Catechist Training and Resources
Safe Environment
One of the requirements for working with minors is to become "safe environment" compliant. It's a simple process of paperwork and training to make sure we provide an appropriate space to minister to our youth. Please work on completing this as soon as possible.
NEW VOLUNTEERS:
STEP 1: Make sure you're registered with the parish.
STEP 2: Click the instructions below to find how to, online: make a VIRTUS account, complete background check, & sign a code of ethics. Fill out paperwork for a volunteer profile.
STEP 3: Register for & take a "Protecting God's Children" one-time workshop (3 hours), now offered online.
STEP 4: Stay up to date each month by reading the VIRTUS bulletins (5-10 minutes)!
Questions?! Reach out to our parish Safe Environment Coordinator, Kathy McKinney at KathyMcKinney@stlukecatholicminthill.org
RETURNING VOLUNTEERS:
Make sure you are up to date on your VIRTUS bulletins. Sign in to your VIRTUS account and complete any unread bulletins.
https://virtusonline.org/virtus/
Relational Ministry
WHAT IS YOUR ROLE:
You don't need to know everything; you don't need to have all the answers. You only need to walk with the teens and love them like Jesus. Our teens long to be SEEN, KNOWN, and LOVED - that's your role. To see them for who they are as a unique individual, to listen to their questions and stories, and to build a trusting, appropriate, mentoring relationship.
What does this look like?
Making eye contact, using names, asking follow-up questions from remembered conversations (you can even keep notes!).
"Hey, Mark! How was your game last week?"
"Good evening, Sofia. How did that big test go?"
DOES IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
Young people who have trusted adults in their lives who share their faith can make all the difference:
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ARTICLE: What Religion Offers Teenagers: Benefits of Religion for Teens
ARTICLE: The Benefits of Youth Religion and How Tradelines Can be Beneficial
ARTICLE: Institute of Family Studies: Religious Upbringing and Adolescents
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Classroom Management
Curriculum
Materials and Class Structure
I'm looking forward to another great year of working together! We found a good outline last year that included:
- A brief large group gathering and opening prayer
- A 15-20 minutes large group activity (all grades) relevant to our topics
- A closing prayer and dismissal as a large group (in parish hall this year)
- About 90 minutes in the classroom covering the material for the lesson
This year, the 6th graders are using Ascension Press's VENTURE Bible study program. The 7th graders and High Schoolers (Confirmation Year 1 curriculum) will be covering lessons 1-12 of CHOSEN and the 8th graders (Confirmation Year 2) will be covering lessons 12-24 (minus 22). You can access all leader guides and videos below (physical books given on Sept 8th). Our first lesson will be "off-book" and I will send you outlines in the coming weeks.
DIGITAL LEADER MATERIAL ACCESS:
To access the leader material for the curriculum, please log in to Thinkific here: https://ascensionpress.thinkific.com/enrollments
User: katyde_ath@stlukecatholicminthill.org
Password: Ascensionpw1!