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SPRING 2012

the INCLUSION issue

MINISTRY OF

SPRING 2012 • $8.95

Journal of Children, Youth & Family Ministry

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Innovate

Innovate

the delIvery.

the dIscovery.

Missional engaging expansive innovative faithful

www.luthersem.edu

By embracing an attitude of “come as you are”, Dave Scherer, aka AGAPE*, shares the gospel with teens through his hip-hop outreach ministry. As a Luther Seminary student, Scherer has developed a deeper theological understanding which allows him to better equip young people with the message that God loves them and is active in their lives.

DAvE SchErEr (AGAPE*), MAStEr of ArtS StuDEnt

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SPRING 2012

PUBLICATION INFORMATIONPublished by: ELCA Youth Ministry Network www.elcaymnet.org

Subscription Information: call 866-ELCANET (352-2638) or visit: www.elcaymnet.org connect@elcaymnet.org

Contributing Writers:

George Baum, Craig Johnson,

Hal Weldin,

Charles Werth

Design and Layout:

Michael Sladek

Impression Media Group

www.impressionmg.com

Contributing Editor:

Debbie Sladek

Connect Editorial Board:

Chris Bruesehoff, Todd Buegler,

Sue Mendenhall, Jeremy Myers,

Debbie Sladek, Michael Sladek

Cover Photo ©2012 Michael Sladek

Welcome! 4 Rev. Todd Buegler

Changing Dreams and New Beginnings 5 Rev. Craig E. Johnson

Burden or Gift? 7 Rev. Hal Weldin

The Spectrum of Inclusion 8 Charles E. Werth

Swinging Doors: Transitions in Ministry 12 Rachel Arends

A View From Somewhere Else 14 Rev. George Baum

Thank You For Your Support! 16

Calendar of Events 17

CONTENTS

The ELCA Youth Ministry Network exists to strengthen and empower adult youth ministry leaders in service to Christ as a part of God’s mission.

Julie Miller: Board Member

Rev. Ben Morris: Board Member

Yvonne Steindal, AIM: Board Member

Valerie Taylor Samuel: Board Memeber

Erik Ullestad: Board Member

Rev. Larry Wagner: Board Chairperson

Rev. Mike Ward: Board Member

Rev. Todd Buegler: Executive Director

LIFT & Children, Youth & Family Ministry (Summer ‘12)

Worship (Fall ‘12)

Partnership (Winter ‘13)

ELCA YOUTH MINISTRY NETWORK BOARD

FUTURE CONNECT THEMES:

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Dear friends,

The day is coming…I know it.

Our congregation has a strong commitment to “Ministry of Inclusion.” We have been very intentional about crafting a philosophy that all are welcome, and that one’s level of cognitive or physical ability will not determine whether or not they can participate in our ministry.

We’ve recruited “buddies” to accompany those who need them; we’ve worked to train our teach-ers and small group leaders; we’ve invested time, space and energy. And these efforts have begun to produce fruit. More folks with a variety of abilities are starting to come and participate. And the expectations of what the church can and should produce has been going up.

This is all great!

But the day is coming when I’m going to have someone with a significant disability who will sign up for one of our major summer trips. It might be a Boundary Waters wilderness trip, or perhaps the ELCA Youth Gathering. Or maybe one of our 12 day mission trips with Habitat for Humanity, where we drive our bus cross-country…sleep on church floors…work on the Habitat site…

So what are we going to do then?

It’s going to be a challenge. Our bus doesn’t have a wheelchair lift. I don’t know if the churches cross-country are accessible. And how do we make a Habitat site work if someone has mobility issues? The implications are huge: group dynamics…transportation…budget…

So what are we going to do then?

We will welcome. We will welcome because it is consistent with our philosophy, and if we’re going to talk a good game, we’d better be willing to play one too. But even more importantly, we will welcome because we believe that God calls us to look at all through God’s eyes. And God sees all young people, regardless of ability, as beautiful, gifted people. We focus not on level of ability, but on baptismal identity. All are God’s children. And all are (to borrow a phrase) ministers of the Gospel. All are called to live and to serve.

And so we’ll figure it out. To not do so isn’t an option. We’ll do the work required to make every-one welcome, and to strengthen our community by making sure that all have the opportunity to participate fully.

That’s what we take on in this issue of “Connect.” We’re going after the tough question of how we integrate a ministry of inclusion in what we do, because sooner or later the question of how we welcome everyone is going to come to us.

I pray that we are ready and equipped to give the right answer.

Peace,

Rev. Todd BueglerExecutive Director – ELCA Youth Ministry NetworkPastor —Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Maple Grove, MNTodd@elcaymnet.org

The 2012 Salary Survey results have been

released! Thanks to all of you who filled out

your surveys! You can access the survey

results by going to elcaymnet.org/salary-

survey.

Workshop proposals are now being

sought out for Extravaganza 2013! If you

have a workshop proposal to make, please

go to elcaymnet.org/workshops to submit

your proposal.

The Practice Discipleship Webinars are

complete! 8 great webinars have been

recorded and are available for you to access

and use in your congregations. For free!

You can access these webinars by going to

elcaymnet.org/elcatraining. And watch for

information on Practice Discipleship Phase

II, coming soon!

The Network Board at its April meeting

set a big, hairy, audacious goal: By April

30, 2015, the Network will be made up of

1000 Network members. It’s a great goal

towards growth in our organization. Watch

for information coming out soon on how we

will achieve that goal.

A special thank you to Jo Mueller, synod

staff in the Minneapolis Area Synod of

the ELCA. Jo recently resigned her position

to move to Belgium with her husband, who

was transferred there for his work. Jo has

been a hard worker and a great partner

on behalf of the Network for many years.

Thank you Jo, for your great ministry!

WELCOME! NEWS BITS

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SPRING 2012

NEWS BITS

BEGINNINGSOur journey with a child with disabilities began 28 years ago this month. For us it wasn’t a light-

ning bolt, an all of a sudden birth event; instead it was a nagging worry. A word from others here

and there:

A delivery nurse that said, “This baby wasn’t ready to come just yet.”

From a doctor friend, “Her ears look like a syndrome of some sort.”

A kindly great grandmother, “Something is wrong with that baby. What is wrong with

that baby?”

Choking and gagging over formula.

Not holding her head up.

No crawling; but pediatricians reassuring, “She’s just taking her time. Don’t worry.”

Finally, we asked for a consultation with the

senior pediatrician in the practice. He came in

with white hair and a kindly face. He examined

her at eight months, watched her, and tapped

her extremities. Twenty minutes later he said,

“I think your daughter has cerebral palsy.”

