Our mission in Life Teen is to lead teens closer to Christ. We have been able to do this at St. Ann's because of Catholic adults responding to their baptismal call and serving our teens as Core members.

Very simply, a Core member's job is to share Jesus Christ with teens. You don't have to be an expert on Scripture and you don't need to have a theology degree. Your responsibility is to love teens and show them that they are loved by God.

Life Teen Core Team FAQ

What is a Core member?
In Life Teen, our Core members are the adult volunteers who lead our teens. We ask our Core to dive in completely each Sunday night, especially in their family group of teens.

How much of a time commitment is it to be a Core member?
As a Life Teen Core member, you are committing to Sundays from 5:45-9:00pm every week. We gather in the Narthex to welcome teens as they arrive for the 6:00pm Life Teen Mass. After Mass, we are in the Teen Center for Life Night which ends at 9:00pm.

What does a Life Night look like?
Every Sunday after Mass, we eat dinner before gathering in the Teen Center. Next, we move into worship, the teaching for the night, and family group discussion where teens discuss how the topic of the night applies to their lives. Lastly, we gather together to close the night in prayer.

Do I teach or write lesson plans?
No, the talks are given by the youth ministers or a guest speaker. Your responsibility is to guide conversation afterward in your family group. All small group questions are provided ahead of time.

Do I need to like teens?
Nope, and we will teach you how to love them!

Is there an age requirement?
Yes, in order to volunteer as a Core member you must be 21 years old.

Do I need to have a background check?
Yes. The Archdiocese of Atlanta requires all of our adult volunteers who volunteer with youth to have a current background check on file (they are good for five years). The Archdiocese of Atlanta also requires VIRTUS training to be completed (which is also good for five years). Contact Linda Field with questions at lfield@st-ann.org.

How long is the commitment?
We ask all of our Core members to commit to the entire school year to help maintain a level of consistency. That said, you can join later on in the year as long as you can commit to the remainder of the year!

How much do I need to know in the way of Scripture, theology, etc.?
You don't need to come in with any prior knowledge. We will teach you everything that you need to know. 

How do you balance this job with the rest of your life? 

Core member Bain McCullough: "It’s easy. We have about one Core meeting a month on top of Life Nights on Sunday night. Being a Core member allows me to grow in my faith by opening up conversations with friends and coworkers about why I am going to some no name town in North Georgia for a weekend retreat or why I'm fired up after a great Life Night. This community helps teens grow and can help Core members grow as well." 

Why are you a volunteer? 

Core member Bain McCullough: I am a volunteer because God calls us to be disciples. The mission of Life Teen is "Leading Teens Closer to Christ," which is important to me because the teens in our program are the future of our church. One day they will discern their own vocation, with the possibility of joining the religious life or getting married, raising their own children in faith-based families. Life Teen has pointed me in the right direction in the way that it has forced me to ask the hard questions on why I believe what I believe, which is exactly our goal for teens when they go to college from our program. 

How would you advise someone thinking about being a Core leader? 

Core member Bain McCullough: Can you commit to growing a relationship with these teens who seek role models in their faith? Most importantly, run to Christ and ask him. Spending time with the Blessed Sacrament is a great place to start. We would be happy to have you join us on the St. Ann Youth Team.