LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1975, Page 375

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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