Editor's note: This week is the 2nd in a 3-part series looking at some of the children and student ministries at Parkside (read part 1). As we head into a new school year, these ministries are beginning another year as well and are looking for volunteers to help teach the truth of the Gospel to the kids and students in our church and community. We hope that you'll consider how you can be involved in this aspect of our life together at PKS.
Meet Jenn Fraher,
Middle School Adult Ministry Team Member
It's a cool summer night in June and chauffeurs dressed like parents pull up to the Warehouse in Solon to drop off their 12- and 13-year-old kids for Club JV, Parkside's weekly middle school youth ministry meeting. Inside the Warehouse, a pack of 25 incoming seventh and eighth graders are bouncing from the basketball court to the pool table to the cornhole toss to a newly introduced get-the-Frisbee-in-the-can game. Attendance is lower than the usual 50 to 75 kids as Club JV has said goodbye to last year’s eighth graders and waits to welcome the new sixth graders. Nevertheless, it's loud and busy and exactly what you'd expect when a group of middle schoolers get together.
To find out more about the ministry, I spoke with Jenn Fraher, one of Club JV's newer team leaders.
Let's Play Dodge Ball
With her soft-spoken demeanor, Jenn is one of the less rowdy team leaders. When she was looking for a place to serve in the church, she asked what the main differences are between working with the middle school and high school students. Matt McAlvey, who was the high school pastor at the time, explained succinctly, "No dodge ball in high school." The high school ministry was already well-staffed, so Jenn braced herself for the red welts that were sure to come from failed attempts at dodging red rubber balls. Instead, Jenn found herself being introduced to a new group of friends and being re-introduced to activities that she thought she had left behind in her own youth.
Retreats Are The Best
Ski trips, white-water rafting, sleep-overs and days at the water park are just a few of the fun outings that get the middle schoolers excited and the adult ministry team leaders reaching for the Advil. It had been awhile since Jenn had participated in many of those activities, but she was pleasantly surprised at how much she enjoyed them. Twelve-year-old, Club JV attendee, Robbie, also adds that "retreats are the best because you get to go to fun places and learn about God."
Powerhouse Small Groups
In addition to attending Tuesday night's Club JV, youth ministry leaders also lead small group Bible studies called Powerhouse Groups. This past year, Jenn led a group of sixth-grade girls, which had its own challenges. Jenn likens the experience to learning a new language. Who are the Jonas Brothers? What is High School Musical and why do kids like it so much? While trying to navigate through a pop culture that has changed significantly since she was 12, Jenn encouraged her girls to start thinking deeply about eternal things: what it means to be a Christian and what the Gospel message is. She sees her time with her Powerhouse girls as an opportunity to start developing a foundation of the Gospel so that they can be sustained by a firm, personal understanding of the message as they get older.
Making a Big Place Feel Smaller
Jenn joined Parkside's staff as the Website Director in July 2008. She is also the Communications Manager for Truth For Life. Even though Jenn is heavily involved with the day-to-day operations of both Parkside Church and Truth For Life, she has found the size of Parkside's congregation a little overwhelming. "I came from a smaller church in Washington, D.C. that was about a third of the size [of Parkside.] It was easier to build relationships," says Jenn. "Joining the youth ministry was a great way to meet people, and the other leaders are some of my closest friends here."
The middle school & high school ministries are looking for new leaders to join the Adult Ministry Team this fall. With midweek gatherings, small group Bible Studies, and Sunday Morning groups, there are several ways to be involved. To volunteer or to get more information, fill out the volunteer form or email youth@parksidechurch.com.
Text and photos by Julie Hahn
