Network Blog

We received the following e-mail from Sarah Hausken, in the Southwest Minnesota Synod Office.  She had a great question about the Extravaganza.  With her permission, her question, and my reply follows:
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Dear Todd,
I'm wondering if the network has considered doing Extravaganza every 3rd year?  I know there would be down sides to this as well, but from what I'm hearing in our synod, people really like to go, but they want to do other cont. ed things as well.  They'd also be excited about a really big event where more of their colleagues could commit to going which might be better accomplished on an every 3rd year system.   I'm guessing this is something the board has already considered, but since it's come up a couple times in conversation, I thought I'd pass it along.

 

Thank you!
Sarah

 

Hi Sarah!  Many thanks for your note! 

 

We have talked about doing the E on an every-other year, or every third year basis.  The board has decided to maintain it annually.  The primary reason is that people can choose to do it every other year, or every third year (or whenever they want!) on their own, but if we don't offer it, we don't give them the opportunity.  And, we believe pretty strongly that people that are new really need to 'connect' early in their ministry to enter into a support system, and so if it's not for another 2 years, they don't have that opportunity.

 

We have toyed with the idea of a different model:  One year big and national...next year, 3-4 smaller regional...
We will continue to have the conversation.  Thanks for your thoughts on it!

 

Peace,
Todd.

One of the highlights was at lunch today when we had 8-10 youth ministers from the Southeast Pennsylvania Synod join us for lunch.  It was casual, but the conversation was rich.  We just spent time talking about their congregational ministry, hearing their stories, enjoying their company, laughing and connecting.  Much of the thinking with these good people, as it is with many youth ministers around the country, I'm sure, is around the financial crisis and its impact on congregational finances.  Extra pressure is going to be added to congregations (and their youth and family ministry leaders) to figure out ways of raising funds.  This is going to be a significant challenge.

This is a good group of people, gathered here for this meeting.  The Network's board is really committed to the health and vitality of the Network, and of the ecology of youth and family ministry as a whole.  

More to come on their work...