a new year
January 14, 2009
So, I was looking at this page - the front page of our website - and I see that it has the most recent post from our Blog, right there in a prominent position. The problem I noted, is that I don’t blog as often as I should. Well, at least not often enough to keep what you find current and up to date. So, here’s an attempt at a New Year’s Resolution. I will endeavor to provide this site with a new Blog entry at least weekly. Correspondingly, perhaps you (the reader) can endeavor to visit this site and read/comment on the Blog.
Lately, the thing that’s been on my mind is the church budget. Those of you who are young probably don’t think much about it. You might not think you have much say in what happens or doesn’t happen with money. You might not worry about it too much, because as long as there is money to do “fun stuff” then you don’t have reason to worry. Right?
Well, I wanted to share with you some facts, because I think it’s an important issue. The church in its annual budget sets aside certain money that can be spent on Youth Ministry. The largest chunk of this serves to pay my salary and thus provide our church with a “Director of Youth and Family Ministry” - That’s me. Other money is set aside for all the materials, supplies, curriculum and things that we use for our youth ministry. Specific amounts are given to Youth, Confirmation, VBS, Youth Missions, Youth Camperships and other categories. This money is used for all kinds of things from renting vans to go on trips to buying glow-in-the-dark bracelets to play capture the flag, from bounce houses to pizza and everything in between.
This past year our congregation generously made the additional contribution to our youth ministry of funding two job positions so that we could have additional youth staff. Alison and Arty joined us at the beginning of the summer and have continued as part of our ministry team.
As the church creates a budget for the coming year, there are hard decisions to be made due to our country’s economic crisis. Currently, it is uncertain whether the 2009 budget will include funding for the two additional youth “intern” positions. I write this so that you can be informed, so that you can be in prayer and so that you can respond (if you like).
Respond to this post with comments about what important contributions Arty and Alison have made to our ministry and how you feel it would affect our Youth group if the budget did not include funding for these two positions. This is one way you can make your voice heard. Another way to speak up, if you are a member of Hope, would be to speak during the Congregational Meeting on Wednesday 1/28. Again, no final decision has been made and the church council will continue to work on the budget that they will present. Please let me know what you think about the topic and join me in prayer too.
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January 14th, 2009 at 9:46 pm
Well, to me Arty and Alison have made a big impact on my life. They have made me more eager to come to youth group and I look forward to Wednesdays and Sundays. Alison has provided for the youth group lots of fun games that make us work as a team and have fun together no matter who we are with. Alison is also a very good person to talk to. I find it easier to talk to Alison because I feel that she can relate to me more because she is a girl (no offense Adam and Arty). Arty has brought music to the youth group events. It is way more fun to sing meaningful songs with a guitar and someone who can sing. Arty has also been a good leader when Adam couldn’t do our lessons. He came up with lessons and music to make us think and realized how we could be better Christians. I think that if the church did not make the budget include Alison and Arty, youth group wouldn’t be as much fun as it is (no offense Adam), and not as many people would show up so it wouldn’t be as much fun. Arty and Alison need to stay as part of the youth team. We all need them!
January 14th, 2009 at 10:05 pm
Arty has brought the music of God and touched all our souls, He truly has brought us more than just a youth group, but also a family. Alison has made our group stay connected together, begging people to come, and planning so that we can not only experience the love of God at church, but everywhere in the world. If we lose them two thirds of the soul of a our youth group would be gone, leaving us lifeless. Adam, Alison, Arty; none of them are expendable, they have taken a youth group that was almost one person, and formed it to a youth group of over 20. I was there at the beginning, and then I never would have dreamed of what our youth group has begun, I love each and every member in our youth group, and I don’t want what this church has strived for, for so long, to collapse. We finally reached our goal, and I don’t want it to be in vain.
January 14th, 2009 at 10:38 pm
Ok, well first of all they can’t just leave! That would be horrible! Anyways though, Arty does really good songs and all of us LOVE his singing and everything! If he leaves, what do we do for worship time during youth group and everything? Just cut it out? How would that work then? Also, he’s just fun to do all the games with and just hang out with. So that’s Arty. and then Alie is, well, Alie. And in a good way! She’s hilarious and energetic and fun to be with and if she leaves and possibly won’t be able to attend youth group or anything anymore we’ll lose her sense of fun-ness! (and I don’t care if that’s not a word, I just don’t know how else to put it…..) So anyways, I’m planning on speaking at the congregational meeting as are Sara and Alyssa. Also, to anyone reading this (not Adam, Alie, or Arty), spread the word that we want all of us kids at church to be at the congregational meeting as that in of itself will make an impact!
