As a Youth Minister one of the biggest parts of your job description is to teach teens the faith. Now, if the previous statement came as a shock to you . . . umm . . . well . . . you may want to chat with your Pastor. If not, then you know the pressure that comes along with this.

While many well-intentioned and “very wise” parishioners and staff members think this is easy, you know that, unfortunately, a classroom, a Catechism, and a chalkboard just don’t grab a teen’s attention like a Happy Meal, a milkshake, and a blender.

Disgusting icebreakers aside, the pressure to captivate a teenage audience is great, and nowhere is this more difficult than with a talk or teaching. It’s why we tell corny jokes, fun stories, or try to draw an analogy between the fear we get when the toilet water continues to rise and the fear we may have of evangelizing others. (And yes, I used this analogy in a talk . . . once.) Getting and keeping a teen’s attention is vital and perhaps our best strategy is when we don’t even use words at all.

Here are 3 situations when the best way to get a teen’s attention is to use one of your best tools: the dramatic pause.

1. To Drive Home a Point

   Situation: You nailed your intro about that squirrel incident. Your audience is focused, and all eyes are on you as you share about how we need to spend time in personal prayer so that we don’t go “nuts.”

   Response: All you have to do is sell your point one last time. Should you raise your voice? Should you whisper? Nope. Why even use words? Because you know that the best way to drive a home a point is to stop . . . and stare at your audience . . . saying nothing at all.

2. When You Forgot What You Were Going to Say

   Situation: You’re rolling along giving an inspirational testimony about how you came to know God when all of a sudden (maybe because you’re distracted by Timmy in the back who can’t seem to stop twitching) you forgot what you were going to say next.

   Response: The temptation can be to ramble on and on as you try to think of what you are supposed to say. But, hold on my friends; why not try the dramatic pause? Your audience will never know. While they stew in the silence pondering the depths of where you left off, you can gather yourself, reclaim your thoughts, and move on as if nothing happened.

3. For Disciplinary Purposes

   Situation: You’re delivering a profound teaching on hypostatic union that is leaving the teens hungering for more. For some reason Timmy on the back wall can’t seem to stop text messaging.

   Response: While you’d like to hope he’s sharing your talk 160 characters at a time with all his friends, you know this is highly unlikely. So, just as your mom did when you used to squeeze your little brother’s hand during the Our Father, you have no choice but to cue . . . 30-second dramatic pause with intense stare.

   Regardless of what technique you use, I think we can all agree that 1) the name Timmy has really gotten a bad rap and 2) if we want to get the message of salvation across to the teens, it’s imperative that we first get their attention.

Question: What’s your favorite way to capture a teen’s attention? (Share below)

Prince of Peace Catholic Community seeks to fill the full-time position of Associate Director for Faith Formation in Youth Ministry to implement, coordinate, and oversee the catechetical program for all Junior High and High School Youth including sacramental preparation for Confirmation. Superior communication skills are needed to interact with youth, parents, and catechists in a dual language (Spanish and English) community. Bilingual skills (Spanish and English), previous experience in faith formation (religious education) leadership and/or a background in education are preferred. This position reports directly to the Director of Youth Ministry under the pastor’s direction.

Education/Experience: Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s degree preferred (5 years experience in related ministry/school administration field considered in lieu of masters). Compensation is a competitive salary commensurate with experience and education, along with compre-hensive benefits.

]]> http://catholicyouthministry.com/associate-director-for-faith-formation-in-youth-ministry-at-prince-of-peace-catholic-community-in-houston-texas/feed/ 0 http://catholicyouthministry.com/youth-faith-formation-assistant-at-saint-lawrence-catholic-church-in-tampa-fl/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=youth-faith-formation-assistant-at-saint-lawrence-catholic-church-in-tampa-fl http://catholicyouthministry.com/youth-faith-formation-assistant-at-saint-lawrence-catholic-church-in-tampa-fl/#comments Fri, 18 May 2012 18:49:32 +0000 jobs http://catholicyouthministry.com/?p=17960 Job Description

Part-time position including weekly presence at Youth Faith Formation Classes on Sunday mornings.
Requirements/Description:
• 15 hours a week
• Fluent in both Spanish and English. Must feel comfortable speaking on the phone and face-to-face with families and the parish community.
• Top notch organizational/administration skills. The primary component of this position is to maintain well-organized paperwork systems for Youth Faith Formation (Registrations, Attendance, Sacrament Preparation,) and Safe Environment Records. Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Publisher) and familiarity with or willingness to learn proprietary parish database program (comparable to ParishSoft) and Constant Contact promotional software. Creativity a plus!
• Safe Environment Training, Fingerprinting, and Background Check required of all employees and will be completed upon hiring.

Last summer, two of my neighbors and I planted a community garden in our neighborhood. Although I spent a lot of time on my grandfather’s farm as a child, I never realized how much time and work goes into growing a successful garden. First, you have to get the soil ready and make your rows. Then you plant your seeds. In south Louisiana, you spend lots of time watering. But the water also allows the weeds and grass to grow; which can choke out and smother your vegetable plants.

