By Kristi Anderson

For The Visitor

Keynote speaker Doug Watercott roused teens and ‘tweens from across the diocese with his team-themed address at the 13th Annual Junior High Youth Rally “Winter Spectacular” Jan. 15 at St. John’s University in Collegeville.

Watercott’s entrance was met with cheers as he took the stage in uniform, sporting a baseball hat with a large “G,” symbolizing God’s team and a jersey emblazoned with a number “3.”

“God is first, others are second and I’m third,” explained Watercott. “It takes all of us to make up the Body of Christ. Awesome things can happen when we share our gifts with others and work together as a team. This game is the game of life and we are all on God’s team!”

From cabinetry to ministry

Working as a cabinet-maker for nearly 30 years, Watercott had ample opportunity to use the gifts he had been given. Seven years ago he realized God had other plans for him when he accepted a part-time position as youth minister at his home parish, Immaculate Conception in Becker.

“At first, working just five hours a week worked well with my schedule even though I was still working 50 to 60 hours a week in cabinetry,” said Watercott. “Eventually the position expanded and I was faced with a tough decision. I had gotten involved in this ministry and it was really where my heart was.”

Last September, he accepted a full-time position as youth minister for the parishes of Immaculate Conception in Becker and Our Lady of the Lake in Big Lake. Watercott meets with students in grades three to five once a month and with kids in grades six to eight and nine to 12 weekly.

“It’s amazing how God works with them and through them,” Watercott said. “They are blessings to each other and to so many others in the community.”

Mission trips every other year through Catholic HEART Workcamp encouraged the youth to take an active role in their own community.

“The first year we went on the mission trip, the kids were so excited,” Watercott said. “But when we got back, one of the kids said, ‘We went all that way to help others, but we have needs right here in our city.’ That’s when we set up youth nights to help out locally. We take turns making meals, cleaning carpets, raking yards or just playing games with local seniors.”

The parishes also have a youth band that recorded a CD to raise funds to continue the projects in their parish communities.

“I’m always surprised at how unselfish these kids are,” said Watercott. “They give countless hours of their time and energy and they never once thought the funds raised were to benefit them. It always goes back to the youth group.”

Through food fasting lock-ins, the youth have raised money and awareness for hunger. They hope to build a cardboard city this year where students will sleep outside in boxes to collect donations for the local Faith in Action initiative and raise awareness for the homeless.

“These issues affect the community as a whole,” said Watercott, who believes ecumenical relationships are also vital. His youth group meets quarterly with area churches and also works together on an annual event they call ‘Ruah’, meaning the breath of God, that includes 30 to 40 work sites and up to 400 youth.

“I think it is important to focus on identifying our similarities and how we can work together, recognizing each other as children of God,” Watercott said.

Source of strength

Most of all, Watercott sees the youth stepping up to support and uplift one another.

“Lots of kids say youth group is the highlight of their week. They’ve really become a support to each other. They even created a Facebook page to post prayer requests to pray for each other when they aren’t together. They call them ‘prayer shout-outs.’ ”

Watercott chose the team theme for his rally keynote to drive home that life is a team sport.

“We’re all in this together,” Watercott said at the rally. “God chose us first, even before we were born. As members of God’s team, we are called to follow his plan and to use the Bible as our playbook.”

Pictured above:

Jim Bovin/The Visitor

Keynote speaker, Doug Watercott talks during the 13th Annual Junior High Youth Rally “Winter Spectacular” at St. John’s Preparatory School in Collegeville Jan. 15.