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e-Review Florida United Methodist News Service | ||||||
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New staff member takes young people’s ministries to next level By J.A. Buchholz | Aug. 18, 2010 {1210} Dave Sippel has seen ministry with young people from a variety of angles. He was an active Florida Conference youth member and director at several churches and served as a representative on several conference boards and ministries for youth and young adults. Now, he’s bringing what he has learned through 17 years of experience in the ministry to his new job as conference director of Ministries with Young People. Sippel joined the staff July 1, after serving as youth director at Hyde Park United Methodist Church in Tampa. Sippel says he has always had a heart for youth and young adult ministry. “My heart ached when I was in a meeting in 2004 when the (conference) youth and young adult position was eliminated,” he said. Mike Standifer, who served as the conference youth and young adult ministry staff person while overseeing the conference-wide summer camp program, became director at the Warren W. Willis United Methodist Camp in Fruitland Park in 2005. For the last several years, Kelly Minter, youth minister at Ponte Vedra United Methodist Church, had been coordinating the conference’s efforts with young people and their ministry workers. Sippel says the conference position brings his ministry full circle. It began, he said, with a job as youth director and pastor’s assistant at First United Methodist Church in Lake Alfred and a meeting with Standifer. “I started on a Monday, and on Wednesday I was in Mike’s office,” Sippel said. “I wanted to get connected.” Sippel brings that belief in the importance of connection to the position and says he’ll work to connect youth and young adult workers from across the conference, providing support and resources. “The conference really won’t be bringing all the kids together for a rally or big event,” Sippel said. “What we want to focus on now is partnering with the local churches and providing support. We want to work on leader development and helping our young people discern their call to the ministry.” Sippel will also pair youth and young adult workers with opportunities to serve in various conference ministries and help churches connect with campus ministries so the ministries can be better prepared to receive and serve incoming students. As a former youth and young adult worker in a local church, Sippel says he is aware of the pitfalls of the ministry. He said workers spend an average of only three years in young people’s ministries and are often frustrated by a lack of mentorship and support from leaders and parents. Sippel says there is a tendency for parents who were once actively involved in children’s ministries to unplug from their child’s spiritual development around middle-school age. Workers still need parents to be actively involved, Sippel said, noting there should be one adult to every five young people in a youth or young adult setting.
“There are so many nights and weekends in this area (of ministry),” Sippel said. “There is so much emotionally that is happening with these age groups. It’s so easy for a worker to get burned out.” An event to support new youth and young adult workers called “Rooted” is scheduled for Sept. 20 at the Warren W. Willis United Methodist Camp and April 11 at Riverside Retreat in LaBelle, near Fort Myers. The events are designed to educate and energize workers and equip them with the resources they need to be effective. The object is to help them start well and find support early on in their ministry. Veteran workers are also encouraged to attend, Sippel said, because it is important to have more experienced workers networking with people who are just entering the ministry. He said he and other youth and young adult workers met on a monthly basis when he worked in the Orlando area. “It was an opportunity to share and say what you were dealing with,” he said. “A worker would say they were struggling in the area of volunteers, and someone else would say, ‘Here’s something that I tried.’ At the end of the meetings, we would pray for the concerns. That was huge.” Sippel brings those trial and error experiences, as well as his networking abilities, to his new position. “I am wired to be a networker,” he said. “If I meet you once, I will know your name and church. I can connect people; it’s a natural gift. This is how God wired me.” Sippel considered ordained ministry, but says he realized others were calling him to that journey, not God. “The shoe just didn’t fit,” he said. “I had a lady call me the other day. She said her church didn’t have any children or youth in it. I’m going to be working with her to help make the first steps. That feeds my soul,” Sippel said. “It’s just so clear to me that this is what God is calling me to do.” Derrick Scott III says he is excited Sippel is fulfilling his calling at the conference level. Scott is director of Access218, the young adult ministry at CrossRoad United Methodist Church in Jacksonville. Scott met with Sippel recently to discuss how the conference will address its ministry with young people. “I’m glad the conference is being more intentional in this area,” Scott said. “I think not just our conference but across the church we have struggled with the issue of reaching young adults.” Access218 grew from a Bible study at the pastor’s home, where his wife made dinner for the young people who attended. Scott said the thriving group now meets four times a week, with between 125 and 350 people attending four different meetings.
The ministry is successful because of the church’s support, Scott said. “The people here really do care about reaching the next generation,” he said. “We are empowered because of that.” Sippel wants more youth and young adult workers to experience that kind of empowerment. He hopes workers will be calling him on a regular basis to get plugged in and ask for help in a variety of areas, from grant writing to help with child protection training and spiritual guidance. “You can’t bother me by calling too often,” Sippel said. “That’s why I’m here.” Christina Mitchell said it feels good to have Sippel’s support. “He has done some amazing things, and it just feels real good to have his support,” she said “You have to hang in there for the long haul,” she said. “I take the good with the bad. I have to remember that this is where God has called me to be. That overcomes everything else.” Sippel can be reached at 863-393-1442 or dsippel@flumc.org. Related stories Young adults share dreams, realities with bishop, conference leaders Students gather for first-ever leadership summit Despite fewer young people at conference, interest remains high Despite fewer numbers, young people still a focus at conference event Challenge to reach young adults sees some success Youth devise plan for greater involvement throughout conference Youth speakers challenge adults to ‘fill the gap’ Push for strong youth delegation at annual event shows promise Youth, young adults to be seen and heard at annual gathering News media contact: Tita Parham, 800-282-8011, tparham@flumc.org, Orlando |
