|
Grace and peace to you,
Blessings on the start of your summer season! It was great to be with some of you in-person at our first-ever Synod Gathering earlier this month. We hope to create more opportunities to return to in-person networking events and retreats with Children, Youth & Family Ministry Leaders across the synod soon. Take this Retreat Survey to help us plan for some of those opportunities!
June 21 will mark the first official day of summer for 2022. This year, some of the traditional summer activities seem to be picking back up again after a couple of years when most camp, service-learning, and Vacation Bible School experiences looked very different. Some of those things have been forever changed. Many of the familiar summer ministry traditions are being reimagined for a new time. Whatever ministry looks like for you this summer, know you that you are loved and being held in prayer.
Last month, I explored a workshop on Soulful Approaches to Planning. I was reminded that we are at a pivot point when many things that used to work don't work anymore, so we have to ask what else we can do. This workshop explained the core of soulful planning as holding God’s movement in one hand and looking for ways we can come alongside what’s already happening. A lot of times, we or others around us can try to make ministry happen in spite of God, but soulful planning says God is at work here and asks how we can arrange our time and energy to amplify what God’s doing in this space.
The leaders of this workshop introduced us to the Lazy Genius Way from Kendra Adachi which they lifted up as a scaffolding to help figure out what's going to come out of this time of confusion and frustration. They explained the Lazy Genius principles and how they can be applied to a ministry context. These principles can serve as a helpful guide for individuals and also ministry teams to use to think about things together through a common framework. They shared so many helpful tips and resources for applying these principles to our work including a planning guide for hard times, a worksheet for project planning, and a guided monthly reflection sheet. They also shared the five step process from Kendra's new book, the Lazy Genius Kitchen, which helps you arrange your work in away that suits your gifts and abilities. This short podcast episode is particularly helpful for learning those 5 steps.
I hope this inspires you to continue to explore where God is already at work in your context and gives you some practical tools to help you figure out how you can go along with that.
| |
|
Carissa Abraham
Program Associate
NC Synod, ELCA
704.680.9553
| |
|
As we look around and notice that so many kids and their families are still missing from a large part of our ministries, this video reflects on the common question we are hearing in so many congregations these days—Where are the kids?? Rev. Wallace reminds us that it's going to take time for us to build momentum in our ministries again.
Right now, we can be asking good questions and listening for what matters most to families. That's what we hope to accomplish with a Synod-wide Listening Campaign.
This campaign will take place in three parts. First, a Listening Team will conduct relational, one-to-one conversations with children, youth and families across the synod. Then a Research Team will synthesize the listening reports to identify one problem or challenge for the synod to address. Finally, a Project Team will develop a solution to implement tangible change in the lives of children, youth and families in our synod. Where might you fit in to one or more of these teams? Who do you know that would be a good fit for one of these teams? Let Carissa know!
At the Synod Gathering this month on June 4, Carissa led a workshop with Kelly Marciales, Director of the Organizing for Mission Network, where we explained what the listening campaign is. We also covered some basic community organizing principles. Watch the recording to learn more.
We are currently recruiting the Listening Team to help us conduct this Listening Campaign. Click the button below to learn more about joining the Synod-wide Listening Team!
| |
TIME-SENSITIVE: LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN | |
|
NC Synod members of all ages and generations are invited to join a Letter Writing Campaign to NC Senators Burr and Tillis in response to their agreement to important bi-partisan legislation that was introduced this week to reduce the threat of gun violence in our schools, communities, and nation.
Refer to these guidelines and get creative with your letters! Invite your congregation to write letters before or after church and even place them in the offering plate.
Email or have letters postmarked to the NC Synod office through July 5. Members of the NC Synod plan to deliver the letters to our senators in July. See guidelines above for more details including mailing address.
We are excited to begin receiving your letters soon!
Email Carissa at cabraham@nclutheran.org with letters or questions.
| |
|
Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/95246098989
Meeting ID: 952 4609 8989
One tap mobile: +13017158592,,95246098989# US
| |
|
Children, Youth & Family Ministry Leader Check-Ins
Save these dates to share updates and network with one another over Zoom!
Tuesday, July 19 @ 10:30a
Thursday, August 18 @ 1:00p
Tuesday, September 13 @ 10:30a
Tuesday, October 18 @ 10:30a
| | |
|
|
The NC Synod will host a Multicultural Youth Justice (MYJ) experience at Prince of Peace, Greensboro, July 21-23! Participants will spend time in community, service, learning, and the live online celebration with worship, speakers, and music!
After this summer’s ELCA Youth Gathering was canceled, the leaders who were planning MYLE—Multicultural Youth Leadership Event—decided to offer this online faith-forming event centered around BIPOC youth formation across the ELCA.
Registration = $25 for meals and programming and is limited to 40 participants. Housing stipends are available.
| | |
|
|
2022 YouthQuake
For 3rd-5th graders
Save the Date: October 1, 2022
at Mt. Pisgah, Hickory
Join us for worship, music, fellowship, devotions and fun as we explore the seven Faith Practices.
| | |
|
|
2023 LYO Assembly
For 6th-12th graders
Save the Date: February 24-26, 2023
at Embassy Suites, Greensboro
We are still accepting applications for the LYO Band. Encourage your youth to apply!
| |
|
ELCA 2024 Youth Gathering: July 16-20
Applications to serve on one of their planning teams close on June 24!
The ELCA Youth Gathering is planned and led by amazing, dedicated volunteers who serve on 10 different teams and a small staff from the ELCA Churchwide Office.
Teams include: Accompaniment, Communications/Media, Community Life, Interactive Learning, Logistics, Mass Gathering, MYLE, Synod Champions, the tAble, Volunteers
| |
CYF e-News | NC Synod, ELCA | 704-633-4861 | nclutheran.org | | | | | |
