Comprehensive Young Adult Ministry Sean Allen, MDiv
What is meant by comprehensive? Comprehensive: including all elements or aspects Two Ways for YAM to be Comprehensive 1) All types of young adults are engaged 2) All aspects of ministry are included
1) Engaging All Young Adults USCCB DefiniIon of Young Adults : Men and Women Late Teens, Twen@es, and Thir@es Single, Married, Divorced, or Widowed With or Without Children USCCB, Sons and Daughters of the Light: A Pastoral Plan for Ministry with Young Adults (Washington, DC: USCCB, 2010)
Gender Men and Women Women tend to be more involved in church ac@vi@es than men (2:1 ra@o is common) AIen@on needs to be paid that the ministry airacts par@cipa@on by both genders Single- gender ac@vi@es can also be beneficial
Age Range Late Teens, TwenIes, & ThirIes This is a huge range! 18-21 undergraduate college / working 21-25 grad school / 5 years out of college 20- somethings & 30- somethings 35-39 ouen transi@oning out of peer group Ac@vi@es targe@ng an age group can help
States in Life Single, Married, Divorced, or Widowed Divorced/Widowed may not view self as single Some@mes called single again Divorced may or may not have an annulment Includes all states in life, even if not listed Are there other states in life missing from list?
Parents With or Without Children Having kids is not gradua@on from being a YA Parents can be single or married Separate outreach from addressing marriage Ac@vi@es @med around naps and bed@me Childcare can be helpful Most par@cipa@on before kids are in school
What blessings and problems would you expect when trying to engage all of this diverse group? USCCB DefiniIon of Young Adults : Men and Women Late Teens, Twen@es, and Thir@es Single, Married, Divorced, or Widowed With or Without Children USCCB, Sons and Daughters of the Light: A Pastoral Plan for Ministry with Young Adults (Washington, DC: USCCB, 2010)
Primary Divisions Undergraduate Everyone Else Parents Most Significant Differences: Schedule Priori@es/Focus Finances
2) Including All Aspects of Ministry USCCB Goals for Young Adult Ministry: 1. Connect young adults with Jesus Christ 2. Connect young adults with the Church 3. Connect young adults with the Mission of the Church in the World 4. Connect young adults with a Peer Community USCCB, Sons and Daughters of the Light: A Pastoral Plan for Ministry with Young Adults (Washington, DC: USCCB, 2010)
Comprehensive YAM Model #1: USCCB Spiritual Forma@on and Direc@on Religious Educa@on/ Forma@on Voca@onal Discernment Evangelizing Outreach Forming a Faith Community Pastoral Care Forming a Chris@an Conscience Educa@ng and Working for Jus@ce Developing Leaders Forming Faith Communi@es of Peers Developing Peer Leadership Iden@fying a YA Team USCCB, Sons and Daughters of the Light: A Pastoral Plan for Ministry with Young Adults (Washington, DC: USCCB, 2010)
Comprehensive YAM Model #2: Chicago Social Serious Spiritual Service Fr. John C. Cusick and Katherine F. DeVries, The Basic Guide to Young Adult Ministry (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 2001)
Comprehensive YAM Model #3: CMD Community Life Catechesis Evangeliza@on Prayer and Spirituality Liturgy and Sacraments Jus@ce and Service Leadership Center for Ministry Development, Making the Connec@on (CMD, 2005)
Primary Aspects of YAM for this PresentaIon Community Life Learning/Study Prayer & Worship Service & Jus@ce Leadership
Community Life Opportuni@es for young adults to meet and get to know their peers Includes fun social events, yet organized with the purpose of building fellowship Includes pastoral care when personal issues keep one from fully entering into community Examples: Social, Holiday Party, Sports Event
Learning/Study Opportuni@es with an intellectual focus Learn the faith to increase understanding Learn the faith to explain it to others Learn the faith to live it out and witness it to others Examples: Speakers, Bible or Book Study
Prayer & Worship Opportuni@es for par@cipa@on in liturgies and sacraments together Opportuni@es for communal prayer, devo@ons, and @me for quiet/s@llness Development of an inner spiritual life Examples: Retreat, Adora@on, Rosary
Service & JusIce Opportuni@es for service within and beyond the Church community Living out Catholic Social Teaching Includes sharing @me, talent, & treasure Examples: Soup Kitchen, Habitat Build
Leadership Ministry with, by, and for Young Adults With YAs collabora@on of pastors, parish staff, and other adults with the young adults By YAs the young adults themselves are formed to be leaders of the peer community For YAs for the benefit of the young adults
Are you equally drawn to all of the aspects of ministry? If not, which ayract you the most? Community Life Learning/Study Prayer & Worship Service & Jus@ce Leadership
IntegraIng the Aspects of Ministry Different young adults are airacted to different ways of living out their faith The best ac@vi@es include more than one aspect of ministry (the more the beier) Ex) Theology on Tap, Service Learning, Mass+Social U@lize a rota@on or variety of ac@vi@es
IntegraIng with the Greater Community Avoid becoming a sub- church of young adults Balance @me spent among: Peer Community young adults only Parish Community mul@- genera@onal Diocesan Community gatherings of parishes Universal Church gatherings of dioceses Be a source of leaders for the parish & diocese
QuesIons?