Recently, a colleague shared the following Youth Night Outline with me and asked if it could be used at his parish. I told him, yes.... just line up objectives from the The Diocese of Youngstown Curriculum for Catechesis. Using Scripture with Lectio Divina processing and praying the Apostle's Creed area always good things to do with youth! With just a quick glance, I thought that the following objectives that could be covered within the session with a few tweaks: HS 1.24 HS 3.6 HS 3.7 HS 3.16 HS 3.34 HS 3.53 After watching the video, you could also include HS 4.23 HS 4.24 HS 4.26 HS 3.52 Look it over and tell me which other objectives you might include? What would you do differently to make this session work better for the teens in your ministry setting? (Please use the COMMENT button to add your thoughts and ideas.) Youth Night Acts of the Apostles Purpose of the Night This youth night is designed to give the teens a better knowledge and understanding of the Acts of the Apostles. Our Church is built upon the witness of these very first apostles and we can learn a lot from them. We can obviously learn about the development of church teaching, but more importantly, we can learn how to apply their witness into the witness of our lives. Supplies needed Bible for each small group Paper and pencils for each small group Random items (see below in Preparation) Environment The environment for this night should depict the importance of witnessing, both by the apostles and saints, but also modern day witnesses. Display pictures around the room of apostles and saints. Also, include some signs with Scripture verses and quotes pertaining to witnessing. Also put up some pictures of witnesses today. These can be well known people, or simply just individuals in our everyday lives. At the front of the room, place an open Bible on a table and large cross with red cloth draped over it symbolizing the blood of the martyrs. Preparation Snacks/fellowship time (20 minutes) Before diving into the topic, have snacks or even a meal available for the youth as they arrive. Play fun music while youth are coming in. Allow them time to socialize with their friends as well as to meet any new people. Be sure to have yourself as well as any core team mingle among the kids and reach out especially to anyone who may be new. This time would also be a good time for any announcements as well as announcing any birthdays. Small Group Skits (20 minutes) Divide the youth into small groups. Gather a bunch of really random items and place the items at the front of the room. Examples of items can include stuffed animals, a role of tape, a golf club, or a coffee filter. Have a representative from each group select three items. Each group will act out the story of Pentecost found in Acts 2:1-4. They will have to incorporate their three items in some way in the skit. Also, each group will act out their skit in a different genre. Genres can include documentary, western, sci-fi, silent film, sitcom, talk show, news broadcast, musical, etc. Write the genres down on separate pieces of paper and have the groups each select one at random. Give the groups about 10 minutes to create their skits and then gather them back to present them. Introduction of the Topic (5 minutes) Transition the youth into the main space to begin the night. The youth minister will begin by introducing the topic of the Acts of the Apostles. Explain briefly the importance of the early apostles and their witness in the early church. Proclamation Proclamation verse: “But you will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” – Acts 1:8 Opening Prayer (5 minutes) Reading (Acts 1:6-9) A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles When they had gathered together they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority. But you will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” When he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight. Prayer Heavenly Father, We come before you this day in thanksgiving for the witness of the early Apostles. Lord, come into our hearts during this time that we might be inspired by their witness to live for you in our everyday lives. We ask this in your name. Amen. (Optional) If you have a musician who can begin the night with a praise and worship song, that could be used as the opening prayer Explanation Video: “Evidence” (5 minutes) (This video can be found on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPHe51B7Z00) Teaching (10-15 minutes) Choose a speaker to talk to your group about this topic and its importance in our lives. The speaker can be the youth minister, a core member, a parish priest or deacon, a guest speaker, or anyone who you feel may be qualified to speak on the topic. You can use the outline below to provide some thoughts for this talk. Processing the video: The importance of being a witness - When watching this video, how did it make you feel? What was going through your head as this girl was on trial and what were your thoughts on the verdict? Can you relate to the video at all? - Now obviously, it is not illegal to be Catholic in our country today. However, there are a number of obstacles that we face in our everyday lives that make it difficult to witness to our faith. The witness of the Apostles - In Acts 1:8, just before Jesus ascends to heaven, He stood before His apostles and said “But you will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Jesus makes a promise to His Apostles that they will receive the Holy Spirit and will become witnesses to the faith. - In Acts 2:1-4, we read of the event of Pentecost where the Holy Spirit comes upon the Apostles and inspires them to fearlessly go out and proclaim Christ to the world. The Acts of the Apostles gives us a glimpse into the mission of the apostles following in the footsteps of Christ. - We hear a number of miraculous occurrences such as the conversion of 3000 people by the apostles