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The month of May might have started off a bit rough, but it sure ended with a lot of good. The NNYM Team got to gather for their annual all-team gathering. I was looking forward to meeting the rest of the team, but unfortunately we had a loss in the family, then I got sick, so I decided to not attend. I hated missing the opportunity to meet everyone, but it was the right decision. I did have the opportunity to connect with two youth leaders networks. I met with youth leaders from Somerset and Cambria, and Westmoreland counties. It was a wonderful time getting know these youth leaders and talk youth ministry.
Along with the network meet-ups, I’ve been able to get together with a number of potential ministry partners to share my ministry with NNYM. My goal is to be fully funded by the end of the summer. That means I am working to set up and meet with as many potential ministry partners and anchor churches. As I prepare for June, I’m looking forward to a few more network meet-ups, and connecting with ministry partners. Looking Ahead to JuneAs we look towards the summer months, our primary focus is on our support raising. Our goal is to be fully-funded by the end of August 2024. This will allow us to jump into full-time ministry with area youth leaders. This means June and July will be filled with traveling, partner appointments, and prayer! Here is a quick look at some of our plans.
Pray for Jay
Thank you for your prayers and support.
- jay
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Wrapping up a great week of ministry and connection. I had the opportunity to attend two "new" networks. The first was on Tuesday. I made the trip to Johnstown, PA, to meet with the a group of youth leaders from Somerset and Cambria Counties. This was a lot of fun, having spent a number of years serving as a youth leader in the Somerset area. It's great to see this group get started.  The second network connection took me to Hunker, PA, where I met with youth leaders from Westmoreland county. Travis Deans, NNYM's Northeast Regional Coordinator, was also there. Travis does an amazing job connecting youth leaders with youth leaders.  As I sat through these two network gatherings, it all felt a bit surreal. I remember my first network meetings; the conversations, the stories, the questions, the experience, the wisdom...those were such vital times for me, my faith, for the ministries I served and ultimately for my career as a youth leader. Now here I am. I've come full circle and I get to be the one to encourage these amazing leaders. I am really looking forward to getting to know these leaders and their ministries, and watching as God uses them to change the lives of students in the Appalachia area.
- jay When I stepped into full-time youth ministry, I met a youth worker who invited me to join a small gathering of youth leaders from around the area. Before I knew it, these men and women were speaking hope and encouragement into my ministry and my life. Together we were learning how to do youth ministry better. We were reaching the students of our community as we partnered together for events and activities. And, I learned, that I didn’t have to do youth ministry alone.
Too often, youth leaders feel alone, isolated, ill-equipped, overwhelmed, and under appreciated. Some come into the field well educated, yet lack practical know-how or experience. Others step into their roles unexpectedly, without any training or education. And when difficulties arise, many don’t know how to navigate the storms causing them to leave the church or the ministry all together. They are beaten, battered, and bruised. If only they had someone they could talk to, someone to hear them, to coach them, to encourage them, to pray for and with them, then maybe they could weather the storms and learn to thrive in their calling. The truth is, youth leaders who are connected to a local youth ministry network are 2.5 times more likely to stay in ministry longer than the national average. I attribute much of my longevity as a veteran youth worker to my connections with other youth workers through the local networks. In today’s culture, maybe more than ever, we need men and women who have been called to bring the hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the teenagers in our churches, our high schools, our middle schools, and our communities. The hope of NNYM is to do that very thing; work alongside youth leaders and other caring adults locally to reach and equip young people for Jesus Christ. Because, we’re better together! - jay See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? Isaiah 43:19a ESV As the month of May begins, this verse rings in my heart and mind. A new thing, do you not perceive it? The verses that proceed and follow verse 19 declares that God is Israel's savior, and that He will be the one to rescue and redeem. But this time, it's going to be different. New.
I love that God is into the NEW. He's not afraid to break from tradition and start fresh. We see Him do new things throughout the Old Testament. And we see Him doing new things in our lives. Today marks the second month of my role with NNYM. So far it's been a lot of behind the scenes learning and preparation. Amy and I attended a support raising "bootcamp". Two days of learning how to organize and raise support for your ministry. It was incredibly helpful and encouraging. But now it's time to get to it. It's time to begin our support raising. It's time to begin strategizing and planning how we want to reach the Appalachia area. It's time to start meeting youth leaders. I am so excited to be on the NNYM team. While it's a "new" ministry job, there's a certain familiarity to what I will now do. In many ways I've already been doing networking, mentoring and coaching. But this is different. And there is so much of it that it really is NEW. While I don't know where all of this is going to lead, I do know that it's going to be an amazing adventure! Here we go! - jay |
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