New Lafayette UMC Cooperative YouthMinistry “The 167”

The five UM churches in Lafayette (Christ, Grace, Brown St., Congress St. and Trinity) have received a grant to fund a cooperative youth ministry. This ministry will provide a full youth program experience for all students in 4th-12th grade, focusing on discipleship, missions and relationship building. Pastors Ryan Traeger (from Brown St.) and Kurt Freeman (from Christ) are the two lead pastoral mentors overseeing the cooperative youth ministry and providing assistance to the youth leaders. Aaron Osbourne (worship and youth director at Christ) and Trinity’s Director of Congregational Ministries, Melissa Kramer, have already started working together to co-lead the ministry and oversee volunteers. Each church participating in the cooperative youth ministry is being asked to provide one “lead” volunteer to be on the leadership team, assist in recruiting other adult volunteers from their church, promote the ministry, and be in communication with Melissa and Aaron.

The cooperative ministry, now called “The 167” (for the number of hours in a week spent outside of church), will meet weekly, from 5pm-8pm and will rotate meeting locations. To allow Melissa some more time and flexibility in her schedule, we will be asking volunteers to manage the church office on Wednesday mornings, from 9am until Noon. All that is required of office volunteers is a friendly face, answering calls and taking messages.

For anyone interested in participating or volunteering in The 167, please contact Melissa Kramer at [email protected].

Volunteer opportunities include:

• Assisting with a weekly meal
• Being Trinity’s Lead Volunteer
• Discipleship focus volunteers (typical youth group nights with worship and small groups)
• Missions volunteers (needed on mission-focused nights)
• Fellowship night volunteers
• Providing transportation