Welcome Helene!
We are so excited to welcome Helene Foust to the CONNECT Team this week. Helene started work yesterday as the new Associate Director of Student Ministries, and those of you serving in ministry with youth around the state of Indiana will be blessed by her heart for supporting, resourcing, empowering, and caring for you and your ministries.
Helene was most recently the Director of Youth Ministries at Old Bethel UMC in Indianapolis. Everywhere she has served – suburban Connecticut, rural Southern Indiana, and the east side of Indianapolis – her heart and passion for sharing Christ’s love with youth has led to growth in ministry. She brings a wealth of experience in how to reach out to youth in the community, a strong knowledge of the many resources available for youth ministry, and a heart for equipping others.
Please join in welcoming Helene! You can reach her by email here, or via twitter @INUMCyouth. She is excited to get started, so let her know how the CONNECT Team can support you and your local church ministry with youth.
Hello Helene! It is good running into you, out and about—even Value World!
(One of my favorite thrift stores!)
I have started at Irvington UMC as Youth Director. I feel that I have a great deal of support there. Here is the plan: I am doing Otterbein’s Older Youth Group on Sundays: 4-5:30 and then jet over to Irv to meet with them from 6:00-7:30. Last Sunday was my first Sunday meeting both groups. I was meeting on Wed. at Otterbein, but school activities/sports just reduced my participation. Now, I think Sundays will work well for both groups. I am already hearing, “Will you ever combine both groups?” I told them we would try that when both groups were ready—and just for a time or two, not each week. I feel a bit ‘connected’ to you since that ’roundtable discussion in Nov. It was there that I decided to reduce my Older Youth Group to 1 1/2 hrs instead of 2 hrs. I know kids are busy and this is a workable amy. of time. If we have any more of the Round Table disc. I am hopeful that they are in the indy area, as I need that feedback/ideas/support.
Okay….I talked to IRV about taking kids to the Bishop’s Rally in March. My feedback from Irv was that it was SO boring and slow last year that they did not think their kids would go. So….what can you tell me about it? Is it ‘new and improved’? The brochure sounds good (umm not the John Wesley re-enactment….they said it was pretty bad last year) but just wanted your input on it. I may take the middle school age groups of both churches…they said it did not fit high school. Any input you can give me would help. Good luck in your position and hopefully I will hear from you soon. Thanks, Deb