Volunteer Youth Ministry Guidebooks

Are you a volunteer youth minister in your congregation? Do you work with youth and at times are at a loss on where to go for support in your congregation? Are you looking for resources and helpful information to assist you in building relationships with youth or working with parents and other volunteer youth workers? Do you find yourself craving new ideas for creative activities, Bible studies, community involvement, and youth mission trips? Are you a member of a ministry team that happens to resource a volunteer-led youth ministry in your congregation? If you answer yes to any of these questions or work with others who do, you will want to receive a copy of the Volunteer Youth Ministry Backpack to be released this summer available now!

Youth ministry is one of the more important ministries of our church today. And we know that in many of our congregations, youth ministry occurs because of the direction and leadership of volunteer youth ministers. The purpose of the Volunteer Youth Ministry Backpack is to equip our volunteer youth ministers for the journey of working with youth in middle or high school, parents, and other adult volunteers. Included in this Backpack resource is basic information on understanding youth, how to build healthy relationships with youth and others in youth ministry, and finding support within your congregation. Additionally, there are practical suggestions included in the Backpack consisting of ideas for Bible study with youth, youth mission trips, planning youth Sunday, and ensuring safe boundaries, just to name a few. The final section includes a list of helpful resources and appendices with sample forms that can be modified for your specific context.

If you are interested in receiving a copy of this useful resource tool for volunteer youth ministers, there will be copies of the Backpack available either on cd or paper at the 2007 General Assembly DHM booth in the Youth Ministry section. You may also contact Dan Clark at dclark@dhm.disciples.org to have a copy mailed to you this summer. Or you can simply download the 1.1 Mb resource now.

This resource for youth ministers has been made available for you by the Disciples Home Missions Youth Ministry Commission which is comprised of volunteer youth leaders, other lay people who work closely with youth at the regional level, and ordained ministers. The mission of this commission is to "empower and connect youth and those who minister with youth, serving as their advocate as we journey together in faith."

A few of the sections within the Backpack come from others who have worked closely with youth throughout the years in Disciples congregations of various sizes. In addition to the upcoming Volunteer Youth Ministry Backpacks, the Youth Ministry Commission provides ideas for youth ministry twice a month, which include helpful tips and suggestions for you to use with youth in your local congregations. You may sign-up on line for the "Ideas for Youth Ministry."

Amy Cates is a member of the Youth Ministry Commission and Associate Minister at National Avenue Christian Church, Springfield, Mo.

Refugee and Immigration updates: Get yours

Is Congress still fighting about immigration reform? What's happening to people along our borders? Are we going to resettle any Iraqi refugees?

To get up-to-date information about refugee and immigration issues and learn what's happening with DHM's Refugee and Immigration Ministries program, check out "Update," a Web-based newsletter posted four times a year at http://www.discipleshomemissions.org/rim/WhatsNew.htm. You can also sign up to receive an e-mail alert whenever a new "Update" is posted to the Internet.

Is your congregation a transforming congregation?

How do you know if your congregation is in transformation? Transformation is a spiritual, systemic, and strategic journey traveled by a congregation urgently striving to realize what God has called it to be and do. Congregations in transformation now can share their goals and experiences with the broader church.

Our goal? 1,000 transforming congregations!

Become a transforming congregation and share your story:
https://secure.disciples.org/transformation/form/index.asp

What is your VBS Service Project?

Does your congregation need a service project for your Vacation Bible School? If so, then DHM's Refugee and Immigration Ministries has just the packet available for you.
The Kids to Kids "Fill the Backpack"packet contains information about refugees:

• Stories, Songs, Puzzles, and Games about Refugees;
  
• Recipes for Food Refugees Eat;
• Bible Stories and Prayers about Refugees.
  
• It also contains information on ways that kids can help refugees:
  
• Welcome Cards for Arriving Refugees;
  
• Backpacks for School;
  
• Funds to buy School Clothes.

"Fill the Backpack"is available on the Internet at www.discipleshomemissions.org/rim/KidsToKids.asp or by contacting Bill Culp at (888) 356-2631.

