COVENANT RETREATPASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFEDESCRIPTION The Covenant Retreat (CR) is part of the first-year formation program in CFC SFL. It is given aboutthreemonthsaftertheChristianLifeSeminar(CLS).AftertheCR,participantsare invited to formally make the covenant of CFC SFL and thus become regular members. OBJECTIVES At the end of the session, the participants are expected to: 1. To deepen the spirituality of participants by teaching them about our relationshipswith God, in the family, within community, and in the world. 2. To expound on the meaning and importance of our covenant and life in CFC SFL. 3. Toallowparticipantsgreaterunderstandingofwhatwillbeexpectedofthemifthey become members of CFC SFL, and to get them to desire to commit to God through CFC SFL. THE SESSIONS Here are the sessions and their brief descriptions: 1. Our covenant with God - This talk gives an overview of the covenant and its importance in our Christian life.2. TheCalltoHoliness-DiscussesaboutourrelationshipwithGodandthetoolsHehas given for us to use in this path to holiness. 3. RenewingtheFamily,DefendingLifeOurmarchingorder,torenewthefamilyand defend life. This is our very call in our community. 4. LivinginChristianCommunityWearecalledtoabiggerfamilyofCFCFFL.Weare called to love, honor and respect each other. 5. SFL GIG We support the mission of our community through our finances. When we have resources, we can send missionaries that are Gods instruments in renewing the earth. 6. Being a Christian Witness We are evangelistic and missionary. Our duty is to be a sign to the world that God is alive and present to this very day. SUGGESTED SCHEDULE This formation track is designed for a one (1) and a half day retreat type event. The suggested schedule is as follows: Day One 9:00 10:00 Arrival and Registration 10:00 10:15 Gathering Songs 10:15 10:30 Opening Worship 10:30 11:00Games / House Rules / Welcoming 11:00 12:00Session One: Our Covenant with God 12:00 1:00 Lunch 1:00 1:15 Gathering Songs 1:30 2:30 Session Two: Called to Holiness 2:30 3:00 Activity 3:00 3:30 Break 3:30 4:30 Session Three: Renewing the Family, Defending Life PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFE4:30 5:00 Activity 5:00 6:00 Session Four: Living in a Christian Community 6:00 6:30 Activity 6:30 7:00 Break 7:00 8:00 Dinner 8:00 - 8:30 Gathering Songs, Evening Prayer 8:30 9:30 Session Five: SFL GIG 9:30 9:45 Closing / Announcements 9:45 - 11:00 Informal Fellowship Day Two 7:00 8:00 Breakfast 8:00 8:30 Morning Prayer 8:30 9:00 Games / Ice Breaker 9:00 9:45 Session Six: Being a Christian Witness 9:45 10:30 Praise fest and Dedication Ceremony 10:30 11:30 Holy Mass 11:30 1:00 Lunch PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFECFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFE COVENANT RETREAT SESSION 1: OUR COVENANT WITH GOD SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES At the end of the session, the CFC SFL participants would be able 1. To learn what is a covenant according to the Old and New Testament 2. To realize that we are all called to be in covenant with God3. To realize how we are to respond to this covenant with God METHODOLOGY Talk45 minutes Activity5 minutes EXPANDED OUTLINE I. Introduction Our basic relationship with God is one of a covenant. Our covenant with God directs us in the way we live our Christian lives. After our CLS, we have realized that God loves us and that to be able to experience lifes fullness, we are to love Him in return. With this, we have realized thatwearecalledtogrowinanddeepenourrelationshipwiththeLord.Letusunderstand more our covenant with God as CFC SFL members so we know how we can truly live it out. II. What is a Covenant? According to English dictionaries, a covenant is an agreement or promise between two or more parties, especially for the performance of some action. Other dictionaries define it as a formal agreement of legal validity or a pledge. But in the bible, a covenant is described as: 1. Asolemnagreementbetweenpartiesthroughwhichtheycommitthemselvesto certain relationships, tasks, obligations or ways of living. 2. It establishes a significant family-like relationship between the parties. The parties are bound in a personal way. 3. Itisnotjustanordinarypromiseforitinvolvescommitmentandsacrificetoremain faithful to the covenant. 4. A covenant is different from a contract. Inacontract,thereisanexchangeofgoods.Thereisanexpectationthatthe exchangeshouldbeaccomplishedcompletelyforittobefulfilled.Acontractis built upon a promise and the guarantor is the person who did the promise. Acovenantiswhenyoutakeapromiseandaddanoathtoitwhenyouadd Godsholynametoit.Itisnotatreatybetweenequals,butbetweenamighty personand a lesser person.It isbetween GodAlmighty and a peopleowing their existence to Him. God, who is the greater party, always initiated it.PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFE In a covenant, God is the guarantor. A covenant is an exchange not only of goods, butmoresoofpersons.Itisgivingeverythingyouhave,evenbeyondwhatwas set, to fulfill your promise. God set the terms and makes the offer, we then decide to accept or reject His offer. A popular example of this covenant relationship is that between God and Abraham, when He saidinGenesis15:Fearnot,Abram,Iamyourshield;yourrewardshallbeverygreat.Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them. So shall your offspring be. Today, God is asking us to enter into the same kind of covenant relationship with Him. III. The Nature of Gods Covenant with Us God wants to make a covenant with us and to have personal relationship with us. It is not an agreement between equals and this not created on our own initiative. Rather, God acted first informingthiscovenant.OurcovenantwithGodisbasedonwhatHehasdoneforusand only secondarily on what we do in response. 1. The Old Covenant IntheOldTestament,acovenantisatreatyorcontract,whichestablisheda relationshipbetweentwopartiesandboundthemtogether.Throughthecovenant, God and His people were joined together. ThemostfamiliarexamplewhereGodestablishedacovenantwithHispeoplewas during the time of Moses. In order for the people to live a holy life, God sent His laws engravedintwotabletsofstone.IntheOldTestament,theseweretheTen Commandments. How God Presented His covenant: a. Introduction-Thecovenantusuallybeganwithanintroductioninwhichthe mighty king identified himself as the one initiating the treaty and thenproceeded tosummarizethehistoryoftherelationshipbetweenthetwoparties,with emphasisonwhatthekinghadalreadydoneforthelesserparty.Thecovenant was based on what He has done for the people, and only secondarily on what the people do in response.Like that of the introduction to the Ten Commandments: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery (Deuteronomy 5:6). b. Obligations - What then follows is a listing of what the weaker party needed to do. These listing of obligations flow from what the other had already done such as that with the Ten Commandments on Deuteronomy 5:7-21.