I was introduced, by a friend, to a gardening fork, which helped to keep the grass and weeds out while also aerating the soil. This tool became my best friend last summer. It helped me to cultivate our garden and allow those seeds to take root and bear fruit.

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of spending some time over coffee with an old friend. This guy has been in youth ministry since Moses parted the sea (no offense Tommy!). It was really great catching up. And of course, when you get two people together, who are actively involved in ministry, the analogies started coming.

We’ve all heard that it is our job to “plant” the seed. But honestly, many times in ministry to high school teens, the seeds are planted by the time these young get to us. We didn’t have anything to do with that. It could’ve been a parent, a teacher, church camp volunteer, a priest, or anyone. More often than not, our job as high school youth ministers and Core Members is to be that gardening fork that cultivates the soil and keeps the weeds at bay.

We may only have a small part in helping that fruit to grow – we only are guaranteed four years with them. We are only a small tool in the Hand of the Gardener. We may never see the fruit. It takes lots of work and lots of people to grow a successful community garden. But everyone and every tool plays a vital role.

So when the day comes and it seems like the weeds are over growing the garden and choking out the fruit; you’re down and discouraged, wondering why you even try. Remember, the summer is still young. It’s not your garden. But you play a vital role in growing the crop! Keep pulling those weeds and turning that dirt – because like you, those seeds get their life from the Son. It’s your job to make sure the Son can affect those young seeds.

Keep on cultivating those hearts. The seeds can’t bear fruit without you! Thank you for playing a part in the Garden of Life!

“The Harvest is plentiful, but the laborers a few.” Luke 10:2

Coordinator of Music and Campus Ministry-Serving two locations in Oregon and Walbridge, Ohio

St. Jerome Parish and Kateri Catholic Schools are partnering together to offer a full-time opportunity for an individual to serve as the Coordinator of Music and Campus Ministry. The Coordinator of Music and Campus Ministry will serve St. Jerome Parish as the Coordinator of Music Ministry and Kateri Catholic School as the Coordinator of Campus Ministry. The Coordinator of Music Ministry at St. Jerome Parish is responsible for facilitating the worship life of the parish community by coordinating and providing quality liturgical experience which celebrates and strengthens the membership journey of faith through music ministry. The Coordinator of Campus Ministry will serve Kateri Catholic Schools, which includes Cardinal Stritch Catholic High School and Kateri Catholic Academy. The Coordinator of Campus Ministry is responsible for supporting the mission of the school through various programs and educational opportunities that nourish the personal relationship of the students with Jesus Christ.
The ideal candidate:
·is skilled on keyboard and vocals.
·is able to read, interpret and play traditional and contemporary music as well as to lead others into full active and conscious participation in mass.
·is capable of engaging in relational youth ministry which will help develop the faith lives of the students through retreats, service and liturgy.
·is a practicing Catholic and possesses the ability to work well with youth and adults.
·possesses a Bachelors Degree in a related field.

The ability to play the organ or other musical instruments and previous ministry experience in the Catholic Church is preferred. This one position that serves two locations and ministries is a full-time position which includes benefits.

Cover letter, resume, references, and salary requirements should be emailed to Fr. Eric Schild at eschild@katerischools.org by May 29.

You’ve been running around all week doing your usual youth ministry duties: school visits, buying supplies, and fixing the receptionist’s computer by reinstalling her version of Windows ’95. (Because “tech support” was written into your job description three years ago).

You’ve only got a couple hours until youth group starts and you realize you forgot to buy food. With only $20 left in your budget and the need to feed 200 teens, as a youth minister, you know there’s only one item that can save you now: Red Vines.

What is it about Red Vines that we as youth ministers love so much? For me, it isn’t just about the taste, the low cost, or the Grand Canyon-sized bucket that can store enough sugar-packed tubes of glory to feed a small village. No.

The thing I love the most is that they seem to last forever. You can grab two fistfuls, go back to that tub in 2 hours, and the same exact amount of Red Vines will still be there calling your name. They are like the David Copperfield of low-budget candy.

On top of this, for most teenagers, they never seem to go bad. It doesn’t matter how stale they get. You can serve them on a retreat, tuck them away in your youth ministry shed next to your extra cans of Shasta for 6 months, and whip them out again the next time you forget snack because you spent too much time cleaning the floors after that shaving cream incident. And what would happen? Teens would devour them like they were a tasty filet mignon, although maybe with a few more chipped teeth.

So, Red Vines . . . today, we praise the Lord for thee. While we’ve been keeping you in business since you came into being, you’ve been saving our youth ministry budgets since PEZ raised their prices.

Question: What’s your favorite snack to feed teens at Youth Group?

