Summer 2008 - Franciscan Life Process Center

NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Franciscan Life Process Center
11650 Downes Street NE
Lowell, MI 49331-9489
www.lifeprocesscenter.org
GRAND RAPIDS, MI
PERMIT NO. 1
Franciscan
Volunteers Begin
New Program
Algene Feuerstein, a retired journalist
and volunteer at the Center, wrote the
following article.
MEMO
To: All Crafters including Stitchers,
Quilters, Scrapbookers, and
Knitters
From: The Franciscan Friends
RE: Help When You Need It.
Our Mission: To promote a relationship with God that brings dignity and hope to the sacred
process of all life through programs that assist, educate, enrich and inform.
Summer Event Registration Coupon
Please register me for the following (place a check in the box before class desired). I
understand that class sizes are limited and that some classes may have already filled. In
this case, you will return my check. I also understand that if I choose to cancel my reservation within two weeks of class, a $10 processing fee will be deducted from my refund.
June 12
Jul. 8-Aug. 26
Aug. 11-15
August 15
Sep. 10-Dec. 10
Sep. 26-Nov. 21
Sep. 25-26
October 18
October 19
Oct. 18 & Nov.1
October 25
“A Taste of Twilight” entertainment/ gourmet desserts & beverages
$50
Summer Fun at the Farm (early childhood program - Tues. only) $250/season or $35/day
Icon Workshop with Diane Hamel
$295
Marion Retreat Day (Lunch Included)
$50
Wednesday Paint-In/Out’s
$80 (before 8/16) $100 after
Loom Weaving with Jochen Ditterich (Friday mornings)
$80
Liturgical Design Workshop with John Knight
$85
“LIFE fest 2008” Banquet w/ Charles Aeschliman
$60/adult or $50/student (grades 7-12)
“A Country Sampler” LIFE fest 2008 Family Picnic
$7.50/person or $25/family
Raku Pottery with Maija/Karlis Maskevics
$100
“Watercolor: Step One” with Kathy Crane
$85
Oct. 16-18
Nov. 12-15
PRE-REGISTRATION*
Intermediate to Advanced Watercolor Workshop with Joe Fettingis (pre-registration)
“The Goddess Within” Mixed-Media/Collage Workshop
with Edee Joppich (pre-registration)
$295
$295
*Pre-registration requires a $100 deposit at time of sign-up.
Name: ____________________________________________________________________________
Mailing Address: ____________________________________________________________________
Phone Number: __________________________ E-mail: ____________________________________
LIFE fest tickets: ______ (Number of Adult tickets for Saturday night at $60 each)
It is a consensus of opinion among
the Franciscan Friends volunteers that
everyone who ever started a new project
or decided to try a new craft, needs help
at one time. The new Franciscan
Friends Helping Friends program might
be the answer.
The variety of talents among the volunteers covers just about every kind of
handicraft you can imagine. For example, volunteers Dolores Dey and Algene
Feuerstein know a variety of stitching
projects and are both good knitters. Cam
Miles has become very skilled at scrapbooking. Many of the volunteers are
excellent quilters and love to help, too.
Name your project and it’s likely you’ll
find help in this group.
Here’s how to do it. Most Friday
mornings between 10 a.m. and noon,
the volunteer group meets at the
Center. It is best to call first to be sure.
Then bring everything related to your
project with you, such as a pattern,
materials, and the part you’ve already
done and any equipment you need to
complete your special project. Quite
often, the solution is simple, but just
unknown to you. It might just be a
stitch or process of some sort. Our volunteers are ready to help.
______ (Number of Student tickets for Saturday night at $50 each)
“A Country Sampler” Picnic: ______ (Number of Single tickets at $7.50 each)
______ (Number of Family tickets at $25 each)
Payment Options:
Check Enclosed
Visa
MasterCard
Total Amt. Enclosed:*
Volunteers (from left) Dolores Dey and
Betsy Stevens plan a quilt with Sister
Theophane Wurzer, FSE.
