There has been a whole lot of planning for the fall. Even though things are opening up this summer and it’s easier to do in-person ministry, the ministry teams at our parish are asking the question, “How do we reset for the fall?” The pandemic has changed so much of how we work, play, and interact, but if we’re honest, we’ve needed this change for a while.
To reset we have to rethink the way we approach ministry. While there are fresh ideas coming out, we should also look at what’s been made available to us. I’ve recently been following the OSV Talk series, and I came across Brenda Noriega’s presentation “Lost in Encyclical Translation”. In her presentation, Brenda takes a deeper look at Pope Francis’ Christus Vivit and identifies a few of the words that might have lost their meaning through translation but are critical to helping us move forward in this new season of ministry.
When it comes to this fall consider these three points that Brenda makes in her talk:
Whenever we help someone identify their parish or ministry’s mission field, we have them answer these questions:
All three questions need to be asked after this last year because they have changed greatly. Opening back up and offering to program as you have in the past will not bring teens back. Yes, you’ll have some show up, but you’ll be missing out on so many people if you assume teens and their families are the same as they were a year ago.
In addition to answering those questions, you need to spend time talking with other community advocates and employees. Reach out to school administrators, recreational sports personnel, and even family therapists. Learn from what they are seeing and share with them what you are learning. The more you know the mission field, the better your ministry will address the needs of the people God has called you to serve.
Another item that Brenda addresses is Pope Francis’ call to be out in the community through “grassroots ministry.” One thing we should have learned this past year is that effective ministry does not need a building. While we would all love a break from virtual ministry, it has taught us to be mobile. It has shown us that we can reach people no matter where they are physical.
As leaders, we need to ask ourselves, “How can I be more present in the community?”. The answer will depend on your demographics, but it starts by getting out of your youth room and office and meeting people where they are already. Those places might be virtual, with gaming. I know my teens spent a lot of time in the virtual gaming world, and while I’m useless with a controller, I know that’s where I can meet up with them. Another location will be the schools and athletic venues. It could also mean places you’ve never been before, like detention centers and prisons.
What does it look like to do ministry in those areas? That’s a great question, but one we have to be willing to explore. It starts with reaching out to those already in the community and asking them, “How can I serve or learn from you?” Then, build those relationships and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you in creating a new way of accompanying young people.
One of the big crises we are facing in the Church is a generation that is poorly catechized. As Brenda mentions in her presentation, we’re not going to address that through ministry that comes in a box; for us to really tackle the problems of disaffiliation, we need to learn how to form relationships and build community. When we focus on those paradigms, trust is formed.
Before you start stressing about the content, look at the people who are on your team. Train them to be mentors, apprentices, and role models for the teens. Catechize them and help them grow in their faith. Remind them a huge part of the formation is modeling and sharing. Please encourage them to be authentic witnesses to be relational to those they are called to serve.
As you approach the summer, don’t be afraid to take a step back to look at the big picture of what ministry should look like. We are in a season when hitting the reset button is okay. Take this time to revisit the mission field, go out to the fringes, and walk with others who want to impact this next generation.
This post was inspired by Brenda Noriega’s “Lost In Encyclical Translation” Talk in the OSV Talks series, a series of topics from prominent Catholic leaders to spark discussion, explore new, or re-explore old approaches, and inspire creative thinking, all from the heart of the Church. For more of those talks click HERE