January 14th, 2009 at 10:57 pm
Arty and Allison have been two of the best contributions to our youth group this past year. I believe that they both have extremely impacted the lives of our youth. Besides being an amazing guitarist/drummer, Arty is just an amazing person to be around. Arty and Allison both bring amazing personal stories to the table and are extremely able to help us out. In my opinion, the two of them make every person want to come to youth group because they make it fun and entertaining. Not only are they just fun and energetic, but when it comes time to worship they can really get down to business. They are just really inspirational people that continue to help out the youth and to help us to grow in our faith.
January 14th, 2009 at 11:18 pm
I think it would be so sad if Allie and Arty couldn’t be interns anymore! They have added so much to our youth group that never could have happened without them. With Arty, we have been able to actually worship with music and that has almost changed the whole feeling of youth group for me. Being able to worship and praise God with a whole room of my friends has been so powerful and now I can’t imagine youth group without that happening. For me, this worship time has made youth group more than just a time to hang out and have fun, although we still get to do both of those things too.
I feel that Allie has made the “Fun Time” in youth group more exciting then it used to be. There is always a new game to play and this has brought our youth group closer together by giving us a chance to be ourselves and have fun. It’s impossible to spend time with Allie and not laugh and have fun, and i think this is something that she has added to youth group. When people have fun doing something they will want to come back for more the next week. Since Arty and Allie became interns I think that our youth group has grown and more people want to be involved in the fun things they plan. If Arty and Allie are unable to keep their postions, it would be horrible, and I’m afraid that we would lose the key factors that caused so many changes that made our youth group something to be excited for every week.
January 15th, 2009 at 12:31 am
If Alie and Arty weren’t our youth interns anymore our youth would change a lot! They have blessed us in so many ways!! alie has brought so much fun into youth group and laughter. She has also helped Adam in organizing and lessons and activities, trips, youth group and more. Without Alie youth group would be pretty dang dull. As for Arty he has brought us music, before our worship was hard to do without him. If he leaves then worship isn’t going to be fun anymore. He has also brought us laughter and tons of fun! If it werent for Alie and Arty i wouldn’t be involved in youth group like i am now. I thank god everyday for them, they have changed me emotionally and spiritually.It is like me highlight of the week. i wouldnt be as excited anymore if they weren’t there. So if they were to leave that would damage our youth group, the fun, and music would end!
January 15th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
the youth group has been changed for ever and all it took were three people Adam, Arty, and Alison. about three to four years ago no one came, but then Adam came and yes more people came, but there was still a handful of kids that didn’t come. the youth was a decent size but there was something missing. Then Alison and Arty came along and instantly more people started coming. my point is Arty with his music and Alison with her ideas fit perfectly like a puzzle piece. and if they were to leave that would be like the statue of liberty without her torch or like last years Patriots they won all their games and had the last one taken from them. everyone thought they would instantly bounce back to the Superbowl, but guess what they didn’t even make the playoffs. so my point is when you take a way something that’s working great and lessen it, it just isn’t whole anymore it doesn’t work the same way and never will so if you take Arty and Alison away from the youth then your taking away one of the biggest pieces from the puzzle. and remember the youth are the future of Hope Lutheran Church what you do to the youth will affect the church.
January 15th, 2009 at 11:09 pm
i cannot imagine a youth group without Arty and Allie…Allie has turned what used to be a kind of dull “your on your own” sort of group and introduced fun games and activites that get us all laughing and having a good time…the group has never felt more like a family to me than now and there is not one person in it that i dont feel like i can talk to and laugh with…Arty has made worship with the group a much more powerful experience and meaningful time then it ever has been and i dont know anyone else who could do it the way he does…they are both so much fun to hang out with and i feel like i can really talk to them and they make me want to come on sunday nights…they have brought our group together in a way i have never seen it before.
January 15th, 2009 at 11:10 pm
I don’t go to this church but in the times I came with Emma Arty and Allison were always there. I think it would be terrible if they weren’t there anymore because they really made me feel welcome. (not that other people didn’t) Arty is a really good musician and it really takes a lot to get me singing the church songs I heard when I’m going home.
