I shouldn't have had coffee so late in the day, but I didn't mind not being asleep at 1 am. My mind was racing, and my heart was filled with gratitude. As a ministry professional, it's easy to forget to partake in experiences like Continuing the Journey to be refreshed and renewed. But that forgetting has a cost, and I think it's time we talk about it.
"Continuing the Journey" is a conference for all those who minister, work, volunteer and, most importantly, walk with young people on their faith journey: Youth Ministry Leaders, Diocesan Youth Ministry Staff, Volunteers, Clergy, Religious, PCL/DREs, Catechists, Scout Leaders, Campus Ministers and anyone who cares about the next generation. Organized by the Archdiocese of Newark and hosted at the St. John Paul II Youth Retreat Center in Kearny, NJ, this event is filled with workshops, keynotes, exhibitors, time to network, prayer, Mass and so much rich community. It's a hidden gem that more people should know about.
While the next one isn't until 2028 (they host it every two years), it's worth noting that the youth ministry world, and the Church as a whole, needs more of this. Here's why:
There is some goofy stuff that happens throughout the weekend. Some of it lands with me, others make me groan, but what it does is remind us not to take ourselves too seriously.
Ministry is messy, and if we don't find joy in the mess, it will tear us apart. Taking time to laugh, have fun and enjoy one another's company the way we try to do for teens can be a breath of fresh air in what we do.
So here's a simple challenge: the next time you gather your team or your volunteers, build something light into it. An icebreaker, a moment of shared laughter, something that has nothing to do with logistics or planning. Give people permission to exhale.
The accessibility to presenters, vendors and participants is frictionless. If you are looking for community and connection, the organizers of this event make that possible. Throughout the weekend I heard so many people say, "I needed this. I needed to find my people."
As someone who is part of several networks, I love the intimacy of this space. It also reminds me how much I need to cultivate that within my own diocese. The more our networks grow, the more we meet people who will encourage, equip and empower us to do His will.
If you don't know where to start, start small. Reach out to one person in your diocese or region who does what you do. Grab coffee. Ask how they're really doing. That one conversation can open a door you didn't know was there.
While there is a lot offered at this conference, there is a spiritual element that allows you to renew your spirit. There is also margin to be silent or simply sit with others. For a world of Marthas, this event gives us time to be Mary.
While this event only happens every two years, we need to find and even create more of these opportunities. Maybe it's just meeting with a group of peers for a long lunch where you talk life and so much more. Maybe it's going on personal retreat or taking time to disconnect from the noise so we can listen to God's soft whispers. Whatever it looks like for you, the point is to be intentional about it. What a Weekend Conference Reminded Me About the Church We Need to Be before everything else fills it in. Guard it. Treat your own renewal as seriously as you treat the renewal of the people you serve.
What I appreciate most about this past weekend is the love that radiates from Tom Conboy, Rich Donovan, Sr. Guerline Joseph and everyone involved in putting this event together. It reminds me that we in the Church need to do a better job of loving on those who give so much of their lives to serving. So, whether you work for the Church or are simply someone who cares about it, ask yourself: "How can we do a better job of supporting, equipping and empowering those who give so much to leading the different ministries of the Church?"
You don't need to wait for the next Continuing the Journey to act. Here are three places to start this week:
Find your people. Identify one or two people in your area who share your ministry role and don't have a relationship with you yet. Send the email. Make the call. Community doesn't build itself.
Schedule the stop. Look at your calendar right now. Find one block of time in the next 30 days and protect it for your own renewal. A personal retreat day, a long lunch with a trusted peer, a quiet hour with no agenda. Put it in before something else takes it.
Bring the joy intentionally. Think about the next gathering you are leading or attending. Ask yourself how you can build one moment of genuine lightness into it. Not as a throwaway, but as a reminder that the work we do is supposed to be life-giving, for us too.
The Church needs you healthy, whole and filled up. Start there.