Q. What does YAM stand for?
A. Young Adult Ministry.
Q. What is YAM?
A. YAM is the local archdiocesan organization for young Catholics looking to explore spiritual, social and spiritual opportunities. Our goal is to connect young adults with Christ, the Church, and one another. YAM has an office with two full-time staff on the archdiocesan level. We also have a range of parish-based and affiliate groups, several of which also include YAM in their name.
Q. Am I a YAM?
A. Here in Atlanta, YAM is open to anyone between 18 and 40, single or married.
Q. Am I too young for YAM events?
A. Generally, our events attract young adults over the age of 18. Due to Safe Environment concerns, we must limit our events to those who are over 18.
Q. Am I too old for YAM events?
A. Generally, our events attract and are intended for young adults under the age of 40.
Q. I am married. Can my spouse and I attend YAM events?
A. Absolutely! YAM welcomes all young adults who are in their 20s and 30s, regardless of marital status.
Q. Do I need to be devout?
A. No. We welcome young adults of all levels of devotion, from daily Mass goers to the “C&E” (Christmas and Easter) Catholics to those who haven’t been to Church since only God remembers when.
Q. Do I have to be a member of a parish to come to a YAM event?
A. No, you don’t have to be a member of a parish to attend. A unique characteristic, however, of our YAM events is that many individuals are able to find and join a parish.
Q. Do I have to be Catholic to attend?
A. No. We welcome any individual looking to enhance his or her relationship with Christ.
Q. Do I have to pay to be a member? Is there a membership fee for YAM?
A. No, there is no membership fee for YAM. Some events have a small donation or cover to offset costs. Some parish-based ministries have a membership fee, but you can still attend their events without being a member.
Q. Is it all about Church?
A. While Church is an integral part of YAM, it’s much more than it. YAM is about the “3 C’s”: Church, Christ, and community.
Q. What kind of activities/events does YAM offer?
A. YAM, and its affiliated groups, offers a wide variety of social, service, and spiritual events: TEC retreats, sports, service projects, Mass, picnics, Adoration groups, Rosary groups, hikes in the North Georgia mountains, river rafting down the Chattahoochee, speaker series...You may choose to attend only social events, or just get involved with the service projects. Come to one activity that peeks your interest, or come to everything. Activities are available on most days of the week. Check out our calendar for upcoming events.
Q. Where does YAM meet?
A. YAM events are held at various places across the archdiocese. Every event on our calendar should provide you with the location’s name and address.
Q. It sounds like you have a lot going on…Are all these activities strictly parish-related?
A. No. YAM events are sponsored by a diverse range of groups, some of which are neither archdiocesan nor parish-based.
Q. What are some of the other opportunities related to YAM?
A. YAM has several affiliated groups, including Toastmasters, Spirit and Truth, Atlanta Catholic Sports, TEC (To Encounter Christ) retreat, On the Deck, St Vincent de Paul, Stephen Ministries, and others.
Q. What do all those acronyms mean?
A. Here in YAM, we like to shorten names. Here’s a sampling of what the various names mean:
ACS: Atlanta Catholic Sports
CTK: Christ the King (the Cathedral)
HSYP: Holy Spirit Young Professionals
IHM: Immaculate Heart of Mary
ITP: Inside the Perimeter
OTP: Outside the Perimeter (“Perimeter” refers to I-285 which circles the city of Atlanta.)
OTD: On the Deck (a college-age ministry)
SVdP: St Vincent de Paul
TEC: To Encounter Christ (the young adult retreat)
TGIFF: Thank God It’s First Friday
TOT: Theology on Tap
Q. I just moved here; I’m new to the YAM organization. How will I meet people?
A. Just come to one of our events. A young adult recently remarked, “I remember my first event…I was extremely anxious about meeting new people. I was overwhelmed to see how many other young adults were ready and willing to reach out to me. After my first few events, I was able to form lasting friendships.” Also, please feel free to bring a friend with you to make you feel more comfortable.
Q. How do I get involved?
A. There are always many activities taking places, either from the YAM office itself or with one of our affiliated ministries. Check out our calendar for upcoming events. If you would like to get involved on a leadership level, contact the director of YAM.
Q. When was YAM founded in Atlanta?
A. In 1996.
Q. Is YAM a national organization?
A. YAM is not the name of an organization but a movement, Young Adult Ministry. There are YAM programs in other dioceses around the United States. Atlanta just happens to have one of the oldest, biggest, and more active – in the heart of the “Bible-belt,” nonetheless!
