ministry ideas . . .

“Ideas for College Ministry in Your Congregation”

• Be willing to give your time and energy to students that float in and out of your congregation and worships and may not return.
• Unconditional ministry and love will impact young adults more than you may ever see.
• Outreach to college students (or anyone for that matter!) should never be contingent on their record of participation or “fitting the mould” of a “good Christian.”
• Be patient. Be consistent. Be loving.

Follow Up Contact Info

• When a young adult is moving from your congregation, contact the congregation nearest to where they are moving and encourage them to make contact.
• Send their new address (marked as temporary if it is a college address) to the World Church Membership Records office, so they will continue to receive mail and be included.

Keep Your Commitments

• Young adults need demonstration that people keep their promises.
• What ever you say you’re going to do, do it. Don’t make promises you can’t keep.
• Be authentic in all that you do.

Warm Welcome!

• Acknowledge college students and young adults every time they attend.
• Invite them into your inner circle. Show them they belong.
• Ask and remember their names.
• Be authentic!

Welcoming Gathering

• Plan a fun gathering when college students arrive for the semester.
• Collect any new contact info, so you can invite them and send them care packages later.
• It’s a relaxed way to meet each other and show that the students are important to the congregation.

Booth At Freshman Orientation

• Some congregations near campuses choose to display a booth at freshman orientation to welcome church member students and to connect with students who haven’t met the church.

Birthdays

• Remember your college students’ birthdays
• For students from your home congregating who are away at school:
  • Mail a card and a small birthday gift. Something in the mailbox means a lot!
• For students attending a campus near your congregation:
  • Mail a card
  • Recognize their birthday in Sunday announcements and in the bulletin.
  • Throw a little party – at the church or at a congregation family’s home

Care Packages

• Especially important during exam time and holidays!
• Make it a congregational activity. Gather together to collect supplies and fill packages. Have volunteers bring particular items like granola bars, instant coffee, popcorn, suckers, fruit snacks, etc.
• Decorated sacks or shoe boxes make great containers!
• Don’t forget the young adults who are in your congregation, but may not be college students.

Write and Send Notes

• Take time as part of some worship services to write personal notes to your college students.
• Provide postcards or stationery / envelopes
• Provide addresses and postage
• This can be a special way of praying in worship for students, and tells college students they are loved and remembered.

E-mail

• Just keep in touch with students who are away – simple as that!

Newsletter / Congregational Directory

• Send a copy of the congregational directory.
• Send students the congregational newsletter.
• Make sure to include their school address and telephone number in the directory as an entry separate from their parents. It’s important!

Subscription to the Herald

• Send the Herald , the Community of Christ monthly magazine, to students away from home and young adults who live on their own.
• Or keep copies available at the church to hand out.
• It keeps students informed about what’s happening around the Community of Christ.

Visiting

• Go visit college students in their residence. A campus ministry must!
• Maybe set aside one night a week for visits.
• Take someone along with you to mentor – another young adult or a high school student.
• Bring cookies or a gift with you!
• 20 - 30 minutes per visit is plenty.
• Ask about their classes and families, share good news and your testimony, and offer prayer.
• Don’t wear out your welcome!

Personal Invitation To Worship

• Ask students to share in a worship service with a testimony, prayer, song, drama - whatever their gift is.
• Don’t just catch them coming in the door on Sunday morning.
• Call ahead to invite.
• Give helpful instructions and make expectations clear, so they feel comfortable.
• Include them in worship planning.

Leadership Mentoring

• Invite a college student or young adult to:
  • Come with you on a home or hospital visit
  • Help plan a business meeting
  • Plan a special community service event, class, or workshop
  • Work on a budget
  • Plan a retreat, camp, or reunion
  • Assist when you preach outside the congregation
  • This form of mentorship develops friendship, leadership skills, and helps you out!

Community Service

• Take on a community service project!
• Include college students and young adults on the planning and leadership team.

Schedule Fun!

• Plan regular fun activities like volleyball, basketball, card/game night, bike riding, going out for coffee, rollerblading, rock climbing, bowling, etc.
• Rent gym space, join a league, or partner with another church in the community.
• Make the time consistent: same night and same time each week.

Scripture Study

• Focus on short scripture passages each session. College students already have lots of reading assignments.
• Tailor material to participants’ interests and needs.
• Keep it informal and flexible.
• Begin and end on time.
• Offering a snack!

Classes on Community of Christ Basic Beliefs, Enduring Principles, or History

• Be sensitive to participants’ prior knowledge and interests.
• Highlight one basic belief or small slice of history per session.
• Use visual aids and examples
• Plan lots of time for questions and discussion.

Spring Break!

• College students are always looking for a spring break get away.
• If you live in an area where students might want to go, consider hosting college students for a spring break retreat, reunion, or service project.
• Involve college students in the event planning.
• Invite local young adults, too.
• If you work with a campus ministry far from a spring break destination, make contact with a congregation, fun destination, or service project (like a Habitat for Humanity build) who may be willing to host you on such an event. Go from there…

Host A Retreat

• Organize a mission center wide campus ministry retreat, or a young adult retreat.
• Connect students from around the region for spirituality, networking, support and fun.
• Keep it inclusive, relaxed and spiritual!
• Find more about planning retreats at www.cofchrist.org/emergence/resources.asp 

Movie Nights

• Watch a video rental at someone’s home, or head to the local theater as a group.
• Bring lots of junk food and healthy snacks, too!
• Choose a film that stimulates theological discussion, and talk about it afterward.

Game Nights

• Everyone bring a favorite group game to play. Video games work, too!
• Some favorites: “Pictionary”, “MadGabs”, “Taboo”, “Catch Phrase”, and (of course the all-time favorite) “Spoons”.
• Again: Bring lots of food!

Food, Food, Food!

• Food is a crucial at all campus ministry and young adult activities.
• College students usually have limited money, so offering to pay if you are going out after church or an activity is always appreciated!

Holiday Activities

• Every holiday – silly or serious - is a reason to plan an activity or send a letter.
• Send cards and even care packages to your college students around holidays.
• Organize creative worships or parties according to the holiday.
• Plan and promote well in advance.

Transportation

• Be ready to offer rides to any activity.
• Young adults may be glad to come to an activity, but may not be comfortable asking for a ride. Beat them to it. Offer!
• Communicate about time limits and agenda, so they can come and go as they feel comfortable.

Budget for Young Adult Activities

• It is helpful to include a line item in your congregational or mission center budget to support young adult programming.
• It makes a unified statement of support for this caring ministry.

Camperships for Retreats and Workshops

• Don’t forget young adults when setting aside money to subsidize camping and workshop registrations.
• These experiences can help sustain faith and offer leadership and spiritual development opportunities.

Adopt-a-student

• Create a family away from home for your students by asking them to share meals or family celebrations, watch a movie, or go on a special family outing.
• Remember them with cards or care packages for holidays and birthdays.
• They may also have a need for housing during school breaks.
• Be respectful of their time constraints.
• They may decline, but the invitation is still important. Keep asking.

Ministry to First-time Apartment Dwellers

• The first time living away from home can bring lots of needs, from used furniture and cooking lessons to help with moving.
• Ministry to the whole individual demonstrates genuine concern and helps create trusting relationships with members of the congregation.
• Mark up a local map, indicating local coffee shops, grocery stores, malls, good restaurants, etc. A great welcome gift!