By Nic Cass
At the end of February, I had the opportunity to sit down with approximately 30 of our youth and their parents to share about the direction of our youth ministry. This was a chance for me to share about some of our upcoming events, but it was also a chance to hear from those involve in our ministry about what ideas, needs, and suggestions they have for the future. We examined these areas together by looking at three questions. I want to share these questions with you, as well as some of the discussion that followed.
- What are some experiences you have had in youth ministry the you would like to see happen at Faith?
- Youth retreats: an opportunity for youth to build community and shared experiences
- Youth worship: youth-focused worship that involves youth in the ministry
- What are some opportunities for improvement in our current ministries?
- Age-specific studies/gatherings: Youth may be at very different places in their faith maturity and as such will need different depths of study and discussion.
- Regular service opportunities: Working small but meaningful service opportunities into our regular gatherings can show practical ways in which youth can live out their faith in their lives.
- What are some new ministries you would be interested in seeing as a part of our youth program?
- Regular youth events: (Already in the works!) Opportunities for youth to gather inside and outside of the building in an effort to build and grow our community.
- Connect with other youth groups: There are a number of fellow LCMS congregations close by that can provide the opportunity for joint events and connections to other youth in the area.