> Young People's Ministry 

Hartsville youth are thinking BIG for WnW and Project Transformation! (Web story, 1/19/12)

Hartsville Youth are thinking BIG for WnW 2012 and Project Transformation Tennessee! The TN UMC Young People's Ministry wanted to share with you one way that your group can start thinking BIG320! Hartsville First UMC Youth shared this picture of their children's book and art supply drive for Project Transformation Tennessee.  They are planning on bringing these to WnW2012 to help hundreds of Middle Tennessee children who will participate in Project Transformation Tennessee this summer and beyond. We want your group to also thinkBIG so take some time to download the Start thinkingBIG320 resource which you can download from www.warmthinwinter.com. To find out more about Project Transformation Tennessee visit www.pttennessee.org.   The WnW2012:thinkBIG320 team Keep up-to-date with Young People's Ministry in the new year.  Visit http://tnumcyouth.org for the latest youth ministry happenings, visit http://tnumcya.org for the latest information about young adult ministry in the Tennessee Conference.  Follow us on twitter @tnumcyngpeople.

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Project Transformation Tennessee launches this summer (from The Connector, Jan. '12)

Program will address void with college-aged students

As a teen, Keller Hawkins loved youth group at Nashville’s Belmont UMC, but experienced a spiritual void once she became a college student.

“I was so consumed with school and studying and being on the varsity swim team,” says Hawkins, 19, now a sophomore at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Wash. “I just got wrapped up in college life.”

Fortunately, she recognized the void and, for the first summer after her freshman year, sought out an internship with Project Transformation to reinvigorate her faith and feed her mission-minded inclinations.

“I needed to be able to give my heart to something significant,” Hawkins says of the United Methodist-supported ministry. “I didn’t really know much about Project Transformation, but the experience far surpassed my expectations.”

Today, Hawkins is considering seminary and a ministry vocation, thanks in part to her Project Transformation internship last summer in Texas. However, her more immediate plans are to apply to intern this summer with Project Transformation Tennessee.

The Nashville-based nonprofit organization will launch this May modeled after Project Transformation Texas. Tennessee leaders are actively recruiting 32 college-age students from Tennessee and beyond for its first class of interns.

The interns will live on the campus of Belmont University and commute each day to operate free eight-week summer day camps for children in four underserved Nashville neighborhoods. The camps will be held at Ernest Newman United Methodist Church, Nancy Webb Kelly United Methodist Church, Sixty-First Avenue United Methodist Church, and Tulip Street United Methodist Church.

“Project Transformation offers a structure for serving low-income children and youth, connecting churches with their neighborhoods, and helping other area churches partner in a new and relevant ministry. But most importantly, it’s about giving young adults an opportunity to develop as principled, knowledgeable and Christ-centered leaders, right at the time when they are trying to discern how they want to invest their lives,” says Courtney Aldrich, executive director of Project Transformation Tennessee, who interned for three summers with Project Transformation Texas.

The interns will plan and operate the camps four days a week; hear speakers and attend ministry exploration outings every Friday; and participate in worship with their camp site churches on Sundays. They will receive room and board and a $1,500 living stipend. The inaugural program runs May 26-July 28, with time off each week from Friday afternoon
to Saturday evening.

“I’ve told church leaders that, if you want to help your young adults, get them to do Project Transformation,” says the Rev. Vona Wilson, associate pastor at Franklin First UMC, which has sponsored four college students in the last four years at Project Transformation Texas.

Wilson says Project Transformation helps churches to fill the significant void in ministries that resonate with young adults.

“For the most part, the Church is missing and losing its young adults, especially its college-age students. This generation does not respond to the traditional model, where we ask our young adults to sit inside our walls, in a classroom or in one hour of worship on Sunday mornings. This generation is about making a difference in the world. What Project Transformation does is to show our young adults that, if you’re a leader and a Christian leader, you’re going to make a difference in whatever field you choose,” says Wilson, vice president of the leadership team for Project Transformation Tennessee.

Hawkins left last summer’s internship wanting to make a difference with her life. Her experience was enriched by living and working for 10 weeks with nine other interns on her team and by attending Friday ministry exploration outings such as visiting the Perkins School of Theology in Dallas. But mostly, she was transformed by interacting daily with about 100 children, grades 1 through 6, in Denison, a small town in rural North Texas.