Credit Card # ____________________________________ Vin # (back of card) ________________
*A $1.00 processing fee added to all charge orders. Expiration Date:____________________
Signature of credit card holder ________________________________________________________
Please make checks payable to: Franciscan Life Process Center. Mail your coupon to
FLPC, 11650 Downes Street NE, Lowell, MI 49331-9489. Call Karen P. (Kacey) Cornwell at
897-7842 for more information or visit our website at www.lifeprocesscenter.org.
CANCELLATION POLICY: We depend on your attendance to make teaching and/or supply arrangements for our workshops. If you need to withdraw 30 days or more prior to the start of a workshop or class, you will receive a full refund.
Refunds requested 30 days to one week prior to class will incur a 10% handling fee. One week or less will be accessed a
50% cancellation penalty. If you do not show the first day of class, you will forfeit your tuition fee in its entirety.
DESIGNED AND PRINTED BY
Newsletter of the Franciscan Life Process Center
Art
Vol 2, No 4, Summer 2008
~ Counseling ~ Music ~ Therapy ~ Preschool ~ Retreats ~ Volunteer
On the Farm
The warm spring rains and soothing
sun have been a welcome sight after
such a long, cold season. Now, in the
midst of summer, the fruit trees are
overflowing with ripe offerings. Fields of
bright grass wave in the soft breeze,
awaiting cutting and baling. The many
vegetable gardens display an abundance
of fresh produce. Lazy summer days
may tempt the young preschool children, but out on the farm, this season is
always one of the busiest.
There is a cycle to the fruit harvest,
when each crop ripens and is perfect
for picking. First are the cherries,
ready in June; July is peaches, plums
and pears in August, apples (Paula
Red, Ida Red, Red and Yellow
Delicious) are all harvested in
September and October. Three types
of grapes are grown here as well. All of
these fruits are canned or stored as
soon as they are picked. Teams of volunteers work quickly to insure that no
fruit or vegetable is wasted.
Out in the fields, three cuttings of
hay are taken over the year. They are
baled and put up in the loft by volunteers, ready for the Center’s sheep,
horses, goats and cows. Meanwhile
around the Center’s buildings,
flowerbeds, tree and bush-trimming and
other ground maintenance are constantly tended. It is far from the “lazy days of
summer” out at the farm.
Apple Blossoms
Tickets for LIFE fest Are Now Available
“Good character is taking steps in the
right direction along the way; doing the right
thing at the right time, even if nobody else
is watching,” says National Character
Education
Foundation
representative
Charlie Aeschliman, “It’s called ‘integrity’.”
Aeschliman will be guest speaker for LIFE fest
2008 dinner, October 18. A former Navy
elite SEAL, he is also considered the best trick
basketball handler in the world and was
recently crowned NIKE’s, “National Playoff
Festival Champion.” The Saturday event is
open to adult and students.
“A Country Sampler” is Sunday’s family
event. The day begins with at noon with
Mass, followed by a casual lunch afterwards.
Hot dogs, brats and roast corn on the cob are
on the dining menu, always a favorite with
both adults and children.
For the 20th year of LIFE fest, Music
Marathon has been incorporated into the
events. On Sunday, a variety of music, vocal
and dance entertainment is planned at multiple locations around the Center. Guests can
also enjoy plenty of games, wagon rides and
craft demonstrations on the grounds. A Silent
Auction caps out the day’s activities.
Monies raised from this annual benefit
directly support the Center’s scholarship
programs, which provides subsidies for preschool tuition, music and art scholarships for
families and individuals needing financial
assistance.
Tickets for Saturday night’s dinner and
event are $60 for adults or $50 for students
grades 7-12. Sunday’s “A Country Sampler”
All Day Retreat
Planned Mid-August
A one-day retreat entitled, “Mary: Woman of
Suffering, Woman of Hope,” will be held Friday,
August 15, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the
Franciscan Center. The retreat includes Mass,
talks, reflection on Scripture, discussion, lunch,
and an opportunity to meet others seeking to
deepen their relationship with Mary. Attendees
are encouraged to bring questions and insights
concerning Mary, as both our mother and
Mother of the Church.
