Statement from CTC Student Leadership Team

From Marianne Brown-Student Leadership Team President 

Our Student Leadership Team pieced together our opinions on the recently posted realignment report. We felt that it would be more helpful as an interpretation of what you were saying, rather than an opposition to it.  We composed the following, if you would like to use it on the Realignment blog or anything of that nature, feel free. We all are very thankful for your task force and all the hard work that has been going into this.
Thank you!

Marianne Brown
CTCSLT President

Statement from CTC Student Leadership Team

We understand that a lot of the work of the Task Force has been completed.  The Student Leadership Team still felt strongly that we should make our voices known.  We appreciate the work of the team and of the consultant and look forward to being a part of this realignment process.   

1.  a. There is concern about the focus of youth ministry being ‘more specifically on calling young people to leadership in the church, including ordained ministry'.  Should this not be the church's job?  If calling young people into leadership and ministry is left to youth ministry, then the presumption is, in part, that young people will to go into youth ministry and may struggle to see or accept calling beyond youth ministry.  We need to be careful with the trend of separation that a lot of churches have between youth and the church at large.  

    b. The need for younger clergy is very apparent and recognized by our Student Leadership Team. We feel that is important to have resources and make opportunities available to youth and young people being called into ministry to explore their calling and find where God intends them to be. However, we would like to emphasize that youth need strong programs in the local church and impactful experiences to make discerning their calling possible. We feel that the needs of youth ministry are valuable to bring young people into leadership and ordained ministry.

2.  a. Regarding the goals of youth ministry, we agree a change is needed.  We believe the main focus of Central Texas Conference Student Ministries should be equipping local churches to nurture youth in the Christian faith and train them to be disciples of Jesus Christ. We feel training volunteers to do youth ministry is also important.   

    b. We agree that the conference staff should be equipping local churches to form these long-term relationships.  We agree there should be a shift from information sharing and 'improving people' to the suggested 'leadership platforming' as referenced in the report. 

3.  In reference to staff specialists, we believe that youth ministry and ministry with young people is one of the most diverse, abstract areas of ministry.  Young people (ages 12 – 26) need an advocate that is in constant interaction with other conference positions so that students can fit into the church and not be tagged on like an extremity or remembered as an afterthought.

4.  We agree that smaller, more decisive groups/committees are needed.  There should still be great effort made to include at least two youth within each group.  We feel that our Student Leadership Team and other youth who serve on various boards and committees bring a fresh perspective to the group and learn a lot about the leadership within the church. Promoting inclusiveness in the Church is made much easier and more effective when youth serve along side the adult leadership.
   
5.  We are happy to see that CTCYM will continue as one of our strong mission programs.  These short-term CTCYM experiences have much impact long-term in the lives of students.  We want to recognize this and encourage this to continue. It is our concern that experiences like CTCYM may be lost in transition or be underestimated by those who are no familiar with it. CTCYM has been one of the most life-changing ministries experienced by many of our Student Leadership Team members and youth around the conference, and we appreciate that this has not gone unnoticed.

Respectfully,

Central Texas Conference Student Leadership Team