CYFM Updates for August '09

Wed Aug 26 14:39:22 EDT 2009

CYFM E-Mail Heading Aug.jpg

IN THIS E-MAIL:

Lutheran Youth Organization

Continuing Education/Networking Opportunities

Children's Ministry Re-Defined

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LUTHERAN YOUTH ORGANIZATION

NOTICE:  In case you haven't heard the news, there will not be an LYO Jr.
High Gathering in November or LYO Sr. High Community of Service in February.
The @the crossing events are to replace the LYO Jr. High Gathering and the
LYO @the crossing Planning Teams are to serve as part of the new vision for
synodical ministry with high school students.

@the crossing is a one-day event for 7th and 8th grade students and their
adult leaders that will be held ALL OVER the synod in January/February of
2010!  The focus of these events are for students to Discover Who UR by
identifying your own uniqueness and how you might use your gifts to share
God with those around you.  Bring your friends and enemies to this one-day
event designed just for you!  Pastors, Youth Ministers and Adult Leaders.
These events are being planned and hosted by local leadership from YOUR
community!

@the crossing locations.
@the crossing dates.

Hosanna Lutheran Church in Mandeville, LA                         Saturday,
January 16th

St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Baytown, TX
Saturday, January 23rd

Holy Comforter Lutheran Church in Houston, TX                   Saturday,
January 30th

Living Word Lutheran Church in Katy, TX
Saturday, February 6th

St. John Retreat Center in Bellville, TX
TBA

LEADERS Wanted!  High school students AND adults are encouraged to apply to
serve on one of the five LYO @the crossing planning teams that will put
together a one-day event in their community for 7th and 8th grade students
and adults.  The @ the crossing planning teams need leaders who are in 9th
grade or older to serve on these teams from the Training Day on September
26th through their @the crossing event in January or February 2010.
Applications are currently online at
http://www.soggyshoes.org/index.php?site_id=0
<http://www.soggyshoes.org/index.php?site_id=0&page_id=13> &page_id=13 and
due to the Synod Office by August 31st - so get yours filled out and in the
mail ASAP!

@ the crossing Planning Teams Training and Planning Day

When:  Saturday, September 26th from 8:30am-4:00pm

Where: Peace Lutheran Church in Pasadena, TX
Cost:  $10 per person for lunch and t-shirt

2010 Peru Immersion Trip

WHO               High School Students (11th and 12th graders) and adult
leaders

WHAT              Immersion Trip 
WHEN              July 22 - July 31, 2010
WHERE            Lima, Peru
COST               Estimating $2,000 per person (all-inclusive) per person
depending on the cost of airfare

This coming summer, we would like to invite congregations to consider
sending 3 students and 1 adult from their church on our FIRST ever Student
Immersion Trip to Peru to work with our companion synod.  The focus of this
trip will be on learning about Peruvian culture, realities of life in this
country, relationship building with the churches in Peru and to grow in our
own faith in Jesus Christ.  Numbers will be limited due to the reality of
this being our first trip of this kind and to be respectful to request of
the Lutheran church in Peru.

Registration will not open for this event until the beginning of October.
We are finishing up details with the schedule, travel arrangements and such
so we can give you the most accurate price for this trip.  There will be a
student and adult informational meeting on Sunday, October 4th at Living
Word Lutheran Church as a part of the Global Missions Festival.  Please send
any questions to lyo at gulfcoastsynod.org.

A special leadership invitation for high school students interested in
Global Mission:

Three youth who have an interest in Global Mission will be invited to attend
the ELCA Region IV Global Mission & World Hunger Consultation will be held
November 16-18, 2009, at the Swanson Center at Nebraska Lutheran Outdoor
Ministries.  Peggy Hahn and others from our synod Global Mission Team will
be attending.  This discussion includes stories from newly returned Young
Adult in Global Mission leaders, protocol agreement and other new
developments in companion synod relationships.  The cost is $100 per person
as the synod will cover most of the travel and housing expenses for these
young leaders.  Interested youth should send an email to Peggy Hahn
introducing themselves and describing their interest in Global Mission to
peggy at gulfcoastsynod.org.

