What’s the Latest in Youth,
Children’s & Families Ministry?
Jonathan Kemp, Dir. AYCF Ministry
Anglican Church SQ
Intro and Outline

6 June 2014: Happy Qld Day! Happy D-Day(?)




9-10.30: Danger Zone 1
11.00 – 12.30: Danger Zone 2
1.00 – 2.30: Resources and the Next Step


(Housekeeping)
Talking Circles


Circle: 1. Who are you, where are you based and what are
your hopes for today?
2. Briefly, what challenges are you experiencing in YCF
ministry?
Say the Same Thing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sP1DqyagXE
Dropping Out: Danger Zone 1
Children  Tweens  Young Teens (c. 11 – 14)
 Changing schools / changing lifestyle
 Too busy / too tired
 Wider range of options / worldviews
/ inputs
 Physical / hormonal changes: rebellion etc

A Response: Here2Stay.org.au
Here2stay.org.au





Information
+ Formation
= Transformation
We need to provide formative experiences on top of
pure information.
Website suggests10 kinds...
Ten areas of Formative Experience we can
provide (in partnership with families)
A Response: Here2Stay




The 10 areas are listed up on paper around the room.
Go to an area you‘re interested in.
Add a strategy for that area, or refine one that’s already
there. Use pens and/or post-it notes.
The records will be turned into a Book of Proceedings to
be distributed to you.
Case study: “Apprentices' Guild” (handout)



Which Here2Stay strategies does this tap into?
“Mentors and Life Coaches”
“Anchors / Rites of Passage”
Morning tea
Games with no materials



(See handout)
Lateral thinking problems:
“Every workday, a man goes home past the same three
men. What’s his occupation?”
Danger Zone 2: High School  Uni






Why?
Transition out of school / home environment
18+ = legally adult / more freedom
Driving so going more places
Experimenting with identity and the adult world
Wanting rites of passage: if we can’t or won’t provide them,
someone else will e.g. Schoolies Week.
A Response: Stickyfaith.org
http://stickyfaith.org/about-stickyfaith
Define “Sticky Faith.”
Faith that is both internalized and externalized:
Faith that is both personal and communal: a faith that
celebrates God’s specific care for each person while
always locating faith in the global and local community of
the Church.
Faith that is both mature and maturing: a faith that shows
marks of spiritual maturity but is also in process of
growth. We don’t assume a high school senior or college
freshman (or a youth worker for that matter) will have a
completely “mature” faith. We are all in process.
Sticky Faith’s 5G Gospel:





GOOD – We are created in God’s image, and God was
pleased with humankind.
GUILT/GAP – Our sin, or our guilt, has separated us from
God.
GRACE – God couldn’t stand that separation, so God sent
Jesus that we might have real life in the present and eternal life
with God.
GOD’S PEOPLE – We live in community, experiencing and
advancing the Kingdom with our brothers and sisters in
Christ.
GRATITUDE – We serve and obey (and practise Lent) not
to make God like us more, or love us more, but because we’re
so grateful for all God has done for us.
Strings Attached

http://stickyfaith.org/videos/strings-attached-sticky-faithevery-day-curriculum
10 Tips for Starting a Sticky Faith Youth
Ministry from Scratch










Gather a team and listen closely.
Try Appreciative Inquiry.
Consider creating a ministry rhythm rather than a
ministry program.
Be careful not to over-program.
Prioritize mentoring.
Lean on parents.
Set a timeframe for your experiment, and follow
through on evaluation.
Work closely with children’s ministry leadership.
Look for ways to integrate with “big church.”
Involve the students in what you create.
Social Action for Families
Jonathan Kemp
Director, Anglican Youth, Children & Families Ministry
Anglican Church, Southern Queensland
WWW.AYCF.ORG.AU
What is “Social Action”?

An umbrella heading for:

Social Service activities (serving others)




Social Justice activities (fighting for others’ rights)



E.g. Feeding the hungry
Sheltering the homeless
Comforting the lonely
E.g. Raising awareness of issues
Protesting against injustice
Missional activities (bringing Jesus to life for others; building
God’s Kingdom on Earth)


Mission Trips
Service Projects (building schools, etc.)
Why should Christians do it?
The Lord’s Prayer:

“Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on Earth as it is in
Heaven.”
Jesus: Not an ally of the rich and powerful
The Sermon on the Mount


Matthew 5-7
Matthew 25:31-46 (The Sheep and the Goats)
Other sources / reasons?



We are God’s hands, feet, etc.
If we don’t, who will? (Ever seen an atheist soup kitchen?)
Traditions / denominations
Why should families work and serve
together?
Research findings

Research says it’s good for families:

Most kids who said they did at least an hour of service per
week reported that their parents also did lots of service
activities.

Makes ‘family time’ a priority
Reduces screen time
Builds and serves the community
Allows family members to see each other in a new light
Gives young people opportunity to lead
Gives parents stimulus to talk about and teach values





Research also says...
Making Service Projects Worthwhile

•
“This is lame!”
Not if:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Young people do actual work, not just observe
Adults are accepting & don’t criticise
Kids have important responsibilities
Have a sense of making a contribution
Have the freedom to develop their own ideas
Have opportunity to reflect (debrief)
Before we even get started...

