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Many people want to help out and make a difference in the life of a young person but are not able to commit to being a leader on a regular basis. In the weeks to come we are going to be putting on the website--- 20 easy ways you can help make a difference in our students lives. If you are interested in participating in just one of these----it will make a world of difference. Please contact Tony West at the church office (ext.234) or contact him via email with any ideas you might have. |
#1 HOSPITALITY: This fall we desire to pursue more of a small group model with our students and we are looking for people in the congregation who would be able and willing to have students over to their house (or large apartment) for food and refreshments once a month or once every 6-10 weeks. If you have gifts in hospitality and want to connect with our students in a casual atmosphere this would provide a safe place for students to be real and grow in community.
#2 PRAYER FOR STUDENTS: We could give you (and your small group) a student’s picture and prayer card with some information that would help you know how to pray for the specific needs of our students. This could be something that you do regularly and/or your small group could adopt this student (or 2 students (a male and a female)). God is at work in our young people’s lives but this is a generation that is facing many more hurdles than we faced when it comes to following Christ. Nothing is more powerful though than the prayers of a faithful saint!!
#3 TECH SUPPORT: We are regularly in need of help with tech support for our large group youth meetings. If you are gifted or able in the any of these areas: sound/ a-v, running a video projector, power point, music/cds, digital pictures or camera work--------and would be available to come and help out just one night (on a Friday or a Thursday) that would be an answer to prayer. Some of our students help with this on a regular basis but it would give them a break and a chance to participate and it would also free up our leaders to be with the students. Any sort of volunteer help in this area would be appreciated!!
#4 BAKING/COOKING: If you enjoy baking cookies or homemade delicacies we are sure to have lots of young people who would enjoy eating them!! We desire very often to have our meetings be teen-friendly especially for newcomers. And what better way to always try to have some snacks and goodies available. Once a month or maybe just once every 10 weeks this would be greatly appreciated at any of our student meetings. Also, a great way to get to know some of our students might be to include them in on the cooking-----which could be at your place or in the church kitchen!
#5 PIZZA FOR THE HOMELESS: Our students are involved in serving at Breakthrough here on the North Side and on the West side at least once a month. Very often we will pitch in funds to pay for the food that we will prepare or purchase for the homeless. But we are always short on money and time. If you would be interested and able in helping us out one time with this by either donating funds, donating food or donating time to cook, this would help us out tremendously and it would enable our students to be able to do this with more regularity and to focus on developing relationships with the breakthrough men and women.
#6 CALLING ALL ARTISTS & THE CREATIVE: Our theme this fall for the students is “TEARING DOWN THE WALLS”---walls that exist between us and God, us and each other, us and those different from us and us and those who do not believe in Christ. We are looking to transform Fellowship Hall (and even the Gym) with some pieces of art that convey the theme (these pieces could be taken down and put up just for youth nights). We are hoping to include the students in developing these but we also are in need of some artists to help us with this. These could be anything from paintings on canvas, wooden structures, creative displays----all things that would be relevant to the youth culture so that Fellowship Hall will have a unique feel to it when our students are here and inviting their friends to experience life in Christ. If you could help in any way with the creative process or the ability to help us get supplies, or just put something together it would be greatly appreciated.
#7 GRAPHIC ARTISTS AND DESIGNERS NEEDED: We are always seeking to put out attractive fliers, t-shirt designs and postcards to depict and communicate what God is doing here in the lives of our students. If you are able to work on a project like this either alone or with a student it would be greatly appreciated. Many of our students do not have a computer at home and would appreciate learning how to do graphic design as well. Your help with a student or just with creating a contemporary and relevant flier or postcard for an event would be greatly appreciated.
