Nurture, Education & Discipleship

Mission: To offer a biblically-based education program so that children, youth and adults may grow in their understanding of and commitment to Jesus Christ. To develop, administer and oversee the education program in fulfillment of the Great Commission of our Lord

Accomplishments in 2020:

NED Committee

• Re-vamped Christian Education program (Sunday School classes at all age levels, Sunday evening classes, Wednesday study classes) to accommodate Covid restrictions – including use of virtual/Zoom three inter-generational summer Sunday School breakfasts, and enhanced the programs. • Developed Guidelines for marriage enrichment portion of the Bob and Pat Ariail endowment. • Coordinated improvements to the Christian Ed links on the website. • Coordinated with the Endowment Committee to designate funds for special needs students. • Assessed the findings of the 2028 Dreaming & Discerning process (insofar as they concerrn NED)

Children’s Ministry

• Hired Shakia Hurlock as Special Needs Coordinator. • Cradle Roll Sunday: 21 households participating out of 30+ households that had babies in 2020. • Holiday Events: Valentine’s Day Dance for pre-k (last event before modified lockdown); Modified Gingerbread House, Trunk or Treat (23 households); 2 shows of the Living Nativity in the Field; • 55 car loads participated in a one evening Vacation Bible School event. • Conducted weekly Sunday morning “Children’s Time” educational videos as well as virtual preK storytimes and streamed EDS preK Wednesday chapel times in the Spring • Offered pre-recorded devotionals for Elementary kids on Tuesday afternoons in the Spring. • 25 second graders participated in Worship Discovery. Bibles were taken to each child’s house when the course was completed. • Implemented security upgrades and room modifications in the CLC nursery/Drop in rooms. • In the Fall, we began offering a preK educational time and an elementary educational time in-person on

Sunday mornings. We also offered childcare for toddlers – 5K during a worship hour. • In the Fall, we offered a weekly in-person devotional for the EDS aftercare elementary children.

• 3 family drive-in movies were offered. • The CLC Drop-In was reopened in the Fall with COVID protocols in place to accommodate babies-2K.

We managed to operate without any COVID shutdowns for the remainder of 2020.

Youth Ministry (Middle School)

• 42 youth and 12 adults participated in West Virginia ski trip. • Boys Bible study nearly tripled its participation prior to COVID shutdown.. • Said good-bye to Hannah Winstead, former Middle School director. • Sims Tillerson and Marya Marsh served as interim Middle School directors. • Bethany Dixon (pictured to the right) hired as Director of Middle School Youth. • Started virtual Bible study program during April and May. • Implemented Bible Project video curriculum for Middle School grade level Sunday School classes. • In-person Bible study re-started in the fall with participation as high as 70 students.

Youth Ministry (High School)

• Nick Demuynck called as our new Associate Minister for High School and Younger Adults • Youth Sunday held January 26, 2020. • Scout Sunday held February 2, 2020. • Started virtual Bible study during April-May. • 25 families participated in special Baccalaureate service to honor high school graduates. • 43 Confirmands joined Eastminster in September 2020. • 39 Confirmands enrolled for 2020-21 class. • Implemented new Youth Cartel Viva! curriculum for High School grade level Sunday School classes. • Implemented bi-monthly Younger Adults program and bi-monthly college student program. Study focus: An Altar in the World by Barbara Brown Taylor.

Small Groups & LTJ Library Ministries:

• Held second annual CORE Retreat in March 2020 with 250 registrants/walk-ins. • Helped coordinate all groups for Dreaming/Discerning: 73 groups total, 650+ participants. Some groups became new Small Groups.

