Virtual Youth Ministry
COVID-19 protocols moved us quickly to our homes and ended large gatherings. As we do not yet know when we may be safe and open to gather, God has blessed us with time to keep connected with teens and their parents using technology! The following are just a few reminders and tips on doing this well. (Feel free to add more ideas in the comments below.) First, for all of these, make sure you have an updated and revised-as-needed "Permission for Direct Contact with Youth" so you can follow the parent's wishes. (You can find it in KEY FORMS on the Coordinators page of this site) TELEPHONE CALLS 1. Have a phone log of some sort - can be a spreadsheet on your computer or a paper-and-pen notebook. Have space to note: - date - time (start and end) - number called - with whom you spoke - notes abut the topics discussed 2. Consider writing a script before calling, even if it is just a basic check in, write down your questions and any announcements, resources or references you plan to share. Don't read the script like a robot, but it is good to have on hand to assist you should the teen or parent be quiet, and assured you will cover the same information with each call. 3. If it is safe and possible to make the calls from a parish phone, with other staffers or volunteers nearby, that is preferred. If not, make sure that your pastor/supervisor approves whatever phone line you will use and with what other adult will be nearby, and amend your "Permission for Direct Contact with Youth" Form as needed. 4. Say a prayer that the Holy Spirit will guide your words and grant the call-receiver peace. 5. Call. Listen. Be reassuring. Offer to pray for/with, if you feel comfortable. Take notes in your call log. ========================================== EMAILS and SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS 1. Use official parish accounts, or have permission from the pastor/supervisor for other accounts and amend your "Permission for Direct Contact with Youth" Form as needed. 2. Always have at least one other adult connected with each communication/monitoring the account. 3. Try not to over do it (believe me, I struggle with this when I see many things I would like to share. I try to save some items to share on subsequent days. On Facebook and a few other social media, you can schedule out posts in advance.) 4. Be sure to follow up on any comments and questions posted, if you allow them. 5. Feel free to share posts from the Vatican.va, Pontifex, the USCCB, the Diocese of Youngstown, our Catholic Charities and other diocesan offices as they support your efforts. 6. Remember, you are sharing the Gospel in all that you post! (Note: similar for Group Texting efforts!) ================================= VIRTUAL MEETINGS/GATHERINGS 1. Use official parish accounts, or have permission from the pastor/supervisor for other accounts and amend your "Permission for Direct Contact with Youth" Form as needed. Currently, the diocese does not limit what platform you can use, as we want you to work what works for you.... free options exist with FreeConferenceCall.com, Zoom, Google Meetings (Hangouts), and Facebook Live (to be done within a closed Group page, unless you just want to broadcast without interaction.... and paid options with Go To Meetings, Cisco WebEx, Flocknote, etc. (Feel free to include others you use in the comments below.) 2. Always have at least one other adult participating (and two or more for each small group if you use a program in which you will be breaking them into small groups). 3. Prepare an outline (with scripting as needed) for the gathering - opening and closing prayer, ground-rules, discussion, activity, etc. Preview any videos you plan to share. Even if it is just a casual hangout while teens discuss homework or topics they wish, make sure faith is infused. I mean, we need to recognize God as part of all our experiences, especially in ministry. 4. Practice with the platform you will be using before your actual session so that you can see how features work and what PRIVACY settings you may want to enable. 5. Make event By Invitation Only -- not posted on parish website or public forum, unless you can secure the site and approve each participant. (If you haven't yet heard, some unfortunate individuals have been Zoom-bombing wherein they disrupt sessions and occasionally post inappropriate things in an open chat, post inappropriate images in open-screen-sharing, etc. thus the need for security.) 6. Pray before you begin that the Holy Spirit will guide you and touch the hearts of the participants. 7. Have any screens (prayers, videos, resources, images, etc.) ready to share before you begin. 8. Begin... RECORD the session if possible... establish ground-rules (muting, respecting when other speak, etc.)... be reassuring and faith-filled... enjoy! 9. End on time - parents will appreciate it. You can always schedule another session if they want more time! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ May our God bless you in special ways as you explore new ways to minister to, for and with our Young Church!
