Welcome to the Raising Faith family formation course 


Raising Faith explores how Christian families can create strong and healthy foundations of faith in  their children at home. Each session gives parents and carers the opportunity to discuss their own  experiences and explore ideas.  

It is suitable for parents and carers of children aged up to about 11 (let us know if there is demand  for a separate teens course and we’ll look into it!) 



When: 


Sunday afternoons at 3pm lasting for about 90 minutes. The next course is February/March  2024 


Where: 

St Augustine’s Room, St Paul’s Church, Haywards Heath. St Augustine’s Room is at the back,  up a set of steps opposite the pre-school. Obviously this is not ideal for those with prams or mobility  issues (sorry!) but there is usually access up the ramp and through the church itself, or we will help  you up the steps. 


Who is running it? 

Deacon Paul and his wife, Helen will be facilitating the course, with some help  from volunteers from the parish 


Who is the course by?

 It is created by Care for the Family (https://www.careforthefamily.org.uk/) 


What will it be like? 

Each session consists of a video with places to pause and discuss what you’ve  just seen. It is gentle but thought-provoking and no-one will be forced to share anything they feel  uncomfortable about, it’s OK to just watch and listen. The four sessions we will be doing are: 

• Everyday faith: we can do this! 

• It starts at home: the value of a warm family environment in building faith • Making faith visible: your personal relationship with God makes a difference • Journeying together: navigating doubts and difficult 

questions 


Can I bring my children? 

Yes, they are very welcome. However, the course itself is not aimed at children. Sometimes our  volunteers are available to entertain children in another part of the room but we can’t guarantee  that. Feel free to bring along your own entertainment if you bring your children.  


Is it just for Catholics? 

No. It has something offer to those of other faiths, or with no faith. The course is Christian in its  approach but we think it will be useful for any parent who wishes to be involved in the Catholic  upbringing of their child. You won’t be forced to share anything that you don’t want to. 


Can I come on my own? 

Yes. Single parents are very welcome and if you are a couple and only one can come that is fine too.



Can I attend virtually e.g. via Zoom? 

Sorry, no. At the moment we don’t have the equipment to have some people attend virtually so no, these sessions are in-church only. However, if you think you would be interested in attending Zoom  sessions please do let Deacon Paul know because we can run Zoom-only courses in the future if that  is something that people would like.  


What if I can’t make all of those dates? 

Don’t worry. If there is space on a later course you can attend the missing session then. Each session  stands alone so it’s OK to miss one or two. 


Is it accessible? 

See above for access to St Augustine’s room. We are open to any suggestions for how we can make  it suitable for you if you need extra support, please contact Deacon Paul.  


How many people will be there? 

We will run it with a minimum of 3 families and a maximum of 10 families per session as otherwise  the room is too crowded. If there is a lot of demand we will run extra courses.  


Are there facilities? 

There is a toilet (not a disabled one unfortunately) and baby change next to St Augustine’s room.  We will offer you tea, coffee, cold drinks and biscuits. Gluten-free, dairy-free and caffeine-free  options always available but do let us know if you have a particular additional dietary requirement.  


How do I book? 

Please use the sign-up form here.