E-Newsletter
January 2008
Happy New Year! We wish you a very blessed 2008 filled with many joy-filled days!
Check out our new website!
Recently, Lighten Up! Ministries proudly launched a redesigned website for Doug Brummel and his ‘cast of characters’ and the many facets of Lighten Up! Ministries, LLC!
As always, the site will provide folks with information on Lighten Up! Celebrations, Doug and his characters, the upcoming schedule of where Doug will be presenting, and other details of the ministry. However, the new look and features on the site will merely enhance and compliment the information already available.
New features on the site include e-newsletters, an e-store, highlights of the characters, a recent news and thoughts section in which Doug and Jennifer will frequently post new and exciting information, and a ‘links to look at’ section. Additionally, there will be an opportunity for folks to provide their comments regarding Lighten Up! Celebrations too. All in all, the updated navigation map, additional pages, and brightly-colored layout is a compliment to the ever-evolving and developing ministry that Lighten Up! Ministries provides to parishes and families nationwide.
Doug Receives Service Award
Doug was honored as the second recipient of the Ad Regnum Dei Award by his alma mater, Marmion Academy in Aurora, IL. This award is given to an alumnus in recognition of exceptional public witness and service of Gospel values for the kingdom of God.
On Monday, August 20, Doug was presented this award at Marmion Academy by Fr. Joel Rippinger. Upon receiving the award, Doug and his family toured the facilities and spent time visiting with staff and faculty members.
Marmion Academy is a Benedictine all-boys Catholic High School serving the western Chicagoland area. “Marmion’s Benedictine tradition continues to be a light of Christ’s love and service in a world that often seems to be immersed in the darkness of secularism. I am forever grateful for the witness so many faculty and students gave me during me years at Marmion. It is so easy for people to talk the talk. One thing I have always respected about the Benedictines...they try very hard to live it!” Doug explains.
Hot Off The Press! Doug and Jennifer Brummel Release Children’s Book Series
Doug’s knack for telling bedtime stories to his five children has led to the release of a simply-put introduction to the Sacraments children’s book series. “The Three Sisters” and “The Three Brothers” 7-book series was written by Doug and illustrated by his wife, Jennifer Brummel with the help of their children. Each series contains seven books, each book celebrating one of the seven sacraments. Each story introduces the featured sacrament through a simple story and unique illustrations.
Children enjoy following the adventures of the three fun-loving sisters and three young brothers. They come to love the characters and look forward to seeing what they are up to next.
These easy-read books are a ‘must have’ for parents, grandparents, and teachers who want to share the basics of the sacraments in a way that will truly connect with young children. It has also proven to be a great way to catechize parents and other adults as they catechize their children.
How did the books develop?
“Several years ago, I began telling our children bedtime stories about three sisters - Betty, Lilly, and Rita- and three brothers - John, Henry, and Freddie. Each of the stories were very simple stories that taught about our Faith and emphasized the importance of family. The three sisters are named after my mom and her two sisters. The three brothers are named after my grandfathers, Jen’s grandfather, and my dad.
After a year or two of creating new stories at their bedside, I put the stories down on paper. All in all, there are over 40 stories ready to be published. Since the Sacraments are so important in our Faith, we decided to publish these two series first. Over time, we will eventually publish more of the books. For now, we are so proud to offer this ‘simply-put’ introduction to the Sacraments.” ~ Doug Brummel
How did the illustrations evolve?
“From the beginning as soon as Doug put the stories on paper, we knew that the books had to have a distinct look. The seven-book series of the ‘Three Brothers’ and the seven-book series of the ‘Three Sisters’ are just the beginning of the all the books to eventually be released. We knew the illustrations needed to be something which would be consistent in all of the books. Our desire was for the illustrations to be colorful and visually appealing to children and adults alike.
One night, after all the kids were in bed, I sat down at the kitchen table with art paper, fabric, yarn, a sketch book, and other art supplies. In a few short hours, the three sisters’ and the three brothers’ images were created. Within a short time and with a lot of input from our kids, we had a unique look that we all liked. The original cut-paper illustrations compliment the simplicity of the stories.
It has been so fun to illustrate a page and then ask for feedback from our kids. They are so honest and straight-forward with their reaction. They, too, get so excited to see the stories that their dad wrote and told them at their bedside come to life on paper!” ~ Jennifer Brummel
The books are available through our online store and at www.RiseAndShinePublications.com.