The fee for the event is $50 and the registration deadline is August 13. For more information or to register, call 897-7842.
Charlie Aeschliman, LIFE fest speaker
tickets are $7.50 for adults or $25 per family.
Those interested in ordering tickets may use
the form on the back page of the newsletter.
For more information, please call the
Franciscan Center at 897-7842.
“A Taste of Twilight”
Tickets Still Available
Tickets are still available for “A Taste of
Twilight,” an elegant evening with premier
vocalists Mary Rademacher and Rick
Reuther. The annual fund raiser takes place
Thursday evening, June 12, from 7:30 to
9:30 p.m. All proceeds help support the
Center’s program funds including endowment fund, music therapy and lessons, retreat
programs, preschool education and art classes
and workshops.
The singers will be accompanied by
musicians Cherie Lynn Hagen and Tom
Hagen. Guests can also enjoy strolling
appetizers, desserts, wine and other beverages catered by Amway Grand Plaza.
Tickets are $50 per person and reservations
are required. For tickets or more information, call (616) 897-7842.
Volunteers Contribute
Thousands of Hours
RIDE WITH MISTER ED – On the last
snowy day of spring, our preschool children
were treated to a cart ride with one of our
miniature horses, Mister Ed. Sister Ann
Frances Thompson, FSE, gives (from left)
Aubrey Rasch and Nate Clark a tour of
the grounds.
Preschool Volunteers
Are Always Welcome
Starting preschool can be a rather daunting experience for a young child. There are so
many new things to remember: the location
of the coat rack, how to tie your shoes, and
the importance of washing hands before
snacks. Even though there may be other classmates in the same situation, it helps to have a
grown-up close-by, just in case life gets a bit
overwhelming.
Reading a treasured story, singing a nursery
rhyme, helping create a painted masterpiece,
searching for fossils in the sand pit, exploring
the meadows with a trio of curious youngsters –
these are just some of the roles of a preschool
volunteer. Franciscan Center adult volunteers
assist preschool instructors with a variety of
indoor and outdoor activities.
Those wishing to volunteer one or more
mornings or afternoons, Monday through
Thursday, please call the Center. Hours are
available from 9 a.m. - noon or 1-4 p.m.
Music Therapy Needs
Gently Used Guitars
The music therapy and music education
department staff is seeking used guitars in good
condition. They will be utilized in the music
therapy classrooms and during student music
lessons. Anyone willing to donate a gently used
instrument may call the Franciscan Center at
897-7842.
It may sound like a clique saying, “It is the
little things that can make such a big difference.” But when it comes to helping run a
non-profit organization such as the Franciscan
Life Process Center, the time given by its
Franciscan Friends volunteers is a priceless
gift. Even one or two hours of volunteer help
can make the difference between a task being
accomplished or not.
This year, volunteers contributed over 2,873
hours, not including LIFE fest, 2008. They
worked in the preschool, mowed the grounds,
taught classes and sewed or knitted items for
area hospitals, nursing homes and overseas destinations. Those not able to drive out to our
location worked on projects at home. During
special Franciscan Center events, volunteers
often acted as hosts and tour guides, or helped
cook and bake.
The top ten volunteers are Cam Miles,
Jochen Ditterich, Jack Davidson, Bobbi
Linkfield, Phyllis Lessens, Judy McCall,
John Knight, Delores Dey, Algene
Feuerstein, (tie for tenth place) Agnes
Gasper and Jerry Herrman. They are only a
few of the long list of people whose generous
gift of time has helped the Franciscan Center
continue to prosper.
Old and New Friends
Enjoy Lenten
Lunches
During the five Wednesdays of Lent, the
Franciscan Center dining room was filled
with both familiar faces and new, all enjoying
delicious soups, home-made bread and other
treats. Each week, an area restaurant donated
a large kettle of soup, which was then paired
up with bread baked by Center volunteers.
