At our office, we’re in the middle of switching our email system from Lotus Domino to Microsoft Exchange (that's been a long time coming). As part of an implementation team, we designed a plan that seemed to be solid and well thought out. We thought had answered all the pertinent questions. But as we started moving forward with it, a lot of unforeseen details came out that we never did
People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. Luke 13:29 (NIV) For many, home signifies a place of belonging, a place of safety. The church is to be that place for anyone can belong, to return to the one who created us. For anyone who steps into a church, two questions many are asking: Do
After the long weekend (the unofficial start of summer), the school year is almost done. Many youth ministries begin to wind down. It’s time to finish the year well. CELEBRATE: Spend some time recounting the blessings that God’s brought the last few months. Have a special time of prayer. Like so many Baptists before us, celebrate with food. “Praise God from whom all blessings flow!” DEBRIEF: Take time to debrief
CBOQ and the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada participate in an exchange of young adult teams, learning from each other and celebrating God's work in our regions. This past weekend, Kylie Hurlburt, Meaghan Graham and Mike Andress with Alvin represented CBOQ at CBAC's new multi-denominational adventure "One Conference" in Moncton, NB. The intention of this exchange is to discover the answer to two questions: what is God uniquely doing in
We all have different tools to help us organize and manage our ministry tasks and projects. Here are some that CBOQ Youth (Alvin) uses. Wrike: This is our primary project management system. We keep all the various responsibilities for all our projects, including events, together. It helpfully allows you to assign various tasks to other people as collaborators (who may not be Wrike users) through their email. They can update
There's that moment when someone asks to meet with you to discuss something about the youth ministry. It can be a chaotic moment when your mind races about what the issue might be. Typically, those moments feel defensive and even personal (when they're usually not meant to be). This is why a culture of feedback is critical. It's establishing a rhythm and an openness to evaluation and revision in a
Tip 2: Begin Talking about Lent/Easter Plans with your Children and Youth Leaders At the beginning of the Easter season, what conversation behave you had with your children and youth leaders about how your church will celebrate Easter? We all have to face changing variables (similar to those we faced last December ahead of Christmas) in what we’re able to do. Some considerations and questions as you approach the conversation these coming days:  During this Easter season, what are the non-negotiable expressions? (Be careful not to confuse these with what you want the most.)Â
Having a mentor: It is vital for graduates to be paired with an older, wiser Christian in this time of transition. Thanks to material provided by the Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches, this 14-month package suggests key questions for the mentor and graduate to discuss each month. Having that interpersonal support alongside the parents is crucial in the transition from high school to post secondary life. Grad Mentoring Package Â
As Advent approaches, I usually hear from our youth leaders this is one of the busiest times of year. (For us at CBOQ Youth, it's actually a slower time because no one really needs us.) While celebrations and other activities take time and energy to plan, I wonder if it becomes over-programmed. For instance, ask yourself some of these questions: As you enter December, do you feel more strained or
Tip: Understand what your children and youth know about the key issues for Indigenous peoples, and how they would like to respond.  In the last couple of years, the awareness about issues facing Canada’s engagement with Indigenous peoples has escalated. Children and youth have a deeper understanding and recognition through media reports, social media posts and in their classrooms.  Understand the pulse of what your children and youth perceive about these issues. Some initial questions could be: Do you have any friends who are
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