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Jennings County

Country: United States
State or province: Indiana

Team Leader
Traci Yoder
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Drive through Evangelization

October 7, 2023

SPSE Team Photo The feast is Our lady of the Rosary, October 7th,

We were at our last outing of the Season. It is getting fairly chilly here in Indiana. We showed up at the park and went to our normal spot under a huge oak tree across a lane from the farmer's market. When I pulled in I saw a man in a van talking to the Jehovah's witness (JW) evangelists. I set up our table as usual. After watching this man talk to JW for an hour the van finally left the park. It was about 15 min before we were scheduled to leave and the man in the van comes to us. He immediately begins talking about his wife and son that have died. How he is mad at God. How either Satan or God took them away from him. How he doesn't believe in God anymore. How terrible his life is. How he has a daughter and daughter's friend often asking for money for electric bills. He is not angry just very sad and grieving. He says that he prayed for a woman to marry and met his wife 2 days later. That she was EVERYTHING to him. For at least 40 min he talks and cries while I listen to many stories of his wife and son and others in his life. I finally tell him that he has had a beautiful life. He says that it is terrible. I say that a terrible life would not have such beautiful memories of a wife of 38 1/2 years and a son. I tell him that I am Catholic and that we have our mother Mary (Jesus' mother) to comfort us because she watched her son die and then continued to live when he was not there. I tell him that he can be angry with God and that I don't believe that he doesn't believe in God anymore.

I asked if I could give him a miraculous medal. He said "Yes" and wanted to put it on as a necklace. He said that when his son died, He was buried with a cross necklace. I gave him a multi colored rosary. He hung it on his rear view mirror. I asked if I could then pray for him, He said "yes" again. I prayed aloud for God to heal his grief but for him to especially always know the presence of God and Mary in his life whenever he felt sad or alone.

After that prayer, He thanked me and said that I had listened more than anyone else ever had. He begins again to tell me more ( and some of the same) stories but now after the prayer, he is beginning to smile as he relates the stories. He does not cry or even tear up again. Our Lady has worked a miracle with the miraculous medal in his heart. I tell him that there is an adoration chapel in our town and he can come there and if he comes during my hour I will pray with him again. Another evangelist comes up and I introduce her and she helps me gently say goodbye to him. We pray that God will continue to remind him of His presence. We hope we meet again.

NOT fair weather evangelists

July 3, 2023

SPSE Team Photo

Our outing on July 1 was a wet one with threats of thunderstorms and near constant drizzly rain. We decided to show up anyway! Very soon the sister and brother-in-law of one of our evangelists showed up and talked to us and encouraged us. Then a local person walked up and praised us for not being "fair weather" evangelists. I asked if he needed prayer or anything and he said that he did not and that he was a "hard core" Baptist but was so happy that we were there and that Baptists and Catholics do not hate each other anymore like he felt the faith traditions did when he was younger. Several others looked at us and waved. It was a slow outing but God be praised we hopefully planted a few seeds!

We gained as much as we gave!

June 3, 2023

Our very first team outing on May 6, our dear Lord was teaching us patience and diligence as no one walked up to our table or even anywhere close to ask for prayers or ask questions. This month in June we were amazed at the beautiful souls that that were inspired to come talk to us. We had just set up our table when a gentleman walked up and asked for prayers for he and his family. One of our evangelists prayed one on one with him and he left. Immediately thereafter a woman walked up and began a 25 min discussion with another evangelist which ended in the evangelist giving her a miraculous medal and a lighthouse catholic media cd. Then a gentleman walked up and began telling us that he had just become Christian and wanted to talk about the faith with us. He had been in jail in the past and was still needing strength to continue with his Christian walk. We discussed our beautiful Christian and Catholic faith with him for more than a half an hour. We invited him to visit our perpetual adoration chapel if he ever wanted a quiet place to encounter Jesus and receive strength to persevere in his Christian walk. We gave him CD's that talked of strength of faith. We then had a man that lives in the homeless shelter come up and notice a black plastic rosary and asked if he could have it. We gave it to him and he put it on like a necklace. He said that his older brother that had committed suicide used to have one and always wore it. We tried to discuss with him how Mary's presence will be with him when he needs her. He talked a lot of many of his friends during Covid committing suicide and that he struggles with depression. He told us openly why he is at the homeless shelter and is greatful to have a job at the Dairy Queen. We hope he comes back to visit and talk with us next month. We ended our short 2 hour outing with 2 young girls (4yo and 10yo) that wanted rosaries. We also gave them miraculous medals on chains. The 10 yo talked at length and beautifully answered our questions. We were amazed at the broken and innocent souls that God sent to us to share his love with. We gained as much as we gave! We will continue to pray for these souls that have crossed our path!

Evangelization training

March 31, 2023

Tomorrow is the first Saturday and our "last" structured training before evangelizing. We will meet after the 8:30 mass at St. Joseph's in the parish center as we do each month. This month the topic is How to develop and maintain a healthy spiritual life. We cannot give what we have not received. If you are unable to join us go to this link and scroll down to spiritual life of the evangelist. https://evangelizationschool.com/group-training/

We are planning on having our first evangelization outing after the 8:30 mass next month on May 6th. Check your calendars and join us or pray for our first efforts at evangelization.

training

March 2, 2023

Evangelization team,

We will meet this Saturday morning at St.Joes at 8:30 am. I will have sweet and not sweet breakfast available. We will be watching and discussing course 4 basic Evangelization strategies. https://evangelizationschool.com/group-training/

I will be contacting each of you soon and see what role you would like in our evangelization team. We need active evangelists to at home prayer warriors!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/15aygq90zGUVxMT5YTk4i-O6B3DMHemDU3DvkIBCBfbg/edit?usp=drivesdk

Joy and Blessings,

Traci

Training recording

February 20, 2023

Team,.

