Ministry with Special Needs in Mind

Post a Comment » Written on April 10th, 2013     
Filed under: Center for Youth Ministry Studies, Connection, Events
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Bethlehem Covenant (3141 43rd Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406)  www.bethlehemcov.org

More and more frequently, youth ministries are reaching adolescents with special needs. With statistics like 15% of kids being identified as having a developmental disability, or 1 in 88 kids identified as having an autism spectrum disorder, how disability-sensitive is your ministry? At our Connection, Kathy Castor will briefly explore disability areas, parent perspectives, and introduce strategies that will help you begin to think more purposefully about students with special needs.

Kathy Castor, MS, CCC-SLP, is the mother of three future adults – a developing cartoonist, an on-the-go adventure seeker, and a warrior princess. She is a Certified Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) and is currently working in a suburban school district. In this role, she works with students from kindergarten to age 20 in Lifeskills classrooms, designed for students with severe disabilities. Kathy has been involved with youth ministry and/or children’s ministry for over 20 years. Kathy comes to the topic of Ministry with Special Needs in Mind as a parent, a professional, and a Jesus-following youth worker.

Coming Connections:

April 18 – Michael Novelli: founder of Echo the Story, senior curriculum developer for Sparkhouse, and former youth pastor. “For several years Michael has been developing narratives and training to help others discover the art of ‘Storying,’ a dialogical approach to Bible learning. Michael is continually seeking the most effective ways to help people learn.” http://echo.wearesparkhouse.org

May 16 – Dr. Paul Eddy, Biblical and Theological Studies professor at Bethel University, will be talking about theology and youth ministry.

 

 




Altar Ego Study Guide with DVD

Post a Comment » Written on April 3rd, 2013     
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Altar Ego Study Guide with DVD by Craig Groeschel – new discipleship small group study

In this six-session video series, Craig Groeschel looks at how you and your small group can let go of your own self-perceptions and see yourselves through the divine eyes of God. According to Groeschel, only when we embrace the perfect identity God has designed for each of us can we live to our full potential in Christ. Includes one Altar Ego DVD and Participant’s Guide.

Many people are obsessed with the approval of others. The problem is that living for what people think of you is the quickest way to forget what God thinks about you.

In Altar Ego, author Craig Groeschel shows individuals and small groups how to abandon self-worth based on accomplishments and possessions, turning instead to the eyes of God to define them. Participants will learn to expose false labels and selfish motives as the roadblocks they are, going instead to the altar of GodÆs truth and pursuing the higher values he sets above the world.

You don’t have to get caught up in your self-worth or lack thereof. Your worth is not based on your opinion of yourself. You are valuable because God says you are His. You are not your past. You are not what you did. You are not who others say you are. You are who Christ says you are.

This study guide offers discussion questions and other supplemental material to delve further into God’s divine plan, and will ultimately help you sacrifice any old, unhealthy, untrue, and unbiblical thoughts about yourself and introduce you to your altar-ego—who you are in Christ.

Includes one Altar Ego DVD and Participant’s Guide.

 




We want to hear from you!

Post a Comment » Written on April 1st, 2013     
Filed under: Announcements, CHIC
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We are so excited that the CHIC Council will be meeting in early May for the first time to begin their visioning process for CHIC 2015!

In preparation for their meeting, we’re wondering if you would share your thoughts, hopes, and dreams for CHIC 2015. Maybe even share with us ways that God met you, your students, or those who’ve volunteered in the past at CHIC. Why are you invested in the ministry of CHIC?

Just fill out this simple form.

We’re looking forward to hearing from you!

The CHIC Office




Several opportunities to enrich your ministry

Post a Comment » Written on April 1st, 2013     
Filed under: Center for Youth Ministry Studies, Events, Webinar
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North Park Theological Seminary students have just returned from spring break, and the campus is once again busy with activity. Here are a few opportunities happening this spring and summer that we want to share with you:

 

Certificate Programs

We are offering two graduate certificate programs-spiritual direction and urban ministry-that begin this summer, both of which are designed to help support and strengthen your ministry.

Spiritual Direction: Examine this specialized ministry of listening, discernment, and prayer at our C. John Weborg Center for Spiritual Direction. Benefit from a creative cohort learning community and high-quality instruction to join a growing worldwide network of trained spiritual directors.

Apply online by March 31.

Urban Ministry: Integrate theology and practice to prepare for the changing needs of ministry in an urban setting. On-site summer intensive courses allow you to use Chicago as your classroom, and you’ll have the opportunity to study with Dr. Soong-Chan Rah,a leading scholar and practitioner in multicultural ministry.

Apply online by April 30.

Participate in either certificate program with a cohort group of fifteen to twenty clergy and lay students. You can complete the required 15 semester hours, including on-site summer intensives and online courses, in just over two years.

Tuition is approximately $7,500, and payment plans and limited financial assistance are available. For more information, please contact the Office of Seminary Admissions via email or at (773) 244-6229.

Nyvall Lectures

You’re invited to join us on campus on Thursday, April 18, from 9:00 am to noon, as we host our annual Nyvall Lectures in Isaacson Chapel.