I quickly launched myself into the land of de-

nial. What a wonderful place. As a typical male I

thought, “Well, now we know the problem, let’s

fix it.” My wife wasn’t so lucky. She had worked

with young people with disabilities. She got it;

understood it right away. Internalized it. The

tears streamed down her face in the examin-

ing room. The doctor faced me and questioned,

“Mother has tears?” I thought, “Well of course

she has tears, you dope!” There were some

brief reassurances that this was mild. Every-

thing would be fine. I was in a confused, lack of

understanding place.

We left the room together no longer having a

supposed predictable future which I now know

never actually happens anyway. Our dreams

for our daughter began changing that day. But

the old dreams died hard.

There was a loss that day. The loss wasn’t of a

perfect child. Lord knows when you have a hair

line and body like mine; perfection really isn’t

in the cards. Of course it wasn’t a loss of love.

If anything, the love grows for the child whom

you worry about. The loss was a move from

naïve optimism to a fear of the unknown fu-

ture. The loss was of dreams of a typical life

to unknown changing dreams. The loss was of

sureness to confusion. The loss was a naiveté

and grasp of life and reality that didn’t include

people who had disabilities. Though, that has

turned out to be a gain too, because who wants

to remain naïve and have a flawed worldview?

WHAT IS GOD’S PURPOSE?Many times I have had conversations with

parents of children with disabilities and the im-

pression I am left with is that in their theologi-

cal framework somehow God has a purpose in

mind for the disabled child in their family and

their situation. What is intimated is that this

disability was predetermined and there was a

Divine reason for it, which will unfold as time

goes on.

That, frankly, is not how I view the world and

God’s activity in it. Instead life is full of surpris-

es. We live in a world that is not perfect. Not

everything that happens is good. God seems

many times not to interfere in the natural prog-

ress of our lives and yet God is still present.

It seems that God has chosen to limit God’s

power in the world. This limiting has to do

with the very nature of life. God had to retreat

in power in order for the creation to be born.

God had to limit control and make room for the

universe in order that life, as we know it, can be

lived and experienced. We do not have an all-

controlling God. Instead we have an all-loving

God. A God who stands beside us through all of

the hits the world and others may give us. God

is with us in every surprise.

God did not, as I understand divine activity,

enter the genes of a son or daughter in the

womb and adjust things so that a child would

be disabled to teach humans and the world a

lesson. Disabilities happen. Many of us have

been caught up in a disabled person’s life. We

have been called to care for this person as best

we can. We have been called to help them to

become as independent and autonomous as

they are able.

The question is not, “Why me? Or why my

son or daughter?” There is no answer to that

question except maybe “Why not me?” The

only ‘why?’ to be answered is that something

went wrong in the process of building this

body. Instead, what the question should be is,

“What will I do now? How will I live authenti-

cally with this child’s life? What should I be do-

ing to encourage? How do my dreams change

and remain dreams and not dreads? What

should I not be doing? And how can I take care

of myself too?”

AND WHERE IS GOD THEN?In the book of Genesis, something very bad

happens to a son of Jacob. You know the story.

Joseph is abducted by his brothers; he is sold

for money to strangers, and is taken a thou-

CHANGING DREAMS AND NEW BEGINNINGS: A PARENT’S THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION ON DISABILITIES by Rev. Craig E. Johnson

6

sand miles away to a foreign land. He ends

up in prison, but then things start to happen.

God works subtly, simply and God is gently

there with Joseph to move history forward. No

matter how bad things got for Joseph: jail, jail

mate executions, hopelessness, no matter how

alone, how dark the day looked, God was there

and refused to allow an abduction to frustrate

what needed to happen. A nation (Israel) had

to be built and saved. God did not create the

abduction. God continued to work in spite of

the abduction.

The whole biblical story is one story after the

other about God coming to people in trouble

supporting them, bolstering them and pushing

them forward. We don’t have an all-controlling

God. That would take away our life. Instead we

have an all-loving God that stands beside us in

the good and the difficulties.

Sometimes when we may be the least aware

of it, God is there pushing us here or drawing

us gently there. The biblical story is a story of a

God who never deserts people, but gives them

strength to carry on, to serve, to move beyond

themselves, and to thrive. It may take more

than one generation, but when God is present

hope is alive.

WHAT GOOD CAN COME FROM OUR SITUATION?Persons with disabilities teach us how to

live in the present. When my wife and I get

into emotional trouble, it is usually because we

venture too far into the unknown future. Liv-

ing with a person with a disability forces us to

focus on the joy or difficulty of the moment and

not to worry about the unknown future which

can’t be predicted, but rather to live in the

present. To enjoy and celebrate every good day

we have. What we have found is that at the end

of most days, we can say today was a good day.

Persons with disabilities teach us to love

deeply. I have a pet theory that the more en-

ergy, effort, blood, sweat, and tears you share

with a child the closer you are and the deeper

your love. These people with disabilities cap-

ture our hearts and teach us the meaning of

love. Many teach us the meaning of agape love

– love without expectation of return. They help

us understand how God must love us broken as

we are. It is obvious being around a child or an

adult with a disability that they are much more

interested in your heart than your head. ‘Do

you love me?’ is their question. They want a re-

lationship with you.

Persons with disabilities teach us about a

theology of the cross. The world is about

power. The world is about honoring those

who win, the smartest, not those who lose,

or the slowest. The world loves the success-

ful, not the unsuccessful. The world loves the

clever; the not-so-clever are ignored. The

world loves the strong and turns a back on

the weak. No one in this world asks to be born

with a disability. No one wants to be sick.

And here lies the great power of the Gos-

pel of Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul said,

“God has chosen the weak” and foolish in the

world to confound the strong and the power-

ful. They teach us about faith. God is deeply

concerned about the despised. When Jesus

walked in our world his time was spent with

the unloved, the outcast, the sick and the

poor. In that deep weakness God created

great strength. Jesus told an important story

about who to invite to a party. Forget about

inviting the rich and famous. Instead, invite

the poor, the ragamuffins, the blind, the deaf,

and you will receive a blessing.

Jesus said, “Whoever welcomes one of these

little ones, welcomes me and the one that sent

me.” Our work as parents is to support the ones

that God is most concerned about.

Again the apostle Paul in his letter to the Corin-

thians talked about the church being like a hu-

man body. With strong parts and weak parts,

but all parts are necessary for the health of a

body; the weakest are necessary to the body

and should be a part of it.

