Youth Ministry Leaders Monthly Gathering Minutes September 5, 2017 Divine Mercy, Burlington Present: Emily Andes, Don Boucher, Luke Ebener, Julia Jones, Carol Laughlin, Diane Tone, Cease Cady, Amanda Nichols, Tammy Belrichard, Mike Linnenbrink, Tommy Fallon Online: Evan Brankin, Kathy Brown, Sharon Crall, Pat Sheil, Laura Hollinrake, Barb Butterworth, Patti McTaggart, Brenda Bertram, Luke Gregory 9:45 Gathering 10:00 Welcome 10:10 Opening Prayer One Lord, One Body, One Mission - The Power of Story An explanation of our prayer process for the coming months Prayer Preparation for next month s Opening Prayer 10:35 In-Service: Discipleship, Unity, Joy and Mission Video: Timothy Cardinal Dolan s homily from the opening Mass of the Convocation of Catholic Leaders Questions for discussion: o Where do I find joy in ministry and in my life? o How are my life and ministry living witness to J.O.Y. (Jesus, Others, Yourself)? o In what ways am I and what I do united with the mission of my parish and the Church? 11:00 Ministry Sharing What s something you re planning to do a little differently this year? What s something new and different you re incorporating into your ministry this coming year? What s something coming up this year in your ministry that you re truly excited about? o Tommy: Cornerstone Coffeehouse transformed the youth room into a coffeehouse, got a bourista, 10 showed up, just about all non-regulars with one atheist and one Lutheran, will do once a month, flavor of the month, will plan on doing it the first Sunday of the month o Luke does this as well every month just food, set up a story room o Luke: partnering with Young Life to do Wil Life (their junior high program), essentially go out and meet the kids where they re at, once a month large group gathering (Club), 1 st and 3 rd Monday bible study, 1 st bible study last Monday had 16 kids come out, all designed to be relational ministry, starting at St. Paul s and then move to HS. o Last 1 years, Mike has done after-school program with middle school kids, approached school board and asked, 1 st year early out days but didn t work, now 3 rd Wednesdays, came up with topics to talk with kids and high school kids would share how they got through it, did tours of high schools, do it at Central Lee middle school. Will talk to Junior High Volleyball and Football coaches and see if he can do something with the athletes before practices (about ½ hour) LUKE: Play Like a Champion Today (Assumption through Notre Dame) 1
o o Jasmin Tone starting YA group in Mt. Pleasant meeting after Mass on Sundays, potluck and bible study Mike: 4 th Sunday of every month Mass youth night had first one had about 100 people show up (adults and youth) 11:30 Break 11:40 Updates NCYC Update o Chaperone Prep Sessions o Room Lists due September 18 o Paperwork get it in ASAP o Bus pairings coming soon CIA o Family Style will be planned again for Summer of 2018; dates will be set by the end of September o Youth CIA will be held for junior high youth; 3-days (Monday-Wednesday); high school youth will serve as group leaders; team will gather on Sunday for prep o Both programs to be held in Iowa City Coming: survey about retreats. Stay tuned. Junior High Rally o Theme: Come to the Feast o If you want your young teens to know and understand more about the Mass, get them there! o Begins with Mass, and then we unpack it through connection to the Gospel, environment, lunch, breakouts (Liturgy of the Word, Liturgy of the Eucharist, and Mission), witness, and a sending forth to end the day. o Small groups for the day (Saints Squads) NEED OLDER HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH TO SERVE AS SQUAD LEADERS o Gathering begins at 9, day ends by 5. o Early-bird registration is September 27, registration deadline is October 6, event is October 15 o Regina Education Center in Iowa City Holy Fire o October 20 (primarily for Catholic Schools); October 21 (primarily for all others) o University of Illinois-Chicago Pavillion o http://www.nfcym.org/holyfirechicago o OFF will coordinate bus transportation (approximate cost $35/person with at least 50 on the bus; price could be higher if less than 50); bus reservations must be made by September 19. o Parishes register on their own. Program registration is $35/person until October 2, higher after. Preparing GenZ for Confirmation o November 7 (in place of our November meeting). NOTE: workshop b o Begins with check-in at 8:30 and finishes at 2:30. o Bring others from your parish o See flyer for details 12:20 Announcements from the group 2
12:25 Closing Prayer Announcements: Leah Darrow in Divine Mercy, October 25, Keokuk Next meeting: October 3 at St. Thomas More in Coralville. 3
Process for Prayer Focus: A personal experience of God that has been deeply meaningful to you. Instructions for Active Listening and Cognitive Generosity Be truly present to God and one another. Set your phone, your busy schedule and the rest of the world aside to listen with your whole heart. Respect the confidentiality of all this is shared. Listen with attention and resilience, hanging in even when you hear something that may be difficult. Refrain from characterizing the other s views in a critical spirit. This is a sacred dialogue. This is not an environment to argue or try to persuade the other to adopt your opinion. Imagine yourself in their shoes. Think from the other s point of view. Try to enter into the thoughts, emotions and experience of the other. Step 1. Settle In Spend a few minutes in quiet. Tune in to God s presence within you and around you. Pray for an open heart to experience God s wonder in the story of another. Step 