Accomplishments in 2020 (con’t):

Small Groups & LTJ Library Ministries (con’t):

• Held Small Groups Facilitators Workshop on September 2, 2020 featuring Pastor Steve Gladen of

Saddleback Church in California and author of Leading Small Groups With Purpose. In-person attendance was 48 people, and the virtual/recorded options drew an additional 20 leaders. Each attendee received a copy of the book, “Leading Small Groups With Purpose.” • Held Small Group Fall Kickoff event on September 9, 2020 featuring Doug Pollock, author of GodSpace:

Where Spiritual Conversations Happen Naturally, and Evangelism Trainer of Athletes in Action. • Currently supporting Total of 53 active Small Groups: 29 Women’s Small Groups, 11 Men’s Small Groups, 9 Couples Small Groups, 3 Mixed Small Groups. Helped Small Group leaders to navigate Zoom during

COVID to replace in-person meetings from March through December. • Restarted Pastors’ Shepherding Groups for SG leaders who are restarting this season. • Worked with professional production company to produce 4 videos (1 Souper Bowl anniversary, 2 for

Dedication Sunday-Giving, 1 for Global Missionaries’ Message), and worked with other staff on multiple other short video messages for on-line worship services. • Added 46 new library resources to our circulation. • Helped facilitate distribution of Operation Christmas Child gift boxes. • Helped facilitate collection of items for Homeless No More (St. Lawrence Place) Christmas gift drive.

Adult Christian Education Ministries:

• Prepared an updated Directory of Adult Sunday School classes. • Led Five participants in Eastminster Experience. • Wednesday classes and discussions were offered in person and virtually, to include guided discussions with SOAP participants (Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer); Adult Bible studies of the worship Texts for the 8 weeks of Dreaming and Discerning; and 5 Week study of the second half of the

Gospel According to Mark. • Sunday evening classes offered in person and virtually included: (1) Minor Prophets (led by Douglass), (2) Job (led by Douglass), (3) “Communication in a World of Technology” (led by Lynn and Brian). • SOAP discussions in 2020 included the Gospel According to John, Esther, Ephesians, and the Advent

Psalms. • Adult Sunday School classes – resourced classes to enable them to meet on-line, or hybrid. Worked to provide space sufficient to accommodate classes to meet safely in person when the conditions allowed. • Facilitated a reading and discussion of Debbie Irving’s Waking Up White during the civil unrest of the summer. • Pastoral staff produced and posted “Daily Prayer” services on-line at noon, 4:00 and 7:00, through the spring and summer. • NED was the principal manager of space availability and occupancy on campus throughout the COVID closure and partial reopening.

Goals in 2021:

NED Committee:

• Examine and implement strategies to offer as many of NED’s traditional activities and opportunities as possible during COVID restrictions. • Provide as many of NED’s traditional activities and opportunities as possible through alternative means during COVID restrictions. • Examine ways to get back to full speed on NED’s traditional activities and opportunities as soon as possible after the COVID restrictions. • Examine strategies to improve/revise Sunday School and increase attendance. • Explore options for new activities and opportunities (or modifications to prior activities and opportunities) to be implemented following the lifting of COVID restrictions. • Examine strategies to improve/revise Sunday School and increase attendance. • Develop and maintain programs to recruit, train and support Sunday School teachers. • Continue and expand the program to identify volunteer ambassadors from each adult Sunday school class to encourage church members not currently active in Sunday school classes to come join after class. • Assess the recommendations of the Dreaming and Discerning process regarding NED and implement strategies for accomplishing those goals which appear viable at this time. • Recruit a Special Needs coordinator and work with this individual to implement programs to serve special needs students and their families. • Increase visibility of Christian Education information on Eastminster’s website

Children’s Ministry

• Special Needs Coordinator position is now open again, so re-advertising and making a new hire will be needed • COVID willing, start bringing back more events in person as we get deeper into the Spring. Things like a limited-run 2nd grade Worship Discovery (after Easter), outdoor prek and elementary events as the weather gets warmer, and an in-person Rising 4K-Rising 6th grade VBS (first week in August). • Recruitment will need to be a heavy emphasis as we move past COVID. Committee structures, teachers, VBS, and parental leadership for things like the 1st-5th grade fellowship and preK events will need to be rebooted. • Continue to expand and re-establish our CLC Drop in as COVID numbers drop. • Getting to know our church members again.