Job Description

Life Teen is looking for an organized, motivated, and creative person to manage anything and everything relating to our storefronts: satellite stores at conferences, our online store, and at our Mission District storefront in Atlanta, Georgia. Our Product Sales Coordinator (PSC) will work closely with our Executive Vice President on new product development, as well as collaborate with Life Teen’s internal Web Group and Graphic Design Group. The PSC will also work closely with customers, staff, designers and outside companies who produce and ship our products to our consumers.

The PSC position requires extensive travel. This full-time position is based in Atlanta, Georgia. The position includes full benefits and the pay is salary.

Responsibilities

• Logistics – Set up and manage satellite stores at conferences, summer camps, and at special events. The ability to manage multiple satellite sales sites and multi-task is a must.
• Hospitality – given the extensive face time with customers, the PSC must model hospitality, quality service, and be a glowing ambassador for Life Teen. The PSC will often recruit, train, and work with new people and volunteers on a regular basis.
• Development – Manage all stages of new product development under the leadership of our Executive Vice President.
• Inventory Management – optimize inventory levels that balance product availability with financial responsibility.
• Customer Service – Should be passionate about serving others, as the position will handle all email, phone and fax correspondence with customers, bulk order pricing, etc to insure the highest level of quality and customer satisfaction
• Internal Communication – oversees budget, offers monthly reports and prospectuses to Staff, aids in marketing and distribution of resources, obtains price quotes and oversees product fulfillment and communicates with different Staff Members/Teams throughout every stage of the process.

Experience

• New product development
• Retail management
• Merchandising
• Design: graphic, product and/or exhibit
• Marketing

Non-performing requirements

• An active, practicing Catholic in good standing is preferred.
• Knowledge of the Catholic faith and Church teaching.
• Background in Catholic ministry is helpful.
• Up-to-date with trends in youth culture.
• Life Teen experience is invaluable though not necessary.

Saints Peter and Paul, a small, family-oriented parish with 400+ families is seeking a dynamic, faith-filled, part-time High School Youth Minister. The ideal candidate must be passionate about ministering to youth, and must have excellent relational skills with teenagers. This is a part-time (25-30 hours per week + health and benefits) position, with additional hours permitted for retreats and other approved youth events. The ideal candidate would possess a bachelor’s degree in Theology, Pastoral Ministry, Youth Ministry, Catechetics, or a related field, have excellent relational, communication, and organization skills, and be familiar with the Life Teen program.

The High School Youth Minister would be responsible for coordinating the Parish’s High School Life Teen program, as well as the parish’s High School Junior/Senior Leadership Team (Teen Apostles) and the parish Confirmation program. Additionally, this person will work closely with the Middle School (Edge) Minister in providing continuity of pastoral care to teens.

Our youth are hungry to explore their relationship with the Lord. They are eager to engage in a community of faith that will nourish them spiritually and give them opportunities to integrate into the parish, reach out in service to others, and share the joy of the Lord. Through liturgy, planned events, service projects, retreats, and other creative programs, the Youth Minister can build relationships with the youth, minister to their families and create an environment in the parish that supports a solid Catholic spirituality and vibrant community through word and deed.

With Mothers Day approaching this Sunday, I can’t think of a better time to reflect on what our Mother means to us. I mean Mary, of course, the Blessed Mother.

Very recently I became relentlessly re-quoted by two friends because I kept repeating “but Mary is the new Eve” during a discussion about Mary. It just seemed like that connection could close the discussion from any angle.

How many of us think about it this way? We call Jesus the new Adam, which in itself is a very amazing concept. But do we make the connection between Mary and Eve? Let me highlight a few points in hopes it helps us see why Mary is our mother.

In chapter 19 of John’s gospel, we hear the following:

“When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.”

Tradition tells us this Scripture is Jesus saying Mary is our mother, the mother of all humanity. Really? Yes. Here’s the thing, if Christ’s salvific work truly makes “all things new,” then it makes sense for us to be gifted a new mother.

Eve was our first mother. We inherit original sin because she said “yes” to Satan. But through baptism, this sin is washed away. We join a new family. And Mary is our new mother.

Eve, who said yes to eating the forbidden fruit, ushered in sin, pain, suffering, and death. Mary, who said “yes” to the angel Gabriel, was the bearer of the Fruit (Jesus – “Blessed is the Fruit of thy womb”) who brought light into the world, conquered sin and death and allows redemption, salvation, and eternal life. Our world is still a fallen one (pain and suffering exist); but light prevails. We must remain in the light and avoid the darkness. Ask mom to help.

Seeing Mary as the new Eve reveals many truths about our faith. It tells us she is the Immaculate Conception, theotokos (Mother of God) and Ark of the New Covenant (Immaculate Heart). It all makes sense if she is the new Eve because the new Eve is sinless (full of Grace) and she is the perfect mother whereas Eve failed.

Upon celebrating Mothers Day, don’t forget Mary. Send her a card (rosary), have a little talk to thank her, and ask to be wrapped in her mantle (a warm, loving embrace).