Does your parish need some new faces?
Is it time to re-generate your parish life?

NEW The "How To" Book On Young Adult Ministry Is Now Available!
Fr. John Cusick and Ms. Katherine DeVries have co-authored a book about their work in young adult ministry. "The Basic Guide to Young Adult Ministry" is available from the publisher, Orbis Books, Box 308, Maryknoll, New York, 10545-0308; 800.258.5838; www.orbisbooks.com.

Interestingly, in the not too distant past, the backbone of parish life, the real active parishioners, were people in their 20's and 30's. In many parishes today, it is those very same people, now 25 years older, who are still involved and bearing the responsibility for parish governance, committee leadership, parish and liturgical program. Yet, those in their 20's and 30's are in the community. If you want to change that phenomenon and re-generate your parish with some new and younger faces, we have some very workable suggestions...

First, if you are seriously considering inviting greater participation from young adults into the life of the parish, gives some thought to the following:

• What is the reputation of your parish?What do people say about the quality of preaching, music, hospitality etc.?
• Take inventory - how many young adults do you see participating in various roles as Eucharistic ministers, lectors, musicians? Are they involved in organizations?
• In what areas could there be more participation from young adults?
• What strategies are currently being used to invite greater participation from young adults?
• In what areas does it make sense to have separate, but similar groups within the parish made up of young adults?
  What specific need do you hear from the young adults at your parish?
  

Can we be helpful to you in gathering the young adults of your parish?

The Young Adult Ministr office can help your parish several different ways. Often, young adults feel isolated or overlooked in their own parishes. Two comments are heard over and over again:

"Where are the people my age on Sunday?"
"There never seems to be anything directed to young adults in our parish."

Interestingly, parish staff people often have two similar comments:

"We never see many young adults at Mass on Sunday in our parish."
"It's hard to plan for our young adults baecause they are really not around the parish."

The Young Adult Ministry Office can offer help to parishes in the following specific ways...

• Attend a staff or parish council meeting to discuss ways of working with young adults. On occasion, the YAM office has the opportunity to enter into good conversation with an entire parish staff.
• Offer strategies for integrating young adults into the life of the parish. We can help you develop a plan to integrate young adults into already existing parish programs.
• Help to create a parish young adult group. We've learned alot about young adults and have alot to offer young adults interested in developing a young adult group.We offer a paper titled Creating and Maintaining a Dialog Group.
• Help plan a dialog group. Some people are looking for on-going conversation with their peers. We offer a paper titled Creating and Maintaining a Dialog Group.
• Co-host young adult activities. Consider hosting one of YAM activities such as Theology-on-Top.
• Help create an on-going group at your parish for young adults in your area. Consider combining resources from various parishes - hire a young adult group coordinator for example. More can be accomplished when you work together then when you work separately.

Explore this site and see what the YAM office offers young adults. Consider being a host parish for some of the events. Become inspired by what we offer. We're here to help you too.