This past Sunday, I was blessed to travel to Yellowknife for the episcopal ordination of my friend and mentor Mark Hagemoen as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Mackenzie - Fort Smith in the Northwest Territories. It was a whirlwind of a day as we flew out on a chartered plane from Vancouver at 7am and arrived back by 9:30pm.
During the homily at Mass, Bishop Mark's predecessor gifted him with a set of poms poms. The visual of the very masculine Bishop Mark waving the pom poms was quite humourous, but the point was clear: Bishop Mark is to be a cheerleader for his fellow priests, the religious, and for all the faithful in his diocese.
As youth workers, youth ministry coordinators, and youth pastors, we are called to be cheerleaders for our youth ministry volunteers. Our job is to give confidence to our volunteers that God is working in them and through them. We are their cheerleaders, affirmers, encouragers, and advocates.
Remember, these are ordinary people in the hands of a most extraordinary God.
So ask yourself: are you a shepherd or a cowboy?
A cowboy gets behind his cattle and drives them relentlessly with a whip.
Whereas a shepherd goes in front of his sheep and says, "Follow me."
Clayton Imoo is husband to Gail and father to sons Sean Isaiah and Jacob Isaac and daughter Kayla Marie. He has served as the Director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver for the past ten years, helping parishes develop their own youth and young adult ministries. When not doing ministry, Clay enjoys spending time with his family, playing music, playing sports, playing naptime, and writing blogs on topics such as family, faith, and the Vancouver Canucks. Learn more about him at http://www.claytonimoo.com or follow him @claytonimoo
No comments:
Post a Comment