The Key to Parish Youth Ministry Booklet | Antiochian.org Orthodox Church

Where do you want to go…

And how are you going to get there?

Every journey ends with a destination…

And with every destination

There goes a journey

If you’re not careful…

And the planning is poor…

It may end up that the journey

Has more downs than ups…

And the destination is

All but reached.

For…

The rehearsals wouldn’t be held

If the concert wasn’t scheduled.

And…

If it wasn’t for the game,

There wouldn’t be practice.

Because…

There must be purpose in the planning.

In everything, we need a place to go.

We may not know exactly where

Or when we’re going to get there.

But the fact remains…

We must give our all along the way

To ensure that quality awaits us.

Top 10 Tips to be Treasured by the Parish Priest

Stay involved: your presence at a Teen SOYO function means more to the children than one can imagine. They follow your example even when you aren’t looking!

2. Hand pick the lay leaders/advisors of Teen SOYO. Our children deserve our most talented laity to serve them!

3. Stay updated: be aware of what your Teen SOYO does. This shows your love and concern for them and it also enables you to guide them when they stray off the path. Be sure to relay all information that is mailed to the Church office for the youth by the Region and Archdiocese!

4. Never underestimate their intelligence. Teach them with all of your ability. More often than not, the children understand better than adults!

5. Include a legitimate and accurate amount of money for Youth Ministry in your parish budget. This lays seeds of seriousness towards youth work in our parishes and may lead to the hiring of a full-time youth director!

6. Occasionally allow the teens to sing at Vespers or other special services. Their participation in the Liturgical life of our Church is as important as anything else they do. They must be taught to be involved!

7. If your schedule allows, spend some personal and individual time with your youth. The greatest impact comes through personal, one-on-one contact. These are the times when they most remember your words!

8. Be strong, loving and wise when disciplining the youth. They cannot be allowed “to skate” when they make a mistake. Only when we learn boundaries do we learn how to see the difference between right and wrong!

9. Love the children and pray fervently for them. They need you!

10. Our children are both the present and the future of the Church. They will be tomorrow whatever we make of them today!

10 Tips to be Treasured by Youth Directors…

1…

Take time to truly understand the responsibilities that go along with the position you are in. You are not a chaperone & supervisor, but a role model and mentor.

· Everything you do, from this point on, should be an example to anyone who sees. You are not just a Youth Director when you’re with your youth group.

· Speak with your priest about his vision for the parish. You must be on the same page. Plan events that go along with his vision and minister to the different needs of the group. Always keep purpose in the planning!

· Know your teens:

§ -Their family life

§ -Their school life

§ -Their relationship with God

o Get to know this information by simply experiencing life with them. They are not your subject to study, but a person to understand…and each one is a different person.

2…

Make it a point, right from the start, to involve the parents and others in the parish that are looking to lend a helping hand. It is always helpful to have a strong core group of people to count on for assistance and support.

People like to be needed. Approach people personally for assistance with your ministry. Have meetings together as a group, and keep them involved with the children’s lives.

Make sure these people are made aware of the vision of the parish and are willing to support the youth director in his/her decisions.

One way to keep parents involved is to have monthly meetings in different homes. The parents will feel utilized and important in their child’s experience in the church.

3…

Keep in close contact with your SOYO president. He or she shouldn’t have a doubt in their mind that they can come to you for anything at any time.

Pick a day of the week to dedicate your time to a good conversation with your youth group president. Remember: GUIDE, NOT DECIDE! Let them express their ideas and guide them honestly in the right direction. Give them a lot of praise and encouragement for positive ideas.

Set goals together for the year with the officers, and visit them regularly. It’s important that the officers remember that their first priority in the group is to live a life of good example.

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Keep on top of things!

4…

Make special efforts to get involved on a personal level with your teens.

Attend extra-curricular activities

Visit their homes. Parents will see that you care and you’ll also get to know their home life.

Give them a special call during the week just to see how they are. This is especially important in certain cases where the teen is hesitant to get involved with SOYO. Who knows? They may join simply because they trust you and have a connection with you.

5…

Pay close attention to the group dynamic that exists among the teens when they’re together.

Look for children who feel left out. Reach out to them and appeal to the natural leaders of the group to take initiative with them also.

Listen to the way they talk and the language they use so that you can direct them when needed. Your observations could make for a good discussion or retreat topic at a later date.

§ Notice the strengths and weaknesses of the individuals to see how they can be utilized. For example, ask someone who loves to take pictures to make a scrapbook for the year.

6…

Strongly guide and encourage the teens to do God’s work, but don’t do it for them.

For example, teach them the importance of partaking in the sacraments, but don’t force them to take confession.

BE CONSISTANT! Have Bible Study at least once a month…and work up to once a week. Nothing is more important than keeping their minds in the right place from Monday to Saturday…not to mention, if you’re not studying scripture with them, you’re missing the whole point of the ministry. Encourage them to plan a well-rounded year of Worship, Witness, Service, and Fellowship, but don’t allow them to become dependant on you to plan. Pick a teen to chair each event. Guide them in the responsibilities of it.

Keep purpose in the planning. Brief and debrief them on their projects. Whether the purpose is to fulfill God’s command for us to feed the poor, or just to have fun, let them know how each step you take together is a step on the path to salvation.

7…

Pay attention to the younger children in the parish.

You are in a good position to begin organizing youth groups for pre-teens and toddlers

Youth ministry needs to extend to all children! As the years pass, destructive influences are entering the lives of younger and younger children.

If they understand, from the youngest of ages, what is right and true, their foundation on which to enter their teen years will be stronger. “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not turn from it.”