c. Blessings and Curses The covenant ends with a list of blessings (if you obey) and curses (if you disobey).And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFEbeingcarefultodoallhiscommandmentsthatIcommandyoutoday,theLord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. Deuteronomy 28:1 2. The New Covenant God has revealed himself fully by sending his own Son, in whom he has established his covenantforever.TheSonishisFather'sdefinitiveWord;sotherewillbenofurther Revelation after him (CCC 73). Because God is merciful, He gave man another chance to live a life in unity with Him. In order for Him to revive this covenant with man, God sent His only son, Jesus Christ. a. Gods new covenant with man is created by the blood of Jesus. After supper, Jesus took another cup of wine and said, 'This wine is the token of God's new covenant to save you an agreement sealed with the blood I will pour out for you.(Luke 22:20) Jesus died in order for us to be saved from our sins. He has died as a ransom to set usfree from thesins that mankind committedunder thefirstcovenant. (Hebrews 9:15) b. The new covenant is written in our hearts. This is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord.I will put my law in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. (Jeremiah 31:33) SinceGodhasetchedthenewcovenantinourhearts,thenthisnewcovenantis notmerelyamatterofobeyingasetoflaws,butitmeansenteringintoaliving relationship with Jesus. If we accept this new covenant relationship with God with all our hearts and soul, we will certainly be blessed for all of our lives. IV. Our Covenant with God as CFC SFL Members Thecovenant given byGod inboth the Old and New Testament is like that of thecovenant Heiscallingustorespondto.AsHehasinitiatedarelationshipwithusandaswehave responded yes to this invitation, He calls us into living our lives inaccordance to Hiswill. As we commit to follow the covenant He offers us, He promises us fullness of life. Moral existence is a response to the Lords loving initiative. It is the acknowledgement and homage given to God and a worship of thanksgiving. It is cooperation with the plan God pursues in history (CCC 2062). God has given us the gift of being in the community of CFCSFL to help us and guide us as we respond to His covenant. Since God enters into a new covenant relationship with us through JesusChrist,wearethentoconcretelyrespondtoHimbystrivingtofaithfullyliveoutour covenant as CFC SFL members: PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFENote: The speaker should not make an attempt to discuss this thoroughly since the items below will be discussed in the succeeding sessions. 1. I shall live as a follower of Christ. We are called to pray and read the bible everyday. We are called to strive for holiness and Christian perfection. We are called to grow in loving relationship with Him so we know what He wants us to do and so we may truly follow Him. 2. I dedicate myself to the task of building a strong family for Christ. We arecalled to investourselves in time and effort for our families. We are called to live out and defend the culture of life. 3. I shall be a committed and active member of CFCSFL. Wearecalledtofaithfullyattendmeetingsandparticipateincommunityevents.We arecalledtogivegenerouslyofourtimeandfinancesforthefurtheranceofthe mission. We are called to undergo all the formation courses and we are called to relate in love, loyalty and respect with all members of the CFCSFL family. 4. I shall be a witness to the world of Gods love. We arecalled to actively evangelizeanddo mission. We arecalled to love andserve our parish. We are called to love and care for the poor. To live in accordance to the will of God is challenging but He promises us His grace to sustain us as we respond to Him. And he is called by grace to a covenant with his Creator, to offer him a response of faith and love that no other creature can give in his stead (CCC 357). V. Conclusion Our covenant with God is His gift to us. Through this covenant, we are provided a guide as to howweshouldliveourChristianlivessothatwecouldfullyexperiencethepromisesofHis lovingplansforus.Inorderforustoexperiencethefullnessofthepromises,whichthis covenant entails, we have to respond to it accordingly. OurcovenantwithHimisatwo-waycommitmentandrelationship.ItisnotjustaboutGod giving us rules to follow. It is about God loving us and us loving Him in return by the way we live our lives. It is about deepening our relationship with Him. He has given us the gift of our CFCSFL community to help us in growing in this loving relationship with Him. May we grow in this journey of responding accordingly to His loving covenant with us. ACTIVITY Endthesessionwithaprayerandlettheparticipantsreadthewholecovenantinsidethe prayer. PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFECFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFE COVENANT RETREATSESSION 2: THE CALL TO HOLINESS SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES At the end of the session, the participants will be able to: 1. Understandwhat it means to live a life of holiness and desire to attain it through prayer, scriptures and receiving sacraments. 2. Develop their own personal prayer time and reading the Scriptures daily3. Appreciate the sacraments as essential tools in our desire to be holy METHODOLOGY Talk Proper45 minutes Activity 15 minutes EXPANDED OUTLINE I. Introduction The very first item in the CFC SFL covenant is this: I shall live as a follower of Christ. Pray and read the Bible daily. Strive for holiness and Christian perfection. As Christians we are called not just to repent of sin, not just to turn to Jesus in faith, not just to be a good person, but we are called to be holy. The Scripture says: As he who called you is holy, be holy in all your conduct; since it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy. (1 Pt. 1:15-16). Only in holiness wecan find real harmony with God. Holiness, however, is not some sort of self-made perfection; rather, it is union with Christ. Anyone who gains new life in this way finds himself and becomes holy. II. Growing in Holiness To grow in holiness, we need to know God and His ways more, and have the means by which toliveoutHisways.ThemostbasicwaywecanknowGodmoreisbycommunicating directlywithHim(prayer)andbystudyingHisword(Scripture).Further,weneed supernaturalgracethatcanonlycomefromGod.Forthiswehavethesacraments.InCFC SFL, we commit to a daily personal prayer time and to a daily reading of the Bible and avail Gods grace through the sacraments. III. Our First Tool to Holiness is Prayer Prayer is turning the heart toward God. When a person prays, he enters into a living relationship with God (cf. CCC 2558- 2565). Prayer is the great gate leading into faith. Someone who prays no longer lives on his own, for himself, and by his own strength. We know there is a God to whom we can talk. People who PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFEpray entrust themselves more and more to God. Therefore, the effort to pray daily is part of ourChristianlife.Ofcourse,wecannotalllearntoprayinthesameway,onelearnsa technique. As strange as it sounds, prayer is a gift one obtains through prayer. A. Butsometimes,wefinditdifficulttohaveourownpersonalprayertime.Hereare some reasons why: a. I already go to Church services (Mass) and thats enough What we are speaking about is personal prayer time. It is spending a time alone by ourselveswithGod.Thisisnecessaryforustodevelopadeepintimatepersonal relationshipwithJesus.Mass,rosary,novena,etc.,areallimportantmeansof prayer. However, we must not neglect personal prayer. b. Lack of understanding about prayer. Most of us may have been taught to pray early in our childhood. But what we may nothavelearnediswhyweshouldpray.MostseeprayerasjustaskingGodfor things.PrayerforusshouldbeameansofcommunicatingwithGodand establishing a personal relationship with Him. As we communicate, we get to know God more, and thus have the basis for loving Him more. c. I dont have the time. Wehavealotoftimeforthemanydifferentthingswedoinlife.Ourproblemis notlackoftime,butourattitude.Ifweconsideredprayerimportantenough,we wouldfindthetime.Letusaskourselvestwoquestions:IfIwerenottoobusy working,wouldIbebusypraying?IfGodgavemesomeextrahourstoday,willI automatically allocate it to personal prayer? d. I am unworthy. Some may be so filled with guilt due to our sins and weaknesses that we create a feelingofunworthinesstocomebeforetheLord.Yes,weareunworthytoenter into the presence of a holy God. But we have forgiveness for our sins through the bloodofJesus.WearerestoredtoourrelationshipaschildrenofGod.Thedevil would always try to convince us of our unworthiness. We should not allow Satans liestokeepusfromtheintimacyGoddesirestohavewithus.Rememberthatas long as there is a desire to pray, it is a clear sign that the Lord wants us to spend timewithHim.TheLordwillnotplantthisdesireonlytofrustrateus.Hewould neverleadustoseeksomethingwhichisimpossible.Thusevenwhenwefeel unworthy, we should just pray. e. It is too