Youth Leader News
Aug/Sept 2010
Looking Forward
Teen Leaders, Youth Leaders, Collegiate & Young Adult Leaders,
This monthly E-letter is intended to be a resource for Teen (Earliteen), Youth, Collegiate & Young Adult leaders doing ministry in churches throughout the Oregon Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
This month we are addressing principle #6 from the book 7 Principles for Youth Ministry Excellence published by Advent Source and available from the ABC or Advent Source www.adventsource.org. We highly recommended you purchase a copy for your personal use. To review principles #1-5, download the previous months’ E-letters from the Youth Ministries website www.orgcyouth.adventistnw.org.
Promote your Ministry
If a leader plans a great event and there’s no one there to see it, did it really happen?
If you want people to show up at your events, make sure you advertise them well. And if you want support from your church members, make sure you communicate your activities. Let people know that your ministry is something to be excited about and chances are good that they’ll support you.
Think it through – A communication plan is essential to any youth program. You can plan creative programs, uplifting Bible studies, and fun-filled social activities, but if nobody knows about them your efforts are for naught. Take the following quiz and think about how well your group is getting the word out. (taken from 7 Principles for Youth Ministry Excellence pg. 90)
- My communication plan consists of:
- Muttering to myself that no one will show up anyway.
- Telling two or three youth and hoping the word will spread.
- Regularly using six or seven channels of communication.
- When it comes to telling the rest of the church about our youth activities:
- I don’t bother because too many members criticize them.
- I humbly refuse to talk about my accomplishments.
- I do it because I’m promoting God’s work.
- If people want to know what’s going on in the youth department:
- They should show a little interest and ask me.
- They should read the annual youth newsletter stored in the youth room closet.
- They only need to attend church, check their e-mail, read the bulletin board, listen to their voicemail, or check under their windshield wipers.
Above all, we have the responsibility of creating and communicating opportunities intended to keep our youth focused on God. What could be more important than that?
Stay on your message:
- Be consistent. Keep your youth group activities in front of as many people as possible, always.
- Be concise. Talk your program up but keep your message simple and to the point.
- Be prompt. Give timely notice of programs, and deliver prompt reports when they’re done.
- Be positive. It’s God’s work! Get people excited about what He’s doing in and through youth.
- Be creative. Enlist the talents of your youth to get the message out in as many ways as possible.
Put first things first. Go to God and ask Him for wisdom to promote His program effectively.
“Looking Forward” with you and doing all we can to help you promote your ministry,
Pastor Monte Torkelsen Pastor Tracy Wood
Youth Ministries Director Associate Youth Ministries Director
Office 503-850-3578 Office 503-850-3579
Email monte.torkelsen@oc.npuc.org Email tracy.wood@oc.npuc.org
Web: www.orgcyouth.adventistnw.org Web: www.orgcpathfinders.adventistnw.org
Facebook: Oregon Conference Youth Ministries Facebook: Oregon Pathfinders
Stuff 2 Study:
Resources to Promote your Ministry:
- 7 Principles for Youth Ministry Excellence, Center for Youth Evangelism, Advent Source, available from ABC and Advent Source
- The Youth Worker Guide Book, General Conf. of Seventh-day Adventists, available from ABC
- Building Youth Ministry, Barry Gane, La Sierra University Press, available from ABC and Advent Source
- Homeword: Encouraging Parents. Building Families. Jim Burns. Resources for parents of youth. Free e-newsletter. www.youthbuilders.com
Get 2Gether:
Teens (grades 7-8)
We do not have any Conference-sponsored Teen events scheduled for this month.
Youth (grades 9-12)
Fall Bible Camp 2010
Now is the time to plan for the annual Fall Bible Camp, September 23-26 at Washington Family Ranch near Antelope, OR. Come join hundreds of youth from around the conference as we play and worship God together. Information is being sent to churches and schools so plan with your Pastor or Principal. You can download info at http://orgcyouth.adventistnw.org/fall-bible-camp-2010
Collegiate/Young Adults
Young Adult Retreat at Big Lake
Cancelled – due to low number of registrants.
Mind 4 Mission:
Teens (grades 7-8)
We do not know of any Conference Teen Mission Trips scheduled for this month.
Youth (grades 9-12)
We do not know of any Conference Youth Mission Trips scheduled for this month.
Collegiate/Young Adults
Cruise with a Mission – a vacation with a purpose, a mission trip, a Caribbean cruise, a spiritual retreat, a meaningful adventure, all wrapped up in one! Ship sails December 12-19, 2010. For Cruise updates and reservation info www.cruisewithamission.org Sponsored by the Center for Youth Evangelism, Andrews University
Announcements:
Sign-up for this OCYM E-letter
The purpose of this E-letter is to provide communication among Pastors, Earliteen, Youth, Collegiate, and Young Adult leaders and their supporters. It contains ministry resources and information about upcoming events as well as announcements of ministry opportunities. It is produced monthly and is emailed to those who sign up to receive it. It is also posted at www.orgcyouth.adventistnw.org. If you would like to receive your own copy, contact Desiree Rinza at 503-850-3521 or desiree.rinza@oc.npuc.org
Collegiate Facebook
If you are a College student interested in connecting with other College students from churches around the Portland area, then join this Facebook group: Portland Metro (Collegiate+) Ministry. There are things happening by College students for College students!
Re-Connect Weekend Sermons online
Re-Connect Weekend was held at the Holden Convention Center July 16-17, 2010. The sermons can be viewed online at http://orgcyouth.adventistnw.org/collegiate-young-adult
Youth Ministries Facebook accounts
Big Lake: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gladstone-OR/Big-Lake-Youth-Camp/248537859300
OCYM: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gladstone-OR/Oregon-Conference-Youth-Ministries/247161539234
OR PF: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gladstone-OR/Oregon-Pathfinders/152763038190?ref=ts
OR Spanish Jovenes: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jovenes-Oregon-Conference/233672681609
Collegiate: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=169709281868&ref=ts
Re-Connect: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Portland-OR-Area/Re-Connect/158021139132?ref=ts
New Re-Connect Website
Re-Connect Portland now has its own website. http://www.reconnectportland.com/
Calendar Planning:
CANCELLED Young Adult Retreat Big Lake Youth Camp
Sept. 12, 2010 Big Lake Golf Benefit The Reserve Vineyards & Golf Club
Sept. 23-26, 2010 Fall Bible Camp (grades 9-12) Washington Family Ranch, Antelope, OR
October 21-24, 2010 NPUC Leadership Conf.(grades 9-12) Camp Mivoden, Hayden Lake, ID
Dec. 12-19, 2010 CYE, Cruise with a Mission-Caribbean Round trip from Tampa, FL
Feb. 18-20, 2011 Winter Bible Camp (grades 9-12) Big Lake Youth Camp