Highlights of this Issue

National Conference on Catholic Youth Ministry and NACYML Membership Meeting New Orleans • December 9-12, 2010

A Letter from Mike I write to encourage you to attend the National Conference on Catholic Youth Ministry (NCCYM) in New Orleans, December 9-12, 2010. I know church budgets are tight and time away during Advent is not exactly easy. I also know that volunteers and paid youth ministry leaders give so much and seldom take time to replenish themselves. I have attended ten of these biennial conferences and have found them to be wonderful celebrations—of our Catholic faith, of community, and of challenge—as we discuss and learn about serving our young people. I believe there are several very good reasons to attend this conference... Continue reading Mike Patin's article... A Time to Celebrate The National Conference on Catholic Youth Ministry is coming up in December. Will you be there? What better place than New Orleans to celebrate your life, your ministry, and your calling? I am not suggesting Bourbon Street is the ideal place to celebrate, but if you have ever been there, you know that it is the atmosphere, the music, the food, the laughter, and the joy that exudes out of every street corner that draws you in. It is that kind of celebrating that we all need from time to time! Read Stacy DeLong's article here... The Transforming Experience of NCCYM It was 1998 when I first began working in youth ministry. My wife and I started a group for high school students for our two clustered parishes in central New York. We were excited about what God had called us to do but we were very, very ‘green’. We did not exactly know where to start but drew on the little bit of experience we had working with an ecumenical youth ministry program in our area. Read the rest of Rich Rasmussen's article... Why I Keep Coming Back to NCCYM Any reason for going to NCCYM is a good reason, as long as once you arrive, you let the Holy Spirit work through you and the marvelous people you will meet. The professional networking, personal reinforcement, spiritual nourishment, and the fun, resulting from mingling with the awesome personalities essential for dynamic youth ministry, are a few of the reasons I continue to attend NCCYM. I have been to more than twenty of the NFCYM national conferences, both NCCYM and NCYC. Read the rest of Pam Heil's article... Following Crooked Lines One of my favorite sayings is an ancient Portuguese proverb: God writes straight with crooked lines. This certainly applies to my faith journey and the path I have traveled as a lay minister in the church. Do you remember being taught in an early math class that the most efficient route to travel from point A to point B is a straight line? Read the rest of Eric Groth's article...		From the Chair This issue of NACYML News is dedicated to assisting members make the most of the National Conference on Catholic Youth Ministry (NCCYM) experience – whether one attends the gathering in New Orleans or not. Continue reading the articles in this newsletter for perspectives from national speakers, diocesan directors, and parish youth ministers. Find out what to expect at the biennial NACYML Membership Meeting, the ‘Living Your Strengths’ preconference, and at the NACYML exhibit booth. The gathering in New Orleans will be an exciting time and I look forward to seeing many of you there! Read more of Glen McCall's article... NACYML Membership to Gather in New Orleans NCCYM opens on Thursday evening, December 9, 2010. The NACYML Membership Meeting begins at 9:00 that same morning! The planning committee has been working for months to put together a day that will be fruitful, challenging, and our best membership meeting to date. This fourth gathering of the NACYML membership will offer opportunities for networking with members from around the country, prayer experiences to focus our attention and spirits, and time spent addressing our needs as professionals in the field of Catholic youth ministry. Continue reading here for more information on the NACYML Membership Meeting... School Days: From Sweatshops to Classrooms Although we parents and guardians have enjoyed lots of summer fun with our children, we are now very relieved to turn our kids over to their teachers each school day. And actually, most kids are glad to return to the interesting and exciting world of formal education. But for millions of children worldwide, it is work as usual. These children will never learn to read or write. They will not acquire computer skills. They will not experience singing in chorus, going on field trips, or playing at recess. Continue reading Tony Magliano's article here... A Diocesan Director's Perspective on NCCYM Every two years I look forward to traveling to a new city to gather with fellow youth ministers at the National Conference on Catholic Youth Ministry. It is a tremendous blessing to be able to pray with, and learn from, a wide variety of people all dedicated to the same mission—bringing young people to Christ. In my role as a diocesan director, I have witnessed first hand the benefits parish youth ministers have gained by participating in NCCYM. Continue reading the article here...

Announcements and Important Information OnCourse Webinars 2010-2011 and National Youth Ministry Certificate Program Webinars NACYML will once again be offering a series of seven webinars beginning in October. Sessions are scheduled on the above dates between 2:00-3:30 pm (ET). Detailed course descriptions and registration information can be downloaded here. (549 KB) National Certificate Program NACYML is pleased to announce the OnCourse Youth Ministry Specialization Certificate. This program will begin in January 2011 and last for approximately fourteen months. The certificate program will consist of four courses addressing all of the specialized competencies for youth ministry leaders from the National Certification Standards for Lay Ecclesial Ministers. The program will help participants to develop a portfolio to aid in the application for national certification. NACYML is partnering with Ministry Training Source and Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College to provide this program. Download and information sheet here. (136 KB) Further information can be accessed via the certificate page on the St. Mary-of-the-Woods website. A Writing Contest for Youth The International Food Policy Research Institute and its 2020 Vision Initiative is pleased to announce its fourth writing contest for youth. We invite you to present your views on how we can renew agriculture for better food and better health. The contest is open to young people between the ages of 14 and 18 who care about solving global hunger and poverty. Download the flyer for more information, or visit the website. New Multi-Media Resource Available from the USCCB Become One Body, One Spirit in Christ is a multi-media catechetical resource on the liturgy. To prepare for the implementation of the new edition of the Roman Missal, this interactive DVD-ROM provides formation and instruction about not only the new texts but about the nature and purpose of the liturgy, the history of the Mass, and detailed lessons on the various parts of the Mass. Designed as a catechetical resource for a range of audiences: bishops, priests, deacons, catechists and educators, youth ministers, parish communities, faith formation groups, families, and the entire Catholic community. Visit the NACYML Members’ Website for further information and announcements.

A Picture Is Worth . . . Articles in this newsletter correspond to the Core Competencies detailed in the National Certification Standards for Lay Ecclesial Ministers. Look for the symbol in the article that indicates which core competency the article addresses. To learn more about the standards, see the resource page which is always accessible from the newsletter navigation bar. It provides a summary of the core competencies and the specialized competencies for youth ministry leaders.

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