Youth network to enable teens to lay burdens down
By Renee Webb, Globe diocesan news editor

High school students of the Diocese of Sioux City are invited to lay their burdens down during a Youth Ministry Network to be held next month.

Facilitated by Pat Rinker and the Youth Ministry Core Group, the Lenten presentation titled Lay Your Burden Down will be offered in several locations throughout the diocese via the Iowa Communication Network. Youth groups, high school religious education classes, groups of Catholic school students or youth ministry core groups can attend either session, March 20 or 21, from 7:15 to 9 p.m.

"Through this network, young people will reflect on the times when they have felt rejected or alienated and look at the things that caused it. They will reflect on how Christ shared in that experience of being rejected and then we will lead them through a process of how they can be reconciled in their relationships, where they don't need to feel alienated," explained Rinker, director of youth and young adult ministries.

The presentation will focus on the fact that whatever burdens they do have are counteracted by an acceptance of love from God and each other.

It will be interactive with multi-learning styles. It will include reflections on music, poetry, small group discussions and creative exercises to help high school students identify with the fact that Jesus felt some of the same things they feel.

"We will have people up, out of their seats doing activities. Some symbolic activities will help them to understand how certain actions bring about alienation and how certain actions bring about reconciliation," said Rinker.

The theme of the network was selected by the Youth Ministry Core Group to aid youth in the common experience of being rejected by others. While some students may experience rejection more than others, he noted that most high school students have been rejected in some way - being dumped by boy or girlfriends, being cut off the basketball team or not getting the role they wanted in the school play.

"Some may have gotten into trouble with their parents because they gave into peer pressure and did something wrong - they feel rejected by their parents. Or, they didn't give into peer pressure and feel rejected by their friends. Many times teens are caught in a situation where no matter what they do - right or wrong - they experience rejection by someone. The reality is Jesus did too," said Rinker.

Those who attend will receive resource materials that will enable them to present the program back home. For instance if all high school youth attend, they may want to offer it for junior high students of their parish or a leadership team may attend and then present it for all high school youth of their parish or cluster.

Along with resource materials presented at the youth network, additional resources related to the topic are available at the Religious Education Media Center.

Groups that plan to attend must pre-register through the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries at 712-233-7520 prior to March 11 so that an ICN site nearest their location can be reserved. ICN sites will be reserved for groups on a first come basis so it is important to register as early as possible.

Groups will be assessed a minimal site/material fee.