right after Pentecost (Acts 2), Peter healing to crippled man (Acts 3), Philip converting the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8), Paul restoring a dead man to life (Acts 20), as well as so many more things. On top of this, we also hear of so many stories of heroic virtue as the apostles stopped at no cost to follow the will of Christ which eventually lead to martyrdom for most. Our own witness in our lives - In our own lives, we can learn a lot from the apostles and can apply much of what they said and did in our very own life. It’s hard to be a witness. It’s hard to publicly stand up and follow Christ fully in the midst of everything that goes on. Often times, we can feel like we are on trial, just like in the video. - However, Christ has commissioned us just as He commissioned His disciples. He speaks those same words to us that we find in Acts 1:8 – “But you will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” The Lord is with us and He freely gives us His Holy Spirit to inspire us to carry out His will. Let us not be afraid to listen to Him and witness to Him in our lives. Application Small Groups (15-20 minutes) Lectio Divina Each person in the group will receive a slip of paper with the Scripture passage below on it and a pencil. The group leader or one of the youths should read the passage aloud. Take about 30 seconds to silently think about it. Have it read again. Take about a minute to silently meditate upon it and encourage the group take notes or underline key words that might stick out. Have it read one final time and then begin to discuss. Acts 1:6-8 – “When they had gathered together they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority. But you will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Small Group Questions o Was there a word or phrase from this passage that really stood out or jumped out to anyone? o What is the meaning of this passage? o What does Jesus mean when He says “you will be my witnesses”? o How do His followers ultimately respond to that call of being a witness? o In our lives, we all have the same call to go out and be witnesses in our everyday lives. What does it mean to witness to the faith? o Jesus calls us to witness to our faith by leaving behind everything we have and spreading the gospel around the world. Some have taken this call quite literally and have become missionaries to foreign countries or other extreme callings. For those of us (the majority of Christians) who do not have this calling, how can we witness to the faith in everyday life? o How can we be a witness in our school, on our sports teams, within our groups of friends, or within our families? o Why is witnessing to the faith so important? What benefit is there for us? o What are some practical ways in which we can witness to our faith today? Celebration Teen Witness (5 minutes) Gather the whole group back together and invite one of your youth, preferable an older one who is maybe a junior or a senior to share a brief personal witness on how their life has been impacted by the Lord and how they have been called to live out their faith. Meet with them ahead of time to go over their witness. While writing their witness, have them pray with Acts 1:8 to see how their own life can relate to that of the apostles. Closing prayer (5 minutes) If possible, transition the group into a separate space to close out the night. The ideal location would be in the church if available. Invite the youth to quietly make their way in and have a seat. The youth minister should take a minute to prayerfully recap the whole night. After the recap, take some time to enter into some silence and allow the youth to voice any intentions they have. Close with reciting the Apostles Creed:. I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Amen ==================================== By the way, did you know that the Curriculum can be found online (you do not only have to view it in the office of your pastor of Director/Coordinator of Religious Education! You can download a copy or just view it online whenever you wish.) http://catechistcafe.weebly.com/curriculum-for-catechesis.html catechistcafe.weebly.com/curriculum-for-catechesis.html
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1/4/2016 Follow Up from a Large Event (NCYC, DYC, retreat, March for Life, Mission Trip, etc.)Read NowDuring the last workshop round at the 2015 National Catholic Youth Conference, I participated in a "What Now" session with teens and adults from the Archdiocese of Dubuque. A pastor, youth minister and 4 youth shared their experience of the previous NCYC and how they took the energy and learnings back to their parish. They then invited all participants to consider what they may do after leaving NCYC.... and invited them to select one of the following areas in which to focus: What do I want to work on after NCYC? - Improve prayer life - Improve charitable actions - Grow YM at parish - Teach others about the faith - Liturgical ministries - Be more active in parish in general - Overcome challenges in life - Improve relationships Teens gathered in small groups around each of these areas and brainstormed ways they can take action back home. I thought this was a GREAT way to start bridging the experience with some practical ideas, and that while this was NCYC specific at the time, how it can easily be adapted for any large event. Consider it when you are busing back from the March for Life, or before leaving your retreat, or after attending the next Diocesan Youth Convention (DYC) or mission trip. (It is also not too late to gather your NCYC participants, if you went, to do this activity... after spending a little time reminiscing about the General Sessions, Camp Techakwitha, Prayer rooms, and break-outs, then ask them how they would like to build upon the experience in the New Year!) I have often seen that a "mountaintop experience" can have a tremendous impact