January 16th, 2009 at 7:29 pm
Before Arty and Alison became our youth interns I was a kid who just came to church on sundays because I had to and never going on wednesdays. One day i decided to try youth group once(mainly because I promised Adam I would try it) and I met Arty and Alison and I had a ton of fun. Ever since then I go to churh every sunday, I go on evey wednesday night, I try to go on all the trips with the youth that I can, and I always go to youth group. Arty is like my brother, he’s somebody I can go to if i need to talk about things(not that I couldnt go to Adam or Allie). I can just go and hang out with Arty and its so much fun.Arty leads our worship at youth group with his amazing talent for music. He is also the drummer in the band at the contemporary service every sunday. On alot of days that we dont have school Arty, Allie, some kids from the youth group and I will go and see a movie or go hang out at the mall and we just have an amazing time. Alison is just a blast to be around. She organizes the games and activities we do at youth group and any games or things like that are always 200% better than doing them at school or anywhere else. Her and I have so much fun together even and we’re always doing something, wether it be a game or watch videos on Youtube or just tell stupid jokes we’re always having fun. She is just so funny and no matter if your having the worst day of your life, Allie will just lighten your day right up. I believe Adam, Arty, and Alison are the reason I am so involved with the church and the reason my realationship with God has grown a ton and the reason I go to church any chance I get. Allie and Arty have durastically changed my life and the lives of the youth of the church. Our Youth Group is a a big super duper happy family and if Arty and Allie aren’t there anymore it would devastating to the youth group.
January 16th, 2009 at 10:54 pm
First of all, I do not go to this church, but my friend Emma does. When Emma took me to her church “camp” (a weekend one) I knew no one except for her. On the van ride up you could say that I was absolutly freaked out, although that is not exactly true, my church is alot like Emma’s, inviting, kind, and most of all special (in many ways). They were all inviting and made me feel at home, especially Arty and Allie. On gym night (the other time I went to church with Emma) I was just standing around observing my surroundings, wondering why the heck I let Emma convince me to come to a place where I knew no one. Right then Allie and some other people invited me to play volleyball with them, I might as well be the worse volleyball player on the face of the planet, but I accepted because I really had nothing better to do. Throughout the night I laughed and enjoyed myself so much that I accepted Emmas offer to go to camp with her. During camp Allie was in my cabin and again I was wondering why the heck I wasted my weekend to come up here and sleep in an uncomfortable bed and be with people I only met one time before. But as the night progressed and I became more comfortable with the people arround me (I am a very shy person when you first meet me) I felt right at home, with the girls freaking out when we thought we saw a spider and all those wonderful camp experiences. The next morning Allie woke me at an insane hour for breakfeast, another one of the delightful things about camp, the way Allie treated me, as if she had known me forever made me feel right at home. Arty is also an amazing person at camp when it was freetime and alot of us were just sitting around making those friendship bracelets he came out with his guitar and began to sing. Some people may think im crazy but sitting there at camp singing church songs was so much fun. Arty was (for me) is (for everyone else) a great worship leader he made singing church songs really fun and enjoyable and he made you start humming them randomly while you are doing homework, or chores, or just anything. My point is that Arty and Allie are amazing people and without them being part of the youth group it wouldnt be the same. They make the Hope Lutheran Youth program what it is a loving, wonderful, place to have fun and worship God.
January 18th, 2009 at 7:15 pm
Alison and Arty are two very awesome people. I’ve known Alison all my life and she helps me look forward to church on Sundays and Wednesdays. Arty even though I haven’t known him that long he is still a great friend and a super awesome musician. They both do really great stuff for the church and everybody loves them not just the kids. If they left it wouldn’t be the same. Alison helps make everything funny and a lot of fun. Arty makes everything cool with his funky super awesome style. They love what they do and so does everybody else. In these tough times every dollar counts, but that doesn’t mean we have to get rid of people. Maybe we could cut down on the parties and help contribute to the youth program. If we got rid of Alison and Arty they would have to find new jobs which is even more difficult than keeping a job. Unless you want to see them working at a McDonalds (which I doubt) keep them here where they will be appreciated by there character instead of making a Big Mac in under 30 seconds. Keep your youth smiling
Alison and Arty right for Hope Lutheran wrong for McDonalds.
January 26th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
Alison and Arty have made the youth group go from a couple of kids to a lot. I have known Alison since i was born and she Alison she gets along well with the youth. When i talked to her she said when she went to youth group in high school and there was only like 5 people, But now there is like 17 or 18, at least that’s want my brother says. Alison comes up with all the games for youth group and right now she is my conformation instructor. Arty on the other hand is a very talented musician, his songs he wrote are amazing. I guess i just got to know him a lot better. I feel that Alison and Arty have made a big difference to Hope Lutheran Church. The youth is the future of this church and don’t make us not want to come to youth events. Alison and Arty are the best they make me happy to come to church and youth events.