Recovering From A Lost Ministry Role & Personal Crisis | Season 2: Episode 2
In this episode, Brian and Kirsten talk with Emily Felgenhauer, Director of Youth Ministries at Hyde Park UMC in Tampa, Florida. Emily shares her experience with losing her ministry job, finding a new future at a large church, and the ways she has faced personal crises.
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Brian Lawson: 0:14
Hey friends, welcome to the Making Sense of Ministry podcast. The podcast designed to help you lead well in your ministry, transform lives, and impact generations. This is Episode Two of season two and I’m back with Kirsten. Kirsten, how are you today?
Kirsten Knox: 0:27
I’m doing good. How are you, Brian?
Brian Lawson: 0:29
Oh, excellent. Hey, I was thinking I was wondering, what are you binge watching right now? I need some more stuff to watch. So what are you? What are you watching?
Kirsten Knox: 0:37
Well, what? We’ve just started binge watching the Avengers movies, which you’ve probably seen those because I feel like no, youth minister that hasn’t seen it.
Brian Lawson: 0:48
No, I’m trying to catch up. But I want to watch them in order. So but Disney plus now hasn’t been order. So it’s perfect that
Kirsten Knox: 0:54
yes, that’s what we’ve been doing. We started that months ago. Like what cuz I think I’ve all of them. I’ve watched maybe two of them. And so we started in order, because I have no real timeline for them, the individual and the Avengers. And then this last weekend in St. Pete, on Saturday was the part one of the parks was doing a drive in, in game, watching the Avengers. And we were like three away from that. So I’m like, on Saturday, I’m like, let’s watch all three of them, and then go to the drive in and watch endgame on the big screen. Right. So this was the plan. So we started mid morning. Little did I know that those movies are long. Like we didn’t get them all done. So we ended up watching it. But we had to watch in game from home because the timing didn’t work for us to be able to go to the driving. But so by the end of Saturday, that’s literally all we did.
Brian Lawson: 1:46
So when you talk the whole, the whole Marvel universe that you’re watching or just Avengers?
Kirsten Knox: 1:52
Well, we started doing the whole Marvel from the very beginning, right? But then because I saw that there was the drive in I was like, let’s skip the individuals. We had three of just the like full group Avengers movies. Let’s watch those, and then go see in game tonight. That was my and I had seen the one I had seen was Civil War. We had both seen that. But I’m like, I want to rewatch that too. Because now I have context where I had just seen that one that was The First Avenger movie I ever saw. Yeah, we did. We did. We watched. So in the end of the night, we had four we watched. That’s all we did on Saturday was watch Avengers movies. Probably a great Saturday,
Brian Lawson: 2:32
probably a great it was what you know, one of the best events we did on spring break was all the Star Wars movies. This was before the three extra came out, you know, so we did all of them. We started like seven in the morning and got done like 11 or 12 at night. And if anybody survived the whole day without falling asleep when we were watching you got a shirt said I survived. So it was it was Yeah, it was good. That was a that was an easy. So if you’re looking for something easy, although I don’t know how well you can get in COVID. But after COVID look for something easy. That one’s easy. So
Kirsten Knox: 3:02
I feel good knowing that you haven’t watched them either, because I have said this to multiple people and I get the look.
Brian Lawson: 3:08
And I think we just lost listeners for this.
Kirsten Knox: 3:12
Did our credibility go down.
Brian Lawson: 3:16
I think so. So who do we have here with us today?
Kirsten Knox: 3:20
Well today for our guests. We have Emily Felgenhauer Yay. I’m excited that she is joining us. Emily is a dear friend of mine. And actually we met through Why am I back in the day I say that like we’re old back in the day. We did the YMI professional certification program to your program and met and have been friends since then. A lot of life together, including vacation, we have vacation together.
Brian Lawson: 3:49
And you’re still friends after this. Yeah, that’s good.
Kirsten Knox: 3:53
Emily has a love for cruises. So I learned I went on my first cruise. We went on our first cruise. So that was fun. But have done life and fun and she’s gonna come share with us today. So excited. Emily, How are you this morning?
Emily Felgenhauer: 4:07
Hey, I’m good. How are you guys?
Kirsten Knox: 4:10
Doing very good.
Brian Lawson: 4:11
Thanks, Emily for being here. We appreciate that.
Emily Felgenhauer: 4:13
I’m super pumped.
