Peer Ministry :: Adult Facilitator Support

Student Interviews of Churches that are Using Peer Ministry

#23 Interview JAN, 2000
Bethel Lutheran, Rochester, MN
Interviewed with Jonette Knock, Director of Youth & Family Ministry
By: Jessica Bakken

City known for it’s medical/technical employers (Hospitals/IBM)
Congregation size: 4,500 members
Staff Size: 9 full-time program, 5 part-time program, 5 full-time support/custodial,
(3 full-time pastors, 1 part-time visitation, 1 pastoral intern, 1 Youth and Family Director, 1 full-time Youth Minister)
Youth per grade level: about 60.

Peer Ministry Description

• How many trained adult facilitators work with Peer Ministry?
Two.

• How many youth are trained (or being trained) in Peer Ministry?
14 currently being trained

• How long has your church been involved in Peer Ministry?
Three months

• How are Peer Ministers identified and encouraged to participate?
This year we announced it in the youth newsletter, did a mass mailing to students that had been identified by pastoral staff as possible leaders, and made personal invitation calls to 55 of those students

• Where and at what time of day did your training take place?
Weekly sessions 7-8:30 on Wednesday evenings, and a retreat attended by 12 of 14 participants over Christmas break.

• After the initial training how often do the Peer Ministers meet?
Training will be completed in May and we plan to meet monthly during the summer, and weekly starting again in September.

• What is the overall goal for Peer Ministry?
We see Peer Ministry as a Life Skill that will enable students to live out their faith and prepare them to be faithful people in whatever setting they find themselves in.

Ministry Uses

• What are some of the ways that Peer Ministers have used their training?
We have several student-inspired projects for the Peer Ministry Students to lead next school year: Associate Guide for confirmation, Junior High Bible Study Leader, Summer Day Camp Facilitators, Several are in Worship Band and help lead a upper elementary puppet team.

• How has Peer Ministry effected the youth program?
With both Catherine and myself being new to the congregation, we are building the core of our Senior High Program on trained student ministers.

• What do you think is one of the biggest things the Peer Minister’s have gained?

Confidence, identity, skills for life, confidence in talking about their faith.

• What challenges or frustrations have you experienced?

The students that want to be trained are in sports, organizations, music and have jobs. Peer Ministry is a priority to them but there is still a lot going on in their lives and sometimes Wednesday night HAS to be a homework night.

Future Hopes and Goals

• What are some hopes and goals you hope to see for your Peer Ministry group?

The sky and students time are the only limits. They are excited to lead day camps this summer. Many of them will also be involved in VBS, all but two are going to St. Louis for the National ELCA youth gathering which will consist of about 50,000 participants.

• What words of wisdom would you offer others considering a Peer Ministry program?

Sometimes, time, finances, physical energy for another huge (and Peer Ministry is huge) program is limited, but keep working to make a quality program. When you encounter students 10 years down the road they will realize what the church and leadership has meant in their personal lives and especially their faith lives. That makes all the difference. God can do wonderful things through each one of us...especially if we give God a chance...