Dr. Willie Jennings, professor at Duke Divinity School, will deliver a two-part lecture entitled, “An Obedient and Loving Church: Toward an Ecclesiology that Matters.” You can attend this lecture either in person or online via live webcast, courtesy of covchurch.tv.

Songwriting Workshop

We are also offering Songwriting for Christian Worship on Saturday, April 20. Designed with pastors and worship leaders in mind, this hands-on workshop will equip you and others in your congregation with a solid framework for writing powerful, effective songs for worship.

Register online.

 

 

 




Faith and Race – being a multicultural church

Post a Comment » Written on March 27th, 2013     
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Quest Church hosts an annual discussion on the intersection between faith and race. This year our class will consider the challenges and possibilities of being a multicultural church. As a congregation we are blessed by the many faces, stories, and lives that encompass our diverse congregation. But we also recognize that we can and we must continue to grow if we are to be faithful to the calling God has placed upon us as a people. And so, we will endeavor to explore questions of race, ethnicity and identity in terms of what it means for us as followers of Christ and as people of God.

From February 17-March 17 our congregation will focus on the intersection of faith and race. In addition to our traditional times of worship we will host a class from 1:30-3pm which will include our youth and college students. Additionally, children will have sections devoted to exploring what race and ethnicity means in their walk with Christ. We have intentionally chosen to explore these questions as a Lenten journey of self-reflection, confession, and hope.

This blog is intended to allow members of Quest to follow the class and post comments or questions. We also invite non-Questers to join us while we walk along this lenten journey.
Quest Church, in Seattle, WA, has two volunteer intern positions available for college-aged young adults who desire to serve Jesus Christ through working with youth. The internship will include customized youth ministry training and hands-on ministry experience. The training will be comprised of a combination of spiritual formation, administrative training, and ministry philosophy formation. This is an excellent opportunity for college-aged young adults to explore a calling to ministry. Come be a part of what God is doing in this vibrant, multiethnic community. Contact the Youth Director, Coby Cagle, at coby@seattlequest.org if you have any questions. CLICK HERE to start the application.

 




Feed Your 5000 with Covenant Kids Congo powered by World Vision

Post a Comment » Written on March 26th, 2013     
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World Vision’s 30 Hour Famine has become a regular part of youth ministry and church life across the country – and this year is no different! The unique opportunity that Covenant youth have this year is to partner with Covenant Kids Congo powered by World Vision to stand alongside our sisters and brothers in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Schedule a 30 Hour Famine event with your church’s youth ministry and stand alongside our Congolese sisters and brothers as they work to end the cycle of extreme poverty in the Equateur province. By partnering with World Vision and Covenant Kids Congo, you’ll not only be able to raise awareness on how the Covenant church in Congo is working towards clean water, to end senseless malaria deaths, as well as beat back hunger, further grow education efforts and bolster the economy through micro-enterprise, you’ll also have the opportunity to designate your funds toward this unprecedented project.

We’ve made great strides in the last 6 months – over 5,000 kids have been sponsored by Covenant churches across the US and Canada. But there remains much to do, in a country where 3 out of 4 of our Congolese friends do not have access to clean water.

In order to learn more about how your church and youth  can be part of this incredible movement, join Aune Carlson and Adam Phillips online for an exclusive WebEx conversation on April 2nd at 2pm Central. We’ll share what other churches are doing, field questions, and help walk-through your very own 30 Hour Famine effort this year with Covenant Kids Congo.

Register Now to join the conversation on April 2nd at 2pm CDT.

 

Become a child sponsor and you’ll provide a child and others in his or her community with access to life-saving basics like:

  • Nutritious Food
  • Clean Water
  • Healthcare
  • Education



Merge Ministries Taiwan – English Summer Program

Post a Comment » Written on March 25th, 2013     
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Announcing the Merge Taiwan (English Summer Program) Mission Trip June 27- July 15, 2013!

Teach conversational English in Taiwan Covenant churches for two weeks and tour Taiwan the last two days. Teams can also build friendships with Chinese students, fellow team members and church workers, experience Chinese culture and hospitality as the local church provides your housing and food, and share your faith in a variety of settings. All you need is a teachable spirit, a servant’s heart and a flexible attitude.

Requirements:

  • Be high school graduates or older
  • Be native English speakers, preferably with some ESL training (the focus will be English conversation, not grammar)
  • Be willing to learn and serve in another culture
  • Good physical health/ability to handle hot weather
  • Teaching or leadership experience with youth and children helpful
  • Love Jesus

For an application or more information, contact Covenant Merge Ministries at merge@covchurch.org or call Dale at (956) 458-9568

Click here to read a previous Covenant News Service story on: Taiwan Experience Gives New Meaning to ‘Retirement’

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Chicago Reload’ Urban Youth Worker Conference at North Park April 6

Post a Comment » Written on March 25th, 2013     
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Chicago Reload

Speakers, workshops highlight event; early registration through April 2

CHICAGO (March 19, 2013) — A youth advocate, author, and corporate vice president, plus a Chicago gang intervention specialist, are keynote speakers at this year’s Chicago Reload, April 6, at North Park University, with the theme “Kingdom-Minded Ministry.” Reload is a daylong continuing education event for urban youth workers, pastors, parents, teenagers, volunteers, and more. It is expected to attract as many as 500 attendees from the Chicago area and Midwest region.