Think ‘Safety First!’

Legalities and policies...
Due diligence...
Risk Assessment...
Age / gender appropriate...




Blue Cards / Food handling / Cash handling / safe
environment / etc...
How do we get started? (1)

Be clear about expectations and roles


Develop a cooperative atmosphere


(rotate the leadership)
(no-one likes having their work criticised)
Train families

(provide the right gear; use expert trainers)
How do we get started? (2)

Create meaningful projects and activities


Offer options in terms of commitment


(meet genuine needs; use ‘mentor families’)
(1-3 hour jobs? A week for those with more time?)
Debrief the experience

(have a discussion time; pluses and minuses of what happened)
Case Study: Supermarket Stake-out!







(Let’s try this process out...)
1. Expectations and roles
2. Good atmosphere 
3. Gear
4. Meaningful
5. Options
6. Debrief
Three levels for Service



1. Church
2. Local Neighbourhood
3. State / National / Global
You tell me! Local Church

Some local Church projects that families could be
engaged in:
You tell me! Local Neighbourhood

Service ideas:
Social Justice for Families






Real v. Realistic – realistic is OK.
Raising funds is a valid outcome
But education about the world is also important
Think about aligning with an agency (check its integrity
etc)
Then decide which cause feels most deserving to you
No need to reinvent the wheel: look around at what
other people are doing.
Stimulate some discussion...




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2p5svFJ9cQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFuLSB73ciU(Refugee
issue)
‘Go Back Where You Came From’ (SBS)
Movies, TV, books... Talk about the issues (values). How
should Christians respond?
Start to start...





1. Determine greatest need (or your passion).
2. Brainstorm lots of ways to help.
3. Short list to 5 or 6 and look harder.
4. Short list again to 2 or 3 and think about logistics.
5. Pick one and do it!
Make it “Intergenerational”

Take existing service activities or mission trips, and
ensure all ages are involved:






Food pantries and kitchens
Habitat for Humanity home building
Urban gardens to grow and distribute food (Angligreen?)
Yard work or home repair for homebound seniors
Leading worship or games at a retirement village
“Parents’ Night Out” (child-minding) for church or
neighbourhood
Intergenerational Social Action





Baking bread and taking to shut-ins or new arrivals
Making cards and visiting a kids’ hospital, asking families
what you can pray for
Graffiti / litter cleanup around your church
neighbourhood
Intergenerational 40-hour famine
Sending care packs and letters to missionaries or
deployed soldiers
Ask: “If one person can do it...

Could a family be doing it?”
Anticipating Objections

What could be some reasons for families not becoming
involved in Service projects?
Objection
Response
Q: Does becoming involved in Social
Action...


imply support for a particular political party or stance?
A: No.
Americans
Tony Campolo
Jim Wallis (shredded
Bible)
Shane Claiborne
Red Letter Christians
www.redletterchristians.org
Australians
Tim Costello
Jarrod McKenna
Resource: ABigYear.net

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATrvS0ba2qQ
Recap: PICS (formerly PINS)


A quick diagnostic tool for your parish:
Are your young people:




Participating meaningfully in worship and ministries?
Integrated (participating alongside other generations)?
(Doing) normative Christian things?
Having their own age-appropriate needs met with Sensitivity?
Let’s move!

[4 sheets: use post-it's etc]
Strategy idea
Method or process
Specific resources or
training needed
Case study: Messy Church
Messy Church isn’t ‘sloppy church’!





The Messy Church values are:
1. Christ-centred
Messy Church is a church, not a craft club, that helps
people encounter Jesus as Lord and Saviour.
2. All-age
It is for adults and children to enjoy together - every
element should be relevant and accessible to all ages.
Messy Church Values






3. Creativity
It uses hands-on activities to explore Bible stories, to reflect a
God of creativity and to give people a chance to play together.
4. Hospitality
It reflects a God of unconditional love and is a church for
people outside church, providing an oasis of welcome and a
safe space in which to thrive. Messy Church is about
hospitality, expressed most evidently by eating together –
whether it’s a plate of sandwiches to share, or sausage and
mash.
5. Celebration
It reflects a God of joy who wants his people to have life in all
its fullness.
Jane Leadbetter Workshops
 World
#2 MC expert
 Sherwood parish, 6-7 September 2014
How do we get started?




