June 11th-19th 2020
Thank you for making time for our seniors this past week. Our car parade and distance celebration and zoom video sharing was different, but as meaningful as we could make it. We love our seniors and thank you for taking the time to honor the class of 2020.
Check out their Class of 2020 Video here-
ZOOM MEETINGS ARE ON PAUSE UNTIL JUNE 17th. You will hear from me then about our flexible summer plans.

After the senior events, the months of zoom, the maxing and waning attendance and the personal weirdness of home schooling and shelter in place, Kat on maternity leave, I, Lisa, feel like I need a few days to really think about what is healthy and best for the months ahead. I'm grieving what is happening in our country but also hopeful at the "WAKE UP" happening finally. I'm also so particularly sad to not be leaving on our mission trip this weekend with students. I just need a few days to sort this out, seek wisdom from families and others and have some time to make the next plan.

Does that feel ok for you?

This week, as we have all SIP, we will have daily posts, questions, challenges, videos and engagement on our JYMROCKS instagram which also synchs to our Joint Youth Ministry Facebook page.

It's important to note that the CALNEV Bishop and churches have made it clear that churches are closed until at least June 30th, with reevaluating at that point. If/when we reopen, strict guidelines will be implemented to ensure health and safety for all. I appreciate the concern for the health of all that the UMC is taking, even if the county mandates are changing.


We have done three months of ministry at a virtual distance. Some weeks have been amazing, some awkward, some the best we can do. As we continue into summer with Shelter in Place still recommended and with some restrictions lifted, but none that can accommodate the entirety of the JYM family as well as keeping in mind the greater and larger needs of our community and the spread of COVID 19, we are adjusting, praying and thinking through what we might be able to do this summer. Our summers are normally filled with mission trips, camps, day trips and Denny's walks, not normal Sunday/Tuesday programming. None of that will be happening this summer so we are listening and adjusting. After feedback from students, parents, Pastors and others in ministry, my hunch for the summer (though things change by the hour) is
  1. One virtual games with prizes/discussion/gathering online a week
  2. Distance challenges all summer (MANY described below)
  3. Small, very small, age specific socially distant and masked park meet ups with discussion, games and time face to masked face with limited RSVP.
  4. Small group walks/hikes.
  5. "Drive in" and zoom movie watching together about serious subject and light hearted things.

We'd love to hear your thoughts.
Hey Parents- We'd still love if you gave us some feedback about programing. Click the link.
It has been a wake up call- for everyone, and some many POC say, it's far too late and where have you been. We've been discussing it on zoom, posting on instagram and talking about it with students but we want to make sure we communicate it here as well and resource you.

Racism is and has been an enormous part of our country since the inception, both personal and systemic. That is unbiblical and unjust. We are listening. We are grieving. We are acting. We are protesting. We are listening more. We assume the burden of educating about these things on ourselves. We find way to be allies and we commit to not centering ourselves. We listen more. We learn. We grow. We insist that we do more personally and as a society.

Here are our challenges for the month as well as some resources we have shared online with students in the last week.
An intergenerational group of students, alumni and adults have committed to the WORK OUT. WAKE UP. Challenge. We will continue to do our walking/running challenge in additional to WAKING UP to the issues of race in our country. How? You sign up to commit to one of 12 books (or series of articles) this month. They are all listed in the link below. At the end of the month, or in early July, all of us, from different walks of life, will gather on zoom to discuss what we heard, experienced and learned. We need to do the work to educate ourselves, examine our bias and grow and make changes.

Sign up for the challenge HERE (you will find the book choices on this link)

Log your miles HERE


Links to great resources


Robin DiAngelo White fragility

AN EXCELLENT beginning stages podcast on "Anti Racism and Allyship with Zoe Bender and the Love Drive"




Showing up for Racial Justice- A group that meets at Sacred Heart in San Jose and a national organization. Bootcampers/JYM leaders have engaged with this program over the years and benefited greatly.




People to follow on social media

Be the Bridge with Latasha Morrison
Rachel Elizabeth Cargle
Austin Channing Brown
Mr. Koa on Instagram- Videos- Black and White and What's it like being black.

There's so many more. This is just a small portion.

21 days of scripture challenge- Read scripture about justice, mercy and love. All ages are IN! Join us as we daily read scripture about Justice. Our first week begins with these scriptures with Day 1 being June 12th. Each day I will read them on JYMROCKS on instagram. I encourage you to read them on your own each day as well!


CONTINUED INTO JUNE
Cassidy Finwall and Paige Unger (and Carol Nasby, my mother to be honest), won our June challenge of letter writing to shut ins, seniors, leaders and more for the month of May. We are so grateful for their robust letter writing campaign. The feedback from church members and others who received letters has been a testament to what an important, small act of thoughtfulness this is. We are extending this challenge through June. Although Paige and Cassidy won the Amazon gift cards for May, we will offer 2 more gift cards for letter writers in the month of June. Log when you write and who you write to. Let's continue to spread the love.
We'd love for more of you to participate in this challenge and we know with school down you might be able to. The feedback from people who have received notes from you guys has been amazing. You have brightened so many days of people stuck at home in challenging times.
Deep breathes my friends. This is a challenging time on all levels. You are beloved. You are important. Your God given gifts and abilities are needed. You are loved. You are known and you are not alone.

I really, really miss you guys.


Much love,
Lisa Jacobs
Joint Youth Ministry Director
408-806-3133