“Chicago Reload is a one-stop shop for people to gather for training and engage in networking that is urban-specific and youth-specific,” said Dr. Daniel White Hodge, director of the University’s Center for Youth Ministry Studies (CYMS), and assistant professor of youth ministry. Participants will learn and discuss a wide-range of topics from both academic and experiential points of view, he emphasized. The event also offers participants a chance to be refreshed, hear stories of hope, and meet people engaged in urban and youth ministry, said Alison Burkhardt, CYMS associate director.

Early registration for individuals and groups ends April 2. Walk-inregistration is available April 6 at the North Park Gymnasium.

Chicago Reload keynote speakers are Steve Pemberton and Amy Williams. Pemberton is a child advocate, motivational speaker, and author of A Chance in the World, a personal memoir published in 2012. He is chief diversity officer and divisional vice president for Walgreens, Deerfield, Ill. Pemberton has become recognized as one of the nation’s leaders on matters of diversity and inclusion, and their importance to the growth of the American industrial complex. Forbes named Pemberton one of the top 20 chief diversity officers in corporate America in 2006.

Williams is an 18-year youth ministry veteran, working with teens involved in gangs, youth on probation and parole, and teens in thejuvenile justice system. She is a certified gang intervention specialist who moved into a Latino gang neighborhood in Chicago’s Humboldt Park community to be a “hope dealer” where she does street outreach. Williams has pursued her callings as a youth pastor, reentry coordinator for paroled youth, and mentor trainer and coordinator.

More than 20 workshops are planned throughout the day, including early-morning and concurrent sessions, plus lunchtime forums, said Burkhardt. New workshop offerings focus on veteran workers in urban and youth ministry, “living in Spanish and English,” a workshop that addresses cultural identity for Latino youth, and best practices for working with undocumented youth. There is also a teen leadership track to teach storytelling, communication, and leadership skills.

A Chicago Reload team planned the event. Reload is sponsored by North Park University’s Center for Youth Ministry Studies, in partnership with Urban Youth Workers Institute.

For further information or resources, contact John Brooks, Director of Media Relations and News, via email or at (773) 244-5522




Global Student Leadership DEADLINE

Post a Comment » Written on March 20th, 2013     
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There is no fooling around on April Fool’s Day! ;)

The DEADLINE for the Global Student Leadership programs in Honduras, June 8-16 and in the Dominican Republic, June 29-July 7 is April 1, 2013. The date is fast approaching, so if you know of any students, ages 15–19, who are serious about developing their leadership skills for youth group, the church, and for the kingdom of God, this trip is for them.

The youth groups in Honduras and the Dominican Republic are both very excited about spending a week with students from the USA and developing their leadership skills at the same time. Students from both countries will live together, learn leadership skills together, and create community ministries for Christ together, which will hope will continue long after the event is done. This could be the beginning of some profound annual events which may make a huge impact on youth ministry in the Covenant denomination!

The Global Student Leadership program provides an opportunity for US/Canadian youth to develop their leadership skills in an international cross-cultural setting. They will work in partnership with international youth who seek to develop their leadership skills. This is not a mission trip; students will live, learn, and serve alongside youth from other nations. Teaching and mentoring will be by both North American and international youth leaders. All learning will be done bilingually, in Spanish and English. North American students will live with their international counterparts, attend creative sessions on leadership together, and work together to encourage and enhance local community ministry in the international setting.

All meals, housing, and interpreters will be provided by Merge Ministries. The cost for each trip covers trip set-up, housing, meals, Merge staff, ground transportation, and tourist events.

Download the application or for more information please email merge@covchurch.org or check out the Merge Ministries website.

 




Autism in your youth ministry

Post a Comment » Written on March 18th, 2013     
Filed under: Center for Youth Ministry Studies, Connection, Events, YM Network
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Autism: Tools to Integrating the Church and the Student – Monday, April 8, 2013

Join Lisa Fernelius and Bekah Miller for an education about autism and learn practical, hands-on ideas to help integrate students with autism in to your youth ministry setting. You will also learn communication techniques (with parents, other leaders and students themselves), making realistic expectations (for yourself, your ministry and your students), and how to create an Individual Ministry Plan for students within your church. If you attended this 1-hour workshop at Recharge – get ready to take things to another level. More info:click here!

Coming Connections:
April 18 – Michael Novelli: founder of Echo the Story, senior curriculum developer for Sparkhouse, and former youth pastor. “For several years Michael has been developing narratives and training to help others discover the art of ‘Storying,’ a dialogical approach to Bible learning. Michael is continually seeking the most effective ways to help people learn.” http://echo.wearesparkhouse.org




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