![]() As we constantly look for ways to connect the Gospel message and our Catholic faith to daily life, I LOVE this idea of connecting board games to Scripture (and related teachings.) There is a 12 week curriculum for children's ministry found at http://www.childrens-ministry-deals.com/collections/frontpage/products/board-games-12-week-childrens-curriculum that I think has easy applications in working with teens --- develop your own ideas related to the following for your next youth ministry or family game night: Games You Should Play: Chess: Everyone has a role to play in the Body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 Chutes & Ladders: Ups and downs, the story of Joseph. Genesis 40 Connect Four: Connect yourself and others to Jesus. John 1:43-51 Life: Solomon made wise choices. 1 Kings 3:4-15 Sorry: Jesus teaches what it means to really apologize. Matthew 5:23-24 Trouble: The story of Moses. Exodus 2:11-15 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Games You Shouldn't Play: Battleship: Stop destroying others through gossip. James 3:3-10 CandyLand: Solomon teaches against pursuing fun & pleasure all the time. Proverbs 14:12 Checkers: David wasn't willing to "jump" to get ahead. 1 Samuel 24:1-7 Hungry Hippos: Jesus warns us about being greedy. Luke 12:13-21 Jenga: Don't carry your burdens alone. Exodus 18:13-24 Operation: Jesus teaches us to remove the plank from our own eye first. Matthew 7:1-5 They have more ideas at: http://pinterest.com/kidmindeals/board-games-childrens-ministry-curriculum/ How about discussing Matthew 25 while playing MONOPOLY? Can choose adding homes and hotels in ways that help others rather than only your own greedy gain. WHAT IDEAS CAN YOU ADD?
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![]() How many young people were confirmed at your parish this year? Last year? The year before that? How many of these teens are currently active in the parish? If your answer wasn't "all of them" or 80%, or even 50%, I hope you wonder: what is going on? These young people spent time learning about their Baptismal promises and have been equiped with the gifts of the Holy Spirit -- we need them to be active in our faith communities! While not yet fully "adult" in some ways, there are MANY ways they can offer their gifts in service to our Church. Liturgical ministries like lector, serving, music and ushers/ministers of hospitality should be open to them. Assisting with catechetical ministries like VBS, CCD, and peer ministries may appeal to several of them. Social action and justice efforts can use their energies. And, of course, all aspects of youth ministry should be welcoming them! Also, the young people need the Church as they undergo some of the most confusing moments of their lives in regards to establishing their personal identities, negotiating family and romantic relationships, discerning future plans, and surviving the stresses of high school (bullying, popularity, peer pressures, homework, practices/rehearsals, and so on.) The Catholic Faith has answers to many of their pressing questions.... we have strategies to get through the rough times... we have decision-making tools to share... and we have potential mentors to live as disciples of Jesus in a world desperately in need of them! This summer, why not take some time with your team to plan ways to reach out to these recent-confimands to personally invite them to be part of the faith community now as fully-initiated members? Get them to some summer youth ministry events and shower them with the love of God so that they will want to return and be involved. Also, begin planning for the next Confirmation Preparation program. It should lead not only to the Sacrament, but to involvement and engagement in the faith community after the celebration. Far too many youth and their parents see Confirmation as graduation from religious education... do we add to that mentality? Or do we see it as an exciting springboard for youth ministry opportunities? May we allow the Holy Spirit to work with us and through us. Pardon my liberties with this prayer: Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful youth ministers and kindle in us the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and connections for our recent Confirmands shall be created. And You shall renew the face of our parish. ![]() How do you honor the teens at your parish about to graduate from high school? I have heard many great ideas from parishes in our diocese and around the country, such as: -- Setting aside a Sunday Mass at which they are called up and prayed over with a blessing that helps send them into the next phase of life. -- A special Mass for all teens and their families wherein the seniors are honored with a gift (College