As summer begins to wane, I look back at the activities of camping, vacation, cicada songs in the backyard, and the airy shows of lightning bugs. Summer activity is energy, but the month of August encourages me to slow down and find spiritual meaning in the seasonal transition.

There it was! Goals to begin ministering to youth in a format that is complete and fulfills the mission of the church.  Recognizing that social events alone weren't enough to achieve our goals, I began integrating various aspects of ministry, but not alone.

Participation takes different forms according to people’s different gifts and offices, but there is a fundamental obligation arising from the sacrament of Baptism (cf. Pope John Paul II, Christifideles Laici, 15): that people place their gifts, their resources—their selves—at God’s service in and through the Church.

A framework to develop new ministry at your church is not just a task but a sacred journey that requires prayer and intentionality.