In the Gospel, God has shown immense power

in weakness. This Gospel is present in every-

day life. We can discover the presence of God

in our sons and daughters particularly in their

and our weakness.

Persons with disabilities teach us to be advo-

cates for those who cannot help themselves.

They can help us to develop our own capacity

to love and help the weak. That is being a hu-

man sign of the Gospel message. The disabled

can bring people together and bring out what

is deeply positive in us. They teach us and lead

us on a journey to be more compassionate.

They teach us every day that people need peo-

ple in this world. The disabled will change your

life, your mind and especially your values. They

teach us how to accept ourselves and our own

challenges. They teach us how to be tough and

to advocate.

The disabled teach us about faith. They teach

us how to trust. We live in a world of an un-

seen and unpredictable future. As everyone

does but just doesn’t know it. Do we trust the

Gospel to give ourselves to God’s care? Of-

tentimes, the disabled can be our mentors of

faithfulness and hope.

Our hope must never die. Hope for cures and

medical interventions. Hope for a good ful-

filled life for our sons and daughters, hope for

the world and its willingness to change. Hope

for the life to come. The Bible ends with some

great words of hope that speak of a new cre-

ation:

Revelations 21: Then I saw a new heaven and

a new earth…And I heard a loud voice saying,

“See the home of God is among mortals. He will

dwell with them; God himself will be with them.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death

will be no more; mourning and crying and pain

will be no more… I will be their God and they

shall be my children.”

Rev. Craig E. Johnson, Pastor Craig Johnson is the interim Senior Pastor at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, MN. Prior to becoming interim Senior Pastor, Johnson served as the bishop of the ELCA Minneapolis Area Synod for ten years. Pastor Johnson and

his wife, Cindy, reside in Minnesota and are parents of three children.

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SPRING 2012

Mark 12:42-44 A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. Calling His dis-ciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the con-tributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”

Matthew 25:40“The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ “

We have been trained by our North American

self-success culture to love our independence.

We value not being a burden on anyone and

we confess that we often obsess about what

we individually have accomplished. We want

to be individually successful, independently

wealthy, and so self sufficient that we would be

attractive to just about anyone. We raise our

kids to be independent thinkers and we do our

best as parents to emancipate our young adult

children into the world with all they need to be,

“on their own”. Independence is valued at every

level and fiber of this culture.

Need proof?

Put a resume together lately? It’s all about my

accomplishments, my educational degrees, my

employment accomplishments, my gift to this

world, my value that I have added through my

volunteering, my…my…my…independence. My,

my, my.

What happens to those who can not be inde-

pendent in this culture? We are talking about

those who have no “boot-straps” to pull them-

selves up with, whose resume is a list of people

and programs that have taken care of them,

rather than what they have individually done.

What could be their gift to us, when they liter-

ally have nothing to give? Burden or gift?

So the poor widow who gave “all she owned,

all she had to live on”, comes to mind. She gave

away her independence, clear and simple.

WHY WOULD ANYONE DO THAT? She

would have to live her next day, week, month,

year, life, depending on the kindness of others.

The community would have to embrace her if

she was going to live. For this woman now to

survive she would be at the literal mercy of the

community. Burden or Gift?

Or the wonderful list that is a part of the story

Jesus told in Matthew 25, you remember, the

sheep and goats and the shocking list: “Lord,

when did we see you hungry and feed you,

or thirsty and give you something to drink, a

stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes

and clothe you or sick or in prison and visit

you?” Burden or Gift?

Or in my own version, “Lord when did we see

you as a dependent, a total burden, someone

who needed a world of people to take care

of you, a person who can not even wipe their

own face, or control their reaction to even the

slightest fear, or Lord when did we see you as

someone who makes us uncomfortable be-

cause I didn’t know how to act when I was feel-

ing so weird, or when you were a person who

didn’t know how to respect my personal space

and wanted to hug me and I felt everything in-

side me want to pull away. Lord when did I see

you when you were disrupting my program by

making unusual sounds and making people feel

annoyed?” Burden or Gift?

Lord, when did I see you as my son Daniel? My

answer is every day of the last 24 years.

Full disclosure, my son Daniel is a person with

developmental disabilities and needs constant

care. He needs a world of parents who look

after his every move. He doesn’t understand

anything about being Lutheran or Christian,

but you should hear him sing. He doesn’t have

any insight as to why he feels what he feels, he

just feels. He certainly has not been taught to

be who he is and how to live, but he has taught

me more about grace, pain, joy and the mean-

ing of life than all the study and church in my

life put together. He can not be independent

on most everything, which means the people

around him have to “step up”. We have to put

our own self aside and give him the care that

he can not provide for himself. Burden or Gift?

I have been in full time ministry for over 31

years of my life, and I am quite sure of one thing;

Daniel has changed more lives deeply and pro-

foundly than I have with all my independence,

study, training, and initiative. Daniel’s gift is his

vulnerability which is real and profound, and in

his life I am blessed and burdened every day.

People of God, there are those around us who

can not be independent in the manner our cul-

ture wants them to be, or even in a way that

preserves our comfort. These are God’s gift to

us, a gift that comes with a burden. Not burden

or gift, but gift and burden. Want a chance to

actually touch, care, love, provide for our Lord

Jesus Christ?

Lord when did we see you?

Rev. Hal C. Weldin has 30 plus years of full time ministry in youth and family ministry, several parish settings, and some years working with Lu-ther Seminary. Currently Hal is working as a Chaplain with palliative care in a hospital in downtown Minneapolis.

BURDEN OR GIFT? by Rev. Hal Weldin

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ATTITUDE AND LANGUAGEThroughout history people with intellectual

and developmental disabilities have been hid-

den from sight, even within the family of the

church. Worse still, historically, they and their

families have been discouraged from active

participation in congregations.

The American Association on Intellectual De-

velopmental Disabilities (AAIDD) estimates

that 2% - 3% of the U.S. population has intel-

lectual and developmental disabilities (about

9.4 million people). Eighty-five percent of them

(about 8 million) and their families express a de-

sire to exercise their spirituality in the context

of a worshipping community. As many as 6.5

million people with intellectual disabilities, their

families, and the people who provide supports

for them indicate that they are not involved in a

worshipping community because at some point

they or their families were subtly or blatantly

excluded from their chosen worship commu-

nity. “We’re glad you’re here, but we’re not

equipped to deal with your son.” “If you want to

worship here you must keep your daughter qui-

et in worship.” “You are welcome here, but your

child is distracting other worshippers. Maybe if

you sat in the cry room it would be more com-

fortable for you.” “We are so glad you chose

our congregation, but it must be embarrassing

to have people staring at you during worship.”

