Youth from the Diocese of Superior – Mark Nauertz (left), Elise Burns and Tyler Revak – have spent the 2017-2018 academic year serving with NET Ministries. (Submitted photos)

Mark Nauertz

After working this summer at Crosswoods Camp, Mark will attend the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota, to study mechanical engineering; he will also play on the university’s baseball team. The following is part of a ministry update letter from Mark Nauertz, NET Team member at Providence Academy in Plymouth, Minnesota, and parishioner of St. Francis de Sales in Spooner.

As a team, we started doing an event called Upper Room. This event is an opportunity for students who want to grow deeper in their faith, and our theme for this year is Community. There will usually be a talk led by one of us NETTERS, praise and worship, adoration, and sometimes confession. We will also have prayer stations for any student who wants to be prayed with.

It’s a very beautiful time of growth and prayer for students and us. After the event, we will take the students to Perkins just to hang out.

In addition to Upper Room, we continue to take students to Life Line Masses the first Saturday of every month, and those are a blast.

I have started leading sixth-grade small groups and that ranges from about eight to 16 kids. There’s always a word for the week that I want them to apply each day, such as kindness, love, service, etc. We also talk about prayer lives and our relationships with God, and sometimes we will play games like UNO, or football.

We as a team are very blessed to be here at Providence Academy, and it’s really awesome to see the change in students as the year goes on.

Tyler Revak

Tyler has truly enjoyed his year as a NET missionary. During June, he will be the music leader for the diocese’s two sessions of Extreme Faith Camp. He will also help at NET’s music training in August. Tyler plans to attend Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, this fall; his major is undecided but he is leaning towards music ministry.
From a blog update for the traveling team Tyler has served with:

“I just did the math and estimated that I’ve had conversations with around 4,500 new people on the road so far. This has taught me to never judge a book by its cover. It’s shown me that you really can find common ground with anyone. In all of these people, a deep desire for God (who is love) is in them – even those who are furthest from Him. Some of us have tried to bury this desire further down than others, but it never disappears. I’ve learned that any conflict can be resolved if the desire to love is present. I’ve learned that your heart can stretch more than you imagined when you ask Jesus, who’s infinite, to love through you.”

Elise Burns

After finishing her NET year, Elise will spend the summer with her family in their new home in Montana. Although unsure of her definite plans, she will likely start college in the fall.

Elise shares:
“I am extremely thankful to everyone who supported me and enabled me to go on this mission with NET Ministries. I am continually awed by the miracles that the Lord will work through us if we allow the Holy Spirit into every moment and if we trust God’s divine plan. My NET yes was full of moments and also seasons of trial. Through this year, I have become completely convicted of God’s faithfulness to us and His unrelenting love.”