Here is the link for the recorded evangelization training that I attended. The training was VERY good and practical. A little bit of a repeat of what we have been studying. We will meet on March 4th at St. Joe's. Think about when you would like to go use our new skills.

Here is the evangelization training. https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/LWqmAKEOO-AqtWlNENI4Eug5cntaQYWYftW-5_Whu7kL2lROxz-dfIALGiCoNwiq.6rfXwlA2Lr75e2Ap

Here is the link to the work ook that came with it. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mgQpeTR76OMYEZctdXgeyH3UH6oOc-7k/view?usp=sharing

Training!!!!

February 1, 2023

CCJC evangelists,

We will be meeting this Saturday morning for our regular first Saturday training session. We will be watching and discussing the video on intro to Christian testimony. I hope you can make it in person but if not here is the link. https://evangelizationschool.com/course/intro-to-evangelization-course-3-intro-to-christian-testimony/

If you have missed other sessions that we have already completed, You can find them here. https://evangelizationschool.com/group-training/

Here is a very simple 7 min video that is an overview of all training. https://streetevangelization.com/street-evangelization-primer/

If you are tired of seeing me each month or want and have time to be trained in one 3 hour session here is a zoom workshop that is free for members of our team. It is Saturday, February 11 th from noon to 3. Hopefully it will be a dreadful snowy day and you will be confined to home and it will not take you away from any of your other duties. Below is the link and the free coupon code.

https://streetevangelization.com/virtual-street-evangelization-workshop/

Attend a live 3-hour zoom workshop with our national staff and other SPSE evangelists around the world – FREE for Team Leaders and the members of their team
Use coupon code: free-vsew

IF you know of someone else that wants to attend this training pass the link and code to them then give me their email address and I will add them to the team!

I hope you had time this past month to practice the Kerygma on someone. It is not too late.. There is no perfect format and it will change when we evangelize in person but it is good to get an idea of what to say to tell of the message of salvation.

I went on a missionary trip this past week. I will post a blog post after this describing it and how I have used our training to help me feel confident and to say enough but not too much. But most especially to rely on the Holy Spirit!

I hope to see you on Saturday morning at St. Joseph's after the 8:30 am mass in the parish center!

Prayers for you!!

Traci

Come and see

January 5, 2023

Friends,

Today's Gospel is Jesus and apostles inviting other apostles to "Come and see". Are you ready to invite others to "come and see"? Do you feel like this? https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxKCf_lCGtXK45EERkykefCav_UATU795J

Jesus wants to do great thing through you... He doesn't need you.. He wants you. We may be called to much more, like the apostles, are you willing? You have been called, you know it. https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxRZmrRPxu3wp7w2JLAqymB2lQZ7md8dxY Will you respond?

This Saturday January 7, 2023 after the 8:30 am mass we will continue with our training, we need more training than the apostles did! As always breakfast will be provided. (Probably sausage egg and cheese casserole and a side of doughnuts with plenty of coffee, milk and juice).

Our training on Saturday is Intro to the Kerygma Presented by Peter Herbeck Everyone longs for God, and the gospel of Jesus Christ answers that longing by showing us the way to Him. Kerygma means “preaching,” and is equivalent to the gospel message itself, which should be preached with joy and conviction.

I will see you Saturday!

Traci

Beginning of Catholic Churches of Jennings County Evangelization team and ministry

November 28, 2022

How to Evangelize In real life

First Saturdays each month after the 8:30 am mass at St. Joseph’s Church

If mass is cancelled, training and breakfast will begin at 8:30am

Each session is less than one hour. Most are 30 – 45 min.

Breakfast provided.

December 3

Evangelization: The Basics

Presented by Dr. Mary Healy

Evangelization means “to proclaim the good news.” The good news is that God genuinely and passionately desires the salvation of sinners.

January 7, 2023

Intro to the Kerygma

Presented by Peter Herbeck

Everyone longs for God, and the gospel of Jesus Christ answers that longing by showing us the way to Him. Kerygma means “preaching,” and is equivalent to the gospel message itself, which should be preached with joy and conviction

February 4, 2023

Intro to Christian Testimony

Presented by Joe Philip

Stories are powerful! A personal testimony is a story of conversion to Jesus and His church, shared with another person for his spiritual benefit.

March 4, 2023

Basic Evangelization Strategies

Presented by Patrick Brennan

It’s very common to be afraid of sharing our faith with others. But with the help of the Holy Spirit, such fear can be overcome. In the work of evangelization, conversation is central.

April 1, 2023

Intro to the Spiritual Life of the Evangelist

Presented by Beth Schuele

If we want to be faithful, effective evangelists, we need to have a strong spiritual life. First, this means that we have to pray daily. Prayer is to the soul, what air is to the lungs.

May 6, 2023

Introduction to a New Pentecost

Presented by Pete Burak

Because of the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, we have access to the life and power of God, the Holy Spirit. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit first came upon the Church, and equipped her for the work of evangelization.

Presentations by St. Paul Street evangelization

https://streetevangelization.com/school-intro/

Questions call the parish office or Call or txt Traci at (812)525-2059