difficult. PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFEThedifficultyisoftenofourownmaking.Weexpecttoomuchfromourselves, imposingaheavyburden.Prayerisreallyverysimple:itiscomingintothe presenceofalovingGodandallowingHimtoloveusandtouchourlives. Techniques can help, models can guide, but it boils down to our very own personal relationship, done in our own personal way. B. What should we do to be able to grow in prayer? Having a prayer time is like drinking a cup of coffee. It is a habit that you do every day oreverymorningbeforeyoustartyourday.Forsomeofus,drinkingcoffeemakes them energized, motivated, and ready to take on the world. If we come to think of it, this is what prayer does to us. Prayer energizes us; it motivates us in whatever we will do that day and makes us ready to take on what God calls us to do. Heres some tip that would help us to grow in prayer: a. Commit a scheduled time and place to pray YoumustdecidewhenisyourprimetimefortheLord.Itisadedicatedtime and not just a leftover time you have. If possible, make this your regular prayer time each day of the week. Getting into this routine of prayer makes it easier foryoutoprayfaithfullyeveryday.Defendthistimeofprayerasmuchas possible. If you are just starting to pray, start with a short time of prayer. Try at least 15 minutes. But if you would still find this long, then start with what you would be comfortablewithandcansustain.Again,wearenotlegalisticallyconcerned about the amount of time, but are after your developing a personal relationship with God. As you grow in prayer, you will find that 15 minutes will be very short. You are now spending more time in prayer. Lookfortherightplacewhereyouwillnotbedistracted.Ifyoureadthe gospels,Jesuswouldwithdrawtodesertedplacestopray(Luke5:16).Jesus eveninstructedustogotoourinnerroom,closethedoor,andpraytothe Father in secret (Mt 6:6a). We owe God our undivided attention. b. Be open in the inspiration of the Holy Spirit Using techniques, like ACTS (adoration, contrition, thanksgiving, supplication), are allright,aslongaswearenotlockedintothem.BeopentovarietyintheHoly Spirit, it could be quiet type or expressive, in different physical postures, speaking and listening or praying in tongues. The goal is not to pray well, but to enter into communion with God. c. Take on the challenges and difficulties to pray Anxieties and concerns that distract us PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFEKnow that you are coming into the presence of your loving Father, Who is able toproviderichlyforallyourneeds.Liftupyourconcernsandleavethesein Gods hands. Too much concern about the quality of our prayer Godisnotconcernedaboutourtechniqueortheloftinessofourprayers,but simplywithourdesiretobeincommunionwithHim.Prayeristhesimple reality of a child coming into the presence of his/her Father. The Holy Spirit will helpusinourweakness;ifwedontknowhowtopray,theSpirititself intercedes (Rom 8:26). Dryness SpiritualdrynessinprayerandeveninourChristianlifemayhappen.Itis normal and nothing to be alarmed about. Sometimes dryness comes from God Himself. He seeks to find out if our faithfulness comes from the consolation and joy we experience in prayer, or simply from the reality of being in His presence. Thus we should just persevere in prayer through times of dryness. Prayer is our commitment, not just an emotional experience. Difficulty in listening or hearing the Lord. Prayer is not just talking to God, but listening to Him. We listen in the silence of hearts.PrayerisnotjustaskingGodforthings,butallowingHimtoformour hearts and our minds. But perhaps our human nature makes it easier to talk and harder to listen. We need to learn how to do both. d. Live out what you pray DiscernwhatGodwantsfromyouandresolvetodosomethingconcreteabout what youve prayed about. IV. Our Second Tool to Holiness is Scripture Reading Indeed, the Word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart (Hebrews 4:12) Aside from daily personal prayer, we also need to read and meditate on the Word of God. The Word of God serves not only to inform us about historical data or to be a vehicle to express emotions but also, ultimately, to call us to a communion with God. It is Gods love letter to us. Biblereadingthereforeservesbothtofillourminds,tosetaflameourhearts,andmore importantly to transform us. Here are some ways that can help you in your daily bible reading: PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFE a. Lectio Divina or sacred reading is one way we can deepen our love for God who loves us so and longs to have that love returned. It is a personal endeavor, best done alone, as contrasted to communal Bible sharing. This is done every day and preferably at the same hour. Consistency is the secret for its success. In this method, you approach the Bible truly as Word of God and accept it in faith (we will try this later). b. UseCatholicLiturgy-baseddailyprayerguide(likeCompanion,TheWordAmong Us, Didache, Food for the Heart and Soul Daily Bible Reflection Guide). c. Participate in Liturgical Bible Study Liturgical bible study is a group study with a facilitator. It is not scholarly; however the study is serious enough to understand the Scripture. It is structured and catechetical. Itprovidesacentralmessagethatonecantakehome.LBShelpsusdeveloped appetite for Gods Word. In CFC SFL, there are series of LBS happening in your areas. Feel free to attend it and have an actual experience of the LBS. d. Read Christian books Reading books is like watering our minds. It is good to read at least one Christian book every month. There are many books written by Catholic authors like Scott Hann, Jason Evert,PopeFrancis,etc.orbookswrittenbysaints.Wecangetinspirationsfrom these books. As part of CFC SFL, we are also encouraged to read books written by our Servant General, Tito Frank Padilla. His books are very much Scripture-based. Reading Tito Franks books imparts to us the fullness of the life and mission of CFC FFL. V. Our Second Tool to Holiness are the Sacraments We need Sacraments in order to outgrow our petty human life and to be become like Jesus. ThereisaSacramentalgrace,graceoftheHolySpirit,givenbyChristandpropertoeach sacrament. The Spirit heals us and transforms us as we receive Him by conforming us to the Son of God (cf. CCC 1129). InBaptismthefallenchildrenofmenbecomecherishedchildrenofGod;through confirmation the weak become strong, committed Christians; through Penance the guilty are reconciled;throughtheEucharistthehungrybecomebreadforothers;throughMatrimony andHolyOrdersindividualistsbecomeservantsoflove;throughAnointingofthesickthe despairingbecomepeopleofconfidence.ThesacramentinallthesacramentsisChrist himself. In Him we men, lost in selfishness, grow and mature into the true life that has no end (Youcat 173). Amongthe7SacramentsoftheChurch,onlythesetwocanbereceivedrepeatedlyand regularly: a. Holy Eucharist PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFEOurgreatprivilegeasCatholicsistoactuallyreceivethebodyofChristat Communion.IntheHolyEucharist,JesusChristgiveshimselfBodyandBlood-so thatwetoomightgiveourselvestoHiminloveandbeunitedwithHiminHoly Communion. In this way we are joined with the one Body of Christ which is the Church. As Catholic Christian, we are obliged to attend Holy Mass on all Sundays and holy days ofobligation.AnyonewhoisreallyseekingJesusfriendshiprespondsasoftenas possible to Jesus personal invitation to the feast. b. Sacrament of Reconciliation Itdoesnotseemlikeamodernthingtogoto confession;itcanbedifficultandmay costagreatdealofeffortatfirst.Butitisoneofthegreatestgracesthatwecan receive again and again in our life it truly renews our soul, completely unburdens it, leaving it without debts of the past, accepted in love, and equipped with new strength. God is merciful, and He desires nothing more earnestly than for us, too, to lay claim to his mercy. Someone who has gone to confession turns a clean, new page in the book of his life (Youcat 226). ThereceptionofthissacramentoughttobepreparedusinganExaminationof ConsciencemadeinthelightoftheWordofGodliketheTenCommandments, SermonoftheMount,etc.AsCatholic,weshouldgotoconfessionwheneverwe commitserioussin.TheChurchurgentlyadvisesustodothisatleastonceayear.If there is no mortal sin, we should still go to confession regularly. As a member of CFC SFL, it is a best practice to go to confession once a month. VI. Conclusion We are made in the image and likeness of God, and we are privileged to be called to be holy for He is holy. Prayer, reading of scriptures and receiving the sacraments will sustain us in our day-to-day practice of faith. We can say that the desire of holiness is a joint venture between God and us. No one can attain any degree of holiness without God working in his/her life, but just as surely no one will attain it without effort on his own part. Let us strive hard to pursue holiness in every day of our lives. ACTIVITY: LECTIO DIVINA 1. Provide each participant the Lectio Divina Guide.2. The speaker explains to them the process. 