MINNEAPOLIS & ST. PAUL
YOUTH MINISTERS NETWORK
SUPPORTING YOUTH MINISTERS IN THE ARCHDIOCESE
2023 DETAILS
Cost for membership: $50 (Includes One Day)
January Day Session ONLY, Surviving in the Suburbs $20. One Day Registration
Non-members are welcome to come once and check us out; if they’d like to return we ask they become members.
Schedule: First Thursday of the Month, 8:45am to 1pm
Location: St. Joseph Catholic Community in New Hope, MN.


This year we’re partnering with Treehouse for a professional development series with Tim Cryer.
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Sept 8: Mass with Archbishop Hebda*
Oct 6: Trauma Informed Youth Ministry
Nov 3: Building a Culture Where Hope Grows
Dec 1: Suicide Prevention
Jan 12: Surviving in the Suburbs;
Feb 2: Connecting with Difficult Teens
Mar 2: Self Care
Apr 6: Not All Mentoring Works
May 4: Mentoring a narrative approach
June 1: Happy Hour Adventure – details TBA
WHO WE ARE
The Youth Ministers’ Network is an association of employed and volunteer youth ministers called to serve the needs of youth ministry in the parishes and communities of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. YMN provides a forum for the ongoing formation of youth ministers and the development of the field of Catholic youth ministry.
MISSION
YMN seeks to acknowledge God’s presence in ourselves and those we serve. We commit ourselves to listen to and voice the needs of youth ministers at the parish, archdiocesan, and national levels. We encourage dialogue and discussion with agencies, parishes, and people involved in ministry with young people.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The membership of the Youth Ministers’ Network is open to any employed or volunteer ministers in a multitude of settings. This includes, but is not limited to, parish youth directors, jr/sr high faith formation leaders, campus ministers, agency personnel, and all who serve the needs of youth and youth ministry. Paid membership allows those attending Network meetings to participate in YMN committees, decision-making and meals.
MEMBERSHIP
YMN seeks to acknowledge God’s presence in ourselves and those we serve. We commit ourselves to listen to and voice the needs of youth ministers at the parish, archdiocesan, and national levels. We encourage dialogue and discussion with agencies, parishes, and people involved in ministry with young people
Contact Us
Trauma-Informed Youth Ministry – Oct 6
44% of teens nationwide are experiencing hopelessness and 45% of children in the United States have experienced at least one ACE (Adverse Childhood Experience). One in ten children, nationwide have experienced three or more. ACEs include abuse, neglect, and serious household dysfunction. If we are honest, we are all working with youth that have experienced trauma on some level. By better understanding trauma and its effects on our youth we can start to adjust our ministry and be a safe place for hurting teens.
Building a Culture Where Hope Grows – Nov 3
The challenges teens and families face are becoming more complex. Teen mental health is deteriorating and many families are stretched beyond their capacity. More than ever we have to intentionally create a safe environment where teens from all walks of life can be confident in bringing their pain and exchanging despair for hope.
Suicide Prevention – Dec 1
Suicide is one of the top killers among teens. Are you prepared to assess if your teens are at-risk for completing a suicide? Come learn a simple method for risk assessment, risk factors to watch for and concrete next steps for teens who are contemplating suicide.
Surviving in the Suburbs – Jan 12 (9am – 3:30pm)
Surviving in the Suburbs in a video series created by TreeHouse (www.TreeHouseHope.org) to help you start conversations in your organization or community about the experience of growing up Black in a majority white community. Over the course of the videos, you will hear stories in the words of four black young adults who grew up in suburbs. Episode Titles: Family, Community, Housing, Money, School. One Day Registration.
Connecting with Difficult Teens – Feb 2
Teens on the fringes of your ministry that need Jesus. Kids you love who push you away. Hurting teens that look for healing in harmful places. We all have difficult teens we’re trying to connect to. In this training we’ll look at the profile of a difficult teen and how to get them to engage with God’s love and grace.
Self-Care – March 2
People get into youth ministry because they are passionate about sharing the love of Christ with young people. This passion drives us but it also can burn us out if we aren’t careful. In this training we will explore our giftings, what ministry success looks like, and practices we can develop to protect us from burnout.
Not all Mentoring Works – April 6
Relationships are the most important part of any ministry, but the latest research shows that the content of those relationships can have an impact on the effectiveness of the mentoring. Here we take an in-depth look at effective mentoring practices based on years of experience and scientific findings.
Mentoring: A Narrative Approach – May 4
Mentoring is important in youth ministry but how can we and our volunteers think about their roles as mentors? In this training we will explore the power of narrative and the stories teens tell themselves about themselves. As mentors, how do we discover what those stories are and begin to help teens believe the story God tells about them.
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