Youth Leaders Want You to Volunteer

$2 May 2010 Season after Youth leaders Easter, and Pentecost want yyoouu to volunteer By Emily Cooper How would you like to be a youth minister, a job that, if you stand still and be quiet for more than three sec - UMC leads onds, you’ve lost your constituency’s in eccumenical attention; where all parties want you to healthcare clinic be perfect and each has a different Page 24 vision of what “perfect” is? Interested? No wonder churches have a hard time finding a youth director. But youth directors list other things as the hardest part of the job. “My personal struggle is communi - A new sancturary cation with parents,” as well as garner - for Cumberland ing parental support, Lauren Taylor, Page 17 director of Student Ministries at First If your church UMC, Isle of Palms. Trying to get them “not to just walk away once their struggles, read children move into youth programs. the story of faith They say today’s communication is and work: quicker and faster, but the right kind of Page 12-13 communications is not happening.” For Ed Stallworth, director of Youth Ministries at Simpsonville UMC, the HIGH ENERGY NEEDED – Lauren Taylor, still wearing her microphone after using up Help for hardest part of the job is “walking a lots of energy as an emcee at Revolution – the conference-wide youth event this winter facing – fought the call to youth work but has loved it once she yielded. (Photo by Emily Cooper ) line between parents and youth. You end-of-life want to be supportive of parents; par - decisions young boys as Barrs does. discover their abilities is great, he said. ents need to recognize ultimately throughout this issue Brandon Taylor, director of Youth “It’s really a fun job.” they’re the youth ministers. Sometimes Ministries at First UMC in Myrtle “Whenever I see the youth stepping parents struggle with their children.” Beach, echos the time issue. “For me, up to be leaders, saying, ‘Hey, I want Stallworth said, “Fortunately, the par - the hardest part is trying to find time to lead the Bible Study this Wednesday ents at Simpsonville UMC are wonder - for myself, my own spiritual growth night,’ it feels as if I’m doing some - ful.” and nourishment; remembering that I thing right and I’m getting a blessing” For Jason Barrs, director of Music have a life, too, that I have family and Barrs said. “For them even to show up, and Youth Ministries at Platt Spring friends. to want to be there, to see the fruits Wofford officially UMC, Columbia, “It’s the time thing” that are growing, that’s very rewarding opening that’s hardest. “You have to devote a “It takes a very special person to for me.” Another of his rewards was environment lot of time to the youth; not only being work with the youth. I find myself having a graduating youth hear a call studies building in the office, but going to their soccer devoting everything I have to this job – to ministry. Page 20 games, cheerleading matches and being therapist, parents, pastor… . You “When I have a moment with a recitals. It’s not just a job here at the have to be prepared and be someone youth, when they tell me God has been church.” It’s being where the youth are, who is flexible and will work a lot of working in their lives, or how God has - even if you have a family and two weird hours,” Brandon Taylor said. Lauren Taylor n’t but they’re trusting me enough to agrees, the work is rela - talk to me about it,” that is a rich time tional. “If you’re not in for Lauren Taylor. Being able to share the kids’ lives, in their in their youthful years is special, she sporting events, said. She spends half her time on youth recitals,” it’s not work - and half on children’s ministries. ing. “My type of min - “There are a number of ‘best parts,’” istry is being right there to the job, said Brandon Taylor. “My being with them.” favorite moment is getting to see the wheels start turning. Once you build What is the best part? those relationships and they are realiz - “The kids!” said ing what it means to be a young Stallworth. On a mis - WITH IT – Youth react to music at Revolution this winter. sion trip, seeing them See Page 2 4 Opinion 15-20 District News 20 Obituaries Issue Index: 5 Commentary 18 Classifieds 22 IBS Lessons Page 2, May 2010 The South Carolina United Methodist Advocate Leaders take strength from each other ... From Page 1 sustaining poverty in the world. With Christian, they finally get what we’re trying to each B-1 event, “they learn about the share with them, it’s a beautiful thing.” culture for which we’re fasting,” Taylor Another “best part” is his relationship with a said. predominately