Report 4
Ministry Activity -
On Sunday I taught Sunday school for the junior high again. I had planned alot for VBS throughout the week and had neglected my Sunday school lesson ...I knew I was going to show the Nooma Lump...it talks about how no matter what we do God still loves us. The key phrase is "Nothing you could do could make God love you less." So I didn't know what to do for my game or what all I was going to talk about. I was out to eat with my cousin and family and friends and we were talking about my lesson and came up with this:
So, I had my black robe from graduation and my mom randomly knew where my dad's old gavel was. I had a trial in the classroom. I chose a boy in the class that is mature for his age, a leader, and a good sport. I called up his mother Sunday morning and asked her what something was that he did wrong in the past couple of months and then I asked if she would go on the witness stand against him. She agreed. I walked in the room gavel in hand, robe on, yelling order in the courtroom. I didn't think I could keep a straight face, but because I needed keep them focused and quiet I stayed pretty serious. I called Kalib to the stand and read him his rights. He wasn't informed ahead of time that I was doing this...I tried him on the fact that he defied authority and willingly wore the wrong shirt to his choir program. His face was priceless. I then asked him "what say you on this account" he made excuses and then I said I would like to call the defendants mother to the stand. It was great. Kalib's jaw dropped and the class was cracking up. Kailb's mom pretended to cry and I found the defendant guilty! Then i turned to Kalib and said "But because you are a son of God you Kalib are forgiven because nothing you could ever do would make God love you less."
We then watched the Nooma and discussed it some. Overall I was happy with how it went.
This week is VBS week and I am in charge of the junior high girls camp. At one point there was an expectation of at the most 25 girls...well I ended up with 32. VBS was huge this year, it has become a great outreach opportunity. I was a little stressed out about it all, but it has been going really well. I am trying to keep it fun and exciting, while having them learn something, and not think it is too childish. I am wearing out a little, but that's okay.
Coming up we have the rest of VBS, the junior high all-nighter, and the VBS Bash on Sunday morning which will be a carnival type dealio.
Hours -
I keep forgetting to put the hours for Thursdays.
so
Thursday - 8:30am - 5pm
VBS and rest of day
Mon - 8:30am - 5:30pm
Tues - 8:30am - 6:30 pm
Wed - 8:30 am - still in progress
Personal Reflection -
I think that this week has been really good for me. I am becoming more and more comfortable in front of students and learning to improvise on the spot...which I am really happy about. I feel like the more I get to know the students and the more that I spend in front teaching, the more comfortable I am. This week I have been debating a change in my minor and I have decided to change it from Leadership to Christian Education. I think that CED is more practical and I was looking at the classes and alot of the overlap with the youth min major. I also think it will give me a more well rounded view on ministry. I am excited ...it should be really neat.
Spiritual Reflection -
This week I have been so so so busy with planning...it's exhausting. I have felt encouraged by the responses of the students and the parents and I am so happy to hear that the girls are having a good time. I think that I really need to be more intentional with my with God. I have been learning and growing through the lessons I am planning, but need to make sure that I take time just for God with God.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Report 3
Report 3
Ministry Activity -
On to week 3
This week went okay. I spent a lot of my time planning for my Sunday school lesson and was completely stoked for it. It was hard to come up with an idea and I didn't want to use a curriculum book...I'm really stubborn. So Saturday night rolled around and I had a few things to tweak and to type out...when I suddenly realized that I would not have internet in the back room...dun dun dunnnnnn. So after staying up for 2 extra hours trying to figure out if I could find a downloadable version of the music video AND after using my digital camera to video record the computer playing the clips I wanted...I realized (at about 2:30 am) that if you play through a youtube video so it has already loaded and stuff you can play it again without an internet connection...hmmm :) at least it worked out.