#8 THE MAZE: The MAZE is one of our biggest outreaches to our friends and to the community of the year. There are so many ways you could help out in a simple one-time way!!! Here are just a few: Come and help build the Maze any night between Oct.13—Oct.24---better yet recruit your small group or some friends, donate supplies or food/snacks or drinks for the students who are here building each night, help with publicity in the community, help run the Maze outreach any one night between Oct.25-31, help with tearing down the Maze on November 1 st and bring some friends or offer to provide childcare for couples who desire to minister together. Any help with the MAZE goes a long way and is truly appreciated.
#9 TUTORING: Many of our students struggle academically for a variety of reasons. One of those reasons is a lack of parental involvement and encouragement in their schoolwork. If you are ever interested in getting together with a student to help them with their math, or English or even just help them become familiar with using a computer it would go a long way in empowering this student to become all that he or she can be. It would also be a great way to demonstrate God’s love. Even if it is just once a month or even a one time event, the student will be very grateful for the support and the wisdom.
#10 DRIVERS and CHAUFFEURS NEEDED: Many of our students do not live within walking distance of the church and so we encourage them to find their way here and then we do our best our to provide a ride home for them (on Thursday or Friday nights when our meetings may go late). As we expect to grow in numbers, this can always be challenging for our youth leaders to provide transportation for everyone. IF you could help out once a month or even just one time by coming after our meeting to provide some students with a ride home it would be greatly appreciated by all of us and especially the students’ parents. Friday night’s X-alt Sr.High group goes until 11pm. Thursday evening is over at 9:15pm. Many of our upperclassmen who had vehicles have since graduated and we are expecting a younger group of students this year who may not have their own vehicles or parents who are able to transport them.
#11 YOUR TESTIMONY---COME AND SHARE: Our students always are ministered to in a great way when they here other people’s stories of how God has worked in their life and why they have chosen to follow Christ. You are invited to come and share your story of how you came to know God was real, why you chose to follow Him and how He has been working in your life. Many of our students come from homes where Christ is not followed and it encourages them to hear the how’s and why’s of the spiritual journeys of others. You could write it out or you come and just be yourself and share in either a small group setting or a large group setting. Also if you have struggled with a particular area (who hasn’t?) and might be able to share your story and/or give some advice, it would be greatly appreciated. (common areas of struggle for teens: identity, peer pressure, acceptance, dealing with the opposite sex, eating disorders, depression, future/college issues, taking a stand for what you believe in, drugs, alcohol, school stress, relationships, etc.).
#12 MUSIC/MEDIA RECOMMENDATIONS: We are always looking for insightful and thoughtful lyrics in modern songs and in tv shows/movies that really speak accurately to the human situation and may also reflect biblical truth or human need. If you come across some modern music that might fit this category (usually in the styles of rock, rap, alternative or pop) or current tv shows and/or movies please pass this information along to us so we can utilize the gift of music in our meetings to provide a welcoming atmosphere as well as to communicate biblical truth in the context of current culture. If you could provide the cd or a videotape and loan it to us to use that would be greatly appreciated as well.
#13 APPRECIATION DINNERS: Two groups of people who are especially deserving of some appreciation are parents and youth leader volunteers. It would be great if we could have some people from the congregation volunteer their time and resources (along with the students) to put together a nice dinner or luncheon for the parents or volunteers. Some helpers for this event could help with decoration, serving, cooking and clean up. It’s a great way to show the teens, leaders and parents and that the whole Body of Christ supports what is happening in our young people’s lives.
#14 THE ANNUAL ALL CHURCH BOWL-A-THON: Once a year our student ministries team sponsors this event to raise funds for the youth mission trips and conferences that our students attend. Though it is usually in the first week of June we have discovered that this is probably not the best time and we will probably move it to earlier in the Spring. In any case you can come and bowl and bring some friends and make a donation. The best scenario is for you to consider asking others at your workplace and in your family to sponsor you 5 or 10 cents per pin (point) and the proceeds go towards the Youth Mission trips. If you cannot make it to the Bowling alley you could also sponsor a student or a youth leader. This can be a terrific all church activity with your small group and/or some friends. Your presence and support at an event like this speaks volumes to our students about how much they are valued and loved by the congregation.