Fresh applesauce rounded out the meal, along
with an assortment of beverages, all available
for a donation.
Kathleen Schiefler of Kathleen and
Company started the season, followed by
Flat River Grill of Lowell, Georgia
Gietzen of Grand River Grocery in Ada,
Chef Chris Simpson of Applause Catering
in Grand Rapids, and finally, Red’s on the
River in Rockford. A crew of volunteers
helped bake, set-up the dining room and
clear up afterwards.
As many as 80 guests per week dined at the
Center, donating close to $1,000. These monies
help support the Franciscan Center endowment
and program funds.
Calligrapher Cindy Bowles instructs a Byron
Center student.
Medieval Day
Activities Combine
Fun and Learning
In what has become a spring tradition at
the Franciscan Center, sixth graders from
Byron Center Christian School spent a funfilled morning here in late March.
Accompanied by teacher Mindy Oetman
and parent volunteers, almost fifty children
participated in programs connected to
medieval history.
Franciscan Center music director Sister
Mary Margaret Delaski, FSE, and assistant
music director Miranda Eden, organized
medieval music, maypole dancing and singing,
bread-baking and the year’s art project. The
children were divided into three groups and
took turns in the adventures.
This year, several members of the
Calligraphic Society of Grand Rapids volunteered to teach students the Old English style of
calligraphy as well as some history on writing.
The students created their own laminated and
tasseled bookmark following a little instruction.
Along with a fresh loaf of home-made bread, it
was the perfect memento of a fun-filled day.
Sister Mary Margaret Delaski, FSE, teaches
Byron Center students the art of bread-baking.
SUMMER
CALENDAR
“Summer Melodies” summer music lessons begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Call for more information
Summer Preschool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Call for more information
“Layers of Life” joint art show with Lowell Area Arts Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Open to Public
“A Taste of Twilight” entertainment/gourmet desserts & beverages
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . $50/person
“A Painterly Collection” solo art show by Don Zenas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Open to Public
Summer Fun at the Farm (early childhood program - Tuesdays only) . . . . . .$250/season or $35/day
Icon Workshop with Diane Hamel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$295
Marion Retreat Day (lunch included) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$50
Preschool Open House from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Open to Public
Fall Preschool/Music Lessons begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Call for more information
Wednesday Paint-In/Out’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$80 (before August 16) $100 after
LOOKING
AHEAD
Sept. 26 – Nov. 21
Sept. 25 – 26
Oct. 16 – 18
October 18
October 18
Oct. 18 & Nov. 1
October 25
Nov. 12 – 15
Loom Weaving with Jochen Ditterich (Friday mornings) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$80
Liturgical Design Workshop with John Knight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$85
Intermediate to Advanced Watercolor with Joe Fettingis (Pre-registration) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$295
“LIFE fest 2008” Saturday Evening Banquet
with guest speaker Charlie Aeschliman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$60 adults/$50 students (grades 7-12)
“A Country Sampler” LIFE fest 2008 family picnic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$7.50/person or $25/family
Raku Pottery with Maija/Karlis Maskevics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$100
“Watercolor: Step One” with Kathy Crane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$85
“The Goddess Within” Mixed-Media/Collage Workshop with Edee Joppich (Pre-registration) $295
Thursdays
By Appointment
By Appointment
By Appointment
Pottery Class with Sr. Mary Colman Pyle (6:30 – 8:30 p.m.) . . . . . . . .$10/one hour or $15/two hours
Individual Music Lessons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Call for details.
Music Therapy Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Call for details.
Spiritual Direction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Call for details.