Study Bible, cross or crucifix they can hang on a wall in their dorm/apartment/room, a plaque with a meaningful saying on it, etc.) -- Seniors invited to speak to eigth graders about the imporantance of living the faith in high school (yes, it is a favor you ask of them, but still an honor to be asked as the 8th graders will love them!) -- Getting their physical address in September to send cards, parish bulletin, pictures, or a batch of homemade cookies (this is important not only to those who may be away at college or in the military, but also to keep the locals connected with your community!) Also good to send a Christmas card...and Easter... What other ideas would you like to share? Email to [email protected] P.S. Also, please do not forget to have those planning to attend college in Ohio complete and submit the card found at: http://www.cdeducation.org/oym/cm/connection.htm P.S.S. Ideas and a Blessing of Graduates posted at: http://www.nfcym.org/resources/ymrm/gradbless.htm (added 6.2.13) ![]() As I saw this image today on Facebook, I immediately hit "Share" and added: GREAT QUESTION! Today, I strive to be good soil. Later, I decided to add a link to the scripture reference (http://usccb.org/bible/matthew/13 ), a YouTube video of the parable being shared in a movie and a YouTube video of a brief homily on the reading. I then realized what a great catechetical tool Facebook CAN be....we know it works well for sharing information, playing games, sharing recipes, etc. But, if we INTENTIONALLY plan mini-lessons plans with links to good videos, readings, articles, etc., how much learning can we encourage our teens/families to do?! The possibilities are endless. This approach removes some barriers (no time to be at CCD/PSR/PREP/religious ed... no access to internet in your classroom or meeting space...they can 'share' it with their friends, if they are so bold....parents can see what is being covered...), however, this only works for those who have 'wired teens' with smart phones, tablets or computers with Internet, so you can decide if this can work in your area. Ela Milewska, Project Coordinator for the National Initiative on Adolescent Catechesis has been playing with the idea of setting up a Facebook group page only for catechesis, wherein a parish could post all the "boring details" for programs in one area, but then take advantage of remote-formation by posting links for prayer, content and reflection. Students can then review the material PRIOR to coming together and spend time in discussion when gathered (great bonus for introverts who need more time to process before sharing!) I loved this idea, and still may ponder those possibilities.... in the meantime, however, I want to continue "sowing seeds" in my posts. Please share how YOU have been using technology to help educate and form our young people and their families? PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT -- -- Recordings from Conferences Since we cannot all afford the time and money to attend every great national conference, despite knowing we could expand our knowledge and skills, have you considered purchasing recordings of sessions from those conferences? Here are two examples of workshops that I have gotten to learn from even if I was not able to attend: 1. "LA Congress" (took place Feb. 2013) in Anaheim, CA) The Archdiocese of Los Angeles' Religious Education Congress HUGE gathering on the west coast featuring some of the most cutting edge speakers in our Church (Does not include Youth Day, however). http://cscrecording.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=86&zenid=c5abd18d90e318206c5b30fe9187a0ed 2. "NCCYM" (took place in December 2012 in Orlando, FL) National Conference on Catholic Youth Ministry Sponsored by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry http://www.catholicseminars.com/nccym.aspx In my dream world, I envision a Catholic parish with vibrant Eucharistic Liturgies -- 3 per weekend with different music styles/choirs/cantors but with mostly the same songs all connected to the readings and Liturgical year, with Ministers of Hospitality of all ages greeting everyone who enters and people seated in the pews looking up and smiling --or at least giving a cordial head-nod- as others join (unless their head is bowed in brief personal prayer as they kneel before the alter, then they look up an smile.) After faithful proclamations of the Word, a homily that tries to tie the scriptures to life experiences of participants of many ages, and a holy Eucharistic feast, participants exit and are thanks for coming by the Ministers of Hospitality even as family members and friends gather to greet one another....perhaps heading towards coffee and doughnuts, a parish meal, or continuing education.
