Ideas for a youth group needed please

[Sowndog]

I haven’t been on these forums for a few month now but I’m back, so hello again!

Basically, I have joined a group that meets in our Church every Sunday night. There are about 20 members, aged between 17-22 (approx.) At the minute the leaders’ focus is mainly on discussing our faith, but as we have all come from Catholic schools it doesn’t really teach us much. As we, the young people, begin to take more control of the group we are realising that perhaps when we have such a great and uncommon resource of so many young and willing Catholics, that we should use it in an external and positive way while we have the chance. In other words, we want to do something that doesn’t just benefit us, but the wider community as well.

My question is: what could we do? I have considered options like Habitat for Humanity, and perhaps some inter-denominational work, but I would love to hear what ideas you guys might have (no matter how obvious it may seem.)
We are a group of enthusiastic young people begging to do some work for the Church, with a diverse range of talents and an openness to have a go at anything. Please tell us what you think we could do!

 

[Didi]

Have you asked your pastor for the needs at your own Church? They almost always have a need for helpers with religious education classes. Maybe you could lead a children’s liturgy. What about helping with a dress-like-a-saint halloween party?

Most churches also have need of helpers in the liturgy itself – ushers, lectors, singers, etc.

What about offering to rake leaves this Fall for your Church?

What about asking if there are elderly or handicapped parishioners who need a ride to and from church?

What about helping with pro-life activities? If your parish doesn’t have a pro-life committee, start one!

Maybe you could organize some type of fund raiser for religious ed program.

What about putting together a retreat for the 12-17 year olds? Young teens need the positive influence of kids that are close to their own age.

God bless you for wanting to serve!

 

[sententia]

If you wanted to do something for you all, as in stuff to discuss, it’s always fun to take an encyclican and “assign readings” every week, and discuss those at the meetings.

 

[AquinasXVI]

SownDog:

Congratulations! A vibrant youth group!!!

I suggest that it starts and ends with the Most Holy Eucharist. So activities intertwined with Adoration would be great. Before they go help at a soup kitchen, softball or whatever, 15 min. of silent prayer in front of Him. Then a quick visit again after the activity.

Apologetics would also pique many of their interests. Theology of the Body is really good for kids that age because it is in their interest.

Try to maintain a spirit of humility, so that cliques will not form, but a solidarity in their sense of service to God and others.

Create a yahoogroup for all the youth so that all email messages are available for everyone…that way they form a community, friendships will also develop.

Let us know how things progress. Hope our ideas help.

in XT.

 

[Sowndog]

Thanks everybody.
Didi, I particularly like your ideas that involve encouraging younger teenagers because they are the key years when many people seem to drift away from the Church. I will bring these up at the next meeting.
sententia, i think your suggestion is good, in fact it is something we have already discussed and will probably start in the near future.
AquinasXVI, our meetings involve a lot of prayer already, but you are right that we should not forget this aspect of it as we change the direction of the group.

Our next meeting is sunday night, so I will look forward to any more suggestions people may have throughout the week.

Thanks again:thumbsup:

 

[koda]

I would like to suggest something a little different. I’m on the vocation committee at my parish and we try to provide the youth group with some vocation info - be it printed matter, a speaker or two, info about “come and see” weekends at local communities, etc. Young people don’t get the encouragement to consider a vocation like they used to.

I really like the pro-life suggestion below as well as doing some work with the less fortunate (another thing we need to instill in young people so they will continue involvement as adults).

 

[ilaann]

to you and your group.

Sounds like some of you might be ready to do some community service. Bounce that idea off the “minister” to your group and see what “bounces” back.

(by community service, I mean helping at a homeless shelter, tutoring grade school children, stuff like that)

 

[Sowndog]

Thanks everybody. I ran through your ideas with the group and we have decided on the following things:

1. We are participating in a few youth programmes for the benefit of the group itself.
2. Some of the programmes mentioned above deal with what it means to be Catholic, and after making sure everyone is comfortable with that we will be doing some ecumenical workshops with presbyterians and methodists (this sort of thing is particularly important in Northern Ireland.)
3. We are taking the first steps towards setting up groups for younger teenagers, but at the minute child protection laws are making it difficult.
4. Some of us will be going on youth leadership training courses.
5. We will be doing some fundraising and collecting toys etc for children’s charities for the period of advent.
6. We hope to work with Habitat for Humanity.
   7.Each group meeting involves some fun activities, Bible reading and discussion, finished off with quiet prayer around the altar in the Church.

We didn’t want to take on too much all at once as this is so new to us; mostly we are looking at youthwork and leadership training etc at the minute. Hopefully now we can turn our words into actions!

Thanks for your ideas everybody, I will keep you up-to-date with how it goes.

 

[I_A]

You may want to consider staffing and creating retreats for the youth of other parishes who arn’t as blessed as y’all.

As the body of Christ we need to support each other, and it seems y’all are at an ideal place to do this.