Youth Ministry Listening Session Minutes

Strategic Planning Committee

Saint Michael and All Angels

Sunday, June 5, 2005 ~ 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

at the home of Eleanor Durham Dunnam

•         Need more domestic (and local) mission trips for youth. Cheaper & Shorter trips.

•         Edge – shouldn’t have included 4^th graders. Just have it be 5^th & 6^th graders. Seems to be rushing the age by including 4^th graders.

•         4^th Grade Confirmation Class – Have the instruction tie in more to scripture.

•         Parents need help in directing children. There is a big need for parent education – how to get their kids to church, how to talk to their kids about their faith and theology.

•         Parents of confirmands – Have some specific Sunday School classes occasionally for this group. Give them help in how to stay or become more connected to the church (both parents & youth.)

•         Education for youth needs to be both spiritual and fun. Parents can be good role models and teachers at church, but also need to have the youth staff as teachers. Parents need more instruction/training for teaching.

•         DESPERATELY need 8^th grade program for this fall. Many of the most recent confirmand class are already dropping off and disappearing.

•         Keep required attendance for confirmand class.

•         Have supper clubs for the youth or offer some time of fellowship activities. Dinner at church with youth ministers. Or get the youth ministers to take a group of 3-4 kids to dinner or lunch.

•         Advertise “new youth” dept. more aggressively. Make more youth announcements. Need MUCH improved communication with parents and youth about programs.

•         Need much better 5^th grade curriculum the year before confirmation. Give them something to be looking forward to for 6^th grade.

•         Diversity of schools is a BIG problem. Many parents will change their children around in Sunday School classes to be with their friends which then defeats the staff efforts to split the schools up among classes. Do a better job of teaching parents the importance of staying in a group originally assigned to. Don’t let parents make changes. Communication to parents needs to improve.

•         Define and set levels of activities, achievement, service, challenges, etc for every single grade (7^th to 12^th). The youth will then know that each year will present something new and different and have some definition. Create a “path” for them to advance from 7^th to 12^th.

•         A Youth service – or have the youth conduct more than the one youth Sunday a year. Maybe 3 time during the year.

•         Change the name Hi Wire and Low Wire.

•         Adult EYC – Have some family events as a part of EYC. Or maybe family participation by grade in local outreach projects.

•         Add an EYC on Wednesday nights or maybe Sunday lunch.

•         Have a Parents Bible Study as one of the Sunday School Classes.