Kirsten Knox: 4:15
Yeah. All right. Well, let’s start off Emily, I want to give our listeners an opportunity to get to know you. So to do that, I thought it’d be fun. The first question that I have for you today is tell us about three of your favorite things.
Emily Felgenhauer: 4:31
And I love this question. I love the song from Sound of Music. I’m just kidding. Um, I would say my dog but I don’t think he’s a thing. Can I say wine on this?
Brian Lawson: 4:47
I think so. You know, every church has. Absolutely you can say wine.
Emily Felgenhauer: 4:51
I do love some wine. Jesus’s first miracle. It’s very dear to my heart. Um, I would also say Disney. I love Disney. I’ve always loved Disney. And I would probably also say Sherpa, like the cozy, fuzzy soft material. I’m actually wearing it right now. Yes, like who doesn’t love who doesn’t go buy that material and just want to touch it like it’s really kind of obnoxious and and not very sanitary with COVID. But yes, I do love. Love the cozy material.
Brian Lawson: 5:29
I tell you I have a closet full of sherpa.
Kirsten Knox: 5:33
I’m like you don’t get a lot of opportunity in Florida to wear it for like you bring it out when you can. But that’s why I do blankets a lot. Every time we go to the store, I’m always going to the blankets and I need any blanket like I need a hole in the head. But something about that soft material that is just inviting and cozy. I’m like just looking at it is really 100%
Emily Felgenhauer: 5:53
I totally agree. Yes.
Kirsten Knox: 5:57
I love it. And Disney. Have you done Disney during COVID season? I have I got
Emily Felgenhauer: 6:02
a three day pass back in the fall. And did it within like I think a month. He’s all three within a month. But yes, I’m a big fan of Disney. And it was great. It was less people. I felt like it was definitely more sanitary. And you know, you don’t? I don’t know. It was great. It was awesome.
Kirsten Knox: 6:26
Share with us today a little bit about how you got into ministry. And what made you say yes to ministry.
Emily Felgenhauer: 6:34
So I was a youth your kid growing up, and I was very close to my youth director. And I felt called into youth ministry when I was a teenager. So you know, the appropriate question that you ask your youth director is how much do you make? And she told me I was like bump this I’m not gonna be in ministry, no way no out. So you know, then I went to college, and I majored in corporate communications. But I went back to my church at the time to do an internship. And at that, that summer, the veil was torn. I saw real people from my pastors, there was drama, there was politics, and decided, again, church work was not for me, which is interesting, right? So then my second, my senior year, my second semester, I was looking for jobs in Daytona Beach area, because I was in college in the Chicago area. And I wanted to be in Daytona. My three older brothers were down here, I have two nephews, they were young at the time. So I was looking at communication jobs, and a youth director position popped up on my job search that was looking for good communication skills. And I it was a definite Holy Spirit moment. You know, I know, some of us can say we’ve had a few of those moments. And that was definitely one the Holy Spirit came into my dorm room and I was crying. It was very powerful of me feeling like, Am I enough? Can I do this? And God saying, Let me do this. And I just want you to be my instrument. And so I applied for the job knowing I was gonna get it at that very moment. But I waited three months, just like churches do they take forever to hire people? And so I just waited and I and I knew and so I started august of 2007. And the Daytona area. Yeah.
Brian Lawson: 8:33
I love that sense of like, holy trepidation, almost that you described, like, uh, yeah, I’m going to do this. But I’m also like, kind of don’t want to, but I’m also a little scared too. But I also don’t feel like I can. But I know I need to. Yeah, I get that.
Kirsten Knox: 8:50
Having that such that moment, right, I think would be helpful once you get into ministry? Because I would imagine there. I mean, for all of us. There has been those moments when you’re like, Can I still do this? Should I be doing this, like those hard times in ministry and then be able to lean back in to? I know, God called me to do this. I had this moment. And just to confirm, in those moments of insecurity, are those moments of toughness, just to have that power? Yes. What was the waiting like three months that? I mean, when you feel so strong about something then have to wait, I think
Emily Felgenhauer: 9:26
that just be really hard. I know, I actually accepted a position in downtown Chicago for Salvation Army. And I worked for them for two months while I was interviewing for the Daytona area church. And I was offered the position and then I turned it down. Because I was like, I don’t I don’t know. And then like, I mean, it was another Holy Spirit moment of like, you idiot. You need to call them back. You need to accept it. So then I moved. I moved in July. So yeah, I’ve been in ministry for 13 and a half years.
