First Church Youth Ministry
Minutes - Youth Planning Meeting - 04-18-06

In attendance: Mike & Jill Taylor, Frank & Sue Fitzsimmons, Linda Kuhlman, Stacy Rowe. Mike Bierman notified us he is out of town and unable to be at the meeting. Meeting called to order at 7:05 p.m.

Please mark your calendar: The next meeting is moved from Tuesday May 23rd to Tuesday May 30th due to HS graduations

Old Business:
Spring Break: Bowling - light attendance [20 signed up and only 9 showed] at but kids had a great time. Mission project had 15 students who made 100 care kits and delievered them to a Homeless Mission at Sellers Memorial UMC in Opa Locka, and then we went to Cici's. We spent $353 on supplies at dollar stores from our budget.

Fund raisers: Garage Sale - Linda reported that each student earned $17 for every hour worked. Frank sent thank you notes to all the adults who volunteered. Cake Auction - Linda reported that MS students each received $123, and HS students received $348 for participating in the event.

Middle School Retreat 4/21-23 - Frank & Sue leading 30 students, 4 adults and 6 student mentors at Gold Coast Christian Camp.

Summer Camps: Work Camp - has 25 students and 7 adults. Impact has 14 students signed up. Quest Camp is moving along with sign ups. Need to emphasize Quest in the coming weeks. Need adults to go to Quest.

Youth Budget - Linda Kuhlman reported we are doing a good job holding the line on spending.

New Building - A/V Proposal submitted to building committee at $115,000. The Furniture costs are needed asap so the Exec Committee can consider them for approval along with other costs at May 2nd meeting. Sue and Stacy will complete this week and submit to Bernie Peterman

YS Core Training April 29th - Calvary - 8:15 - 1:00 p.m. Karen, Suzanne, Peter, Frank & Sue are sign up up to go. There is still time for others who want to take part to sign up - cost is paid by youth training budget.

New Business:
Student Building Access and Keys - no keys are ever to be given to any students for building access.

Praise Band rehearsal/playing schedule is attached for everyone's edification

Speakers Needed at Youth Worship - April 23rd [Mike Bierman], May 28th, June 18th, July 16th [Mike Taylor.]

Student Leadership Retreat - April 29th on Brad's boat. Mike and Stacy are organizing this event.

Confirmation Service Sunday, May 7th - 2:00 p.m. - Lea will organize the student luncheon with parents

Senior Service Sunday, May 21st - all three worship services.

Celebrate Jesus Tallahassee District July 16-22nd: Frank will be taking a group of youth to Tallahassee to participate in a Celebrate Jesus Mission project in Tallahassee. The cost is $100 plus transportation costs which includes everything for the entire week. More information to come.

Youth Volunteer Get Together - Saturday, May 6th at Mike and Jill Taylor's. All adult volunteers, D-Team Leaders and those interested in learning more about youth ministry are invited. More information to come.

Annual Planning Retreat: set a date of August 4-5th at Gold Coast Camp.

Missions:
Hurricane Preparation Supplies for the elderly and shut-ins - Ken Beers this weekend - pick up supplies this weekend and then have student distribute perhaps as a D-Team project on one Wednesday night.

Homeless Feeding Teams - Emmanuel Baptist - 6 teams of 6 people from First Church will rotate on Monday nights - begins May 1st. Sandra Sauls volunteered to participate as Youth Team Leader. [Liz will check with Sandra] Our turn would come every 4-6 weeks. Need your support in filling/ recruiting. Ken Beers is asking out team leader to go on the first night which is May1st.

Brookwood Home - April 29th - Ed Myers finishing the bedrooms and hallways.
Helpers of St. Herman - home for mentally retarded men - landscaping over summer months. See L:iz Tracy.. Critical Challenges:

Critical Challenges:
Volunteer Recruitment: Frank spoke of the criticality of attracting new volunteers to work in youth ministry. Linda suggested that each current volunteer should make it a goal to invite one new per4son to work in youth ministry. Mike and Jill offered to invite current MS parents and others who are interested to the volunteer get together at their home on May 6th. Everyone is asked to invite on couple or person to that get together and forward other names of possibly interested adults to Frank.

MS/HS Ministry: Frank spoke about the decision to change our direction in program planning,event planning, and worship planning over the next year with an eye toward splitting MS and HS into two separate and distinct programs. This won't happen immediately as there is a lot of planning, staffing and logistics which have to go into such a change of direction. But Frank emphasized that all our thinking and planning needs to be adjusted throughout the year as we intentionally move in that direction. We will discuss it at length at our annual planning retreat on August 4-5th.

Meeting adjourned 9:45 p.m.

Pastor Frank

May our Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father, who loved us and in his special favor
comfort your hearts and give you strength in every good thing you do and say. 2 Thess 2:16

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