“It wasn’t just working with these interns and these kids, but it was working with them every day and really getting to know them,” she says. “The kids were amazing, and I learned a lot of things about myself and where I want to go in life. On the last day of camp, it was so hard to say goodbye. I was sobbing. I came to love the children so much.”

Hawkins says Project Transformation is for anyone who is open to experiencing transformation and being part of transformational experiences for others.

“If you want an experience that really changes you and helps you become more aware of the world around you, then definitely apply for Project Transformation,” she says of the new Tennessee ministry. “What better time than when you’re still in college and your summer is a wide-open slate. It’s something you can put your whole heart into.”

> Jan. 31 is the priority deadline for submitting internship applications to Project Transformation Tennessee. To learn more, visit www.pttennessee.org.

 > VIEW internship posting on TNUMC.org CAREERS page

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The Hands and Feet that serve (from The Connector, Nov. 2011)

Throughout September and October the Hands and Feet Mission Retreat, a yearly event of the TN UMC Young People’s Ministry, provided missional experiences in six different communities all over Middle Tennessee. Host churches in the Conference this year were Hermitage UMC, Lawrenceburg First UMC, Springfield First UMC, Cookeville First UMC, Fellowship UMC, and Antioch UMC. Nearly 400 youth and youth leadership participated in service to the communities surrounding each of these churches.  

“Helping others is what Jesus did, so we wanted to reach out to others to give them a helping hand as well. There is tremendous need in our community - if everyone reached out, what a better community this would be! It starts with one person helping another. The youth of our community were excited about helping others in need,” said Rev. Alecia Fischer, Associate Pastor of Lawrenceburg First UMC. Youth from Lawrenceburg First have taken the Hands and Feet model and are applying it in monthly mission opportunities. “One Wednesday per month we find someone to help in our community. Last week we helped someone with yard work - it felt good to serve others,” said Lucy Benson, youth member.

According to Rev. Kenda Creasy-Dean, Professor of Youth, Church and Culture at Princeton Theological Seminary, serving others in essential to building a faith that lasts as well as developing a faith known as “consequential.” In her book Almost Christian, Dean shares key factors to help young people develop a faith that they rely on in making daily decisions. Serving is one of the key reasons that the Young People’s Ministry offers Hands and Feet each fall.

Brad Fiscus, Director of Young People’s Ministry for the TN Conference shared “we are charged as disciples of Jesus Christ to transform the world, but in order for this to happen, we must first be willing to be transformed ourselves. Through seeing God work in the lives of students during Hands and Feet, it’s evident that God is doing a powerful thing among us.”

In a unique partnership with Hermitage based mission organization Students Living A Mission (SLAM), the students used Hands and Feet as an opportunity to serve in underserved areas of Nashville. Working in the Rayon City community near Old Hickory, they helped sort and organize a food pantry for the people in that area. This pantry is an extension of Ruth Ensor UMC in Old Hickory. At the final Hands and Feet in Antioch, SLAM organized mission opportunities for some of the participants to provide a day camp for area children. For more on SLAM, please visit www.slamweb.org.

At Fellowship UMC in Murfreesboro, youth minister Rick Sears formed a partnership with a local homeless ministry named Last Call 4 Grace (www.lastcall4grace.com). This ministry reaches out to the growing homeless population in the Murfreesboro area to provide food and other felt needs. The youth who participated at this site provided a picnic in the park in addition to a time for music and fellowship to experience with the homeless community.  

Service manifested itself in a variety of ways through Hands and Feet. Whether through landscaping, gutter cleaning, painting, handrail construction, or working in food pantries, students demonstrated the love of Jesus Christ in action. In addition to serving others, Dean writes that it is essential for young people to share and hear the stories of faith in their community. One of the key components during worship time is an opportunity to hear from those who served and how they saw God at work in their team and community at Hands and Feet.

Greenbrier UMC youth served in the Clarksville District through the Hands and Feet Mission Retreat hosted by Springfield First. One of this group’s mission was to serve at SECURE, a safe shelter for women and children. Amanda Horn, youth minister at Greenbrier shared the following about their experience, “I saw God working in many ways as our group planned to participate in the Hands and Feet mission project. I saw Him touch the hearts of members in our congregation to reach out and support the youth, to recognize the call to service and to answer that call. I experenced compassion, excitement, and self-sacrifice as students gave up their Saturday working together to accomplish their purpose of helping those who are facing hardships and loss.”