So Sunday morning came really quick and my lesson was on Trust. I even searched through Pat Hannon's old chapel services to find a story he used last Spring...this was intense planning. I talked about how Peter walked on water because Jesus said "Come" and that even though Peter was afraid Jesus was not about to let him sink. We played the trust fall game and tied that into trusting God to catch us and I played the Indiana Jones clip of him taking a leap of faith. I ended it all with the song by Lifehouse called "Storm" and a video I found on tangle that fit perfectly, I also gave them a folded up handout to complete later...I really felt God planned this out and got it all ready for me. He guided me on this one...yet it still didn't go as well as I had hoped...With summer here the kids were hard to get focused, I had a media problem, and a parent kindly brought in donuts which did not help with the focus issue. I left feeling slightly discouraged.
Monday we had a staff meeting...usually I love these meetings because I love listening to everything that goes into planning a service and I love hearing the staff interact...this one was different though...I felt as if there was so much negative talk that the meeting ended leaving me with a bad taste in my mouth...then my brakes broke in my car.
Tuesday I showed up late to work because my mom had to take me...I worked primarily on VBS junior high camp stuff and I am really excited about how it is coming along. I hope that the girls get a new idea of what worship is and can incorporate some of the things we do into their daily lives. We have a coffee shop at church and the Worship arts pastor makes a mean mocha and always makes them for the interns as well :) I am always excited to hear "'mocha time." I met with my mentor/youth pastor...we went over the leadership book we are reading and talked about my Sunday school lesson. He also helped me get ideas for VBS. I took a personality quiz...those frustrate me sometimes... I don't always like some aspects of my personality :/
Wednesday- More VBS planning and game night for junior high students... nothing else is still going on for Wed. nights at the church so most students couldn't get rides so we had about 9 students and just played games and hung out.
Hours
At church planning -
Mon - 8:30 am - 5pm
Tues - 9:30 am - 4:30pm
Wed - 9 am - 3:30pm
With students -
Sun - 1.5 hr
Wed - 2.5 hr
Personal Reflection -
This first part of the week was really discouraging to me in so many different ways. I tried doing some art and writing out a pray to relieve some of my tension and I think it helped some. I need to keep more focused while I am in the church. I tend to take forever looking for one small thing to use in a class or at VBS and then I am crammed for other things...so I think if I can't find something in 30 min or less then I should move on and go back to it later so that way I am more productive in my day. I am learning so much. I learning that even though I feel that a Sunday school lesson will be an awesome hit and be perfect and impacting...some times it just isn't and it isn't because I did something wrong. I am also learning that frustration is present even while doing what I love...I knew this, but still I'm now experiencing it.
Spiritual Reflection-
I really felt God show me some cool things while planning the lesson and He really came through for me. With my frustration and discouragement with the stuff listed and some other things I felt really worn out. I think that I need to get more sleep and continue writing out my prayers. This really helped me to see and understand my feelings and express them to God. My excitement (and nervousness) is mounting for VBS and want it to really reveal to the girls who God is.
Ministry Activity -
On to week 3
This week went okay. I spent a lot of my time planning for my Sunday school lesson and was completely stoked for it. It was hard to come up with an idea and I didn't want to use a curriculum book...I'm really stubborn. So Saturday night rolled around and I had a few things to tweak and to type out...when I suddenly realized that I would not have internet in the back room...dun dun dunnnnnn. So after staying up for 2 extra hours trying to figure out if I could find a downloadable version of the music video AND after using my digital camera to video record the computer playing the clips I wanted...I realized (at about 2:30 am) that if you play through a youtube video so it has already loaded and stuff you can play it again without an internet connection...hmmm :) at least it worked out.
So Sunday morning came really quick and my lesson was on Trust. I even searched through Pat Hannon's old chapel services to find a story he used last Spring...this was intense planning. I talked about how Peter walked on water because Jesus said "Come" and that even though Peter was afraid Jesus was not about to let him sink. We played the trust fall game and tied that into trusting God to catch us and I played the Indiana Jones clip of him taking a leap of faith. I ended it all with the song by Lifehouse called "Storm" and a video I found on tangle that fit perfectly, I also gave them a folded up handout to complete later...I really felt God planned this out and got it all ready for me. He guided me on this one...yet it still didn't go as well as I had hoped...With summer here the kids were hard to get focused, I had a media problem, and a parent kindly brought in donuts which did not help with the focus issue. I left feeling slightly discouraged.
