So how do you deal with it? How do you deal with the Confirmation coordinator who wants your job and thinks his/her way is better? How do you deal with it when the popcorn relay game got the maintenance staff upset? How do you deal with getting bumped off the parish hall list because there is a more important event than youth group? What do you do when your ministry becomes more of a competition?
Senior year in high school is a long series of farewells. The last dance, last pep rally, last study hall, last life night, and the list goes on. As a youth minister it can be a sad time. Some teens you have known for years and others for just a short time, but they all have made a difference in your life. When they head off to college in a few months, they will face dangers to their faith and their morals. It is important for them to know that there is someone at home praying for them
What do ketchup, spam, ho ho’s, peanut butter, eggs, soap, and pickles have in common? They make awesome games for youth ministry! Spring is fast approaching and for many in youth ministry that means (even more so now) teens will be away on vacation, involved in athletics, preparing for final exams and beginning their summer jobs. As always, families must coordinate schedules and get togethers. By the time it hits Sunday, most people are more likely to be found in bed rather than going to Mass. It is our job to get them there and to be excited about our faith. Why not spice up your life night with some wild and messy activities.
In recent years, unfortunately, the Sacrament of Penance has turned into the forgotten sacrament of the Catholic Church. The confessional has been abandoned by large numbers, and now only a few make regular use of this Sacrament of God’s mercy. As a consequence of this, people are losing their sense of sin and teens are growing up without this awesome gift. If we do not help make them aware of sin or imperfections in their lives, they will see no need to go to confession.
From an early age, people would often ask me, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” In 1st grade I wanted to be a princess … in 6th grade I wanted to be a lawyer … in 11th grade I wanted to be a psychiatrist. Then, it dawned on me, the problem with asking the question “What do I want to be when I grow up?” is that it leaves Jesus out. We should be asking “What does Jesus want for me?” or “What life will bring Jesus the greatest glory?” Then we ultimately can say, “I want what Jesus wants.”
Where did the summer go? For some, summer is already history and the teens are back in school. For others, the final weeks of summer are here and the new school year is just around the corner. But for all of us, it is time to ask yourself key questions to make sure that both you and your ministry are prepared for the fall. Are you ready? What do you need to get your ministry equipped?
Have you ever seen a 48-hour mystery special on TV? Usually they are trying to discover the missing truth and/or find a missing person. Authorities tell us that if someone goes missing, they need to be found within a 48 hour time period or the chances of finding them goes down significantly. This leaves police, detectives and eyewitnesses in a pressure-filled time frame. And just like in these mystery cases where time is a critical factor, follow up in youth ministry is also crucial.