Hey Element Church! Check out Andy’s blog HERE for some updates on what is happening in Fusion. I want to share some pretty cool stuff on this blog about what is going on in our youth and college ministries.
First off, Elementers you are SO BLESSED to have Andy and Curtis serving your students. Holy cow those guys impress me. BOTH of them are pastors on staff and part of the Lead Team as TOTAL volunteers. Andy currently works at the Wal-Mart distribution center and Curtis is a helicopter pilot for the USAF. (Who has the cooler job? Actually Andy does, he works in the freezer area at the DC) Each week these guys are giving of their free time and days off to attend staff meetings, prepare lessons, retreats, camping trips, games. They are pastors who don’t get paid. And I’ve yet to hear ANYTHING but positive spoken from their mouths. Let me tell you, when it comes to finding guys for the team, it’s hearts like theirs I’m looking for.
Second, at our staff advance to Estes Park we made some SERIOUS staff shifts and ministry shifts that I think are going to be an AWESOME move for us. Starting Tuesday, September 2nd Varsity Fusion is going to be ministering to our 9th – 12th grade students. Wednesday’s will be JV Fusion for 6th – 8th graders and we are starting, for the first time, a complete college/twenty something ministry on Friday’s led by Curtis. That means Andy is stepping up to be our youth pastor of both groups. Curtis is now the college pastor. WHAT? Yeah, we said a few times at our planning time “Did we just do that?”
Why? We have missed connecting college/twenty somethings since the beginning. Now, instead of high school students and college students in one ministry, they will have their own. That is a huge move for us. All the groups will utilize the youth room at the new building which is also a huge plus. I am SO excited and 150% behind this move. Curtis and Andy have been dreaming and visioning this out since Andy’s move here. One of our 6 month goals we laid out at our advance was to hire Andy full time. Barring a move of God we’ll not be able to hire Curtis so we’ll see where God takes that. I believe eventually the ministry will be such, that someone will need to be hired to lead that group.
Needless to say we are STOKED for the new school year and this new move. Tuesday 6:30 – 8 PM will be Varsity Fusion. Wednesday 6:30 – 8 PM JV Fusion. Friday 7 PM – ? College (working on a name right now).
Please pray for us in this ministry shift. To alleviate some pressure from Andy on Tuesdays we are all going to share speaking duties. We’ll be on a rotation with Andy, Curtis, Adam, Grant, myself and some other volunteers. I’m excited about that. Be thankful for the men you have leading your students. God is doing amazing things through them.
Excited,
Jeff
