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Tag Archives: Life Nights

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Keeping Youth Ministry Fun & Alive

One of the worst things I ever hear out of my teens mouths is when they, speaking about a teacher, class, event, etc. say, “It was sooooo boring.” It sends shudders down my spine, gets me sweating and thinking, “Ohmigosh, was Sunday’s Life Night boring?? Is that what they told their friends on Monday at school?”

Having a “boring” youth group is the fear of every youth minister who is planning and making decisions about youth group for the teens and not for themselves (Let’s be honest – what adult REALLY loves the messy, wet game night? We do that for THEM!). The question, then, is how do we keep our youth ministry fun and alive even on Sundays that are not a Minute-to-Win-It night?

Life Teen Core Training

Core Training: Life Nights

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This second resource in our 8-part series covers Life Nights: Gather, Proclaim, Break and Send. Every Life Night has these four movements within them, just in a variety of creative ways to keep your teens engaged. In this resource, we will break down each movement of a Life Night: Gather, Proclaim, Break and Send. This [...]

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Curriculum Guide Introduction

Welcome to the brand new Life Teen Curriculum Guide! The goal of this resource is to help you provide systematic and complete catechesis for your teenagers while providing opportunities for evangelization and transformation as well. Each Curriculum Guide contains a semesters-worth of catechetical Life Night outlines. From Spring 2007 through Fall of 2009, Life Teen [...]

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Give It Away Now – The Can It Edition

Join Life Teen parishes on September 27, 2009 for our Second Annual Global Life Night and Food Drive! What: Global Life Night – Life Teen and Edge parishes around the world doing the same Life Night and service project When: September 27, 2009, the Sunday closest to the feast day of St. Vincent de Paul [...]

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Learning from the [Good] Parents of Reality Television

Ever since our favorite (or not so favorite) Octa-mom, Nadya Suleman, burst through the delivery room and into our homes, I have been enthralled by reality shows like 18 Kids and Counting, Jon & Kate Plus 8 and Table for 12. Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar from 18 Kids and Counting amaze me. With children [...]

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Is Your Ministry Responsive?

I was beginning my second full year as a youth minister at my parish. I was excited, having finally shaken off the shadow of my well respected predecessor I was ready to make my mark. All summer I had dreamed up different series and topics that we could do. Finally I had it – a [...]

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Set Apart: The Importance of Environment in Life Nights

As I climbed the high steps, I felt that something grand was about to happen. With each step I felt the pounding in my chest of anticipation. As I entered the large double doors my breath was taken away and my senses overloaded. All around me was an expression of the glory of God. I [...]

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Get Out of the Habit: 5 Ways to Keep Sunday Nights Fresh

Years ago I was asking some teenagers who had stopped coming to Life Nights “why they had stopped?” (which is a dangerous question to ask – your self-esteem will take a hit). Their answer astonished me – they said, “Because we do the same thing over and over, Jason.” They then made fun of a [...]

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How to Avoid the Perils of a [Dirty] Church Dance

The problem: Teenagers Dance Dirty It’s no secret that teenagers don’t really dance anymore. If the 1930s had swing, and the 1950s had the twist, then the 2000s have dirty dancing. This isn’t the Dirty Dancing of Patrick Swayze back in in 1987, where a wealthy daddy’s girl is charmed by a hunky dance teacher. [...]

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Understanding the 4 Parts of a LIFE Night

A LIFE Night is a weekly youth group meeting at a Life Teen Parish, usually held Sunday nights after Mass. LIFE Nights are structured by use the proven and successful “Gather, Proclaim, Break, Send” format. Just as the Mass has this liturgical flow – gather, proclaim, break, and send – LIFE Nights do the same. [...]