Adult Youth Ministry Formation:

Continuing YM formation
through ND

TAPT REUNION: We recently completed our 20th TAPT retreat, and that is cause for a CELEBRATION! All former TAPTsters and team members are invited to a special 20th Anniversary Reunion & Celebration, Sunday June 1st, from 1-6pm at Camp Lawrence. We’re reaching out to as many people we can find from the past 20 years, so please help spread the word! (more...)

Each summer at CYX, we award the Breath of the Spirit Award. This award acknowledges youth who go above and beyond to fulfill their baptismal call, allowing the Holy Spirit to work through them to build the Kingdom of God. Know someone who qualifies? Nominate him/her (incoming freshmen through outgoing senior, ideally planning to attend CYX) before June 1st. Winner will be notified and will receive a complimentary registration to attend CYX. (more...)

Planning is well underway for the 2008 Diocese of Gary Catholic Youth Xperience, July 18-20. ONLINE REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! iCYX is one weekend earlier than usual to coincide with the International World Youth Day celebration in Australia, the central theme for CYX! (more...)

Liturgy as Lens for Postmodern Youth Ministry by Michael N. Buckler, MDiv : This article was given to me from Bishop M. as recommended reading. Looking at liturgy through the lens of YM. Good stuff!

St. Matthias Parish in Crown Point, Indiana seeks paid Coordinator for comprehensive youth ministry program. Candidate will have the ability to vision and implement new programming ideas, with a special emphasis on H.S. teens. Candidate will work collaboratively with pastor and parents, develop a supportive team of adult volunteers, assist with liturgical ministry planning, and have the ability to integrate youth into the life of the parish. Ideal candidate has: YM and/or catechetical experience, certificate, degree, or training in religious studies, YM, or related. Send/fax resume to: Father James Wozniak, St. Matthias Parish, 101 W. Burrell Dr., Crown Pt., IN 46307. Fax: 219-663-2567.

We now have a place to connect online: introducing the Diocese of Gary YM Forum, from Wetpaint. It's a new "Sharing" site for YM leaders in the diocese. The purpose is to share events, resources, suggestions and ideas. You don't just read content, you PROVIDE it: you can start e-mail threads, create new web pages, etc., with users encouraged to contribute material at the site, post threads, upload photos and videos, create new pages, and edit pages that are already there. Best part: it's free and to the best of my knowledge spam-free. If you haven't received an invite from Joe yet, visit catholicymforum.wetpaint.com .

This fall, OYYA offers a creative twist on leadership training! On Friday, Oct. 3, we'll board a bus and head south to the Indianapolis area, sleep over at an economical hotel, and rise for a full day of "Christian Leadership: Through the Lens of Hoosiers." Remember that unforgettable movie based on a true story about an Indiana small-town basketball team that wins the IHSAA tourney? It's chock full of lessons on Christian leadership, and we'll use that to talk about how to become a better youth leader. Best part: the seminar will take place in the actual gym used in the movie, in Knightstown, IN, just east of Indy. Click here for preliminary info. Package price coming soon!

Best $15 you'll spend this year... The 2008 Youth Ministry Resource Manual, Our God, the Great I Am, will help our young people know God as creator, challenger, comforter, and friend. The sessions are developed so that YM, campus, and catechetical leaders may address the many salient ways we encounter God through Scripture, sacraments, the discernment of gifts, in our family and friends, by serving others, and in the Eucharist. The sessions address a multitude of teaching and learning styles, as well as a variety of ways to engage young people. Also includes: a process for discerning servant leaders, a confirmation retreat, an intergenerational session for families, liturgical suggestions throughout the year, prayers, blessings, suggestions for celebrating Nat'l World Youth Day Sunday on Oct. 26, and much more. Published by NFCYM. To order, and for more info, click here...

ICEBREAKERS: If you've never needed a icebreaker, getting-to-know-you-game, community-builder (whatever you call them!), etc., then clearly you're at the wrong website, because you're NOT a youth minister! If you didn't know about this page before, browse here and bookmark it. And thank me later for the tip!

Statement on Evangelization... The Diocese of Gary Diocesan Youth Council's weekend forum on how teens can better evangelize their Catholic faith culminated in the Statement on Youth Evangelization, which is now available online. Use it to explore ways to make yours a more vibrant, youth-friendly parish:

> CLICK HERE TO READ THE STATEMENT

> I want you to have access to as much information as possible, in order to be "armed" in the ongoing battle of working with God's young people! Parish youth ministry contacts, please e-mail me so I can keep you "in touch" with what's going on in YM! I will add you to an e-mailing list used to distribute facts, news, etc. about youth, resources, etc. YM is all about IDEAS, and I'll use the list to get you those ideas. Hopefully you can use those ideas to help you in your ministry. Let's work together to bring better ministry to God's teens!  Kev:  

> A summary of Youth Ministry Services provided by OYYA.