Downtown Fellowship - January Newsletter of San Diego, California, United States "Keep up with the news from the San Diego Downtown Fellowship." for Tuesday, 12 January 2016

 Downtown Fellowship - January Newsletter of San Diego, California, United States "Keep up with the news from the San Diego Downtown Fellowship." for Tuesday, 12 January 2016


Greetings and Happy New Year
We hope you had a wonderful holiday season and a Merry Christmas to all who celebrate it. The Downtown Fellowship is excited for what is in store in 2016. First, we'd like to announce that we have achieved our goal of collectively raising $10,000 towards the Mobile Shower project, spear-headed by Think Dignity (formerly Girl's Think Tank). Thank you to St. Paul's for putting us over the top!
There are a number of events coming up on our calendar and we hope you can join us for many of them. To begin with, the January Monthly Fellowship.
Visit the SDDF site

Monthly Fellowship:
January
This month will feature guest speaker Matt Molstre from Thrivent financial group. This month's lunch will be provided by Thrivent! No suggested donation needed.
On Jan 14th, join us in our monthly Fellowship Meeting at First Pres.
Lunch and networking from 11:30 to noon, featured presentation from noon to 1pm. 320 Date Street (enter on 3rd Ave.).
Monthly Fellowship

Monthly Fellowship (recap):
December
On Dec 10th, we had a panel presentation on the topic of High Risk Youth. Our featured speakers were Nate Landis from Urban Youth Collaborative and Josh Collier from Youth for Christ.
Read More Here
"December Fellowship Meeting Recap" by Joanna Gray

In December, we hosted a panel to discuss the issues of High Risk Youth and some steps we can take towards a solution. Each panel member briefly summarized their work and then answered questions from the moderator, Ben Montoya, as well as a few questions from the audience.
Below are the notes from that meeting.
TODAY’S PANEL MEMBERS:
John Townsend - Matt 25v34 Ministries www.mt25v34.com
Nate Landis - Urban Youth Collaborative www.uyc.org
Josh Collier - Youth for Christ www.yfcsandeigo.org
John:
We provide lots of services up to about age 26, when the government cuts off their assistance programs, lots and lots of prayer teams, try to get each person prayed for every day, some of our clients are working with UPLIFT
Nate:
group of churches putting Bible study clubs in schools
starting with student leaders and training them to have the best impact with their peers
Josh:
it’s all about relationship. connecting youth that are far away from walking into a church, to an adult or other youth who are connected. Looking to find engaged, supportive churches to become a home for youth in San Deigo.
Q: WHAT IS THE PRIMARY CAUSE THAT YOU THINKS PUTS YOUTH AT RISK?
Nate: “As Christians, we are always one generation away from extinction.” Remember that a church exists for the benefit of it’s non-members, you’ll find that what you give away comes back. (900 churches in the SD Unified school district, he had a list at one point)
about 90% of SD youth are not connected to a church at all.
risk factors:

• spiritual even the “rich kids" are at high spiritual risk, 
• academics many schools are really struggling academically, SDHS is on its 6th head coach in 10 years
• poverty, basic needs
• broken families
• a sense of purpose - gang recruitment is easy because it’s a family, something worth giving your life to.

Josh: parents teach you stuff like how to get a job, brush your teeth, etc., etc., etc. think about who you would be without that positive impact. It might be fine if you’re on food stamps, but if your mom is on drugs, and not going to go get the food, the kid is still coming home to no food. And they think it’s normal. They have literally no idea how else it can be.
John: it’s fundamentally the break down of the family, it affects kids from birth on. 92% of kids who don’t know how to read by the 3rd grade will end up incarcerated at some point
Q: HOW BAD IS THE PROBLEM? TRENDING WHICH WAY?
John: in 1950 2% were high risk, 1975 19%?, 2000 33%, 2014 at least 60% factors: stable family, community, divorce rate,
Q: PRIMARY WAYS YOUTH NEED TO BE HELPED:
Nate: have a mentor/relationship, have a whole community of adults (not just the youth pastor) surrounding youth, it has be a call that an entire church feels. In certain communities having jobs/opportunities — it’s hard to make the right choices when there are fewer of those choices available.
inequitable justice system - drugs in Scripps Ranch is a party, in other places, it’s criminal behavior.
don’t wait till kids are a certain age until they are valuable members of a church. They are not just the future, they are the present TOO.
Q: WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT:
Josh: looking for volunteers, still deciding what that looks like.
Nate: praying for God’s spirit and power covering all the youth is schools. paying we have 16 staff. people ways to volunteer, etc. Willing to preach almost any given Sunday.
John: work within every community you’re connected to, look for more opportunities. Particularly with the very young. DIBT training kids is looking great. Pray, about how you can be involved, get your ministry to pray about getting involved,
---------------------

Hygiene Kits and Volunteer Opportunity
Project Homeless Connect
On January 27th, starting at 9am, the Downtown Fellowship will have a table at this annual event at Golden Hall (at the Civic Center). We need a few more volunteers to help man the table during the day. We are looking for folks to take a two-hour shift and spread the word about SDDF. If interested, contact Mark Maliepaard.
We are also raising $1000 (from a total cost of $3000) towards a joint project with the Church at Rancho Bernardo. Together we are providing 1,200 hygiene kits that will be distributed for free at that event.
Support the Fellowship

San Diego Downtown Fellowship
Upcoming Events
Jan 21st, Doing It Better Together meets at First Pres from 6:30-8:00pm(320 Date St., park and enter on 3rd Ave)
Jan 27th, Project Homeless Connect at Golden Hall (Civic Center) -- we're looking for volunteers (see above) and we've pledged to cover the cost of 1200 hygiene kits. To donate, follow the "Support" link, above.
Jan 29th, Unsheltered Count with We All Count. Volunteers needed to help get an accurate count of those who sleep without shelter. Come walk the city from 4:00-7:00am. For more information, click here.
Feb 13th, East Village Clean Up Day meet at the PetCo parking lot on 13th and K from 10:00am to noon.
Events Calendar

Ongoing
Volunteer Opportunities
Companionship Program. We are looking for people who will befriend those who are graduating out of the Connections Housing program into more permanent housing in the community. We partner with PATH and UPLIFT to help people truly thrive as they enter the community. Contact Mark Maliepaard.
Are you an accountant? We want you on our board of directors! Contact Mel Ely.
Not a CPA, but still like to count? We have an ongoing need for volunteers to ride along and verify the monthly count with our partnerships with Downtown Partnership Clean and Safe and the Regional Task Force on the Homeless has an annual count coming up. Contact Ben Montoya, if you're interested in participating.
More Information
Twitter Facebook
Downtown Fellowship
320 Date Street

San Diego, California 92101, United States
---------------------