What you can do NOW!!!

1. Meet with the Pastor. Share your ideas and thoughts - and get his. While you are still in the development stage, you want his input and you want to know the level of his intended involvement in the process. This may lead to additional sit downs with others in parish leadership.

2. Develop a goal for adult/youth involvement in an advisory board, steering committee, whatever BEFORE planning anything. Example - a core team of 5-8 adults and 2 youth. This will depend on the size of your parish. Involve any current youth ministry leadership.

3. Get two year commitments from the above individuals using good recruitment techniques: one on one, job descriptions, etc.

4. Meet as a group and sketch out a structure for youth ministry -

DON'T REINVENT THE WHEEL! Customize a structure from another parish, resource, etc. Check out the sample structure on this site.

5. Carry-out the plan.

REMEMBER...

By taking the time to build a structure your ministry will be better capable of hitting the ground running. It will also be firmly grounded in the parish structure and pastoral plan.

Keep the pastor informed! The goal is for youth ministry to be an integral part of the pastoral plan....not a side note!!!!!

The Diocesan Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry is there to help YOUR PARISH. They have programs, resources and personnel all ready to assist YOU in your ministry. USE THEM!

And remember the bamboo tree.....it spends two-years spreading it's roots underground while above the soil it is only a foot high. In the third year it grows eighty-feet tall...

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