Ideas for Youth Group? Teens, tell me your views!

[marysea]

How to form a youth group?..what to do?..how to get kids interested?..what can we offer them?

I’m in a small parish (about 175) in a very small town that is somewhat economically depressed and rather provincial. We have less than 15 teens in the entire parish (most folks are seniors, including the priest).

We would like to start a Youth Group, especially to counteract the extreme secularism and immorality going on with youngsters in the public schools. BUT…we really have no idea what to do!

Almost every kid is from a broken or otherwise dysfunctional home. Half these families don’t attend mass regularly. The youth themselves don’t seem interested, but that may be due to our poor leadership. They’re good kids who might respond if we had activities or discussions that really appealed to them.

Some in the parish are “negative” about a youth group because of the perception that teens just zone out on MTV or surfing the 'net (or worse things). A few of us really care about these youngsters and want to create a fun, safe environment for them, but we have very little experience and need ideas and suggestions.

Any youth leaders…or even better, you teens yourselves…tell me what I might do in this situation. THANKS for all replies!

 

[Aaron_I]

Pick one weekday to go to mass. Afterwards go out to eat and hang out. The youth group I’m in started this way about 2 years ago and has grown rapidly. We now have retreats and other functions. Perhaps the biggest difficulty will be the low numbers. Always keep the kids’ desires in mind in choosing what to do, but I would say that the mass is a must.

I hope this might give you some success. Most of all pray for guidance. Good luck.

 

[beckyann2597]

Aaron had good ideas, also, I would pick up and apologetics books and start teaching the kids the basics of their faith. This is the age where they will be confronted with lies and half truths about the Catholic Faith and it is the perfect time to teah them to defend it. It will set them on fire for the Lord and conflict is a great way to stir up interest. You might even get non denom kids in to hear what you are saying. Do lots of goofy fun stuff too… When I was in Life Teen, we mimiked the liturgy of the Mass… Gather, Proclaim, Break, and Send. Gather; get together and do something as a group…songs, games, a skit, whatever. Always start with a prayer welcoming them and thanking God for this time together. Proclaim; present the lesson or the scripture passage you will be discussing. Break; break open the word or lesson and discuss. Involve the teens and validate or explain. Send; Give them something to internalize the lesson, a gift, poem, scripture verse, song about the topic. Always end with a prayer that they will grow close to God and That they will be kept safe throughout the week. The end is a good time to hand out a snack. The snack is often why some of the kids come but they stay because because of the substance that you give them, God Bless and have a great day…–Rebecca

 

[SwordofLight]

A praise night with Eucharistic adoration is a big draw at SDSU’s Newman Center.

A Bible study that takes on one of the Gospels once a week, reading no more than two chapters a night (stop after each section and ask for interpretations, have some early Church commentary)

And of course a Sunday Mass, here at SDSU it’s at 8pm, so you don’t have to get kids to worry about waking up early or anything…

 

[Eileen_T]

We have Adoration and Benediction followed by meeting in the Hall for refreshments and discussions. Have a question, followed by discussion and maybe watch a related DVD (Fr John Corapi)

Definitely include apologetics in your program.

 

[I_A]

First and foremost: Pray.

I can’t stress this enough. Get the other parishoners to pray, get monks and sisters to pray, get other laity to pray.

Also have faith, hope and love. First off have faith that God will lead the children to him, then have hope when only a few, or not very many at all youths come, and then love them with the love of Christ when they do come.

Never back down from the gospel, no matter how hard the gospel seems, for it is always good news. Youths seek to define ourselves, youths seek conflict, its in our nature, be the counter-culture, be the voice of John the Baptist, be the Pope John Paul II, look how many went out to meet them!

Pray, pray, pray. Pray to Mary, for she was only 15 when she concieved the Lord, pray to John the Apostle, for he was only a teenager when he was an apostle (my friend told me this weekend.)

Most of all pray.

 

[KatarinaTherese]

I’d definitely agree with going to Mass an extra day each week. And definitely just leave some time for hanging out with each other.

I don’t even know what else to say, it’s such an exciting thing and there are so many posibilities!

One thing: don’t be too preoccupied with your parish’s view of teens. Especially if they see you at Mass together, the perspective might change. Just stay faithful and orthodox, and stay focused on what God wants you to do. I’m so glad there are people like you, who are thinking of us teens! You’re in my prayers.

 

[dhgray]

Hi MarySea,

Where are you located? Depending on you answer there may already be a Youth Group in your area. If you looking at starting one, you might consider using an established outside resource like:
http://www.yfconline.net/images/yfc_logo.jpg http://www.yfconline.net/images/yfc_logo_text.gif
CFC-Youth Web side:

Youth for Christ (YFC) is a family ministry of Couples for Christ (CFC). It is a means of renewing young adults and of providing a venue where they can respond to God’s call to holiness. YFC is open for membership to all young from 12-22 years of age.

In the last couple of years, Youth for Christ has sought to establish itself not only in the different parish communities, but also to work hand in hand with the schools, believing that it is there where the young adult spends most of his waking hours and therefore this is where we can effectively evangelize them. This thrust realized with the organization of YFC’s school based program for the high school level and the campuses based program for the college or university level.

“What is needed is a creative approach to the evangelization of young people that understands their nature, interest, needs and gifts.” – Bishop Ted Bacani. “The way to evangelize young people today is through people their own age.” – Cardinal Sin.

Relying on the wisdom of this direction, YFC finds itself effective in the evangelization of the young as it provides:

• A point of re-conversion where a young person grows as a man or woman of God, where he/she will be encouraged to take responsibility and exercise his/her leadership skills.
• A program that accepts the vibrancy, energy, dynamism and free spirit of the young, as part of growth; that rechannels the rebellious characteristics of the young people to active submission to the plan of God; that positively contributes in building his/her family, school and country.

GOD guarantees you this exciting and successful life, even now. YFC is the best training ground for winners.

CFC-Youth is reconized by the Catholic Church as servant and lay arm of the Roman Catholic Church in the work of family renewal and evangelization, and has a number of bishops as its Spiritual Directors. The Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has granted Couples for Christ recognition as a PRIVATE ASSOCIATION OF THE LAY FAITHFUL in accordance to Canons 321-329 of the Code of Canon Law.
Furthermore, CFC operates under the auspices of the Family Life and/or Evangelization Offices of parishes and dioceses throughout the world.

CFC-Youth and CFC-Singles have established a presence in all 50 states and in 150 countries around to world.

Contact me if you would like more information.