Homework from Session four to be completed and brought with you to Session Five
- Create a mission statement for your ministry, with at least three goals, and develop the outline of a strategic plan for the ministry. You will turn this in by Session 5's meeting.
- Bonus: use your mission statement and strategic plan, incorporating the best practices from the readings, to create a planning calendar for the 2020-2021 ministry year.
The below resources should be reviewed before attending your small group meeting for session five to have fruitful conversation and learning.
Session 5 will cover some fundamental ministry skills and practical applications.
Required readings and videos (to watch and read before your group gathers):
Creating a Youth Night/Gathering
- Planning content to meet your teens' needs through "Backward Design": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTv2HR2ckto
- How to begin and run small faith sharing groups: http://www.votf.org/Voice_of_Renewal/FaithSharingGroups.pdf
- How to put small groups together: https://ydisciple.com/how-to-put-small-groups-together/
- How to plan a youth night: https://d2y1pz2y630308.cloudfront.net/19153/documents/2017/11/9b3a2d_82ba1c5b682042bebd3a18f0ad70783d.pdf (from: https://neworcester.org/youth-meeting-ideas)
Liturgy with Youth
- http://media.ascensionpress.com/2018/05/21/god-help-me-getting-teens-excited-about-mass
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WX5cEr1h_A
Planning, leading, praying that deepens and strengthens the prayer and spiritual lives of youth and young adults
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cugl7AVBNZs
- https://lifeteen.com/cym/blog/leading-worship-with-purpose-the-temple-model/ OR https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rXVYXKJFAc
- Variety in Styles, Methods, and Tools of Prayer
Giving great talks that matter
- https://ydisciple.com/free-resources/how-to-share-the-gospel/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FOCpMAww28
Best practices in running/facilitating small groups
- https://www.ydisciple.tv/programs/hacks-to-keep-convo-going
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyUB2hsvSgc&feature=youtu.be (until Minute 3)
- http://lifeteen.com/cym/files/2016/07/2016-Edge-StartUpBook-DosAndDonts.pdf
- https://osvnews.com/2014/08/06/5-steps-to-becoming-an-intentional-disciple/
Resources to enrich the session and that you can use in your ministry
- Rediscovering the Mass: http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/the-mass/index.cfm
- Fr. Mike Schmitz: "Pray The Mass Like Never Before" | SEEK2019: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpUp6zSGCb4&feature=youtu.be
- Motivation to Go to Catholic Mass: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuyxQvb9Ayw&feature=youtu.be
- https://buildfaith.org/the-perfect-youth-group-session-7-tips/
Session 5 Homework (to be completed after your session 5 gathering and turned in by Session 6):
- Take time to pray and then write your witness talk. The witness talk should be about 10 minutes in length when given. Practice, refine, and then share your witness talk with another ministry leader. Get their feedback, refine some more if needed, and then email your regional coordinator the finished talk.
- Develop a sample prayer experience with teens or young adults. Utilize what we discussed and what you learned about prayer (keeping the four pillars in mind) when creating the prayer experience. The experience, when done, should be 10-30 minutes in length. Write out the plan for the prayer experience and turn it in by Session 6.
- Write the outline for a sample ministry gathering (could be large, gathered youth group night or a small discipleship group meeting) that addresses one of these three topics: “Does God Exist?” “Do Science and Faith Conflict?” “Holy Dating” or “Why is the Church Relevant or Good for Society?” Create a “lesson plan” – something that anyone could read through and implement, step-by-step for their youth group meeting or small discipleship group meeting.