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Gen Z: Protagonists in the Church and World
Who are this next generation of young people? What energizes and engages them? What makes them feel a sense of worth and belonging? What new attitudes, hopes, desires and gifts do they bring to the conversation about the convergence of life and faith and what does that even look like to them? And perhaps most importantly, how well are our current ministry structures and models empowering them to be the protagonists and leaders that Pope Francis has invited them to become?
Event Format
You are invited to join ministry colleagues from across the county to examine, discuss, and reflect on the questions above, and more, as we gather for a four-hour virtual symposium focused on Generation Z and sponsored by NFCYM.
Note: All sessions will be recorded and available for viewing post-event
Here’s the overview:
- Opening Session (1-2 pm ET | 10-11 am PT) – Keynote on Gen Z and Youth Panel Discussion
- Breakout Workshops – Session A (2:05-3:05 pm ET | 11:05 am – 12:05 pm PT) – Select one of the three workshops (details below) to attend live and join a small group discussion
- Breakout Workshops – Session B (3:15-4:15 pm ET | 12:15-1:15 pm PT) – Select one of the three workshops (details below) to attend live and join a small group discussion
- Closing Session (4:20-5 pm ET | 1:20-2 pm PT) – Gen Z Youth Panel Discussion, Moderated by Emcees
Emcees
Bryan Villegas
Bryan is a speaker, digital marketer, and entrepreneur. At just 20 years old he has spoken at Los Angeles Youth Day and Los Angeles Religious Education Congress. Bryan was also a game host at the 2019 NCYC.
Madelyn Cruz
Madelyn (18) is a freshman at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where she is majoring in architecture. She has spoken at Los Angeles Youth Day and Los Angeles Religious Education Congress. She loves to travel the world, meet new people, and spend time with her family of six.
Opening Session
1:00 - 2:00 pm ET | 10:00 - 11:00 am PT
Will be recorded for participants who cannot attend live.
Everyday Faith for the Next Generation
Presented by: Kristen Ivy
When our theological systems fail to address the tensions that youth and families actually experience, our faith will always seem shallow. As Christian leaders, sometimes we make the mistake of leveraging faith explanations to answer questions people are not asking. That’s why it’s important to lead this generation to understand how the Gospel relates to their unique everyday experience.
Understanding and applying the five primary faith views will help you hand this generation a version of faith that will not only shape how they see God, it will affect their sense of identity, belonging, and purpose.
Kristen Ivy
Kristen is the Executive Director of Messaging at Orange (The reThink Group, Inc.) and the Co-Founder and Director of The Phase Project. She and her husband Matt are currently parenting their three amazing children through the phases.
Gen Z: Protagonists in Action, Youth Panel Discussion
Featuring: Next level - holy family, new brunswick, NJ
The following participants in the NeXt Level, an immersive experience that empowers youth, will speak about how they’re taking action in their community surrounding Holy Family Parish in New Brunswick, NJ:
- Sarahi Lopez Perez – Holy Family NeXt Level youth delegate
- Octavio “Junior” Aguilar – Holy Family NeXt Level youth delegate
- Teri Szallai – Holy Family NeXt Level mentor
- Susan Oldroyd – NeXt Level coordinator
NeXt Level
NeXt Level is an immersive experience of the Center for FaithJustice that empowers youth from parishes across New Jersey to discover their gifts and passions in order to create and implement parish-wide “passion projects” rooted in the Catholic tradition of service and justice.
Breakout Workshops: Session A
2:05 - 3:05 pm ET | 11:05 am - 12:05 pm PT
Recordings of all sessions will be available to participants after the event.
Participants can select from one of the three following workshops to attend live and then join a group of other attendees to discuss questions provided by the presenter.
The Power of Gen Z- What Can Happen When You Engage and Empower Youth to Minister
Presented by: Cari White and Members of the Student Ministry Team (Adam Mocho, Jack O’Brien, and Richie Pokrwyka)
In Christus Vivit, Pope Francis writes about the main courses of action in ministry with youth- outreach and growth. In this workshop, hear from an experienced Campus Minister and a team of her youth leaders about how they have been engaged in ministry with their peers, how they serve as faith leaders in their community, and how your teens can as well!
The student panel of presenters are made up of juniors and seniors who have been faith leaders in the Campus Ministry program, and now serve as part of the executive leadership team for the Student Ministry program, where they are responsible to help with a variety of faith programming.
Redesigning Your Ministry to Engage Parents of Teenagers
Presented by: Kristen Ivy
Understanding Digital Natives
Presented by: Michael Marchand
Our mission field is a generation that is seamlessly connected to (and dependent on) technology. In the midst of this pandemic, that’s never been more true. Reaching this generation isn’t about learning every new tool, it’s about understanding how to speak into their world and be heard.
Presenters:
Read biographies for all presenters here.
Breakout Workshops: Session B
3:15 - 4:15 pm ET | 12:15 - 1:15 pm PT
Recordings of all sessions will be available to participants after the event.
Participants can select from one of the three following workshops to attend live and then join a group of other attendees to discuss questions provided by the presenter.
Helping the “Pandemic Population” Find Hope
Presented by: Charlotte McCorquodale, PhD
Some generational researchers are calling Gen Z the “Pandemic Population.”
This workshop will look at the impact of the pandemic on young people in their formative years and how parents, youth ministry leaders, and other caring adults can help members of this generation find hope in the midst of the anxiety and stress.
What’s Trending in the Mental Health of Gen Z and Why It Matters for Ministry
Presented by: Laura Lewis, MA, LPCC-S
The Gen Z mindset is conscientious, optimistic, entrepreneurial, and seeks to change the world, all of which are admirable characteristics of this generation. But how are they practicing self-care and promoting good mental health alongside these attitudes and behaviors? This session will discuss some of the most common mental health issues and trends currently facing Gen Z youth and will offer helpful hints for pastorally responding to and caring for them.
Unpacking the Gift of Diversity in Gen Z
Presented by: Jennifer Guerra Aldana, Multicultural Initiatives Manager Fuller Youth Institute
While diversity has always been a gift we have been given, Gen Z is one of the most racially and ethnically diverse generations the United States has ever seen.
In this workshop we will take a look at the challenges and opportunities this brings to our local ministries.
Presenters:
Read biographies for all presenters here.
Closing Session
4:20 - 5:00 pm ET | 1:20 - 2:00 PM PT
Will be recorded for participants who cannot attend live.
Gen Z Responds
Presented by: Panel of Youth, moderated by emcees
Madelyn and Bryan engage a diverse panel of young people about church, faith and what engages them, responding to questions sent in by Momentum attendees during the event.
Panelists Include:
- Trent Burke – a main stage Witness Speaker at NCYC 2019 and current freshman at North Carolina A&T State University majoring in Journalism & Mass Communications where he serves on the Executive Board of the Village Mentoring, Inc. He is a parishioner and hospitality minister at St. Peter Claver Catholic Church in his hometown of New Orleans, LA.
- Emerson Gray – a senior at St. Edward H.S. in Cleveland, OH where he serves on the youth leadership team.
- Jennifer Herrera – serves as the Youth Empowerment Specialist and Pastoral Assistant at Holy Family parish in New Brunswick, NJ. She attends Rutgers University.