Modeling 'responsible participation'

"Goal 2: To draw young people to responsible participation in the life, mission, and work of the Catholic faith community.” — Renewing the Vision 
One day, out of the blue, my sister-in-law asked if I wanted to teach religious education with her. She was a second-grade teacher in a public school and wanted to start teaching at our parish. I really enjoyed coaching so I thought this would be fun but I was nervous because I had no experience as a teacher. We decided to teach fifth grade even though she felt she would be more comfortable with second grade.
For our first day of class, she took the lead. The plan was for me to take the lead for the second class. I developed a lesson plan and emailed it to her for approval. She liked it and I taught the class for the first time. The enthusiasm and engagement from the class on that first day that I taught religious education and that first year was amazing and encouraged me so much that I eventually became a part-time middle school youth minister for our parish. A few years later, I discovered a copy of the email that I sent with my first lesson plan in my drafts folder. I did not delete it but instead kept it to remind me of when and where it all started for me. I had no idea what God had in store for me. The 22nd anniversary of that first class recently passed and I have been reflecting about everything that has happened since I accepted the challenge to teach with my sister-in-law and how God has always been working in my life to prepare me for each step of my faith journey.   
As part of my part-time position, I was responsible for Confirmation. I was able to stay with that first class of fifth-grade students through their Confirmation in eighth grade.  After they were confirmed, I decided to become a volunteer and assist with high school youth ministry. I had very little experience with high school students but was encouraged by the students that I had helped prepare for Confirmation. Once again, I accepted the challenge. Over the next four years, I really enjoyed being a part of high school youth ministry at my parish and working with young people along their faith journey. When that original group of fifth-grade students were about to graduate from high school, I felt like God was calling me to enter youth ministry on a full-time basis. This challenge felt a little more daunting. This was not just adding a little more to my schedule. This was a complete career change.  
The most valuable lesson I learned from my experience at my original home parish is the value of modeling “participation in the life, mission and work of the Catholic faith community” to the young people I ministered to and also the other parishioners. In addition to youth ministry, I was also part of a lot of activities and committees in the parish and was willing to serve in different capacities. My hope was that my example would help empower others to find ways to be more active in the parish. The more people that responsibly participate, the stronger and more diverse the parish. If young people see their parents, other adults, and their peers active in the parish, the more they are encouraged to follow these role models into “responsible participation in the life, mission, and work of the Catholic faith community.”  
— Tex Phelps is the Director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Archdiocese of Mobile. He may be emailed at [email protected]
Visit our website, www.ArchMobYouth.org Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/ArchMobYouth and follow us on Twitter and Instagram - @ArchMobYouth
 
My name is Tex Phelps and I am the new Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry. In my position one of my favorite pa— Tex Phelps is the Director of the Office of Youth Ministry for the Archdiocese of Mobile. He may be emailed at [email protected]
Visit our website, www.ArchMobYouth.org Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/ArchMobYouth and follow us on Twitter and Instagram - @ArchMobYouth