Greetings, Parents of High School Youth!
Lyle, here. I am an adult volunteer with high school youth ministry.
Last night we had a fascinating conversation in our youth-led “candle time” groups where we sit close, around a candle, almost like our own little campfire. It is here we talk and listen to each other’s life and faith stories.
My summary of a recent conversation!
“Navigating high school? So many kids at our school are like magnets, drawn to drama, quickly joining in, echoing judgments, passing on gossip and forming negative opinions. As high school students, we constantly walk this line of making choices that won’t make us stand out, because if you do stand out, you’ll quickly attract critics.”
I experience youth ministry as an oasis, a place where youth can come out of the traffic and be in a culture where all are welcome, there is no judgment, and there is always grace. Living life fully needs a sense of spiritually that can only happen when people pause, turn off the noise, move away from the screens, and have time to be aware of God.
Parents!
(your information) Wednesday night is where you want your sons and daughters to be. I hear multiple youth say, “This is what gets me through the week.” Encourage, encourage, encourage your youth to come.
Lyle Griner
youth ministry adult volunteer
Greetings, Parents of High School Youth!
I asked our youth the other day to raise their hands if they knew someone…
- whose family is going through changes because of divorce or separation
- who struggles because of over use or abuse of alcohol or drugs
- who is grieving because of the recent death of someone
- who lives with more depression than others
- who has considered suicide
- struggling in a bad relationship
- who is treated poorly by others or is bullied
- who is self-harming or cutting
- who has an eating disorder
You know what/ I was humbled to see most hands go up for most issues.
Then, I asked how many wished they knew better how to help
Every hand went up!
On Wednesday (your information) nights at our youth ministry, we talk about the real concerns youth have, how to help, and how to know God’s love, grace, peace and hope in every part of life.
I hope you encourage your son or daughter to clear the schedule for WED nights.
Greetings, Parents of High School Youth!
I find youth to be wonderfully quirky, sometimes silly, rambunctious, and even hard to keep focused.
I am always honored when youth trust enough to share the stuff that lies below the surface, the underlying stories of pain, fear, stress, and life. There is so much more than we first see.
I watch as youth say things like…
“You, too? I thought I was the only one.”
or… “Wow, I guess everyone has a story!”
or… “We all are facing life, but we hardly ever talk about it.”
or… “I love it that people really listen to me here.”
Our youth ministry is a place to be quirky, silly, and rambunctious. Our youth ministry is also a place where we care enough to listen, support, and cheer each person on as they face the challenges of faith and life.
This year, youth ministry meets regularly on… (your information)
I hope you give a little nudge to encourage your son or daughter to join us.
Greetings, Parents of High School Youth!
Everyone needs others who say “Yay” for them! It used to be said that every youth needs an adult mentor. Now, some research says every youth needs at least seven adult mentors who help them navigate life.
Our youth ministry is about connecting youth with others who model and mentor faith and life. We connect youth with other youth. We connect youth with mentoring adults. We help youth connect with their own family members. We even help them connect with cross-generational experiences within our church. We want to help every parent become intentional in connecting their children with faithful, life- giving people who say “Yay” for your youth!
Our church strives to be a connecting place. We hope you encourage your youth to be part of our… (your information)
Greetings, Parents of High SchoolYouth!
My kids are already overly busy! Why do they need one more thing at church?
Psychology says our self-worth is woven from a sense of uniqueness, belonging, hope, and purpose. God wraps these into our baptismal promise. We are each uniquely gifted. We are set into a body of people called the church. Our hope is in a God and life that is never ending. Our purpose is our calling.
Here is what we offer your youth…
Belonging – We have amazing people that you want your youth to know! Peer pressure can be a great thing in the midst of safe people, in safe places, encouraged in safe conversations. Living life and faith can only be learned by rubbing shoulders with those who model and mentor it. We work constantly to create a caring, welcoming and affirming culture of relationships with trained youth and adult leaders.
Hope – Your son or daughter will find an assurance of hope that will make sense of this world! Everything, everything, everything ends except the hope, faith, love, and grace the church embodies. Discovering the disappointments, unfairness, hurts, and sorrows of this world is confusing. Our youth ministry is a spiritual place. We talk about the good and the bad of life. We enter into faith practices that help us be aware of God in our midst.
Uniqueness – Your son or daughter will discover and use their gifts, as well as the reasons God created him or her! He or she will often hear the words, “We need you!” We believe God created each of us with a unique design, a set of gifts, skills and abilities. We all need to be needed. We work hard to plug in your son or daughter’s uniqueness throughout our church.
Purpose – Your son or daughter will discover a practice and attitude of being a servant leader! We don’t just talk about ministry; we do it. Throughout the year, we participate in a number of service opportunities that are about making life better for others. We also emphasize that youth are doing ministry every day, everywhere, and in every relationship because they are with people all day long. We give our youth people skills and values that help them to love others because Christ first loved us.
Those are four big, crucial reasons.
Now here are some of our entrance doors in youth ministry!
(your information)
Greetings, Parents of High School Youth!
I love what I get to do! My name is Lyle, and I facilitate a lot of groups of youth and adults in learning the caring, welcoming, and affirming skills of Peer Ministry Leadership. As we learn and practice the skills we use our real life stories, the sharing between people gets very real. I am always honored when I get to listen to these heart-felt stories.
This week I got to sit with…
A very honest young man. “I’m not good with relationships, especially with girls. Video games have always been there for me. They are my friend. I am just awkward with people.”
A young girl driven by passion. “I was horrified to discover that people, for their own political reasons, are ignoring all of what we know about our environment. I am studying environmental science. We still have a lot to learn about balancing our world with our desire for human progress. I want to make a difference for people and our world.”
A vibrant, talented young girl, who shares, “I live with a mom who is addicted to drugs. We never talk about it at home. Church is the only place I can be honest.”
Another young girl who shared, “I have three men that, through the years, I was supposed to call “Dad.” I avoid all of them. The only positive male in my life has been my older brother.”
It is the willingness to get beyond the surface that makes people more than just a person in the crowd. People become real when you share these heart-felt stories. Asking the questions that matter makes people real!
In Peer Ministry Leadership, we don’t try to fix, bandaid,counsel, or give our opinions. We just listen. We help friends tell their life and faith stories.
I hope you encourage your youth to become part of our congregation’s Peer Ministry Leadership opportunities. It is about a Good Samaritan style of leadership. It will give your young person the very skills needed to navigate every relationship, everyday, every where.
(your information)