Youth ministry workshop

Last Saturday I went to a workshop on youth ministry at St. Columba in Kent (I made the above sketch of the church while I was there).

I thought it would be a "how-to" workshop, but instead the presenter asked us to consider the parish resources we have that can be utilized for youth ministry. In other words, he didn't suggest a "one size fits all" style of youth ministry, but he emphasized the need to tailor your youth ministry to your own youth and your own parish.

He asked us to think about what our parishioners are passionate about, and ask them to share that with the youth. It might be baseball, or sailboats, or something about their job. He also asked us to think about what our youth are passionate about, and then tap into that passion. Is it sports, computer games, beauty pageants, art?

He asked us to think how we would approach these areas of youth ministry:
INVITE
WELCOME
INCLUDE
AFFIRM
EQUIP
SEND FORTH

All in all it was a thought-provoking workshop, and gave me lots of ideas to offer to our youth ministry.