Monday we had a staff meeting...usually I love these meetings because I love listening to everything that goes into planning a service and I love hearing the staff interact...this one was different though...I felt as if there was so much negative talk that the meeting ended leaving me with a bad taste in my mouth...then my brakes broke in my car.
Tuesday I showed up late to work because my mom had to take me...I worked primarily on VBS junior high camp stuff and I am really excited about how it is coming along. I hope that the girls get a new idea of what worship is and can incorporate some of the things we do into their daily lives. We have a coffee shop at church and the Worship arts pastor makes a mean mocha and always makes them for the interns as well :) I am always excited to hear "'mocha time." I met with my mentor/youth pastor...we went over the leadership book we are reading and talked about my Sunday school lesson. He also helped me get ideas for VBS. I took a personality quiz...those frustrate me sometimes... I don't always like some aspects of my personality :/
Wednesday- More VBS planning and game night for junior high students... nothing else is still going on for Wed. nights at the church so most students couldn't get rides so we had about 9 students and just played games and hung out.
Hours
At church planning -
Mon - 8:30 am - 5pm
Tues - 9:30 am - 4:30pm
Wed - 9 am - 3:30pm
With students -
Sun - 1.5 hr
Wed - 2.5 hr
Personal Reflection -
This first part of the week was really discouraging to me in so many different ways. I tried doing some art and writing out a pray to relieve some of my tension and I think it helped some. I need to keep more focused while I am in the church. I tend to take forever looking for one small thing to use in a class or at VBS and then I am crammed for other things...so I think if I can't find something in 30 min or less then I should move on and go back to it later so that way I am more productive in my day. I am learning so much. I learning that even though I feel that a Sunday school lesson will be an awesome hit and be perfect and impacting...some times it just isn't and it isn't because I did something wrong. I am also learning that frustration is present even while doing what I love...I knew this, but still I'm now experiencing it.
Spiritual Reflection-
I really felt God show me some cool things while planning the lesson and He really came through for me. With my frustration and discouragement with the stuff listed and some other things I felt really worn out. I think that I need to get more sleep and continue writing out my prayers. This really helped me to see and understand my feelings and express them to God. My excitement (and nervousness) is mounting for VBS and want it to really reveal to the girls who God is.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Report 2
Ministry Activity -
So...week 2.
My second week went well. I taught Sunday school for the Junior high first service class. I talked about having endurance in our spiritual journeys. It was a little too short...I needed to get them to talk more...this is hard for me in a large group setting. All in all it was good...one of the boys in the group volunteered to pray for the prayer requests which I thought was pretty cool and then he told me I did a good job. I think it is really neat to see how the young men and young women in the youth group are being molded by God and maturing into awesome people.
The associate Pastor Stu introduced Lindsay (the children's ministry intern) and I during both services to the congregation. After the service I felt lifted up by the congregation and was so encouraged by people of the church (greatly appreciated)
Monday was staff meeting day where I again got to witness the pastor's unity as a team. I am learning how detailed everything in the church really is and how much planning it takes to accomplish a change within a church. They all did a great job with going over all aspects of ministry in the church and figuring out what is best for all involved.
Tuesday was neat because I had my weekly meeting with Dane (the youth pastor). We discussed a book on leadership that we are reading and went over the past week and upcoming week. Then for lunch the children's pastor, Lindsay, and I went out to lunch (just the girls) and then shopped for VBS stuff. Once I was back to the church I got to sit in on a meeting with a woman who along with her husband is having a Bible study at their house for about 10 high school students. Dane encouraged her in her work and advised her on some things.
Wednesday - My birthday! Yay! Today I worked on my Sunday school lesson and then headed home a little earlier than normal. For the Wednesday night stuff, I was in charge of the game again and co-lead a small group of girls...this went okay, but because I was not their normal leader and we combined with another group, the girls were a little timid.
