Youth Ministry

Our youth group will be making their annual trip to Juarez, Mexico, to build a home for a family in need over spring break.

The group will be in Mexico from March 17th-21. We always love to provide a wonderful homemade dessert for the kids each evening after a hard day's work.

We are asking the congregation to pull out the cookie sheets and mixing bowls and bake up some goodies for the kids to enjoy! Please deliver them to the church office or the youth office on March 14 or March 16.

Please mark that they are for the youth mission trip so no one eats them in the process! Thanks for all of your help!

Primary Objective: To provide vision and leadership to FPC's Student Ministry, as well as love and discipleship to its middle school through high school youth.
Ministry Area: Youth ages 12 to 19, approximately
Reports to: Associate Pastor/Senior Pastor

Qualifications and Credentials:
• Maturing Christian with strong spiritual and Biblical foundation
• Four-year college degree.
• Experience leading student ministry staff
• History of active participation with the body of Christ
• A call by the Lord to this ministry as a vocation

Required Skills and Abilities:
• Character - An active relationship with Jesus Christ. Ability through the power of Christ to live a lifestyle worthy of the call to full-time ministry.
• Leadership and Relational Skills – Ability to establish good rapport and act as a spiritual mentor for students while also relating well to parents, staff, and the congregation.
• Communication - Ability to manage a vast amount of relationships. Ability to communicate clearly the truths of God and the vision for ministry to staff, volunteers, students, parents, and the congregation.
• Management - Ability to effectively manage paid staff members and volunteers. Ability to focus not only on program goals but also on discipleship and nurture of the individual.
• Team player - Demonstrated ability to work effectively with others, both staff and volunteers.

Preferred Skills and Abilities:
• Strong work ethic, stamina - Commitment to hard work and perseverance in handling the daily demands of the position.
• Persuasive, motivational - Natural leadership abilities to persuade, engage, and rally support and enthusiasm from different areas - the ability to cast vision.
• Enthusiastic, energetic - High energy level and enthusiasm for Christ.
• Highly Organizational - Exceptional ability to plan and follow through with multiple detailed tasks simultaneously, using personal, staff, and volunteer time wisely.
• Self Motivated - Propensity to initiate both tasks and relationships.

The Mexican Christmas Fund-raiser is Dec. 12. Anyone making desserts for the dinner should deliver them before 4:30 p.m. Dec. 12 to the Fellowship Hall or to the Student Ministries office if delivering before Dec. 12. For information, please contact Alana, Tyson or Michael in the Student Ministries office.

Dusty and Jaime Doyle may seem too young to even be out of the youth group themselves, but that's where they have found their

connection at First Presbyterian Church.

“ I have really felt pulled in that area," said Dusty, a longtime member. “When I was in high school, there were countless men who invested their time in my life, and I just want to give that same gift to others."

Dusty and Jaime lead praise and worship at the A&Ω house Wednesday nights and have committed much of their time to sponsoring the youth group trips. They also lead core groups on Sundays.

“ The relationship with the kids is what means the most to me," Jaime said. “I love watching them evolve and grow and know that I was there for all of it."

Picture 15,000 people standing outside for an hour waiting for the doors of the Gaylord Hockey Arena in downtown Nashville, Tenn., to open.

Suddenly, the doors open and the crowd rushes in to get the best seats.

These young adults are not your typical “hockey" crowd. In fact, they aren't even there to see a hockey game.

Believe it or not, they have come from all over the world to spend three days together entering in worship through singing, teaching, praying and fellowship.

Downtown Nashville was transformed from buildings and business suits into a beautiful sea of young men and women who radiated the love of the God they serve.

If the journalists who have tagged this generation with so many negative labels had been there, they would have been walking around with their shoes off, because they would have been ushered into the presence of God through the worship of “this" generation.

Needless to say, our group of 25 had our cups filled to overflowing as we participated in Passion '05.

We were led in worship by Charlie Hall, Dave Crowder, Chris Tomlin, Watermark, Shane & Shane, Matt Redman and others.

We received God's word from John Piper, Beth Moore, Louie Giglio, and other great teachers, and we were challenged to leave our comfort zone and take the Gospel to all the ends of the world.

Sound familiar? (Matthew 28:18-20)

Jesus met with each of us in Nashville and just as the disciples' lives were never the same, our prayer was that we would never be the same.

If you feel this generation is lost, I encourage you to come and join us next year at Passion '06. It's not just the young who need their cups to be filled to overflowing.

We became friends with each of them and appreciated the love they have for Christ, family and friends. We observed them dating and saw the love develop for each other. We watched them marry and saw the beginning of two wonderful lives intertwined with God at the head of their marriage. A short time later, God called them to South Carolina.

Now, two years later, God has returned them to us, not as a family of two but as a family of three. Please come join us as we pray for the Taylor family at the 8:30 and 11 a.m. worship services Nov. 23. In South Carolina, Cammy began her career as a radiation therapist, and Tyson commenced his position as director of youth at a Presbyterian Church in Myrtle Beach, S.C.Both of them learned to adapt to different trends, different styles and a transient culture.Tyson Taylor, good ole West Texas boy, turned into Tyson Taylor, surfer dude.

Tyson developed and matured as a person and in his ministry as he explored various program models of ministry. He experienced a much different environment, and diverse challenges from those previously contended with in West Texas. Fortunately, Tyson already had seven years of experience in ministry working on the front lines — preaching, working with students, setting most of the agenda and direction. Tyson learned as a “ministry of one" that there is more than one effective way to meet challenges, to accomplish workable solutions, and to expand the ministry of Christ.

God blessed Cammy and Tyson with the birth of their son, Cale Taylor, on April 9. At two months of age, Cale was diagnosed with plagiocephaly. The treatment – Cale needed to wear a helmet. The helmet would need adjustments every month. They drove three hours one way with Cale to his appointment to adjust the helmet each month for three months.

Normally, insurance does not pay for this procedure. Through prayer and persistence, the insurance company paid 80 percent of the treatment. One day at church, Tyson was telling someone about this blessing. A person who overheard the conversation provided the remaining 20 percent of the expense. God blessed the Taylor family and used all of this for His glory!

Tyson and Cammy were seeking God's call for their family. And, as it turned out, God brought them back to the Texas Panhandle, to their friends and families who love them, and to a ministry that they love. Tyson and Cammy are excited to be back in Amarillo, but just a little overwhelmed with the transition. Tyson's treasures the time he spends with the FPC middle and high school students and enjoys working with Barbara Howard. Cammy adores her position at the Harrington Cancer Center.