# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1975_S375 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) PARISH SERVICES 375 In cooperation with Concordia Publishing House the Board of Youth Ministry produced “Lead Out.” a multimedia kit for developing adult leaders for youth ministry. A series of regional conferences this spring introduced District leaders to this leader- ship training tool for adults working with youth in the parish. About sixty percent (60%) of the consultative and field ser- vices provided by the Board of Youth Ministry staff to Districts have been in the area of leadership development. The assistance has been mostly in the areas of planning and in actually leading leadership events in the District. Future Directions in Leadership Development 1. Developing congregational leadership teams in youth ministry. A team ministry that grows out of relationships makes stronger, more effective leadership. The team should be youth and adults who plan together and make the youth ministry a part of the total ministry of the congregation. 2. Providing training for youth leaders at the local level. People asked to serve in the important role of youth leader need both orientation and in-service training. District and synodical workshops should supplement training given in each congregation. 3. Joint efforts in leadership training. Neighboring congrega- tions working together makes leadership training at the congre- gational level more practical and it also is an example of being the church with others. For small congregations this can be the beginning of an interparish youth ministry. Volunteers: Committed to a Promise (Volunteerism) Every District has youth who, out of their commitment to God, who has promised them so much, are ready to volunteer their services to His church. Volunteerism is a high priority for the Board of Youth Ministry. It provides opportunities for young people to creatively respond to needs as well as grow them- selves. Volunteerism taps available people resources to meet needs in the church where money resources are not available. It also taps the high commitment of young people who have time and energy to devote their full energies to a specific min- istry task. Three programs of the Board of Youth Ministry provide special opportunities for volunteer youth to serve in their church. Youth Staffer Program This program involves youth between the ages of 18 and 23 for a l-year period as resource persons to Districts in The Lu- theran Church—Missouri Synod. The Youth Staffers serve as facilitators in youth ministry on the parish. circuit, and District level. Youth Staffers help congregations with planning and pro- gramming in youth ministry. They conduct workshops to help youth leaders (youth and adults) to develop their skills. They serve as resource persons to the District’s youth committee and help implement areawide youth programs within the Dis- tricts in which they serve. In the past biennium 19 Youth Staffers have been placed in 10 Districts in the Synod. This year for the first time we have placed two Youth Staffers in local parishes to explore the pos- sibilities of having a volunteer serve in a single parish. Overseas Volunteer Youth Ministry The volunteers placed in Japan teach English in a variety of settings. They respond to specific needs of the Japan Lu- theran Church such as teaching Lutheran Bible classes. youth ministry, crisis hot lines, and tutoring children. The volunteers also perform ministries for local congregations. In the past biennium 10 volunteers have been sent to Japan. Domestic Volunteers Agencies and churches within the Synod make specific requests for help to meet their needs. The Board of Youth Min- istry enlists volunteers‘to meet those needs. These include day care centers, youth drop-in centers, neighborhood recreation centers, crisis homes for girls, community self-help programs, youth detention centers, and others. The domestic volunteers meet specific needs of agencies within the Synod that need help but have little or no funds to staff their activities. In the past biennium 15 volunteers have been placed to meet the above needs. Future Directions in Volunteer Programs Young people of high school age are most anxious to have meaningful experiences and to share their gifts with others. Some consideration should be given to the following areas: 1. The Youth Staffer program should be expanded to include more Districts and parishes of the Synod. The Board of Youth Ministry projects a need for 15 Youth Staffers during 1975 in 15 Districts of the Synod. 2, Overseas requests have come from Venezuela, Hong Kong, and Lebanon. Twenty-one (21) volunteers have been requested by Japan for the fall of 1975. If funds are available, the board plans to send volunteers to additional areas of the world. 3. The domestic volunteer program has only scratched the surface of its opportunities for service. Many high school youth are looking for meaningful work experiences during the sum- mer. Youth caravaning would be such an experience if funds are available. Congregations and Districts will have to seek ways for youth to have additional summer experiences which provide for personal growth in a Christian dimension. Mutual Ministry: A Sign of Promise (District Services) The hope we share in Jesus Christ frees us to discover promise in each other. It is this promise in others that has given the Board of Youth Ministry a direction for its ministry with Districts. The Board of Youth Ministry staff has endeavored to work as team members with District youth board and committee members. Consultation Services Our goal is to help each District become more self-sufficient in developing its own programs and activities. The Board of Youth Ministry staff is available to District youth committees and boards as facilitators or consultants in both long-range planning and in planning for specific programs and events. Leadership Training for District Youth Leaders Our goal is to provide a continuing program of in-service training for all the adults and youth involved in District youth ministry responsibilities (i.e., District youth chairpersons, executives, committee members, circuit youth representatives). To accomplish this goal. the Board of Youth Ministry staff provides a 4-day training conference for District youth chair- persons and youth executives every other year. Regional 3-day training workshops for District youth board and committee members or other selected District youth leaders are held yearly throughout the Synod. In addition the Board of Youth Ministry staff is available as facilitators or trainers for District- developed leadership training events. Resource Services The Board of Youth Ministry seeks to provide people and material resources to Districts for use in District youth pro- gramming. For this purpose the Board of Youth Ministry staff continues in its professional growth through in-service training and the reviewing and previewing of resource materials (media, periodicals, books, etc.); its members are available as resource persons and presenters for District youth gatherings, weekend retreats, and professional conferences (i. e., pastors and teach- ers conferences). A regular newsletter to all District youth chairpersons, executives, and board members identifies new resource ma- terials that have been reviewed and recommended. This pro- vides a selective sharing of resources. FIELD SERVICES TO DISTRICTS DURING 1973 — 1974 Districts Visited Total Visits Staff Days Planning Consultations —_—__-____ 31 48 78 Leadership Training for District Leaders -——___.. 30 51 307 Resource Persons and Presenters for District Youth Activities ee 14 16 42 Total Staff Days 427