About
RENEW Theology on Tap
RENEW
Theology on Tap offers
a comprehensive process
to promote the
spiritual growth of
young Catholic adults
in their 20s and 30s,
married or single. It
begins with a
young-adult-planned
speaker series, which
takes place in local
bars, restaurants, and
parish halls and
includes food, drink
and theological
discussion. These
experiences are then
deepened further by
young adult involvement
in small Christian
communities and
ultimately sustained by
active participation in
the Eucharistic life of
the parish and local
communities.
Theology
on Tap History
RENEW
Theology on Tap was
formed out of a
partnership between
RENEW International and
the Young Adult
Ministry of the
Archdiocese of Chicago
starting in 2003. But,
the roots of Theology
on Tap go back over 25
years to a pioneering
outreach to young
adults by Catholic
ministry leaders
determined to meet
people where they are.
Theology
on Tap: The Beginning
The
concept of Theology on
Tap began through St.
James Parish in
Arlington Heights,
Ill., with a
conversation in 1981
between the Rev. Jack
Wall and then college
student Tim Leeming.
Like so many others in
their 20s and 30s, Tim
was struggling to find
meaning. He said,
“Father, I know
what I’m doing. I
just don’t know
why I’m doing it.
Can our church help me
with the 'why'
questions?" Fr.
Wall, working with
their youth minister,
Mr. Tom James, began
laying out a forum for
addressing those
"why"
questions. By the time
Tim and his peers
returned home from
college that summer,
there was a six-week
speaker and discussion
series in place for
them at St. James. They
called it
“Theology on
Tap.”
Based
on this success, the
Archdiocese of Chicago
established its office
of Young Adult
Ministry. Fr. John
Cusick, a diocesan
priest, and Ms. Kate
DeVries, a spirited lay
minister, became the
director and associate
director of this
office, and spread
Theology on Tap
throughout the
archdiocese and beyond.
Throughout
the past 25 years Fr.
John Cusick and Kate
DeVries have stewarded
this program throughout
the Archdiocese of
Chicago and have
watched Theology on Tap
spread throughout the
country and the world.
They have entrusted
RENEW to help them take
the program to the next
level and connect more
young adults than every
before.
The
Partnership: RENEW
Theology on Tap
In
July 2003, Rev. John
Cusick, director of the
Theology on Tap program
approached Monsignor
Tom Kleissler,
president of RENEW
International to
propose a
"marriage"
between RENEW and
Theology on Tap. Father
Cusick and his
associate Kate DeVries
proposed that RENEW
launch a nationwide
initiative, bringing
the successful Theology
on Tap program --- the
premier program of
catechesis and
evangelization of young
adult Catholics --- all
across the country.
Father
Cusick reached out to
RENEW International
because of the
organization's solid
national reputation and
proven delivery
processes in dioceses
across the country.
RENEW's overwhelming
success in creating and
delivering parish-based
programs that involve
large numbers of people
in parishes, uniquely
qualify RENEW to launch
and succeed in this
ambitious undertaking.
Since
this time RENEW
International has
developed a program for
dioceses, and resources
for parishes, to start
or enhance young adult
ministry. Theology on
Tap and RENEW are the
perfect combination to
strongly impact this
segment of the Catholic
population that needs
and deserves this
service.
Frequently
Asked Questions
What
is RENEW Theology on
Tap?
RENEW
Theology on Tap is a
process through which
the Catholic church can
engage young adults,
those in their 20s and
30s. It begins with a
series of events held
in a casual setting
such as a restaurant,
bar or parish hall
where young adults are
invited to listen to a
speaker, share faith,
and dialogue with
people who share
similar values. Food
and beverages are often
present. These
gatherings are an
opportunity for the
Church both to teach
and to learn about
young adults, and
invite them to lead and
to experience other
faith-deepening
experiences such as
retreats or small
Christian communities.
The objective of RENEW
Theology on Tap is to
provide an opportunity
for Catholic parishes
to share the richness
of Catholic faith and
Scripture and offer a
setting where people of
similar values and
faith can gather in a
peer community. It is a
pastoral outreach
offered by RENEW
International, a
Catholic ministry
organization.
Who
Are Young Adults?
Young
adults are those in
their in their 20s and
30s, married, single,
or single again, with
or without children. A
recent study says over
50 percent of adult
Catholics are young
adults.
What
Happens at a RENEW
Theology on Tap Event?
