Serving Beyond the Congregation
I am the adult advisor for the Synod youth board. This means I help a group of highschoolers from around the state plan a synod youth gathering in the fall. It also means I attend two additional retreats a year with them to do the planning. The youth at my congregation don't have a tradition of being involved in synod level stuff, mostly because many of the needs that synod events would meet our congregation is large enough to meet on its own. In addition my role as associate pastor means that I supervise the youth director which limits my connection with the youth of my congregation although I have gifts and passion in youth ministry. So two out of the three synod youth events that I attend each year(this is my first year) I go without youth from my congregation.
I just got back from a leadership training event that consisted of about 12 sttudents from across the state. It was much smaller than the leadership event my congregation will do with 25 students of our own next weekend. It was pretty mediocre in my opinion, but everybody seemed to enjoy themselves. My part was to lead the board meetings to help plan the fall gathering.
Over the course of the weekend God called me, or rather affirmed that I was in the right place. Part of me wondered if I was being a good steward of my time, and of my congregation's time since I belong to them first. But as I spent time with the youth, and realized how unfocused the program had been and how little time they had spent in prayer in the past I felt God saying that I was here for a reason. They discussed how prevalent mormanism in in thier communities. I grew up in Utah and am very familiar with mormanism and what it means to be a Christian in that context. Again I felt/understood God to be saying that I am exactly where I should be.
In addition I had a blast. I felt fulfilled and excited. I felt like my leadership was being used more fully. I think my time with the synod will be a blessng to me and to my congregation. I don't know how long God will want me in this position, but I hope it's for awhile and I hope I can do the job He's asking me to.
I just got back from a leadership training event that consisted of about 12 sttudents from across the state. It was much smaller than the leadership event my congregation will do with 25 students of our own next weekend. It was pretty mediocre in my opinion, but everybody seemed to enjoy themselves. My part was to lead the board meetings to help plan the fall gathering.
Over the course of the weekend God called me, or rather affirmed that I was in the right place. Part of me wondered if I was being a good steward of my time, and of my congregation's time since I belong to them first. But as I spent time with the youth, and realized how unfocused the program had been and how little time they had spent in prayer in the past I felt God saying that I was here for a reason. They discussed how prevalent mormanism in in thier communities. I grew up in Utah and am very familiar with mormanism and what it means to be a Christian in that context. Again I felt/understood God to be saying that I am exactly where I should be.
In addition I had a blast. I felt fulfilled and excited. I felt like my leadership was being used more fully. I think my time with the synod will be a blessng to me and to my congregation. I don't know how long God will want me in this position, but I hope it's for awhile and I hope I can do the job He's asking me to.
posted by Travis at 7:24 PM
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