Feb 18, 2005

Contents

1. Youth Conference Coverage

2. Skills for Christian Leadership

3. Emmaus Celebration for YMSP Graduate Candidates

4. 2005-2006 YMSP Dates Announced

5. NCYC group leader meetings

6. CLI 05

7. Youth Rallies to Replace Youth Conference

8. 2005 Youth Ministry Resource Manuals in Stock

9. Budgeting Tips for 2005-2006 Budgets

10. Little Rock Bible Study Training

11. Safe Environment Training

12. Catechist Recognition Certificates

13. Saint Mary’s Press Recognition Awards

1. Youth Conference Coverage

Be sure to check out the centerfold photo spread and article in this week’s Catholic Sentinel on the recent Archdiocesan Youth Conference. You can also check out the article online at http://www.sentinel.org/articles/2005-7/13615.html.

2. Skills for Christian Leadership

What leadership skills do you need to be a coordinator of youth ministry? You’ll need: strong communication skills; experience with conflict management and win-win negotiations; understanding of your personality type and the personality types of your coworkers; and much more. Learn and hone these necessary skills at the upcoming Youth Ministry Studies Program (YMSP) class, “Skills for Christian Leadership,” on Mar 5-6, 2005 at the Griffin Center. The class is the fourth of the eight YMSP classes. You can take it as a stand-alone workshop or as your first class of the program. For more info including the registration flyer in pdf format, visit: http://www.archdpdx.org/ym/ymsp.htm.

3. Emmaus Celebration for YMSP Graduate Candidates

Please join us as we honor those YMSP students finishing their final class on Sat, Mar 5 at 6pm at the Griffin Center in Milwaukie. We’ll begin with Mass and hold a reception afterwards. While not required, we would appreciate you letting us know if you will be attending the reception so that we can have enough food and drink available. Just drop an email to youthministry@archpdx.org

4. 2005-2006 YMSP Dates Announced

The dates for next year’s Youth Ministry Studies Program are now set. Be sure to write them on your calendar or input them on your pda. Next year’s classes are very topic-specific: adolescent catechesis & evangelization; prayer & worship; justice and service; and pastoral care. Come to one; come to them all. Bring your volunteers and qualify for discount team rates. See the full schedule and class descriptions at: http://www.archdpdx.org/ym/ymsp.htm.

5. NCYC group leader meetings

What’s this NCYC thing folks are talking about? If you’d just like to know what NCYC stands for (OK, it’s the National Catholic Youth Conference) or want to know more about organizing your parish youth to attend this great gathering with 20,000 other youth and youth ministers, come to one of the three NCYC information meetings that will be held around the archdiocese. The meetings are: Sat, Feb 26, 10:30am-Noon St. Anne—Grant’s Pass; Sun, Feb 27, 1-2:30pm St. Jude—Eugene; Mon, Feb 28, 7-8:30pm Pastoral Center—Portland. Each info meeting will consist of: Presentations explaining NCYC; viewing the NCYC promo video; tips to help you organize your parish group; and a question and answer period. Please note that these info meetings are for adults organizing NCYC in their parish, i.e., group leaders or those considering it. Please do not bring prospective youth or parents of prospective youth. If you plan to attend, please email Michal at mhorace@archdpdx.org and include which meeting you'll attend (date and location); your parish and town; and your email and phone number.

6. CLI 05

Do you have some youth leaders in your parish? Looking for a place to send them to develop skills for leadership and Christian ministry? Christian Leadership Institute (CLI) is a week-long experience designed to provide your young people with the skills they need to be leaders. Topics include: Leadership skills and styles; Communication skills; Group dynamics; Consensus seeking; Planning skills; Liturgical planning; and Comprehensive Youth Ministry. The participants will have daily opportunities to put their new leadership skills into practice through planning and facilitating liturgies, prayer experiences, and other aspects of CLI. This year’s CLI will start at 10:00am, Monday, June 27, 2005 and conclude at 4:00pm, Friday afternoon, July 1, 2005 and take place at Our Lady of Peace Retreat Center (www.olpretreat.org) in Beaverton, Oregon. CLI is staffed by talented youth ministers and teachers from the archdiocese and is sponsored and facilitated by the Archdiocese of Portland Office of Youth & Young Adult Ministry. CLI is designed for Catholic teens between the ages of 15-18 who have completed their first year of high school. They should be currently involved in ministry in their parish or school. The fee for CLI is $225 and includes all meals and lodging (four nights) for the Institute. You can obtain a CLI brochure/registration form by emailing Michal at mhorace@archpdx.org. The brochure will also be available online soon and a hard-copy will go out in the next surface mailing. Please help us recruit teens for this year’s CLI by passing on the brochure to your youth leaders and encouraging them to attend CLI 05.

