What is the REAP Team?
The REAP (Retreat Evangelization And Prayer) Team is a Catholic retreat ministry of the Office of Youth Ministry of the Archdiocese of St. Louis. The REAP Team consists of adults and teenagers who have been specially chosen and trained to convey the Gospel to all people, especially teenagers. Members of the REAP Team are carefully screened to see that they possess the following qualities: a personal commitment to Jesus Christ, a love for teenagers, respect for the Catholic Church, regular participation in Sunday worship, a personal prayer life, freedom from serious sin, regular reading of Scripture, and an openness to using the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
What does the REAP Team do?
Using humor, drama, skits, faith sharing, games, and music, the Team's focus is to touch young people's hearts, open their minds, and stir their souls with the love of Jesus Christ. The REAP Team works closely with the leaders of each group to whom they minister, in order to meet the specific needs of the audience. Our ministry events can be as short as one hour or as long as several days.
What is the purpose?
The purpose of a REAP retreat is three-fold. First, we strive to create an environment that will allow a young person the opportunity to experience (for the first time or in a deeper way) the personal love and call of the Lord Jesus Christ. Second, we try to give young people a positive experience of the Church through giving them the opportunity to share with other Christians who take their faith seriously. Third, we desire to help young people grow in their sense of belonging to a community of believers, especially the local Church.
How large is the REAP Team?
Each school year, there are approximately 80 - 100 members of The REAP Team. Currently, two members of the REAP Team are full-time employees, two are part-time employees, and the remaining team members are volunteers. And, although we cannot know for certain how many members will serve on a given retreat until about one week prior to the retreat date, it is estimated that on a weekend or evening there would probably be 4-5 of us, and if the retreat were on a weekday there would probably be 2-3 of us.
What is the content of a REAP retreat?
Retreats may include a wide range of topics: God's Love, Self-Image, Confirmation, Sexual Purity/Chastity, Peer Pressure, Drug and Alcohol Resistance, Obstacles to God's Love, Ways to Pray, The Power of the Holy Spirit, Christian Hope, Respect for Others, Emotional Healing, and Catholic Identity. These topics may be addressed either individually or in any combination.
Years of Experience
As of 2007, the REAP Team has presented 2364 ministry events, which have reached 163,141 people with the Gospel of our Savior, Jesus Christ. We have also distributed over 77,500 True Love Waits (Chastity Commitment) Cards.