Katie Nicholas
Ruby Mikell
Paige Blache
Matthew Robaszkiewicz
Michael Theisen
Mark Moitoza
Maureen Gross
Kathy Carver
Bob McCarty

You may not know their names. They are the staff for the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry. They are a hard working (and, dare I say, intensely focused) group of professionals who provide leadership and support through youth ministry resources, services and programming across the country. They are the working staff who monitor management committee and task group projects and see them through to completion.

They just finished working the national conference in Vegas earlier this month. They set aside today for an in-service where I checked in with them about the pace and activities of the last four months. There have been staff additions, adjustments, work group shifts and some major deadlines amid it all.

I also offered some reflections of where I saw the “field” of youth ministry in light of my travels. I offered some implications for their consideration as they continue to serve the field.

I was honored to be among them, because of their professionalism, because of their commitment to the work of youth ministry and because they have served me well and often, both professionally and personally.

I cannot imagine the challenges of working to serve a vast membership and to deal with the challenges of not being able to see them frequently. They do it with a grace that I admire.

I asked my “prayer team” to remember me on this day. A good friend typed this back to me about the day: “they need prayers and they need praise.” Amen.