Brian Lawson: 10:01
Wow. flies, huh.
Kirsten Knox: 10:04
Yeah. I know when you say them like, Oh, this agent when we think about how is this possible? Well, Emily, today, we had you on one things we want to talk about is it’s been a hard season for youth ministers and children’s ministers or for anyone in ministry and talking about when you feel knocked down, how to get back up again. And you have a great story about what God has taught you through that and your experience through that. So would you share with us an experience that you’ve had about getting knocked down and what the healing process was like for you?
Emily Felgenhauer: 10:43
Yes. So I was at my first church, in the Daytona area for three years, and was doing great was doing great at that church, we had tripled the amount of students in that amount of time that I was there. Our parent program was huge. We had gotten a Daytona Beach area, youth ministers network started while I was there, that meant monthly support was great. That was when I was in YMI were those two years, it was really, really powerful. I, I really, I really thought that that was going to be where I was staying, because my family was over there, and all that kind of stuff. And then, unbeknownst to me, I was brought in by the staff parish committee, and told that they were giving me six weeks to find a new job. And that I was I was going to be let go. And that was beyond devastating. It was very, very hard. Just a very, very tough, I was told, I, you know, I learned a lot of lessons at that time I was 25 years old, I was still figuring out who I was as a person. I mean, I listen, I’m 35 still trying to figure this lesson out. But at the time, I, I, I didn’t know what I didn’t know. And I was faced with that in this conversation that I was playing favorites with families. And that that was really difficult on students and parents. And I had kind of like a poor attitude that was happening around the church staff, I was having some difficulties with some other staff people. And I had been late a few times to work. And that was a really important thing. And so those are, those are things that I was given some warnings on. But it I I was not aware that this decision was coming to play. When I was told that I had six weeks to find a new job. And they were very willing, it was during the summer. So they wanted me to continue to do ministry by going on mission trips that had already been planned to help with programming help get them off their feet after I left. And in return, they were going to allow me to do all the interviews I needed to do during that time to find a new job, whether it was going to be with a church, whether it was going to be long distance, anything like that. And so that was kind of the caveat of giving the six weeks. And in that six weeks time, we were also it was I was asked to keep it a secret. So I couldn’t share any of that information with any of my friends and my family. Well, in the church, my personal family knew. Um, so that was, that was huge. And so I apply, so I called Steve Schneeberger. schnee love him,
Brian Lawson: 13:53
which is our executive director,
Emily Felgenhauer: 13:55
and I called Kathy Rexroad, who was my coach for YMI and just just FYI, I had just graduated from YMI in April, and this happened in June, this was a couple months later, like talk about ultimate failure, you’re like, I just got certified. And, you know, the church just paid for me to go through this. And here I am being let go. I mean, like, talk about, you know, and and the question got brought up in this in this conversation of me being letting go, um, are you maybe you need to analyze if you’re really called into ministry. And that was, I mean, it was just, it was such a devastating conversation. And so, I called Steve and I called Kathy and I told them what happened, and they were both floored, obviously, because I was not aware that this was coming either. And so I asked Steve, I was like, please send me all of the job descriptions, like all anywhere that you know, like Texas. I mean, I applied to Texas, I applied to every open job in Florida. I applied back in Illinois, Indiana. And I had several interviews. Well, anyways, one job that Steve told me that was available at in Florida, was Hyde Park, United Methodist in Tampa. And he said, but don’t go out for that position. You’re not going to get it they only hire well seasoned youth directors and you know you’re you’re probably not gonna I mean you can go out for but you’re probably not going to get it you will you know you’ve only been in ministry three years and just got fired. Don’t don’t go out for this so you know me being the the smart cookie that I was at the time I was like, I’m applying to everything girlfriend needs a job. And it was by Kiersten This is on it. This is honestly, this is awesome. I’m curious, and I were super tight, obviously. And so I was like, Oh, she’s in St. Pete. I’ll you know be in Tampa Lola. So I applied and I did several interviews for a lot of churches and literally two days. Two days before my last day at this church in Daytona. I was hired at Hyde Park. And churches don’t work fast. And this was like, within like a five week span. I had done several interviews, and I got hired at Hyde Park. So I gotta tell you that phone call to Steve Schneeberger?
