Young Adult Ministry
(Outreach to those post-high school and in their 20s and 30s)
What is Young Adult Ministry?
Young Adult Ministry is an intentional ministry and outreach to those in their late teens, twenties, and thirties, with the goals of connecting young adults with Jesus Christ, the Church, the mission of the Church in the world, and a peer community in which their faith is nurtured and strengthened. (Sons & Daughters of the Light, p. 25-26) 4 Goals of YAM:US Bishop’s list 4 goals in their document on Young Adult Ministry: Sons and Daughters of the Light
1. Connecting Young Adults to Jesus Christ -Spiritual Formation -Religious Education (RCIA, Marriage Preparation, Baptismal Preparation) -Vocational Discernment 2. Connecting Young Adults to Church -Evangelizing Outreach-personal invitation (re-invitation), be present at the places YA are located -Forming the Faith Community-invitation to participation, life-giving prayer and worship -Pastoral Care 3. Connect Young Adults with the mission of the Church in the world -Forming a Christian Conscience -Educating and Working for Justice - Developing Leaders for the Present and the Future 4. Connecting Young Adults with a peer community -Forming Faith Communities-develop specific opportunities for YA to be together, varied communities for single YA, newly married, YA with families -Developing Peer Leadership-provide opportunities for training, training for parish councils on YAM -Identifying a Young Adult Team and contact person |
What are young adults Seeking?According to the USCCB resource Connecting Young Adults to Catholic Parishes, these are what those in their 20s and 30s are looking for in the Church today:
1. Community and Belonging (a faith community where everybody knows your name 2. Dynamic Liturgies 3. Spiritual Growth and Enrichment 4. Religious education and Catholic identity 5. Guidance and direction in life 6. Acceptance and support 7. Opportunities for service and leadership 8. Social activities 9. A community that shares common values 10. Inspiration and rejuvenation In ministry and catechesis with young adults, several important themes need to be emphasized: the formation of conscience, education for love, vocational discernment, Christian involvement in society, missionary responsibility in the world, the relationship between faith and reason, the existence and meaning of God, the problem of evil, the Church, the objective moral order in relation to personal subjectivity, the relationship between man and woman, and the social doctrine of the Church. |
Planning for Young Adult Ministry
Amy McEntee and Nora Bradbury Haehl, Young Adult Ministry in a Box Expert Team, suggest you keep these things in mind
as you make plans for young adult ministry in your parish or campus ministry:
Developing Your Plan
Here’s a suggested list of steps. Review it and see if you’d like to alter it in any way then proceed! This process may take some time and a series of gatherings to complete. (You may want to use this series of handouts* to help you.)
Templates for the above are available in the online subscription resource Young Adult Ministry in a Box,
http://www.youngadultministryinabox.com/
Amy McEntee and Nora Bradbury Haehl, Young Adult Ministry in a Box Expert Team, suggest you keep these things in mind
as you make plans for young adult ministry in your parish or campus ministry:
- Be focused and realistic.
- Have one person, either staff or volunteer, who is ultimately responsible to see things through.
- Don’t try to do everything.
- Don’t forget to include things that already take place in the parish that can be easily adjusted to be young adult friendly.
- Every once in awhile ask — Where would you like the young adult ministry to be next year at this time? Three years from now? Five years from now?
Developing Your Plan
Here’s a suggested list of steps. Review it and see if you’d like to alter it in any way then proceed! This process may take some time and a series of gatherings to complete. (You may want to use this series of handouts* to help you.)
- Gather your Young Adult Ministry Core Team.
- Schedule some time to pray together and get to know one another.
- Go through the assessment process outlined in Essential: Assessing the Situation if you’ve not done so already.
- Complete the “What are the interests and needs of our young adults?” discussion that’s part of the assessment process.
- Look at your SWOT Results and your list of interests and needs, and choose three priorities (by discussion, vote, or consensus — just know ahead of time which method you’d like to use) to work on in the year ahead. Allow the group to choose at least one long-term priority — something important but that you don’t currently have the time or resources to address but can move toward in the future.
- Set some specific, achievable goals. Include a time frame for accomplishing those goals. Where would you like the ministry to be next year at this time? Three years from now? Sometimes ministry, especially ministry with young adults, is hard to measure, but, when possible, include the standards you’ll use to measure success (i.e. number of individuals connecting to your young adult ministry through social media, number of successful events held, etc.)