These are common responses received by peo-

ple with disabilities, parents and care-givers

when attending a worship service.

People with intellectual and developmental

disabilities remain among the most marginal-

ized and oppressed people in every nation of

the world. Society historically has built bar-

riers to segregate people with disabilities;

devalued, dehumanized and institutionalized

them. Even the most enlightened and inclu-

sive church bodies, in their efforts to become

truly all-encompassing—more often than not—

overlook people with intellectual and develop-

mental disabilities. Individual congregations,

influenced by foundational resources like Erik

W. Carter’s Including People with Disabilities

in Faith Communities2, recognize that people

with disabilities want to be treated as equal,

make real choices, lead independent lives, gain

meaningful employment and be fully involved

as equal partners in worship and faith formation

activities. Those congregations struggle to find

the resources and the expertise to make these

things a reality.

ENTRY POINTSCongregations develop multiple entry points

for people with disabilities, their families, and

those who support them. Guided by the ex-

perience and expertise provided by ministry

consultants from Bethesda Lutheran Commu-

nities3, and resources from the Bethesda Insti-

tute4, Friendship Ministries5, Rejoicing Spirits6,

Chosen Families7 and others, congregations

grow into places of belonging and becoming

for people with disabilities. Inclusive congrega-

tions are equipped to enable people with dis-

abilities to become all that God intends them

to be, here and in the world to come.

These resources of people and printed mate-

rials equip congregations for two equally im-

portant models of ministry with people who

have intellectual and developmental disabili-

ties. One model immediately and seamlessly

involves people with disabilities in any and all

congregational activities. The other creates

entry points through dedicated ministries de-

signed specifically for people with disabilities.

The two models may be most effective when

they exist in concert with each other to sup-

port the choices of people with disabilities and

their families. Both emphasize ministry with

(rather than to) people who have intellectual

and developmental disabilities. Ministries in

both models are person-centered and rooted

in the community.

Faith-based service providers sustain indi-

viduals and their families through a vast array

of supports that emphasize personal choice,

independence, meaningful employment, qual-

ity of life, and most important for the church:

spiritual support through local congregations and

worshipping communities. A fundamental goal is

to create environments within congregations

that reflect mutual respect between people

with and without disabilities, who learn from

each other as equals in God’s creation.

With encouraging frequency, non-faith-based

service providers are recognizing that all peo-

ple are born with a spiritual nature. Those “sec-

ular” agencies acknowledge that participation

in a worshipping community is vital to social

and spiritual growth for people with develop-

mental disabilities.

By fully embracing people with intellectual and

developmental disabilities into their commu-

nion and ministry, congregations take a stand

THE SPECTRUM OF INCLUSION: MINISTRY WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES1

by Charles E. Werth

1 Developmental disability is a broad term that includes a wide range of disabilities that occur during the developmental period. Intellectual disability is one of several types of developmental disabilities.2 Copyright © 2007 by Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., Inc.3 http://bethesdalutherancommunities.org – choose “Faith Supports”4 http://bethesdainstitute.org/5 http://www.friendship.org/6 http://www.rejoicingspirits.org/7 http://chosenfamilies.org/

9

SPRING 2012

for including the whole body of Christ in the

church family.

THE INCLUSION SPECTRUMOur society views people with disabilities as

inferior, broken, and with little to offer. Our

language betrays this attitude. When the lo-

cal traffic reporter announces that there is a

“disabled” car in the left lane of the freeway,

we envision a vehicle that must be towed away

because it is powerless to act on its own. Un-

fortunately we have adopted the same lan-

guage when referring to people: “he or she is

disabled!” With that description we render

the whole person as less than useful; however,

when we adopt language like “she or he has a

disability,” we are careful not to discard the

whole person, but simply acknowledge that the

individual is “differently abled.”

Preparing to become an inclusive congrega-

tion requires language sensitivity. An indispens-

able primer for any congregation or group is to

be found at www.disabilityisnatural.com. Kath-

ie Snow has prepared a guide entitled “People

First Language” to ensure inclusion, freedom,

and respect for people with disabilities.8

Ask the question: “How inclusive is my con-

gregation as it seeks to involve people with

intellectual and developmental disabilities?”

Answers will rest at various points along the

inclusion spectrum. The illustrations that fol-

low are not fictional. They represent worst-

case scenarios found within a few of the 400

BethesdaNetwork congregations that provide

spiritual supports for 1,800 people who re-

ceive holistic supports from Bethesda Luther-

an Communities.9

Incorporation is the beginning point on the

spectrum. The notion of incorporating some-

one with a disability into the congregation’s

sounds cold and impersonal. The word is

chosen intentionally because incorporation

simply means creating or reserving physi-

cal space for people with disabilities, espe-

cially those who use a wheelchair. The space

is usually at the back of the church where

they cannot even see what is happening let

alone participate. Any “behavior” exhibited

by a worshipper with a disability must be

“handled” immediately by the accompanying

support staff. No one from the congregation

assists. Preferably, the offending worshipper

is shuttled-off to the cry room or narthex. In-

corporation usually means, “You are welcome,

but please sit quietly in the back.” A congrega-

tion at this end of the spectrum requires en-

lightenment and the edification provided by

one of the aforementioned resources.

Some congregations move from incorporation

to integration. As an example of integration I cite

a congregation where people with disabilities

are not relegated to the rear of the sanctuary.

Accommodations have been made at random

locations in the nave by the removal or short-

ening of pews so that people who use wheel-

chairs have the option of moving closer to the

chancel. People with disabilities who do not

use wheelchairs are able to sit wherever they

wish. However, congregational supports for

worshippers with disabilities are not offered.

Support staff, paid by the service provider, or

parents are solely responsible for support.

No efforts are made to address what is going

through the minds of some of the worship-

pers: “I have limited control of my hand and

arm movements, and I am expected to open my

hymnal; how do I accomplish that?” “Hymnals

are open, but I don’t read.” “The congregation

is asked to rise, while I am able to do so only in

spirit.” “An atmosphere of quiet is expected, but

I cannot control the sounds I make.”

In this particular congregation when it is time

for the sermon, the children of the congrega-

tion are dismissed to Sunday School, and peo-

ple with disabilities are to be removed from

the nave as expeditiously as possible—implying

that people with intellectual and developmen-

tal disabilities are in a “perpetual state of child-

hood.” The discomfort precipitated by integra-

tion can be even worse than incorporation. This

is a congregation that will receive renewed

8 http://www.disabilityisnatural.com/images/PDF/pfl09.pdf8 BethesdaNetwork Member Organization: any Christian congregation that provides spiritual supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in partnership with Bethesda Lutheran Communities.

