The people I am in closest relationship with are those people I have taken the time to find out the answer to one important question:
Author Archives: Randy Raus
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Some Parishes . . .
Some parishes place too little value on relational ministry with teens. (Teens are relational in nature, if the Church doesn’t foster relationships with teens, they will find relationships elsewhere.)
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Are You Forming Teens Who “Shhhh”?
Last week at Life Teen Camp Covecrest one of our summer missionaries shared with a group of youth leaders how he had been active with Life Teen in high school. He shared how things really didn’t click until he started helping with middle school kids with their Edge program. One night he leaned over to a group of middle school kids who were talking and making noise during one of the teachings and said “Shhhh.” He realized at that instant he had become a leader. He knew at that moment he wanted
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Life Support and Edge Support Renewals are Due Now!
Dear Friends in Ministry, Leading Teens Closer to Christ – this is what Life Teen is about. We support and resource Catholic parishes implementing comprehensive youth ministry where the gifts of young people are not only seen as the future of the Church but as a vital part of your parish today! It is our hope that Edge and Life Teen are more than just resources or programs – we are attempting to be a movement of the Holy Spirit. At the heart of Edge and Life Teen we continue to be called
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How to Breathe Life Into a Stagnant Youth Ministry
Been a while since you changed the environment of a Life Night? Have the walls of your office become just a jog down memory lane or is it a reflection of the current group of teens? Have music playing, hang new banners, update photos and add some new paint to add new life to the spaces you hang out with teens at your parish. We serve in one of the most transformational ministries in our parishes – does the vibe of our space reflect that?
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It’s Easier To Reach Rising 9th Grade Students Now Rather Than Later!
Once they start school in the fall and get involved in all kind of school activities, it will be much harder to reach those rising 9th grade students. Here are 5 things you can do to reach out to the rising 9th grade students at your parish: 1. Visit them in Edge or their current religious education classes before the end of school and invite them to attend Life Teen this summer. 2. Have a huge summer kick-off for rising freshman at the start of the summer. Send out invitations and announce
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A Youth Leader Must…..
A Youth Leader Must…. 1. Make it about Christ and not themself 2. Strive to have ministry flow from their spirituality and not have spirituality flow from their ministry 3. Form a strong team of leaders who help them reach out to teens 4. Be living the Paschal Mystery (die to self and rising with Christ) daily 5. Be completely invested in the parish community 6. Know teens names 7. Be teachable 8. Earn and keep trust 9. Be humble and willing to get their hands dirty 10.
2012 Way of the Cross at the Colosseum – Pope Benedict XVI
Tomorrow in Rome, Pope Benedict will again lead reflections on the way of the Cross at the Colosseum. The Vatican announced March 15 that the pope had asked Danilo and Annamaria Zanzucchi to write the meditations, which are read over loudspeakers as a cross is carried through and around the Colosseum on Good Friday. Along with Chiara Lubich, the late founder of the Focolare Movement, the Zanzucchis launched the New Families project in 1967 to strengthen families and encourage their spiritual growth
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Community or Bust!
10 years ago today, we signed the papers to purchase Life Teen Camp Covecrest in Tiger, GA. I can still remember the excited feeling of our owning a camp, and the sinking feeling of hoping that our obedience to God to purchase the camp wouldn’t lead to a huge dose of humility if it didn’t work out. In no way has the past 10 years been easy in regard to the camp. Our first summer we were only able to get 31 teens to attend our first ever Life Teen Camp at Covecrest. Not until 2 years ago did we
Teens, the Pope and Christmas
A couple of weeks ago Pope Benedict XVI gave a talk to a group of students on the meaning of Christmas. Here’s part of that speech and what I think is a great reflection heading into Christmas for anyone who works with teens: Benedict XVI, Address to students December 15, 2011 What does Christmas mean to me? Is it really important for my life, for the building up of society? There are many persons in our time… who ask whether we are to expect something or someone; whether