Kirsten Knox: 16:24
I bet you called him back to tell him like
Emily Felgenhauer: 16:29
so I called Steve and I was like, guess who got the position at Hyde Park? And he was like, You are kidding me, Emily. I never would have bought it. Like so anyways. Yeah. So yeah. And you know, for those of you who don’t know, Hyde Park Hyde Park, has has been a large congregation, and they had conference for the United Methodist Church in Florida. And and it really honestly felt like a Cinderella story to me, like rags, rags to riches in a sense of just feeling like not worthy. And not good enough. And, and also, I had mistakes like, I was not, it wasn’t like I was some victim. I mean, I had some learning to do. And then this church was like, well, we’ll, we’ll take you and we’ll train you to be a leader. And anyways, 11 years later,
Brian Lawson: 17:26
you’re still there
Emily Felgenhauer: 17:27
shocking.
Brian Lawson: 17:30
So I’m curious. Man, that question of Are you sure you’re even called to ministry in the midst of that moment? How did going to Hyde Park and and getting that position which Steve had told you probably wouldn’t be able to get how did that reaffirm or or challenge that statement that that was made to you about your call to ministry?
Emily Felgenhauer: 17:58
I think it goes back to my dorm room. And that Holy Spirit moment. I mean, I’ve had, I’ve had a few in my life, like maybe three. And that was a huge, powerful moment. And I knew in that moment that it was me and God in my senior year college, like I was praying to Him and I said, God, I’ve made mistakes at this time I had already gotten. Listen, I am. My story is crazy. I had already been suspended from college. I was, anyways, I drank when I wasn’t supposed to Lola. And so I was like I am, I am a unfit person to lead ministry. And I just felt like God was saying, girlfriend, do you not see all of the people in the Bible? Y’all are screwed up all of you. So, um, but I will say my first year at Hyde Park, I went to counseling for a year, because I was really dealing with failure and just fear of connecting with people because it was such a huge loss to, to, to say goodbye to those families who I had grown so close to and so um, I mean, it took it took time to heal, for sure. Yeah,
Kirsten Knox: 19:19
yeah. And being able, I just think of God’s goodness, when you share that. And I remember walking through some of that with you. And so here and you tell him tell the story just puts me back in those moments, but I think about God’s goodness, and making that calling such a moment for you that was preparing you for what was to come right in moments when it gets hard and moments, not only if I question it, but someone questions that, to me, like being able to do that and just the goodness of God in that moment. And then the courage that you had to be able to apply for Hyde Park, I think, right, that’s courageous in the moment. I mean, you talk about in a sense of handy to jobs I’m applying everywhere. But I still think it’s such a statement of courage to be able to do that. Particularly when someone you admire and been in ministry for a long time says I think that’s probably not a good idea. So I just love that as part of Your story, those themes that you see.
Brian Lawson: 20:16
Yeah, I also think it’s important for people to remember don’t don’t say no for other people, right? I mean, put it out there and let them say no. So I mean, you don’t need to say no, it’s for them. So I love that is great. I think that’s a that’s a chunk of wisdom there for people to hold on to. For sure. Yeah.
Kirsten Knox: 20:34
And Emily, you talked about going to counseling and working through the grief and that healing process? And I wonder, even today, are there? Are there ways that that experience still affects the way you do ministry? Or maybe not? In some moments, though, your thought process like how does that still affect you today? Or does it still affect you?
Emily Felgenhauer: 20:54
It’s funny, I, I still carry this fear of getting fired again, which could happen. I mean, this is, there is no guarantees in anything. But you know, anytime that I make a mistake, I usually call my supervisor and I’m like, oh, you might have to, you might be getting phone calls about this, I’m so sorry. Or like, you know, if I’m being told by my supervisor, or pastor like, these are some things that we need you to work on and get coached on. I take it very seriously. Like, it’s not something where I’m like, Oh, well, you know, what, like, no, it’s very serious, because I know what the consequences have felt like, and uprooting myself and the devastation of of leaving very quickly, a ministry because they were told on a Sunday that I was leaving, and I was gone by Wednesday. So that’s how quickly that transition happened for those families. So they didn’t get a huge, proper goodbye. And also at the time, I wanted to set up the next person up for success, and the person who did succeed me is still there. So you know that that was important, too, is I didn’t want to bad mouth, my situation either.
