All About the Heart and Soul of YouthWorkers
OK I know that sounds a little dramatic. Let me start Micro and move towards Meta. I also really want your input, so this is a conversation starter. Here it goes: Well for about two weeks now I have become the acting Children’s Ministry Director at the Church where I am doing Interim Youth Ministry.…
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Dear NBC, I would respectfully submit that you have not yet realized the world has changed both culturally and technologically. I concede that you seem to be using all of the new technologies available to you. Let me compliment you on your easy navigation web-site and your Facebook fan pages and of course your deft…
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I was reading through the Call to Action, or maybe some other code word for a report that was on the vitalcongregations website a few months back, and something struck me as I read about the drivers and metrics and so on. The Bureaucracy Virus First, I think it is great that the UMC is…
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As I made my way through Lent this year I was increasingly reluctant to post even on my own blog (even more so over here where there’s actually an audience). It was a deeply moving experience for me and difficult to wrap words around–you’d really have to do it to understand. To sum up, if…
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Today is apparently TOMS Shoes “one day without shoes” which someone had to tell me about. The idea being that we not wear shoes through the day to bring awareness & some empathy to the plight of those around the world who go without adequate or any footwear. This article is not because of my…
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When I was in the local church, I didn’t pay much attention to General Conference – the every-four-year-mostly-legislative-meeting of United Methodist delegates to decide what would be in the next Book of Discipline. I taught about General Conference in confirmation, I read the headlines that would invariably show up in the press about the more…
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When is it OK to stop growing? We’ve had a “vitality team” form and hold several meetings to develop our church’s Vital Congregations growth goals for the coming few years. As they wrestled with numbers for worship attendance, professions of faith, and people in missions an amusing report emerged from that room; apparently, one enthusiastic…
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I’ve been asked to offer a mid-Lent reflection on my particular journey through this season. I’ve been blogging at www.kevinalton.com where I know I have a smaller audience, but that’s partly also why. In person I’ve been pretty good about not talking about it much and most of the “hey, Stinky” jokes have subsided in…
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Let us work for the good of all! SURGE into Missions gives youth groups the opportunity to serve others while experiencing dynamic worship and relevant programming. Our theme this summer is Galatians…
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I don’t remember where I first saw the KONY2012 video posted, but within a few minutes it had popped up a dozen places in my social media feeds so it doesn’t really matter which was first. I’ve been ignoring Invisible Children for years. Not intentionally; my only point of contact with them was the stack…
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Session 8: Turn On Your Light- Serving, Witness, Mission Supplies: Camper Book, Bible, Pens, Play Dough, soft foam ball Key Scripture: “He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness,…
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Some of this is tongue-in-cheek, but even I’m at a loss to figure out which parts. Years and years of vibrant/relevant/fruitful/vital/+your buzzword youth ministry have only seemed to shine a spotlight on the growing “missing generation” of young adults that are for the most part simply not coming to church anymore. Healthy youth ministries are…
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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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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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Who is pouring into you... I am in fellowship each month with a … [Read More...]
Last fall I was in bed for a month and a half with a back injury that … [Read More...]
*This camp/retreat curriculum could be easily adapted for weekly … [Read More...]
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