NE MN SynodNE MN SynodYouth Ministry ReportYouth Ministry Report

Catherine AndersonCatherine AndersonCoordinator of Youth MinistryCoordinator of Youth Ministry

Pastor Andy JohnsonPastor Andy JohnsonFirst United Methodist ChurchFirst United Methodist Church

Gulfport, MSGulfport, MS

August 29, 2005August 29, 2005

97 Stories of Debris97 Stories of Debris

65,000 Homes Gone65,000 Homes Gone

More than six years later…

First United MethodistFirst United Methodist

Focus on DiscipleshipFocus on Discipleship

Revitalized the congregationRevitalized the congregation Shifted our world viewShifted our world view Unified usUnified us Called us into God’s mission in the worldCalled us into God’s mission in the world

Marks of Discipleship are Marks of Discipleship are ESSENTIAL ESSENTIAL

for passing on faith for passing on faith to young people.to young people.

Real Challenge:Real Challenge:This is what adults believe.This is what adults believe.

GOOD NEWS!GOOD NEWS!

Young people Young people believe in God!believe in God!

CHALLENGE: CHALLENGE: What do they believe?What do they believe?

– God doesn’t matterGod doesn’t matter– Be happyBe happy– Do good thingsDo good things– God not involved in God not involved in

one’s lifeone’s life

In today’s culture, In today’s culture, faith is a second language.faith is a second language.

Faith practices help youthFaith practices help youth- and adults –- and adults –

learn the language of faith.learn the language of faith.

Equip AdultsEquip Adults Adults matter.Adults matter. Equip your adults.Equip your adults. Adults matter.Adults matter. Support your adults.Support your adults. Adults matter.Adults matter. Equip your adults. Equip your adults. Adults matter.Adults matter. Support your adults.Support your adults.

Adults matter.Adults matter. Equip your adults.Equip your adults. Adults matter.Adults matter. Support your adults.Support your adults. Adults matter.Adults matter. Equip your adults. Equip your adults. Adults matter.Adults matter. Support your adults.Support your adults.

www.nemnsynod.org/MissionPossibleTraining

Faith PracticesFaith Practices

“…“…teenagers learn to articulate their faith by teenagers learn to articulate their faith by hearing adults articulate theirs…(yet) American hearing adults articulate theirs…(yet) American adults may be no more religiously articulate than adults may be no more religiously articulate than their children. The solution is…to look for places their children. The solution is…to look for places where adults can move beyond their comfort where adults can move beyond their comfort zones and talk about their faith in teenagers’ zones and talk about their faith in teenagers’ presence.”presence.”

-Kenda Creasy DeanKenda Creasy DeanAlmost ChristianAlmost Christian

(read this book…it’s in the synod bookstore!)(read this book…it’s in the synod bookstore!)

How will you incorporate the How will you incorporate the faith practicesfaith practices- in your life- in your life

-in your family-in your family- in your congregation- in your congregation

so they might become part of so they might become part of our DNA?our DNA?

There is no easy button to There is no easy button to passing on faith.passing on faith.

Young person who loves Jesus

With our youth, With our youth, may we steep ourselves in the may we steep ourselves in the

faith practices so that faith practices so that TOGETHER TOGETHER

we may learn and live the we may learn and live the language of faith.language of faith.