It has been a year since all this fun started, so it seemed like a good time to get the Youth Leaders back together with our Parents and "Supportive Web" (now called a more formal Youth and Family Outreach Committee).
We intended to cover:
- Process our first year of Youth activities
- Plan for this summer's activities (and Beth's maternity leave)
- Broaden the supportive web of adults mentoring youth into mature Christian adulthood through youth leaders, prayer partners, and multi-generational relationships across the church
- Create a foundation of prayer and spirituality for youth ministry at First Brooklyn that will last for decades, centuries
- Brainstorm about the Youth web page on the Church's web site
As usual, the agenda wasn't strictly followed but we did have a great discussion, and came up with the following topics, thoughts, and ideas.
- A great feeling has been built around the Youth program; there is a "buzz" that most of the congregation is now aware we have a Youth Group and active Youth in the Church community
- There is a feeling of community among the Youth (especially Confirmation Class)
- Lock-In, as an opportunity to work on a "Church Timeline" project, and have a guest leader for "Spirituality and Sexuality"
- Younger siblings are looking up to activities and the group as something to aspire to
- We have a group of "tweeners" - at the top end of Sunday School age, but not quite Confirmation - that it would be great to engage on Sunday morning
- "Power-Packed Sunday" - maybe once a month; sort of Youth-lead worship experience; maybe a discussion with and between the Youth; open to Youth of the community.
This was brought up as an idea for during worship, but I [Mark] would like to see it in addition to worship - maybe Sunday before or after worship, maybe on Saturday (around working in the garden?), maybe during the mid-week online chat or at an in-person meeting once in a while
- First week of the month - Communion, all in worship
- Second week of the month - Youth ushers, Youth reading Scripture
- Third week of the month - take notes on the Sermon for next week
- Fourth week of the month - Youth discussion: talk about the day's scripture, share what is going on in our lives, discuss last week's sermon
- Fifth week of the month - Help in Sunday School for younger kids
- Create a Yahoo! Group, to help with communication?
- Produce a YouTube video "ad"?
- Camping trip (with the Dads) @ Bear Mountain, or Harriman State Park?
- Summer Activity - BBQ at the Johnson's?
Web Site ideas (some of which already exists, so provide a description and link to existing ~trusted~ content)
- Schedule
- Events
- Tell about the Youth Group (mission statement, comments from youth, etc.)
- Resources: books, movies, videos
- Scheduled, moderated chat room? (some weekday evening)
- Podcast of Sermons, Music, etc.
Upcoming (tentative)
Youth Group Activities
- Sunday, April 8th. Easter Egg Hunt for Kids
- Saturday,
May 12th May 19th. Soup Kitchen for kids
- Sunday, May 20th. (after church) Pizza Party and Youth Worship Planning.
- Sunday, June 3rd Youth service and Lemonade Hour.
Saturday, June 9th. Lock In at the church.
- Wednesday, June 13th. Summer Game and Ice Cream, Camp kick-off.
- Mid-July: WNBA game, Movie matinee, Bronx Zoo.
- Late-August: Back to School Picnic in Prospect Park
Opportunities for Individual youth to
serve: (for School credit).
- Sunday Ushers; Sing with the Choir; Read the Scripture; Host coffee hour
- Co-teacher for 3-5 year olds.
- Summer food pantry on Wednesdays 10-12.
- Help with special events for younger kids: Easter, Christmas
pageant, Shrove Tuesday.
