148. Youth Shepherd Appreciation
As of next Sunday, current youth shepherds’ three-year serving term comes to an end. It is usually the first pioneering group that serves and sacrifices the most and not surprisingly, their service for the last three years has been nothing but exceptional.
When I first started youth ministry with Jennifer, we felt we had very little support. Ministry can be pretty tough to do with one or two people. Then four single adults from KSC volunteered to serve as youth staff. They are very special to me even today because they helped our youth ministry to grow and become sustainable even without them.
When they all had to step down due to changing life-stage, it was one of the hardest moments of my ministry. I felt very stretched and lonely, as we also had to start adult ministry separately. But after launching an intergenerational ministry, we announced the plan to start Youth House Church with adult leaders serving, and four ladies volunteered to serve as youth shepherds. From the very beginning, their presence and energy have been nothing but a great encouragement and gift from God.
Youth House Church ministry now is nothing like how it started three years ago. We’ve spent many hours talking, planning and praying for the youth ministry. Then they took more initiatives of coming up with ideas to make it better because they wanted our youth to enjoy church and experience God.
I am honestly sad that their term is ending. Some of the youth shepherds are renewing their term, but I wonder if we could get back a team as we had with such great chemistry and unity. (I might feel this way again after the next term is ending!) I know that when things come to an end, it is a reminder that we cannot hold on to them forever because there is time for everything. That is why I’m reminded to cherish every moment and relationships that are given to me now.
With the addition of new youth shepherds and the new youth director, I’m sure a brand new relationship will form, and chemistry will eventually come. (Maybe it will be better than the last group!) But I think it will be difficult to forget how current youth shepherds helped to establish our Youth House Church. Their service will be long remembered.
