ProjectYM Live brings teens together from a distance

By Ricardo Gandara | Correspondent

Recently on Sunday evenings, teenager Emily Lindsey dresses in her Sunday clothes, like always when she attends a youth group gathering at St. Margaret Mary Parish in Cedar Park. Lately, however, she is chilling on the couch watching an online gathering with thousands of other young people from across the U.S.
ProjectYM Live gives her and many others the opportunity to have a weekly youth night and to experience the celebration of their faith even as parishes are closed.
“I miss church and youth group,” said Lindsey, a sophomore at Glenn High School in Leander. “I’m also in the choir; I get confirmed this year. I like ProjectYM because it’s my way of staying connected.”
ProjectYM Live is an online Catholic youth night offered Sundays at 7 p.m. at live.projectym.com. The project began on March 22, and it is already a resounding success, said Chris Bartlett, the director of Next Level Ministry, a national group that builds youth ministry leaders. He is also the youth ministry director at St. William Parish in Round Rock.
“Fifty parishes signed up in the first 20 minutes. Now, we have 1,700 parishes participating nationwide,” Bartlett said. “People desire community now more than ever.”
Bartlett credits the early success to ProjectYM Live being a collaborative effort of organizations and parishes. The format is simple. Hosts Michael and Crystal Marchand, a Catholic couple from Chattanooga, Tennessee, begin with prayer, then games, a Catholic musician leads praise and worship, then there is a different featured speaker each evening. Youth ministers from throughout the country have interactive capability to make comments and give shout-outs to their groups.
Bartlett and Michael Marchand of ProjectYM and Ablaze Ministries are the founders of the idea. As the COVID-19 pandemic gained a foothold in March and Masses and gatherings were suspended across the country, the pair knew it was imperative to find an activity for homebound youth. And for many teens like Lindsey and Emma Claire Bischoff, who attends St. Thomas More Parish, ProjectYM Live has been a Godsend.
“It was different. It had amazing Christian music,” said Emma Claire, a sophomore at Vandegrift High School in Austin.
The Bischoff household includes mom and dad and four kids. “Yeah, it can get loud but surprisingly, it was super relaxing. I liked the games,” she said.
Emily Bischoff, Emma Claire’s mother, said watching ProjectYM Live brought her family together. “And it was something wholesome. I even got some non-denominational friends to watch. Speaking for our family, the kids got a sense of community because teens from around the country were also watching,” Emily said.
Paul J. Kim, a Catholic speaker who is popular with youth and young adults, was a hit on the first Sunday. Kim’s message resonated with Adan Montes, a freshman who attends St. Margaret Mary Parish.
“Kim is a cool guy. He made me think about how we’re all focused on ourselves. Now, I’m thinking more of others,” he said. “I’m taking time to get to know my friends better and talk about the struggles in their lives. We’re learning to help each other.”
Father Jared Cooke, the associate pastor at St. Thomas More Parish in Austin, said Kim challenged teens to give their cell phones a break.
“He told them to find a way to engage with God. Don’t squander this time God has given us,” Father Cooke said.
Following the first presentation, Father Cooke had an online discussion with members of his parish youth group because these are uncertain times when fear can set in.
“We talked about fear not coming from God and not to give way to fear … The devil is the king of fear, and a way to boldly reject fear is to calmly and boldly embrace their trust in God. I gave them tips on how to push back,” Father Cooke said. “The Lord can take something bad and leverage it to something good. It’s important for us to be able to meet online. Thank God we have the internet.”
Logan Mayes, the youth minister at St. Thomas More Parish, is all too familiar with the boredom and idleness teens are experiencing.
“Paul J. Kim told them to turn their heart to heaven … God is inviting us to join in something unique and to do more,” he said.
“Kim’s message was to serve others around us. Instead of ‘me’ focus it should be the ‘we’ focus. Love God and your neighbor,” Mayes said.
To view the program, go to https://www.projectym.com. A parent must register to get access. Log in about five minutes prior to 7 p.m. Teens can watch on their cell phones or laptops. Some families transfer the program to a television screen and watch it together. Search ProjectYM Live on Facebook to comment or to find more information.