Over the past year, I have taken to modifying my job title to read, "Associate Pastor for Youth Ministries (and other stuff, too)." While the Youth Ministry Program remains - - in my heart, mind, and schedule - - my primary call and calling, I have gladly broadened my portfolio to include more general worship and pastoral responsibilities in addition to my work with the Media Ministry and Diversity Committee. While this change is due in part to increased responsibilities during David’s sabbatical, it also reflects both the complexities and interconnectedness of parish ministry.

While some of these responsibilities will be lifted upon David’s return, I will continue to dedicate my time to the Media and Diversity aspects of our faith community, with a hope that both might be moved to the "front burner" of my ministerial stovetop. Admittedly, I have not been able to commit as much energy to the Diversity Committee as I would have liked, but with my plate opening up a bit, I look forward to a generous helping in the coming year!

I have been inspired by the resurrection of our Media Ministry, and I am greatly indebted to Jim Jackson for his weekly commitment to recording our worship services. I have found that the time I spend editing and producing our worship recordings has provided a unique opportunity to analyze and theologize our worship life as well as the chance to learn new skills. My vision is that we will be able, in the coming year, to assemble a group of volunteers to record and produce our worship videos so that more members of our congregational family might also gain this perspective.

Emerging from that inspiration is a desire to look at our communication in its entirety: from formats that serve our members to those that reach out to the wider community. I have begun to work with Frank Scalia to assemble a Communications Task Force of both creative and technically-minded individuals who could help construct a strategic plan for our communications, including the use of our website and our published materials. It is my opinion that we would do well to enter the realm of so-called "New Media" - - social networking sites like Facebook, downloadable "Podcasts" of sermons, and maybe even a YouTube channel to post our worship services. Research on the appropriate and technical uses of these formats is ongoing, but I expect us to have a greater New Media presence by the fall.

In short, we are doing good things here at First Church, and we want other people to know about it! I would like us to become more comfortable with two seemingly taboo areas of communication: Evangelism and Marketing. To paraphrase Jesus, we should not be hiding our light under a bushel basket!

In regards to the Youth Ministry Program, there has been positive growth in both our Junior and Senior High Fellowships in terms of our curriculum/substance quality, if not our membership quantity. The groups have eagerly discussed a range of current social issues, always through the lens of our faith life. As noted in my 2009 report, I continue to integrate the so-called "Marks of the Church" into the overall arc of our time together. I take pains to make certain that, within each month, our sessions contain each element of Worship (Liturgia), Service (Diakonia), Teaching (Kerygma), and Fellowship (Koinonia). In this way, our youth programs are evolving into a disciple-forming ministry.

This work would simply not be possible without the dedication of the Youth Board (led by Tora Buttaro, Stephanie Croswell, and Kathleen Swahn), the Senior High Fellowship advisors (Matt Montgomery, Meg & Eric Fleckenstein, Dave LaFargue, John McNab, Catherine McNab, Anne Fecko, and Danae Dwyer), and the Junior High Fellowship advisors (Bob Ferrante, Carol Tiroff, Dave & Judy Harding, Tara Conway, Tina Zorzi, and Will Bancroft).

In other areas of my service to the church, I wrapped-up my six-year term as the Connecticut Conference delegate to the Executive Council, the national-level governing body that acts as the General Synod ad interim. At the invitation of DaVita McAllister from the Connecticut Conference, I have joined with several other pastors to form a youth-mentoring group, "Thinking About Working For God (TAWFG)," to nurture young people who are considering entering professional ministry. I have also recently agreed to serve on the Hartford East Church and Ministry Committee, and look forward to the opportunity to support fellow clergy and our neighboring congregations.

It is with great enthusiasm and gratitude that I look toward the upcoming program year, and I thank you all for your continued support of and trust in my call to be your Associate Pastor for Youth Ministries - - and other stuff, too!

Peace and Blessings,

Rev. Chris Mereschuk

Associate Pastor for Youth