activities for the coming Fall semester. This meeting will also feature our annual MARCH cooking contest!

The theme of the cooking contest this year will be The Old South. Can you fry up a great batch of Hush Puppies? Do you make Chicken Fricassee just like Grandma used to do for Sunday dinner? Can you make the best Fried Green Tomatoes this side of the Mississippi? Then this event is for you. Break out your favorite southern-style recipe, and join us for an evening of good down-home cooking.

Who: All are invited. Dads too. Cooking has historically been a
male-dominated field, so come on, you menfolks. Enter a dish in the contest, and show the ladies what you can do.

What: Southern-Style Cook-Off and Planning Meeting.

When: Saturday, August 22, at 3 p.m.

All dishes entered for competition will be judged by a panel of inexpert, amateurish, inexperienced judges--namely, the homeschool parents who come to the meeting. If you are not too tuckered out after working all day on your dish of hog jowls and redeye gravy for entry in the Cook-Off, then you might also consider making an entry in the Dessert Cook-Off, to be held the same evening and to be judged by a separate panel of extremely discerning and excruciatingly honest judges--our kids! Just think of all the mouth-watering Southern specialties you might present for the dessert contest: pecan pie, sweet potato pie, Mississippi mud cake, pecan pralines, Georgia peach pie, shoo-fly pie... the possibilities are endless. And if you just want to bring chocolate chip cookies, that's OK too.

And, as always, if you are a timid soul and if you are afraid of competition and don't want to enter a dish in the contest, that's fine. Just come on down, y'all, and eat hearty. But bear in mind that those of us who do participate in the competition will have more fun than you.

For further information, e-mail Jordana Adams (adamsjct -- at -- gmail.com) or Karen Pagan (kpagan -- at -- catholicweb.com). So bring your appetite, bring a rib-stickin dish to share if you can, bring your calendar, and bring your ideas.

MARCH at Nashville Public Library

Join us on July 9 in the puppet theater for a presentation of the Nashville Public Library's new adaptation of Cinderella!

Compare Notes on Curricula

Bring your favorite books and programs so that we can all look at books before we order next year's curricula. Bring anything you want to get off your shelves and send to a new home, so that someone else can try it out.

For more information e-mail adamsjct -- at -- gmail -- dot -- com

Homeschooler's Craft Fair to Support Assumption Outreach

Sunday, June 7 after both Masses, there will be a sale of craft items handmade by the children of Assumption parish. Half of the proceeds will go to Assumption Outreach, and half to the children. Any unsold items will be donated to be sold at the Assumption Country Store Oktoberfest booth. There will be a maximum price of $10/item. This event is organized by the parish's homeschoolers, but all Assumption children and teens -- homeschooled or not -- are welcome to participate.

Totus Tuus at Assumption

Mark your calendars! Totus Tuus is coming to Assumption early this summer. It will run from Sunday May 30 to Friday June 5. Totus Tuus is a summer catechetical program for children and youth from first grade through high school. The content is strong on Catholic identity and Marian spirituality, and the experience is lots of fun. Contact Karen Pagan (kpagan -- at -- catholicweb.com) for details about registration.