2. Opening Word When ready, have one person read the following aloud: I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they mall all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. And I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me. (John 17:20-23) Step 3. Listen and Reflect Speaker: Share your written narrative, without adding to or expounding on what you ve written. After sharing, all spend a full minute in silence to collect your thoughts, receive what s been offered and reflect on your own experience of listening. When ready, briefly journal your thoughts feelings and impressions in the space below: o What was it like to hear the spiritual story of the speaker? o What moved you or resonated with you in what was shared? o What surprised you? When everyone is ready, share (out loud) your reflections with your small group. 4
Closing Reflection One person reads the following: A Vision of Embrace In an embrace I open my arms to create space in myself for the other. Open arms are a sign that I do not want to be by myself only, an invitation for the other to come in and feel at home with me. In an embrace I also close my arms around the other. Closed arms are a sign that I want the other to become a part of me while I at the same time maintain my own identity. By become part of me, the other enriches me. In a mutual embrace, none remains the same because each enriches the other, yet both remain true to their genuine selves. (Miroslav Vol, A Vision of Embrace: Theological Perspecticves on Cultural Identity and Conflict, The Ecumenical Review 348(2), April 1995, 203.) Closing Prayer One person in the group offers a closing prayer. For next month: Reflect on a personal experience of God that has been deeply meaningful to you. Write a short reflection (2-3 pages) that you are comfortable sharing with others. Recall the experience in its fullness the context and main characters certainly but also pay particular attention to your inner thoughts and feelings at the time. What was going on inside fears, struggles, anxiety, vulnerability, joy, freedom, love? How did you experience the presence/grace/gift of God? And how has this experience impacted your life? Try to write in a way that will draw your listen in and understand it from your perspective. This is NOT your full life-story here. Try to focus on one particular experience of God and what that meant to you. 5
2017-2018 Youth Ministry Diocesan Calendar (NOTE: Dates marked with an * are not sponsored or directly supported by the O.F.F.) updated 8/31/2017 SEPTEMBER 1 DEADLINE: NCYC Conference registration Safe Environment compliance for all young adults/adults All forms (NFCYM/NCYC Release, Diocesan Medical/Permission) 5 Monthly Youth Ministry Leaders Gathering Divine Mercy, Burlington 18 DEADLINE: NCYC T-shirt order form Rooming List 23 DYMC Meeting 26 DEADLINE: Junior High Rally Early-Bird Registration 30 DEADLINE: NCYC 4 th payment due OCTOBER 2-10 NET schedule: 3 (day) St. Paul the Apostle school, Davenport 4 (afternoon-evening) JFK School, Davenport 5 (afternoon-evening) JFK School, Davenport 6 Holy Trinity School, Fr. Madison 7 St. Alphonsus/St. Anthony, Davenport & St. Andrew, Bluegrass 8 St. Mary, Oxford 3 Monthly Youth Ministry Leaders Gathering St. Thomas More, Coralville 6 DEADLINE: Junior High Rally Registration 15 Junior High Rally, Regina Educational Center, Iowa City 20* Holy Fire, Chicago 21* Holy Fire, Chicago 22 Ottumwa Deanery NCYC Chaperone Prep, St. Mary of the Assumption, Ottumwa 23 Keokuk Deanery NCYC Chaperone Prep, St. Mary, West Point 24 New Parish Faith Formation/Youth Ministry Leader Diocesan Orientation Day 26-28* Re-Imagining Faith Formation with Children and Youth, Bloomington, MN 30 Clinton Deanery NCYC Chaperone Prep, St. Joseph, DeWitt NOVEMBER 2 Davenport Deanery NCYC Chaperone Prep, Our Lady of Victory, Davenport 4-5 Quest, Our Lady of Lourdes, Bettendorf (tentative) 7 Workshop Day with Tom East 16-19 NCYC, Indianapolis. 28 Retreat Panel Meeting DECEMBER 1 FORUM 2018 Promo & Registration Materials available 2 DYMC Meeting 5 Monthly Youth Ministry Leaders Gathering St. Thomas More, Coralville 6
JANUARY 2 Monthly Youth Ministry Leaders Gathering St. Mary, Fairfield 2 Diocese of Davenport Cohort begins for Vibrant Faith University (pending approval by Bishop Zinkula) 6-7 Quest, St. Thomas More, Coralville 20-21 DYMC Overnight 16-20 Trip to March for Life, Washington, D.C., sponsored by St. Mary s, Oskaloosa 27-28 Certificate in Ministry Studies: Principles & Vision for Lifelong Catechesis, Principles of Youth Ministry, St. Ambrose University (pending approval by Bishop Zinkula) 27-28 Quest, St. James, St. Paul 30 DEADLINE: FORUM 2018 Early-Bird Registration FEBRUARY 4 Bishop s Mass for Scouting, Sacred Heart Cathedral (tentative) 5-9* NFCYM Annual Membership Meeting, Spokane WA 9 DEADLINE: FORUM 2018 Registration 13 Monthly Youth Ministry Leaders Gathering St. Thomas More, Coralville 14* Ash Wednesday 17-18 FORUM 2018, St. Ann, Long Grove 27 Retreat Panel Meeting MARCH 6 Monthly Youth Ministry Leaders Gathering Oskaloosa or Pella 9 Workshop Day with Robert Feduccia parish/school staffs 10 Workshop Day with Robert Feduccia catechists/youth ministry volunteers 9-11 COR, St. Joseph, DeWitt 24 DYMC Meeting 25-31* Holy Week APRIL 1* Easter 2-3 Retreat for Adult Ministry Leaders, Prairiewoods, Hiawatha 14-15 Certificate in Ministry Studies: Practices for Ministry, St. Ambrose University (pending approval by Bishop Zinkula) MAY 1 Monthly Youth Ministry Leaders Gathering St. Joseph, DeWitt 22 Retreat Panel Meeting JUNE 5 Monthly Youth Ministry Leaders Gathering St. Thomas More, Coralville 7