3. Ask them to do the activity individually. LECTIO DIVINA GUIDE Process 1. LectioReadtheGospelfortheday.Whatisthecommonsenseideaofthetext?Whatdoesit mean? What story does it tell? What does it tell any ordinary reader? 2. Meditatio Reacttothetext.Whatisittellingmeinparticular?Whatword(s)orphraseinthetext strikes a vital chord in me? 3. Oratio Pray.ConversewithJesusaboutthisstrikingword(s)orphrase.WrestlewiththeWord. Tell Jesus your difficulties if you were to live out His word. 4. Contemplatio Go into quiet.Youhave already presented your casebefore the Lord.Now simply listen. Allow the Lord to give you spiritual insight about the text. Let God work in you. 5. Actio DiscernwhatGodwantsfromyouandresolvetodosomethingconcreteaboutwhat youve prayed about. Write down your reflections 1. Lectio. What story does it tell? Paraphrase it. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Meditatio. What word(s) or phrase strikes me? Why? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Oratio. Write your prayer to God. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Contemplatio. What word does God tell you? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. Actio. What does God want you to do? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Lectio Divina is like the dripping of water. It makes no dent seemingly at the start. But just like the slightest constant dripping can carveout a hole in the hardest rock, so the lectio divina, done well can be a sure way for your spiritual transformation.PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFECFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFE COVENANT RECOLLECTION SESSION 3: RENEWING THE FAMILY, DEFENDING LIFE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES At the end of the session, the participants are expected to: 1. Understand the role of the family in Gods plan 2. Realize the enemies that destroy family and life3. Learn how we can, as soldiers of God, fight for family and life METHODOLOGY Talk 45 minutes Activity15 minutes EXPANDED OUTLINE I. Introduction The second item of our covenant says: I dedicate myself to the task of building a strong family for Christ. Invest myself in time and effort for home and family. Live out and defend the culture of life. This is a call for us to renew the family and to defend life. II. The Family in Gods Plan The family is important to God because Jesus came to our world through the family. He could havejustappearedonearthbutHechoseafamily.For30yearsofHislife,Hestayedwith this family and was obedient to them (Luke 2:51). We, in CFC FFL, are a Christian family life renewal ministry. We work to strengthen the family because we believe that it is important for Gods plan to happen. We believe this because: 1. The family is the basic unit of society. Thisisnoaccidentofhistory.Itwasmeanttobesofromtheverybeginning(Gen. 2:18-24). As the basic unit of society, the condition of individual families will determine theconditionofsocietyasawhole.Theworkofstrengtheningfamilylifeisthebest way to work for the moral regeneration of society. 2. The family is a place for teaching and training children. Thefamilyisaplacetotransmitwisdomandvaluesoflife.Thiswisdomisnotjust knowing a lot of things, but refers to practical ways of living according to Gods ways. It is where faith is handed down.PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFETeaching in the family is not formal, but rather comes in the everyday activities in the home. The examples that the parents show are the values that the children will adopt. 3. The family is a place for training leaders. Amanwhoisaprovenleaderinhishomecanbeachurchleader.Hereceiveshis basic training in his own home (1 Tm 3:4-5). The home is where the children first learn about responsibilities. 4. The family is a domestic church. Parents, especially the fathers, are to be the priests in their families. The elder siblings act as examples of faith to the younger ones. They teach and lead the younger ones in prayer and faith building. 5. Life comes to the world through the family. Thisisthemostimportantroleofthefamilytobringlifeintothisworld.God specifically ordered Adam and Eve to be fertile and multiply (Gen. 1:28). The family is Gods partner in procreation and in making sure that human life will continue to exist. Pope John Paul II in Familiaris Consortio says, The future of humanity passes by way of the family. Thus, the family is the place where life is defended and protected from the very beginning. III. The Enemies of Family and Life A lot of elements in our culture today pose a threat on the family: 1. God has lost His central place in the family. Parents no longer bring up their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. More and more parents based their teaching on other sources rather than the teaching of the Church and scripture. 2. The family itself is losing its importance. Parents do not take up the responsibility of molding their children into the faith. They relyontheeducationalsystemandothergroupstomoldtheirchild.Thefamilyhas also become dispensable through divorce and live-in situation. 3. Thepaceofmodernlifehasbecomefast.Thishasmadeitdifficultforlasting relationships to develop. Parentnolongerhavetimefortheirchildren.InthePhilippines,11millionfamiliesare separatedbecauseparentsareworkingabroad.Recreationactivitiesnowadaysallow little interactions (gadgets, internet, etc.). PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFEOntheotherhand,thecultureofdeathisalsorampantthroughouttheworld.Theyarethe elements that destroy life. Their acronym is D.E.A.T.H. Note: Speaker must be able to explain why each element mentioned above is against the mind of God with respect to life. D Divorce Divorceseekstodestroythelastdefenseoflifethefamily.Divorcegivesthe husband and the wife the easy escape when things are not going well in the family. In the end it is the children that suffer. Forproblematicrelationships(i.e.husbandphysicallyhurtingthewife),theChurch allowsthecoupletotemporarilyseparateuntiltheytheyrealizetheirmistake.This allowseachpartyforgivenessandacceptance.However,withdivorce,thewhole family is separated permanently. Divorceislikeshootingamosquitowithacannon.Whatitdoesisnottosolvethe marriageofaparticularcouplebutdestroysthewholeinstitutionofmarriageasa whole. E Euthanasia Euthanasia or mercy killing isan act against life because only God, who is theauthor of life, has the right to take life. If the person is still living on his own (not supported by machines),weallowlifetotakeitsnaturalcourse.Painandsufferingexperiencedby the ill person and the family can be seen as sharing and being one to the sufferings of Christ. A Abortion Abortion is murder. There is no other explanation for this. It is the worse type because the victim is helpless and cannot defend himself/herself. T - Total population control Contraceptionistheissueofpopulationcontrol.Pro-contraceptionthinkingtellsus thatyoucansatisfyyourlustanytimeaslongasthereiscontraception.Thereisno value of responsibility, delayed gratification and self-control. Ininmarriage,theChurchteachesmaritalchastity.Thehusbandandwifeshouldnot irresponsiblybringlifetotheworld.However,whentheydothemaritalact,they should be open that it can result to life. Sex is for procreation and not for recreation. PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFEH - Homosexual unions God is the author of marriage and He designed it for man and woman. That is why He created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve. The goal of God for marriage is to bring life to the world. Theseelementsareimposedbythewesternpowersuponthedevelopingworld.These powersaretheUSGovernment,theEuropeanUnion,elementsoftheUnitedNations, billionairephilanthropists,internationalliberalmedia,giantabortionproviders(Planned Parenthood). Behind all of these is our true enemy, Satan, who came to destroy the family and life. IV. Renewing the Family and Defending Life We in CFC FFL are called to renew the family and defend life. This is the core of our mission. As members of CFC SFL, we must equip ourselves and work in this calling that the Lord has given us. We can do this by: 1. Preparing ourselves for the marriage vocation that God has called us as early as now Ourcommunityisaperfecttrainingvenueforsinglemenandwomenintheirfuture roleaspastorsoftheirfamily.Whenweassumeourresponsibilitiesinourhousehold bybeinggoodpastorsofourbrothersandsisters,wearelayingthefoundationofa strong family in the future. OurcommunityalsosupportsusinourspiritualwalkwiththeLord.Ourservant leadersguideustoourspiritualmaturitybeforeweenterintoarelationship. Commitment is also fostered in the culture of the community. Welearntopray,teachandloveinthecommunity.Thisiswhatwewilldowhenwe have our own families. 2. Helping build an environment where the value of family and life is nurtured As CFC SFL, let us take time to serve in the younger ministries of our community. By doing this, we ensure that our future children will have an environment where the faith values we impart to them will be strengthened and enforced. 