on a young person. We may want to be like Peter, James and John at the Transfiguration who wanted to build a tent and stay there (Matthew 17).... but we must go back home and rejoin our 'regular' lives at school, work and with family and friends. However, pulling from another chapter of Matthew's Gospel (13), the large events are opportunities to sow seeds. If the seeds of the experience are not nurtured and fed, they quickly die... we must help our young people tend to the seeds so that they can bear great fruit for the individual, but even for our faith communities! "But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.” (Matthew 13: 23) One month after my pilgrimage to Philadelphia, I am still processing the experience. There were many blessings! After the lovely drive across Pennsylvania (even if I did not enjoy that long tunnel with construction going on), I participated in the Catholic Parent Revival on Wednesday, September 23 at St. Peter the Apostle Parish (which also houses the National Shrine of St. John Neumann, where his body now lies in state, enclosed in glass under the altar.) We listened to personal witnesses of married couples who integrated faith into raising their children. Thanks Jenni and Steve Angrisano, Maggie and Bob McCarty, and John Angotti. We were also invited to talk with fellow participants and pray for each other. To read more about the parish/shrine, visit: http://www.stjohnneumann.org/parish.html To learn more about CPR, visit: http://www.strongcatholicfamilies.org/cpr/ You can also watch a recording of the CPR session that took place the next night near Philly: http://livestream.com/OCPLiveStream/24-CatholicParentRevival and know that Dave Schmidt, Director of Pro-Life, Marriage and Family and I have discussed adapting the program to support families here in our diocese, so look for more on that in 2016. On Thursday, after an educational visit to ther Liberty Bell and Independance Hall (hey, when in Philly...), where we saw the preparations for the Papal visit that would take place there days later, we went to the World Meeting of Families and were fortunate enough to see Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Archbishop of Manila, speak with such passion and joy. He discussed how we all have wounds and hurts, which can be great opportunities to rely on God. These woulds also help us to better witness to the saving power of God to others. You can watch a recording of his session, and several other session from the WMOF on their website: http://www.worldmeeting2015.org/the-latest/congressvideos/ These recordings are great for those who were not there to be inspired and learn from the sessions, and serve as great reminders for those who were there. (You may need to be patient as they begin or fast forward to the speaker you want to hear/see.) It was interesting to see how many vendors and organizations exhibited at the WMOF. Some of the same I see at youth ministry events, lay ministry conferences and education convocations, while others were new to me. It is reassuring to know that there are so many resources around wanting to support the Domestic Church! On Friday, I met up with the busloads of Youngstown folks who traveled with Wednt to see the theatrical production of "Joseph." Oh my goodness, the Sight and Sound Theater truly invests in the productions there, with support sound and staging. Also, real animals! The show also gave me new aspects of the Joseph story to ponder. If you are ever in the Lancaster, PA area, this is a worthy investment. Visit their website at: https://www.sight-sound.com/WebSite/home.do We then enjoyed family-style dinner at the Hershey Farm Restaurant and Inn near the theater. What a fun evening discussing the play and to upcoming weekend plans with folks from Blessed Sacrament Parish (and others on the bus from there!) Saturday brought the Festival of Families. This meant creative planning for transportation and packing for the day, but it was all worth it. Security lines moved along smoothly, over 3,000 port-a-pots were available, food vendors lined some streets, and jumbotrons helped those of us without tickets enjoy the entertainment, pray along, and view the parade. I decided to settle in with a busload from the Solon area at JFK part near the Love Sign. There, we were fortunate to see Pope Francis go by in his Popemobile TWICE! It was amazing! (The picture above gives you one glimpse of my view.) On the jumbotron, we enjoyed: Nigeria/Igbo Community @ St. Cyprian Viva Mas Mutya Philippine Dance Company St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Community Oscuro Quintet Everything Fitz Joe Castillo Jackie Evancho (not sure why some Disney songs, but sounded lovely) Matt Maher American Dance Wheels Sister Sledge (We are Family!) Jim Gaffigan (a few family-themed laughs) MC Mark Wahlberg The Philadlephia Orchestra Comments and pray by the Holy Father Aretha Franklin The Fray Andrea Bocelli (oh, that Lord's Prayer was fantastic!) Juanes (although, I will admit, we started to head to the train station during his performance, nothing against him, it was just getting late!) You can read more about some of these performers at: http://www.worldmeeting2015.org/papal-center/festival-of-families/ We (we being most often my sister, Jenn, by the way, who traveled with me) went to the Cathedral where there was a temporary grotto dedicated to Mary, Untier of Knots, who is one of Pope Francis' advocates. They had strips of cloth on which to write the situation or people suffering with "knots" that need untied. These clothes were then hung around the grotto (or being knit into a tapestry, as you can see in the photo below of the woman at work.) It was a powerful place of prayer. Sunday brought a lot of time to meet people from all around the globe as I chose the wrong side of the city to enter (retrospect, hundreds of thousands of us did not know at the time what was going on as