Young Adult Ministers
Ideas for College Ministry in Your Congregation
The motivation behind each of these ideas is an unmet need. We encourage you to consider not only these suggestions but the unmet needs you see in the lives of young adults near you. The most successful efforts in campus ministry have been those that began by assessing what was missing, such as a Sunday evening meal, a quiet place to study, a ride to church, or a place to offer gifts in service. The most lasting ministry you can offer is the response to a need, no matter how small.
Be Willing To Give Time
- 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.
- 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!