New models of ministry

This next week I'm staying at the Central City Lutheran Mission (check them out at cclm.org). I'm pretty excited about it. The Mission does a lot of work with the poor of San Bernardino, CA-- especially undocumented immigrants (mostly from Mexico). So far I'm not exactly sure what I'll be doing or where I'll get to go, but there are enough ministries at the Mission that I'm sure I won't be bored. (Already I got to experience a summer Kermes fiesta last night-- complete with children's carnival, home-made Mexican food, and traditional folk-dancing. YAY!)

But, after talking with Pastor David Kalke, I've been thinking about what ministry looks like. Apparently CCLM was an ELCA 'congregation' until 2004, when it was kicked out of the church for calling a lesbian pastor. Pastor Kalke (PK) isn't plussed about it, though, because he says the ELCA doesn't know how to do ministry within non-white communities. He says even the concept of a "congregation" is a white middle class model... For CCLM, and many ethnic communities, a parish model is what they work under-- a community based model that is about gathering together people of a particular community/neighborhood, rather than about membership at a particular place.

When we start to look at ministry as being beyond church walls and membership, we can actually meet people where they're at. And then we, as pastors and churches, can accompany people as we all work to live out the gospel and help each other to live according to the blessings and goodness God has promised us.

This is probably especially true for young people, who are unlikely to be concerned with church membership. Young people, particularly at-risk young people, want to be connected, want relationships, want change in their communities and opportunities. These things can only happen when we open our focus of ministry, from a close-knit church club model to a community oriented parish model.

Partnerships

I was thinking about the last sentence of my previous post: And hopefully she finds other people or communities outside of camp that can continue that work of building her up year-long. Executive Director Anthony Briggs talked about the importance of these partnerships, too, when we talked the other day. He said, actually, that the key to effective youth ministry anywhere is cooperation and partnerships between all of the church programs that work with youth.

He said that not only do youth-oriented ministries need to realize they are all a part of the same body of Christ and work together, but they need to realize they’re all even more closely related than that. Lutheran Outdoor Ministries (camps), Lutheran Youth Organization (LYO), campus ministry, youth and family ministry, and Christian education are all fingers on the same hand working for the uplifting and betterment of young people. And only when all of these parts work together (and stop competing for time, numbers, and resources) to provide a more holistic approach to youth ministry can truly effective youth ministry happen, especially with at-risk youth.

Especially when it comes to camp ministry, he said, camp needs to work diligently to assure pastors and youth directors that if the camp isn't strengthening the church's everyday ministry, then they're not doing their job. Camps exist to assist in the [spiritual] development of young people along with the work of churches... not to take the place of it. I think Anthony's right on!

A bit of love to sustain her for the journey

Yesterday was the last day of camp. Everyone was getting their cabins cleaned and their things packed. There was a hanging feeling of anticipation, but not necessarily the joyous anticipation preceding the variety show last night, but rather more an unsure anxiousness. Most of the kids kept saying that they didn’t want to go home… they really loved their week at camp.

One girl really caught my attention and her story broke my heart. This young lady was one of the older girls. She’d been the first one to talk to me when I showed up on Tuesday, and she was so sweet. Very quiet, but polite and kind. And beautiful. Well, as the closing worship finished up and parents started arriving for the last barbeque lunch together, and then as the other campers and their parents or guardians picked them up, this girl was left alone. It turns out that her group home had forgotten to come pick her up… And she was so sad and upset. Apparently, though, this wasn’t the first time they’d forgotten her or were late.

Because the other counselors had an all-staff meeting, I was asked if I’d sit with her. Of course! I sat down on a picnic table with this sad, beautiful girl, and with concern and care, I asked her about how she was feeling. She told me about the group home and about how she’d known all week that this would happen. Then we sat in silence. I didn’t know what to do, so I asked if she wanted to play a game. She smiled softly and nodded yes. So, I pulled out my deck of cards and I taught her how to play War. Even though she eventually started kicking my butt, I noticed tears gently streaming down her face. She stopped playing… I asked her what she was thinking about. She said she was thinking about all the other campers and how they were probably all at home by then with their moms and dads. I tried to tell her that lots of kids didn’t go home with their parents, but she, rightly, said that none went home to a group home like her.

Then my little friend told me about how much she hated living at the group home and how they were so mean to her. She wanted to leave. Wanted to go back and live with her mom. She said that there was no one she could talk to at the home, and that she had no friends there. I tried to consol her by affirming her relationships and newly made friendships at camp, but she—very poignantly—said that this week at camp only made going back to the group home even worse. I asked her to say more about that and she said, “Now I know how things can be.” In this short week at camp, this young woman had experienced safety, openness, trust, and most importantly love. She said she loved everything about camp and that it made her feel special and wanted. People listened to her and she had friends.

