Youth Commission

Mission:

Youth Commission oversees all education and programs of CMC that relate directly to children and youth (nursery through high school), encouraging and preparing them to follow the way of Christ in the world. The primary assignment for the Youth Commission is to give overall leadership to the various committees and groups related to children and youth activities at CMC. The Commission will also process and develop recommendations for church council regarding Christian education and activities. Youth Commission may serve as an advocate for including faith development of youth in other congregational activities as appropriate.

Contact:

youthcommission@cmcva.org

Members & Committees

  • Chair: Hannah Hall 2022
  • Vice Chair:
  • Pastoral Representative: Pastor Joyce Peachey Lind
  • Nursery Committee: Tiffany Showalter
  • Sunday School Superintendent:
  • Jr. MYF (Grades 6-8)
  • MYF (Grades 9-12)
    • Jason Gerlach
  • Mentor Program Coordinator:
  • Care Box Coordinator: Sheri Smucker
  • Library Committee: Simone Horst
  • Safe Church Coordinators: Harold Shenk and Erika Metzler Sawin
  • Faith Formation Task Force:
    • Pastor Joyce Peachey Lind
    • Hannah Hall
    • Pastor Jason Gerlach
    • Amy Eanes
    • Roveen Yoder
    • Peter Dula
    • Nina Alabanza

Job Descriptions:

Children's safety:

Responsibilities:

The Youth Commission attends to the overall development and education of CMC youth as well as visitors and friends of our youth and children. The chair of the Youth Commission will serve to coordinate the communications with Council and coordinate the efforts of the commission.

  1. With the leadership of the Pastoral Team Rep, the Youth Commission will be kept informed of pastoral team concerns. The commission will assist the pastoral team
    with spending quality time when and where needed with youth & children.
  2. With the leadership of the Jr MYF Sponsor(s), the Youth Commission will seek ways and means to reach out to all youth in this age grouping.
  3. With the leadership of the Mentor Coordinator(s), the Youth Commission will seek ways to keep mentees and mentors connected in meaningful ways throughout the
    year.
  4. With the leadership of the MYF Sponsor(s), the Youth Commission will seek ways and means to reach out to all high school youth along with friends of CMC youth in
    this age grouping.
  5. With the leadership of the Sunday School Superintendent(s), the Youth Commission will assist with giving council and direction to CMC’s overall Christian educational program, specifically Sunday School.
  6. The commission will review annually the financial needs of the committees and present budget needs in writing to the finance committee when budget requests are
    solicited. Once budgets are set, commissions are expected to stay within guidelines and overspending must be approved by the finance committee and Council.
  7. The commission will self-evaluate every three years or more often as needed. All recommendations for change must be approved by Council.

Tasks:

The Youth Commission has the following tasks to perform:

  • Create the plans necessary to accomplish the goals set forth by Council.
  • Delegate tasks as necessary to the reps and/or sponsors under their control to accomplish those plans.
  • Ensure that all tasks are completed in the necessary time frame to accomplish the goals of the congregation.
  • Accept and process agenda that has been sent to this commission from the committees that report to it. This will involve making decisions for the committees
    when those committees do not have the authority to make those decisions.

Membership:

Members are persons who hold other major leadership positions in the congregation and who have skills in administration, supervision, or mediation. Members must be able to maintain strict confidence and exercise spiritually mature discretion with sensitive information.

The Youth Commission shall be composed of seven members as follows:

    1. The chair, discerned by the Gift Discernment Committee, is responsible for the function of this commission and will attend Council as a council member. As such,
      the chair’s primary responsibilities are to coordinate the communications between Council and the Youth Commission and to coordinate the efforts of the Youth
      Commission. The other members of the commission include the following:
    2. A Pastoral Team representative
    3. Jr MYF Sponsor
    4. Mentor Coordinator
    5. MYF Sponsor
    6. SS Supt./Assistant

Meetings:

      • The Youth Commission will meet as needed prior to Council meetings for the purpose of giving input on Council agenda planning. It is recommended that this
        commission meet at least quarterly.
      • The chair of this commission may request and/or be invited to meet with the individual committees or reps that relate to this commission

Accountability:

The Youth Commission is accountable to Council at Community Mennonite Church. Council may determine if and when written reports are required for Council and/or for the congregation.