Ever feel like you don’t know where to start? Youth ministry at your parish needs a boost, or maybe you are getting ready to kick off youth ministry and you don’t know the first step? Well – Have you talked to Gladys?
You know her – the lady who organizes the rosary prayer group at your parish. She appears mild, meek and quite harmless. Only thing is, she and her comrades of the before “Daily Mass Rosary Crew” are prayer warriors and in reality are a big part the glue that holds many parishes together these days. I get asked about starting Life Teen or EDGE in a parish and what is the first step? My first response is to talk to Gladys or whatever that persons name is at your parish who heads up the Rosary group and get them offering up youth ministry at your parish in intercessory prayer. They will take on the charge of interceding for your efforts with conviction. Prayer works and the more people we get praying – the better.
Here’s what Gladys needs to know:
1. Your name and your mission – Let her know who you are and then let her know what is going on in the lives of teens and why we do what we do in Catholic youth ministry. Let her know that when a teen encounters Christ it changes everything – their family, friends, school, the parish and possibly the world in amazing ways!
2. What to pray – Ask her to specifically to get the Rosary group praying for youth ministry at your parish. If there are specific teens, adults or upcoming events – ask her to get people praying for them.
3. Let her know you are praying as well – People want to be part of a movement, so let her know that you and others are praying for the cause of youth ministry at your parish.
So who’s the Gladys at your parish and have you talked to her lately?
New blog posted for youth leaders: Have You Talked to Gladys? http://t.co/qTQ8CLAC
Have You Talked to Gladys?: http://t.co/GpYTiLVw
New blog posted for youth leaders: Have You Talked to Gladys? http://t.co/qTQ8CLAC
Don't know who "Gladys" is at your parish? Hit daily Mass, she'll be there:) http://t.co/p0az2Bqj
This was the first thing I did as a new youth minister a little over a year ago, in that first what-did-i-think-i-was-doing-when-i-signed-up-for-this-job moment. I put together a prayer to St. John Bosco that ended with a Hail Mary and a Glory Be. Then I asked all those who go to daily Mass (especially our pray-afters who are so devoted to our Lady and to the Divine Mercy chaplet) to join our Wheat Team, which is what we call our prayer team because they are the ones who ‘die to self’ in prayer for us in order that a rich harvest can be reaped by the Lord. All they have to do is pray the prayer or any prayer for youth, daily. We spread the news and now have a big group of parishioners, including some parents, praying for our youth.
This is sometimes also a good route for someone who wants to help with the youth but isn’t quite the right fit. If we don’t discern that the person’s talents lie elsewhere at the parish and instead we think that the person does have a heart for youth, just not the schedule/ability/calling to work directly with them, I ask them to join our Wheat Team and support our youth through prayer. One of these, an older, mentally-disabled man who loves the Lord and our youth (and is part of that Gladys group of people), heads up our Wheat Team and keeps them updated on what we’re doing.
And let me tell you, there are days when I just KNOW the only way it went as well as it did, or the right words were in that Core member’s mouth, etc.etc. was because of their prayers. Praise God that He chooses to use intercessory prayer for our benefit. How great is our God!