Brainerd Catholic
FUSE
Dan Johnson
Adult Faith Formation Director
218-829-1340, ext. 2923
djohnson@lakescatholic.org
FUSE is a renewed faith formation avenue for adult education, aiding in both the evangelization and revitalization of faith in the Brainerd Catholic mission field and beyond. It’s a no-cost opportunity for any adult, whether Catholic or non-Catholic, to enjoy a free meal and dive deeper into Christ’s teachings. For people interested in what being Catholic really means, FUSE can serve as a helpful catalyst to our OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation) program. LEARN MORE HOW TO BECOME CATHOLIC. No matter where you are in your faith journey, FUSE is an engaging discovery of the truth found in Jesus Christ.
Volunteers from many area ministries offer to help set up, serve, clean, and restore the church before, during, and after each event. We also bring in volunteer speakers in the various phases to help offer different experiences and perspectives on the range of topics discussed. Many hours go into the planning and prep for each evening, and we are grateful for all of our volunteers and staff who have worked so hard to make FUSE the successful educational offering that it is. A new season of FUSE begins each year in the Fall and registration is free. Sign up below and discoverthe beauty and reverence of the Catholic faith. Ready to learn more? Review the program details below.
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The FUSE adult education process consists of three phases (Ignite, Illuminate, Inflame). Every new participant begins year 1 in Phase I and moves forward to the next phase only after completing each year. Once all three phases are complete, you are invited to come back to any of your favorite phases or encourage and join a friend to start their own journey in Phase I. Each Phase has its own dedicated location for the teachings, but we all partake in the dinner/social hour before the evening's lesson. We meet for about 24 weeks on Tuesday evenings with a few extended breaks scheduled around the holidays. Each night begins with a delicious catered dinner free of charge! Enjoying this meal time together is a vital part of forming relationships, engaging in light discussion, and cultivating community.
The dinner/social time is from 6:00-6:45 pm, with the main teaching and discussion session starting officially at 6:45 pm, lasting until 8:30 pm. A key highlight for all three phases is encouraging participation at the mid-year retreat, developed with the right atmosphere for an added depth of formation, fostering relationships, and ultimately, an intimate encounter with Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church. After completion of the 3 years, you will be counted among the growing number of FUSE alumni at the popular annual Alumni-only dinner.
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Phase I (Ignite) aims to facilitate an encounter with Christ and conversion to the Catholic Faith, instructing potential disciples in the “how and why” of being Catholic. Some source material will come from the popular faith program “The Search,” to spark and ignite the desire to learn more. The remainder of this first phase will focus on the basic foundations of the Catholic Faith. Phase I offers staff and clergy-led instruction. Depending on participation size and the need for more space, Phase I sessions have been held at St. Francis or St. Andrew’s in Brainerd.
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Inevitably, the Christian life will experience resistance from critics of the faith, whether with friends, co- workers, strangers, or one’s own family. Phase II (Illuminate) helps to build understanding and informational resources you can deploy when defending the faith. These teachings prepare our participants for evangelization by creating a deeper union with Christ in the Church through a series of apologetics. The sessions focus on strengthening our knowledge of God, his plan for humanity and salvation through his son Jesus Christ, and the purpose of the Church he founded. Here, we address the hard questions posed by opponents of the Catholic faith while illuminating the truth found in following Jesus. Phase II sessions are held at St. Francis in Brainerd.
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Phase III (Inflame) studies and trains participants with specific tools and methods that first reveal their own gifts and then further prepare them for evangelization. Participants will focus on growing in confidence to live out their heavenly identity. Phase III stretches and challenges in a way that inflames us with the burning desire of Christ to set the world on fire. Depending on participation size and the need for more space, Phase III sessions have been held at St. Francis or St. Andrew’s in Brainerd.
Please help us sustain this important work in our Mission Field!
The results have shown that not only is FUSE successful at bringing people into the Church (last year OCIA welcomed 20+ new Catholics into the Faith at Easter, and this year is trending towards 30+), but it’s also been effective at sustaining the numbers for each phase. FUSE is achieving our mission for growth in active discipleship by the laity. Our parishioners leave Phase III on mission, equipped with the tools and resources to go make more disciples, inviting in new groups and starting a fresh 3-year cycle of FUSE attendees. Because our laity has been so proactive in bringing new people into FUSE each year, we’ve witnessed an increase in our ability to reach and serve those outside the walls of the church. This is most evident in a record number of non-Catholics now enthusiastically attending each week, where they otherwise wouldn’t have been seen darkening the door of a Catholic Church. Please consider supporting FUSE by funding the meals for this next group of participants. At the incredibly low price of $10 a plate, your gift of $20 covers the meal for two new people for one night of FUSE. $500 covers a whole year of their meals. And what a gift $1,500 is to fund theirentire 3 years of meals! You have an opportunity to change the course of someone’s life and those around them in our community by helping ensure each person completes their 3-year journey and is counted among the many FUSE Alumni.