So the church had a car show yesterday and the teens worked the concessions to make money for the youth ministry. In light of that and previous fundraiser experiences over the summer I thought about what a teenage fundraiser really looks like...
Pastor Matt: Hey guys, we've got some events coming up before too awful long and it is going to cost money for you to go so it is really important for you to show up at the fundraisers so you can have money to go. Even if you aren't planning on coming to this event, you should work it so you have money in your account for future events so you can go when we grab dinner at CiCi's or something...
Teens: When is it? What are we doing? Do we have to work it?
Pastor Matt (to parents): Parents, it is really important that your children be at the fundraiser so they can pay for the event coming up
Parents: They aren't going on that trip, it is too expensive
Pastor Matt: That is why we are having the fundraisers to help pay for it
Parents: But they probably aren't going to that event anyway
Pastor Matt: It would be good for them to work it though just so they can have money in their account the next time they want to do something.
Parents: Well, we'll see, I am not making any guarantees.
The day of the event comes, a few teens show up, but the ones that really need to be there...Aren't
Teens: Pastor Matt I can't afford to go to the event because I don't have enough money to go
Parents: My kids doesn't have enough money to go on the trip...Why do they always have to be so expensive. We don't have that kind of money
Pastor Matt: Well we had three fundraisers, none of which your child was at.
Parents: I didn't know anything about it.
Pastor Matt: It was in the bulletin, an announcement was made, and it was mentioned in the parent email newsletter.
Parents: Well they are still a part of the youth ministry, they should get the money anyway, isn't that what the youth budget is for?
Pastor Matt: It helps, but we only had so much to put towards this event, I have already put that money in your student's account. I am sorry, but I can't pay your child's way, we just don't enough money. Remember in the future that they NEED to be at the fundraisers.
Parents: well I am just going to have to speak to the pastor about this....
Anyone else ever have an experience like this? Am I crazy?
-Matt
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2 comments:
No you're not crazy. Yes, we've experienced the same kinds of things. Ministry is not for the faint of heart!
The stories I could tell you from my childhood would scare you on how people treated my beloved sister and myself.
Dad was called because my sister had purchaced herself a new coat for winter, never mind she hadn't had a new one for a couple of years.
Then there was the time dad was called because they didn't like the fact my beloved sister was listening to 50's rock and roll, never mind their children were listening to it and worse stuff.
Then there was the time dad was cornered on a passing comment on whether or not "virgin" meant young woman or the modern definition, and that it didn't matter.
This is just the tip of the ice burg.
I guess you get why I never wanted anything to do with Christian Ministries
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