Highlights

Have you read the document, Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord issued by the U.S. Catholic Bishops, November 2005? This thought-provoking document "intends to be a common frame of reference for ensuring that the development of lay ecclesial ministry continues in ways that are faithful to the church's theological and doctrinal tradition and that respond to contemporary needs and situations." (p.6.) This newsletter informs and educates NACYML members on the document as well ad provides reflections and insights from your peers. Download the document in either English or Spanish.

From the Chair Heartfelt Thanks and Warm Wishes Beginning a new organization brings many challenges and those of us who were appointed by the Board of Directors of the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry to be the initial Leadership Team have lived those challenges. Last month the term of service for three members of that initial Leadership Team ended. Each one has played an integral role in shaping NACYML. NACYML is deeply indebted to: Dee Hawthorne Ben Weisse, and Megan Shepherd. We also take time to welcome our newest members of the NACYML team: Randy Kollars Cathy Becker David Gallant Mary Mueller Continue reading Grace's article… Share Your Bread The Vineyard in Santa Rosa In keeping with the theme of this newsletter, Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord, Kelly Munsee went straight to the Vineyard in Napa Valley, California for this column. She PRESSED Nichole Waechtler, who is a youth minister at St. John the Baptist Church, located in the diocese of Santa Rosa. There are about 12–15 active youth ministers who meet regularly for support, education, and social events. This BALANCE of youth ministers includes full-time, part-time, and many volunteer youth ministers and even some who wear two or more ministry hats. The diocese provides a quarterly meeting and a focus of the year is decided upon. The group shares an overview of parish and diocesan events with frequent BLENDING of events among parishes... Read more…		Other Feature Articles... Bishop Kmiec Shares His Thoughts… Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord is the result of many years of work by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Bishop Edward U. Kmiec served as a member of the Bishops Committee on the Laity in the early 1990s and on the committee that drafted the Co-workers document. Heartfelt enthusiasm describes Bishop Kmiec’s feelings about the future of lay ecclesial ministry in the United States. Read more… God Calls, We Respond These four words open Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord, the American Church’s definitive resource guide on the development of lay ecclesial ministry. The title reminds us of the parable Jesus told about the landowner going to the marketplace and calling workers to come help tend his vineyard (Mt. 20:1-16). This parable brings to mind that Jesus calls some lay individuals from the marketplace of the world to come and work in his vineyard, the church. Read more… Who is a Lay Ecclesial Minister? The term, ‘lay ecclesial minister’ covers several possible roles: music minister, pastoral associate, director of catechetical ministry, youth ministry leader, school principal, lector, extraordinary minister of the Eucharist, etc. The bishops of individual dioceses identify the specific roles to be included in this list. The term does not refer to a single title or position, nor is it a new rank among the laity. Instead, it is a generic term that is meant to “identify a developing and growing reality, to describe it more fully, and to seek a deeper understanding of it under the guidance of the Holy Spirit” (Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord, p. 11). Read more…

The following article in this issue includes a "YourTurn" link to a special discussion forum on the article with an opportunity for conversation with the author. So, Who Gives You The Authority? by Rich Rasmussen Do you feel authorized (empowered and affirmed) by the young people you minister to, with, by and for? Do you feel authorized by their parents? Do you feel authorized by your own family? Do you feel affirmed and empowered by these people to continue to minister within the church?

In-depth Look at Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord By Charlotte McCorquodale The following is a brief preview of an extended article Charlotte has provided for the exclusive use of NACYML members. The link below opens the complete article as a PDF document located in the NACYML Members Only section. What is the next step for the leadership of parishes and dioceses, regarding the development of lay ecclesial ministry in the church? This question is not easily answered, however, in many ways Co-Workers begins to provide the answer as it calls those using it to apply its guidance to their local ministerial context. The following quotation names the special challenge that the church faces in using the resources located within the document: It [Co-Workers] invites local adaptation, application, and implementation to achieve consistency where possible and to encourage diversity where appropriate. It calls Church leaders, ordained and lay, to become more intentional and effective in ordering and integrating lay ecclesial ministers within the ministerial life and structures of our dioceses [emphasis added]. Focusing on the second part of that quotation first, the purpose of the document is to integrate and order lay ecclesial ministers into the ministerial life of the local church. This is an essential act if we are to support the important ministry performed by lay ecclesial ministers on behalf of the church. Read the entire article ( 50 KB) …

A Picture Is Worth... Articles in this newsletter correspond to the Core Competencies detailed in the National Certification Standards for Lay Ecclesial Ministers. Look for the symbol in the article that indicates which core competency the article addresses. To learn more about the standards, see the resource page which is always accessible from the newsletter navigation bar. It provides a summary of the core competencies and the specialized competencies for youth ministry leaders.

A Special Offer YOUTH MINISTRY ACCESS: One Free Month The Center for Ministry Development is currently offering a 13-month subscription to Youth Ministry Access for the cost of a 12-month subscription. To look at the site, visit the Center for Ministry Development website.