PARMA, Ohio — Youth ministry can be a daunting task, but it no longer has to be. A youth ministry pilot program in Northeast Ohio began last fall, aimed at creating a template for all regions in the eparchy.
The Eparchial Youth Commission set out requirements for the program, which include holding meetings at least every other week and varying meeting content, so that teens get a combination of church teaching, group discussions, service projects and fellowship.
The Northeast Ohio ByzanTEENS have met six times since the program began and have had talks on fasting and sharing struggles with God, a game night, a movie night, and a service project. Their most recent meeting was in mid-January. Activities will resume in the spring.
Starting later this year, the Eparchial Youth Commission will make the youth ministry material available at
www.parma.org.
Packets are designed to be simple to implement, with tools, materials and teachings already prepared and ready to go.
Thanks to the Stewardship Appeal, parishes and regions can receive funding for the programming.
For information, contact John Popp at [email protected] or (216) 741-8773, ext. 2.
Caption:
John J. Popp, left, shows teens how to make fleece blankets, which they then donated to the homeless of Cleveland before Christmas. (Photo: Laura Ieraci)
As published in Horizons, March 3, 2019. Sign up for Horizons’ digital newsletter.