INCORPORATION INTEGRATION INVOLVEMENT

10

attention from a ministry consultant using the

workbook: “Building a Developmental Dis-

ability Ministry”—available free on-line from

Bethesda.

In neither of these examples are there pro-

visions for involvement by people with dis-

abilities in other Sunday morning activities

like fellowship time, coffee hour, or Christian

education hour. Worship, with stringent limi-

tations, is the extent of their ministry to rather

than with. In neither instance are people with

disabilities encouraged or supported in small-

er, age-appropriate group meetings like mis-

sion society, youth group, fellowship events,

concerts, Bible classes, etc. Nor are people

with disabilities given the opportunity to use

their God-given talents, singing, playing hand

bells, greeting, ushering, or assisting in a Sun-

day School class.

FULL INVOLVEMENT IS THE GOALAt the positive end of the spectrum is inclu-

sion. People with disabilities are involved to

the extent that they desire, and are embraced

as full partners in congregational life. Inclusion

respects the choices of people with disabilities.

What does inclusion in the congregation look

like for people with intellectual and develop-

mental disabilities?

Sarah is a twenty-three-year old woman with

Down syndrome. She attends Sunday morning

worship and Adult Bible Class at her home con-

gregation, is an usher, and is a member of the

Altar Guild. In addition, she attends a monthly

dedicated worship event sponsored by Re-

joicing Spirits in another congregation. When

asked why she chooses to participate in both

she replied, “I love church on Sunday, but some-

times I just want to be with people like me.”

Alex has multiple developmental disabilities;

he worships with his mother every Sunday in

their home congregation. Music especially en-

gages his attention; it is his gift. On Wednes-

day evenings he participates, along with sev-

eral other young people who have disabilities,

in an inclusive youth confirmation experience.

Young people without disabilities have been

equipped to support Alex and his friends, so

that they can participate to the full extent of

their gifts and abilities and have their person-

al choices honored.

Marcia attends a dedicated Friendship Class

on Tuesday evenings. It is a class where people

with disabilities partner with people who have

no significant disabilities. Marcia and her part-

ner learn from each other and have become

best friends.

Joe lives in a non-faith-based group home that

offers transportation to Joe’s church of choice.

A nearby congregation established a disability

ministry by researching all of the service pro-

viders in the area and discovered five group

homes near the church. Members of the con-

gregation connected with the service provid-

ers by hosting a holiday party at each of the

group homes for Christmas and Easter. Rela-

tionships with program managers and direct

support professionals were built. Before long

some people in the group homes, including Joe,

asked to attend worship.

When Joe arrives at church his two worship

companions, equipped through a training pro-

gram in the congregation by a ministry con-

sultant, meet him at the curb and support him

in worship, fellowship time, and Bible class.

His worship companions provide transporta-

tion so that Joe is able to attend other church

events during the week.

Phil worships regularly at his favorite local

congregation and is supported by a direct sup-

port professional (DSP) from the group home.

When Phil indicated that he desired to be bap-

tized, the DSP approached the pastor who was

familiar with Bethesda’s Building on the Rock

curriculum. At the conclusion of the classes,

the DSP asked if she too could be baptized. She

and her entire family have joined the congrega-

tion and worship with Phil every Sunday.

In order to be fully inclusive, congregations

provide options and opportunities. With guid-

ance from people and printed resources, they

listen to and respond to people with disabilities

seeking to support them as they would support

any other group of people in the congregation.

Charles E. Werth has served as vice president of religious life and church rela-tions for Bethesda Lutheran Communities since 2009. His experience includes more than 20 years as a parish pastor in communities from Eugene, Oregon to Richmond, Virginia. He spent seven years as director of church relations at Valparaiso University.

11

SPRING 2012

Here’s our belief:There is an amazing amount of talent, exper-

tise and skill within our community. And we

have all developed resources for use in our

congregations.

Many of us are willing to share those resourc-

es that we have created. MartinsList is a place

to do that. Here, we can share our work with

each other...and can create a community of

mutual support in our ministry.

It’s open source ministry.

It’s MartinsList.

open source youth ministry

www.MartinsList.org

Join the conversation!www.elcaymnet.org/3tc

3rd Tuesday Conversations are monthly gatherings of friends. They are great continuing education events. They are chances to hear from, and interact with experts in the field. 3TC conversations are free for Network members.

Our schedule:June 19August 21September 18

Times: All 3TC conversations begin at:2:00 p.m. Eastern, 1:00 p.m. Central12:00 p.m. Mountain, 11:00 a.m. Pacific

Our conversations:We use online webinars. You can log in to a special webinar site and listen to the conversation while watching images on your screen. Or, you can watch on the comput-er while calling in and listening on your phone.

You will have opportunities to ask questions as well.

12

The closing of a door can bring blessed privacy and

comfort- the opening, terror. Conversely, the clos-

ing of a door can be a sad and final thing- the open-

ing a wonderfully joyous moment. –Andy Rooney

My head is spinning. My stomach is in knots.

I’m trying to listen, but God, are you speaking?

Did You open this new door of opportunity for

me? I’m nervous. I’m scared. Wait, I’m excited?

Transition. The word carries so much weight.

Recently, my life has been through the swing-

ing doors of transition, I exited my job as a full

time youth director, and began working with

InterServe Ministries doing intentional interim

youth ministry. Change is never easy and yet

constant in our lives. I want to offer some in-

sight into my transition with the hope to help

others contemplating a change.

We in the church world are always thinking

about our “call,” a message from God on where

we need to be or are supposed to be in our

lives. The questioning of my call began when I

hit some bumps in the road at a time when I felt

things were going really well and I felt very se-

cure in what I was doing. These challenges led

me into a time of questioning, anxiety, and inse-

curity. I tried to ignore God’s nudging toward

something new which came through friends,

prayer, and sermons, but I heard God saying

there was something more for me, something

different. As I spent time listening, praying, and

talking with friends, I questioned everything.

I was confused and upset, not wanting to go

through a transition out of a place that I called

home and loved with all my heart. However, it

became clear that my call was changing. As a

friend said to me, “It is time.”

I had made my decision, but then came the hard

part, making it a reality. Since one of the pastors

was going on sabbatical, I had set up a meeting

with both pastors of the church on October

19th, before the sabbatical. This way I could

say goodbye to the pastor who would be away

when I left and we were all on the same page.

