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A Letter to All Our Adults!
YAY!
We recruited you! What? You did not know? But, you said, “Yes!”
You are now on our youth ministry team. Thanks for agreeing! Are you excited?
Fear not, you do not need to sleep on floors or play laser tag!
We need you to say, “YAY!”
“YAY!” by knowing young people’s names!
“I know I am loved by the sound of my name in your voice.”
“YAY!” by finding and affirming all that is good.
“Everyone else is telling me what I do wrong.”
“YAY!” by telling young people’s parents all you see that is good.
“You see things my parent’s don’t.”
“YAY!” by showing up for me.
“Thanks for coming. It tells me I count!”
“YAY!” by telling me you lit a candle and prayed for me.
“I am lucky to know people who actually practice faith.”
“YAY!”” by sharing your faith stories.
“You became real when you shared your stories with me.”
“YAY!” by listening to a young person’s stories.
“You make me real when you take time to listen to me.”
“YAY!” by asking for a young person’s help.
“YAY!” by asking for a young person’s help.
“I need to be needed.”
“YAY!” in as many ways as you can!
Why is this essential? Because as good as our congregation’s programs are, youth learn faith through people who live it. Relationships with our adults of all ages and stages of life are essential. You provide the sticking power for faith! “Kids don’t care what you know until they know you care.” Young people need a church full of people who all are saying, “YAY!”
We need your help. It is simple, but it must be intentional. Youth ministry is much more than program ministry; it is about connecting young people to people of faith. Thank you for joining the youth ministry team. Thanks for your intentional face-to-face, heart-to-heart, person-to-person, “YAY!” for our youth.