7. Youth Rallies to Replace Youth Conference

Although the recent youth conference was well attended, we are very aware that many parishes were not present due to the cost and long travel required. After many consultations, review of past surveys, discussions with the archbishop regarding his calendar, and prayerful discernment, we’ve chosen not to schedule a 2006 youth conference. Instead, we have chosen to put our efforts into two singe-day archdiocesan youth rallies in the fall of 2005. Some of you may remember the youth rallies that we held in 2002 in Mount Angel. The rallies that we’re planning will be similar. Each rally will be a stand-alone event from 11am-6pm with many of the same components you experienced at the youth conference. Junior High Youth Rally (for 6th-8th graders) will be Sat, Nov 19, 2005 and Senior High Youth Rally (for 9th-12th graders) will be Sun, Nov 20, 2005. We hope you will mark your calendars and plan on organizing your parish to attend. The location, Marist High School in Eugene, will be more central to the archdiocese to allow more parishes to attend. The per-person cost of the rally will only be $15 for youth and $5 for adults (an additional $10 late fee will be charged for registrations made after early bird deadline). Lunch will be INCLUDED in that price. Because the rally is a single day, you will be able to bring your group on the morning of the rally and get back home the same day at a reasonable hour. No lodging will be required. We hope that everyone will help us to make the youth rallies successful. If you have any comments, you may reach the Office of Youth & Young Adult Ministry at youthministry@archdpdx.org.

8. 2005 Youth Ministry Resource Manuals in Stock

This year’s edition of the popular Youth Ministry Resource Manual produced by the National Federation of Catholic Youth Ministry is now available. The Office of Youth Ministry has purchased a large quantity of these manuals and will sell them at cost ($15). Coordinators of Youth Ministry, DRE’s, and catechists from around the country rave about the catechetical sessions and planning information available in the manual. Many purchase the manual for the preparation material and tips for World Youth Day in Parishes (Oct 23, 2005), the National Catholic Youth Conference, and International World Youth Day. For more information on the 2005 manual, visit: http://store.nfcym.org/store/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=N075&Category_Code=ARM. You can buy the manuals through the youth ministry office or directly from NFYCM. Contact our office to purchase your copy—we’ll send you a manual, bill you and we’ll pay for the shipping.

9. Budgeting Tips for 2005-2006 Budgets

How many times have you said, “I wish I would have known about that because I would have put it in my budget.” Many of you will soon be asked to submit your 2005-2006 budgets for your ministry and now is the time to plan ahead. As responsible stewards, we need to plan carefully well in advance rather than by the seat of our pants. The following is a partial list of items you may wish to include in your budget (dollars amount are estimates in some cases):

· Background checks for volunteers: $10 per person

· Youth Ministry Studies Program (4 weekends/year): $170 plus optional lodging

· National Catholic Youth Conference: $735 plus lodging

· Archdiocesan Youth Rallies: $15

· Youth Minister Retreat or personal retreat

· Training workshops for you and your volunteers

· Scholarships for training your youth (CLI)

· Youth Minister Gathering: $40 plus optional lodging

· 2006 Youth Ministry Resource Manual: $15?

· Resource library allowance

10. Little Rock Bible Study Training

Young Adult Coordinators, looking for Bible study ideas? Little Rock Scripture Study stresses daily Scripture reading and reflection, individual and shared prayer, and small group faith sharing. A five-hour workshop is being offered on Sat, Feb 26 (Portland) and Sun, Feb 27 (Cottage Grove) that will give an overview of Little Rock Scripture Study and basic practical knowledge and experience using the study materials as they would be used in a parish setting. For more info, visit http://www.archdpdx.org/religious-education/littlerock.html.

11. Safe Environment Training

If you are a new staff person and did not attend the 2003-2004 Safe Environment Training, please plan on attending the final training date for this year on Feb. 26 at the Pastoral Center. Several aspects of safe environment for children and youth will be covered as well as a review of the requirement for parishes. This training will fulfill the required training for all clergy (priests and deacons) and employees. More info can be found at: https://mailings.archdpdx.org/Priests/20050216/SafeEnv.pdf.

12. Catechist Recognition Certificates

The Archdiocesan Office of Religious Education is recognizing catechists who have served for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, etc. years (multiples of five) as a catechist. Directors of Religious Education and/or Coordinators of Youth Ministry should submit deserving names to the Office of Religious Education using the appropriate form. More information including the submission form can be found at: https://mailings.archdpdx.org/General_Mailing/20050210/CatechCertRec.pdf.

13. Saint Mary’s Press Recognition Awards

The Saint Mary's Press Ambassador of Christ Recognition Awards publicly celebrate and affirm the ways in which special individuals touch the hearts of teens with the Good News of Jesus Christ. Individuals eligible for nomination are those adults and teens in the categories listed below who are role models for Catholic teens, ages 10-19, by genuinely touching their hearts and inspiring in them the Christian spirit.
(One recipient per category.)

· Catholic school staff

· Catholic parish staff or volunteer

· Catholic teen in senior year of high school

The recipients of the 2005 Ambassador of Christ Recognition Awards will receive

· $1,000 in cash or scholarship

· $500 in Saint Mary's Press resources

· a beautiful stained-glass award

To nominate someone for the 2005 Ambassador of Christ Recognition Awards, go to http://www.smp.org, and click on the Ambassador of Christ Recognition Award link or image on the bottom left of the page. You can also get a nomination packet in the mail by calling Carol Hunger toll-free at 800-533-8095. Completed packets must be returned to Saint Mary's Press by March 1, 2005, for consideration.

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