Journal Entry, Wednesday, October 19: “Well,

here goes nothing,” I say to myself as I walk into

my pastor’s office to resign. We sat down and I was

so nervous and scared that I blurted out, “I will be

resigning after Christmas and wanted to let you

know.” Whew! I feel better. Hold on, I don’t hear

anything except the sound of silence. This is not

what I expected. After a few shocked comments,

many questions followed, “Why? Do you really

think you are called there? What can we do to get

you to stay?” I left the meeting feeling disappointed

and hurt. The good news is that the pastors knew. I

am feeling relieved that they have a heads up, even

if nothing happens in the meantime. This is what’s

right, right God?

The next month and a half were pretty normal.

Things were going well and I put all of my en-

ergy into my last couple of months. Meanwhile,

I was in conversation with the directors of my

new job and busy with interviews there. On

December 1st, I had my final interview and was

offered the job on December 7th. I was filled

with emotions: joy, excitement, fear, confu-

sion, peace. The only thought in my head at this

point was, “How am I going to tell the kids?!” I

went home that evening and wrote an official

resignation letter that was simple and profes-

sional, knowing that the resignation needed to

happen soon…it had to happen now.

The day, December 8, came and my emotions

were at an all-time high. Even though I had re-

signed a couple months before this, it would be

official today. There was no backing out after

this. My head again was spinning. My stomach

again was in knots. I thought, “Ok, God, one last

chance to slam on the brakes…” Nothing. This

was the correct decision, so I met with the se-

nior pastor and the church council president.

I handed over my resignation letter, we had a

short conversation, and it was over. I felt re-

lieved and yet the question was still in my head,

“How am I going to tell the kids?!” The senior

pastor and I met to plan the order of telling the

staff, congregation, and most of all, the kids.

We agreed on a plan and set it into motion. At

this point, I felt good about the plan in place,

but was having a hard time keeping the secret

any longer. I texted a friend my thoughts from

the day, as my overwhelming emotions got the

best of me, “I feel like I am in an awful soap op-

era that only four people watch.”

The first step was to write a letter to inform the

congregation. I wrote one and the senior pas-

tor wrote one which we mailed together. Mine

was direct, informative, positive, encourag-

ing, and honest. The senior pastor’s letter was

more focused on the church organization in an

attempt to help the congregation feel less wor-

ried and more hopeful for the future during the

transition time. It was important to have both

of these letters for the congregation.

Journal Entry, Wednesday, December 14: Today

was interesting. I felt a peace today that I haven’t

felt through most of this process. As soon as the

students started coming for the night, I was filled

with a calming energy. A brief meeting with the

adult leaders brought more emotion from me and

them than I expected. They were shocked and si-

lent, then encouraging and supportive.

The night continued about how I expected. I made

the announcement. A shocked silence filled the

room, followed by a very slight murmur. I explained

where I was headed and gave them hope of those

still around for them. I talked about every range of

feeling being ok… from anger, to elation, to sad-

ness. I told them I am feeling that also. I talked

about God’s call not always being easy or what

we want or what is comfortable, but I am trying to

trust and be a faithful servant. I read Romans 8:28

and Proverbs 3:5-6.

Journal Entry, Sunday, December 18: I was mak-

ing copies in the office at church for the morning

and a man that I don’t know came to talk to me.

“Hey Rachel, you ruined my whole weekend when I

got that letter.” This comment caught me off guard.

SWINGING DOORS: TRANSITIONS IN MINISTRYby Rachel Arends

13

SPRING 2012

How do you respond to that? It is one of the few

negative comments I have received. However, as

the man continued in his thoughts, it turned posi-

tive very quickly. He explained why he was so upset

and even got teary eyes while talking. He began to

compliment me and my work in words I did not

expect to hear from a man I have had little to no

interaction with in my two years in this position.

It goes to show that you never know who you will

touch through your ministry.

It was nice after worship to feel open and able to

communicate freely about my leaving. Most of

my tension and anxiety was in keeping the secret

as the various groups of people (staff, council,

students, congregation) needed to find out in a

specific order. Having people ask questions and

genuinely want to know more was helpful in letting

me feel supported. “We are sad for us but happy for

you,” was a phrase I heard countless times.

Journal Entry, Thursday, December 22: Today

it becomes a bit more real. I think I have been in

denial of actually leaving and starting something

new, but today it changed a bit. I met with my new

supervisors to see what questions we had and how

we are feeling about the transition. This meeting

gave me a sense of hope and excitement for the

future. The anxiety peeled back even more through

the encouragement of their words…and the hot

chocolate didn’t hurt either.

Journal Entry, Tuesday, January 3: I started

my new job this morning, two weeks before I fin-

ish at my old job. I feel slightly overwhelmed. I

feel welcomed, and yet, a new and empty office

is sometimes a hard place to be. I don’t recom-

mend overlapping jobs. My head was spinning

and questioning everything. When I went from the

new place of learning to the old place of comfort,

my head questioned my decision and God. What a

challenge! Of course, the decision was questioned,

because I was doing only the vital pieces of the old

job, the pieces I loved and thrived in.

Journal Entry, Tuesday, January 10: What an

emotional day! Today I loaded boxes out of my of-

fice with almost everything that will be removed

being taken to the trunk of my car. I walked into my

office with nothing on the walls and an empty desk

top and that is when…reality…struck. I only have a

few days left at my church. I feel excited. I feel moti-

vated. I feel sad knowing I am leaving the students.

Something very helpful for me in this process

was learning more about the grief cycle, pic-

tured below. Throughout my transition, I expe-

rienced all of these emotions. At times I felt like

I cycled through the various points, some of

them numerous times. In fact, I’m pretty sure I

hit them all numerous times. I circled from an-

ger to depression and back to anger for a long

time until I could accept things and move on.

Remembering that change and grief go hand in

hand helped me to feel more normal in the pro-

cess and realize I am not the first nor will I be

the last to go through a challenging transition.

Today I still find myself excited about the door

God has placed in front of me and yet terrified

of the unknown locks, windows, and paths be-

hind it. Some days I’m overjoyed and excited

with the change and others I long for the com-

fort of what I had known for so long. My faith

has grown through trust, hope, listening to

God, and learning from the moments that make

up these transitional days. I feel I have learned

to listen for God’s voice in the joys and the sor-

rows, in the confusion and the comfort. Every

day I know that God is speaking and moving in

marvelous ways. I can’t think of a better reason

to be hopeful and excited through the nerves

and fear of transition.

