Planning Youth Ministry Events

Course Summary

This course provides an introduction and understanding of why and how events can and should be an integral component of comprehensive youth ministry.  We will consider how to connect youth with their parish community and then will examine events from both a ministerial perspective as well as practical considerations from promotion to logistics to evaluation.

Successful completion of this course earns 2.5 CEU's.

General Course Objectives

• Explore the rationale and some strategies for connecting the entire parish community to Youth Ministry
• Enrich the faith formation of youth by a developing a deeper understanding of the value of gathering the young church at diverse events
• See how gatherings and events are elements of Comprehensive Youth Ministry
• Explore tips for effective pastoral planning for youth ministry events
• Acquire and design a methodology for effective planning

Course Materials

• Required Book: East, Thomas with Alejandro Aguilera-Titus, Carolyn Coll, RSM, Ann Marie Eckert, Leif Kerwald, Sean T. Lansing, Mariette Martineau, John Roberto and Cheryl M. Tholcke Leadership for Catholic Youth Ministry: A Comprehensive Resource New London, Connecticut: Twenty-Third Publications, 2009 ISBN: 978-1-58595-732-3
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• Required Book: United States Catholic Conference of Bishops Department of Education National Directory for Catechesis Washington, DC: United States Catholic Conference, Inc. 2005 ISBN: 1-57455-443-3
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Course Structure and Highlights

• Week 1: Connections Strengthen Youth Ministry
  • Explore the importance of inviting the entire parish to claim ownership for the Youth Ministry program
  • Identify a workable approach to effectively connect youth to the parish community
• Week 2: Principles of Planning
  • Explore the importance of naming a vision and focusing on that vision when planning events in Youth Ministry.
  • Understand how the themes and components named by the US Bishops in Renewing the Vision provide a framework for the planning of any Youth Ministry event. [br]
• Week 3: Framework for Effective Planning
  • Explore how to focus the planning of the Youth Ministry events on the components and dimensions of Youth Ministry presented by the US Bishops in their framework[br]
  • Identify some initial steps in effective planning for a Youth Ministry events
• Week 4: More About Planning
  • Identify some tips and steps in effective planning for an event
  • Consider how the themes and components identified by the US Bishops are a rich resource for planning and determine how best to utilize them in planning events for young people. [br]
• Week 5: Planning Your Own Event
  • Using the principles and steps each student will complete the final session having the framework for a youth ministry event

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