Out From Behind the Table

Out from behind the Table: Building relationships for the fall semester in Military Parishes

It’s time to regroup now that a third of your teens graduated high school. You are full of cake and BBQ, your feet (and back..let's be honest) are sore from trying to learn the nay nay and you have to empty the trash bin of all the used tissues from tear-filled goodbyes because another third of your teens are PCSing (Permanent Change of Station). Does anyone else laugh when you read that? There is nothing “permanent” except the change.

Now what?  Typically you take a couple weeks to try to salvage the rest of your summer before you begin planning because you are anxiously awaiting the new Life Support Box (ministry resources)… Since you can’t sit out by the receiving door of your chapel and stalk the mail carrier you decide it is time to meet the new faces you have started seeing in the pew.

Picnic time! Some communities plan a parish picnic a couple of weeks prior to the start of the new year. My favorite thing to do is to have some kind of activity just for the teens. I enjoy having them make tie-dye t-shirts that we add our community’s name to with screen printing or lettering. You could do whatever you want that will be fun and give you a chance to get a little face time with them before the year starts so it isn’t so awkward and that feeling of stranger danger has made an effectual disappearance.

Buddy up. Chances are the RE (Religious Ed Coordinator) and the Parish Coordinator are preparing the registration forms for all the new catechists and will be making announcements about them. In our community the Coordinator set up long tables with a sign for each of the ministries and had a representative from those ministries stand behind them. Make sure you get your announcement in and a spot at the table…BUT….

Get out from behind the table. For some of us, being an extrovert is about as fun as stubbing your toe. But effective youth ministry has a mixture of talents represented, so the person who doesn’t mind at all speaking in front of crowds or randomly striking up a conversation with strangers is a huge asset in building relationships with new teens…these are the people who when given an opportunity to stand behind the table and wait for teens to coming running will wiggle and squirm. When was the last time you saw a hoard of teens see a church table and say OOOHHHHH sign me up!!! That isn’t how they are wired.  Approach a teen and introduce yourself, say something like, “Sweet! I am so glad I met you today!!! Walk with me over to this table…I can’t wait for you to come hang out with us! Have you been a youth group before?”

It is about relationships. God just being God is a relationship…three persons, One God. Virtually every teen I have ever met in youth ministry answers the question: “Why did you come to youth group” the same… Because I was invited.  So go on…. Go start new relationships…one hello and invite at a time.