What is the Young Adult's Ministry?
A LIVING COMMUNITY AND A SERVING COMMUNITY.
The Young Adult's Ministry (YA) is a group of 18-twenty-somethings that are trying to live out our vision of being a LIVING COMMUNITY SERVING COMMUNITY. The hope is that each young adult of PCC is involved in a regular small group/Bible study, serving in the church and community in some way, and is an active worshiper and giver. We seek to sustain our community through gathering Sundays after Sunday Night at 5:30 for casual and informal fellowship time, retreats, yahoo group events, and much more.
How can I find out what's going on?
There are events and items that are listed each week in PCC’s program (bulletin) under YOUNG ADULTS. We will also try to keep this website section updated but the best way to keep connected is www.myspace.com/yapcc and to sign up for our young adults Yahoo group at groups.yahoo.com/group/pccyoungadults.
A great way is to be involved at our Sunday evening worship gathering called Sunday Night at 5:30 where you can meet people and develop relationships with other young adults in our community. Tony Gapastione, Pastor to College and Young Adults, weekly blogs to keep young adults (local and away connected) to PCC. www.tonys2cents.blogspot.com.
Is there a Sunday school class for college students?
No, there is not a Sunday morning class specifically for college students. There are many options each quarter sponsored by PCC’s Christian Formation department that offer a wide variety of topics for anyone to attend. We encourage college students and young adults to participate in the full life of PCC and engage in these offerings.
Where/How are college students and twenty-somethings being taught the Bible?
We certainly hope that all of our college students and young adults are active in our weekly Sunday worship gatherings. According to Gary Gaddini, PCC’s lead pastor, these Sundays are geared to teach the believer verse by verse through different books of the Bible. These Sunday teaching times are important and valuable to all people in the body of Christ; including those in their twenties. We also have a monthly time of Bible teaching called THE DEEP where we emphasize worshiping God through the reading/teaching of his word, silence, prayer, confession, and singing. This happens every month in the homes of those in our YA community.
What do you do, Tony, each week?
Each week is different, but includes meeting people for times of mentoring (over lunch/coffee), spending time in the office returning emails and phone calls, coordinating and planning events. The most important thing I am trying to do is prepare my heart and have a healthy pace of ministry. My hours look like this:
| Sunday |
4:00-10:30pm
(Sunday Night Prep, and young adults Gathering) |
| Monday |
10:00am-4:00pm |
| Tuesday |
9:00am-5:00pm 6:30-11:00pm
(Small Group & Street Church) |
| Wednesday |
9:00am-5:00pm
(Office Time, Monthly HS ministry presence) |
| Thursday |
9:00am-5:00pm
(Fall: Hallowed meetings in San Jose 7:00-10:00pm) |
| Friday |
OFF
(Monthly Deep 5 hours, random Outreach concerts 6:00pm-midnight) |
| Saturday |
OFF |
What is the plan for graduating High School Seniors to integrate them in the adult's adult’s community?
I (Tony) will be a presence monthly at High School Ministries on Wednesday night. This is an effort to bridge the gap and make relationships with high school students early on in their high school career. I would like to see a plan develop that includes care group leaders making the transition.
What are you doing to ensure students that go away to college stay connected to PCC and encouraged in their faith?
Ideally, each care group leader and lay person involved in student's student’s lives would take an active role in calling, emailing, and praying for the away students. I (Tony) will try to be a presence monthly at High School Ministries on Wednesday night. This is an effort to bridge the gap and make relationships with high school students early on in their high school career. At this point of fall 2006, I have developed an email distribution list whereby I construct a monthly (and sometimes more) email to all those who are away as school, in the armed services, or on the mission field. I write to them to encourage them with stories and scripture and inform them of the happenings of life at PCC. I would like to see a plan develop that includes care group leaders making the transition with high school students in general, but especially those graduating to get them involved in summer activities like The Deep, Mercy Café, summer care groups, and our Hot Water Weekend. In the fall, I would love to have a parent or leader run an encouragement care package event.
I am hiring college students for a job, need a young adult to baby-sit, want someone to help me move, serve in a ministry, or volunteer for an event. How can I get the word out?
Because of the many requests of this nature we have had to create a formal process for this. We get at least five requests a month for such things. We ask that you submit your request by emailing Candice Ibarra and we will post it to our online email group. This is the only way. We do not give out a list of our contacts.
What is Street Church and why is it in Menlo Park?
Five years ago a group of young adults started a Tuesday night outing simply called, “Tuesday night outreach,” with the intention of going all over the Peninsula to pray and see where God was already at work. We would walk around malls, parks, and cafes; open for whatever God wanted us to do. Sometimes it was simply to prayer walk and other times it we had specific conversations about God. One night a girl noticed that a group of homeless people were gathered around a bus stop behind the popular Café Barrone. She went and talked with them. The next week we went there again and sure enough the same group was gathered there. That night everyone chipped in for pizza and we had dinner together. Ever since that summer of 2001 we have gathered for dinner and prayer. It has evolved into a weekly event both Tuesday and Thursday where we serve dinner, read/teach the Bible, and pray as a “Street Church.” We just went were God was.