8…

Become a student of modern culture.

See their movies, listen to their music, read their magazines.

It’s important to know where their questions might be coming from. The more you know about the norms of children in society, the better you can guide them towards what should be normal for a Christian.

Have them over to watch a movie of modern culture that you think sends a good message. Put music on when they’re in your car that shows them how to find good in what the world is presenting. This will help them to be able to discern for themselves.

9…

Act with integrity in word and deed.

Stick by what you teach them. The life you live is a lesson for them. Don’t do anything that you can’t tell them about.

What goes into mind comes out in life. Watch what you listen to and watch on T.V. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.

Watch what you say and how you speak. They will model after things you don’t realize. Your language, what you think is funny, etc. If you don’t show them that you feel life in the church is essential then they may fall into what society is presenting to them instead.

10…

JUST RELAX AND LOVE THEM!

IF YOU TRULY ENJOY THEM AND LOVE THEM AS GOD’S VERY SPECIAL CHILDREN, THERE IS A GREATER CHANCE THEY’LL JOIN THE GROUP. IF THEY JOIN, THEY’LL LEARN!

GET ACROSS TO THEM, MOST IMPORATNTLY THAT AS BAPTISED ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS THEY ARE PART OF THIS GROUP. IT IS NOT YOUR AVERAGE CLUB TO JOIN OR NOT TO JOIN. IF THEY SAY YES TO WHAT THEIR YOUTH GROUP IS OFFERING THEM, IT IS UNTO THEIR SALVATION.

Sermons We See

I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day,

I’d rather one should walk with me than merely show me the way.

The eye’s a better pupil and more willing than the ear;

Fine counsel is confusing, but example is always clear;

And the best of all the preachers are the men who live their creeds,

For to see the good in action is what everybody needs.

I can soon learn how to do it if you’ll see it done.

I can watch your hands in action, but your tongue too fast may run.

And the lectures you deliver may be very wise and true;

But I’d rather get me lesson by observing what you do.

For I may understand you and the high advice you give,

But there’s no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.

-Edgar A. Guest

10 Tips to be Treasured by Teen Leaders…

1…

Have a new member’s party at the start of the year.

This will help integrate them and make them feel a part of the group from the beginning.

Kidnap the kids from their homes. (With parental consent, of course.) Do activities at the party that single them out during the party.

Designate an old member to secretly pay special attention to a new member. Don’t attach yourself to old members! If they feel unwelcome their first meeting, they may never come back.

2…

Get younger children excited to join SOYO.

Befriend younger children in the parish.

Invite them to activities from time to time. For example: Christmas caroling, sports/field day, visiting elderly, etc.

Help out with their programs. Show them that you love Christ and His Church and that when they are teenagers, they will be as excited as you are!

3…

Have one big group, not many little ones.

Social pressures that exist in the school atmosphere are not compatible with the Orthodox Christian atmosphere the youth group aims to provide.

Don’t wear inappropriate attire to church or other activities. Body image should not be an issue when you’re gathering together as the Body of Christ. Would the Theotokos or the Saints wear what you’re wearing?

Gossip, even if it’s about people that are not in your youth group, is bad news! The behaviors you practice with each other should carry over into your school life, and not the other way around.

4…

Encourage full participation in all church services and activities.

Make sure that what’s going on is very clear and known to all:
- Make a Sept-Dec calendar, and a Jan-May calendar
- Have a phone chain the week before each event
- Send e-mails, mail notices, whatever it takes!
- Don’t let transportation be an issue. Make sure that the teens know who lives in their area so that they can let them know if they need a ride.
- Church comes first! They can’t be a part of the group if they’re not in Liturgy Sunday mornings. As the leader, you must make sure that you are present at all church services and events. You can’t ask your fellow members to do something that you’re not doing yourself.
- Express your ideas and come up with the best game plans for the future. Utilize as many members as possible! Pick a chair for each event.
- Set goals together for the year with the officers and visit them regularly. It’s important that the officers remember that your first priority in the group is to live a life of good example.
- If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Keep on top of things!
- The goals that you set in the beginning need to be frequently referenced.
- As a youth leader, you should not be afraid to ask for help. That’s what your priest and youth director are for.
- Parents love to be needed and are great resources for drivers, host homes, and cooking, of course. J Use people in your planning!
- If you put something into motion, stick to it and complete it
- If you fall, get back up. If something doesn’t work, it’s not necessarily your fault. Don’t be afraid to admit that something doesn’t work for your parish. Just make sure that you’ve done all that you could have done.
- Delegate! Delegate! Delegate! Share responsibilities and utilize your members!
- Display pictures and information about your activities, so that the parish will feel involved in your work.
- Involve the parish in fund-raising efforts. Fundraising is important for 2 reasons:
- - You’ll need funds for traveling and for doing good works
  - The teamwork that goes along with raising money is priceless!
  - Invite parish members to participate in humanitarian efforts. The more the merrier! It’s very inspiring for adults to see children helping their brothers and sisters in Christ.

5…

Set at least one evening a week aside to discuss upcoming events with your Youth Director.

6…

Involve your Youth Director and Priest in your planning.

7…

Follow through with projects!

8…

Attend and support all deanery and regional activities.

· Be an active part of deanery and regional projects. It’s important to share resources with fellow parishes.

· Inform your local parish about how regional and national SOYO works. They should know that they are a part of a bigger working picture!

· Word of mouth is the best form of advertisement. Send fliers, but don’t neglect a phone call.

9…

Make your presence known in the parish.