Rules of engagement:

1. Begin/End of meeting on time. We have agreed on bi-weekly, Tuesdays, from 9-10 PM.
2. Steve Faltas will be moderator and has right to stop conversation when not going in the right direction for the meeting.
3. Set an agenda for each meeting and communicate prior.
4. This will be an open discussion format. We do not need to in a rush to come up with a solution, rather take the time to discuss various issues pertaining to the service at St. George Church and how we can start taking some steps to change it for the better.

Discussions of the day:

• We discussed our goals;
  • Over-arching goal is to understand and resolve the problem we have with our youth disconnecting from the church and not wanting to be active participant.
  • The course offered 5 NEEDs which the youth are looking for but did not offer a step-by-step solution to meet each need. WE have to come up with a plan which fits with our own situation, capabilities and kids.
• We need for our work to have 2 angles:
  1. What do we do about the children currently in youth age and how to engage them back.
  2. What do we do about the children currently in elementary so that we avoid the same scenario happening with them
• Reviewed the 5 needs (see noes below). Discussed how we felt about order of priority. In coming meetings, we will take one at a time and dissect it further to understand it and find the right approach to address it.

Course Notes:

Ministry as an institution.

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And, when we’re operating with a Secular2 mindset, we begin to see our people as battlefields in this war. Specifically, we see their minds as ground we cannot lose. We see young people go off to college and become disengaged from the Church, and we assume it’s because they’re being exposed to secular perspectives in secular universities. So we make sure that youth work is about stuffing their heads full of Christian perspectives. We want to make sure that kids can articulate their faith, we want to make sure that kids can defend their faith, we want to make sure that kids can own their faith."

Faith - Vibrant, Authentic

5 Needs of young people:

1. Need to know Christ (Don't Bait-n-Switch, it is not about the fun, it is about the Lord)
1. Stillness
2. Silence before prayer
2. Need to know who they truly are
1. We don't want our kids to have a "Road to Damascus" experience like St. Paul.
2. We give sports activity a priority over church activity. We focus on offering our kids the best shot at getting into college.
3. Practice self-emptying. The second need is met when the first is met.
4. Shed the false identity. Humility in place of self-centeredness. God at the core.
5. Practices: Fasting (without self-creation in a secular 3 world). Fasting from cell-phones.
6. Confession is self-emptying.
3. Need to belong to the full community of the church
1. Cultivate a real connection instead of focus on youth groups.
2. Encourage fellowship with Christ at the center
3. Practice active listening
4. Mentorship (Counsellors)
5. Ask these questions about any SS activity:
1. Is Jesus always what unites us?
2. How can we make youngester youngsters into active members of our community?
3. How to cultivate real deep connections coming from openness and vulnerability?
4. Need to be empowered by Faith that makes a difference
1. Disciple young people. Practices of discipleship:
1. They are grounded in concrete actions of turning toward and following Jesus rather than ideas or theories about Him;
2. They offer guidance and direction where there was uncertainty and hesitation; and most of all.
3. They offer an experience of God rather than facts about God;
2. Pray together. Not teach how to pray, actually do it.
3. Delegation. Older generation need to offer opportunities to the new generation.
4. Ask these questions:
1. What tasks can we put in the hands of our younger generation.
2. What concrete guidance can we give them them so they can fulfill those tasks or responsibilities?
3. What support and encouragement can we give them along the way?
5. Need to be equipped with the teachings of the Orthodox faith

Challenges:

1. Doubt
2. Self pre-occupation
3. Loneliness. FOMO.
4. Choice paralysis
5. Experience of flatness or emptiness (no sense of meaning or belonging)

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