The goal of this ministry is to create a “youth grouping” of mothers and daughters who gather at the parish to learn about baking, learn about the faith life of a saint, and spend a little time each month sharing about their own faith lives. Studies show that parents still have the greatest impact on the faith lives of their children, so this is a way for mothers to discuss their faith with their children in a fun and festive activity that they enjoy doing together. 

This ministry does not need to be large. Just a few mothers gathering with their daughters in the parish hall to discuss the faith is a win for the Lord and will have life-long impact on the faith lives of those girls!

This ministry does not need to go on forever. Adults are often hesitant to volunteer for activities at the parish because they might get stuck doing them for years to come. Maybe the program happens once per month for six months, and then ends? Maybe it just happens a few times a year in preparation for an upcoming holiday? 

If you are the Director of Youth Ministry (DYM) in your parish, the hope is that you would be able to get this ministry started, but then have little role in the evenings themselves.

Tips for getting this ministry started:

1. First discuss with your pastor if this is a ministry that he is willing to have at the parish.

2. Work with your parish staff to explain this ministry and answer any questions they may have. Determine how this event will be paid for. Will participants need to pay on their own when they register? Work through the details of who needs to be in attendance in the building for this event to take place in the parish hall.

3. Select a few women who know many of the other moms in the community. Ask them to take a role in making this event happen and inviting other moms to bring their daughters. Ask them to be the cheerleaders for this ministry!

4. Find a date (perhaps a Friday night) that works for each of the leading mothers and the parish hall is available.

5. Set up an easy way for mothers to register online (Microsoft Forms, Signup genius, etc.) Set up a QR code which links to the registration page.

6. Advertise in the parish bulletin, school newsletters, etc. We have large banners and tablecloths available to borrow for volunteers to hand out fliers after Masses on Sundays.

7. One of the mothers should practice the recipe at home and be responsible for shopping for all the baking ingredients. They need to purchase enough ingredients for the number of families that are participating. Keep all receipts and be reimbursed after the event. Also consider having plastic wrap or foil trays for everybody to take their baked goods home with them afterwards.

8. One mother should become familiar with the kitchen in the parish hall. How many ovens are there? How many burners? How does everything work?  This is where you as the DYM can help to make sure they are approved to use the equipment and know how to use it properly.

9. Consider ordering matching aprons for all participants.  Everybody loves to go home from an event with a little swag!

10. Two days before the event, an email should go from one of the mothers to all who registered telling them what baking supplies to bring to the event… measuring cups, mixing bowls, etc. Ask them to bring a small kitchen trash bag to take all the dirty items back home with them. This makes cleaning up the church kitchen much faster.

11. Once everybody arrives at the event, one mother will be responsible to teach everybody how to prepare their baked item. While the items are baking, another mother will invite everybody to their seats to give a talk on the life of the saint being highlighted that week. Another option would be to show a video on the life of that saint.

12. Invite the mothers and daughters to then pair-off on their own and answer a few of the questions meant to help them discuss the faith and share what they have learned that week. How might they incorporate what they have learned in their family life going forward?

13. Once the sharing is over and the baked item is finished, enjoy the dessert together for a short while. Everybody cleans up the area together and goes home!

14. Consider having the mothers switch roles for the following event. After the first event, there will likely be more mothers interested in helping for the future.