Ur YM has kicked off for the fall or is about to. How’s ur voluntold team looking?

Mark DeVries in his epic book, Sustainable Youth Ministry, says u should have 1 adult volunteer (engaged and relational I would add) for every 5 of ur youth. How’s that going for you?

Some of u are doing great. Skip the rest of this blog then and go back to chatting on FB.

For the rest of you: having trouble getting enough good volunteers?

Three reasons why:
1) Have you asked the right people?

2) Have you given them a specific job description with clear cut expectations, boundaries, plans and purpose?

3) Are you spending more time with ur teens than w ur volunteers?

Let any one of these three facts go awry and that’s a place to start figuring out why ur begging and pleading for help. Why ur pulling out hairs u can’t spare from ur head. Why uve even resorted to asking the SP if he would like to help “chaperon” the MS lock-in. Ur are one desperate YP if it comes to that!

Stephanie

PS-u can always tell when i’m posting from my phone. grammer, spelling and abbreviations don’t seem to matter to me.

Tomorrow is Sept 1st and if you’re up-to-date, here’s what you should have already done, copied, distributed and checked off as a fait accompli (means its done).

Today’s To-Do List:

1) Your fall calendar through 12/31/10 is done. Everyone has a copy and its also been posted electronically on FB and the church website.

2) All reservations have been made like if you’re doing a fall retreat or going horseback riding. Whatever – you’ve called the place and booked your group for the date needed.

3) Your volunteers are a done deal. In fact, you’ve based the number of kids you can take on the number of volunteers you’ve enlisted to go on the fall trips.

4) Registrations/signups have begun. You’re so far ahead of me that you’ve already passed out all the forms you need to your parents and you’ve posted signup lists. Even for the Youth Christmas Party on Sunday, 12/19. You’re that gooooood!

5) All church publications have received articles/info with details. I mean bulletin announcements, the newsletter, the little old man who’s doing the church website and the office admin has it ON the church calendar. Smooth. Nice way to beat the women’s group to the fellowship hall.

Gee, what are ya gonna do with yourself now that all of this is done? Oh yeah – hang out with kids and share your love for Jesus. You’re REALLY good.

Stephanie

PS-For those panicking right now, get to work. I’ll give ya a week to catch up.

For those of you saying, “She’s crazy; I’ll get to it later”? Too bad for you and your kids. Bet you’re always running into calendaring snafu’s with the church secretary and why oh why is the church van never available when you need it even tho you asked one whole day ahead of time?

In one word? #notsoepic. If epic implies great, wonderful, easy, awesome.

It was adventurous. Sis and I were delayed two days. Our experience with Moving-1 company was horrific; nothing promised at estimate time was honored. They hooked us up front and then cheated us after we signed on. How could such poor treatment happen today in America?

How awful it would be if people came and went from our church feeling the same way?? “How could such treatment happen today in a church in America? In a youth group?”

Hurts a little when I think about because I’ve served at churches where “poor customer service” was standard. We welcomed people in with smiles and then delivered nothing like we promised.

But Sis and I made it and had some fun bonding along the way. I’ve learned a lot about life on this journey.

Maybe it was epic.

S

So here is the start of my “on the road” blog with the big move from FL to TX.

Day One: no moving truck. Sooo…u know how far we got on our first day? About 10 miles to a hotel on St. Pete Beach. Here’s a picture, btw.

Maybe ur wondering who “we” is. My hubby moved to TX by the use of Southwest Airlines and my sis, Kim, came this direction to help me drive the two cars. So Sis and I are stuck at the beach for a day in a sweet suite since we couldn’t stay at the house. Oh and did I mention its right next to a little mom and pop mile shake shop? Haven’t bee there yet but headed that way soon.

So how’s this like smaller church youth ministry? I dunno. U tell me.
Stephanie

our first day on the road

Wow – am I surrounded by chaos! Nothing’s where the hubby and I can find it. Somebody packed the toothbrush holder before the toothbrush found its way inside. I can’t put my hands on a pair of scissors. And let me just say its a good thing I scored a 34 on spatial relations on my ACT’s…because its becoming a handy skill in packing my car and the truck. I’m down to the inventory stage of making sure I didn’t underestimate the number of boxes the movers are taking. 30 years of YM books are heavy, btw. Glad the movers have those hand truck thingies. 

The easy decisions about moving forward?

1) What to wear on the road.  I’ll look like I’m at a Group Workcamp. I’m taking two old, staff red shirts, well-washed and very comfy. My oldest pair of jeans are definitely traveling in the driver’s seat. To complete the road ensemble, my most beat up Birks and a baseball cap from the ’04 Southern Hospitality Workcamp in Valdosta, GA. Oh, and clean underwear.

2) Which vehicle I would drive.  There was never a question; I was destined for the Saturn. My younger sister, Kim, would drive the Ford Truck. It’s even got the big, kick-butt tires. After all, she’s a cowboy from TX. I’ll be “the new chick on the block”  till I learn how to speak Texan.

3) The decision to move in the first place.  God started putting the pieces into place back in August of ’09. Little by little, God was dotting every ‘i’ and crossing every ‘t’ to make this a wonderful step into the plans He knew for us. A joyful life awaits in our new home with family close around. I’m blessed by blessings by the tens of thousands in serving in glocal ym.

God is good. God is WAY smart. God wants to give us His favor as He sends us down the road. He surrounds us in familiar, comfortable things to soften the jolt of change. ”Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me”  look like a comfy shirt, a new set of tires, great road snacks and Him.

