Becoming a Core Team Member
How do you become a Core Team Member? This is a common question among the Lifeteeners. We have decided to place
the response on the website to satisfy the curiosity! Core Team status is not easy work. Becoming a Core Member requires training,
investment of your personal time, a spiritual life, and a strive for holiness. As the youth ministry expands, often the Core
Team grows in proportion to the size of the group. At times, teen members ask about joining the Core. Other times we look
among the Parish Community and from within the Lifeteen program to recommend members into Core Team status.
So what qualities do we look for? The qualities we look for are responsibility, personal and spiritual maturity,
commitment, reliability, dedication to our Lifeteen Program, personal attendance to the Lifeteen Mass as well as the Lifenights.
Sometimes, a candidate may not have all the qualities but if the candidate is willing, we will assist them in their personal
development.
To enter candidacy status, a potential Core Member is first presented and recommended by a current Core Team Member
in our monthly meeting. The candidate is not required to attend this initial meeting. The Core Team deliberates the strengths
and areas of growth of the candidate based on the observations of all the current Core Members. After deliberation, discernment,
and prayer the candidate is voted upon. If the majority is in favor of the candidate, the potential Core Member is accepted
into official candidacy status and is informed of this news by the Youth Minister or Spiritual Director along with suggestions
for personal development. If there is not a 3/4ths majority, the potential Core Member is not accepted into official candidacy
status. The Youth Minister informs the potential candidate the results and reasons for non-acceptance and suggestions for
improving his/her chances at another more opportune time.
Once a Core Member is accepted as a candidate for Core Team
status, he or she is observed for a period of 4 weeks to test the commitment to all the responsibilities of the Core Team.
This includes attending the Sunday meeting to plan the Wednesday night Lifenights, the weekly Tuesday meeting to prepare the
Lifenight room, the weekly Wednesday Lifenight meeting and the monthly Core Meeting to plan the following month’s activities.
This is in addition to personal development in personal prayer life, witness to Christ, emotional and psychological maturity,
and leadership.
Once the candidate passes the 4 weeks observation, the candidate
is presented once again in the monthly Core Meeting by the Youth Minister. The Core Team evaluates the progress of the candidate
during the 4 week time frame. After the deliberations, the Core Team prays and votes for the candidate. If 3/4ths of the Core
Team is in favor of Core Team status, the candidate is accepted officially as a Core Team Member. If the Core Team is less
than 3/4ths, the Candidate is not accepted for Core Team status and may be dismissed from candidacy or his/her stay may be
extended for another time period. The Youth Minister informs the candidate of the Core Team’s decision and is given
a Ministry to coordinate or assist. Areas for further development are shared and expectations are set.
A separate meeting is held to train the new Core Team member
into the Lifeteen Vision and program. Forms are completed and a date set for public initiation into the Core Team. This is
done through a special ceremony in the Lifeteen Mass where the Core Team red golf shirt is officially given to the Core Member.
If you think you have what it takes, speak to any Core Member,
the Youth Minister, or our Lifeteen Spiritual Director. You can also contact us at FrPaguaga@aol.com Good luck!