3. Being responsible in our roles in our families We are in this age where we can now earn our own money. Let us not allow this reality to be a reason to detach ourselves from our family. Instead, let us use this to serve and support them. We can do this by assuming some expenses in our respective homes. PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFEWe should also take responsibility of pastoring our younger siblings. The best way to do this is to invite them to the community. We should also take courage to invite our parents to CFC FFL if they are not yet members of the community. 4. Equipping ourselves with the different pro-life issues Letustaketimetoinformourselvesaboutthedifferentissuessurroundingthe defense of life. We should be able to defend life where the situation calls it. Let us also be active in the call of the Church to rally and pray for life. 5. Living Pure Thereisnobetterwaytoshowourvalueforlifethanlivingpure.Whilewearestill single,letustaketimetoprepareourselvesspiritually,emotionallyandeven financially for the person that God has prepared for us. This preparation stage calls for chastity. Delayedgratificationbuildsself-control,patienceandtemperanceinus.These qualities are vital if we want to build a strong family for Christ in the future. V. Conclusion Satanisourenemy.HeisouttodestroyFFLFaith,FamilyandLife.WeareGods soldiers. We are his army. We are his warriors. We stand up for the cause of family and life because God values them. The fight for the culture of life is the defining battle in this third millennium. Let us not be afraid. After all, God, who is our commander, will fight the battle with us. If God is with us, who can stand against us (Rom. 8:31)? ACTIVITY: LETTER WRITING 1. The speaker asks everyone to take out 2 pieces of paper. 2. Everyonewillbeaskedtowritealetterentitled:TomyfuturewifeandTomyfuture children3. The speaker starts the activity with a prayer. 4. After the letter writing, everyone is encouraged to keep the letters until it is the right time to give to their future wives and children.PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFECFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFE COVENANT RETREAT SESSION 4: LIVING IN A CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES For the participants to be able to: 1. Appreciate CFC SFL as a community2. Embrace living in a Christian community through the comparison it has in the early lives of the Christians 3. Learn the ways to live as brothers and sisters in our community CFC SFL METHODOLOGY Talk Proper45 minutes Discussion Group30 minutes EXPANDED OUTLINE I. Introduction VIDEO: Show the generic video that speaks of the life in community. The third item of our CFC SFL covenant is this: I shall be a committed and active member of Couples for Christ Single for Family and Life. We have a covenant with God and with one another. We are to be His people, and our lives aretoreflectourintimaterelationshipwithHim.Morespecifically,wearecalledtogetherin CFC SFL to live out a common life. Part of this life is a distinct culture as Christians in general and as SFL in particular. We are called to live in a community. II. The Christian Community What is acommunity? It is a group of people living in thesameplaceor having aparticular characteristicincommon.Itisafeelingoffellowshipwithothers,asaresultofsharing common attitudes, interests, and goals. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2: 44 47) The idea of community was significant to Jesus Christ. Jesus during His earthly life, formed a community, animated it, and then left it his word, his spirit, and the Eucharist. The community istheChurch.WhenheendedHisearthlylife,thiswashowhewantedhisfollowerstolive, havingarelationshipwithoneanotherandbeingincommunity.Hemeantforthemtolearn how to care for one another, consider the needs of each other, and glorify Him as one.PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFEFor he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. (Col. 1:13.) Being acommunity, the early Christians all experienced being indarknessand moving on to Godskingdom.AsChristians,becauseoftheirnewbirthinChrist,aretobeanewpeople, Godspeople,withanewwayoflife,whichisinharmonywithGod'snatureandpurposes. OurlifeisaneverydaypathwaytoholinessbecausetheLordhasbroughtusfromdarkness into the light. Living in the light is being followers of the life that Jesus has lived, which is a life of obedience to the Father and love for Him and His people. Jesus meant for this to be lived out through being in community with each other. III. Our Community: CFC Singles for Family and Life God has great plans for our lives. The reason why we are in this community CFC Foundation forFamilyandLifeisbecauseHeknowsthatthroughacommunity,wecangrowdeeperin ourrelationshipwithHimthroughthesupportofourbrothersandsistersandthroughthe experiences we will have. We are specifically in CFC Singles for Family and Life, our ministry in community, that will allow us to experience the meaning of community at this stage of our life. Community is such a beautiful thing. But sad to say, there are moments wherein we look at it differently.Wefeelthatitisnolongerablessing.Thisisbecausewehavesome misconceptions of what a community is. In the Book The Holy Longing: The Search for a Christian Spirituality (by Ronald Rolheiser), wearemadetounderstandsomeofthesemisconceptionsofourbiggerChristian Community, that we could largely relate to how we feel about CFC SFL. a. People think that a community is composed of like-minded individuals, gathering on thebasisofmutualcompatibility.Butacommunityiscomposedofpeoplewhoare different from each other. They came from different backgrounds and temperaments, haddifferentvisionsofJesuswasallabout,werejealousofeachotherand occasionally were furious of each other. They loved each other but not necessarily like each other. WearecalledtounderstandthatinCFCSFL,wearecomposedofdifferent individuals.Wearenotperfect,butareallworksinprogress.Wearecalledtolove each other not because we are pleased with each other all the time or we agree in all things, butbecauseweare brothers andsisters in Christ. We cannot avoid occasions of misunderstanding and difficulty of loving each other, but we must strive to love like Jesus did. b. A community is a place for people to huddle in fear and loneliness. It is a place where onecansay,itsyouandmeagainsttheworld.Thediscipleshadthissameideaof community when Jesus left them, but that was before the Holy Spirit came. After the PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFEPentecost,theywentintotheworld.Therewasnolongerfear,butthespiritofthe Lord. CFCSFLisaplaceforustorecognizethatwehavefearsandothernegative emotions, but it should not hinder us to find the courage to face and overcome them because we find people who comfort us. The community supports us but that should beanencouragementtoreceiveGodspowerforustoriseaboveourchallenges rather than allowing us to be weak. c. A community is a place to find emotional comfort and intimacy. But the Church as a communitycanneverbeafunctionalsubstituteforintimacy.Oneshouldntgoto church looking for a lover. CFC SFL is a place where we find genuine friendships, but we should understand that it is the sole reason formaking us whole through whereweare placed in community suchasourhouseholdsandthepeopleweconsiderclosesttous.Inourjourneyin community,therewillcometoapointthatwehavetomoveontoadifferent household, to a different service, but that should not feel like we are losing something from ourselves. IV. Expressions of the Christian Culture in CFC SFL We are truly blessed to be in a community. It is a beautiful affirmation that Jesus wants for us topersonallyexperience.AsmembersofCFCSFL,westrivehardtolivetheseoutinour personal lives. There are different expressions to live out the third item of our covenant which is I shall be a committed and active member of Couples for Christ Single for Family and Life. 1. Faithfully attend meetings and participate in community event As part of a community, we are part of a body. We are one body, with a common life. Wearenotindividualistic,butwearebrothersandsisters.Wedontonlypursue holiness individually, but also corporately. We need to take seriously the occasions wherein we are with our brothers and sisters in Christ. a. Household Meetings Wemustfaithfullyattendourhouseholdmeetings,whichisdonetwiceamonth. Thehouseholdisaconcretemanifestationofbeingfamily.Thisbecomesour spiritual filling station. It is a place to truly be loved and to love our brothers and sisters. It is a place where we can truly share the things we are undergoing and get support through advices and prayers. PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFEb. Chapter Assemblies WemustfaithfullyattendourChapterassemblieswhichideallyhappentwicea month(1prayermeeting,1teaching).Itisouropportunitytoseeourother brothers and sisters outside our households, for us to be inspired by their lives and to grow in community with them. c. Big community events CFC SFL is only one amongst the several ministries in our bigger community, CFC FFL.Thereareactivitiesthatgathertogether,notjustCFCSFL,butthewhole communitysuchasourCommunityConferenceatthestartoftheyearandthe Anniversary at the middle of the year. It is our opportunity to witness how God is beingfaithfulintheotherministriesandtoworshipasonebigcommunity everytime we enjoin ourselves in these events. InCFCSFL,wehave2majoreventshappeningeveryyear.TheWorldSingles CongressgathersallCFCSFLmembersinthefirstquarteroftheyearto understand the theme of thecommunity and to be empowered to do His mission for us. The Committed Servants Weekend gathers all household servants sometime in the 2nd half of the year for nourishment and empowerment. 