Notes from The BIG Meeting...

First and foremost, thanks to all who made our first annual BIG meeting happen. It was a great success with over 70 staff members, students, parents, and family members in attendance. We ran out of fried chicken and all the sides and desserts were gone by the end of the evening!

Some notes on the night from our presentation:
-We reflected on the word "movement" to describe our ministry and looked over our new logo and the guiding principles below it "live..love..serve". A movembent involves a large number of people partnering and working together around a central person; in this case Jesus Christ, and a central idea: seeking to live as Christ lives, love as Christ loves, and serve as Christ serves.

-Tables took part in small group discussion about how they see God moving in their life, in the city of Burleson, at FUMC, and in the student ministry.

-Shared the Church Strategy developed by our Administrative Council for Student Ministry:
"Acheive GROWTH through an exciting and fun-filled
youth ministry that provides opportunities for SPIRITUAL
enrichment, MISSION, and FELLOWSHIP experiences."
(emphasis added by me)
- I am a firm believer that "To hit our target, we need a clear view of what we are trying to accomplish." To do this, I have asked 12 students and adults to assist me in getting a clear view of what we are trying to accomplish. I am calling this team VAST: Visioning And Strategic planning Team. Members include:
-Jodi Page
-Jodi Cloud
-John Crysup
-Charlotte Franks
-J.D. Davis
-Caleb Davis
-Missy Courtney
-Robert Walker
-Breanna Hunt
-Amber Cloud
-Justin Cloud
-Kyle Roberson

Please contact these VAST team members with visions and strategies you would like to contribute to our work. After our work is complete, VAST will develop into two distinct teams: Parent Connection (for parents) and Student Movement Council (for students). VAST and the subsequent teams and work it births will assist us in our goal to Live, Love, and Serve.

-The 4 Immediate Initiatives under our Strategy are:
-Youth-led Community Service
-Mini-Mission Trips
-Expand Communication
-Expand Music Program

-Youth-led Community Service and Mini-Mission Trips will be acheived through existing programs like our work with Harvest House, which will continue to expand in scope and offering, our participation with Conference events like GREAT DAY OF SERVICE and CTCYM SUMMER MISSION TRIPS, and the development of a new program: SECRET SERVICE. SECRET SERVICE are day-long mini-mission trips from 10 am - 3:30 pm on a Saturday to do mission/service in and around our community. See IMPORTANT DATES sheet in the info packet for dates and times. Drop-off and pick-up for SECRET SERVICE will be FUMCBurleson and students are asked to bring nothing but work gloves and a sack lunch. Our first SECRET SERVICE will be Saturday, October 10th.

-Expanding our Communication will be acheived through the following offerings:
-Up-to-date Student Info and Release forms (see info packet)
-email reminders and weekly ePause email
-Text message reminders (visit fumcburleson.org and click on "Student Movement to sign up for this service)
-Websites (visit fumcburleson.org and click on "Student Movement)
-Social networking sites like Facebook
-Monthly Student Movement Newseltters arriving through USmail
-Bulletin Board outside Youth Room
-Annual BIG Meetings (our next BIG Meeting: August 15, 2010 from 6-8pm)
Also reminded everyone that we are PARTNERS in ministry, working together with the best intentions/interests of students in mind. Feedback is crucial and necessary. I only ask that it be:
-Clear
-Constructive (How will YOU work with me to improve/build upon success?)
-Timely
-Realistic

-Expand Music Program through the recent hire of David Anavitarte who will oversee and organize a Youth Choir program as part of his responsibilities as Assistant Choir Director. We will also be expanding how/when we use music in our regular programming.

-Our time frame for these initiatives is the next 12 months, and those responsible for making sure these initiatives become reality will be ALL of us working together and participating. The buck stops ultimately with me but will need your time, energy, assistance in making these reality.

-Finally, shared that our culture encourages collaboration, creativity, and innovation and our Student Movement will be encouraging these three things as well. Some of this is conceptual but we will have the next year to put our hands on these ideas, wrestle with them and see how and where God is moving in and through them. Together, we move in faith into the coming year.

PLEASE SEE ME ASAP FOR A COMPLETE INFO PACKET THAT INCLUDES:
-Student Info and Release Form (a MUST for participation in any SM event!)
-Important Dates for 2009-2010
-Registration for our most recent upcoming event: 30-hr Famine (Nov 6&7)
-Magnet with all my contact info and contact info for Student Movement
-Get 2 Know...card that will assist me in getting in touch with folks
who may have dropped out of our program over the last couple of years
and any friends or neighbors you think would benefit from what we are
offering here at FUMCB Student Movement.
-Volunteer Info and Release form for ANY and ALL adults who would like
to participate as sponsors/volunteers.