I hope all of you are doing well and things are starting to ease up a bit as we progress through these difficult times. Please know that we as a council are praying for each of you and your students as we all navigate these new ways of providing for our students within our ministries. There is not a lot of updates for this newsletter but there is a few items of information that we would like to pass along.
North/East Texas District NYI972239213
North/East Texas NYI February 2021 Newsletter
Welcome
The Rally
We have discussed many options for this event and each one had its obstacles that were preventing this event from happening. The main hurdle of course is still COVID and gathering in large gatherings. Each facility we looked into was very hesitant having a large group come in, so we made the decision to not hold this event at this time. However, we are still looking for options since Extravaganza is later in the year and we have more time to look into options. IF we are able to find an option that works we will communicate that to each of you.
Just a quick note on the Rally. With the success of our fall retreat we are exploring the thought of turning the Rally into a Winter Retreat going forward. We are discussing this and the possible dates and logistics of doing this. It is something each of us are not only excited about but also very optimistic of the potential this event will have for our students.
Upcoming Events
Extravaganza
We made the decision to push Extravaganza back to May this year over Memorial Day weekend to allow us the best possible chance of having this event. The dates are set for May 28th – 30th with our speaker being LaMorris Crawford team chaplain for the Cincinnati Bengals and our worship will be led by Royal Company. The cost for this event will be posted soon. Also, just know that we will do everything we can to hold this event but again COVID is still here and a cancelation of this event for a second straight year is still a possibility. Chip Lee will continue to update us on Extravaganza 2021.
Update for Extravaganza:
We DO have a green light for this event and we are committed to making it happen. There will be Covid Protocols. These could change but right now some of them are:1. Masks required inside all buildings (unless performing on stage or playing sport)2. Spectators must wear masks and be socially distant.3. NO HOUSING ON CAMPUS.4. Dining in Shifts - social distancing in cafeteria5. We will have assigned seats in BFC but we will be spread out across sanctuary.These protocols could change. We will keep a close watch on it and communicate with you.And with that bit of news I am pleased to announce that Registration for Extravaganza is now OPEN!Registration can be found at snu.edu/extravaganza the cost is $75 for teens and $65 for adults if registered by April 30th after that the cost for students goes up $20 ($95) and registrations closes on May 17th.FUSE 2021 Teen Camp
The dates for Teen camp are June 28th – July 2nd. Speaker, cost, and promotional material to come later.
District Assembly & NYI Convention
The dates for this are tentatively set for July 11th -12th please keep an eye out for communication from the district office on details.
Nazarene Youth Conference 2023
Plans are underway for NYC ’23 being held in Tampa Bay Florida July 5th – 9th. Not many details are available at this time but, it is never to early to start fundraising. The price point has not been set yet but to help guide you the last few NYC costs for our district has been $1400. I would assume it will be close to that amount again but could be a little more. Even more reason to start fundraising now, if you have any questions please feel free to email Chip at [email protected]
https://www.youtube.com/watch/WAz7m5yppgEDefine the Culture of Your Youth Ministry
Doug Fields -Co-Founder of downloadyouthministry.comYouth ministries create their own cultures by what they value—and what they don’t value. You might hear someone say, “We have a very encouraging culture.” Or you may hear, “Our culture is very friendly to unchurched students.” The longer you serve in youth ministry, the more opportunities you’ll have to contribute to the existing culture of the ministry. I want my volunteers to know that they can either contribute to an existing culture or use their passion and gifts to create new values within the culture.
If you don’t know the values in your youth ministry culture, ask your pastor or lead youth worker. And if the values aren’t defined, you might offer to help brainstorm about them with other leaders. But even without defined values, real actions provide evidence for a healthy youth ministry—even if the values are not openly articulated.
Here are three actions all youth volunteers should take to create a spiritually thriving culture for students.
Set spiritual goals with your students. Think through where you would like to help lead your students spiritually. What is God teaching them? What Scriptures are essential to growing their faith? Take some time to establish what you believe will have the most impact on each student in an individual relationship with God. Be the type of leader who is constantly encouraging students toward next steps that will contribute to spiritual deepening.
Make traditions with your students. Look for opportunities to create yearly, monthly, or weekly traditions that will become memorable for students. For example, one of our volunteer leaders opens her small-group time by reading the same Bible verse each week. Another leader and his students serve at a homeless shelter on every major holiday, and another leader hosts a monthly spaghetti dinner for her small-group girls. These traditions communicate that students are special and valuable and contribute to creating a positive culture in your ministry.
Create memories with your students. Traditions are a great way to create memories, but memories can be anything from ongoing events to one-time experiences—anything that students will never forget. When my family eats together, we always recall and laugh about fun memories; it’s amazing how memories create a strong relational bond. By creating memories with your teenagers, you’ll add that element of “family” to your ministry. Taking trips together, sharing meals, or just hanging out can create memories and help shape a healthy, vibrant culture.