Marlene Frankenfield, Franconia Conference Youth Minister

Goals/Purposes:
To partner with youth workers in congregations and Christopher Dock Mennonite High School who “actively invite every youth to commit to a personal relationship and everlasting adventure with Jesus Christ, mentoring them towards a supportive church community and empowering them to bring healing and hope to the world.” To provide support, training and resources to those who minister to junior high and high school youth so they may better carry out the Mennonite youth ministry mission statement, vision of the Franconia Conference and the purpose of youth ministry with their organizations.

2008 Updates/Activities:

• Congregational Youth Pastor Search – Blooming Glen & Salford
• Leadership Retreat is annually planned with Eastern District (EDC) and Christopher Dock Mennonite High School (CDMHS). It is designed for student leaders and adults that work with youth. This event is planned by a committee of youth pastors, volunteer leaders, and the Assistant Principal of CDMHS.
• Jr. High Lock-In is a joint event with EDC that is held at Christopher Dock Mennonite High School. This event is for Jr. High youth groups to come together along with their leader(s) from 9 PM and until 7 AM. The night is filled with many different activities, which offer choices for the youth to participate in during the night. The event is planned by a committee of youth pastors and volunteer leaders.
• Learning Communities is a model in which I facilitate two pastor groups. Congregational youth pastors for Franconia and Eastern District Conferences meet once a month for a time of sharing personal life experiences and youth ministry joys and challenges. This group creates a safe place for youth pastors to resource and network with one another. Credentialed women pastors and chaplains also meet once a month. This group gathers over lunch for discussion of topics that each person brings. This gathering is a time for support and encouragement for one another as we share our joys and challenges as pastors.
• Communication with youth leaders happens through an electronic quarterly newsletter titled Youth Breezes. The newsletter is intended to give resources and communicate local youth ministry and church-wide events to congregations.
• Mentoring continues to be a passion in Franonia Conference youth ministry. I am excited that Nate Stuckey will be interning with me from September 2008 to May 2009. Nate is in his second year as a student at Princeton Seminary. He comes with five years experience as a congregational youth pastor. Nate is hoping to connect with youth leaders and welcomes opportunities to meet with youth leaders as well as leading youth group Bible studies.
• Spiritual formation is a core value for Franconia Conference—to equip congregations from birth to death. Sharon Fransen, who is a parent, member at Blooming Glen, youth leader and a board member for Penn View and Christopher Dock, leads a group made up of Franconia Conference/EDC leaders, pastors, and Mennonite school leaders called the “Connections Goal Team.” This group comes out of the GPS 2012 vision for the schools. They developed a document that will equip congregations in passing the faith to the next generation. The document shows the importance for spiritual formation to happen in the home, congregation and school.   I am privileged to be on this team representing Franconia Conference youth ministry.  The document is a gift to Franconia Conference/EDC congregations and will help integrate youth ministry into the core of Franconia Conference and congregational life.
• 2009 Youth Convention will be held during July in Columbus, Ohio. I am looking forward to promoting and helping youth leaders navigate details as they plan for their groups to attend. This year I will be involved in helping to lead community life and will be working with Speak Up. Speak Up is a group of youth that will gather during the seminar time and will discuss issues that connect to the adult assembly delegate gatherings. Two youth are invited from each youth group, making the Speak Up group. This group helps the youths’ voices to be heard and provides opportunity for youth to lead and articulate their thoughts and ideas.
• MC USA – Youth Ministry Leadership Team is responsible to articulate a vision for youth ministry for the denomination and to promote ways to align youth ministry with MC USA churchwide priorities and to be an advocate for youth ministry in and throughout the denomination. We meet twice a year and also through periodic phone conference meetings.
• Youth Ministry Council consists of area conference youth ministers of the Mennonite Church Canada and MC USA as well as churchwide agency staff. We gather once a year for fellowship, counsel, mutual encouragement, and resourcing.
• Continuing Education
  Preaching Institute – Eastern Mennonite Seminary
  Princeton Theological Seminary Youth Ministry Institute