stress over the unexpected

I usually focus on my relationships with the students when I talk about this job, but another side of this job is relating to the other members of the church. My primary focus there has been to develop relationships with parents because the more involved I am with the parents, the more involved the students seem to be. However, there is another group within the church that I, by nature of being a youth worker, bump into a lot - the elderly.

I have a great respect for the elderly. My church in MA was about 80% elderly and I absolutely loved it. The problem I run into is that they only come to me when they are frustrated with something connected to the youth. "Who moved that carpet ball game in the fellowship hall? It is so loud and distracting while I'm trying to drink my coffee!" "This hasn't happened with you, but sometimes the kids hide in the kitchen for their games - we would rather they didn't do that..."

They don't sound so bad, but it is this general sense that kids are disruptive and disrespectful and it is my job to just control them. I don't see it that way. Yes, the game can be disruptive, but the church is here for the kids as much as the adults and elderly. The difference - the kids are willing to share the space.

Today I just found out that I have to make some abrupt changes to a game night I have had planned for a few weeks because there is a funeral in the church the next morning. That's not a big deal - I understand that funerals are out of the blue and you have to make adjustments. What got to me was that the lady in charge of the service group didn't tell me when they were coming in and where they were going to be in the church. She didn't check the calendar. It's like the youth are an afterthought at best. It was good that I just happened to walk out of my office as she was talking to the secretary or I wouldn't have known that my praise team supper and game night were going to have to be reworked and relocated.

I think I have everything under control now - but it has been a stressful half an hour as I sent out text messages - posted announcements all in caps on Facebook and responded to disappointed students who were looking forward to inviting friends to play predator. I know that it is not the end of the world, but I wish that the youth would be seen as a valid group within this church. They have claims to the building just as the adults do. That just seems to get overlooked.

I just needed to vent a little. Thanks for reading!