Dear First Pres,

Most of you, I think, know that Beth Paz, our High School Ministry Director, will be leaving the staff of FPC at the end of August. She received an amazing post-graduate fellowship award from Fuller Theological Seminary that allows her to spend the upcoming school year learning about the church and preaching in the global context. Congratulations, Beth! So, we've been working hard to discern the best way forward for our youth ministry since Beth's announcement.
   Today it's my privilege to announce our decision. We have promoted Meagan Bergem to be our Youth Ministry Director. Congratulations, Meagan! This is not only a new position for Meagan, it's a staffing reorganization for the youth ministry. We've decided to move away from having an individual director over junior high and high school ministry as we've done for the last three years. Instead, we'll have one full-time Director over both ministries with two part-time Youth Ministry Assistants. The Youth Ministry Assistants, both open positions now, will each focus on either junior high or high school ministry. 
   Here's what we like about this structure: it allows each ministry to be appropriately unique while maintaining a common vision and culture; it allows us to continue to raise up future ministry leaders in the Youth Ministry Assistant roles; it actually adds staff hours to our youth ministry without adding more salary expense to our budget; and it sets up our Youth Ministry Director to focus first on building excellent and effective ministry teams of volunteer leaders.
   And, here's what we like about putting Meagan Bergem in this leadership role: Meagan starts the job with years of relational capital with both students and parents; Meagan has a proven track record of helping students at FPC grow in faith and service with Christ; Meagan is a seasoned teacher, organizer, communicator, and leader in our youth ministry; Meagan passionately shares our vision to become more and more a Great Commission Church; and Meagan is effective at recruiting, equipping, and engaging volunteer leaders into healthy ministry teams.
   Special thanks are due to Nathan Turner who has served for the last two and a half years as the part-time High School Ministry Assistant Director with Beth. Nathan's position is not included in the new staffing structure and will close at the end of August. Our students and volunteer leaders have benefited much from Nathan's depth and thoughtfulness. I'm really grateful for the work he has done for FPC (on top of his full-time job). And I trust the Lord will continue to use Nathan (and his wife Breanna) in powerful ways.
   Finally, youth ministry at a church doesn't work without Christian adults who are willing to spend their time investing spiritually in the lives of students. I am personally (remember, my three kids are currently part of our junior high and high school ministries) and professionally so grateful for our incredible volunteers for both junior high (Ignite) and high school (Rooted) ministries. 
   So, church, please join me in praying for our youth ministry. This is an important transition in a very important ministry for our congregation. Pray for our volunteer leaders, our staff, our students and their parents. Pray that the Lord grows our ministries deep and wide. Pray that God ignites a passion in every student for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that each is rooted and established in God's amazing love. And pray that they grow to love the Church like Jesus does.  

Blessings, 
Jeremy
P.S. To apply for one of the Youth Ministry Assistant jobs, please click here.