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Grace and peace to you,
This month, we've been excited to announce the wonderful addition of Pastor Matt Canniff-Kesecker as staff support for you - our NC Synod Children, Youth & Family (CYF) ministry leaders! As of August 1, Pastor Matt began serving part-time on synod staff as the Youth Ministry Leadership Coordinator. In this role, he will provide leadership and relational support including care, prayer, professional development and community building among youth ministry leaders. Keeping you informed and connected through this monthly newsletter will land in his scope of work, as well!
Alongside Pastor Matt, I will continue to serve as the lead staff member to support, nurture, and continue to grow CYF ministry programming on the synodical level. So I will still be your point of contact for YouthQuake, LYO, the ELCA Youth Gathering, Safe Gatherings, and Kaelke grants.
Between the two of us, we look forward to supporting you and your ministries! We hope you'll join us on August 18th at 1:00p on Zoom for our monthly check-in to hear more from us both, ask questions, and welcome Pastor Matt (see Zoom details below)!
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Carissa Abraham
Associate Program Director
Children, Youth & Family Ministries
NC Synod, ELCA
704.680.9553
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Hi friends!
I am excited to begin serving as the NC Synod Youth Ministry Leadership Coordinator, alongside my call as pastor of Prince of Peace in Greensboro.
My role is to support and encourage the children, youth, and family ministers of our synod.
About me:
- I grew up at Lutheridge in the world of outdoor youth ministry. That's where most of my skills for ministry come from.
- After high school, I spent two years traveling on Youth Encounter ministry teams all over the US, Canada, and West Africa.
- I was on staff at Lutheridge for four years in various counselor, senior staff, program leader, and year-round retreat positions.
- I served two years with St. Matthew's Lutheran Church in downtown Charleston, SC as Youth & Young Adult Ministries Coordinator including campus ministry with the College of Charleston.
- I served five years as Director of Youth & Family Ministry at Faith Lutheran Church in Sarasota, FL.
- While I was in FL I served as Region 9 Facilitator for the ELCA Youth Ministry Network.
- I went to seminary at LTSS in Columbia, SC and served as youth director at Mt. Horeb Lutheran Church in Chapin, SC.
- My pastoral internship was at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, MN where I was involved with neighborhood youth programs.
- My family moved to Greensboro in 2018, and Prince of Peace is my first call as pastor. Since it's a small congregation, I get to work with people of all ages including children, youth, and their families, and kids from our church neighborhood. I love it!
I offer that background as points where we might connect over common experiences, NOT in any way to present myself as someone with expertise! Because I'm not, and even if I was it wouldn't matter, because that's not what my new job is about. It's about being the person that CYF leaders can call on, and the person who works to connect all of y'all to each other.
My new synod email address is mattck@nclutheran.org. Expect to hear from me soon and feel free to reach out! I'm looking forward to deepening our relationships and serving together in the days ahead! Children, youth, and family ministry is fun, important work and we're blessed to get to do it! Y'all are in my prayers.
Peace,
Pastor Matt
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Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/95246098989
Meeting ID: 952 4609 8989
One tap mobile: +13017158592,,95246098989# US
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Children, Youth & Family Ministry Leader Check-Ins
Save these dates to share updates and network with one another over Zoom!
Thursday, August 18 @ 1:00p
*Welcome Matt CK!*
Tuesday, September 13 @ 10:30a
(subject to change)
Tuesday, October 18 @ 10:30a
(subject to change)
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2022 YouthQuake
For 3rd-5th graders
October 1, 2022
at Mt. Pisgah, Hickory
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!
Join us for worship, music, fellowship, devotions and fun as we explore ways to study, encourage and worship together.
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2023 LYO Assembly
For 6th-12th graders
Save the Date: February 24-26, 2023
at Embassy Suites, Greensboro
LYO planning began at the LYO Board Retreat July 25-28, and the 2023 Theme will be announced next month!
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EXTRAVAGANZA 2023: Enough
February 3-6, 2023
Anaheim, CA
An opportunity for children, youth and family ministry leaders to be renewed, connect with other leaders, and grow in ministry skills as we explore where God is calling us in the coming year!
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CONNECT - EDUCATE - RENEW
onsite or online
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CYF e-News | NC Synod, ELCA | 704-633-4861 | nclutheran.org | | | | | |