The new congress needs to hear your voice

Disciples Home Missions provides periodic e-mail Action Alerts on a few legislative issues through its Rapid Response program. You can sign up to receive these Action Alerts at www.discipleshomemissions.org/PublicWitness/RapidResponse.htm.

A current issue needing your input is the issue of material support as it relates to the admission of refugees into the United States. The USA Patriot Act and the Real ID Act have broadened the definition of a terrorist group and what constitutes support of terror. An effort was made to tighten up immigration laws so that no one who supports terror would be allowed into the United States. However, the laws are being interpreted to include restrictions against certain groups of refugees who gave support as insignificant as a cup of rice, even if they were forced to do so at gunpoint.

Refugees who supported American troops in Laos and Vietnam and refugees who were forced to aid Colombian and West African rebel groups are being prevented from resettling into the United States by these laws. Recently the Attorney General issued a waiver to the material support provisions to allow for the resettlement of Chin and Karen refugees out of Burma and Cuban freedom fighters. Thousands of other refugees around the world are being prevented from resettlement into the United States, even though they have proven that they qualify for resettlement under the U.S. refugee definition.

Congresspersons are reluctant to do anything that might be interpreted as being lax on issues of terrorism; they need to hear from their constituents that the American people understand the difference between a supporter of terrorism and a refugee fleeing persecution. Until Congress can be persuaded to make an exception for refugees, the Attorney General can use additional waivers to allow the resettlement of refugees who acted under duress or threat of violence, who gave support inadvertently, or who gave an insignificant amount of support. Sign up for Rapid Response today so you can receive alerts and let your voice be heard by Congress and the Administration.

Programs available to help Disciples "green" their congregations

With Earth Stewardship Sunday taking place April 22, Disciples of Christ congregations can observe this day by launching an initiative to "go green."Two programs are available for congregations that want to move toward a more environmentally-friendly sanctuary, building, and theology.

One of the programs, known as the Green Sanctuary program, is administered through the Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth. A congregation that has met certain standards is accredited for its efforts and certified as a Green Sanctuary. Disciples congregations can participate in the Unitarian initiative, according to the Rev. Katherine Jesch, director of Environmental Ministry.

"We would be pleased to certify non-UU churches as Green Sanctuaries,"said Jesch. "The program is broad enough that theological differences between faith communities won't matter."If Disciples congregations pursue the accreditation, they would be the first non-UU churches to participate in the program. (There is a nominal cost to participate in this program.)

Meanwhile, for congregations looking for more theological grounding in their environmental efforts, Seattle-based Earth Ministry offers the Greening Congregations program that is solidly grounded in Christian theology.
Congregations could easily work through both programs so that the structured step-by-step actions called for in the Green Sanctuary program would be balanced with the theological and worship resources offered by Earth Ministry.
About Earth Ministry's Greening Congregation's program

As people within congregations work to foster an awareness of the value of God's creation, and develop acts of care that reflect this awareness, Earth Ministry provides helpful tools for this important work.  The Greening Congregations Partners process offers a partnership with Earth Ministry and a flexible strategy for engaging congregation members in creation-care efforts.  The process also provides means for envisioning and celebrating the "greening" of a variety of congregational dimensions.

For more information about Earth Ministry's Greening Congregations program, visit www.earthministry.org/Congregations/greening_ resources.htm.

About the Unitarian Universalist Green Sanctuary program

A Green Sanctuary is a congregation that lives out its commitment to the Earth by creating a sustainable life style for its members as individuals and as a faith community. Sustainable living is not about our material comfort (though these choices are an important part of the overall life style); it is about choosing to live in a way that nurtures life, builds relationships, and rejects material consumption as the sole determinant of happiness. The Green Sanctuary Program includes a total of twelve activities in four program areas which are explained in detail in the Manual which is available for $25.

To learn more, visit uuministryforearth.org/grs_overview.htm.

Congregations that decide to pursue one or both programs should contact Angela Herrmann so DHM can recognize their efforts. Contact her at aherrman@dhm.disciples.org or (888) 346-2631.
(The Earth Ministry and Green Sanctuary information was taken from each program's Web site.)

Youth Ministry Backpack
1.1 Mb download available