On behalf of the Youth Director Call Committee and the Personnel Committee, I’m excited to announce that we have hired TWO people to take the lead on our middle and high school youth ministries! Tyler Weller will be the new Youth Director and Natalya Legvold will be the new Youth Ministry Advisor!

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Tyler has grownup at Christ Lutheran Church and has continued to be highly involved around the congregation. Tyler has been a manager at Panera Bread for the last 5 years but recently began to feel the nudge of the Holy Spirit and has become more involved with the youth ministries here at Christ Lutheran. Tyler has been helping on Wednesday evenings with the Xperience over this past year. He has helped with Vacation Bible School, and he sings regularly with Spirit Song. Tyler has also become a key leader with TEC (Teens Encounter Christ), an ecumenical youth ministry program in our community. Tyler will be well equipped for this role as he will begin an 8-month long Youth Ministry Certification program, he will become a member of the ELCA Youth Ministry Network, and he will be surrounded with mentors and coaches to guide him through his first year with us and beyond!

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Natalya Legvold probably doesn’t need much introduction! She was the Youth Director at Christ Lutheran Church for 7 years in the early 2000’s. She and her family have been members here ever since then and Natalya has remained a key volunteer with both our middle and high school ministries year after year. Natalya has continued top our into our high schoolers with Peer Ministry training and has been a vital part of our middle school confirmation, helping to create lesson plans and lead Sunday school.

Tyler’s role is full-time, and he will be responsible for both middle and high school youth groups, activities, lessons, retreats, summer programs, and leaders. Natalya’s role will be part time at 20 hours per week. Her primary role will be in advising and mentoring Tyler along with continuing to provide her leadership with Peer Ministry, Students Leadership, and working with Pastor Adrienne on confirmation curriculum and leadership. The two, together, will be a dynamic team that will not only be able to divide between the two different age groups, but will be a flexible and innovative team rebuilding our youth ministries with excellence!

From the moment I began here at Christ Lutheran, I heard from many people the desire not just for A Youth Director but the need for a team approach to this ministry. The more I have lived into my time here, the more I have seen this need and fully agree with it. I believe this team of Tyler and Natalya not only gives us the ability to rebuild and expand our reach to this demographic, but it also allows this congregation to continue to raise up new leaders who God is calling and invest in people like Tyler for incredible present and future impact with proven and talented leaders who have also been grown and shaped here at CLC like Natalya!

They will both start alongside Pastor Adrienne on August 7. Please join me by welcoming both Tyler and Natalya to our Christ Lutheran team! I am extremely excited about what God is up to around here and know that the Spirit is leading us into new places. I invite you to share in that excitement and to come and see for yourself!

Peace,

Deacon Kenny Champagne

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