Pizza & Side Hugs

Do you ever struggle to ask good processing questions with teens? In this episode Paul, Rachel, and special guest Charlie Hardesty from the Diocese of Owensboro, break down what it looks like to engage with teens and ask better questions.  Intro (0:52)  Charlie Hardesty: Diocesan Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry in Owensboro (1:18) What Are Better Questions? (2:08) Creating a Space of Jo...

Intro Slice (0:48) Hiring a YM is Tough (1:53) Decide What You NEED and is Possible with Your Resources (4:47) There are a lot of things you may want in a YM, but you need to decide what you need first.  Do you need someone who is going to build a program?  Or do you need someone who can spend time with your 5-10 young people? Do you need someone who is going to fire everyone up and move on?  Or d...

Budgets are an important part of ministry and the work we do for the Church. In this episode, the Pizza and Side Hugs team breaks open budgeting and the ways that it can be an asset to you.  Intro Slice (0:50) A Better Budget Perspective (1:08) In what ways do budgets help us in youth ministry? (3:51) pizzasidehugs@gmail.com

So you've asked your people and gotten a team together, but you may be wondering what it looks like to lead them in a positive and formational way. In this episode, the Pizza and Side Hugs crew jumps into what it looks like to lead a team well and the positive impact that has on ministry.  Leading a Team Big Picture: After Recruiting (8:00) Show Up (10:21) Partner with Families (16:51) Cause...

We know it's only February...but it's time to start talking about NCYC! Once again, Indianapolis will be the host city for NCYC 2025, November 20-22nd. Whether you are a new youth minister or have been to NCYC dozens of times, this episode will have something for you. We hope that this episode will help as NCYC approaches! P.S. Need help with fundraising ideas? Check out our episode on f...

Are you filled with gratitude for the people around you but not sure how to let them know that you appreciate all that they do to help? Look no further than this week's podcast episode to learn how to thank the people in your ministry that you appreciate so much! Culture of Gratitude (2:25) Around the Horn (5:50) Conclusion (19:27) Most of the time, we can think of our own experiences here. W...

Welcome to Season 5!  There are a lot of different facets when thinking about mental health in youth ministry, and it can be an overwhelming topic to try to cover in ministry. In this episode, the team talks about 3 different areas of mental health in ministry. Listen in to hear some thoughts. What’s one practice of self-care you’ve employed for your own mental health in the midst of youth ministr...

Liturgical living can and should be a huge part of of our Catholic faith, but it can be daunting to know where to start. In this  SLICE the team breaks open simple ways to start liturgical living in ministry. Catholic Compendium for Liturgical Living Frontiers of Faith Podcast Is This for Kids Podcast Thank you all for a GREAT Season 4! Looking forward to seeing you in Season 5! pizzasidehugs@gmai...

We think it's fair to say that we've all been there...you have a heart for ministry and are excited to serve the young people in the parish, but you can't seem to get them to show up. In this episode, the Pizza and Side Hugs team shares some stories and some laughs while talking about different strategies to recruiting people to ministry.  Intro (0:13)  When is a time you’ve been su...

All good things must come to an end, which means that eventually students leave our youth ministry program. The first semester out of high school is a big transition as students begin college, working, a gap year, or esthetician school. In this slice, the Pizza and Side Hugs team dives into what it looks like to support your youth ministry students into this new phase of life.  pizzasidehugs@gmail...

Let's talk about fundraising! In this slice, the team talks about the joys and struggles of fundraising. For most people, it can be a bit of a thorn in our side, but there are ways to make it better! Listen in to get some ideas on how revamp your fundraising style.  pizzasidehugs@gmail.com

Putting on big events can be daunting, but sometimes even more daunting is the "what next?" conversation. In this episode, the Pizza and Side Hugs team talks about what it looks like to follow up after an encounter.  Big Picture: What do we mean when we say “profound YM experiences” and why do we have these? (1:40) Challenges of Following Up (10:54) Why is it Worth It to Follow Up? (21:1...

Do you ever find yourself wondering what you should have in your back pocket as a youth minister? In this episode, the team begins to scratch the surface with items that are helpful to carry with you as a youth minister.  Promises for many links were made in the episode, but sadly, there is not enough character space. Below are the most niche links! What did we miss? What is the unique YM tool tha...