Kirsten Knox: 22:16
Now which show right and those moments, you understand that and want to do that, but also that just takes the last self control because it’s painful, and walking through that. And then at Hyde Park, you’ve had multiple supervisors, right in your time there. How does this experience and thinking about getting a new supervisor I would imagine that is then again, another wave of emotion of happening to navigate that as you go through those changes, what have you learned about changing supervisors,
Emily Felgenhauer: 22:42
yeah, changing supervisors, it’s not Yeah, great wisdom and advice as you walk through that. What have easy. So you get comfortable Finally, you get in a groove with somebody, and then, you know, they move on, or they they go up the ladder, or you know, whatever have you. And that has been challenging. And I think what I’ve learned is the first year of any kind of change, whether it’s, you’ve changed a job, whether you’ve changed a supervisor, the first year is just going to stink, it’s not going to be wonderful. And so knowing that it’s there’s going to be uncomfortable moments and knowing that it’s important to communicate, communicate your needs, communicate the things that you really like about what they’re doing, how they’re supervising you. You know, remember, and YMI they always talked about leading up and you have to communicate to your supervisor what works and doesn’t work. And so it’s been hard. I’ve had some tough years, like my old supervisor, not my current one. She and I had a really tough first year when she came to Hyde Park. And she left and like, I mean, it was she, she ended up marrying me when I when I did get married. We were so close. We’re still very close. So relationships can change. You just got to give it some time. you learned about getting back up? So you talk to us a lot about the getting knocked down? And what’s that? Like? And I feel like for me, I have felt that as you have told that story, and I imagine that for our listeners, is that such a story that resonates even if it’s not that same story, but the emotions of that but what have you learned about getting back up? So getting back up I think takes me mirror of being really honest with yourself of what what got you here? How did you participate in getting you down it wherever situation you’re in? And you’re you’re welcome. And my thing is, is like I tell myself, girl, you’re welcome to have a pity party, but we’re not gonna stay down here long. Like you can have it. You can go there you call your best friend and you have that pity party. But then we then we got to move, we can’t stay there. So getting back up, I think takes time of what feeds my soul. Like what are things that really inspire me to be better to do better? To get out of a nasty headspace, for me, it’s Disney music. I know. It’s pathetic. I’m 35 like girlfriend, but it’s true.
Brian Lawson: 25:26
Disney’s in our house a lot so that we’re not looking down on you. We had Disney Resort TV on our Spotify playlist last night. But you have children, Brian. But no, this wasn’t for them. It was for my wife and I let’s be real.
Kirsten Knox: 25:39
Brian’s like, Yeah, when you talk about the Disney, yes.
Emily Felgenhauer: 25:43
And you know, getting outside and walking, I’m not a huge like, gym, gym person, I don’t really enjoy it. I mean, I’ve done it, blah, blah, but I really enjoy walks. So going out and walking and getting fresh air getting new perspective. You know, getting in your Bible really like getting a good devotional, whether it’s from the Bible app, whether it’s literally just opening up scripture, having quality prayer time, which is also what I do when I walk, and how to get back up is a process. And there’s a lot of patience that you need with yourself, and know that it takes time to grow, you don’t grow overnight. And it’s it’s really letting the spirit lead you into the new way that that God’s taking you.
Brian Lawson: 26:39
So requires a lot of bravery. I mean, I think whenever you’re facing those situations, going into those unknowns about yourself and about where you’re going, whatever that looks like. And not knowing where the destination is, can be can be scary for a person who’s questioning their call. I can just imagine, you question that, because you’re asking the question or because someone else asked you the question. You don’t know where you’re going to land on that answer. And that’s, that can be a scary a scary thought. You mentioned that you had to sort of really become self aware about the parts that you needed to own in the process. How did you figure out what those parts were? Because I think it’s easy just to be down on yourself, and then name a lot of things that maybe aren’t really completely you. But then the opposite is true, a person can take no ownership. So how do you find you know, what really is? Okay, these are the parts I should grow in? How did you do that? Or how would you recommend somebody going about learning that about themselves?
