Reflections and Intentions

Reflections and Intentions ~

As another year comes to a close, it is a great time to reflect upon the past 12 months. Maybe even review the intentions we set at the beginning of the year and take inventory of what worked, what didn't or what might we do differently.

Our year end practice in Youth Ministry is to have a group discussion during circle time. We sit with a few questions as a way of looking back over the past year as well as questions that prompt us to consider what we wish to experience in the New Year.

Many years ago, we made the switch from making New Year resolutions, to setting New Year intentions. Where resolutions often presume there is something to fix, an intention gives way to positively designing the future. It's been fun to bring this practice to our young friends. It's an honor to witness all the accomplishments they've achieved and fun to see where and what they want to learn, grow and go in the New Year. Of course we'll have a bit of fun too!

Here are a few questions to consider in reflection:

What intentions did you achieve in the past year and did they bring you joy?
What intentions eluded you or needed to change?
What is one thing you've learned that you didn't know last year?
In what way were you able to make a difference in the world or the life of another?

For setting intentions you might consider these questions:

What are my goals? What would I like to achieve?
What are my dreams? What step can I take to bring them forward?
What would I like to learn?
What can I let go of?
In what way can I make a difference?

However it is you choose to bring in 2019 ~ We wish you a very happy and prosperous New Year!

Blessings,
Susan Robinson, RScP
Director, Youth and Family Ministry

Youth and Family Minsitry at the Center Update!

There is nothing like starting a new month with a HUGE fundraiser and doing a stage announcement, volunteer call, at all three services! What an amazing morning. Our community once again came out to support our teens. We only had a handful of small holiday wreaths remaining. Our net profit was $1850.00 (though I think we added a few extra donations beyond that.) The best news was that when I met with Anne to review our teen finances, I was able to 100% scholarship our qualified teens for CSL Winter Camp. Yahoo!

On the volunteer front, former volunteer Heidi Jones has rejoined our Nursery team! She agreed to fill in two times each month to help cover our shortage, then will likely move to a fixed Sunday. To date, I’ve received three volunteer applications. As of this report, I am scheduling volunteer meetings to review our youth program and to find the best fit for each of them. One has great potential to become a classroom teacher, and I am over the moon about that.

Back to our teens. We are in the final week of Winter camp registrations, and whew, it has been a busy week. Several of our parents took me up on the offer to register their teens in-house. This also gave me the opportunity to have one-on-one meetings with the parents and do a more in-depth check in with them. At present we look to have 11 teens attending the Northern California Winter camp. Danna Iversen, as a member of CSL teen leadership, will be attending the North Carolina camp, pending the final registration totals. I have secured two additional advisors to support us, Emily Jansen-Adan and Kristine Anderson. Both recently completed and updated their online advisor training.

On December 7-8, I attended an off-site youth director/advisor meeting. This was an informal gathering to lay the groundwork for a potentially larger gathering in 2019. Our agenda topics included balancing service and self-care to avoid burn out, personal growth and spiritual support, fundraising, volunteer recruitment, best practices, curriculum resources, how “family” fits into youth and family, teen overnights, and looking ahead to 2019. We came away with commitments from CSL San Jose to host a Spring teen overnight and from us in Santa Rosa to hold a fall teen overnight.

With loving gratitude,

Susan Robinson, RScP

Prayer Mala Workshop with Our Teens

Thank you Sue Robson for sharing your creative Genius with our Teens and making learning about mala beads such a joy!