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A virtual retreat for dads and those who have dads from Busted Halo (Paulist YAM) recently arrived in my emailbox. I appreciate the subject line: to celebrate relationships that continue to influence us as young adults. What a creative idea for celebrating the holiday that involves more than a text, a card or a tie. BustedHalo writes: Father’s Day is this weekend and it’s time to honor dear old Dad. Fathers share helpful advice and wisdom throughout our lives (or at least they try to.) Even if we’re too busy or stubborn to listen, dads are giving us tips on how to make our lives the best they can be. This virtual retreat helps young adults and their fathers connect with those wisdom moments and one another. You can do this retreat on your own or with your dad! Live far away? E-mail Dad the link and get on the phone, Facetime, or Skype. So, in addition to a card or gift (don’t forget!) celebrate Father’s Day with your father in a unique way. Why not take a few minutes to reflect and pray this weekend? Let me add just one brief thought as I considered: What piece of wisdom have you gotten from your dad? My father died when I was 12, but I knew that he loved his family, his community and his faith in the way he lived.... he was not only my dad, but also a brother son uncle god-father police officer usher at St. Joseph in Cuyahoga Falls Knight of Columbus (past Grand Knight), handy-man Marriage Encounter participant retreat leader neighbor and more... Through the ways in which he lived these roles, he taught me (among many other things) from an early age: Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth. (1 John 3:18) Love is not just a word, not just a noun, but a verb... and action word that has to SHOW how one feels. Of course, he was human and not perfect, he could have an Irish-temper and be moody as he body adjusted to shift-changes on the police force, but what I remember most from my chidlhood are the numerous moments of LOVE. I am so fortunate that when I pray the "Our Father" and think of God as a fatherly-figure, I do have an image of love as displayed by my father. (I am sad for those who are unable to think of the word father with appreciation and love due to less-than-positive experiences, and pray that they can make a better situation for the next generation.) I think I will now go find the Amy Grant song that comes to mind, called "Father's Eyes". She captured my heart's desire so clearly. (I may have shared this before, but it is so fitting here today.) Father's Eyes Lyrics: I may not be every mom's dream for her little girl, And my face may not grace the mind of everyone in the world. But that's all right, as long as I can have one wish I pray: When people look inside my life, I want to hear them say, She's got her father's eyes, Her father's eyes; Eyes that find the good in things, When good is not around; Eyes that find the source of help, When help just can't be found; Eyes full of compassion, Seeing every pain; Knowing what you're going through And feeling it the same. Just like my father's eyes, My father's eyes, My father's eyes, Just like my father's eyes. And on that day when we will pay for all the deeds we have done, Good and bad they'll all be had to see by everyone. And when you're called to stand and tell just what you saw in me, More than anything I know, I want your words to be, She had her father's eyes, Her father's eyes; Eyes that found the good in things, When good was not around; Eyes that found the source of help, When help would not be found; Eyes full of compassion, Seeing every pain; Knowing what you're going through, And feeling it the same. Just like my father's eyes, My father's eyes, My father's eyes, Just like my father's eyes. My father's eyes, My father's eyes, Just like my father's eyes. Songwriters: CHAPMAN, GARY WINTHUR Father's Eyes lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group Here is a video of that song, if you are interested: (And Happy Father's Day to all the dad's out there.... and to all their sons and daughters! May we all have our Heavenly Father's Eyes, and maybe our earthly father's eyes as well!) 25 C's for Evaluating Religion Internet Sites |
1. Find out from your target population (the teens, young adults, parents or larger parish community?) which they use and like. There is no sense setting up a Twitter account if no one will follow it. So, please ask key people in your target audience. If you find they use neither, ask what they do use. Perhaps your area isn't as in to Social Media, then you can stop reading this article! Or, perhaps they are using a lesser popular platform, They can teach you how to use it! You may also find they use both. Please know it is fairly easy to link your Twitter to your Facebook page (as a "person" who accepts Friends, your tweets can post onto your Newsfeed.)
2. Select a profile or cover picture that "says" something about your ministry, parish or the Church season, and do not be afraid to change it up every so often as it shows movement on the page with a quick glance.
3. Images seem to drive social media these days, so it is good to include them.... just make sure that they are appropriate, are forwarded from a trusted group/person/entity, and that they only include youth whose parents have authorized it (via the diocesan form for Direct Contact with Minors or as specified on event permission forms.) If it is a Pulbic page, it is a good practice not to use the full names of minors. If you allow them to tag themselves, that is their decision, but you need not list them.
4. Videos are also images, so let me add that you should fully review any and all videos before you post them. Make sure the entire video (including bumper ads at the end) are consistent with Church teachings. Add a comment about why you are sharing it.
5. Post or Tweet regularly - not 100 times a day where you may annoy people, but at least a couple of times per week so that you keep in your friends/followers/likers newsfeed and notifications.
6. Do not be afraid to include catechetical moments, like forwarding Saint of the Day, readings of the day, reflections by theologians and Catholic authors, etc. Even with Twitter, you can make a brief comment then link to a site/video/page with deeper content.
7. When people comment, like or post, be sure to like or reply so that they know their presence was noticed.If someone posts something inappropriate or out of line with Catholic teaching, be sure to follow up with that person one-on-one to discuss it (and possibly why you had to remove the post/comment.)
