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What I have learned about Student Ministry in 4 weeks
May 12, 2011 by hillcreststudents
Filed under students
First of all, I need to give a little background information. My name is Jessica Barnes. I am 27 years old; I am married to Matt Barnes, and have a 10 month old little boy named Jayden. Since being married to Matt, I have become very familiar to the Hillcrest family. Matt has a long history at Hillcrest. His diapers were changed here, he went through the youth group (David was the intern back in that day), and has been involved in the youth ministry for many years. I can truly say I love this church. It is a family that I’m so excited to be a part of.
Now that you know a little about me, I feel I can let you in on 10 things that I have learned since I started here 4 weeks ago…In no particular order, here we go…
10: Starbucks is a daily necessity for each of us here
9: DO NOT touch or MOVE anything on David’s desk, or area for that matter.
8: Annoying text message ringtones are a requirement- I’m not naming names…you know who you are
7: Reminiscing on past youth trips in which Matt, Jace, or Ryan made David cry (from laughter or from anger) is a weekly occurrence
6: The world of cheese, I am being enlightened to many different varieties thanks to Thad Burkhalter
5: Last minute is how we roll-nuff said
4: Cutting holes in a diaper to fit Jace’s eyes and mouth is part of my job
3: Pranks are in order when David is out of town
2: Elevator Music actually has a fan in David Wiggins
1: Having a good sense of humor is a must
Thanks for letting me share this with you all…In all seriousiness, i love my job, i love the students, and I love the people i work with. I just couldn’t be happier.
If you are on campus, please come by and see me, I would love to meet you.
LEAP Into 2011
Hey.
If you’re reading this post, it’s probably because you’re looking for information on all of the changes going on in the student ministry. Well, you’re in the right place.
Things are changing. We believe that these changes are the very thing that, God willing, will propel our student ministry to new heights of growth and discipleship. I am going to talk in great detail about the vision behind these changes at a public meeting being held for students and parents on Sunday, December 5 at 4:00 in the Pier. A letter has already been sent to your home but consider this an invitation to join us at that meeting. It’s there that you’ll have an opportunity to ask questions and address concerns about our plans.
In the meantime, let’s clarify exactly what our new weekly meeting schedule is going to look like starting January 9, 2011:
Sunday Morning
FUSION – Fusion is the process by which two things are joined together as one. We will be offering a gathering for students on Sunday mornings that will offer the best of what they have come to expect in our current Wednesday setup – live worship music, interactive fun, and a biblical teaching time – and combine it with an opportunity to connect with other students and a leader as they discuss that days message. This gathering is a great place for students to bring their unchurched friends to hear the good news of the gospel in an exciting and relevant environment.
Fusion will be offered at both the 9:30 and 11:00 worship hours. One of the major changes is that both hours will be open to ALL grades, 6-12. As a family you can choose which hour you would like to worship together and your teenager can attend Fusion at the other hour.
Sunday Night
High School Life Groups – All students grades 9-12 are invited to join us at 6:00 every Sunday night in the Pier for a time of fellowship, community, prayer, accountability, and Bible study. We will spend time in fellowship together as a high school group and then each grade will have a coed time of prayer and encouragement before breaking out into gender based Bible study groups. We will dismiss at 8:00.
These Life Groups will be the backbone of our ministry. It is out of this community that we will send students into mission and service opportunities and that we expect to see the deepest level of growth in Christ as they are led and invested in by a caring adult leader.
Wednesday Night
Middle School Life Groups – All students grades 6-8 are invited to join us at 6:30 every Wednesday night in the Pier for a time of fellowship, community, prayer, accountability, and Bible study. We will spend time in fellowship together as a middle school group and then each grade will break out into gender based Bible study groups. We will dismiss at 8:00.
These Life Groups will be the backbone of our ministry. It is out of this community that we will send students into mission and service opportunities and that we expect to see the deepest level of growth in Christ as they are led and invested in by a caring adult leader.
High School Serve – Currently at Hillcrest if a student wants to serve in ministry somewhere in the church, they must choose between that and taking part in student ministry activities taking place at that same time. We believe that serving others should be not only a part OF the activity of our ministry, but an EXPECTATION for those seeking growth.
High school students will have the opportunity on Wednesday nights to be trained and to volunteer for one of the various service opportunities on our campus. Sign ups are currently taking place on the bulletin board in the student suite. Students serving are expected to be an active participant in their respective Life Group on Sunday night.
Discover Hillcrest Students – This running, four-week class will be offered at 6:30 on Wednesday nights in the Pier. It will cover the foundational beliefs of our faith and outline our basic practices and expectations as a church family.
This class is required for baptism and church membership candidates but is open to any 6-12 graders interested in attending. “Discover Hillcrest Students” serves as an acceptable alternative for teenagers to the adult “Discover Hillcrest” classes offered on Sunday afternoons.
Well, there it is folks. That’s a pretty broad look at everything that we are doing in 2011 to strengthen our base of disciples and extend the reach of the gospel even further into our schools, homes, and jobs.
While this is a lot of information, I am sure that you have questions. Feel free to comment away on this post and we will address those issues as they present themselves. In addition, we have created a text-only line for you to send in your questions. That number is (850) 366-2745. The best way to get your questions out, however, is by joining us on the 5th at 4:00.
We’re excited for the future and, as always, we give God the glory in all things!!
