Recruiting Ministry Volunteers
Mobilizing Volunteers for Your Ministry
This workshop will help participants understand their role in helping parishioners answer their baptismal call to use their gifts and time in service to their parish community. Participants will explore the ways that parishes can do a better job of recruiting volunteers so that they are asking volunteers to use their gifts in service to others, and strategies for sustaining them in their volunteer service so that it is life-giving for all.
Catechesis
Exploring the Directory for Catechesis – Experiencing the Heart of the Gospel
Experience is the language of faith. The Directory for Catechesis guides us to provide encounters with Christ, accompaniment of disciples, and witness of faith as we share the kerygma with people of all ages. This workshop will explore ways to provide catechesis that is hands on and heart on, that gives people something to do with their faith and something to care about.
Witnessing Faith
Imagine your parish as a community of witnesses. Children, youth, and adults are longing to experience people of faith who can tell the story of God in their lives and point to Christ’s healing love. In this session, participants discover the power of witness and consider ways to empower families and the parish community to radiate Christ’s love.
Ministry with Youth
Christ is Alive – Forming Youth for Discipleship
Young people will experience Christ radiated from communities who intentionally welcome, form, and guide them as missionary disciples. This workshop will assist parishes in implementing “Christus Vivit – Christ is Alive” by exploring the process for the adolescent faith journey, presenting best practices for helping youth grow in discipleship.
Becoming a Community who Accompanies Youth
The Emmaus journey provides a model for walking with youth in faith. We accompany those who are searching: we listen; we walk with them in their questions; we lead them to encounter Christ; and we empower them for mission and witness! This session will explore ways to empower your parish to intentionally accompany youth in faith and life.
Welcoming Youth to Ministry and Accompaniment
The last two years have seen a convergence of vision for ministry with youth inspired by Pope Francis’s Christus Vivit, research about the isolation of this generation, and the experience of the pandemic. This workshop will explore direction for ministry with youth built around accompaniment, faith sharing in families, and engagement in the parish community.
Christ is the Center of our Confirmation Ministries with Youth
The content of our Catholic faith is a person, Jesus Christ. Preparing youth for the sacrament of Confirmation means helping youth encounter Christ and grow in the practices of discipleship. This workshop is guided by the revised Directory for Catechesis and by the vision for accompaniment presented in Christus Vivit. Together, we will explore what it means to place the person of Christ as the center for our Confirmation ministry, with catechists, families, sponsors, and adolescents. This workshop will explore ways to recreate your preparation and follow-through for confirmation to provide encounter with Christ and promote intentional discipleship.
Ministry with Families
Connecting Families to Sacramental Ministries for Children and Youth
Families are the school of love and the place where children learn to live the truth of Baptism, Reconciliation, Eucharist, and Confirmation. Parishes and Catholic schools have an opportunity to connect families to the sacramental ministries as children and youth prepare for, celebrate, and live out the grace of the sacraments. This workshop will provide vision and practical resources for leaders to know, welcome, engage, and empower parents as they share faith and sacramental life with their children.
Engaging Today’s Parents – Reimagining our Ministries with Families in Mind
Families that pray together, share faith and engage in service together transform their faith, change our parishes, and ultimately share Christ’s love in the world. What do we need to inspire and support parents today? How can think of our ministries in new ways so that we build our faith formation with families at the center? This workshop will explore a practical ways to reimagine any ministry with families in mind.
Accompanying Parents and Families to Form Young Disciples
Parishes are providing dynamic youth ministry with parents and families at the center. Families are praying together, talking about faith, and engaging in service and ministry. This workshop will explore ways to engage parents and empower families to form youth as missionary disciples. Practical starting points, models for ministry, and resources will be presented to help transform our ministries with youth and their families.
Parents
Parents
Let’s Talk about Faith and Real Life with Adolescents
In Christus Vivit, Pope Francis presents a vision for accompanying youth and reminds us that parents and all adults who work with youth have an opportunity to talk with and walk with young people to connect faith and life. Youth today are making big decisions about their lives and their faith. Young people in our parishes need someone to accompany them; they need faith companions. Parents of adolescents deserve support and tools for making the faith connection. This workshop is designed for parents of youth, Confirmation sponsors, catechists, youth ministry team members, and parish leaders who work with youth.
Sharing Faith as Parents of Young Adults – Let’s Talk
Parents of young adults have the same care, concern and worries for their young adult children as they did when they were little, but they don’t have as much contact time or control. Many are concerned about the faith life of their young adult sons and daughters. Our influence as parents is different but we’re not finished. It’s time for a conversation. This workshop is for parents of young adults, young adults and pastoral leaders. Together, we will explore some of the starting points for important faith conversations and patterns of support for young adults today.
Retreats for Ministry Leaders and Teams
A Sower Went Out to Sow – A Spirituality for Ministry
Ministry leaders and catechists draw upon wells that are full and help others grow in faith and friendship with Christ. This workshop will provide a “mini-retreat” for catechists and ministry leaders. We will look at the scripture of the Sower and the Seed in new ways that remind us of our call to be close to the Sower, to become the Seed of Good News and to take time to nourish the Soil of our personal prayer and spirituality.
Embrace Hope
For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.
Jeremiah 19:11
We are called to be people of hope. As disciples, our lives are a sign that God’s love is more powerful than any situation, any crisis, and any tragedy that we can encounter. As ministry leaders, we live by our hope in Christ, and lead others to hopeful, Gospel living. This workshop will explore what it means to embrace hope.
Tom East • [email protected] • Gig Harbor, Washington • http://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-east-4921177/