July 19 -- True colors

By Steven Polley

Director, Offices of Youth Ministry, Religious Education

It’s hard to believe that as you read this column, we will be very close to the start of another academic year. It seems just like yesterday that we were seeing the end of the school year and looking forward to the summer months and all of the things that are part of any summer. Yes, I have had my fair share of time at the lake and waterskiing, but my guess is that, like our young people, I am not quite ready to see the summer time come to an end.

As I share my thoughts with you in this column, I hope my words will in some way lead us into a stronger commitment to ministry with our young people, and hopefully a stronger working relationship between us, as together we try and lead our young people to a deeper relationship with our risen Lord.

Over the years, Keith Schadel, the director of Camp Lakeside, has done “True Colors” for us. Some of you may have been part of this process. “True Colors” is one of the many personality trait inventories available to us. With “True Colors”, four colors are used to identify personalities, orange, green, blue and gold. Gold is the color for a person who is very structured, organized and detailed. Of course anyone who knows me or who has worked with me, can see immediately that I am a Gold. Not a bad thing, but once in a while when my true personality comes through, it does make it difficult when I am working with others. And of course, being detailed there are times that I really want things done my way. Thus, quite often I really have trouble having the faith to truly live the words, “Thy will be done” from the Lord’s prayer.

While attending the TEC Congress a couple of weeks ago, and then spending a week on vacation, an old saying came back to me -- a very real statement, but one that we probably all need to remember more often than we do: “There is a God, and it isn’t you”! Being a Gold and wanting things done my way, I often find myself getting in the way of this statement and God’s will in my life. I think that this came to mind because I was dealing with the frustration of canceling our summer TEC because we did not have enough candidates registered for us to proceed. I was frustrated because just this past spring, I extend an invitation, or maybe a challenge, to our DRE’s to work harder to get our youth registered for things just like TEC. Can you see my Gold personality coming out in that statement? Once again, I saw things as I thought they should be, or maybe, more so, how I wanted them to be. But God has a better plan for all of this, and it took the Holy Spirit reminding me of this powerful statement to help me work through my frustrations.

So, as we begin another academic year, I once again extend an invitation. I truly believe that God wants our young people to be more involved in parish and diocesan life, so I will continue to extend invitations to everyone regarding our youth participating in diocesan events. And yes, I am sure that I will continue to be frustrated when we do not see the number of young people that we hope to. As a diocese, we probably have over 4,000 youth in high school and probably close to 2,000 in middle school. Wouldn’t it be great if we could in some way reach all 6,000 of these young people?

The TEC Congress was held in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, at Notre Dame Regional High School. On one of their walls was painted this statement: “Send us your child, and we will return you a disciple.” What a powerful statement! As we begin another school year and a year of diocesan events, I invite you to do just this. Sent us your child, and I promise that a young person more alive in their faith will return to you, your parish and your community.

Aug. 12 – As we speak

By Steven Polley

Director, Offices of Youth Ministry, Religious Education

I remember growing up with my grandparents and the many lessons I learned from them. One that seems to stick with me has turned out to be one of the greatest lessons for my life, and one that I hope I am passing on to our young people.

This one particular day I probably caught my grandfather in a rare mood. As I think back this was the only time that I clearly remember him getting upset with me. But on this day he did and rightfully so. For on this day, I was not taking the initiative to do things myself and get the job done.

All I was supposed to do was paint the top part of one end or our house which required climbing a ladder and painting. This should not have been a difficult task for a young man in high school. But for some reason in stead of just climbing the ladder and getting the job done, I was spending a lot of time trying to figure out what to do with the paint can while I was painting and holding onto the ladder. In the process I was asking a lot of dumb questions and finally my grandfather got upset with me and said figure it out and get it done. In the end I know that he gave me some suggestions and showed me how to do it, but the frustration he showed taught me about how important it is to take the initiative and figure out how to do things without asking or needing to be told.

I am sure that over the years that I taught school and in these years of ministry, I have become most frustrated when young people have asked how to do every little thing and asked for help in solving every little problem. There have been days when I felt like they wanted everything done for them and handed to them on a silver platter.

Now I am sure that there are some young people in the world like this, but for the most part, I believe that the youth of southwest Kansas have a driving force that moves them to work hard and truly achieve. I continue to be proud of the example they set.

One such fine group of young men and women is the Diocesan Youth Council. As we speak, or as you receive this issue of the SKR this weekend, the Youth Council is gathering at Camp Lakeside preparing for this year’s activities and their ministry in the diocese and parishes. (Look for their names and parishes in the next issue)

With the Youth Council you will find a group of young people who not only carry regular jobs, are active in school and extra-curricular activities, but too are devoted to learning more about their faith and their relationship with God. But young people who also want to share a message with everyone in our diocese, especially the youth. They are evangelizers and they want to invite others to share in the Good News.

This weekend they are working hard. They are taking the initiative to do the little things to get the job done. They are doing more than what is asked of them. They are a special group, because they have answered God’s call to this ministry and they know of the commitment it will take. They are extremely busy like all of our youth, but they have chosen to go the extra mile serving on the Council, because they have seen, experienced and witnessed the life changing power of this involvement in the Church.

As you read this, I want you to know that these young men and women are ready to work. They are ready and willing to do the extra things without being told. They are ready to serve you. I invite and encourage you to enter into a dialogue with them. Talk to them about how their call to ministry can support and enhance your parish life and how other young people can be reached and invited to move more deeply into their relationship with our risen Lord. Thank them for their service, but challenge them to be visible signs of the manifestation of God.