Week of July 11, 2010

PRE-YX Open to All! Regardless of age or involvement in CYX, anyone is free to attend “PRE-YX!” PRE-YX is on Friday night, July 23, 7-10pm at Nativity of Our Savior (Portage) and is a great way to kick off a great weekend of ministry. Not everyone on this list is from a ministry attending CYX, but that doesn’t mean you can’t attend PRE-YX. The event will be a very simple evening of hanging out, listening to great contemporary Christian music, sittin’ around a bonfire, and playin’ and prayin’ together. Live concert with Jimmy & the Israelites, featuring Jim Kerwin, the debut of teen praise band JC and the Sunshine Band, Gary Cluster Youth Ministry performs a dance routine, as well. Available activities include: dodgeball, basketball, soccer, volleyball, and for the smaller kids a playground with a jungle gym. And if it's hot, a whole lotta' water balloons. Or just hang out & enjoy the music, good company, fellowship & atmosphere! If you are attending, consider bringing a blanket or lawn chair, and bring a few bucks for reasonably-priced food. All food proceeds benefit parish youth ministry fundraising efforts. Admission is free, but please note the admission policy for youth 18 and under: not admitted without parent or chaperone 21 or over, and the official Diocesan Permission Form, which can be printed at the PRE-YX webpage. CLICK HERE for more info

NET Retreat Openings:  Each December, the Diocese of Gary welcomes a team of appr. a dozen young adult retreat leaders from NET (National Evengelization Teams) Ministries. The team serves as your retreat leaders, leading such retreat themes as “Why Faith?” “Igniting the Flame (a Confirmation retreat)” and “Soul Satisfaction,” and the host parish/cluster provides lodging, meals, and a retreat fee. Retreats can be customized to meet a parish/cluster’s needs. In years past, our dates have filled up, but this year we extended the team’s stay. Now you have the rare chance to secure a NET retreat for yourself! Available dates: Saturday, Dec. 4 and Thursday, Dec. 9. First come, first served! Retreat fee: $675 (up to 6 hrs), $825 (over 6 hrs). Questions, or to snag one of those dates, contact Kevin Driscoll. For more info about NET, visit www.netusa.org

Young adult Theology on Tap:  In case you haven’t heard, Theology on Tap is under way in two locations in NW Indiana this month, Highland and Crown Point. If you are a young adult, or you still stay in contact with your “YM alumni” who are now 21 or over, have them check it out.  Aimed at 20 and 30-somethings, married & single, Theology On Tap is a relaxing environment in which young adults discuss relevant topics, led by dynamic and engaging speakers. St. Mary in Crown Point hosts TOT on four Wednesdays (July 7, 14, 21, 28), starting at 7pm at Crown Brewing, 211 S. East St., Crown Point. Our Lady of Grace in Highland hosts TOT on four Mondays (July 12, 19, 26, Aug. 2), starting at 7:30pm at Sanfratello's Pizza, 2100 45th St, Highland. For speaker and topic lineups, directions, and more information, visit www.garyontap.com .

DRE Summer Professional Mtg./YM Coffee Talk: In case you were wondering, we will not have a youth min. breakout meeting at the August DRE Summer Professional mtg. on Aug. 7. Our monthly meeting of YMs will be on Aug. 2, our hugely successful YM Coffee Talk! Don’t miss out on what is becoming a great chance to hang out with others in the field of youth ministry, pray together, and feel supported. YM Coffee Talk is held on the first Monday of each month, 4-5:30, at Starbucks at the Radisson, just off I-65 on US 30 in Merrillville, and is open to anyone in ministry with Middle and High School youth.

Contact Lenses Give Teens Lady Gaga Eyes: (strollerderby blog) The latest fad to sweep the teen fashion world might do more than make them look ridiculous.  Inspired by Lady Gaga, circle contact lenses are all the rage, giving girls large, anime-looking eyes similar to the computer-enhanced  look sported by Ms. Gaga in her “Bad Romance” video. Thanks to the video, in which viewers are instructed on how to achieve “crazy, googly Lady Gaga eyes,” American teens have jumped on the bandwagon.  And despite the fact that it is illegal in the U.S. to sell contact lenses without a prescription, they are easily available online to anyone willing to shell out $20 to $30 for a pair. (web/email, click here for more)

Teen Girls Becoming More Open to Drugs, Alcohol: (HealthDay News) American teen girls may be more receptive to using alcohol and taking drugs than in years past, according to a survey by the nonprofit Partnership for a Drug Free America. Girls appear more inclined than ever to reach for drugs and booze to help them emotionally. The 2009 survey of high school students found 53% of girls agreeing with the notion that drugs "help you forget your troubles," up from 48% in 2008. Also, fewer teen girls than a year earlier frowned on illegal drug use by their friends. "There's been a change in the culture," said Dr. Marc Galanter, director of the division of alcoholism and drug abuse at the New York University's Langone Medical Center. "Women previously had more constrained roles in terms of the propriety of indulging in behaviors such as public intoxication and the like. Now with women in the workforce and becoming more liberated, they are not so constrained," he said. (web/email, click here for more)