Dear
Friends,
Now what?
We know the end of the story for the disciples, so it’s easy to gloss over what those first days after the resurrection must have been like. Go home and wait? For how long? What do we do in the meantime?
Feel familiar? Like the disciples, I feel those questions popping up from faith formation leaders in our congregations. How long do we wait to make decisions? What happens with confirmation? What happens to summer trips? How do we plan for events and trips when we can't fundraise for them? What happens this fall…and this coming year? I’ve been asking similar questions for synod faith formation programming. This week I start to meet with my synod teams for the Middle School Gathering, Cardia Deo, LYO and Synod Journey to begin conversations on how coronavirus will impact the events we do. Even when the usual rhythms of life resume, we have been changed personally and corporately by this virus. What does this mean for faith formation? I believe as leaders we have opportunity and responsibility to ask that question before we fall back into our routines. I ask for your prayers as our synod teams discern. And know that you are in my prayers as you discern your congregation’s plans.
The challenges and opportunities down the road are new to us all, so it is more important than ever to be connected and collaborative as we live into new ways of being church in the world. To start that conversation, I invite faith formation leaders (volunteer, paid and pastors)
to join me May 14 for a synod conversation on “Reframing Youth Ministry After COVID-19.”
Details will be posted soon for this Zoom event.
Planning for the next few weeks and months would be so much easier if we knew the end of the coronavirus story. But we don’t. So like the disciples isolated and anxious, we meet together (on Zoom)
to discern. We pray. We stay faithful to tending relationships and nurturing faith. And we notice that Jesus is in the room with us while we do so.
And as we encounter Thomas in the Gospel this week, let’s learn from him. It can be easy to focus our energy on the early adapters who are quick to accept changes that need to be made. We need their energy, encouragement and leadership. But we also need those, who like Thomas, ask clarifying questions that keep us from making impulsive decisions. They bring the gift of process and planning.
Now what? Now we wait like the disciples…and plan for the day we are released from our homes and sent into the world to share the hope of God’s love story in new ways!
Together in Christ,
Catherine Anderson
Coordinator of Youth Ministry
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COVID-19 Resource Updates
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- Just a reminder that Taking Faith Home resource sheets are available for 4/19 and 4/26.
Videos featuring Joy Hensel that address questions on mental health and young people are now available! Questions include:
- What does the faith community have to offer during COVID-19?
- What mental health aspects should we consider and address as we meet with youth online?
- How do we take care of our own mental wellbeing while we are caring for others?
- How do we address anxiety and fear with children and youth?
- How do we talk with youth who don't want to comply with social distancing?
More videos will be added this week. You are welcome to download, share, and embed these videos however you find them helpful. Resources mentioned in the videos are linked underneath the video at
www.nemnsynod.org/mhcovid19.
Email Catherine if there are resources you are looking for or if you have great resources to share. Chances are, others are looking for similar resources...or need what you have!
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Announcement from Luther Crest Bible Camp
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Dear Luther Crest Members and Congregational Leaders,
Blessings and peace to you.
The Luther Crest Board of Directors has made a proactive decision to begin the process of creating a strategy during our uncertain times. With these announcements comes an understanding of patience and flexibility in our decisions based on the continuing situation with the Covid-19 Pandemic.
Click
here
to go to our website for the specific information.
At Luther Crest we are living in the HOPE of our Easter Promise and the work we are called to do to inspire faith, stewardship and community in God’s creation.
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(For Volunteers, Paid Youth Directors, Pastors...YOU!)
Ministry has changed drastically, and the work you are doing to support youth and families is critical. Join other youth workers to support each other, share ideas and resources, pray and laugh together.
Check-In meetings will be every Thursday, 10am, through April 30.
Login information for this Thursday, April 16:
If these times don't work for you and you would like to check in with someone, please
email Catherine
or call 218-724-4424, ext 124. You are not alone as we navigate these challenging days!
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Upcoming Events for Adult Leaders
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April 29: Revisioning Youth Ministry: Failure, Grief, and Hope
10:30am-3:00pm, Online
Join the Princeton Theological Seminary Institute for Youth Ministry for a digital event on revisioning youth ministry. Plenary leaders include Kenda Creasy Dean and Eric Barreto. Small group leaders include Aqueelah Ligonde, Marcus Hong, Kermit Moss, Erin Raffety, Shari Oosting, Erik Leafblad, and more. Registration for this event is $40.
Click here
for more information and to register.
May 14: Reframing Youth Ministry After COVID19
Join faith formation leaders from across the synod for a conversation on what we have learned from doing ministry during COVID-19, and how our experiences might shape faith formation in the coming months and years. This event will be free and held via Zoom. Details will be posted soon.
May 19: LSS Benefit for Youth
11:45am - 12:30pm, Livestream
This annual fundraising event highlights the obstacles young Minnesotans face and the ways in which LSS, together with all of us, helps map a route to their success. The goal of this event is to raise financial support for LSS. You are able to designate donations to LSS in your community. It is also a helpful event to learn more about their resources and stories!
Click here for more information and to register! You can list Catherine Anderson as your table captain.
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Joy Hensel, Project Coordinator for the NE MN Synod Mental Health Initiative and team members will be sharing thoughts with you each week to encourage, educate, resource and support you as you walk with the anxiety, fear, and grief of youth and adults, and care for yourselves.
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While we learn to live with and respond to COVID-19 in our homes and congregations, I will be sending out Youth E-Chat every Tuesday morning with updates and resources for you to use in your congregations. If you have anyone in your congregation who would like to be added to this e-newsletter (it is a different database than our synod's Online Reflections/Announcements), please have them
sign up here. You can also find previous Youth E-Chats on the
Faith Formation Resources for COVID-19 web page.
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Catherine Anderson | Coordinator of Youth Ministry | NE MN Synod, ELCA Catherine.Anderson@nemnsynod.org | 218-724-4424
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