ON
GOING
June 2
June 2 –19
June 8 – Jul. 12
June 12
July 23 – Sept. 5
July 8 – Aug. 26
August 11 – 15
August 15
August 21
September 2
Sept. 10 – Dec. 10
Summer Workshops
Icon Painting
August 11-15: Learn this centuries-old art
form with highly-respected iconographer,
Diane Hamel. Students will complete an icon
panel from beginning preparations and painting to gold leafing and varnishing. This
summer’s project will be, “The Virgin of the
Burning Bush,” a standing figure of the Virgin
Mary with an image of the burning bush on her
cloak. Past participants have always enjoyed the
devotional and contemplative character of the
class. Some art experience helpful. Fee: $295
(includes all materials.)
Wednesday Paint-in/Out’s
Weekly September 10 through December 10:
This weekly gathering of artists begins their
fall/winter session. The group meets from 9
a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays (except holidays),
works individually in their chosen medium or
experiments with a new one. These are not
instructional classes although facilitator artists
John Knight or Kathy Crane are present for
advice at each session. For more information,
call 897-7842. All levels welcome. Fee: $80
(before August 16) $100 afterwards. Limited
to 20 artists.
Looking Ahead
Loom Weaving
Sept. 26 - Nov. 21: Beginning this autumn,
Friday morning weaving classes will expand to
eight sessions, allowing students more time to
work on their projects. Under the direction of
master weaver Jochen Ditterich, students of all
levels are assigned a full-sized loom on which to
learn and create their piece. Trained in
Germany, England and the U.S, Jochen brings
over 50 years experience to his classes. 9 a.m. to
noon weekly. Fee: $80. Sign up early as these
classes are limited to seven students.
“Liturgical Art” Workshop
September 25 - 26: Art director emeritus John
Knight brings a strong background in design
and years of experience in liturgical art to a
workshop that focuses on visual symbols, seasonal colors, and how to design easily readable
banners that fit architectural space. For those
interested, we will have a mini-tract on designing bulletin board covers and other visual challenges that church members who are artists are
often asked to do. Bring your wish list. With
the focus on design, we will not be able to get
into the hows of quilting and sewing. Open to
all levels. Fee: $85.
“Adventures in Raku”
October 18 & November 1: Clay artists Maija
and Karlis Maskevics return to instruct one of
the Center’s most popular classes. Construct, fire
and glaze your own earthenware clay pieces with
award-winning artists and mentors. Suitable for
all levels, this workshop is ideal for those who
want to try a new art form but yet challenging
enough for advanced raku artists. Participants
usually are able to finish 3 or 4 unique pieces.
Open to all levels. Fee: $100 (includes all materials.) Limited to 14 students.
“Watercolor: Step One”
October 25: Whether you are a beginning
painter or are looking for a refresher course in
the medium, award-winning watercolorist
Kathleen Crane is the perfect teacher. Her Art
Practice & Education degree plus years of
teaching experience will help build confidence
in paper preparation, composition, color
mixing and paint application. This one day
class is geared to helping students understand
the unique properties of this timeless art form.
Open to all levels. Fee: $85.
Icon Workshop Students
Pre-Registration*
Pre-registration – Intermediate to
Advanced Watercolor
October 16-18: With a workshop that emphasizes technique rather than self-expression,
international watercolor artist and instructor
Joe Fettingis returns to challenge even seasoned
watercolorists. Among other lessons, students
will learn the secret to creating deep, intense,
bold colors without loosing transparency. Those
who have taken Joe’s workshops comment on
the vast improvements they have noticed in
their work. To view examples of Joe’s work, visit
his website at: www.jfettingis.com. Fee: $29.
“The Goddess Within” MixedMedia/Collage Workshop
November 12-15: We are excited by the return
of Michigan’s own Edee Joppich, signature
member of the International Society of
Experimental Artists and ISEA 2007 Cutting
Edge Award winner. This four-day workshop
combines drawing, watercolor and collage techniques. Edee’s meticulous application of materials along with her skilled transition between
colors takes collage to an entirely new level.
With a boundless supply of ideas and energy,
Edee always ignites her students’ imaginations.
Intermediate to advanced level. Fee: $295
Limited to 14 students.
*All pre-registrations require a $100 deposit.