You
can expect a warm and
friendly greeting from
a team of young adults
like you. You can
expect good food and
drink. You can expect
to meet a few people
whose beliefs and
values are remarkably
similar to your own.
You can expect a
powerful speaker ready
to challenge you and
make you think about
topics of faith and
daily life. You can
expect meaningful
discussion and a chance
to share your thoughts
(or you can just drink
a soda, beer or water
and listen).
Why
Should I Go?
Face
it; it’s tough to
meet people once out of
college. Aside from old
friends, work friends
and perhaps a gym
friend here or there
... how does a young
person make new
friends? How about
meaningful
conversation? At RENEW
Theology on Tap, we
provide the atmosphere,
the food and drink and
a thought-provoking
speaker that will be
sure to spark lively
conversation. All you
need to do is bring
yourself.
Remember
when you promised your
Mom or Dad you would go
to Mass every Sunday
when you moved out? And
you try. Really you do.
But perhaps making that
trek to Mass on Sunday
doesn't always happen.
RENEW Theology on Tap
is the perfect way to
give your faith and
your commitment to the
Church a jump-start. A
few empowering
speakers, a couple of
new friends to sit with
on Sunday, a renewed
sense of Catholicism,
and all of a sudden you
found your
connection--and it
isn’t because
your Mom or Dad wants
this for you, but
because you want it.
Or
maybe you are a little
bit older and wiser.
And “Mom”
hasn’t had a say
in what you do for
years now. But alas,
you still find yourself
heading to Church on
Sunday because you have
to, though you
aren’t exactly
sure why. And you sit
there, and you listen
and you walk out the
door feeling like there
must be something more
that your parish
community can offer
you. Now there is.
RENEW Theology on Tap
brings
“church” to
you. In an informal
setting, with peers
your own age, and with
time for questions and
discussion, it turns
out that was exactly
what you were looking
for.
Why
do theology at a bar or
restaurant?
Bars
and restaurants are
places that are
comfortable. One might
be more willing to
encounter the Church in
a bar where the
landscape is familiar
before taking the
larger step through the
Church door. Many young
adults are seeking God
and a sense of
spirituality and may
have been away for a
while. This is an easy
invitation to take a
fresh look at the
Church as an adult.
Plus,
the Church is slowly
realizing that it
misses the vibrancy
young adults can bring
to the parish, and in
order to tap into this
energy, it must
actively seek it out by
going to places where
young adults already
gather.
What
if I am not in my 20s
or 30s? Can I attend an
event?
RENEW
Theology on Tap offers
events for those in
their 20s and 30s. If
you are not part of
this age group, there
may be other ways for
you to participate such
as:
1.
Using your contacts to
help TOT leaders find a
great venue for events
2.
Suggesting the names of
great speakers to
diocesan and or parish
leaders
3.
Inviting your young
adult friends,
relatives, coworkers to
events
4.
starting a small faith
sharing group or
discussion series
intended for people
specifically in your
age group or stage of
life. What is relevant
to someone who is 15 is
different from someone
who is 25, is different
from someone who is 45.
Is
this “ok”
according to the
Catholic Church?
Yes.
Monks have produced
wine and brewed beer
since the Middle Ages.
Also, Jesus ensured the
continued beauty and
festivity of the
wedding at Cana by
producing the finest
wine, thus keeping the
party alive. In all
seriousness, according
to the pastoral letter
"Sons and
Daughters of the
Light," the United
States Bishop's
Conference called
"Theology on
Tap" an
outstanding program!
Besides, events offer a
variety of beverages to
suit different tastes.
How
do I start a RENEW
Theology on Tap effort
in my area?
Getting
the initial pieces
together for RENEW
Theology on Tap can
take some time but they
are crucial for
success. To start RENEW
Theology on Tap you
need two initial
components…
1.
A young adult team
composed of 10-12
leader
types…people
other people will
follow. This team is
charged with organizing
and running the events.
An individual or a
group of non-20s/30s
running this program is
inappropriate as one of
our goals is to empower
young adult leaders.
2.
Supportive Churches
-> Churches who will
empower young adults to
organize and run these
events as well as
appoint a parish staff
person as liaison to
this group. 2-4 or more
parishes working
together make for great
young adult ministry.
3.
Register your Theology
on Tap with RENEW
International. For a
small fee your group
will receive access to
information on starting
Theology on Tap,
downloadable
promotional templates,
evaluations,
registrations and more.
