'The harvest is plenty; laborers are few.
Come with me into the fields.
Your arms may grow weary;
your shoes will wear thin.
Come with me into the fields.'
Matthew 9:37
Young adults in the diocese have found a way to pick up where the apostles left off, responding to their call to service through the Acts 29 program. Fr. Roger Marot founded Acts 29 in 1977 as a way for young adults to be a part of the ministry of the church.
The year-long program, which stands for "A Call To Serve," focuses specifically on youth ministry. Participants are assigned to one of the three CYO centers in the diocese. They spend their time working with youth, facilitating retreats, attending prayer meetings, running fundraisers and helping with the preparations for all major diocesan events. Through this hands-on experience, they grow in the spiritual and personal benefits of serving others.
"In the book of Acts, the apostles are living out the gospel. In Acts 29, young adults are living their story and contributing to and living out the gospel," said Pat Kane, diocesan coordinator and facilitator of Acts 29.
Participants grow in their faith through witness, prayer, sacraments, and living a simple lifestyle. Those who are full-time are provided a weekly stipend of $15, a gas allowance and medical insurance. "We challenge them to live simply and depend on God," said Kane.
The program is also available on the part-time basis for applicants who wish to continue working or attending school. In addition to the experience of working side-by-side with youth ministry professionals, participants also receive the opportunity to enroll in continuing education at Providence College and the Diocesan Youth Ministry Institute.
Another benefit of Acts 29 is the opportunity to meet with a spiritual companion on a monthly basis. The spiritual companion provides the young adult a venue to talk about their faith and prayer life, giving them nourishment and encouragement.
There are also monthly reflection days with other Acts 29 members and the program coordinators. These days strengthen their sense of community and allow them to fully realize the importance of their service.
The program gives young people an opportunity to concentrate on who they are, who God calls them to be, and how that will affect their lives.
"It's remarkable to have young adults offer so much of their time to something like this," said Kane. "Great things happen in the day-to-day service. They [young adults] are a great witness to the young people."
Kane, who was one of the first participants in Acts 29, noted that what participants learn remains with them long after they leave the program.
"You really do stay in Acts 29 the rest of your life," she said.
Face to Face, meet some members of Acts 29
JT Buco participated in Acts 29 in 2004-2005, a year after he graduated from Seton Hall University. For Buco, the program seemed like a perfect fit.
"I was looking for more of a challenge in the experience of personal and spiritual growth," he said.
A parishoner of St. Gregory the Great in Warwick, Buco spent his year serving just around the corner at Rejoice in Hope Center in Cranston.
Working with youth at the center gave Buco the experience of "learning how to serve without expecting anything in return," he said. "It's great to be involved and know you're making a difference in people's lives."
Buco especially appreciated the benefit of having a spiritual companion. "It was great to have someone to talk with, to share your life experiences with, especially about faith issues," he said. Receiving spiritual guidance allowed him to take a step back from everyday life and truly grow in his faith.
Now, two years after leaving the program, Buco works full-time as a branch manager for Bankers Casuality and Life. The lessons of Acts 29 are part of his daily life. He still helps with diocesan youth retreats.
"I continue to focus on the important things in life and take time for me," he said.
Buco stresses the importance for personal reflection, Mass and prayer on a regular basis.
Another Acts 29 veteran, Steven Van Orsouw, got involved because he felt a calling to dive deeper into service for the church.
"I wanted to do something to serve God and the Church, and youth ministry had always had a big impact on my life," he said.
In 1984, Orsouw kicked off his first of two years in the program at
the Fr. Marot Center in Woonsocket. The program proved to be an incredible learning experience.
"It taught me how to depend on God for strength, how to work with people, and the importance of daily prayer," he said. "It taught me to see what I do as a ministry."
Through Acts 29, Orsouw discovered his passion: After finishing, he stayed on as a youth minister for the center. He left in 1988 to teach seventh grade. But he couldn't stay away. In 2003, he returned as a part-time youth minister, still teaching during the day.
"Teaching and youth ministry isn't just a job. It's not for the paycheck," he said. "It's something you do to make a difference in people's lives. I have the ability to be able to affect young people's lives in a positive way, seeing them mature and becomes leaders themselves."
After graduating from URI in 1999, former Acts 29 member Lauren Cote dove right into service for the Church.
"I had been involved with youth ministry in the past," she said. "I felt like I needed to be more involved and there was a place for me there ."
During her two years serving full-time in Acts 29, Cote realized that service can take on many forms. She worked a lot with the youth, but she also remembers performing other tasks.
"There were days when I just came into the center and cleaned the building," she said. " No matter what you're doing, you're still serving. There were so many things that I was able to do and experience."
The small stipend taught Cote how to simplify her life and concentrate on what was most important her ministry.
"The whole idea of the stipend made sense," she said. "You didn't have to worry, 'Oh, how am I going to pay my bills?'"
When she hung out with friends and family, they always made sure to be thrifty. Cote made her 15 dollars go a long way.
"I actually saved money and was able to save enough for a vacation during the summer," she said.
Cote now works as a pre-school teacher in Warwick and will soon transition into teaching dance full-time. As is obvious by her choice of profession, Cote has carried her passion for working with youth beyond her experience in Acts 29.
"Being in Acts 29 showed me that I can share who I am by teaching others and sharing in their joy," she said. "It helped me to realize that there's a lot more inside of me that I can share with people."
As Acts 29 celebrates its 30th anniversary, the Office of Youth Ministry is excited to begin another year of service.
Applications will be accepted until May 15, with interviews to follow in June. For more information, call the Office of Comprehensive Youth Ministry at 401-278-4626.
(This article originally appeared in The Providence Visitor)