Emily Felgenhauer: 27:39
Well, I think you have to look at the stages of grief. I mean, that’s really what you’re going through, you’re going through grief. And part of that is being defensive. And you know, in the very beginning when something happens to us, and we get knocked down. Whose fault, is it? Because it’s certainly not mine. You know, I think you I think you got to go there. And then it’s, it’s really, who do you surround yourself with? Do you surround yourself with? Yes, people? Or do you surround yourself with people who do challenge you? And that you can ask those hard questions with and, you know, kearson, I’ve been friends for so long that oftentimes, you know, I would even ask your son like, what, what do I need to learn from this? Like, what or I think, I think hearing from a loving person, and asking those hard questions from someone who has good communication skills, who can do what I call the Oreo, where they can say, like, Emily, you’re so great at these things. Maybe there’s some ways that you can work on this stuff in the middle. And then but don’t forget, you are a child of God. You know what I mean? Like, having some beers is pretty good. So good at that, yes. But I think it’s really important to have those people in your life to help you recognize and then when you hear things, to really take that to heart, and to say I want to grow, I don’t want to stay stuck. And I don’t want to be a victim. And I want to be somebody that other people can look up to. And I want to be an instrument of God.
Brian Lawson: 29:17
Yeah. Yeah, I think, you know, hopefully you have those friends like that. But I know not everybody does. I know one of the big shows we hear a lot about is youth or children’s ministers struggling to make friends outside the congregation that they serve, which creates its own challenges. So hopefully you have friends like that. But but if you don’t I you know, tell our listeners that this is where a great counselor can come in, come into play or, or some sort of professional coach or something. This is where you can see those sorts of avenues if you especially if you don’t have those friends that you feel like are good at the Oreo. Yeah. So
Kirsten Knox: 29:53
Emily, when you talked about getting back up, you named four things that I think are just pivotal for us and I want to recap those. One is the self awareness right and having the ownership of your situation. And the second one, identifying things that are life giving for you and that is inspiring those coping skills as well as just what helps move you forward. Then having patience. And then the fourth one was healthy growth takes time of those four, which one do you say for you just innately is easier of those steps and which one is more challenging for you.
Emily Felgenhauer: 30:27
So I would definitely say that challenging is patience. I am not good at that. I’m so not good at that. And God continues to put situations in my life, to try to help me to do patients, it’s so hard. Um, but I would say probably the thing that I go to the most. And that’s easiest is how to get back up. I’m an enneagram. Seven, if anybody is into the enneagram. And the shadow side of the first of all, the enneagram. Seven is an enthusiast I love to be enthusiastic and have fun. That’s where that’s my sweet spot. But the shadow side of that is pain. You really do not want to sit in pain, it is painful to be in pain. So Oh, I think my easy one is to figure out how to get out of pain, which is the coping mechanisms what what can get me out of the rut?
Brian Lawson: 31:27
Well, that’s excellent. And we thank you so much for sharing for your story, because I know you hear somebody feel like I hear all the time of people losing their, their their ministry jobs, whether they were let go. Or maybe it was even just a financial decision of the of the church and those kind of things. And so I know, there’s a lot of people who go through this kind of this similar types of situations in those transitions, so
Kirsten Knox: 31:53
I just think it resonates, right. Like it just resonates on many levels, professionally, as well as I think personally, as you think about as Emily shared about what she has learned and how she moves through that it’s not you can apply that on all different situations that you face. And I think that is just very valuable. And it’s good to be reminded, especially in this season, when I think we’ve faced a lot of uncertainty, it’s been a hard season, a season of grieving. And you can even use these as we continue to navigate this pandemic, and what does that look like and taking care of yourself emotionally, which is very helpful. I have one last question for you. How has this learning these things of how to get back up or even just the experience of getting knocked down? How has that been valuable for you in your life.