So you wanna take your youth group on a trip this summer...awesome! Summer trips can be a huge undertaking and cause some stress, so in this slice, the team covers some helpful tips and tricks for easing the worry that comes with summer trips. Listen in and hear why it might be best to start planning now!  Reach out with your thoughts! We'd love to hear 'em :) pizzasidehugs@gmail.com Vol...

Are you trying to figure out how to empower the teens in your youth ministry program more? You might be asking questions like "How can I form youth leaders?" or "What does solid youth leadership look like?" These are great questions and one that deserve an answer. In this week's episode, the team dives into examples of what they have seen for youth formation. Listen in to...

In this episode, the team tackles what it looks like to onboard volunteers. You may have the commitment that people are willing to volunteer, but now you might be thinking "what next?". Learn about getting your volunteers plugged in and rolling, from the first year newbie to the tenth year veteran. Intro (1:15)  Do you have your own volunteering experience that stands out as especially w...

In this week's episode, the Pizza and Side Hugs team covers parent meetings. You may have some questions about what it can look like to run a successful parent meeting, how to take first steps in building a relationship to be able to partner with parents, and how to encourage attendance. In this short slice, hear about all that and more! Intro Slice (0:30) What’s Tough About Parent Meetings?...

Ever wondered what an out of the park kick-off event could look like? Look no further! The Pizza and Side Hugs team is coming in this week with all the ideas when it comes to a Kick-Off Launch.  Intro (0:15)   What’s an all-time YM Kick-Off game you’ve played? (8:22) Big Picture: What’s the Purpose of a Kick-Off (2:00) Programming for a Kick-Off (15:00) Your Kick-Off Should Set You Up for Future G...

Calendar Pro Tips Season 4, Episode 10 Around the Horn (0:45) When do you put out a calendar? (1:37) Design (8:12) Calendar Consistency/Rhythms of Calendaring (10:05) Sanity Check/Ministry Check (14:18)  Conclusion (17:17)  Send us a screenshot of your calendar so we can get good ideas or judge it hard. We will also accept screenshots of embarrassing moments in ministry.  And anything that fits th...

So You’re a New Youth Minister Season 4, Episode 5 Intro (0:13)  What’s a Mistake You Made Early on in Youth Ministry? (5:15) Big Picture: You Chose an Incredible Job (3:30) Quick around-the-horn about why YM is an awesome field of work. What to Know Right Away (8:20) What questions should you ask immediately?  Who are the first people you meet with? What are reasonable goals for your first year?...

Diverse Teams Season 4, Episode 4.5 In our last podcast, we talked about the principles for recruiting a great ministry team. These adults will be core to your mission. One thing we touched on briefly was the need for “the right fit” for a ministry leader. Today, we want to highlight this even deeper by talking about having diversity within your team.   Julia: Diversity of ages (multigenerational)...

Recruiting a Team Season 4, Episode 4 Intro (0:05)  Big Picture: We Need a Team for Good Ministry (1:30) Recruiting (9:33)  Church volunteer recruiting vs. Notre Dame football recruiting operation.  Find the Right Fit (17:25) Do Your Research (28:14) Consistently Reach Out (35:13)  Retaining a Team  Recruiting doesn’t really stop, it just changes over time.  We should anticipate it taking 2-3 year...

Evaluating a Youth Ministry Year Season 4, Episode 3 Intro (0:20)  What is Feedback You’ve Received in YM That You’ll Never Forget? (1:45) Big Picture: What’s the Purpose of Evaluating? (11:47) Evaluation obviously seeks to make your ministry better, but it can feel tough to justify given everything else you have to do. Here’s why it’s important: Creates accountability for leaders Adds intention t...

Clear Labels, Full Bellies, Can’t Lose Season 4, Episode 3.5 There are two things that are absolutely essential to nearly ever youth ministry gathering: 1. Prayer. 2. Food. (1:00) Maslow’s Hierarchy (1:57) Advice for food at YM event (3:51) Allergies (8:40) Laudato Si (14:27) Conclusion (17:13)  Send us a message about your youth ministry, or just send us something funny and we’ll mention you. piz...

Conference Rankings Season 4, Episode 2.5 - A Slice Why you should go to a Youth Minister Conference(0:35) Our top 3 youth ministry conference or professional development opportunities: (4:15) Conference Links Notre Dame Vision: http://mcgrath.nd.edu/vision NFCYM Exchange: https://nfcym.org/featured-events/exchange/ Life Teen Conference: https://lifeteen.com/events/catholic-youth-ministry-conventi...