The students from Fellowship UMC in Clarksville decided to serve at both the Springfield First site and then later at Antioch UMC. “When we finished our duties at Mrs. Odessa’s home, we had a moment of prayer. We all took turns saying something aloud that we wanted God to bless for Mrs. Odessa. I then ‘saw’ God when we huddled and prayed for her. It was a wonderful experience and it made me feel good to help someone who truly deserved it - I love Hands and Feet!” said Fellowship youth Courtney Keough.

In Antioch, the Fellowship UMC youth group served at a community fall festival where they provided activities for the children in attendance. Youth group member Alyxis Gales said “I experienced God through all the hands and feet working with the kids at Antioch. It was awesome and eye opening to just go and man the game stations. It was an exciting retreat and I would love to do it again.” Youth group member Toni Wright added, “I saw God in the children that we helped. They were so excited to play the games and especially win prizes! It was absolutely amazing!”

There are many more stories of how those who served experienced God at work in the community and through each other. To learn more about Hands and Feet Mission Retreats, please visit http://tnumcyouth.org to see a slideshow from each location.

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New Wesleyan campus ministry at Belmont University (from TNUMConnects 10/26/11)

Tennessee Conference, The students of Belmont Wesley Fellowship at Belmont University have great cause to celebrate! Belmont Wesley Fellowship has received formal approval from the university administration recognizing the new campus ministry as an official Faith Development Organization. Belmont Wesley Fellowship is now the newest campus ministry in the Tennessee Annual Conference.

As one student remarked, "This is as exciting as Christmas morning." We, the students and co-campus ministers, are thankful for the support of area churches and church leaders across the Tennessee Conference. We look forward to new and continued relationships of support as Belmont Wesley Fellowship serves the Belmont University community.

For more information, please contact Adam Kelchner (adam.kelchner@gmail.com) or Nancy Hawthorne (nhawthorne@westendumc.org).

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Youths work to better community (from TNUMConnects 8/3/11)

by James Clark, editor for the Southern Standard

Renovating an old church. Helping Meals on Wheels. Raising money to fight world hunger. These are all service projects local youths are tackling this week during the seventh annual McPow.

"Every year we try to get kids out and show them what it means to make a difference in their community;" said Chris Young of Christ Family Church, one of the half-dozen churches participating in McPow. "One of the things we stress is you should do things out of love."

Young estimates 75 to 80 kids are participating in various McPow service projects throughout the week. McPow stands for McMinnville People Out Witnessing.

One of the biggest projects is revamping Martin's Chapel United Methodist Church on Starlight Road, which has been dormant about five years. The church has a storied history with its first congregation meeting in a cabin near the current site in 1860. The building that's being cleaned up now was first opened in 1960 with Rev. Hobert Stokes as preacher.

The church is getting an overhaul and steady progress is being made thanks to the labor provided by McPow volunteers such as Hannah Wright, Brenn Dowdy, Susie Brown, Trey Cantrell, Sara Womack and Russ Prater.

Carol Richardson says she will serve as lay minister at the church when it opens in about one month, "We are going to put a sign on Sparta Highway that says, 'Come as you are. It's your heart that counts, not your clothes,'" said Richardson.

At the Fred's parking lot, a global awareness tent is being manned from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m, today through Friday. "You can see and read about conditions in other countries throughout the world," said Young. "We are trying to raise awareness of world hunger and you can make a donation if you wish. You also have the opportunity of child sponsorship and we have about 50 children who are available to sponsor."

Participants have volunteered at other locations, including Families in Crisis, Warren County Food Bank, Meals on Wheels and Lighthouse Christian Camp, according to Young.


Clipping of original story submitted by Carol Richardson:

 

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Brentwood UMC youth earns Prudential Spirit of Community award (from TNUMConnects 3/8/11)

Gilfillan earns state award for work against modern-day slavery

source: Brentwood Home Page

Brentwood High senior Kendall Gilfillan, 17, has been named one of Tennessee's top two youth volunteers for 2011 by the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards.

The nationwide program, now in its 16th year, honors young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. The awards program is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

Kendall, nominated by BHS, and the other nominee selected, Kaitlyn Fox, 11, of Chattnaooga, each will receive $1,000, an engraved silver medallion, and an all-expense-paid trip in early May to Washington, D.C. The top two honors from each of the states and District of Columbia will be recognized at national events in D.C., and 10 will be named America’s top youth volunteers for 2011 at that time. (Editor's note: Kendall is the daughter of BHP co-owner Kelly Gilfillan)

The top 10 honorees will receive additional $5,000 awards, gold medallions, crystal trophies, and $5,000 grants from The Prudential Foundation for nonprofit, charitable organizations of their choice.

