2012 Highlights in Review

2012 SYM Top Ministry Moment #10 Prayer -- April

We launched our prayer tool on National Day of Prayer and this has been a great year of prayer. We begin each week with it and clients have become a praying community. They readily share prayer requests authentically. And our prayer warrior team grew from 94 to 162. You can join at StreetYouthMinistry.org! 

2012 SYM Top Ministry Moment #9 Church Partnerships -- May

We made the decision to depend on church partnerships for expanding programs. We celebrated our second church that is fully trained and able to carry on SYM defined events without direct leadership from Terry. The Lost and Found Ministry of One Chapel began running our Monday night outreaches this summer! In addition, we welcomed Micah 6 Churches who operate a Sunday drop-in for all our clients, shouldering some of the important social justice work! We have grown church partnerships from 28 to 41 this year. You can begin partnership at our Partner Inquiry Form.

2012 SYM Top Ministry Moment #8 Summertime Cooking -- June

We took advice from clients and pull together cooking "classes" during the summer. This year we had several sponsors who brought fixings for a favorite meal and allowed the street youth to cook it and enjoy it. The class is not so much about cooking as it is about working together and possibilities! This is a great family friendly event. Check out how to get in on the fun at StreetYouthMinistry.org.

2012 SYM Top Ministry Moment #7 Wash Day Twice a Month July

Our clients told us that laundry is important to them. So we learned how to organize Wash Days. This year, we had regular sponsors for both our first and third Monday night Wash Days! Prayer around community building permeate these wonderful activities. We now need a 3rd Monday sponsor. Request information at Streetyouthministry.org

2012 SYM Top Ministry Moment #6 Taking Two College Student to See Liz Murray -- April and August

It was a super-awesome treat to be able to take two college-bound clients to meet author Liz Murray, featured in the movie from Homeless to Harvard. It was inspirational for everyone and resulted in our new college textbook program. We provided textbooks for five students in the fall. At least one made straight A's! At least two more are joining this spring! Learn more at College Textbooks.

2012 SYM Top Ministry Moment #5 Internship -- October

We filled our fall internship position with a wonderful volunteer, Christine Joyce. We have always known that some interns would stay, and we are discerning the possibility of an year engagement for Christine! Learn more about internship and employment at our page for Employment.

2012 SYM Top Ministry Moment #4 Student Organizations -- November

This year, students of UT formed Friends of Street Youth, a student organization intended to raise awareness of street youth, work with SYM to foster volunteerism, and find new campus-based resources that might be used to help street youth. We are also working with students at APTS, ACC and Concordia, as well as from many church organizations and  scouting. Get Involved by checking out our group pages for missional communities and college groups.

2012 SYM Top Ministry Moment #3 No Funerals

We have said good-bye to clients this year--Michael and Will to name two, but we had no deaths in Austin. We credit this to the strength of the street youth community, pulling together to prevent senseless deaths from drug overdose and violence. As a result of last year's deaths, we expanded our care teams to include the incarcerated and the hospitalized. (Join those teams at StreetYouthMinistry.org) We have remembered each of the six memorial services last year, and are grateful for each client we are entrusted with.

2012 SYM Top Ministry Moment #2 Baptism and Sanctification

We had our first baptism this year, by a partner church, of one of our clients. We also see record church participation by clients this year--it is always our prayer that the join Christian community! We even have one student praying to go to seminary.

2012 SYM Top Ministry Moment #1 Worship Leadership -- April, November, December

We are so pleased to be able to invite clients into worship leadership roles at Covenant Presbyterian Church for Holy Week, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Clients lead corporate prayer, read scripture and even planned and led a Christmas Prayer Service that was a highlight of many participants.