#15 SUNDAY AFTERNOON FELLOWSHIP: One of our goals is to integrate our students into the Body of Christ. We have found over the years that it is possible to see many of the youth sitting in the balcony but never really have a chance to get to know them and vice versa. Consider this: inviting a couple of students and a youth leader over for lunch on a Sunday afternoon for a time of fun, fellowship and food. It works great for students who come a long way to our church and may not be able to do something like this during the week. It also provides further incentive to be at church on Sundays and really brings the reality of Christ and the Body of Christ as community to an experiential level. Your time, genuine concern and willingness to share will go a long way in communicating to our students about the reality of Jesus Christ.
#16 PROVIDE CHILDCARE FOR THE YOUTH LEADERS/STAFF: A few of our leaders who minister to youth have young children. It would be great if these couples could minister together and share the same ministry. IF you would be willing to babysit once a month or once every 6-8 weeks for these parents (usually on a Thursday or Friday night), free of charge, this would be an incredible blessing to not only the parents but also the teens. It is crucial to have married couples (and not just singles) reaching out to students in our culture. Your willingness to stay and minister to the younger children will enable greater ministry to take place.
#17 PRAYER FOR YOUTH LEADERS: Our youth leader volunteers are very often in need of encouragement as they seek to shepherd our students and really share their lives with them as they follow Christ. You can choose to pray regularly for a youth leader and receive a picture and card with some specific information. You could also have your small group adopt a leader to pray for regularly. We really believe in the power of prayer and now more than ever our leaders are facing the reality of spiritual warfare as they seek to proclaim the kingdom of God to our future leaders and future parents. Pray against discouragement, pray for wisdom in time management, pray for faith, that our leaders will walk in faith, pray for discernment, boldness and courage to speak the truth in love, pray for victory over temptation. Pray that God will raise up more female leaders to work with our students on Friday nights and that God will give us leaders with the gift of evangelism, leadership and discernment. Your prayers really are the key to this ministry. Thank you for being willing to do engage in the war on the frontlines.
#18 OFFICE HELP *** SECRETARIAL ASSISTANCE: On a weekly basis we are always in need of some secretarial assistance which could involve making copies, developing our database, designing memory verse cards, laminating, typing, filing and mailings, etc. While the office staff at First Free is incredibly helpful, they often have their hands full and are unable to keep up with all the work they are given from the different pastors. If you are ever free during the day and want to come and help out in the office with some of the above various tasks it would be greatly appreciated. It would also free up the Student Ministries Pastor to be able to cultivate relationships and provide more vision and structure to the ministry. This could be just a one time thing or you could volunteer to come in once a month and help out. Either way, your contribution will be huge and greatly appreciated.
#19 A CUP OF COLD WATER (OR A CAN OF POP): We try to provide cold drinks/beverages and snacks for our students who attend afterschool programs. Many of these programs are outreach in nature and they provide an opportunity for a student to hear the gospel in a language they can understand. Our gymnasium, though small, is very effective in providing young students with an opportunity to play and excel in various sports as opposed to being out on the streets afterschool getting into trouble. We are always appreciative of volunteers who can donate a few 24 packs of soda or some Kool-aid and/or cookies, chips and fruit for the students. Even if you provide this just one time, it will go a long way in expressing that God’s love is free, unconditional and unlimited.
#20 DRAMATIC PRESENTATIONS ACTORS & ACTRESSES NEEDED: If you are gifted in acting or are able to do a monologue (we can provide you with scripts or you can improvise and create your own) where you act out a bible character from the past or some type of character for dramatic purposes----we would love for you to consider sharing your gift with our students. Young people learn more from drama as opposed to lecture. Your creative abilities would be tremendously appreciated even if you only came once for a special activity.
Contact Tony West to make a difference. He can be reached by calling the church office at 773.561.4175 or by email (twest followed by firstfree.com).
