If you’ve decided to hang out in the cafe, let us know who you are! Post a comment below with your name and what role you take in youth ministry at your church/parachurch or other organization, and where you are, such as city and state. Also post the demographics of the youth ministry you are working with, such as rural, urban, and so forth.
Important! Do not post the size of your youth group… We’re not in a numbers game in youth ministry, and this isn’t a spot to compare sizes… Do post anything that has to do with discipling, outreach, mentoring and so forth, either here or on the discussion page. Happy story-telling!
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Anna Howard.
As you may have guessed by all the pages and posts labeled “Anna,” I created this web page.
I am also the author of the blog: http://www.deepsoil.com.
I have just taken a job as the coordinator for youth ministry for the Episcopal Diocese of Tennessee. My job will be to help equip youth ministers and churches for youth ministry. I’ll know a lot more here in a couple of months, the first six months on the job I anticipate to involve a lot of listening.
Adam Waltenbaugh.
I’m a member of St. Francis Church, where Anna’s husband is vicar. We don’t have any youth currently, but we’re planning our youth ministry ahead of time, and I am part of that.
I have been a youth worker for a couple of churches in the past, in my old life in the Churches of Christ. I taught Sunday school on occasion, chaperoned for trips and retreats, and tried to mentor some of the youth I connected with.
During the week, I’m a counselor. I work with youth in groups and individually, particularly those who have come through the court system with histories of some violence (assault, domestic assault, unruly, etc.). I’ve also been a middle school counselor in the past. I haven’t worked in any organized youth ministry in about 10 years, and I really miss it.
I’ve been married to my lovely wife, Kim, for 10 years, and we have a 6-year-old daughter. I’m really glad to be a part of this blogging community.
Lynn-nore Chittom.
I am a member of St. Francis along with Anna and Adam and I’ve been involved in youth ministry from the time I WAS a youth! Most recently I volunteered with the youth ministry at my former church in Massachusetts, North Shore Baptist Church. Good friends of mine led the youth group and I participated as an additional adult volunteer. A few years earlier my husband and I led the youth group at the same church until those kids all aged out into young adults.
I love working with teens. I feel very strongly that they are a lost generation within many churches. The little ones are guided through nursery, Sunday School and children’s church, but the teens have a hard time finding their place within the body of Christ. My passion for youth ministry is to bridge that gap and help the kids to know that they are not invisible in the church, they are not less significant because of their age, and they have not been forgotten by the adults or God!
While our church is presently without much of a teen demographic, I am looking forward to that ministry when the time is right.
As for my personal life, I am a wife, mommy and freelance writer and loving all of it. I have been married to my husband, Thom, for nearly 14 years and I spend most of my time taking care of our home and our two kids — ages 7 and 2 - and our turtle and our fish!
I also am very glad to be involved in this blogging community!
I’ve worked with youth as a volunteer for 13 years–first as a Cub Scout and Boy Scout leader and then with church youth groups in two dioceses of the Episcopal Church. I have also served on 2 diocesan youth councils or commissions for a total of 5 years of service in that capacity. It is totally strange and weird to me that I am not currently associated with a youth group, except as a parent. I have moved on, not up, to Campus Ministry and currently serve as a Campus Minister for St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Murfreesboro, TN, at Middle Tennessee State University.
I have been married for 23 years to my best friend and great hero, Will, and we have two amazing sons. We have home schooled them since 1999–Bill is a sophomore at MTSU, and Dave is a high school senior.
I’m also a big fan of Anna Howard and am blessed to call her a friend!
I, Peter Trenchi, recently transferred my letter to Otey Parish, Sewanee, TN. I officially moved to Sewanee 10/05 & should have my house done real soon (before winter - brrr). I will be working with Fire On The Mountain youth group @ Otey in Sewanee after about a 20 year hiatus from church youth work (in Pine Bluff & Hot Springs, AR). Also within my background are volunteer positions working with international visitors, local political and community leadership development, child abuse prevention, and student progressive groups. Vocations have been mechanic, forester, restaurant work, management consultant, slumlord, attorney and mediator. Having grown up in St. Barnabas (a few years back), I am curious why they and some other churches within the region do not have a presence within this context. Is there a mission challenge waiting in the bushes? Is the bush burning??
Hi folks, I know I haven’t really posted a lot, but I guess I could be called a resident lurker here at the ymCafe. I am the vicar of St. Francis Church in Goodlettsville, I’m married to Anna and have quite a few friends around here.
I have an interest in all things youth ministry because I believe most priests have far too little interest or knowledge of it and because my lovely wife lives and breathes it.
I am also an extra moderator, so I have the authority to save your comments from comment purgatory, lest they languish in unappreciated anonymity forever.
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