Going Deeper
The school year has wrapped up, but we’re excited about seeing our students continue to grow and build one another up during the summer. We have a lot of activities planned, and we are already thinking about how the ministry will expand in the next school year.
In this update, you will find out about…
- Recap of our vision meeting (on May 19)
- MS and HS summer camps
- Summer events calendar
- “The Roundup” (top 3 youth-oriented articles we’ve seen recently)
Recap of Our Vision Meeting
On May 19, over thirty youth and parents met after church to discuss the vision for the next chapter of ROC’s student ministry. Joel began the meeting by reviewing the six building blocks of our youth ministry and how they fit into the overall picture of covenant community we are cultivating at ROC. We then brainstormed for an hour about how this vision might play out.
It was exciting to see parents, youth, and ministry leaders sharing their ideas. The meeting itself was a picture of what we hope this ministry will be in the life of our church.
What We Discussed
For those who were unable to attend, the presentation that we reviewed during the meeting can be accessed here. This is a snapshot of the six building blocks of the ministry:
Where We Go From Here
Though future plans are not set in stone, the general consensus coming out of the meeting was the following:
- The goal is build on what our ministry is already doing, not to replace everything. The fellowship, camaraderie, inclusion of youth who are not members of ROC, and fun will all continue!
- In other words, we hope to grow the ministry in additional directions to achieve the vision of (a) greater cross-generational interaction within the life of the broader church and (b) increased opportunities for parental growth and engagement
- For the Summer, this means we will be having a few extra events that will involve the full church body (see schedule below)
- For the Fall, this means we will be working on a way to involve parents/guardians in our regular meeting schedule (roughly once a month). We are still working out the details on how best this will take place.
- For the Spring (or perhaps earlier), this means we will be looking at how to create opportunities for other men and women in the church to invest in our youth (e.g., men’s and women’s Bible studies, other ministries)
Summer Camps 2019
It’s not too late to sign up for this year’s camps. We are still in need of more adult leaders. Please contact Joel to discuss.
- High School Summer Camp: June 28-July 3
@Whitewater Express, Cleveland, TN. Cost $290
- Middle School Summer Camp: July 15-19
@Camp Kulaqua, High Springs, FL. Cost $390 ($365 before 6/11)
Paperwork and release forms: Please print, complete, and return the forms appropriate for your camp to Joel (or you can ask him for paper copies).
Summer Calendar
The youth leadership team has an exciting summer planned. We will be doing a mix of events for youth, youth + families, and youth + the entire church. Click below to view the latest schedule of events. (Details/times can also be found on the churchwide calendar.)
We’ve focused on getting the events involving adults/parents scheduled first, so they can plan ahead. We’ll be adding more youth fellowship events throughout the summer, so check back to stay updated.
Text @rocepic (for middle school) or @roc1X1 (for high school) to the number 81010 to join our Remind group and get notified as events are planned.
The Roundup
Here are some of the top articles we’ve seen recently that deal with Christian discipleship from the perspective of teenagers and their families. Everyone in the church is invited to read these as a way to learn how we can help our young people navigate life!
- The Presence of God in our Anxiety: a helpful look at how to walk with one another as we battle anxiety, by Eva Parker.
- A Social Media Heart Check: sobering questions to ask yourself before you insta this, or “like” that, or humblebrag about that other thing on the interwebs, by Kim Cash Tate
- What Youth Ministry is Really About: a hour-long talk by Cameron Cole about placing the whole gospel at the center of student ministry in the church