Hours -
At church planning -
Mon - 8:30 am - 5pm
Tues - 9am - 5pm
Wed - 8:30 am - 12pm
With students -
Sun - 1.5 hr
Wed - 2.5 hr
Personal Reflection -
This week has gone so fast. I have really gotten to know Lindsay and that has been fun...we really connect well together. It has been fun to get to know the staff on a new level. It has been a struggle for me this week to come up lessons...I have curriculum books to use as references, but I don't really like them. It is a slow go for me, but I'm sure the more I do it, the easier it will become. I have also realized that I need hands on activity throughout my day or else I have trouble focusing, I am learning to split my day into sections and work on different things throughout. Oh yeah... and this youth ministry stuff is all alot harder than it looks :) I am enjoying my time as an intern and know that I am learning so much along the way. It makes me want to figure out a way to keep going to County Line while school is going on...I'll have to see if I can work that out in terms of my schedule.
Spiritual Reflection-
Again, I have been struggling here...this week was a little better. I felt as though God really helped me with my Sunday school lesson and it is coming along nicely. He has also used people in the church body to encourage me and speak truth to me. God has blessed me with my new friend and co-worker, Lindsay, and I am sooo grateful for this. I was really worried about not having any support from peers during the summer and God worked it all out. He seems to do a good job...why do I worry :)
I am going to start "faithbooking" sounds funny I know... but it's scrapbooking Bible verses and prayers. I think this will really help me to feel connected to God by using my hands and art while praying and being in His word. i am super excited about this new project of mine.
So...week 2.
My second week went well. I taught Sunday school for the Junior high first service class. I talked about having endurance in our spiritual journeys. It was a little too short...I needed to get them to talk more...this is hard for me in a large group setting. All in all it was good...one of the boys in the group volunteered to pray for the prayer requests which I thought was pretty cool and then he told me I did a good job. I think it is really neat to see how the young men and young women in the youth group are being molded by God and maturing into awesome people.
The associate Pastor Stu introduced Lindsay (the children's ministry intern) and I during both services to the congregation. After the service I felt lifted up by the congregation and was so encouraged by people of the church (greatly appreciated)
Monday was staff meeting day where I again got to witness the pastor's unity as a team. I am learning how detailed everything in the church really is and how much planning it takes to accomplish a change within a church. They all did a great job with going over all aspects of ministry in the church and figuring out what is best for all involved.
Tuesday was neat because I had my weekly meeting with Dane (the youth pastor). We discussed a book on leadership that we are reading and went over the past week and upcoming week. Then for lunch the children's pastor, Lindsay, and I went out to lunch (just the girls) and then shopped for VBS stuff. Once I was back to the church I got to sit in on a meeting with a woman who along with her husband is having a Bible study at their house for about 10 high school students. Dane encouraged her in her work and advised her on some things.
Wednesday - My birthday! Yay! Today I worked on my Sunday school lesson and then headed home a little earlier than normal. For the Wednesday night stuff, I was in charge of the game again and co-lead a small group of girls...this went okay, but because I was not their normal leader and we combined with another group, the girls were a little timid.
Hours -
At church planning -
Mon - 8:30 am - 5pm
Tues - 9am - 5pm
Wed - 8:30 am - 12pm
With students -
Sun - 1.5 hr
Wed - 2.5 hr
Personal Reflection -
This week has gone so fast. I have really gotten to know Lindsay and that has been fun...we really connect well together. It has been fun to get to know the staff on a new level. It has been a struggle for me this week to come up lessons...I have curriculum books to use as references, but I don't really like them. It is a slow go for me, but I'm sure the more I do it, the easier it will become. I have also realized that I need hands on activity throughout my day or else I have trouble focusing, I am learning to split my day into sections and work on different things throughout. Oh yeah... and this youth ministry stuff is all alot harder than it looks :) I am enjoying my time as an intern and know that I am learning so much along the way. It makes me want to figure out a way to keep going to County Line while school is going on...I'll have to see if I can work that out in terms of my schedule.
