Conversation about Children, Youth and Family Ministry

Our congregation is on an exciting path – a journey to a renewed, vibrant, and reimagined Child, Youth, and Family Ministry Program. We are asking for your help in determining our next steps, particularly the creation of a new, paid position to oversee this important ministry.

But where did this all begin?

In January 2020, the Saint John the Evangelist (SJE) community came together for an evening of brainstorming, visioning, and consultation about the future of Children, Youth, and Family Ministry. Soon after, a committee was struck to dig deeper into the questions and possibilities presented at that initial congregational meeting.

The Children, Youth, and Family Ministry Committee has been coming together virtually over the past year, and under the leadership of committee chairs Rosalee van Staalduinen and Steve Doucet Campbell.

After months of hard work and thoughtful discussion with previous and current ministry leaders, the committee has come up with detailed document (available upon request) outlining a framework for the future of this vital ministry at SJE. The document includes an organizational chart outlining detailed job descriptions; a safe church document tailored specifically to SJE; a guideline for welcoming children and youth with exceptionalities; and an exploration of the spaces in the church that could host children, youth, and family ministries.

This document is by no means final or set in stone: it is meant to be a jumping-off point to guide what we hope will be an ongoing conversation.

The central element of the framework document is the creation of a new, paid position to oversee Children, Youth, and Family Ministries at SJE. While this position does come with financial implications, we feel that this position is the central piece of this renewed ministry. Background materials regarding this recommendation are available here.

We’d like you to share your thoughts, ideas, and questions with us at our virtual meeting on February 24, focusing on the need for this vital ministry and the creation of a paid position. Our time together will include an opportunity for congregation members to speak for roughly 1-2 minutes and ask questions about the proposal.

The link to join the conversation is: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86299248420, or call in 647-374-4685 with meeting ID: 862 9924 8420.

If you’re unable to attend this meeting, we’d still love to hear from you. Please send your thoughts to Rosalee (rosaleevans@yahoo.com), or Stephen (stephenjdcampbell@yahoo.ca).

We look forward to working together as we prayerfully consider taking this step as a community.