2. Give generously of my time and finances for the furtherance of our mission. Sharingourtimeforthecommunitythroughserviceandmissionallowsustogrow and to understand how the Lord could use us beyond our limitations. Each of us have something to give that we can use to glorify Him. a. Talents We can use our talents in music by being part of the music ministry. We canuseourtalentsindancingandanythingtodowithproductionsuchas graphics, video-editing, and photography for our conferences.b. SkillsandInterestsWecanuseourskillsandintereststhatweregiventous throughoureducationandoccupationsforthecommunity.Wecanserveinthe differentprogramsofourNoOneinNeedMovementsuchaseducationand livelihood. We can be advocates for life through the Live Pure Movement.c. Going on mission We can experience life in the community even outside our own chaptersanddistrictsbygoingonmissiontonearbyprovincesandevenother countries. We have a common responsibility to support Gods work. We are to make available to theLordnotjustourtimeandourtalents,butalsoourtreasure.CFCFFLsworkis supportedbythefreewillcontributionsofitsmembers.Weareencouragedtobe generous.InCFCSFL,wehavetheGIG(GodIsGenerous)asourwayoffaithfully tithing Note: Speaker should mention that this will be the next talk.PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFE3. Undergo all formation courses. Weareworksinprogress.Wehavebeenmovedbyeverythingwehaveheardand experience during our CLS and so now we are moving on to be covenanted members. What we have been through are all part of our basic formation. We should be able to undergo these courses to complete our first year in community: Covenant Recollection Household Topics Vineyard Retreat Vineyard Retreat Household Topics Live Pure Overnight Live Pure Overnight Household Topics Afterourfirstyearincommunity,therewillbeseveralotherformationcourses through retreats, assemblies and activities that we will go through to support us even more. 4. Relate in love, loyalty and respect with all members of the CFC family. Thewaywerelatetooneanotherisimportant.Wearecalledtodosothroughthe following: a.Honor and respect. We treat everymember of thecommunitywith honor and respect. We honor the appointmentsandanointinggiventoourelderswholeadthebiggercommunity and even those in our own districts and chapters. We give honor to our household servant,knowingthathe/shehasbeengivenbyGodtheresponsibilitytobe accountable for us and to be our guide for our journey towards holiness. We give respecttoourcouplecoordinatorswhoserveasourbigbrothersandsistersin CFC SFL. b. Loyalty and commitment We should be loyal and committed to one another and to the body. We are to look out for the good of the other. We should resolve conflicts in the Lord. We respect confidentiality especially in our households, and we do corrections in private. c.Christian speech. Our speech is of tremendous importance for the life of the body. We are to avoid slander,gossipandnegativehumor.Ourspeechmustbegracious.Weareto express praise and affection. We show courtesy in our dealings with each other. PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFEV. Conclusion The gift of community traces back from the early Christians. The same idea of community has beengiventousthroughourcommunityCFCFoundationforFamilyandLifethroughour ministry, CFC SFL. We are one body throughout the world, with one vision, one mission, and also one culture. It allows us to experience what it means to be living in a community. There are misconceptions of what a community is that we need to understand and overcome for us totrulyembracethisgiftgiventous.InCFCSFL,wearecalledtoliveoutourcovenant throughlovingourbrothersandsisters,byfaithfullyattendingmeetingsandformation courses and by giving ourselves through service. ACTIVITY: HOUSEHOLD Discussion Starters 1. How has been CFC SFL a blessing to you so far? 2. How can our community CFC SFL best support you in your journey with the Lord? PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFECFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFE COVENANT RETREAT SESSION 5: SFL G.I.G.(GOD IS GENEROUS) SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES At the end of the talk the participants will be able to: 1. Understand the meaning of Christian stewardship 2. Realize the benefits of tithing in one spiritual journey 3. Be challenged to commit to give every month METHODOLOGY Talk40 minutes Activity 5 minutes EXPANDED OUTLINE I. Introduction It will be as when a man who was going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one--to each according to his ability. Then he went away. Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five. Likewise, the one who received two made another two. But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master's money. After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them. The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the additional five. He said, 'Master, you gave me five talents. See, I have made five more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master's joy.' (Then) the one who had received two talents also came forward and said, 'Master, you gave me two talents. See, I have made two more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master's joy.' Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, 'Master, I knew you were a demanding person, harvesting where you did not plant and gathering where you did not scatter; so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.' His master said to him in reply, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant and gather where I did not scatter? Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return? Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten. For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.' (Matthew 25:14-30) The Lord has blessed us so much in life. He has given us everything that we need and will still give us everythingweneedinthefuture.Thisisonetruththatweshouldalwaysbelievein.Thateverything comes from God! The earth is the Lords and all it holds (Psalm 24:1). With this premise, we now know that everything belongs to God. Everything we possess came from Him making us merely stewards of what belongs to God. Wearestewards(ormanagers)andnotmastersoverthethingsGodhasentrustedtous.Weareto managewhathasbeenentrustedtouswisely,unselfishlyandinaccordancewithGodsplan.Weare entrustedbyGodwithourtime,talentandtreasure.Itisimperativethereforethatwegivebackand even multiply what he had entrusted to us. If we do not do this we are like the third servant who did not take care of what their master has given them. PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFEII. Giving Back to God Our Treasure How do we give back our treasure to God? One of the methods is tithing. As singles, this is a time where we are able to work and earn our own money. After being dependent on ourparentsforourfinancesforalongtime,wearenowinthestagewherewecanbeindependent from them. A lot of single and young professionals lose their values and stray away from their families becausewetheydonotknowtheplaceofmoneyintheirlives.Tithingisawaytoremindusofthe values that is more important than money. A. Tithes Defined 1. The tithe consists of ten per cent (10%) of an individuals income after taxes from whatever source, i.e., wages, rents, investments, business, inheritance, etc. 2. ThetitheisgiventotheimmediatebodyofChristofwhichoneisapart,andwhereone draws support for ones Christian life. B. Importance of tithing in the Christian life. 1. Through tithing, we acknowledge God as owner of our resources and admit that we are only stewards. 2. Tithingexpressesthatourlife,oursecurity,allblessingsandhappinessresideinGodand notinourpossessions.WetrustinamercifulandlovingGodwhoprovidesrichlyforHis children. 3. Tithing is a concrete expression of gratitude to God. We give back to God part of His gift in acknowledgement of His care, protection and love. And though all our blessings come from Him, He allows us to keep 90%. 4. If we love God, we need to love our neighbor as well. Tithing is a reflection of our concern forothers,becauseourcontributions areusedforGodsworkandtospreadHiskingdom. OurcontributionsenablegroupssuchasCFC-FFLtocontinueitsglobalworkof evangelization and renewal. 5. Tithing indicates the condition of our hearts and the extent of our conversion in the Lord. It pointstowhereweareatintheareasofChristiangenerosity:trustinGod,selflessness, simplicity of lifestyle, concern for the less privileged, and detachment.

