Family and Youth Coordinator - the start

There are certain days when life takes a dramatic turn, today is one of those days...

Today, I begin a new position at New Covenant Presbyterian Church in Monroeville, PA. For the first time in 20 years, I will not be directly involved in church planting.

My initial philosophy of Family and Youth ministry looks something like this...

... I should note that this diagram represents my own philosophy of Discipleship as it currently stands.

The official job responsibilities are...

... this second word cloud was generated from the responsibilities section of the job description as follows...

1. Program Ministry - provide leadership in planning, implementing and leading activities such as, but not limited to Sunday school, Youth and stand alone programs, i.e. retreats and summer programs.
2. Leadership Development - Identify, recruit, train and mentor Sunday school instructors and youth volunteers. 
3. Ministry to Families - develop and implement educational ministries to assist parents in their spiritual leadership role. 
4. Administration - a) maintain on-going communications with Session, the church staff and the Discipleship committee, b) create routine communications for the congregation regarding ministry offerings, programs and schedules and c) attend Session meetings and Discipleship committee meetings, as appropriate.

I am NOT publishing these word clouds in order to to make an editorial observation - I am too new for that. Rather, I publish these to document this point in time, where I begin the quest of better understanding where my responsibilities and priorities will be.

In order to begin, I will be meeting with as many church people as I can. I love this phase... as Henry Blackaby urges... I am looking to see where God's Spirit is already blowing in order to hoist my sail in His wind.

Lord Jesus... I ask your blessing as I enter this process.