CONTINUING ED & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES

Fall Leadership Summit is coming up on Saturday, August 29th (Houston) and
Saturday, September 12th (New Orleans).  Please check out the brochure
<http://www.gulfcoastsynod.org/FallLeadershipSummit.htm>  on ways the
leaders serving in the congregation can become better equipped in their
role.  Check out information on the workshop about a children's ministry
with an effective system for equipping parents with the tools needed to pass
on faith to their children.  Questions??  Contact Mandy Faucett at
reghelp at gulfcoastsynod.org 

Youth Ministry Network - Are you an adult working with youth in your
congregation?  Volunteer, staff person, or pastor?  Then, you ARE INVITED to
the monthly Youth Ministry Network meeting that gathers at Advent Lutheran
Church located at 5820 Pinemont Drive in Houston.  This is a monthly
opportunity for networking with other youth ministers, growing in our faith
life and growing in our knowledge of the issues surrounding ministry with
youth and adults.

Our FIRST meeting of the 2009-2010 season will be on Thursday, September 3rd
beginning at 10am and ending by 1:15pm.  Bring your Bible, lunch (or money
to order lunch) and for September bring your summer trip stories and/or
feedback from past summer trips.  We would like to put together a resource
page that gives feedback about different types of trips.

The monthly schedule is as follows:

. 10:00a        Gather 

. 10:30          Devotions and Prayers

. 11:00          Learning

. 12:00p        Lunch

. 12:30          Announcements

. 1:15            Wrap Up

Questions?  Contact Pastor Brad Otto at pastorbrad12 at mac.com 

Reminders:  When you arrive at Advent, please park out back.  We'll let you
in by way of the kitchen so that we don't have to be buzzed in at the front
door.  We order lunch from local restaurant at 11.or you are always welcome
to pack or bring a lunch of your choosing.

CHILDREN'S MINISTRY RE-DEFINED
NEW Synod Ministry 

This year, a NEW ministry team of the synod was formed -  Children's
Ministry Re-Defined.  This team consists of a great group of youth ministers
and educators in our synod that have taken on the role of helping
congregations to equip their parents, grandparents, and Baptismal sponsors
in passing on faith to their children.  The formation of this team is a
response to the request we have heard over and over again from congregations
who want help with Children's Ministry.

We understand that our church is getting older and grayer and we just aren't
sure what to do about that.  One important role the church can take up as a
priority is equipping the people who are MOST important in passing on faith
to children - PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, and OTHER CARING ADULTS.   Parents are
not born intrinsically knowing how to share God with their children -
talking about faith, praying together at meals, worshipping together,
creating bedtime rituals of prayer and reading the Bible, and serving
together.  Parents, grandparents, and Baptismal sponsors NEED to be TAUGHT
too!

To address the issues of passing on faith, this team has put together an
ACTION PLAN to accomplish our goal.  Our plan is to:

1)      Create a network of leaders paying attention to ministry with
parents, grandparents and Baptismal sponsors in passing on faith to their
children.

2)      Create a reproducible Baptism Resource Guide that helps give ideas,
resources, and tools for parents, Baptismal sponsors, pastors and
congregations in supporting families in passing on faith to their children.

This is where WE NEED YOU to give us some information.

1)      CONTACT PERSON:  We would like to create a network of adults giving
leadership to ministry with families from birth-5th grade.  Send the name,
phone number, address, and e-mail of a staff person or member in your
congregation who is giving leadership to the above mentioned type of
ministry.  If someone is not already identified then please talk to someone
who would like to take on this type of ministry and send us their info to
<mailto:yfm at gulfcoastsynod.org> yfm at gulfcoastsynod.org by August 1st.

2)      YOUR BEST PRACTICES:  Tell us how you prepare parents and Baptismal
sponsors for a child's Baptism.special things you do during the Baptismal
service that invite the congregation into the experience.how you equip
parents, grandparents and Baptismal sponsors in passing on their faith to
their children after Baptism.  Send your stories to
<mailto:yfm at gulfcoastsynod.org> yfm at gulfcoastsynod.org  (Stories and ideas
may be used in the Baptism Resource Guide explained above).

3)      PRAY:  Please keep the Children's Ministry Re-Defined Team in your
prayers over the next few months as they begin work on this ministry.Caitlin
Moen (Grace, New Orleans), Bonnie Bates (Living Word, Katy), Michelle Mote
(New Hope, Missouri City), Colleen Teeuwe (Zion, Houston), Sherrie
Winklemann (St. Paul's, Brenham), Mandy Faucett (Salem, Houston), Jessica
Noonan (Synod Staff)

Peace+

Jessica 

Jessica Noonan

Children, Youth and Family Consultant

Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast Synod, ELCA

12707 IH45 North Freeway, Suite #580
Houston, TX 77060-1239

cell 832-215-3722

web www.soggyshoes.org

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