InMalachi3:7b-10itsaysReturntome,andIwillreturntoyou,saystheLordofhosts.Yetyousay, Howmustwereturn?DareamanrobGod?Yetyouarerobbingme!Andyousay,Howdowerob you?Intithesandinofferings!Youareindeedaccursed,foryou,thewhole nation,robme.Bringthe whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and try me in this, says the Lord of hosts:ShallInotopenforyouthefloodgatesofheaven,topourdownblessingsuponyouwithout measure? PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFEIt is the only verse in scripture that God allows men to challenge him! Let us take up that challenge. Let us tithe and see how God will bless us! III. Practical Effects of Tithing to Us Tithing is not only good for the receiver, in this case, our Christian Community, but it is beneficial to the receiver. When we give, it does not only give resources to our community to change peoples lives but most importantly, it changes us. A. Teaches us to be more generous It makes our heart expand and become more generous. It teaches us to give more and think of others first. One of the main problem or our world today is greed. Men are too greedy and are not willing to share. But if at our young age, the value of generosity is formed in us, we become giving persons and grow up becoming generous. B. Teaches us to be more simple When we detach ourselves from money, we appreciate the simple things in life. We realize that wealreadypossesstheessentialthingsthatwillmakeuscontentinlife.Whenwelivesimply, we can give more to others who are in need. C. Opens the door to other obedience in our lives When we are righteous in our finances, we will be righteous in other aspect of our lives as well. WhenwegiveupluxuriesforustogivetoGodsworkmore,wewillalsobeabletogiveup other things unnecessary in our lives. D. Teaches us to be more dependent to God WhateveryougivetheLordgivesbackahundredfold.RememberthattheLordlooksatour hearts. When we give he will never fail to reward us what is due to us, most of the time it is even greaterthanweexpected.Weopenthefloodgateswhenwetithe.ForGodcanneverbe outdone in generosity. Note: at this point the speaker must share an incident in his/her life that when he/she gave the Lord gave more. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (Luke 6:38) PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFEE. Teaches us to support the mission When we tithe we help further the kingdom of God. What we give is used for financing mission trips,hiringfulltimepastoralworkers,subsidizingoperationalexpenseofthemission.When more missions are done more lives are touched (i.e. more camps, conferences etc.). IV. SFL G.I.G. GIG stands for God is generous. It is our response to our covenant to help and support our community, CFC FFL, in its mission. WhenweGIG,weproclaimthatGodhasbeenanever-consistentproviderwhowillnotforsakeand leave His children. When we GIG, we acknowledge that God owns everything, not only our money but even our very life. When we GIG, we make the real the verse that we always say in a song, we live by faith and not by sight. V. Conclusion Fromtheabundanceofourhearts,weoughttogiveofourtime,talentandtreasure.Givingpersonal and financial support to the work is an expression of gratitude to God. If we love God, we need to love ourneighborsaswell.GivingbacktoGodreflectstheconditionofourheartsandtheextentofour conversion in the Lord. Matthew 6:21 says, Remember, where your treasure is, there your heart is also. Believethatyou havevalue.Believethatyou have somethingtogivetothe world.Giveofyourselves for you and I were created for a purpose - for a sacred mission larger than us. Let us be good stewards of what God has given us. As we take and allow God to bless us, may we also allow ourselves to be broken, allowing the Spirit to break into us, so that we may be given as a blessing to others.

ACTIVITY 1. The speaker asks the participants to get a pen and a paper.a. Write down their monthly salaries/income.b. Writedownthethingsthattheyspendmonthly(include,shopping,cellphoneload,savings, soft drinks, fare, etc.) c. What spending are needs? What spending are just wants? Are they willing to sacrifice a little to help the mission? d. How much are you willing to commit monthly?2. The speaker asks the participants to make their monthly GIG commitment based on their reflection. SFL GIG (God is Generous) Name: _________________________ District: ________________________ Mobile #: _______________________ Email Add: ______________________ My monthly commitment: 100 500 1000 2500 5000 SFL GIG (God is Generous) Name: _________________________ District: ________________________ Mobile #: _______________________ Email Add: ______________________ My monthly commitment: 100 500 1000 2500 5000 SFL GIG (God is Generous) Name: _________________________ District: ________________________ Mobile #: _______________________ Email Add: ______________________ My monthly commitment: 100 500 1000 2500 5000 SFL GIG (God is Generous) Name: _________________________ District: ________________________ Mobile #: _______________________ Email Add: ______________________ My monthly commitment: 100 500 1000 2500 5000 SFL GIG (God is Generous) Name: _________________________ District: ________________________ Mobile #: _______________________ Email Add: ______________________ My monthly commitment: 100 500 1000 2500 5000 SFL GIG (God is Generous) Name: _________________________ District: ________________________ Mobile #: _______________________ Email Add: ______________________ My monthly commitment: 100 500 1000 2500 5000 SFL GIG (God is Generous) Name: _________________________ District: ________________________ Mobile #: _______________________ Email Add: ______________________ My monthly commitment: 100 500 1000 2500 5000 SFL GIG (God is Generous) Name: _________________________ District: ________________________ Mobile #: _______________________ Email Add: ______________________ My monthly commitment: 100 500 1000 2500 5000 SFL GIG (God is Generous) Name: _________________________ District: ________________________ Mobile #: _______________________ Email Add: ______________________ My monthly commitment: 100 500 1000 2500 5000 SFL GIG (God is Generous) Name: _________________________ District: ________________________ Mobile #: _______________________ Email Add: ______________________ My monthly commitment: 100 500 1000 2500 5000 SFL GIG (God is Generous) Name: _________________________ District: ________________________ Mobile #: _______________________ Email Add: ______________________ My monthly commitment: 100 500 1000 2500 5000 SFL GIG (God is Generous) Name: _________________________ District: ________________________ Mobile #: _______________________ Email Add: ______________________ My monthly commitment: 100 500 1000 2500 5000 SFL GIG (God is Generous) Name: _________________________ District: ________________________ Mobile #: _______________________ Email Add: ______________________ My monthly commitment: 100 500 1000 2500 5000 SFL GIG (God is Generous) Name: _________________________ District: ________________________ Mobile #: _______________________ Email Add: ______________________ My monthly commitment: 100 500 1000 2500 5000 SFL GIG (God is Generous) Name: _________________________ District: ________________________ Mobile #: _______________________ Email Add: ______________________ My monthly commitment: 100 500 1000 2500 5000 PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFECFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFE COVENANT RETREAT SESSION 6: BEING A CHRISTIAN WITNESS SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES At the end of the session, the participants would be able:1. To learn the definition of the word witness 2. To realize that we are all called to become witnesses of Gods love to others METHODOLOGY Talk45 minutes CommitmentCeremony5 minutes Mini Praisefest15 minutes EXPANDED OUTLINE I. Introduction