We know that all things work together for good for

those who love God, who are called according to

his purpose. Romans 8:28

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely

on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge

him, and he will make straight your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Rachel Arends is an associate with InterServe Ministries in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She enjoys being with friends, playing volleyball, eating wings, and learning the rhythm of Jesus.

by Rachel Arends

Stability

Anger

Bargaining

Teting

DepressionImmobilization

Time

Passive

Active

Em

oti

on

al R

esp

on

se Acceptance

Denial

14

So, at my little postage stamp of a parish, we

have about 20 children, 10 of whom have some

sort of developmental challenge, ranging from

ADD to Autism. One family has made some-

thing of a mission to adopt children who are

born addicted to drugs or with fetal-alcohol

syndrome. Since we rent another church’s fel-

lowship hall for our worship space, we don’t re-

ally have the option of sending anyone out of

the room when there’s a meltdown. We don’t

have the option of making a “cry room” with

soundproof glass. In fact, since we have no

sound system, we don’t even have the option of

turning up the volume in order to overpower

an unruly child.

And the funny thing is, after a couple years in

this setting as my first call, I don’t know that I

would want it any other way. I confess, we’ve

lost a few members during my time, who

claimed they couldn’t take the disruption of the

kids during the Mass. But, honestly, that’s their

problem, because they’re missing out on some-

thing, in my opinion, and what they’re missing is

this . . . The Kingdom of God.

My least favorite type of worship service is

what I call “low-church stuffy.” This is where

all the rules are carefully followed, but the Sac-

rament is secondary. An acolyte who drops

a book gets a scowl, but the extra wine gets

poured down the bathroom sink. What we

have in my little corner of the world is the ex-

act opposite of that. There’s a pastoral attitude

about everything that happens during worship,

and the pinnacle of our gathering each Sunday

is the celebration of the Eucharist. The Cel-

ebrant always wears a chasuble, but talks the

acolytes through what needs to be done next.

And lest you imagine I am patting myself on

the back for creating this environment where

developmentally challenged kids feel welcome

to read the lessons, and help set the table, and

play in the “bell choir,” I’ll explain why this has

happened in a simple, theological, esoteric,

profound statement:

I didn’t have a choice.

We’ve got a shoebox of a room, with a bunch of

kids off their medication for the weekend, and

each week I remind myself, “No matter what

happens after that Entrance Procession, God

will be praised.”

In a real sense, I lead the congregation that

God gave me. Our “Ministry of Inclusion” is not

something I decided we should do in order to

live out the Gospel. Rather, we welcome every-

one who walks through the door; the ones who

end up staying are the strays who can tolerate

the messiness of it all. The stuffy people who

want to use corporate worship time for private

solemn prayer will just have to find somewhere

else to go . . . And, sadly, they do.

If we have any Ministry of Inclusion in my par-

ish it is simply this: Everyone is welcome. I

didn’t invent that phrase; I didn’t decide on that

focus. This is who these people were when

I arrived. All I’m doing is riding the wave, and

sometimes encouraging them to push it a little

farther by asking if the kid with Autism might

read a longer lesson next time. ;-)

Rev. George Baum plays in the band Lost And Found (www.speedwood.com) and also serves as Priest in Charge at St. Patrick Episcopal Church, Brunswick, OH.

A VIEW FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE by Rev. George Baum

15

SPRING 2012

A u d i e n c e R e A c t i o n s

“Can’t text right now. Have to watch this. It is REALLY good!” - Confirmation Student’s Tweet“You left us all wanting to know Jesus more deeply. A home-run event for our church!”

“You made me laugh and cry and think and reflect. I loved every minute. Everyone needs to see this!”

For more information or to book an event, contact Jonathan at jpswen@yahoo.com or call 319-377-5253

One Actor / 8 Characters / A Fresh Look at Jesus

Paraphrase Theatre Presents

written by Curt Cloninger performed by Jonathan Swensonavailable for Worship, Confirmation or Youth/Family Nights, All-Church Special Events, Retreats, ConferencesFind Paraphrase theatre on Facebook for video samples and more!

Rev. Jonathan Swenson is an ordained Lutheran pastor and professional actor, with

an extensive background in Worship Arts.

Witnesses is an innovative and deeply moving re-telling of the Gospel. Set in present-day culture, eight eye-witnesses (both Biblical and imagined, comedic and serious) share their life-transforming interactions with Jesus.

Get Interactive With Connectwww.elcaymmnet.org/connectjournal

We’ve added a new feature to the Network website

that invites you to interact with Connect. Point your

web browser to www.ELCAYMNet.org/ConnectJournal

and then click on each article title to read online and

offer your comments.

Our goal is to offer more ways for you to connect (par-

don the pun) with the articles and others in ministry.

We hope that this will be another resource for you and

a place of fruitful conversation.

See you online!

16

Thrivent Members Can Now Choose

The Network!

The ELCA Youth Ministry Network is now a

recipient of Thrivent Choice dollars! Folks

who have access to these dollars can go to

the Thrivent choice page and designate the

Network as the recipient of your dollars! It’s

a great way to support the Network!

To make a donation, please go to:

www.thrivent.com/thriventchoice . Log in,

and from there you can search for the ELCA

Youth Ministry Network in the listing of

approved organizations, and make your des-

ignation! Thank you to all who have chosen

the Network for your donations so far!

The Network is grateful to its individual donors and organizational partners for supporting its

mission and vision for the future. The Network is funded in 3 ways:

Extravaganza fees cover approximately 2/3 of the cost

of the event. The remaining 1/3 is covered by

organizational and partnership gifts.

Network operational costs are covered by

membership dues.

Funding for developing our future vision comes from

financial gifts from individuals, and organizations.

These individuals have made a special gift during the current fiscal year to help further the mis-

sion of the Network. We are grateful for their support!

Catherine Anderson

Anonymous

Kristen Baltrum

Lois Brown

Todd Buegler

Peggy Carlson

Debbie Clipson

Michelle Collins

Timothy Coltvet

Margie Fiedler

Deborah Matern Graf

Barbara Harner

David Hunstad

Suzanne Hunstad Olson

Julie Klock

Meredith McGrath

Jessica Miller

Janet Renick

Terri Robertson

Wade Rouzer

Valerie Taylor-Samuel

Susan Tjornehoj

Larry Wagner

Darlene Waugh

Bob White

These organizations have taken the extra step to become Network partners this year to provide

support for the Network. We are grateful for their support!

