Session 1: Engaging others in the mission

Online Mission Intern Course 2010

GOAL

For our first session we want you to think about how to promote the mission of the mission intern program and of your site. In order to do that we are having you visit other non-profit and religious web sites. You may need to dig to find the mission – or you may infer it from what they choose to promote on their web site. After completing that … you will examine the mission statements from the Mission Intern program and your site. Then …. You are ready to prepare your own speech that you can use to engage others in this wonderful mission.

ENGAGE

Mission Intern Vision:
The Mission Intern Program encourages young, college age adults to explore servant ministry for a summer. These interns work to provide summer programming for children and youth in poor rural and urban areas.

Without this program these congregations would not be able to provide a summer program for the children in their community. With the interns, they are able to connect with children and youth in their community in profound ways. The benefits from these summer programs extend throughout the whole year.

A strong emphasis is placed on leader development. Our interns spend a summer experiencing the joy of servant ministry. This has inspired many of them to go on in related fields. We have interns who have served as missionaries, in AIDS clinics, in social work, local church work and education. In addition some who have attended, or are planning to attend seminary.
The Mission Interns are an inspiration to their home churches, the children in the programs and to all of us as they model the ministry proclaimed in Matthew 25 31-46. The home churches of these mission interns are also drawn into a closer relationship with mission ministries as they support the interns financially and spiritually for their summer work.

The YLI Vision:
The Young Leaders Initiative is a collection of programs designed to create a "culture of call" which nurtures young people as Christian leaders in the Metro Detroit area. The Transforming Leaders Program is a summer-long, intentional living, mission/service placement in the city of Detroit for college students. In many ways working with Young Leaders Initiative in the Transforming Leaders program exceeds participating in a summer job and crosses into a summer life. The time expectations can be great, but the potential for personal rewards that come from this kind of commitment are even greater. While much is expected of each young adult leader, much is given in return in the form of love from the kids/clients, support and fun from living in a community, and the energy that comes from working with God foremost in mind. You never really know how much you can receive until you truly give.

ASSIGNMENTS

a) Visit at least 10 web sites to see how they promote their mission statements. Make sure to include http://www.charterforcompassion.org

b) Read the Mission Intern mission statement and the mission statement from your site.

c) Visit www.umc.org. Look for how the various organizations in the United Methodist church promote their mission

d) Discussion (in response to the above). Answer the following questions on your blog AND respond to others who have posted their answers:

1. What attracted you … or made you admire a ministry? Give examples.
2. Name 10 words you found powerful after looking over these web sites.
3. What would you like to tell others about? Share a bit ….
4. What response by someone in this class has caught your interest?

e) Write your own “elevator speech”* to promote the mission you are participating in this summer – Mission Intern/YLI/Your Site (see below for a description of an "elevator speech")

Possible web sites;
1. http://www.fumcypsi.org/
2. http://www.lakelouisecommunity.org
3. http://www.joysouthfield.org
4. http://www.deafshalomzone.org
5. http://www.emergedetroit.org
6. http://www.ginghamsburg.org
7. http://www.cor.org
8. http://www.solomonsporch.com
9. http://www.fumcbirmingham.org
10. http://www.hopeumc.org
11. http://www.fumcmidweb.org
12. http://www.thesimpleway.org
13. http://www.glide.org
14. http://www.casscommunity.org
15. http://www.findyourfaith.org
16. http://www.elbuenpastorsanmarcos.org/
17. http://www.umc.org
18. http://www.detroitconference.org
19. http://www.moumethodist.org
20. http://www.missionyear.org
21. http://www.projecttransformation.org
22. http://youngleadersinitiative.org/

* Elevator Speech
The ability to speak powerfully in a short amount of time is needed in order to catch the attention of others who you hope to engage in your mission. An elevator speech is so named because it is short enough to be given while riding in an elevator with a person. It should be powerful, short, and totally engaging. It should give the essential information needed in order for the listener to want to know more.