4Real Forums: those involved w/ youth at church. . .

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Topic: those involved w/ youth at church. . .

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Barb.b
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Joined: June 22 2007
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Posted: Sept 20 2010 at 10:13am \| IP Logged

I am trying to get ideas for what to do with middle school kids at our parish. So far there is only the rel. ed classes. The church occassionaly has a rec. night. I want something of more substance. I am researching what to do. My thoughts are bible studies, learning about the Mass, Eucharistic adoration. . . I think this needs to occur at the same time weekly - like Sundays at 4:oo. Anyway, if you have a dynamic youth or middle school group at your parish - what do they do, how often do they meet. . . Any ideas as to how to start something?

Barb

MelissaClaire
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Posted: Sept 20 2010 at 1:05pm \| IP Logged

I don't have middle school aged kids, but prior to getting married I was a coordinator of youth ministry at a parish. Something we did that was successful was move the middle school religious ed classes to a Monday evening (I think it was from 7:15 to 8:45.) For the first 30 minutes everyone met in the gym and we were able to do a large group youth meeting--some nights we had speakers, some nights we did games, we'd do Bible study. It was mainly an outreach to try to get the kids who HAD to go to CCD interested in a relationship with Christ and a life of faith. Some nights were deeper than others, but I think most of the kids enjoyed it and several told me they actually looked forward to coming to CCD because of it.

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Melissa
Mom to a dd ('02), ds ('03), ds ('05), dd ('07) and baby due 9/01/09

guitarnan
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Posted: Sept 20 2010 at 1:13pm \| IP Logged

I like Melissa's idea because it doesn't add another night to the busy family schedule. Right now my dd can't attend many of our middle school youth nights because she has dance class on those evenings. She's really struggling (as are many of her friends in grades 7-8) to balance schoolwork, sports and everything else.

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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.

Barb.b
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Posted: Sept 20 2010 at 1:56pm \| IP Logged

I like that suggestion. Unfortunately some of our rel. ed classes are sunday mornings and then there are 2 different sesions wednesday nite. I am thinking why not start a youth nite sunday (or maybe late afternoor>). and have praies and worship and then small group stuff after. I don't know. Anytime our parish does a youth (weather middle school or high school) it is always just recreation stuff. I feel our youth can handle something deeper. I think they need to dig into the Mass, the Eucharist. . . so when they go off to college - they won't drift away. Something more then just the religtious ed. I am thinking aloud here! I feel that some in youth ministry are afraid to do anything of substance with our youth. Youth will often live up to our expectations - if we expect they don't care about their faith then chances are they wont'. I want to start (most likely small at first) something with the middle school kids to go beyond just text book rel. ed stuff. . .

I have been looking for some good bible study and/or digging into the Mass type study for middle schoolers and can't find anything? Anyone know of any good resources?

Barb

guitarnan
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Posted: Sept 20 2010 at 2:06pm \| IP Logged

Could you do something in between the two Wed. sessions? That would "catch" a large percentage of your middle school group.

The trick is to keep things fun while really doing some meaningful study and worship activities. Our middle schoolers really shy away from anything too "schooly." They do enjoy movies, service projects, activities related to the liturgical year, things like that. Our group doesn't use a pre-packaged Bible study or Mass study program, though, so I can't help much with that.

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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.

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