8. If possible, have a team working on the social media or at least ask key members of your target audience to post and reply regularly so that it does not all fall to one person. And make sure that your pastor/supervisor is aware of your social media efforts, even if he/she isn't personally connected, they should be aware of this aspect of your ministry.
9. Include things that will help readers live lives of faith! That is the point, right? So just be sure not to forget that. While you may want to promote programs and services or build virtual relationships to strengthen face-to-face relationships, we are in ministry to help people see Jesus at work in their daily lives, so our social media efforts should support this!
"The revolution taking place in communications media and in information technologies represents a great and thrilling challenge; may we respond to that challenge with fresh energy and imagination as we seek to share with others the beauty of God." ~ Pope Francis, From the Vatican, 24 January 2014, the Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales.
10. I'll leave this one to you...what would be one thing YOU would add to this list? (Post in the comments below). Since we are in this together and exploring this new world for evangelization, we learn from each other and support each other.
If you are not already connected with the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry social media, please do so. You can follow on Twitter:
@YoungInYtown
and on Facebook, there is an office page to "like":
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Youth-and-Young-Adult-Ministry-Diocese-of-Youngstown/155428204509463?ref=hl
and groups for Youngstown Youth Ministers, DOY-YAM for young adults, and some program specific groups. Check them out or "friend" me at:
https://www.facebook.com/youngstownyouth.youngadults
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Want to read more about the Church and Digital Evangelization? Check out these resources:
1. "Social Networks: portals of truth and faith; new spaces for evangelization."
Pope Benedict XVI, Message for World Communications Day 2013
http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/messages/communications/documents/hf_ben-xvi_mes_20130124_47th-world-communications-day.html
2. Communication at the Service of an Authentic Culture of Encounter
Pope Francis, Message for World Communications Day 2014
http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/communications/documents/papa-francesco_20140124_messaggio-comunicazioni-sociali.html
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If you are looking for guidelines and information shared at diocesan conferences and trainings, look at the office page on Technology and Ministry:
http://youngstownoyyam.weebly.com/technology-and-ministry.html
At the times listed below, just log on to
http://www.ncyc.info/index.htm
and look for the Live Streaming section
(Know that our very own Bishop George V. Murry, S.J. is scheduled to lead the Friday morning prayer, so that would be a great one for you to check out!)
Note: all times are approximate depending on schedule adjustments onsite.
Thursday, November 21
- 8:00 PM EST: Opening General Session (Jesse Manibusan, Israel Houghton, and Matt Maher)
- 9:00 AM EST: General Session 1 (Bob Perron -- prayer with Bishop Murry approximately 10:15!)
- 11:45 AM EST: Workshop A20—Chastity, Teens, and Parenting (Jason Evert)
- 1:45 PM EST: Workshop B20—The Bible, Your Family, and You (Mark Hart)
- 3:45 PM EST: Workshop C20—Engaged or Enraged? Parents, Teens, and Faith (Mike Patin)
- 8:00 PM EST: General Session 2 (Jackie Francois)
- 9:00 AM EST: General Session 3 (Ansel Augustine)
- 11:45 AM EST: Workshop D20—What Your Teen Wants You to Know...But Doesn't Tell You! (Roy Petitfils)
- 8:00 PM EST: Closing Session and Mass (Archbishop Joseph Tobin, presider and homilist)
You may catch some of our delegation sporting the diocesan hooded-sweatshirt seen above.
Praying for each of us to be ever grateful that we are "Signed.Sealed.Delivered"
-- Blessings, Cindee
+ Loyola Press 3-minute retreat
A different daily theme with image and Scripture. If I cannot find at least 3 minutes to pray, then I am in the wrong line of work ;-) Here is today's:
http://www.loyolapress.com/3-Minute-Retreat-wounded-healers.htm?updatedate=7/7/2013%206:30:09%20AM&utm_campaign=3-minute-retreat-daily-email&utm_medium=link&utm_source=email-link
+ The Five Loaves
A weekly reflections "between Sundays" with reflections from various ministers with related song.
http://www.thefiveloaves.com/
+ St. Anthony Messenger Saint of the Day
A brief bio of a saint celebrated that day along with a prayer. I often post these on my Facebook page for teens and young adults to read as well.
http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/SaintofDay/default.aspx
And one for your teens:
+ Any Given Sunday from the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston,
a free weekly, lectionary based reflection by various youth leaders and artists. I have posted a few of these on my Facebook page as well for teens.
http://www.anygivensundayproject.com/
Let me know what some of your favorite online resources are as well!
*** Note: The Office Blog is now inactive, but posted for continued reference as needed (6/30/21) ***
Cindee Case, MPS
Former Director of the Diocese of Youngstown Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry (2/2002 - 6/2021)
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