Stephanie

PS-If any of this sounds familiar to your ministry life, a stirring towards something unknown? Don’t fight it. Go with it. Fighting it only short changes everyone, especially you.

OK, I think this will be the last one in a series that didn’t start out to be  a series…

1) There’s always the early ones.When you advertise the sale starts at 8am, there’s eager beavers who arrive way early. At a ym event, the early kids are excited. Often they just want to hang out with you and would help with anything you’d ask them to do. Take advantage of that special time. Don’t be distracted and miss the moment.

2) Rain plans are a good idea for yard sales.Its a good idea for a ym event, too. ALWAYS have plan B and C in your back pocket.

3) Make sure you have change. Someone’s gonna hand you a $20 for a $3 thing.

4) Look for the jewels among the junk. Same with teenagers; one of my favorite (not that we have faves) youth group kids was a geeky boy named Johnny. Turned out to be a diamond in the rough with just a little care.

5) Yard sales are a great way to meet people. Its outside of our normal ministry setting. In YM, remember that we’re making an impact on the people at the BK, the pizza dude, the mini golf and movie theater people, etc. No one wants to be THAT group: the obnoxious, rude group pulling up with the name of the church on the van for all to see and decide.

Back to packing.

Stephanie

I promise this “How” series will end soon but this was another dare by Brit Windel in Fort Collins, CO. (*He’s got like 7 more days of bachelorhood, btw.)

1) Sharks are just trolling for food. So are students: Put out food and they will come.

2) Swim too deep into unsafe waters and sharks may attack you. It can happen in YM, too. Be careful.

3) Sharks continuously move. So do MS boys. (Mythbusters says this isn’t true about sharks. Its true about the boys.)

4) Shark lock-ins are a bad idea. So are…well, you know.

5) A shark bites. So can YM sometimes.    

Stephanie

Part 3 of my “How YM is Like…” series. It didn’t start out to be a series; I’m just on a weird roll.

HOW YM IS LIKE BUBBLE WRAP AND PACKING PEANUTS:

1) Bubble wrap and Middle School Boys: Both make farting noises.

2) Packing Peanuts and Middle Schoolers: Too big an opening and they go EVERYWHERE!

3) Packing Peanuts are like great adult volunteers: they fill in the spaces and cushion the jolts.

4) Bubble wrap protects delicate things. So should youth ministry.

5) Bubble wrap is fun to be around. So should youth ministry.

That’s all I got today. PLEASE add your own. You all make me laugh.

Stephanie Caro

I made a new “small church youth ministry” friend this weekend while working together on a YMA consultation in KY. He’s Chris Jones and is a yp in AL. Chris and I are traveling home together on a flight to ATL and since we’re crushed into our seats like a game of Sardines, he and I are writing this in tandem.

TOPIC: “How YM is like eating cotton candy in the rain.” (It was a dare by the SP, Kory Wilcoxson, of Crestwood Christian Church where we just assessed):

Stephanie: Eating cotton candy in the rain is just a dumb thing to do. YP’s do dumb things, too. I remember the time years ago that I thought it would be really cool to make our SH Halloween party a “Come Dressed as Your Favorite Old Testament Character” event.

Chris: Cotton candy melts in the rain really quickly like students go thru ur ministry so gotta be deliberate in getting things done.

Steph: At times, I’ve OD’d on both which made me nauseous…and I puked a little. 

Chris: Both are messy at times like a 7th grade boy after 3 days at camp trying to cover BO w/ Axe.

Steph: Cotton candy proves itself to be all fluff when the storms come. Some YM’s do, too.

Short flight. That’s all we got. Bye!!

Chris and Stephanie
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Sometimes the pleasure of having a blog is just dumping whatever is inside your head or the refuse of what’s currently “on fire” on your to-do list. A trip into the recesses of my mind is scary for those that know me especially before coffee and a daily ADD pill.

In the bathroom this morning, it occurred to me that working students and their parents is a lot like moving from FL to TX…which I’m doing August 16th. How you say? Let me tell you:

1) Some things just don’t fit in a box: I have two large pictures that don’t fit into anything. They’re going to have to ride in the car with me, right behind the front seat. Same with students. The ones that don’t fit have to stay even closer to you.

2) Get rid of the junk before the trip: Before anything gets packed, its either been dusted, washed, fixed, or thrown away. Its a fresh start and I’m not dragging my junk with me. Good thought for any youth ministry trip or event: don’t take any emotional or relational junk. Clean it up before heading out.  

3) Don’t wait till the last minute and expect things to go well: I hired my mover back in April, started packing boxes a few at the same time and made reservations. Now I’ have more head room for the last minute craziness that will pop up. Works the same for youth events. Let the “But I’m a yp! I’m supposed to fly by the seat of my pants!” myth die!! It’s been propagated by less-than-successful youth workers and doesn’t give your students the best.

4) The Journey HAS to be fun!  My sister and I are hitting the road like Thelma and Louise to drive our two vehicles the 17 hours. Ok, maybe not quite like that since Brad Pitt’s not riding along, etc. But if we have to travel, we might as well enjoy so I have audio books for each car, coolers stocked with driving drink of choice, snacks, etc. Youth ministry stuff should be the same. Do what it takes to make even the most boring meeting a little more pleasurable.

5) FL is big but TX is BIGGER! Yipes, it’s scary gallopping into the unknown. But since my husband is ill, we need to be by family. So we’re leaving “well” and looking forward to the blessings ahead (and a sweet upgrade in homes). Seasons in youth ministry come to an end, too. Leave well, look forward and enjoy the surprises God has to delight you.

That’s what’s in my head today. Has anyone seen my roll of tape?

Stephanie