Collaborative Ministry..."Being and Becoming"

Today I began to think towards next school year and the curriculum or orientation that will shape the culture of our youth group. This year we have focused on discovering "our identity" in Christ as believers. What does that mean? What does following Christ actually look like? Why does it matter? Etc. With the church calendar as our compass through the year, we have hopefully began to see the kingdom being made present in and around us through the church seasons simply by becoming 'aware' of them. This is now.

As I begin preparing for the next year ahead, with students phasing out, new students phasing in, the direction that Sanctus Student Ministries is headed is towards understanding our "corporate identity." What is the church? How are we a part of it? How do we represent a 'body of believers' in a culture that rightfully has begun to extremely undervalue such a connection. My first thought was to educate myself with as much 'ecclesial knowledge' as I possibly could. My first move was to go through my own library of resources. Then, fittingly so, I began to consult my close and trusted friends with recommended resources (then facebook and twitter,etc). The church began helping the church in that moment of realization in my opinion. Friends began helping friends, different points of views began to appear, and now we are on the verge of doing some big things together!

I want to invite you to help me in this process of understanding, learning, and teaching what it means to be the church. In hope, we will continue to discover our 'being' as not individual identities, but as collective and genuine pieces of a greater whole. Then, by gaining new perspective, we aspire in will and deed, to 'become' who God has called us and assembled us to be. Grace and peace in this journey friends.