Diocesan Youth Ministry leaders discern and dream

Youth Ministry Leaders from across the country recently gathered in Lismore for the Australian Network of Diocesan Youth Ministry Coordinators annual members meeting.

Breaking open themes from the latest Apostolic Exhortation, Christus Vivit (Christ is Alive), the gathering brought together leaders from across the country and provided an opportunity to discern the future of youth ministry across Australia.

There was an excitement as the leaders shared their hopes and dreams for young people in the life and mission of the Church.

Helen Melarekere from Townsville spoke on the gathering, saying it was “an experience of not only networking and resourcing, but forming myself spiritually… focusing on how I can be better as a Youth Ministry leader.”

A core part of the program was a retreat led by the Bishop of Lismore, Gregory Homeming. Kelly Paget from the Diocese of Broken Bay reflected on this retreat, saying that “it was really valuable as a Youth Minister, to gather with peers and too reflect on things that are important to us in our ministry and to who we are as a person.”

Parramatta youth ministry leader, James Camden, said that the Network has played an ongoing role in forming and supporting him for his ministry.

He said “ANDYMC is a really important but of my formation each year, it is a week where I can network, talk to my colleagues about our successes and challenges, where we can dream about the big and little things that make a massive difference to how we bring things to life in our local environment.”

It was evident that Diocesan Youth Ministry leaders found a new confidence in the direction of their ministry both locally and nationally following the gathering.

The next annual meeting will be held in the Diocese of Sandhurst in 2020.