Next Generation Ministry Blog

Donut Holes.  Lots of donut holes. Sugar infused middle schoolers.  Amped up, sugar laced middle schoolers.  It’s the only way to kick off a year of Middle School Ministry.

For those of you who attended - thank you so very much.  It really is amazing to see so many families who are journeying with Jesus.  Yes, some of us are slogging through.  Some of us are just trying to breathe.  Some of us can’t believe that they’re this old already.  Nevertheless - you are pouring into your middle schooler and

THAT

IS

AMAZING!

Lots of information was given today; some of which has been shared before and some which has not.  So here’s a recap of all that we gave away:

First - we had everyone fill out paperwork that gave us the most up to date contact info.  We’ve learned that our database can’t keep up with the pace of everyone’s changing life…from email addresses to new cell phones.  We’re doing our best…but man y’all change email like it’s clothes. Here’s link to the info sheet - please, print it and fill it out and return to the Youth Lounge.  This information allows us to:

• If you give us your cell or your students cell - it allows us place you within our mass texting system  - which alerts you to things like updated info on the blog, Facebook or even upcoming events.

1. Allows us, with your permission, of course to sign you up for our digital newsletter - again, getting you a recap of what’s been going on and what’s to come.  
2. Gives us the best information in case of emergency.  Not that we expect it…but really, they’re middle schoolers.

Second - we recapped the NextGen’s 1, 2, 3’s - 1 Vision, 2 Goals and 3 Environments.  Click here if you don’t know what these are.  If you’d like to know more about each environment, you can click on the following links:

• Sunday Morning Scripture
• Confirmation
• Middle School Events

We’ve learned very quickly that communicating information and getting to each person is really, really difficult.  Like Rubic’s Cube difficult.  We’ve learned that we can’t possibly communicate through every avenue available to us…I mean does anyone use their MySpace anymore?  So, as a team, we’ve identified the places that we’ll communicate:

• Trinity’s Website — Trinity Main Page > Next Generation Ministry > Middle School > Blog

1. Facebook Group - We created a Facebook group for Middle and High School Info.  If you’re on Facebook , please search in groups for Trinityct Students.  As an FYI - it’s a closed group - not because we don’t want you in it - but because we don’t want the whole world seeing details about your life.  #protectingtheprivacy
2. NextGen Digital Newsletter - you can sign up online by clicking here - or, with your permission, we’ll add you manually.

Finally, we talked about a process that we believe will make a world of difference in the life of your student.  And here’s the crazy thing - it won’t take that long - 10-15 minutes of your time, to make a world of difference in the life of your kid.  It’s called Faith5 and it goes like this:

• Share a high and a low from the day [we like to call them happy’s and crappy’s - but you call them whatever is best.
• Ask - what does God have to say about this?
• Talk about it
• Pray about it - remember, Jesus is really clear in the Bible that you don’t need fancy words or even that many…just talk to him.  It can be this simple, “Dear God - thanks for our happy’s today, and thanks for being with us in our crappy’s.  Help my son to…”  See what I mean. Don’t go crazy…just pray.

There was other stuff, of course…donut holes, game playing, wizards, elves and giants [but that’s for another day]. 

Finally - a huge thank you to Kristin Hardy for her attention to details and her willingness to help.  And to the rest of the NextGen Middle School Team - y’all are amazing!!! Whether your teaching a confirmation module, leading a Sunday morning small group, or are the crazy couple who devizes games of crazy - so blessed by you! Here’s to an amazing year!