Tuesday, July 8, 2008

first day on the job!

hello friends! i am now a resident of the lovely state of Kentucky! i made it in yesterday at 4:30 & am slowly getting settled in my new digs. things are a little crazy here because our head youth minister Scott & his wife just acquired a week-old foster baby! so i am certainly not alone in feeling as though life is hectic! i've met a lot of people, am starting to see what i actually will be doing at work, and have already gotten lost once (but not too badly).

the big question that has been on everyone's mind (including mine) would be my job description, which i finally got today! my top 3 responsibilities (as of now) are the following:
  1. first impressions management--overlooking what students see when they first walk in the door on Sunday mornings & following up with new visitors. there are 3 areas to consider: the lobby, the cafe, and the lounge. i'm excited to observe this process this Sunday morning & get some good ideas about where to begin
  2. Girls' ministry--this is where my brainstorming has already shot into overdrive! i'm so excited about being the go-to gal for the female youth in this ministry. there isn't anything strongly in place, so i can't wait to toss ideas around and see what the girls feel they need in their ministry. super pumped!
  3. marketing/promotion--basically working on pub for events within the ministry, but also getting the word out about the ministry in general
my other tasks will include creating a biweekly newsletter, creative team/worship type things, and occasional teaching (giving the lesson/leading things for Sunday morning, either for HS or MS). I'll also get to serve as a youth small group leader (yay!). One other thing that's really awesome is the component of my internship that will involve me "crossing over" into other ministries and observing their function. everything from tech to children to worship, etc. it's pretty mind-boggling to consider just how much i'm going to learn this year!

but the day wasn't all about business. we had a new-staff-welcome event...at the laser tag arena!!! sweetness. i came in 9th out of 25 people or so--not too shabby considering i haven't played since i was 12. it was such a blast! the funny thing is, the three youth leaders (Scott, Tim, and Derek--the other intern) dominated everyone else & took top 3. so i don't doubt i will be enhancing my skills in the laser tag field as well :) we also had lunch all together as a staff, & went out for ice cream afterwards. haha i got to show off my mad reli-major skillz today when one of the teaching pastors jokingly made some reference to dispensationalism as he asked me about my church history. i said, 'do you mean premillenial dispensationalism?', and proceeded to (vaguely) discuss the tenets of this theology. thank you, John Charles and reli 440. it was one moment of me looking like i knew what i was doing when the rest of the day was awkward new-girl day. but they all tried to make me feel right at home--and of course i expected nothing less. i couldn't ask for a better work environment to dive into right after college. i really enjoyed chatting with my new co-workers & i already know they will richly bless my experience here & my life.

i really miss you guys though. i was just thinking today how odd it is that the end of college equals a virtual ending of one community. most of us go our separate ways & have to start over with new friends, new hang out places, new churches, and of course new jobs. it's not like i will never talk or see people from Carolina again, but it certainly is radically different. then i started looking forward to that "settled down" phase of life (which i have been observing in the lives of the adults i've been around this past day) when community is less likely to just be ripped away, but will ebb & flow a little more naturally. i know that's not a guarantee, but it's nice to think that friends i love as much as my fellow (former) chapel-hillians could potentially stick around for a long time. it's also exciting to think that i'll soon feel that same love for new friends here in Kentucky and especially for the youth. but then i'll be off again...sigh. oh transience. sorry, that's a little morbid for my first day. this adventure has only just begun!

on a cheerier note, i just made brownies & they are delish. when i came into my office, there was a huge tub of goodies, including my very favorites things courtesy of Mom's tip-offs (thanks!) & these brownies. yum-o. and speaking of my office, it is sooo great! not only do i feel important and grown up with my very own desk & window & phone extension, etc, but it's got a few special touches that already make it feel like my own. i have a vase of gerber daisies (again, thanks Mom!) on the table between my two cool swivel chairs. i brought the prayer shawl from Grandma's church & already put it there, where i am sure it will be greatly used both by me & by students i meet with. there is also a sign on the back of my door that says 'chicks rule' with a female stick figure standing before a kneeling male who is holding up flowers. the woman is saying "good boy." haha--reversely misogynistic but funny, and quite appropriate considering the fact that i own a set of very bright yellow sheets that likewise say 'chicks rule'. i also now have every office supply known to man & a sweet new set of books to put on my soon-to-arrive bookshelf. i have been excited about that bookshelf for awhile now--seeing all the books i have been collecting, in addition to the new ones from the church, together in one place, not only a wealth of knowledge but of truth, comfort, and direction. okay, yes, i get excited about weird things sometimes....

i will try to keep posting frequently now that i am actually here and have a ministry to share with you all! you will definitely be hearing from me after this Sunday when I get my first taste of the youth worship service & meet lots more students!

if anyone wants my contact info here, let me know & i can email it to you. my phone number will remain the same! keep in touch :)

2 comments:

Amanda said...

sounds exciting, friend. i'm so psyched for you! :)

fiercest said...

don't you mean "chapel hellions"?

:)

miss you, friend. i'm excited for you, though--your job description sounds right up your alley. thanks for your kind "girls' ministry" rather than the obvious alternative...of course, i always thought you were amazing at all that. hopefully our life group provided some start in beginning to brainstorm!

but yes, miss you. SO glad you're blogging so that we can stay updated!