1. Concept Review June 9, 2015 Roxanne Boyer Peg Rachfal Sue Lipari Lauren Rye Jim Pochodylo David Stimson

2. Our youth program includes 7 th – 12 th graders Sunday school 9 th grade commissioning class Weekly youth program on Sunday evenings, with bell and choir rehearsals, dinner, and fellowship Mission trips Retreats Service opportunities

3. In November 2013, the Session issued a document titled: Third Presbyterian Church Called to Grow: 2014 – 2017 This contained Mission and Vision statements, along with four goals and related strategies The first goal, Reaching In, included the following strategy:  Re-envisioned youth program

4. The Youth Committee created Youth Ministry Vision and Mission statements in 2011 A Revisioning Committee hired Youth Ministry Architects (YMA) to assess the sustainability of the youth program; the YMA report was issued in March 2014 Members of the Youth Ministry Implementation Team (YMIT) were selected in the Fall of 2014 to implement the YMA plan The YMIT increased the scope to include improvements to the relevancy of the youth program, within the existing Vision and Mission statements

6. “ Why most youth ministry doesn’t last and what your church can do about it”

7. The program has many assets, and is relatively strong, but there are also several challenges Improvements can be made in  Resources  Communication  Planning  Integration  Customization The YMIT selected 38 actions to be implemented in the first 10 months of the program

8. Results from TPC youth survey in February 2014 Input from TPC youth during visit on Sunday evening, March 22, 2015 Feedback from Youth Advisors, Youth Committee and Staff in early May Input from YMIT members  Observations from past youth groups  Experiences gained from summer trips  Self-described best practices from FPC of Charlotte, NC (former YMA customer)

9. Improvement ideas organized to support the P.I.P.E.S.  Preparation  Inclusion  Participation  Education  Service The YMIT selected 19 program improvements spread across all 5 categories

10. Resources Planning Communication P.I.P.E.S. The foundation is built from YMA recommendations The capstone supports the P.I.P.E.S.

11. Per YMA We are short on paid staff to support the youth program We need more adult advisors Additional resources are essential to sustain and improve!! +$20K +14 hr/wk +5 Adult Advisors Paid Staff Equivalents Salaries and Expenses

12. Montreat Youth Conference, July 2014

13. People Fold Youth Ministry Implementation Team into existing Youth Committee for next 18 months; this effort fits their charter Recruit a volunteer to lead the Middle School program for 2 years Recruit 14 adult volunteers to serve as advisors (currently 9) Funding Fund one-time resource (<$3K) to join Youth Ministry Coordinator to document all standard practices in a Youth Ministry Notebook (2015) Increase Youth budget by $4K to replace most fundraising, freeing parents to assist Youth program directly (2016) Hire part-time Middle School coordinator starting with 2017-2018 program year (budget impact half 2017, full 2018)

14. First priority Establish 12-month standard task list Establish 18-month moving calendar of special events, including annual trips Second priority Update and document standard protocols, for example Annual training plan for volunteers How to perform required background checks Job descriptions and time commitment for all volunteers ‘How to plan’ specific major events (Montreat)

15. First priority Establish communication team Maintain specific communication vehicles to parents Second priority Write marketing plan to promote the Youth Program to our congregation Third priority Maintain specific communication vehicles to students

16. First priority Identify a volunteer leader for the Middle School program Create a separate space for Middle School youth for the after- dinner program on Sunday evenings Second priority Establish rotating ‘youth councils’ for both Middle School and High School youth to identify specific topics for Sunday evenings Third priority Convert west end of youth lounge into a retreat space for High School youth … bring Montreat experience to TPC!

17. First priority Establish care-group get-togethers outside of church on a regular basis, initially once in Fall 2015 and once in Winter 2016 Implement youth-to-youth mentor program in Fall 2015: 7 th with 10 th, 8 th with 11 th, 9 th with 12 th Second priority Hold annual youth-to-youth “thumb-a-thon” to reach out to new members and youth that no longer attend Establish a ‘welcoming team’ of youth for Sunday evenings Third priority Explore opportunities to add program content for target groups

18. First priority Organize a ‘youth involvement fair’ on a Sunday evening in September with help from Session committee chairs o Kick-off with a motivational speaker o Recruit youth to join existing TPC activities Second priority Establish additional ways for youth to worship Third priority Reach out to other churches, any denomination, and arrange joint activities (worship, service, fellowship)

19. First priority Figure out Sunday School for 7 th -12 th graders; attendance has been very low Create unified curriculum plan for all grade levels and activities Second priority Add educational content to existing program in ways that speak to youth o Review and discuss video shorts (Nooma, for example) o Invite pastors for special topic sessions o Leverage existing Sunday adult education classes Third priority Organize movie nights and discussion on a Friday or Saturday, once in Fall and once in Winter

20. Establish service program that increases responsibility with age Cracker Box Palace no-kill animal shelter near Sodus Cameron Community Center, FoodLink RAIHN, DRM, Food Cupboard Service trips Elder care at Presbyterian Home Hospice care 7 th 12 th

21. Hold first ‘Stakeholder Review’ session next Saturday, June 13 Review recommendations with outside eyes to ensure our future youth program will be compelling Combine YMIT with Youth Committee Establish sub-teams teams for Resources, Planning, Communication, Preparation, Inclusion, Participation, Education, and Service Specify deliverables and create timelines Stop studying, start doing!