At this dreamed of parish, at a New Parishioners welcoming celebration, they receive a Parish Handbook with the many programs, ministries and groups listed with contact information, and complete a survey asking for his/her gifts, skills, interest, etc. The Staff members later that same week then follow up with the new parishioners with a phone call or greeting card (or both?) with suggestions of the programs, ministries and groups they might like....and the Staff gives the leaders of the same contact information for new parishioners they may want to invite. AND, this same parish walks through the SAME New Parishioner Information with all the post-confirmation students soon after the sacrament, so that these new fully-initiated "adults" in the Church are aware of the variety of opportunities they have to be full, active and conscience participants.... ah, yes, as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stated so well decades ago, I have a dream! The best part is that this last part of the dream can still happen even if the first two parts do not....all confirmation coordinators/ youth ministers can have a post-confirmation session focused on the next steps and helping the teens (perhaps also their parents and sponsors?) see that they may have "graduated" -- but now they move into taking steps to adulthood in the Church! After all, graduation is not an end, but a new beginning! Take the time to celebrate past accomplishments, but be sure to plan for the next steps! As the Christmas season comes to a close this weekend with the Baptism of the Lord, it saddens me that so many households packed away their trees, lights, and decorations -- some on December 25th or 26th, when the season was just getting started.
In contrast, I rejoice when I hear things like: + Our youth ministry went Christmas caroling at a nursing home on January 5th (which by the way is perfect as it is still Christmas season for we Roman Catholics and near the Feast of the Epiphany, but also the celebration of Christmas for Eastern Churches, so is still very timely! + Our parish celebrated Epiphany with a party, rather than squeezing one more thing in December when it is actually Advent. + Between Christmas and New Year, our youth get together to write out Happy New Year cards for military personnel. How did YOU help celebrate the Christmas season this year, during the actual season? What ideas might you consider planning for next Christmas? MERRY CHRISTMAS! ![]() WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE YOUTH MINISTRY "THING" DURING THE SUMMER? Despite summer school classes, seasonal jobs and family vacations, there still seems to be such wonderful opportunities in youth ministry over the summer. Many will load up buses to trek up to Cedar Point or over to Kennywood....others will take in a baseball game with the Indians, Aeros, Scrappers or Pirates....some great Bible studies and movie discussion nights will take place....teens will help with Vacation Bible Schools and go on mission trips. ALL are great times for catechesis, evangelization, pastoral care, community life, advocacy, leadership development, service a prayer! What is YOUR favorite, and why? (Please post as a "comment" below) I found this concise guide for helping young people analyze the media....Thanks Itaca!
KEY QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN ANALYZING MEDIA MESSAGES www.projectlooksharp.org www.namle.net AUDIENCE & AUTHORSHIP Authorship Who made this message? Purpose Why was this made? Who is the target audience (and how do you know)? Economics Who paid for this? Impact Who might benefit from this message? Who might be harmed by it? Why might this message matter to me? Response What kinds of actions might I take in response to this message? MESSAGES & MEANINGS Content What is this about (and what makes you think that)? What ideas, values, information, and/or points of view are overt? Implied? What is left out of this message that might be important to know? Techniques What techniques are used? Why were those techniques used? How do they communicate the message? Interpretations How might different people understand this message differently? What is my interpretation of this and what do I learn about myself from my reaction or interpretation? REPRESENTATIONS & REALITY Context When was this made? Where or how was it shared with the public? Credibility Is this fact, opinion, or something else? How credible is this (and what makes you think that)? What are the sources of the information, ideas, or assertions? Gearing up for Summer Programming!
As many schools and other programs start to wind down for the summer, most youth ministry programs are gearing up for months of opportunities for the teens. So, how many of you will be.... + Going to Cedar point for a fun day (and possibly catechesis and prayer on the bus)? + Going on a mission trip and/or holding local days of service? + Having sports-outings (i.e. to see the Areos or Indians, or to play)? + Having swim parties or hiking treks? + Taking advantage of outdoor labyrinths and other prayer walks? + Inviting teens to help with Vacation Bible School events? + Participating in The Fest, Alive, or other outdoor Catholic/Christian festivals? + Particpating in retreats and summer conferences? What else??? |
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*** Note: The Office Blog is now inactive, but posted for continued reference as needed (6/30/21) ***Cindee Case, MPSFormer Director of the Diocese of Youngstown Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry (2/2002 - 6/2021) Archives
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