After more silence then, and more tears, I asked again what she was thinking. She said, “I just hate it. I don’t want to go back. I don’t want to go… Why can’t I go somewhere else?!” More tears. And as I put my hand on her shoulders, I couldn’t think of anything else to say but that I was sorry she had to go back. She closed her eyes, and I said, “Honey, it’s not your fault, and it’s not fair that you have to be there.” She sighed what seemed like a sigh of release and more tears fell. I said, “It’s not fair. You deserve better. You are wonderful and are loved.” Then I asked if she knew that. She nodded yes. I reminded her of the Bible lessons they’d learned about all week, about how God loves each person just as they are. She said she knew that, but that it was hard. My goodness, how wise this 13 year old is… wise beyond her years…

Eventually she wanted to finish the card game, which she ultimately won. And then she went with her cabin counselors to clean up once they finished their staff meeting. As she was leaving she gave me a hug, and I told her that I was glad I met her and that I hoped she always remembered that she had friends who cared about her and a God who loved her. Then she left.

Her story is why I am doing this project this summer. Because reaching out to at-risk youth matters. And is soooo needed. This young girl lives most of her life in a hell few of us have ever, or will ever, know. But, one week a year, at least, she’s able to go to a place that really makes her feel loved and wanted. Strong, caring, affirming, listening, and supportive adults, along with other peers who likewise want to have fun and be cared for, helped to create an experience for her at camp that gave her peace of mind and built up her self-esteem. It gave her just enough hope, just enough love, to get her through her dark days. And hopefully she finds other people or communities outside of camp that can continue that work of building her up year-long.

A place and time apart...

So, I am officially a new convert to the idea of camp ministry! These last couple of days at Camp Yolijwa were my first ever at a summer camp, and they rocked my world... In only a few short days, amazing transformations happen in the lives of these young people. In very bold and exciting ways, these campers learn that they are cool, they have friends and people who care about them, and that God loves them. In only a week... it truly is a place and time set apart where amazing things happen.

This week Yolijwa had campers from DCS/ foster care AND 'regular' kids. What was so incredible was that just by looking at them you'd never know which were which... which is kind of the point of this project. In some ways kids are kids. All amazing and resilient, and all vulnerable in different ways. I was really amazed by this particular group of kids, though. They got along sooo well! The older kids (13-14) were really good with the younger ones-- not just 'babying' them, but also playing with them. Also, the boys and girls got along great. There were VERY few disciplinary issues as far as I could tell. The campers all wanted to be there. Of course, at the beginning some of them didn't... The older ones especially thought they were too cool to participate. But, by the end of the week they were the most vocal and visible participants! A couple of the 14 yr old boys were a bit of a handful and would get a bit wild, but as the counselors and staff kept reminding them they're the role models for the littler kids, they seemed to respond positively.

Role modeling is one of the key features of camp, it seems. Not only big kids to little kids, but also counselors to campers, and even senior staff to support staff. There's a lot of positive influencing, encouraging, supporting, and affirming that goes on. Executive Director of Camp Yolijwa (and their partner camp El Camino Pines), Anthony Briggs, says that when he's hiring staff he looks for good role models. Folks who are well-rounded and diverse, honest, trainable/mold-able, and have good boundaries, and who are not afraid to talk about their own fears, struggles, and faith journeys (with their peers and the campers). He says that spiritual development happens among the campers when they can see their positive role models modeling happy, healthy, and most importantly fun faith lives!

When we'd ask the campers what their favorite parts of camp were for the week, so many of them said, "everything!" It just goes to show that with just a little bit of good weather, some outdoor games, one-on-one interaction between awesome adults and kids, a whole lot of patience... and silliness, and a lot of love, great youth ministry is possible!

God sent me an angel...

I don't know what I did to deserve her, but God sent me the most incredible angel this week. I was getting really nervous as the California leg of my trip was approaching because the first week of my visit was still completely unplanned. I had no interviews set up and most importantly NO PLACE TO STAY! (Things just kept falling through.) And because I don't know as many people out in that area, I knew I couldn't just wing it...

Well, God answered my prayers and blessed me beyond belief. A friend recommended I talk to a pastor who recommended I call Pastor Sue, a local pastor in N. Hollywood. She was interested in my project and said she'd see what she could do about helping me find some connections and a place to stay... and boy did she ever! First she met me near the airport for lunch (which she treated me to) and then she escorted me the 2.5hr drive to where I was going to be staying. She hooked me up with a place at a Lutheran Camp out here in the mountains-- Camp Yolijawa-- for the rest of the week. (The camp happens to be hosting foster care kids this week, which is perfect for my project!!) Then she brought me a sleeping bag and pillow in case I'd need it, and a map to get around. She also made a call about my 3rd week plans to volunteer at the Western States Youth Gathering because her sister is one of the directors. I mean, this woman couldn't have been kinder to me. Plus, she's just a hoot!! Sooo funny and easy to talk to. During our lunch yesterday I already felt like we were bff... :o)

It's amazing how things can just come together like that. And this visit couldn't be more perfect if I'd had it planned for months. God's great like that! Thanks to Sue for making this last part of my research happen!!

I can't wait to write more about my experiences here at the camp-- it's my first time ever at summer camp!

Strong Adult Leaders

So, I meant to post this weeks ago after my time in Camden and Bethlehem, but... obviously I didn't.

