Since the great crash of last weekend, I’ve yet to re-install my site meter… So I’m just guessing for this month!

Adam Mclane recently posted about the value of communicating, especially when it comes to vision. He prevents under-communication by…

> Giving people the big picture often.
> Clearly stating the purpose 
> Get stuff to people early

I still think one of the most important things I do once every two weeks is get a newsletter out.  We are attempting to expand committee work in our office, sharing vision (and task) with others.  We have weekly staff meetings or supervision, both with the Division of Youth and Young Adult Ministry and well as the Department of Evangelization. Then there is the whole blog thing as well as the commitment to tweet more often. We’ve still got lots of room to grow, but we are intentional about it!

What are you best means of communication and/or values regarding it?

But whoever keeps his word,

the love of God is truly perfected in him.

This is the way

we may know

that we are in union with him:

whoever claims to abide in him

ought to live

(just) as he lived.

1 John 2: 5-6

<Speaker is Francis Chan>

Please go out and buy Tangled  as it releases on DVD today.

It is a Disney movie (good for the kids) that does take a look at enmeshed relationships (good for everyone else.)

And the Oscar nominated song speaks over change and conversion.

All those days watching from the windows
All those years outside looking in
All that time never even knowing
Just how blind I’ve been
Now I’m here, blinking in the starlight
Now I’m here, suddenly I see
Standing here, it’s all so clear
I’m where I’m meant to be
And at last I see the light
And it’s like the fog has lifted
And at last I see the light
And it’s like the sky is new
And it’s warm and real and bright
And the world has somehow shifted
All at once everything looks different
Now that I see you.

Tripped across a blog post from Terrace Crawford regarding his glimpses into the future of youth ministry and (while a pessimisstic view of the economic downturn and its impact on the church) does have an optimistic view of how we play it all out into the future:

TC thinks that:

>> A prolonged economic downturn forces churches “to solicit volunteers and let paid youth workers go.” We have to rethink engaging and training “passionate volunteers to reach today’s young people.”

>> The pigeon-holing of youth ministry diminishes, “silos will be abandoned” and we will continue to seeks was to  integrate young people into the full body of the church. Therefore, we will come to the realization that “my” calling is to help equip the church in “her” calling to reach today’s teenagers.

(more…)

Let’s avoid any misogynist humor that we have a women’s week on the blog and the site crashed down for the longest period ever in its history- Almost 60 hours.  It seems to have been hacked from some evil-doer in Germany.

Thanks to the intervention of Jen D., service tech from DreamHost, We are back and up…  And, that, itself, is the most happy ending to women’s week on the blog.  Thanks, Jen!

Meanwhile, son Clark, this site’s original IT staffer, has returned for a two-week leave from Iraq. Very awesome! Beware, evil-doers, the site is under US Army protection for a while.

Throughout the season of Lent, we are going to “outsource” our reflections on the Sunday readings.

St. Paul’s College seminarians’ down in DC are offering their reflections of the Gospels for the Sundays of Lent, including today’s readings.

Bonus points to them for tagging them with James Bond-ian themes; today’s is For Your Eyes Only.

Today’s reflection is offered by Rene Constanza, CSP.  Rene is finishing his third year of theological studies at the Catholic University of America and, God willing, will be ordained a deacon in September of this year.  A native of Belize, Rene holds an undergraduate degree from Spalding University in Louisville, KY and a Master’s in education from the University of Louisville. 

Let us continue our prayers for all those who are in (or in studies preparing to be in) The Father’s Secret Service.

New reflections for each Sunday will be posted here.  You can get an advanced look each Wednesday on their YouTube page.

I am a major fan of the visual, so visual humor is worth bonus points.  Woot T-Shirts has come of the most imaginative designs. Just in case you missed it, this sort is entitled Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead.  Brilliant!

Through March 21-25, the Catholic YM Blog is being taken over by my Sisters in Christ. 

I want to thank you and I ask
that you continue to support the youth ministry here,
because they are the ones
who will pick your nursing homes eventually

Thank you and good night.

Judy McDonald