security checkpoints were moving very slowly, being closed, redirecting people to another checkpoint, etc. for hours... while on the north side, they seemed to get inside in 30 - 120 minutes.) We gave up after a few hours, but not before meeting lovely faith-filled people from many states and countries. We also clapped along and sang a bit. While I did receive text messages from friends who made it inside, we watched the parade from ComCast Center (where I was interviewed by a Philly paper and while misquoted, they spelled my name right, ha!), then settled in for a while near JFK Park. It was an interesting juxtiposition to have thousands sitting and sitting, attentive to a jumbotron while some vendors still tried to peddle their wares. Latter, we paused near City Hall and the thousands of Catholics who had celebrated Mass there, before heading back to the train station. It wasn't the day I planned or hoped for, and I really didn't fell like I was part of Mass, but I was very much part of a larger community that made the best of the situation and were singing and responding and celebrating! Oh, I almost forgot, I also did my best to watch some of the coverage of the Holy Father addressing various audiences. I LOVED the address to the Congress. To have selected such different Americans to help make his points was inspired. It was challenging and motivating. Thank you for bringing forth some of the teachings and words of Abraham Lincoln, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton. I also watched Pope Francis as the prison. Watching a work of mercy on TV was awesome. If you missed (or want to read to review) any of the Holy Father's addresses or Homilies, know that theey are posted on the USCCB site at: http://www.usccb.org/about/leadership/holy-see/francis/papal-visit-2015/2015-papal-visit-speeches-homilies.cfm They also have a few on video to watch at: http://www.usccb.org/about/leadership/holy-see/francis/papal-visit-2015/papal-visit-2015-video-on-demand.cfm I am sure that aspects of the pilgrimage will continue to occur to me, as the messages I heard and images I saw sink deeper into my soul. THANK YOU to everyone who has allowed me to share some of my story, and for those who have shared their experiences as well as that helps me consider additional insights! In any event, may we all be blessed by the visit of the Holy Father to our country. I'll end this post with the final words of Pope Francis at the Closing Mass in Philadelphia: Anyone who wants to bring into this world a family which teaches children to be excited by every gesture aimed at overcoming evil – a family which shows that the Spirit is alive and at work – will encounter our gratitude and our appreciation. Whatever the family, people, religion or region to which they belong! May God grant that all of us may be prophets of the joy of the Gospel, the Gospel of the family and family love, as disciples of the Lord. May he grant us the grace to be worthy of that purity of heart which is not scandalized by the Gospel! Amen. 25 C's for Evaluating Religion Internet Sites |
Being a Catholic allows me to freely share my relationship with God with those around me and gives me the lessons needed to further that relationship each and every day. – Christian
I like the reverence and the outreach the Catholic Church has in the community. –Vince
I like being Catholic because it gives me a sense of belonging and purpose. It has provided opportunities for me to help people. –Kayla
I like that the Church follows traditions that have been around for so many years. -- Emily
I am blessed at each Mass by receiving Jesus in the Eucharist. This is what I like about being Catholic! -- Hannah
I like the feeling of togetherness I feel as a member of the Catholic Church. -- Katie
I like being Catholic because it shapes my character in the most positive way and always gives hope. -- Nicholas
I enjoy the opportunity to be closer to God every Sunday. -- Abigail
I enjoy learning about & sharing my faith with others -- Justin
The Church has many role models, the saints & the people in my everyday life. As St.JP II said, “Do not be afraid to be Saints!” - Rachel
I like being Catholic because all Catholic beliefs on major issues are reinforced and proven by reason and science. - Patrick
I like being Catholic because of the opportunities it has to offer, through the sacraments, and the community. - Douglas
I can go to Mass anywhere and feel as though I am part of a larger community. I love that we are called to live our faith in service to others & any moment of the day I can say a prayer knowing that He hears me. – Megan
I like being Catholic because of the unity that I feel in the sacraments and in the participation of the Mass.
-- Noah
I like being part of an organized Church that easily organizes its diverse and wide-reaching members to accomplish great things. – Adam
I like being Catholic because I like the idea that we are a family and we all support one another. -- Leanne
Being Catholic is my strength & (it helps me) see how God is everything
everywhere all the time. – Neal
I like being Catholic because it gives me strength and supports me throughout my whole life. -- Deanna
I love my Catholic faith b/c even when you feel alone, you have God & a community of God fearing people to support & love you. – Emily
I am able to profess my Catholic faith in many ways and I am able to become closer to God through the sacraments. -- Jonathan
Bonus for those of you still reading:
"I like being Catholic cuz Cindee is Catholic" - Justin
(Although a joke at 1st, our lives should invite others to our faith, right?! SO that would actually be a great compliment from someone. Can others see Christ through me enough to want to connect to the faith community? Whew, deep question! )
What do YOU like about being Catholic?
*** 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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