Back to school!

Some thoughts for the start of a new school year

Ever since I moved from Parish youth ministry to high school campus ministry, summer has always been a time for a relaxed schedule and an opportunity to get ready for the next school year. As I'm coming off a hectic summer that was short on time to relax but large on opportunities for spiritual growth for my students and myself, I find myself thinking- what am I going to do this year to ensure it's the best yet? To be fair, I ask myself this at the start of every school year, but now I find myself putting it in writing and sharing it with the internet.

So, without further ado: my declaration for the upcoming school year:

Most importantly, my job is to lead kids to an authentic encounter with the living Christ. (no big deal, right? sounds easy enough. Ha!). It is important for me to remember that this encounter looks different for each student, and what works for one student, or 20 students or even 100 students won't necessarily work for the next 1 or 20 or 100 students. Thinking about this has been overwhelming for me, but it helps to remember one important fact.

My ministry is primarily relational. When I get to know each individual student (by name, ideally, which is a feat with over 900 students), I am getting to know their needs and their background. By knowing them, I can hopefully help them be open to Christ reaching out to them in a particular way.

So, as I begin this year, I need to remember that every student who comes to my office, even if it's to ask me for the 100th time when the Kairos retreat leader applications will be available, that I need to step away from my computer and take time for that individual in front of me. No work is more pressing then the student standing in front of me, and it's important I remember to encounter them, which will hopefully help them to be more open to encounter Christ.