Many thanks to Chris Robertson, Family Groups' Leader in St Bernadette's Parish, Scunthorpe, for sharing the following update with us:
'The Family Groups in Scunthorpe were first established in October 2012. Since then we have waxed and waned. In 2012 we had five groups with 84 members. Within a year we had dropped down to four groups. Although the leaders, with the help of other parishioners, arranged activities, they were generally poorly attended and by Easter this year we decided that we needed to have more joint group activities. To keep members up to date with events Carmel/Denise are sending out newsletters to everyone in the Family Groups. There are currently 11 active Family Group Parishes in England and Wales but at present we are the only one in the Nottingham Diocese. A couple of our Leaders now represent the parish on the recently convened National Steering Group for Family Groups.
Father Peter and Gwen visited us last October and about 30-40 Family Groups members turned out for the Mass and evening activity. We have since arranged: coffee mornings, barbecues, family fun nights, pancake evenings, craft & games afternoons, a picnic in the park, pizza parties and last month, a brilliant car treasure hunt. The House Masses during Pentecost have also been successful and we have co-hosted quizzes and a Crafts event with the Life Organisation. To celebrate our birthday next month, we will be having an All Saints Day fancy dress party for Family Group members and parishioners. During Advent I hope that we will have a Christmas Carol service and in the New Year we may have a party with a Scottish slant. There is also a St Bernadette’s Got Talent competition in development as well as a Karaoke night for the teenagers and a pampering evening (for gents and ladies!) Activities will be announced in the Bulletin nearer the time.'
Chris and the leadership team from St Bernadette's will be running a workshop on 'Building Family Groups' at the Diocese of Nottingham's forthcoming 'Families and Faith' Resource Day, at Christ the King Voluntary Academy. For more information and to book a place please telephone: 0115 9539841 or email: formation@nrcdt.org