Emily Felgenhauer: 32:45
So you know, the story that I shared with you, there was a happy ending. And that is not always the case when we get knocked down. And that is not always Everyone’s story. And, to that I’ve had several things in my personal life that have been devastating. In the last several years, I did get married. And within my marriage, I had three miscarriages, and had to learn a lot about about grief in that way, about loving something and hoping and being so excited. And then it being taken away and taken away and taken away. And learning. What if my life doesn’t include this picture that I so badly wanted. And then after that, I went through a divorce. So your picture changed again. And that also has been a devastating journey. I’m, I’m almost, I’m almost a year out from having separated from my ex husband. And what I know, even though I’m still going through the healing process of that divorce, that what I’ve learned from my miscarriages that have been a little more separated year wise, is that time does really heal. And it’s okay to still have moments of mourning. And it’s okay to still have hoped for a different outcome. But the thing is, is that I know who holds my future. And that comfort is undeniable. And knowing that, that I belong to God, and that he has chosen me to be in such a time as this, and why in the world did I have to go through all of that stuff. And I know that it’s going to be a part of my testimony, it’s going to be a part of, you know, it may not be a Cinderella story, much like my job situation was 11 years ago, but I know that I still feel loved and I know that God has shown up for me in big ways this past year. And, and he’s going to continue to and so there’s a lot of hope in that but I would say for those who are in In the midst of real knocked down, whether it’s career wise, whether it’s personal, that it’s okay to be to be feeling very emotional, it’s okay to feel defeated. But to do everything that you know when your power to not stay there, and whether it’s a counselor, whether it’s a friend, find the things that gets you up, and just know that God loves you unconditionally, and that you are not alone. And that he is walking with you, and he does see your heart and He is with you.
Brian Lawson: 35:52
Hmm,
Kirsten Knox: 35:53
I love that so powerful. And I hear you just talking about leaning into your identity and our identity in Christ in those moments and what hope and power comes from that. So what ever you are facing the power of your identity in Christ. It’s just really that bedrock that we can stand on that firm foundation no matter what. so powerful. Thank you, Emily, so much for coming and sharing your story and having just helping us learn through you and what you have experienced, but also the courage and, and the wisdom that you have shown today. We really appreciate that and grateful for
Emily Felgenhauer: 36:29
Well, thanks for inviting me.
Brian Lawson: 36:30
Yeah, absolutely. All right. So we’ve got some questions that that we try to answer questions at the end of every episode, a couple of them, we got two specific things we’re going to focus on. So Emily, if you’re willing to stick around and talk through these with us, the three of us will try to give some answers to these. Let’s start with the first one that we received from Connor, was how do you use food in your ministry? At which events? Do you feed your students? Do parents make the food? Do you bring it in from a restaurant? And then finally, you know, how is COVID changed the use of food within your ministry? I don’t know about you guys. But my default answer prior to COVID was always yes to food, if you can afford it. I mean, that was just like default, I would find a way to put some kind of food in the room. Because Well, we all like a good like good food. So I don’t know, what do you guys think? How has that changed? And what are you guys doing now? How do you determine whether to bring food or not?
Kirsten Knox: 37:35
I would say I mean before COVID, right? Like food? I always Yes. I mean, if you can put it in there, right? Brian, I’m like you there’s something about breaking bread together that just builds community posts. COVID are in the middle of COVID. That has been a challenge, I missed that part. And we started going back in person in the last couple months and doing that differently, but finding ways to do that creatively. And for us meal, we did a meal together every week together. And we’re smaller youth group and our parents would bring that in each week, they would sign up for a different, different sign up for a different week to bring the meal. And we would do that. And we have not been doing that that is something that has, we’ve taken that out of our schedule. So justed what we do during this season, so I missed that piece of people bringing that in. And I will have to say in small small groups, we have done some where our high schoolers have met and had a meal together or done something. So we’ve done that more out than people bringing in in. And that has been helpful, but I do I missed that piece. One season when I worked at a church, they we had a commercial sized kitchen. And we had someone on staff that did the food and hospitality. And so that was easy, because you’re like then I just don’t have to order pizza. Right. And we were a size that people bring in it in would have been difficult. So that was a blessing. We enjoyed that piece. But I would say yeah, now we try. We’ve cut that out of most of our weekly programming, and missed that piece.
Emily Felgenhauer: 39:09
Yeah, I would say for our youth ministry, we always had food, we had bags of chips pack wider. And then like for actual programming, we bring in food to you on a flat KFC coming would have to like pay $5 to eat, you know, and then we’d always have candy at the end that we would hand out for we would do a challenge and at the end, and if the kid voted correctly, they got candy, which is the only thing we’re currently doing now when we do get in person which is once a month. We don’t have any food. We ask them to bring their own water bottles, but we do hand out candy at the end as they’re leaving. Because then you know, why not? They’re going home.
