STUDENT MINISTRY PROGRAM PLAN: Opening the CLC for Community Groups.

This fall our ministry will be experiencing a bit of a reboot as we accommodate for COVID-19 restrictions. Our hope is to provide a safe environment while giving our students a chance to experience an “almost normal” group time together. (Our typical Sunday and Wednesday evening programming will not take place this fall.) Below, you will find the NEW Student Ministry schedule for Fall 2020 that will give our students an opportunity to come together weekly with their grade and receive a message, discuss the content, connect with their peers and pray with their C-Groups. In order to do this, there are a few housekeeping items that are extremely important. Please pay close attention to the importance of your space in C-Groups each week along with the requirements for face-coverings and no food or drink in the building space during C-Group meetings. While we know that it is a challenge to enforce social-distancing in some settings, we have a plan that involves setting up the room prior to arrival of our students.

Parents, we acknowledge that there is no perfect scenario indoors during these strange and unusual times. We do stress the importance of providing in-person connection to help guide your students spiritually, connect them to our support groups and challenge them to continue to practice loving God and loving others. We have a team of small group leaders that are prepared to meet with their groups weekly during this season, despite the risk involved. They are all ready, willing and able because of their great care and love for your children and our God.

Please help us maintain the integrity of this program as we cautiously proceed forward by going over the POLICIES and LOGISTICS with your child(ren) prior to their arrival. You have the opportunity to set the standard for what loving your neighbor looks like at church in these uncertain times. By this, you can teach them to love their C Group leaders and their peers by following all of these steps! Thank you in advance for your acceptance of our guidelines and prayer for our time together.

We also realize that the risk of meeting in-person is sometimes greater for some than others. After reading through the results of our recent online poll, we have decided to provide a “VIRTUAL C-GROUP” weekly for those families and their students. The time for this virtual group meeting is set below and we hope that they will find this space together meaningful and fruitful to building the kingdom of God together! We are certain that schedules will change throughout the semester.

We are hopeful that through this program we will reconnect with the real purpose of our call in ministry with your student. Jesus tells us to “love God and love others” and our hope is that we are doing this weekly in the best way we know how under the circumstances. Our prayer is that relationships with God and one another will be strengthened throughout the semester.   We hope to see the fruit of these unusual, out-of-the-ordinary days for years to come.

May the Lord bless you all,

Rachael Waldhour

Director of Student Ministry

Fairhope United Methodist Church