Youth Ministry (General)

• To implement a strategy to train ALL youth advisors in Safe Church Protection by 2022. • To develop and implement milestones for the youth programs grades 6-12 to be implemented in 2022.

Goals in 2021 (con’t):

Youth Ministry (Middle School):

• Recruit and train 3 more Bible study leaders. • Local Columbia summer mission trip. • Host a Middle School Parents and Leaders social. • Provide Bible Study leaders fellowship activity to encourage team building. • Develop transition events for 6th and 8th grades. • Develop and communicate purpose and intent for each Middle School youth program. • Grow Sunday School attendance.

Youth Ministry (High School):

• Recruit and train new advisors for High School Youth Sunday AM, PM and Wednesday PM. • Create a High School Youth Ministry mission statement and vision during 2021 to be used in future. • Evaluate when/why we have youth events on certain dates, and explore if there are better dates. • Evaluate the Confirmation process and determine if there is a better program schedule. • Come up with a strategic plan for how to select mission partners for HS Youth Ministry. • Create an in-house mission opportunity for HS and MS youth in 2021 along with Brian Marsh and EPC missions committee (similar to Myers Park Pres.’s CROSS Missions). • Create a yearlong scope and sequence calendar for 2021-22 HS Youth Ministry year.

College & Younger Adults Ministries: College:

• Develop a retention model for college youth at EPC to keep them engaged while away from the church • Develop a strategy for visitation/engaging college students while at their surrounding schools throughout the year • Create an outline for yearly study for in-person bible at the church

Younger Adults:

• Identify and train leaders within the Young Adult ministry who can assist in leading studies • Develop a more sustainable model for picking and determining which studies they will be doing • Create a focus/vision statement for what the hopes of the Young Adult ministry will be at EPC

Adult Christian Education Ministries:

• Coordinate and resource church-wide study of the Gospel According to Luke during the season of Lent. • Invite members of the congregation to engage in the daily scripture reading discipline and discussion group opportunities of the SOAP project. • Offer in depth Adult Bible studies on Sunday evening during the Winter/Spring and Fall semesters. • Guide our Adult Sunday classes through the transition back to full in-person attendance when the pandemic passes. • Plan and execute Adult VBS when the way be clear. • Execute new programs and opportunities consistent with the recommendations of the Dreaming and

Discerning Report.

• Develop on-going Marriage Enrichment opportunities for the congregation and community.

Goals in 2021 (con’t):

Adult Christian Education Ministries:

• Work with MEF to better receive New Members into our available Adult education programs upon completion of The First Step Class.

Small Groups & LTJ Library Ministries:

• Provide daily/weekly opportunities for members to further their discipleship journeys in the areas of entional study, prayer and fellowship with other Christians via a vibrant Small Groups Ministry and Daily Devotionals Ministry. • Use social media tools and the updated web site to keep Small Groups and prospective Small Group members informed, encouraged and engaged. • Work closely with Evangelism & Fellowship on connecting new members, uninvolved members and prospective members with others through Small Groups. • Help build and strengthen the Men’s Ministry at EPC. • Develop a SG leader recruiting and training program to continuously grow new Small Groups. • Use social media tools and the updated web site to keep God’s Word in front of members and seekers through an enhanced Daily Devotionals Ministry that targets high school/college students differently than adults.

• Coordinate special events for members, neighbors, prospective members and Small Groups -- such as the body-mind-soul Core Retreat, a marriage enrichment event, and the Small Groups Kickoff Celebration -- to spur disciples along their journeys and encourage members to reach outside of our walls and invite others into a life with Christ.

• Use the revamped web site to promote new and favorite resources in the Library to Sunday School teachers, EDS teachers, SG leaders and other members. • Work with pastors and the NED Committee on reviewing and deciding books/resources to recommend to Small Groups and members for SG or church-wide studies.

Want to know more?

NED Chair: Dan Lott (2021) - dlott@lottandsearcy.com Eastminster Staff Support: Dr. Douglass Key, Croskeys Royall, Caroline Bennett, Janice Blair