Youth Group 2014-15

Following our Youth Ministry Team retreat May 30-31, we are proposing several exciting changes that match up with the church’s vision of discipling young people. We will have an opportunity to discuss these proposals Sunday, June 22 following the late service. Ahead of that, here are some anticipated questions:

What is a Splash Group?

A Splash Group is an adult-led small group at either home or church that meets on a weekly basis. Most Splash Groups will be comprised of 1-2 caring adult leaders/hosts and a member of the Vanguard (see below). Each Splash Group has its own flavor: some are by gender, some are by high school (MRLH) some are by interest (activity-based, deeper spirituality, musical). Each group’s leaders and members decide what the flavor of each group will be.

What’s the Vanguard?

The Vanguard is Tim’s Splash Group, the young leaders he has targeted for mentoring and discipling. They are also expected to go “above and beyond” regular youth/splash group membership, and become the face of OSLC youth ministry by their thoughts, words and deeds. Along with Tim’s group, they are required to be a leader in another adult-led Splash Group, and sometimes step into a leadership role within that group. Their qualifications are that they be FAT (Faithful, Available and Teachable).

What’s the difference between Splash Groups and Youth Group?

Youth Group is Tim as the leader who prepares a spiritually-fulfilling lesson or fun activity or service event at 7 – 8:30 pm each Wednesday night for all of the 9^th-12^th graders.

Splash Groups are led by caring adults, who prepare a spiritually-fulfilling lesson or fun activity or service event at a variety of times during the week (last year, we had Saturday am, Sunday pm, Sunday evening, Monday evening and Thursday evening).

The difference is that while a single leader can effectively pour their time and energy into at most 12 people, with six Splash groups, the number of youth who are effectively disciple and cared for raises by a multiple of six. This means that each Splash Group leader and Vanguard will be praying for each other, sending each other Bible verses and devotions, and planning any special events for the group.

The end product of our youth groups has been good Christian kids.

The end product of our Splash Groups is disciples of Jesus.

I have a high school teenager.

God bless you.

What are the opportunities for their participation in Youth/Splash Group next year?

1) Sunday morning. We are re-energizing our Sunday morning focus next year. Peter, Mark and Adrian from PLU were amazing for the past two years; to top them would be impossible. We are doing the next best thing and having JulieAnn Detweiler lead a team of teachers on Sunday morning. One of the best things a church can do is to provide consistent Christian leadership for their students, and I believe JAD will be able to provide that this next year.

2) Splash Groups. As mentioned, we are emphasizing the small group model, led by caring adults at different times each week. The one problem our Splash Groups suffered from last year – 100 percent of the trouble – was logistics. What is the magic day/time/season that your particular group of teenagers can attend on a consistent basis? I will not bore you with the details, but finding the right day and time was pretty tough last year, which leads to another innovation (see below.)

3) Third Saturdays.  In the past, we have had 8-10 special events – putt putt, bowling, kickball, field game, caroling at the Alzheimer’s facility – that required a little more time and energy. Many times, we were constrained by the Wednesday evening time and place (bowling could only be at Narrows). This year, following each Faith in Action (3^rd Saturdays 8 am – noon, lunch to follow), we will be offering 8-10 special events. This will emphasize the service aspect of being in a youth group as well as the ability to have the family come along and participate in some fun and helpful activities. Some of the Saturday activities we’ve planned include Putt Putt, ParenTeen Jeopardy, Sing Along Sound of Music, Exodus: Gods and Kings (movie), Bowling, Paint ball, Ultimate tourney and Footgolf.

What happens to Wednesdays next year?

Wednesday is no longer Youth Night…but it can be Splash Group night. If your pattern for the past few years has been to take your kid to youth group on Wednesday night, there will be at least one Splash Group meeting at church at that time. Likewise, if Monday nights, Thursday nights, or Sunday nights or Saturday mornings fit your schedule better, those or other times will probably be available as well.

What’s the difference between Wednesday Night Youth Group and Wednesday Night Splash Group?

Apart from a different adult leader, not much, except that the curriculum will probably be more consistent! I (Tim) am not wired to follow a weekly curriculum. I chose a topic by what I felt was most needful for my kids that week. While that is a theory, it’s probably not the best theory. Each Splash Group runs their own study – last year’s ran the gamut from Ruth/Esther, to David, to Screwtape Letters to  Case for Christ.

A Wednesday Night Splash Group may not have the numbers of the whole group meeting together – which is available Sunday mornings – but it offers an opportunity for adults to provide Christian care and compassion to future followers of Jesus. If Wednesday night is an ideal time for a lot of people, we may have two Splash Groups on Wednesday night. Pastor Brian has been espousing a model of both large (Sunday morning with JulieAnn/3^rd Saturday) and small groups (Splash Group).

So what will Tim be doing?

My job with the youth next year will be spending as much face to face time  discipling time with as many youth and adults as possible. Each Sunday morning, I will be meeting weekly with either the Splash Group adult leaders, or else the Vanguard. We are both going to go through Real Life Discipleship book, or a Lutheran variation of those if I can get it written in time. I will be making my way around to each of the Splash Groups during the week (including occasionally the Wed night Splash Group(s)). I will also be going to lunches in the area high schools with your teens – as well as your teens’ friends. My intentional outreach for the coming year will be the under-served Franklin Pierce High School.

I liked large group Wednesday nights – why can’t we still have them?

We are hoping that your large-group desire will be fed by the 3^rd Saturday events, retreats (Winter Retreat), special events (New Year’s Eve All-Nighter), as well as the weekly Sunday morning gatherings. Also, if Splash Group A is doing an event, Splash Groups B, C and D are also welcome to join them.

This is all brand new to us. We are also open to discussion of other ideas.

I’m on board! How do I get signed up to a Splash Group?

Several Splash Group leaders and the Vanguard have already begun the process of inviting 8^th graders into their existing groups. Nothing is official until the End of Summer Potluck, Aug. 27. I will be meeting with Splash Group leaders – new and old – in the coming months to solidify schedules. Again, Satan’s favorite weapon is “logistics,” so be prepared to be flexible!