All About the Heart and Soul of YouthWorkers (and we're obviously doing some redesign)
Understand this from the beginning: I don’t mean to equate what I’m about to do for Lent with real poorness, nor do I think that being poor is something touristy to do. At a recent youth event I sat in a workshop on ministry with the poor as the youth were engaged in a discussion…
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A few months back I had an opportunity to sneak into a Wesleyan Leadership Conference put together by some friends at the GBOD. While there I heard some really neat ways that the Methodist faith was being lived out. Highlighted by the illustration of a monastic methodism being created and lived out in “People of…
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Want to know something crazy? Normal people get two days off of work every week. Youthworkers usually get none. Don’t think I’m right? Check your calendar. You might be saying, “I get Mondays off” (except for those two hours of staff meeting…) Or you get Fridays off (except any weekends with a retreat or a…
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If you are one of the hundreds of youth workers leading a 30 Hour Famine event this weekend, you might want to know how to encourage your youth to take their fundraising and experience to the Study Tour level. Abby Lewis, a high school junior and member of the youth group at St. Barnabas United…
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The Bishop was calling me in the middle of the Conference Sr. High Youth Event and I was shocked. She said, “Amy, I received a phone call from a pastor attending the event and he was concerned about the message the young people were hearing.” WHAT!??!! I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, especially since…
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This is part 3 of 7 exploring the We Love Our Youth Worker national covenant between churches and youth workers. We Love Our Youth Worker (WLOYW), one of our partner organizations, and YouthWorker Movement both agree that healthier youth workers mean healthier youth ministries. Healthier youth ministries mean more youth can know Christ. The proposed WLOYW covenant…
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“So, it seems like you read a lot of books?!” Yeah, I get that often. My college-aged son says he was raised at “the library” and he means our home not a publicly funded book depository. And this photo below shows you what is on my reading pile for today. What is wrong with…
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Ask in the right circles away from the hubbub of the youth room and you’ll quickly learn a simple truth about the confirmation process in Methodist youth ministry: no single effort carries more weight in the spiritual life of a UM youth. It’s where they’re outfitted for life, carefully and painstakingly trained for the journey…
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It’s important to be responsible, do whatever it takes to get the job done right and strive for excellence. But it’s even more important to remember that it’s not all up to you. Other capable and competent people are involved, things will get done if you’re not there and God is still going to be…
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Looking for a GREAT summer Mission trip in the Dallas, Texas area? Check out www.c2kDallas.org Register before April 1, 2012 and enjoy an all-inclusive mission trip for just $199 per person (if paid in full and on-time) and spend more time with your Youth and less having to plan and run the daily grind of mission…
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Just like any good youth worker, the other day I found myself researching American youth culture by watching an episode of King of the Hill (yeah, that excuse doesn’t work on my wife either). In the episode, Bobby Hill asks his parents a pointed question about the faith they proclaim. ”What is a Methodist?”, he…
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As Youthworkers, have we really thought about the implications of Conversion? Have we considered Conversion God’s work? Have we tried to take God’s place to manipulate young people? Do we even have a plan for what comes next the day after Conversion? “To have a conversion experience is nothing much. The real thing is to…
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“You who live in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.” Psalm 91:1-2 Once upon a time the church’s responsibility was to raise moral beacons in communities throughout the world. In…
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I met Frank Schaeffer at a planning retreat for the Wild Goose Festival a few weeks ago. His story is a fascinating one–his family established the L’Abri community in Huemoz, Switzerland and became oddly influential in the rise of the Christian Right political movement. After the passing of his father Francis, Frank found himself heir-apparent…
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Here’s the deal about a covenant. It’s an agreement between two parties – both sides have to give something for it to work. So last week I introduced the first promise from the We Love Our Youth Worker (WLOYW) covenant – the church’s promise to pray for its youth worker and the youth ministry. I…
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It is with great excitement that I announce the addition of Erin Sloan … [Read More...]
It’s January and you are probably congratulating yourself on making … [Read More...]
God’s love never ends. This is a promise that God reminds us … [Read More...]
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