1. Come to the Jane Leadbetter workshop and bring a team.
2.Visit a Messy Church service and see it in action.
3. Join our Facebook group: “Messy Church – Brisbane and
Beyond!”
4. Contact me directly or Sue Taylor at Sherwood parish (3379
2723) for a consultation / “Messtastic Taster”!
Lunch!
YCF Strategy
 Events
 Camps
 Partnerships
 Communication
 Training, Resourcing
& Formation

Aligns with Diocesan and MEC strategies
Strategy: Events




8 November 2014: Saturation Saturday!
Wet’N’Wild Water Park, Oxenford
Open to YGs, kids, camp reunions, Anglican schools,
parishes, etc.
Book on Eventbrite
Strategy: Events

SN@P nights – Wynnum, Bardon, Hendra-Clayfield...
Strategy: Events
Strategy: Camps
•


(New) Primary Ichthus
(Jan.2013; Jan 2014)
29 campers, 15 leaders
Strategy: Camps
Emmaus retreat
 (March)
 Young adults only
 Overseen by “Emmaus
Executive” (meets
monthly)
 Emmaus groups now
meeting regionally
Closing soon!

Strategy: Camps
Junior Ichthus
 (September 2013)
 Near Springbrook
 52 campers / 15 leaders
in 2012.
 Brilliant evaluations!

Strategy: Camps
•Senior Ichthus
•30 June – 6 July
•28 campers / 15 leaders
•Near Peregian Springs
•Overseen by “Ichthus
Management Group” which meets
monthly.
Strategy: Partnerships and Projects
JK Committees:
 QCMN (ecumenical / SU)
 MC&F Reference group
 Connect 2 Church
 E-Lent / Word Up project
 Vocations Task-group
 ALEC (ASC)
JS Committees:
 RENEW (Chair)
 QCT RE&Chap Commission
 ASRED (ASC)
 REAC (Qld govt)
 ALEC (ASC)





We are working with or have
worked with:
Anglicare
UCA / LYQ / RC
ASC
ABM et al...
PARTNERSHIPS: GFS





GFS Grants:
Up to $500 per parish per
year for a group.
Up to $2000 per parish
per year for a special, oneoff project.
Forms are available on-line
at aycf.org.au
Leader needs to join GFS
($25/yr)
PARTNERSHIPS: GFS




In return, we support GFS
Cathedral day (kids’
activities etc. on Thursday
3 October)
AYCFAB supports
GFS/Kidsplus+ groups as the
preferred kids’ club model in
parishes.
Fiona and I presented at the
GFS leaders weekend at
Bribie on 25 May.
We will also explore other
forms of support.
PARTNERSHIPS: Red Letter Projects



Developing social service projects and options
to suit a range of ages
(See our website: www.aycf.org.au)
Parish Pantry
PARTNERSHIPS: ANGLIGREEN



Parish / Community Garden projects
Bushcare / bushwalking...
Angligreen.org.au
PARTNERSHIPS: ABM




2014 Youth Pilgrimages (Vanuatu, PNG)
Youth Ambassadors to Parishes
2014 Schoolies Week options
Other pilgrimage options for older youth.
Strategy: Communication









WWW.AYCF.ORG.AU
New website:
Events calendar (two-way communication)
Downloadable resources for every kind of YCF group
YCF group directory
Picture Galleries
Camp rego forms
Blogs and blog roll
Contact details
And more...
Strategy: Communication
Social Media:
•Facebook Page: c.247 Likes
•WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/BRISANGYOUTH
Strategy: Communication
Focus
• Wednesday Weekly
• Regular newsletters to
Parishes and contacts
(providing links to our
Website).
Mailouts
•
Strategy: Training, Resourcing and
Formation
Visit parishes, schools and agencies for preaching /
consulting / problem-solving...
On topics including:
 Youth Ministry
 Children’s Ministry
(inc. Messy Church)
 Families Ministry
 Employing YCF Ministers
 Social media/networking
(new Social Media Policy)

Strategy: Training, Resourcing & Formation

Bring It! A regular meeting for youth ministers and leaders of
youth groups in the Diocese, with guest speakers, free pizza,
etc.
Strategy: Training, Resourcing and
Formation



We encourage parishes to employ a YCF minister (FT/PT)
and we advise on all steps of the process, in liaison with
Diocesan HR.
JK currently working on new Parish Regulation for YCF
Minister Appt Process.
We are seeking to create new formal pathways for the
Formation of YCF Ministers.
Resources we offer include:








www.AYCF.org.au
Facebook Page and Group
Camps [handout: Senior posters / rego forms]
Events [e.g. “Young Adults Strategy” event – 17 June,
5.30pm, SFC]
Training
Networking
GFS grants
Help in employing YCF ministers
Communication channels:
What works for you?





Focus articles / ads
Wednesday Weekly – fortnightly updates
AYCF Newsletter – monthly or more
Specific emails for particular events
Designated parish contact people for children and/or
youth (cc: clergy)
Q&A
Where will Growth come from, if not from
Youth, Children and Families?
Closing Circles:

(Circle with 2-3 objects each)


Closing circle: what Next Step will you take in AYCF
ministry?

[evaluation forms]
Help? Contact the AYCF Hotline:






Visit WWW.AYCF.ORG.AU
Borrow books from the Roscoe Library, Milton (free
for Anglican SQ clergy and parishioners)
Call me: Jonathan Kemp (07) 3514 7432 at St Francis
College, Milton.
Email me: info@aycf.org.au
www.facebook.com/brisangyouth
Twitter: @jonkemptweets