Saint Andrew Catholic Church

Last night, roughly 1,400 people of all ages from seven area parishes and beyond packed St. Michael Catholic Church for REBOOT Live with Chris Stefanick. It was inspiring to see a full church on a Wednesday night, with people praying, listening and praising God together. Stefanick's message was both powerful and practical, and his timing was perfect as we head into the Easter Triduum:

• Our faith is a love story—and nothing we have ever done or could ever do will change the fact that we are sons and daughters of a perfect heavenly Father who loves us and wants to give us everything. No matter how many times we fall or fail, no sin is bigger or more powerful that the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Lord, who has already paid the price for each of us.
• We don’t have to have it all together. We can start now, in our brokenness, making the little changes that lead to holiness: loving ourselves, praying regularly, sharing our faith, cultivating holy friendships, and “rebooting” daily—forgetting past failures, accepting forgiveness and living in the present moment, which is the only moment in which we can encounter God!
• We are not alone. Every one of us is on the same road back to our Father, broken but beloved. We are meant to walk together and help each other along the way.

Saint Andrew had 300 of the 1,400 tickets to the event, which sold out completely, and attendees left feeling moved and motivated. 

“We had such a great night and left so empowered!” Saint Andrew parishioner Heidi Robinson said.

"My daughter really enjoyed it and thanked me for the special time together," said parishioner Molly Ruby. "Her faith is strong and ignited…and for me, Chris added another layer of support in helping me to bring our Catholic faith to my family."

Whether you were able to attend last night or not, all ticket-holders and any other interested parishioners are invited to take another step forward in following Jesus:

• Join us next Thursday. On Thursday, April 25, at 6:30 PM, we are hosting a Discipleship Dinner in the Gym at Saint Andrew in Elk River. Those who are willing can share their REBOOT experience, and we will talk a bit about how to take the next step as disciples of Jesus. The dinner is a potluck, so please RSVP to randyb@saint-andrew.net and if you are able, please bring a dish to pass.
• Invite others. If you invited other friends, family members or parishioners to the REBOOT event, please invite them to dinner on Thursday night. Also, if you are comfortable, ask if you can share their contact information with us.
• Share your story. Either in person or via email, let us know how REBOOT impacted you. We would love to be able to share mini-testimonials with others in the parish and community, even anonymously—so please, let us know how this night changed you by emailing jimt@saint-andrew.net. 
• Think about your next steps. What are you going to do differently as we move forward? Remember, it doesn’t have to be huge. Write it down where you can see it and begin now. Do you need a small group? Or just one person to walk with you? Do you need sacraments, or resources to grow deeper in the faith? Let us know, so we can help.

Special thanks to the REBOOT Team here at Saint Andrew and our parish staff for helping to make last night's event such a great success.

Blogger's Note: We hope to add event photos soon!