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Non-gathered ministry... I turn to my handy-dandy, dog-eared copy of Renewing the Vision to address one of the most-overlooked areas of youth ministry: non-gathered ministry.
The very premise of attempting to reach every teen in a given parish community is indicative of the shift of successful youth ministry models within the recent history of the church. A “youth group” model was just that: a group formed from a given parish’s population. Oftentimes, a parish would even require a young person to sign up to “belong” to the youth group. While this model met the needs of generations of teenagers, it necessarily meant that either you were “in” or “out,” and youth ministry leaders began to ask themselves if this was consistent with the mission of parish life. To start to appreciate the comprehensive model of youth ministry, you must first throw out old definitions of who you serve. No longer is the success of your ministry judged by who shows up to your events, but rather by how many teens are in some way touched by your ministry efforts. Pastors are never asked how many people show up at their “programs,” but they can always tell you how many registered families belong to their parish. Why, then, are youth ministers judged by numbers at events? The next time someone asks you, “How many teens participate in your program?” -- If non-gathered ministry is tended to-- you can enthusiastically and assuredly answer, “ALL of them!” “But what about those teens that don’t show up?” the throngs asked. Let’s not kid each other. Jesus Christ himself could be appointed Youth Ministry Coodinator at St. Your-Parish, and a healthy number of teens wouldn’t show up. Do we dismiss these teens? No. Because you see, if the definition of youth ministry has been re-defined as every registered 6th-12th grade teen at St. Your-Parish, those teens are every bit as important as your regulars. If there are 500 registered teens, and your youth ministry team just had an event and 200 just showed up, by all means be proud that you had a successful event. But to stay grounded in the mission, immediately ask yourself how the other 300 are being ministered to. In other words, we assume that a certain percentage of your young people will never leave the comfort of their own homes. Hence, the million dollar question: “How do I minister to them?” It’s not easy, but it is possible. Youth ministry is all about ideas. Be creative, and think outside the box. Surf the net, read books, magazines, and network with other parishes. Here are just a few ideas to get you thinking outside your parish walls: • Newsletters These take time and money but are some of the most powerful tools to date. Especially in this day and age, getting mail is special thing. People (“cool” teens especially) will tell you they don’t read them, they just throw them away, etc. But what a powerful message to send to that unchurched teen that is still on your registered parishioner list: my parish cared enough to send me mail, even though I don’t even do their stuff. Unfortunately many newsletters are just calendars of events. Newsletters should include upcoming events, but also stories about successful previous events (recruiting tool), photos (a thousand words), and most importantly prayers/reflections. Remember: that may be the only opportunity you have to reach that teen that will never leave his/her bedroom. Are you going to waste it with just a listing of upcoming events (s)he’ll never attend anyway? • Birthday cards Simple birthday cards are another great way to let an unchurched teen know they are still a welcome member of your parish and your youth ministry. • Presence at high schools Most high schools-- even public ones-- are very open to your presence. Eat lunch, be seen at sporting events, volunteer for field trips, etc. • Bulletin Board Have a regular spot on the parish bulletin board where you can post photos of successful events, pick up permission forms, sign up for trips, etc. etc. • Newspapers As a former free-lance writer for a small weekly, I can tell you that papers love youth ministry stories. Do yourself a favor: get an “in” at every paper you can. The Florida Catholic is easy press, but hardly taken advantage of (Irene Hey, Editor, 561-775-9528). Submit press releases and photos (with captions), or at the very least photos. Seeing a story in the local paper generates enthusiasm within your ministry (teens and volunteers), as well as outside (parishioners, non-participating teens, non-Catholics in the community). Plus your pastor will love you for making him look good! Painting teens in a positive light is, after all, the ministry of advocacy, one of the eight components. • Internet We have 53 parishes and missions in the Diocese of Palm Beach, and it boggles my mind why there aren’t 53 parish youth ministry websites out there. Fact: 3/4ths of teens regularly spend significant time on the ‘net. For heaven’s sake, the teens design websites for class, so every parish can find one to do their website! Like with newsletters, the sites should contain some “meat” and event recaps in addition to calendars of events. Also, email chains are great and take little effort. Brainstorm with your team how you can better reach those who aren’t touched by your programs. You owe it to them, and that’s not from me, that’s the Bishops talking!
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