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STRATEGIC INITIATIVES - YOUTH

 

Engage Our Youth Through Family and Community

Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.
(1 Timothy 4:12)

St. Francis is blessed to have an incredible number of families with children. Of our registered parishioners, 37% are under the age of 21 and 43% are between the ages of 11 and 21.

Through the Strategic Initiatives Process, an overwhelming amount of feedback was heard on the importance of engaging and nurturing this critical 11 to 21 age group within the context of our families, the parish and our larger society. Parents are looking for ways to help engage and keep their children engaged in our faith and parish.

This strategic initiative is built around addressing these issues. This strategic initiative will include:

  • Research and investigate the needs of our 11 to 21 year olds through listening sessions with the youth
  • Research and investigate the needs of the parents of 11 to 21 year olds through listening sessions with the parents
  • Develop or further promote existing programs specifically addressing the needs from these listening sessions
  • Make faith formation for our youth more meaningful by creating outreach activities for the family and youth
  • Increase participation in TYM and our confirmation program
  • Enhance and create opportunities for youth to encounter and deepen their spiritual relationship with God
  • Create ways to reach out to those youth currently lacking or in need of spiritual resources
  • Ensure all ministries are calling forth youth for participation in their programs
  • Develop a plan to invite adults to be facilitators, mentors, coaches of our youth
  • Develop awareness of vocation opportunities within the church
  • Encourage all parishioners to respond to the needs and celebrate the gifts of youth within our parish.
     

“We welcome with joy all those who come to us and invite them into the life of our community.”