What do the teams do?

Each team is sent to a parish for a period of eight months to implement a youth ministry program called Life Teen in the parish and train local young adults in youth ministry, leadership and faith formation.  Through the LIFE TEEN Mass and LIFE Nights, high school teens learn more about their Catholic faith and grow to love the Sacraments, the Word, and the Mass. At a LIFE TEEN parish, a priest, youth minister, the music ministry and a CORE Team of volunteers build an environment where teens feel loved, accepted, and compelled to reach deeper into their faith. As with any youth ministry program, in order for LIFE TEEN to achieve its full potential, full support of the entire parish community is necessary.

Why have a parish team?

One of the most difficult things about a youth ministry program in a parish is getting it started. Many parishes do not know where to start, who to hire, how to get teens involved, what resources are out there, etc.

A Parish Based NET Team provides a parish with a team of seven to eight young adults that have gone through 5 full weeks of intensive training of NET Ministries and LIFE TEEN.

Having a parish team allows the program to begin sooner with an already trained team of young adults to run the program and train local volunteers to become leaders in Youth Ministry

The LIFE TEEN Program

The LIFE TEEN Program is a comprehensive youth ministry program with a strong focus on the Eucharist.  Starting with a weekly LIFE TEEN Mass, high school teens are placed in an environment where they have the opportunity to experience fully the greatest gift we have as the Church.  This liturgy provides the cultural connection for the teens allowing them to take ownership of their faith so church is not just their "parent's thing" anymore.  They begin to develop a relationship with Jesus that is both personal and real.

Immediately following the Mass, teens gather for the LIFE Night to learn about the Church and their faith in challenging ways

CORE Team

The LIFE TEEN CORE group whenever possible is comprised of adults who are at least out of high school and who are preferably not a parent of a current high school teenager. The main job of a CORE member is to reach out to teens, both on an individual basis and a group basis. Also, the core members help to plan and implement all LIFE nights and retreats. A diverse CORE group of adults of different experiences, ages, educational and professional backgrounds, helps to bring a great deal of creativity to the program.

Music Ministry

We at LIFE TEEN have, like most in youth ministry, recognized the vital importance of quality music when working with teenagers. Many young people create or find their identity in the music culture.

We do not necessarily have to imitate or compete directly with the musical style of the moment - the style is forever changing - but we DO need to provide high quality and relevant music in our liturgies and LIFE Nights.

Teens are not coming to church looking for "cool". They are hungry for, or deprived of, truth and unconditional love. How does this relate to music ministry? We try not to "wow" young people or lure them into the faith by the groove of the music (though if that happens, praise God.) If we can be authentic - live and pray the lyrics we sing, and do so with a musical arrangement that is relative to their culture, we will make a difference in their lives.

Remember, young people are just as "impressed" with a simple and well-prepared psalm response, sung and played with joy, musical deftness and authenticity, as they are with a rockin' song for Jesus. Our goal is not to impress teens, but to disappear and let Christ shine through us.