white church. “It took a little get - • Mission trips: First UMC youth ting used to,” the African-American said. The from Isle of Palms are raising money to result? “Phenomenal.” go to the Dominican Republic this sum - mer with UMVIM. Who led you to become a youth director? • “We do extensive mission work,” With a father, grandfathers and, now, uncles in Stallworth said. Salkehatchie, a middle- the ministry, “I fought being in ministries for school mission trip this year to some time after college,” Lauren Taylor said. She Washington, D.C. is set, and the high- studied Spanish and international business, and, school students will go to Chicago. Last after graduation, worked in Austin, Texas, until year, they went to Kentucky and Crowe she had a significant calling at about 24 or 25. Creek, S.D. The foundation was from my youth minister that This year, they’re working with the my father hired. His leading and the group’s par - homeless. It’s really important that kids ticipation in conference events set up the frame - are involved with social justice issues. work. “He made us each feel really important. “We talk about poverty extensively,” “You can only fight God so long, before you said Stallworth, who has a a masters of say, ‘OK, God you’ve won,” Taylor said. Once divinity from Baptist Theological the decision was made, she knew she wanted to Seminary in Richmond, Va., and became come back and be in ministry in South Carolina. a Christian as a teenager, having partly REACHING OUT TO ADULTS, TOO – Brandon Taylor (right) Taylor had envisioned working for the State grown up Buddhist. and sixth-grader Miller Long share their musical talents with the Department, but her schooling comes in handy congregation of First UMC, Myrtle Beach, during the 2010 Youth Last year they talked about plights of Sunday Program. (Photo special to the Advocate ) when they go on mission trips. One day she Native Americans and then met with would like to get a master’s degree in Christian people who are trying to help them. Once you find them, you have to have training education at Pfeiffer University. • “Serving the church,” is another thing that’s for them. Barrs, from a Baptist background with Aside from the classroom, youth directors find highly popular, Lauren Taylor said. The youth talent in trumpet and choirs, said Platt Springs strength in district or conference-wide gatherings put on a Halloween carnival for the kids at the SPRC “realized I didn’t have the training and of their peers. Taylor cited the National Youth church, for example. gave me a lot of resources. I went to the National Workers Convention this year in Nashville. Last • “ Super Saturdays” take place one Saturday a Youth Workers Convention in Atlanta last year. year, about 30 S.C. youth ministers or directors month at Platt Spring UMC. “We do service in That was the greatest thing! I’m so thankful they went to the Atlanta convention. An ecumenical the community,” Barrs said. “We went to Finlay saw that need.” He is also taking advantage of gathering, it has the approval of the UMC and Park and handed out bag lunches; we like going the pastor’s new-member classes to learn more attracts about 4,000 youth leaders. to laundromats and feeding machines with quar - about the United Methodist Church. Brandon Taylor grew up in Wesley UMC, ters for people or taking buggies inside at a gro - Stallworth said it’s a matter of having a pro - Columbia, and conference youth programs. He cery store; or cleaning the windshields in a park - gram that reaches all the kids, and, when the did youth ministry at Clover and was involved ing lot and leaving a card on them.” They did relationship is right, asking, “Have you ever with Wesley Foundation at Winthrop. “You work yard work during the conference youth program, thought about going youth ministry?” weird hours,” he said, and his first ministry Revolution. “We’re trying to get out into the Brandon Taylor hopes to inspire youth to enter burned him out in about 15 months, so he put his community and do random acts of kindness, youth ministry as a vocation by his example. broadcast journalism major to work in television going the extra mile for Christ.” When a youth told him she was thinking of for two years. “It takes a very special person to going into youth ministry, he referred her the work with youth. I find myself devoting every - How to cultivate more youth directors? Lake Junaluska summer program. “It’s a great thing I have to this job.” You have to be prepared The Episcopal Church offers a year’s intern - springboard.

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