You may be on a team with the responsibility to offer direct service opportunities to your students. Use the summer months to collect a clearing house of ideas for direct service. For example:
- Training to become a liturgical minister
- Supporting homebound ministries
- Teaching religious education
- Offering free babysitting to parents in need
- Cleaning up a park
- Becoming a hospital helper
- Organizing a Thanksgiving dinner for those in need
- Volunteering at the public library
- Planning a hunger fast with donations
- Supporting a right to life event
- Participating in meal preparation at a homeless shelter
Also, undertake personal reflection to help you with this effort. For example:
- Think about successful opportunities for direct service that you have provided in the past. What are some common elements of these success stories?
- Describe the attitudes of your teens towards direct service.
- What do you find difficult in teaching your students about a Christian’s call to service.
- Name some ways you can incorporate lessons on the Church’s social teaching within your programming.
- Read and reflect on John 13:1-20. Define for yourself what it means to be a servant leader.
- What are some other local parish and communities ministries and agencies with whom your school could partner to serve others.