STRONG ADULT LEADERS-- that's one of the key ingredients to doing effective youth ministry, particularly with at-risk young people. So, what does a strong adult leader look like? Well, when I was at Urban Promise, I saw some incredible young adults serving as the leadership team with the kids and Street Leader teens. These interns (mostly college kids from around the country-- and world) had a heart for kids. One woman in particular, the assistant director, was amazing! She had such a good rapport with her peers and the Street Leaders, and the kids just adored her-- everyone wanting her attention or a hug. What was different about her? She listened intently to people, showing real interest, care, and concern. She was funny and playful, which helped the kids to relate to her. And from my short interactions with her, I'd say she was pretty non-judgmental as well. She was happy for people to be who they were, and she loved them right there for it.

When I went to volunteer with the middle school summer camp program, I was unsure how that would work, seeing as though I was a white, middle class stranger who was coming in just for a day to hang out with the kids. I wondered if I'd feel completely useless or conspicuous, and if the kids would react well to me. Luckily I'm not shy, and so I was able to jump right in pretty well. I noticed that the kids, even though they didn't know me, showed me lots of respect and listened to me-- sometimes even more than their regular 'teacher' (who I must say was a bit passive and unassertive).

I also differed in my approach to the teens. The summer program is like summer-long VBS and I was in a "hodge-podge" classroom that happened to be making a 4th of July snack. The snack was pretty messy, but I always made sure that the area was clean before and after each group came into the room, because I think the kids should see that they're important enough to deserve nice things. The regular teacher went for the economic/ time-effective route and waited to clean up until the very end. Also, because the treats were so yummy, several kids kept trying to steal bits and pieces while no one was looking. Once I noticed that, I further packaged things up. I didn't want the kids to have the temptation and wanted to lessen the opportunity for them to take the items. The other teacher thought they were old enough to know better, so did nothing. I agreed that they should know better, but offered that it didn't hurt to help them out by not making it so easy. Then there was free-time to play games and stuff after the snacks were made. I tried to find some kids on the edges of the room to play games with-- one 6th grader even kicked my butt in a mathematic strategy game! I was a little surprised that the other teacher just sat on the side and didn't play.

By the end, many kids knew my name and gave me hugs as they left. Just the little effort of trying to get to know them and just BE with them helped me out, I think.

Then, when I went to Bethlehem to visit with the Southside Ministries coalition summer kids program, I saw some other great leaders. Southside Ministries was doing a month long program with neighborhood kids, and it was only on day 2 when I went there to visit. But, it was clear that the kids were having a really good time. There weren't many kids in the program, so the staff-kid ratio was high. And the kids seemed to respond very well to the teachers. I sat in on the music portion mostly, and the leaders worked very well with the kids-- from letting them climb up onto the piano bench, to helping them to carefully memorize lyrics, to affirming and encouraging kids to do solos... you could tell that the leaders cared about the kids.

I think that strong adult leaders: listen, make kids feel special and important, are able to be on-level with kids (play with them, joke with them), are encouraging and affirming, and really love what they do- working with kids.

building up leaders in a sad, sad city

I spent most of my week in Camden, NJ. Overall impressions? Camden is a sad place. Really overrun, dirty, and... poor. Lots of buildings boarded up. Few restaurants, but lots of little convenient stores. It just seems like it's a depressed place. If I had to describe it more, I would say that Camden to Philly is like Gary, IN to Chicago.

But-- what did I do? I went to Camden's Urban Promise. On Tuesday I had a meeting with their executive director, Bruce Main. He told me a bit about the organization-- which really impressed me. Urban Promise started in the summer of 1985 as a way to keep the many kids in Camden's neighborhoods busy during the summer. By 1988, they decided that a year-round program would be a good move. Thus they started after-school programs for during the school year to go along with their summer camp programs. They eventually began their own high school and elementary school, too.

But, the best program I think Urban Promise does is their Street Leaders Program. This program is a way to keep kids involved as they grow older. Specifically it employs high schoolers and gives them leadership development. Professional development, pre-college skills, college visits, and impressive resumes are only a few of the things kids walk away with. It's a huge pay off! These teens get necessary job experience, but also meaningful employment. They learn that even as teenagers, they can make a difference in their communities. And it gives them ownership of the entire Urban Promise program, because they have real responsibilities and decision-making power. This program has helped to create an alternate community for kids, where it is cool to succeed. The high peer standard helps to elevate the whole group. Because, specifically, this Street Leader Program helps to build hope, which is so lacking in many of these communities. It addresses the culture of failure so prevalent for many of these young people, and lets them experience success.

And, from what I experienced with the Street Leaders when I volunteered for a day with one of Urban Promise's summer camps, the Street Leaders were pretty awesome! All of them live in the immediate neighborhood and so have a certain 'street cred' with the kids. They are funny, out-going, and well-respected among their kids and their peers. As I watched them organize the kids, lead songs and games, direct the kids, and maintain discipline, I saw how the Street Leader Progam works. And works well...