“These award recipients have proven that young people across America are critical to the future of our neighborhoods, our nation, and our world,” said John R. Strangfeld, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial.  “Each and every one of these honorees deserve our respect and admiration, and we hope by shining a light on them, they will continue to serve as an example for others.”

Kendall played a leadership role in developing and coordinating an annual “battle of the bands” concert that has raised more than $16,000 over the past three years to help eradicate modern-day slavery around the world and to educate people in her community about this issue.

'Battle of bands' event raises money, educates community
Soon after entering high school, Kendall learned from a friend that 27 million people worldwide are held against their will and exploited as sex workers or forced laborers.

“Many people today are under the impression that slavery ended in 1865 with Abraham Lincoln and the Thirteenth Amendment,” she said. “As I found out, this is not the case.”

Her friend, Kelsie Overton, wanted to hold a benefit concert at their church to raise money and awareness to fight slavery, and Kendall enthusiastically agreed to help. They invited local middle and high school bands to perform, and included a lecture about the horrors of slavery. With Kendall in charge of publicity, the event drew an audience of more than 200 and raised $5,000 for the International Justice Mission, a human rights organization that secures justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation, and other forms of violent oppression.

The following year, Kendall became co-director of the event, and assumed primary responsibility for the third concert last year, requiring a year-round time commitment. She oversaw volunteer committees dealing with promotion, band scheduling, stage preparation, prizes, T-shirt and ticket sales, and other activities. She also secured sponsorships from companies, and merchandise donated by musicians across the country.

Last year, in addition to the music, lecture and a video about modern-day slavery, paper chain links featuring facts about slavery were passed around the audience. Each attendee tore off a link to share with friends and family, and to symbolize the breaking of the chains that bind people living under oppression.

“All together, over $16,500 has been donated to the International Justice Mission,” said Kendall. “In addition, every person in attendance has been educated on the raw, atrocious facts of modern-day slavery and has been encouraged to share their knowledge.”

This year's Rock the Chains Battle of the Bands will be held on Saturday, April 9 in the Tabernacle at Brentwood United Methodist Church.

(picuted above: Kendall Gilfillan, left, with Kelsie Overton, the founder of Rock the Chains and Kendall’s co-chair the second year)

Ensworth student receives honorable mention
Kaitlyn, a sixth-grader at East Lake Academy in Chattanooga, sent a box of hygiene items, snacks, books and games every month to a local military unit while it was deployed to Afghanistan. On Veterans Day 2009, Kaitlyn listened as two Pearl Harbor survivors spoke to her class at school. “On the way home, I told my mom about our speakers and that I wanted to do something to put a smile on a soldier’s face,” she said.

A teacher at her school told her about a unit of 88 soldiers that would be shipping out to Afghanistan soon, so Kaitlyn decided to take care of them with a program she calls “Smiles for Soldiers.” She began making creative treats out of candy bars and selling them to teachers, church members, friends and relatives, and then bought $200 worth of personal supplies and presented them to the soldiers at a dinner in their honor where she was asked to be the guest speaker.

Six other Tennessee students were recognized Distinguished Finalists for their impressive community service activities, including Ensworth senior Samuel Felker, 18, of Nashville. Samuel, diagnosed with diabetes as a freshman, helped raise more than $15,000 to support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).

“The young people recognized by the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards demonstrate an enormous capacity for giving and reaching out to those in need,” said Gerald N. Tirozzi, executive director of the National Association of Secondary School Principals. “NASSP is proud to honor these student leaders because they are wonderful examples of the high caliber of young people in our nation’s schools today.”

All public and private middle level and high schools in the country, as well as all Girl Scout councils, county 4-H organizations, American Red Cross chapters, YMCAs and affiliates of HandsOn Network, were eligible to select a student or member for a local Prudential Spirit of Community Award this past November. More than 5,000 Local Honorees were then reviewed by an independent judging panel.

For information on all of this year’s Prudential Spirit of Community State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists, visitspirit.prudential.com or www.nassp.org/spirit.
 

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