Wewitness Godsglory and experienceHis love always, inmajestic and extraordinary ways, aswellasinsimpleandeverydaythings.Thefruitofthisisthatwebecamebetterpersons and our lives were never the same again. However, the biggest challenge for us is translating whatwesawintoourdailylives.BecausewehavewitnessedandseenGodsgloryand experiencedHisloveinourlives,itfallsshortifthisencounterjustremainswithus.Weare calledtowitnessJesustoallourfamilies,friendsandco-workers,sometimesevento complete strangers. II. Called as Witnesses The fourth statement in our CFC SFL covenant is this: I shall be a witness to the world of Gods love. For you will be his witness to all the world of what you have seen and heard. (Acts 22:15) Gods love is personified in Jesus Christ who went to and died on the cross for us. In a world that seeks to remove God from daily life, now more than ever, we are called to witness Him to others. Because we have witnessed Him, we must now be witnesses of Him to others. This is part of the marching orders of all Christians and our calling as CFC SFL members. We are to be Christian witnesses. ItisGodsHolySpiritwhoenablesustobewitnessestotheendsoftheearth.Duringour CLS, we asked for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8) A. We witness Gods love by actively evangelizing and doing mission. PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFE1. To evangelize is to proclaim the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ.For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. (John 3:16) 2. Jesus Christ Himself commissions us to this work of evangelization. And he said to them, Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned. (Mark 16:15-16) a. God entrusted this work to us. We are essential in Gods plan of salvation. For, Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news! (Romans 10: 13-15) b. CFC SFL is a ministry of Couples for Christ Foundation for Family and Life; an evangelisticandmissionarycommunity.Hence,everyCFCSFLmemberisto become an evangelizer. Wearetoevangelizeinthenormalday-to-daycircumstancesofourlives; with relatives, friends, neighbors, co-workers, schoolmates, even strangers. WeshareaboutwhatGodhasdoneforusandhowgreatHehasbeenin ourlives.Eventhoughweareallsinners,wecanalreadyshareabouthow God is starting to transform us. Activelyevangelizingothersbenefitsus,allowingustogrowinfaith.We unselfishly give of our time and effort to connect others to Christ. God will continue to bless us as we become a blessing to others. WehaveaprogramcalledE-PROJECT.Thatistoevangelizeoneperson per member per year. We do this so that we will be reminded of our duty to evangelize. B. We witness Gods love by loving and serving the parish. 1. We in CFC SFL are an integral part of the Catholic Church. a. We are submitted to our parish priests, bishops and to the pope.b. Our life, formation and service will conform to Catholic values and ideals.c. We look to Mary, the mother of the Church, as our inspiration and help. - CFC FFL has been consecrated to Mary, Mediatrix of All Grace. 2. We are called to actively participate in the life of the parish. a. CFC SFL, in the life and service of its basic subdivision, which is the chapter, is parish-based. PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFEb. Wemakeourselvesavailabletobeofserviceintheparishesanddioceses,in themanydifferentwaysavailable,butespeciallyintheareasofyouthand family & life, both as individuals and as a chapter. c. Wewillparticipateinthelifeandmissionoftheparish.Ourmembersare encouragedtoserveasEucharisticministers,lectorsandcommentators, commissiononyouthofficers,choiretc.intheparish.Inaddition,we participate in Church feasts and other very important parish events. d. Wefreelyofferourprograms,formationsandadvocaciessuchasLCSC,Live Pure, LBS, No One in Need to the parish.

C. We witness Gods love by loving and caring for the poor.

1. Wearecalledtohaveapreferentialoptionforthepoor.Thegoodnewsof salvation has both a spiritual and a social dimension. We look to both the spiritual and material upliftment of the least among our brethren. a. Faith without good works is dead. An important requirement in following Jesus is acting on our faith and doing something for our less fortunate brethren. What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill, and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. (James 2:14-17)

b. ThisistheverymissionofJesus.WerecognizeJesusmissiontobringglad tidings to the poor. As it is written in Luke 4:18, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free

c. Loving and caring for the poor is crucial for our own salvation. Note:Citetheparableoftherich manandLazarus inLuke16:19-23andtheJudgmentattheendof time in Matthew 25:31-46.

2. Ways of serving the poor. a. Welookonthepoorasourbelovedbrethren.Aboveandbeyondmaterial goods, they need our respect and acceptance and not our pity. b. We do charitable works such as financial help, feeding and tutoring programs, etc. c. We serve through the No One in Need Movement. (the speaker may expound)

3. Our personal response. a. Simplicity of lifestyle. PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFE Weshouldhavelessforselfandmoreforotherstohaveenoughforall.We should live simply, so that other may simply live. We should look to our needs andnotourwants.Weshouldnotaccumulateandmerelystorewhatwedo notuse.Insolidaritywithourpoorbrethren,weshouldbecontentwiththe basic necessities of life. For we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains. (1 Timothy 6:7-10) b. Sharing our resources. WebelievethateverythingwehavebelongstoGodandisduetoGods blessings. We are merely the stewards of these things. Hence, we look to being instruments for God to provide for all His people. We share what we have with those in need. c. Working for social justice. Justice is giving to each person what is their due. It starts with us. We need to livelivesofhonesty,integrityandrespectforothers.Wearenotapathetic concern ourselves about the situation of injustice in the economic, political and environmental realms. D. We witness God love by living out our CFC SFL core values. Our core values describe who we are and what we are called to do in the world. These provide parameters and constant guideposts in our moving on in our life and mission as a ministry. Our 7 core values are the following: 1. Centered on Christ. As discussed in session 2. In everything that we are and do, we look to Jesus, who isourSaviorandLordtobeourmodelinourobediencetotheFather,inour faithfulness to His call, and to total submission to His divine will. As He who called us is holy, we ourselves will strive for holiness of life and Christian perfection. 2. Evangelistic and Missionary. Asdiscussedearlier,wearetoproclaimthegoodnewsthatisJesusChrist wherever we are. PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFE3. Focused on the Family. Asdiscussedinsession3.Ourlifeandmissionisfoundedonbuildingstrong families for and in Christ. We recognize that the future of humanity passes by way of the family. Hence, we should spend time with our family members and strive to haveperfectmomentswiththem.Wegiveimportancetoourrelationshipswith them. 4. Being community Asdiscussedinsession4.Wearenotjustindividualfamilies,butafamilyof familiesthatsupportoneanother.WearepartofthelargerfamilyofCFC-FFL,a worldwidefamilyofmanydifferentnationalitiesandculturesbutallsharing brotherhood and sisterhood in Christ. 5. Living a preferential option for the poor. As discussed above. 6. Exercising servant leadership. a. WeareprivilegedtoserveGodandHispeople,bothinandoutofCFCSFL. Thus, we must serve with the mind and heart of Jesus, who came to serve and nottobeserved.AsitiswritteninMatthew20:28,justastheSonofMan came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many. b. We look not to human recognition or reward and we do not build turf or seek power. As it is written in Luke 17:10, So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, We are worthless slaves; we have done only what weoughttohavedone!andwemustservewithhumility,self-sacrificeand submission to the Chief Shepherd, As it is written in Matthew 20:26-27, It will notbesoamongyou;butwhoeverwishestobegreatamongyoumustbe your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave 7. Being a servant to the Church. As discussed above. III. Conclusion

We are all called to be witnesses to the world of Gods love. This is part of our covenant with God as CFC-SFL members and we do this by actively evangelizing and doing mission, loving and serving the parish, loving and caring for the poor and living out our CFC-SFL core values. PASTORAL FORMATION TRACKCFC SINGLES FOR FAMILY AND LIFEACTIVITY: DEDICATION CEREMONY 1. The music ministry should play some reflection songs. 2. The service team will now distribute the covenant cards. 3. Atthistime,theteamleaderleadseveryoneintoaprayerandreflectiontoaskGodto givethemthegraceandthestrengthtolivebythecovenant,whileareflectionsongis sung. 4. After the reflection song, he asks everyonewho wants to commit as a CFC SFL member to sign their covenant cards and stand up, as a sign of their commitment to God. 5. TheteamleaderthenaskseveryonetorecitethemainpointsoftheCFCSFLcovenant; repeating after him. 6. The session culminates with a praisefest.