- Using the list of topics that are interesting and/or important to young adults, create a list of potential events.
- Create a calendar and fill in the various types of events: Teach, Pray, Serve. Use Young Adult Ministry in a Box Step-by-Step Programs to get some ideas. Ensure that you have a good mix of events.
- Use the planner’s template to help you prepare for everything you need to do for unique events that you create.
- Create a marketing plan both for your overall ministry and for specific events.
Templates for the above are available in the online subscription resource Young Adult Ministry in a Box,
http://www.youngadultministryinabox.com/
OY&YAM Services for to Young Adult Ministry
> Advocating for the vision of Sons and Daughters of the Light with diocesan, parish, and campus leadership and for “young adult friendly” policies, procedures, programs, and activities.
> Maintaining a young adults calendar of events
> Providing resources for leaders to implement Sons and Daughters of the Light (training resources, print and video resources, etc.)
> Networking with diocesan agencies, other religious denominations or congregations, and community organizations working with young adults.
Also encouraing network at the deanery and regional levels so that parishes can support young adults while not haveing to try to meet every need individually - we can collaborate and cooperate!
> Training for leaders, coordinators of parish young adult ministry and campus ministry: ministry education in theology, scripture, leadership and management; practical training in ministry with young adults: theory and practice (e.g., certificate programs, ministry formation programs, graduate programs), for ministry leaders in parish and campus ministries: focused education for leaders who plan and conduct programming (e.g., courses, conferences, and workshops, young adult leadership training), for young adult core teams: planning skills, facilitation skills, organizing skills, team work, etc. upon request
> Consulting/Facilitating the development of ministries with young adults in parishes and campuses
> Sending periodic email updates listing upcming events, opportunitis and resources directly to young adults you subscribe to the list.
> Advocating for the vision of Sons and Daughters of the Light with diocesan, parish, and campus leadership and for “young adult friendly” policies, procedures, programs, and activities.
> Maintaining a young adults calendar of events
> Providing resources for leaders to implement Sons and Daughters of the Light (training resources, print and video resources, etc.)
> Networking with diocesan agencies, other religious denominations or congregations, and community organizations working with young adults.
Also encouraing network at the deanery and regional levels so that parishes can support young adults while not haveing to try to meet every need individually - we can collaborate and cooperate!
> Training for leaders, coordinators of parish young adult ministry and campus ministry: ministry education in theology, scripture, leadership and management; practical training in ministry with young adults: theory and practice (e.g., certificate programs, ministry formation programs, graduate programs), for ministry leaders in parish and campus ministries: focused education for leaders who plan and conduct programming (e.g., courses, conferences, and workshops, young adult leadership training), for young adult core teams: planning skills, facilitation skills, organizing skills, team work, etc. upon request
> Consulting/Facilitating the development of ministries with young adults in parishes and campuses
> Sending periodic email updates listing upcming events, opportunitis and resources directly to young adults you subscribe to the list.
Paying Tribute to the National Catholic Young Adult Ministry Association (NCYAMA)
(A reflection in progress.... come back in a few weeks to see additional information)
Founded in 1982, for decades, NCYAMA provided resources, training and networking opportunities for those serving in young adult ministries.
The most recent mission statement was:
Our mission is to help build up the Roman Catholic Church's ministry to young adults in their late teens, 20s and 30s across America. NCYAMA works with local dioceses, parishes, campuses, and groups to achieve this goal by equipping them with the best resources in the field, offering training, consulting, and workshops on young adult ministry and evangelization, and networking with and advocating for Catholic leaders working with young adults from coast to coast.
The mission during the 2000's was:
The National Catholic Young Adult Ministry Association (NCYAMA) is an organization supporting those who minister to and with single and married people in their late teens, twenties, and thirties. We develop and promote programs and resources while providing opportunities for networking and communication. We advocate for the full integration of young adults in the life of the Catholic faith community in order to connect them with Jesus, the Church, the mission of the Church, and their peers.
Through the years, NCYAMA was blessed with grant funding from anonymous sources as well as
the Lilly Endowment, Raskob Foundation, Humanitas Foundation,
National Young Adult Ministry Leadership Forums:
> Chicago 2002*
> Albuquerque 2003*
> Cleveland 2004
> New York 2007
and as pre-conferences at the NCCYM with the NFCYM:
> 2010
> 2012
> 2014
> 2016
* The focus was on diocesan leaders,
but then expanded to include parish, college and organizational leaders as well.
