Welcome Youth Workers!

We welcome all youth workers to this area of our website. We value you and the youth you minister to. Thank you for your heart and willingness to walk alongside youth and share with them in their spiritual journey! Please know that we are praying for you and God's call on your life. It is our desire to partner with and encourage youth workers from our denomination all around the country. We gather youth workers yearly in Chicago for Youth Workers Connection.

The department of Christian Formation walks alongside the churches and conferences of the Evangelical Covenant Church to host a triennial event for youth called CHIC (Covenant High In Christ). The CHIC 2K3 Highlight DVD,24:7 DVD and LIVE CD are available through the Covenant Bookstore. You can also call the Resource Center at 1-800-338-IDEA. The dates for CHIC 2006 are July 16-21, 2006 at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville! You'll find more information about this ministry on the CHIC website. chic2006@covchurch.org.

After visiting with youth workers from around the country it was suggested that we put together a Ministry Planning Tool (See resource section below). These are available from the Covenant Resource Center at 1-800-338-IDEA in print form or CD. GROW Commitment cards are also available to help youth plan their spiritual goals for the coming year.

Need a speaker for an upcoming event or retreat? Check out the Speaker Team brochure or call us for details at 773-583-0220. Three teams are available: "We're Here to Serve," "Rescue 101" or "Walk On."

May God richly bless you as you serve HIM!
Marti Burger,
Director of Youth and Family Ministries

Use the following links to jump down this page: Resources | Services & Seminars Offered | Events

Idea Exchange: We welcome your ideas and questions about Youth & Family Ministry. If you want to share with us or with others click here.

Impact: Subscribe to our quarterly "webzine" to read about what's happening in the Covenant in the area of Christian Formation.

 

Resources:

GROWth Commitment Card, Youth Version: A tool for reflecting on your spiritual growth and considering whether there are actions you'd like to commit to in order to become more like Christ. Contact the department of Christian Formation or the Covenant Resource Center. Also in downloadable version (G,R,O,W)

Seven Simple Words: Youth Version of Prayer Week Material 2003 by CV Hartline. As we journey through life will we take time to stop and pray? This 7 day material will help you reflect on scripture. Each day's reflection begins with a one-word theme. You are encouraged to let the word soak in as a theme for your day. The reflection after each scripture is designed to encourage your thoughts toward prayer. You are invited to write down your own reflection. Each day one of seven attributes will help you center life in Christ: newness, identity, worship, abundance, thank you, yes, and mission. For more information contact the Covenant Resource Center

The Prayer that Focuses Life. Youth Version: This study of the Lord's Prayer provides a guide for daily discipleship to refocus on God's purpose for daily living. It is designed for individual use and small groups. Contact the Covenant Resource Center for more information. (W)

Christian Formation Ministry Planning Tool for Youth: In his book, "The Courage to Teach," Parker Palmer says, "Teachers possess the power to create conditions that can help students learn a great deal - or keep them from learning much at all. Teaching is the intentional act of creating those conditions." The Ministry Planning Tool provides youth workers with a variety of models to consider in the planning process. Contact the Covenant Resource Center to find out more. (G, R, O, W)

NOTE: This resource is available in hard copy or on cd-rom. The cd-rom contains Word and Excel documents that can be changed to fit your church's needs. Downloadable Sample Sheets from Planning Tool:
- Table of Contents
- Tool Components

2003 CHIC Worship CD. CHIC Worship CD. Pre-CHIC2K3 worship cd by the CHIC2K3 mainstage worship band. CD's available through the Covenant Bookstore or look online at the CHIC website. (W)

Youth Worker Update. Monthly email update sent to youth workers. If you want to be on the mailing list contact Marti Burger or Kirsten Bell. (R)

"The Journey" Discipleship/Confirmation: Discipleship/Confirmation is a two-year discipleship program to help 7th and 8th graders process their faith. The material covers the Old Testament, New Testament and church history. The main text is the Bible. The students have journals that begin with a short story, daily Bible reading and questions and the leaders have a guide with a variety of activities and experiences that help youth process their faith. A Parent/Mentor guide that helps adults to share their faith stories with youth accompanies the material. The two-year curriculum is available through the Covenant Bookstore. A sample lesson is available from the Covenant Resource Center or download it now. (G,R)

Living Like Christ in Every Relationship: How can I grow to become more and more like Christ? What are the examples that Christ gave to his disciples? How can we follow those examples? This journal will help individuals or small groups explore Christ's life and examine ways that they can grow more and more like Christ in the knowing, being and doing aspects of life. Contact the Covenant Resource Center for more information. (R,O)

Bringing My World to Christ: This is a handout designed to be used in youth groups to help students consider who they want to bring before God in prayer. It is an opportunity for students to share their desire for their friends to come to faith. Contact the Covenant Resource Center

Services & Seminars Offered:

Christian Formation and Youth Ministry. A seminar that is specifically designed for those involved in youth ministry leadership. This seminar examines some of the current questions in youth ministry. What is Christian formation? How do we make God real to youth? What are some things that we can do to help foster GROWth? What are some characteristics of a spiritually mature person? Contact Marti Burger for more information. (G,R,O,W)

Speaker Team: As a youth worker you are faced with many challenges; don't let finding a speaker for your next event be one of them. The Youth Speaker Team was started to assist Covenant churches by providing quality speakers for: conference retreats, SALT (Student Action Leadership Team), leadership training events, mission trips, or local gatherings of two or more Covenant churches. Our goal is to challenge and assist the Evangelical Covenant Church to reach, disciple, and equip youth and families for growth toward spiritual maturity, and to serve the community and the world for Christ. For more information on speakers please contact Marti Burger. (G)

- Rescue 101: Evangelism for Normal people: We have added a new dimension to our Speaker Team. A team has been assembled that will be able to speak at weekend retreats and take youth through a variety of activities to help them grow in discipleship/evangelism. The team has four sessions that they can share over the course of a weekend. There are Kris Causton from Minnesota, Chris Pappenfus from New Hampshire, Angie Tate from California, and Tim Ciccone from Minnesota. The cost of this service is $300. The Department of Christian Formation provides travel costs for the speaker. If you want more information please contact Marti Burger . (O)

- Walk On: Walk on is a retreat experience of prayer and worship. The retreat is focused on classic spiritual disciplines experienced and expressed through our God-given gifts to create. Students will have opportunities to express their faith through visual arts, music and literature. Slow down and listen to the still, small voice of God. Contact Marti Burger if you are interested.

Frontline Coaches: It is our goal to provide on-going support of youth workers through Frontline Coaches. Frontline Coaches are youth pastors in each conference who lend encouragement and support to others in their conference. They are the personal touch and resource for new youth workers moving into conferences. Please feel free to contact Marti Burger with questions regarding this ministry. (R)

Events:

Contact Us | ©2005 Department of Christian Formation of The Evangelical Covenant Church.
Located at 3311 W. Foster Ave Chicago IL 60625 Phone 773-583-0220