The Church at the Hospital

How does a senior minister help a church develop its theological imagination for youth ministry? In this episode, meet the Rev. Beth Royalty of Calvary Episcopal Church in Rochester, Minnesota, and listen to the Log College Project's Lead Researcher, Kelsey Lambright, as they consider how a very unique ministry context impacts how people are connected, shaped, and transformed.
To try and try again and reiterate and pivot and invest in something like the Log College Project—that shows so much faith in this idea that relationships and faith and young people matter to the congregation. And if that's not God building something in the community, I don't know what is. -Kelsey Lambright

Part One—From Tragedy to Transformation
(0:00-5:04)
Host Megan DeWald sets the stage for understanding the context in which Calvary Episcopal Church in Rochester, Minnesota is developing a new form of youth ministry through the Institute for Youth Ministry's Log College Project.

Part Two—The Church as Caretaker
(5:05-16:44)
Abigail Visco Rusert discusses the theological questions raised by Calvary Episcopal Church in their application to the Log College Project, particularly calling us to consider the role of baptism in youth ministry. She also discusses the very unique context in which Calvary sits.

Part Three—If at First, You Don't Succeed
(16:45-26:02)
Rev. Beth Royalty, the Log College Project Design Fellow from Calvary, shares her theological commitment to relationships as the place where we encounter Christ in the world, while understanding her church's need for innovation. Kelsey Lambright, Lead Researcher, suggests that Calvary's unique culture provides them with a particular challenge in the innovation process.

Part Four—God's Dream
(26:03-35:40)
Kelsey observes that the assumptions that informed the design of the Log College Project might not be true in every context. Beth and Abigail discuss the possibilities of authentic relationships and connection.

Conclusion & Credits
(35:41-37:00)
Next week, we feature stories from Esperanza Viva Iglesia Cristiana in Norwalk, California, and learn about their ministry of empowering and upholding the dignity and self-respect of every person in their immigrant community.

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Audio editing  and production by Nii Addo Abrahams (Follow @_nickyflash_)
Music available at Epidemic Sound (https://www.epidemicsound.com/)
The IYM thanks Maiia Avelino, Kelsey Lambright, Beth Royalty, & Christine Toto.