Take Out Leaders Guide April/Easter 2010

All Parish Spring Clean-Up

In the Easter spirit of resurrection and new life, welcome families for a few hours on a sunny Saturday to help spruce up your parish lawn. Everyone can plant, rake, bag mulch, water, weed and more.
Or plant a parish garden and donate the fresh food to your locate food pantry. Families struggling without a home often do not have access to fresh fruits and vegetables – what a great summer treat. Kids love planting and tending gardens. Have a sign-up sheet handy for families to continue tending the garden throughout the summer.

Saturday morning

9:00 a.m. Welcome families with coffee, juice and rolls

Read over Lorene Hanley Duquin’s “Take a New Life Walk” in the April issue of Take Out with a myriad of ideas for getting out and savoring God’s creation. Talk about the plan for the day and assign tasks (or ask folks to sign up for what they do best). Asking families to bring their own rakes is okay!

9:30 a.m. Get to work!

Plant, seed, weed, water, rake, pick-up trash, etc. Be sure to have ice water on hand for workers.

11:30 a.m. Conclude

Gather participants in the parish hall for a great big THANK YOU. Talk about how many hands make work light and how we are all called to share our time and talent with our parish and community; this is a very direct way of building up the Kingdom of God on earth.

Close with Prayer

Canticle of Brother Sun and Sister Moon

St. Francis of Assisi

Most High, all-powerful, all-good Lord, All praise is Yours, all glory, all honor and all blessings.

To you alone, Most High, do they belong, and no mortal lips are worthy to pronounce Your Name.

Praised be You my Lord with all Your creatures, especially Brother Sun,

Who is the day through whom You give us light.

And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor,

Of You Most High, he bears the likeness.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars,

In the heavens you have made them bright, precious and fair.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air,

And fair and stormy, all weather's moods,

by which You cherish all that You have made.

Praised be You my Lord through Sister Water,

So useful, humble, precious and pure.

Praised be You my Lord through Brother Fire,

through whom You light the night and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.

Praised be You my Lord through our Sister,

Mother Earth who sustains and governs us,

producing varied fruits with coloured flowers and herbs.

Praise be You my Lord through those who grant pardon for love of You and bear sickness and trial.

Blessed are those who endure in peace, By You Most High, they will be crowned.

Praised be You, my Lord through Sister Death,

from whom no-one living can escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin! Blessed are they She finds doing Your Will.

No second death can do them harm. Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks,

And serve Him with great humility.