Brian Lawson: 39:59
That’s right. Yeah, I mean, I think that if it’s not if it’s not necessary, there’s no reason to expose your leaders or yourself or your students to COVID just because you feel like you have to have food at your event. So if you know if the students have had dinner before, after or they’re going to have it shortly After your programming, I don’t think it’s absolutely necessary to have food right now in this season, give it like, like Emily said, or Kristen give it to them to take to go like take home with them or something. But if you’re at a church that’s struggling with a budget to, to have snacks for your children or your youth, particularly in youth ministry, we always had a snack bar because we had a really low budget for the number of students we had. I mean, significantly low. And so we had to find other ways to, to fund it. So we we had a snack bar, because we had students from 130 till eight o’clock. So we had him for almost seven hours. And so they were hungry, obviously. But but that snack bar actually, even though we charge next to nothing funded our visitor gifts, and it funded, I mean, some of the games we did, you can charge the minimum price and still have a little extra money there that you can invest back into the ministry. So I think short answer is probably avoid food right now give it to impact as a take. But we all believe in food whenever we can do that again. Yeah. Okay. The last, the last question we’re going to hit this time is not necessarily a single question. But I think it’s all over the Facebook groups. I’ve seen it everywhere. And I’ve heard people asking what what are we doing for Lent this year? If you’re at a church that that participates in Ash Wednesday, in the season of Lent, what are your guys’s thoughts on how people could do that this year and isn’t even relevant, really, this year? Any thoughts?
Emily Felgenhauer: 41:49
So for my church, you were kind of traditional that where we actually still have Ash Wednesday, and we do recognize Lent, for the liturgical year, and so we are still primarily online, I mean, we have in person services underneath a white tent on Sunday mornings, that maybe 40 people are coming to. But online, we can have over 1000 views on a Sunday morning, live with us. So with that, what we’re doing is we’re going to have a drive by come up and get ashes on your head on Ash Wednesday. And then we’re going to have a family kit that they can take home with them that will have devotions that they can do as a family together activities that they can explain to their children and youth about what is Lent, why are we doing it? And primarily, the purpose of it is to let go of something, which is the season right now of COVID. What are some things that we need to continue to let go up to remember God, and then what are something that we want to add to our life in order to get closer to God. So it’s really right now about building our parents up, to set them up for discipleship at home with our children and youth.
Brian Lawson: 43:08
That’s great. That’s great. I love that.
Kirsten Knox: 43:11
Yeah, and I love just giving them the tools to be able to do that. I think glint hits us just at a perfect time. And where we are in the pandemic, I was sharing the other day that I just feel like the new year, I just have this energy right here, like it just naturally comes. And this blondeness that I have felt has been odd for this season. And then thinking about Lent, perfect time for me to think back through what are things that I want to add and take away to help me in during the season, but also to give some life giving in places. So that has been just think for us to think about is comes at a great time. Like, I feel like in the beginning of the pandemic, I did a much better job of doing the things I needed to do to get through this. And then I’ve kind of let that lacks, though, horribly, some of my emotional blindness is I need to do that. So like, do those things that I think remit lent reminds me of that. And I love that idea of just doing it with your family. And then because ashes are gonna be different for a lot of people doing that this year.
Brian Lawson: 44:18
Yeah, I think lent this year could potentially be significant for, for people in a way of remembering and acknowledging mortality in ways that we never had before. Because I think that that’s something that as a society, in a world, we’re all acknowledging, at a deeper level than we ever have in our entire lives. And so that could be a significant focus of Lent this season for your church, I would say try to line up your ministry with whatever the church as a whole is doing. So if there’s any way that you can line up your teaching, or your focus with what the pastor is doing would be very beneficial to the families. And I also wonder if if you’re at a church that has the capacity or the ability, if putting out some short, very short 32nd two minute half videos, on reflecting on these things of Lent would wouldn’t be beneficial that you can put in your Instagram stories in those sorts of things, just to put it on the forefront of the minds of your of your teenagers and families. But yeah, those are great suggestions. Thank you all so much, Emily, thank you for sharing your time with us and your story and your heart. I know it was meaningful to our listeners, and I know they got a lot out of it. Friends, I’d like to remind you, as always, if you have questions, please feel free to send them into podcast@yminstitute.com or post them on our Facebook group, the Making Sense of Ministry Facebook group. And if you’re in need of coaching or you want some support, we we have short, short cohorts that we launch on a regular basis. We also have coaching, individual personalized coaching that we hope you will consider. And until next time, friends, I hope we helped you make sense of this thing we call ministry.
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