Work with the NFCYM:
> NCYAMA facilitated kindred groups at the Annual Membership Meetings for those serving in young adult ministry in 2002 in San Diego, 2003 in Salt Lake City and Austin.
> NCYAMA facilitated Power Lunch/Roundtable discussions for those serving in young adult ministry at the NCCYM in Birmingham (2000), Denver (2002), and Pittsburgh (2004).
Publications:
~ NCYAMA News (2001 - 2009 )
~ The Cutting Edge Magazine (1997 - 2000)
~ The Spirit (198_ - 1997)
Publications with the Center for Ministry Development:
1. Young Adult Works (5 binder set of resources and programs)
2. Sharing God’s Word through the Year (small group scripture-sharing program)
3. Connecting Young Adults with the Word (guide for homilists and liturgists)
4. Leadership for Life (leadership training)
5. Waiting with Hope (Advent journal for young adults)
6. Journey to New Life (Lent journal for young adults)
7. Becoming a Young Adult Responsive Church (guide to implement Sons & Daughters of the Light)
8. Connecting with Young Adults (poster)
NCYAMA partnered with many other national organizations and publishers, and proudly contributed to:
> Connecting Young Adults with to Catholic Parishes, USCCB (c) 2010
> Pathways to Ministry Toolkit, Eye on the Horizon Project Team, (c) 2012
> Emerging Models of Pastoral Leadership documents, 2007-2009
> Young Adult Ministry in a Box, online activity ideas: youngadultministryinabox.com
In addition to the Forums and Conferences sponsored by NCAYAMA, they also co-sponsored
the National Ministry Summit in 2008 in Orlando with NALM,
the National Youth Encuentro in 2006 with La Red;
and Co-sponsored the Young Adult Symposium with the University of Notre Dame, Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, Catholic Campus Ministry Association, Canadian Catholic Campus Ministry, National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry, and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. May 2004
Exhibited and facilitated activities at the World Youth Day events in Denver (1993) and Toronto (2002)
as well as the 3rd Continental Congress on Vocation in Montreal (2002).
Past NCYYAMA Presidents/Chairs of the Board of Directors:
Mike Mottola - (1989)
Joan Weber - Omaha (1993 - 199_)
Jim Breen - Boston (199_ - 1997)
Lori Spanbauer - Omaha (1998)
Jim Breen - Boston (1998 - 2001)
Cindee Case - Atlanta, Youngstown (2001-2004)
Colleen McDermott - Charlotte (2004)
Tricia Manion - Philadelphia (2004-2005)
Mike Hayes - Paulist Young Adult Ministry/BustedHalo.com (2005-2009)
Rahki Roy-McCormick - Detroit (2010)
Amy McEntee - Cincinnati (2011 - 2015)
Past NCYAMA Directors
1. Michelle Miller 2001- 2004
2. Sr. Christine Wilcox, OP, 2004-2005
3. Paul Jarzambowski
4. Amy McEntee
Episcopal Moderators:
+ Bishop Peter Rosazza, New Haven
+ Archbishop Michael Sheehan, Sante Fe
+ Bishop Joseph Estabrook, Military Services
Collaborated with:
Catholic Campus Ministry Association
Catholic Charities USA
Catholic Relief Services
Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate
Center for Ministry Development
Frank J. Lewis Institute for Campus Ministry
Foundations & Donors Interested in Catholic Activities
International Catholic Stewardship Council
National Association for Diocesan Catholic Campus Ministers
National Association for Lay Ministry
National Catholic Network de Pastoral Juvenil Hispana (la Red)
National Catholic Student Coalition
National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry
Notre Dame University
North American Conference on Catholic Evangelization
Paulist Young Adult Ministries
Serra International
St. Vincent Palotti Center
USCCB, Catholic Campaign for Human Development
USCCB, Office of the Church in Latin America
USCCB, Department of Education
USCCB, Department of Evangelization
USCCB, Secretariat for Family, Laity, Women, Youth
USCCB, Office of Publishing and Promotions
USCCB Subcommittee for Youth & Young Adult Ministry
