YME
Youth work at St Joseph's is part of youth work across Penn Fields Parish, headed up by our parish 'Youth Missioner & Enabler' (YME) & the YME team. Take a look below for an overview of the YME role and vision, or visit our youth page to see what groups are on.
Here is what our Youth Missioner and Enabler, Joe Maggs, has to say about the mission and vision of the YME team.
"What is your mission in life?
The Parish of Penn Fields is full of young people with huge potential! Some are academic, others more practical; some relish physical challenges, others more intellectual ones; some have a personal faith in God, others do not. The awesome and challenging role of Youth Mission and Enabler (which is more easily known as YME - pronounced “Why Me”) is to motivate adults within churches and the wider community, to be part of the YME team in order to enable young people in fulfilling their mission in life and reach their potential.
Hang on, you may say… "Mission!? - isn't that about religious old people going abroad to tell others about God?! What’s it got to do with youth culture today? "
The idea of a “youth mission enabling team” may seem incongruous to today's society, for sure, but if you say that you have a mission, you mean that you have a strong commitment and sense of duty to do or achieve something in life. Who wouldn't want that for themselves?!
As a group of people committed to following the teachings of Jesus, the Church in Pennfields continue to pray that young people will be able to discover their mission in life and, in doing so, be rooted and grounded in love, that they may know the length and width and height and depth of God’s love, living life to the full, in relationship with Him.
Our provision extends across the boundaries of church and community, providing opportunity for young people to meet in positive social environments, both in church and in local community spaces, as well as being able to enjoy peer-led sessions, one off events and 1:1 mentoring; all underpinned by safeguarding policies and procedures.
A management group has been appointed to oversee the vision and purpose of the YME role. The foundation of our youth mission enabling team is made up of an amazing bunch of volunteer leaders and helpers without whom, none of the above would be possible."