Gold Partners:

ELCA Youth Gathering

Luther Seminary

Mission Investment Fund

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans

Silver Partners:

Augsburg Fortress Publishing

LutheranColleges.org

Lutheridge+Lutherock Ministries

Trinity Lutheran College

Wartburg Theological Seminary

Youth Encounter

Youth Leadership, Inc.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! THRIVENT CHOICE

1

2

3EXTRAVAGANZA REGISTRATION

MEMBERSHIP DUES

extravaganza

operating expenses

Connect Journal • Staff • Publicity • Etc...

17

SPRING 2012

Start Date End Date Name Location Contact Person Web Site Targeted to:

Jun 2, 2012 9:00 AM

Jun 2, 2012 2:00 PM

Spring Training/Small Group Leaders

Atonement, Rochester, NY Pastor Justin Johnson

sttimpastor@yahoo.com Jr High Youth, Sr High Youth, 2012 ELCA Youth Gathering Leaders/Teams

Jun 3, 2012 1:00 PM

Jun 3, 2012 5:00 PM

Practice Discipleship Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Fayetteville, AR

Jona Sweeten www.aokelca.org Adult Volunteers, Adult Professionals, Parents, 2012 ELCA Youth Gathering Leaders/Teams

Jun 10, 2012 12:00 PM

Jun 30, 2012 11:00 AM

Summer Seminary Sampler Trinity Lutheran Seminary Laura Book www.summersampler.com Sr High Youth

Jun 16, 2012 12:00 PM

Jun 30, 2012 12:00 PM

Youth in Mission: Serving Christ in the World

Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago

Kristin Johnson yim.lstc.edu Sr High Youth

Jun 17, 2012 4:00 PM

Jun 22, 2012 12:00 PM

Augsburg College Youth Theology Institute

Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN

Lonna Field www.augsburg.edu Sr High Youth

Jun 18, 2012 10:00 AM

Jun 18, 2012 12:00 PM

Spring Adult Leaders Training- Metro NY Synod

Hope Lutheran Church, Seldon NY

Julie Hagen julie@adventnyc.org Adult Volunteers, Adult Professionals, 2012 ELCA Youth Gathering Leaders/Teams

Jun 20, 2012 5:00 PM

Jun 20, 2012 9:00 PM

Greater Milwaukee Pre-Gathering Event & BBQ

Christ the King Lutheran Church. 1600 Genesee St Delafield, WI 53018

Elisabeth Pynn Himmelman

elisabeth@ascensiononline.org Sr High Youth, Adult Volunteers, 2012 ELCA Youth Gathering Leaders/Teams

Jul 4, 2012 12:00 PM

Aug 31, 2012 12:00 PM

Youth in Mission: Beyond Belief (summer dates)

Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago

Kristin Johnson youthinmission@lstc.edu Sr High Youth, Adult Volunteers, Adult Professionals, Parents

Jul 8, 2012 12:00 PM

Jul 28, 2012 11:00 AM

Summer Seminary Sampler Trinity Lutheran Seminary Laura Book www.summersampler.com Sr High Youth

Jul 18, 2012 3:00 PM

Jul 22, 2012 12:00 PM

ELCA Youth Gathering New Orleans, Louisiana Gathering Staff Gathering@elca.org Sr High Youth

Nov 19, 2012 10:00 AM

Nov 19, 2012 1:00 PM

Northeastern Montana Fall Training

First Lutheran Church, Wolf Point, MT

Paul Goodman Paul.Goodman@hopebozeman.com

Adult Volunteers, Adult Professionals, Parents, 2012 ELCA Youth Gathering Leaders/Teams

Jan 24, 2013 3:00 PM

Jan 25, 2013 5:00 PM

Extravaganza 2013 Intensive Care Courses

Hyatt - Anaheim, CA Todd Buegler www.elcaymnet.org Adult Volunteers, Adult Professionals

Jan 25, 2013 9:00 PM

Jan 28, 2013 2:00 PM

Extravaganza 2013 Hyatt - Anaheim, CA Todd Buegler www.elcaymnet.org Adult Volunteers, Adult Professionals

Jan 30, 2014 1:00 PM

Jan 31, 2014 3:00 PM

Extravaganza 2014 Intensive Care Courses

Hyatt Regency; St. Louis, Missouri

Todd Buegler www.elcaymnet.org Adult Volunteers, Adult Professionals

Jan 31, 2014 7:00 PM

Feb 3, 2014 12:00 PM

Extravaganza 2014 Hyatt Regency; St. Louis, Missouri

Todd Buegler www.elcaymnet.org Adult Volunteers, Adult Professionals

Jan 29, 2015 12:00 PM

Jan 30, 2015 3:00 PM

Extravaganza 2015 Intensive Care Courses

Hyatt Regency; Dearborn, Michigan

Todd Buegler www.elcaymnet.org Adult Volunteers, Adult Professionals

Jan 30, 2015 6:00 PM

Feb 2, 2015 11:00 AM

Extravaganza 2015 Hyatt Regency; Dearborn, Michigan

Todd Buegler www.elcaymnet.org Adult Volunteers, Adult Professionals

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

18

NETWORK CONNECTIONS

There are so many ways to stay connected to the

ELCA Youth Ministry Network!

Twitter - www.twitter.com/elcaymnet

All the Network news in 140 characters or less.

Facebook - www.facebook.com/groups/2310375886/

There are some great conversations happening here:

• What are your favorite “contemporary” worship tunes?

• Seeking resources on bullying for use with middle schoolers.

• Release forms to share?

• Much more!

YouTube - www.youtube.com/ELCAYMNetwork

Videos for fun and learning... Check out the latest Network video creation:

Why Should I Go To The Extravaganza?

Weekly Email - www.elcaymnet.org and then click the “@” icon

Subscribe to the Network’s weekly email to have Network news delivered

to your inbox.

Online Bookstore - astore.amazon.com/elyomineon-20

Fill your bookshelf with these great resources!

19

SPRING 2012

M

i s s i o

n

Projects Include:Home construction

Upkeep of existing mission sitesCare of childrenMusic ministry

TutoringLeading recreation with children

8 day trips, beginning June 8, 2013

Work alongside youth from other ELCA congregations

Immerse yourselves in Jamaican culture

Serve at multiple locations in Montego Bay area

Mission Jamaica Youth Mission Teams

Summer 2013Love like Jesus ~ Serve like Jesus

Contact:Jeff Peterson

Mission Jamaica Director651.762.9112

saintandrews.org/missionjamaicafacebook.com/missionjamaica

Programs for youth in 10th - 12th grades

Worship with local Jamaican churches

Trip Cost: $1,000 to $1,400 depending on your flights

20

the INCLUSION issue

MINISTRY OF

ELCA Youth Ministry Network

11821 98th Pl. N.,

Maple Grove, Mn 55369