Spiritual Reflection-
Again, I have been struggling here...this week was a little better. I felt as though God really helped me with my Sunday school lesson and it is coming along nicely. He has also used people in the church body to encourage me and speak truth to me. God has blessed me with my new friend and co-worker, Lindsay, and I am sooo grateful for this. I was really worried about not having any support from peers during the summer and God worked it all out. He seems to do a good job...why do I worry :)
I am going to start "faithbooking" sounds funny I know... but it's scrapbooking Bible verses and prayers. I think this will really help me to feel connected to God by using my hands and art while praying and being in His word. i am super excited about this new project of mine.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Report 1
Ministry Activity -
This week was my first week at the church and it was already jammed packed! Monday started off with getting me information and stuff and then there was a staff meeting. That was really neat to sit in on. I knew that church planning and stuff was complicated, but this was above and beyond that for me. It was exciting to see how intentional the church was being and how much the staff worked together as a team. Tuesday I spent time preparing and Tuesday night I sat in on a MLT meeting. MLT's are the nominated group that vote on things and help the congregation and pastors with all the decisions and other church information. Wednesday I met with the former VBS junior high girls leader and got advice from her on what I should since I will be leading it. Then Wednesday night was small groups for junior high. I planned and was in charge of the opening game and sat in on a small group.
Hours at church planning
Mon - Wed
8:30 am - about 4pm
With students
Wed night 2.5 hours
Meeting MLT
3 hours
Personal Reflection -
This first week was great to connect with the pastors and the other summer intern (for children's ministry) I feel like I have already experienced so much and have a better understanding of the church and what it is working towards. I am excited to see the plans put into action and am happy to be a part of it. I have a lot of lesson planning to do for Sunday school and VBS which is slightly overwhelming yet exciting all the same.
I am learning how much work it takes to get everything done and still build relationships. I also am learning the importance of team ministry. The pastors at County Line are VERY team oriented and communicate with one another constantly. They work very hard and still make time for family and the congregation. I am super excited to learn the "behind the scenes" of the church that I have grown up in and love.
Spiritual Reflection-
I am struggling a little in this area to be honest. I am so excited to be doing ministry and learning about God and the church, but am having a hard time connecting with God. I am very much a visual and hands on learner and have always struggled with ways to personally feel connected with God in devotions. (any advice would be sooo amazing) I feel like I have the passion and desire to know God more and want to be even more connected to Him...the question is how?
This week was my first week at the church and it was already jammed packed! Monday started off with getting me information and stuff and then there was a staff meeting. That was really neat to sit in on. I knew that church planning and stuff was complicated, but this was above and beyond that for me. It was exciting to see how intentional the church was being and how much the staff worked together as a team. Tuesday I spent time preparing and Tuesday night I sat in on a MLT meeting. MLT's are the nominated group that vote on things and help the congregation and pastors with all the decisions and other church information. Wednesday I met with the former VBS junior high girls leader and got advice from her on what I should since I will be leading it. Then Wednesday night was small groups for junior high. I planned and was in charge of the opening game and sat in on a small group.
Hours at church planning
Mon - Wed
8:30 am - about 4pm
With students
Wed night 2.5 hours
Meeting MLT
3 hours
Personal Reflection -
This first week was great to connect with the pastors and the other summer intern (for children's ministry) I feel like I have already experienced so much and have a better understanding of the church and what it is working towards. I am excited to see the plans put into action and am happy to be a part of it. I have a lot of lesson planning to do for Sunday school and VBS which is slightly overwhelming yet exciting all the same.
I am learning how much work it takes to get everything done and still build relationships. I also am learning the importance of team ministry. The pastors at County Line are VERY team oriented and communicate with one another constantly. They work very hard and still make time for family and the congregation. I am super excited to learn the "behind the scenes" of the church that I have grown up in and love.
Spiritual Reflection-
I am struggling a little in this area to be honest. I am so excited to be doing ministry and learning about God and the church, but am having a hard time connecting with God. I am very much a visual and hands on learner and have always struggled with ways to personally feel connected with God in devotions. (any advice would be sooo amazing) I feel like I have the passion and desire to know God more and want to be even more connected to Him...the question is how?
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