youth and tithing

[Tick's wife]

My friend (Catholic) tells me about all this cool stuff they do with their youth, like trips to Disneyland and so forth. Our local leaders want to know why we lose so many youth. Maybe we should put more of our tithing, and keep it local, to support the YW/YM programs, especially the YW. I know our tithing is used to build the kingdom of God but what about the local kingdom...how about putting it there.

[beefytee]

Is Catholic retention very good?

I don't know about your wards, but my wards the last few years have had most of their budget to to YM/YW.

They have done a pioneer treks, a trip to California and often just go out to eat at a local burger joint on the wards dime.

My wife is in relief society and I'm in Cub scouts and our budgets are tiny and I understand that it is because most of the money goes to YM/YW. Both the relief society and our group have to ask for people to pay to participate in most activities. We go over on the budget for Cub scouts with awards alone.

[Tick's wife]

Is Catholic retention very good?

I don't know about your wards, but my wards the last few years have had most of their budget to to YM/YW.

They have done a pioneer treks, a trip to California and often just go out to eat at a local burger joint on the wards dime.

My wife is in relief society and I'm in Cub scouts and our budgets are tiny and I understand that it is because most of the money goes to YM/YW. Both the relief society and our group have to ask for people to pay to participate in most activities. We go over on the budget for Cub scouts with awards alone.

I think the most exciting thing they have done is Tie Dye clothes...the YM do scout camp all the time....hanging out at a burger joint is frowned upon in our stake

[The_Tick]

Budget last year for our ward for YM and YW were 1500 a piece.

The 1500 included all the scout (12-18 scouts) funding also.

[SoonerCoug]

I wonder how many years the Church could continue to finance all its operations if everyone quit paying tithing right now.

[jay santos]

My friend (Catholic) tells me about all this cool stuff they do with their youth, like trips to Disneyland and so forth. Our local leaders want to know why we lose so many youth. Maybe we should put more of our tithing, and keep it local, to support the YW/YM programs, especially the YW. I know our tithing is used to build the kingdom of God but what about the local kingdom...how about putting it there.

The youth programs are already built around "fun" too much. My kids hitting the 14/15 yo age don't want to go anymore. I have a hard time telling them they have to. Either go and hang out and play dumb silly games with the ward kids at YMYW or go hang out with their friends who are also LDS.

[clackamascoug]

I know from experience that 1 week of tithing receipts is more than our wards budget for the entire year. I like to view it as our ward is helping 51 other wards somewhere in the world.

On the other hand, If we doubled our budget, we could accomplish much more with our youth, and we could support only 50 other wards somewhere in the world.

Let my edit reflect that our building is a Stake Center. It cost 4 million to build. With two regular wards and a YSA ward occupying it, after 10 years it's not even broke even yet with donations, and that's not counting the time use of money.

[Slim]

About spending money on youth trips etc...

What, exactly, would be the purpose of this? To keep kids in the church for the wrong reasons until they are mentally/emotionally mature enough to keep going for the right reasons?

I think that if kids are choosing to be active in the church because of how much fun it is then they are doing it for the wrong reasons and will become inactive and possibly bitter adults once the fun times are over.

My views on the subject may be kind of clouded by my experiences growing up. There was a megachurch near my high school that included a skate park and frequent concerts and carnivals to rope in the local kids. The youth pastor of this same megachurch was also very hard on the LDS church and so I felt a lot of backlash in high school for it. It always bugged me that I knew that these kids were only going to this megachurch because it was so "fun" and then when they got there they were indoctrinated about how much they were supposed to dislike me and my views.

[Tick's wife]

The youth programs are already built around "fun" too much. My kids hitting the 14/15 yo age don't want to go anymore. I have a hard time telling them they have to. Either go and hang out and play dumb silly games with the ward kids at YMYW or go hang out with their friends who are also LDS.

that is why they should do more than just silly games and invest in our youth more but again, in our area, where there are 3 stakes, our stake does crap. And if there is a 'stake play', which is every 3 years, that's also more important than the youth.

And yes, I've been in a YW presidency and suggested stuff but it's all been shot down because nobody in our stake/ward has the balls to ruffle feathers or make changes. Doesn't help that the Bishop is the SP SIL and is a yes man.

[jay santos]

that is why they should do more than just silly games and invest in our youth more but again, in our area, where there are 3 stakes, our stake does crap. And if there is a 'stake play', which is every 3 years, that's also more important than the youth.

And yes, I've been in a YW presidency and suggested stuff but it's all been shot down because nobody in our stake/ward has the balls to ruffle feathers or make changes. Doesn't help that the Bishop is the SP SIL and is a yes man.

I wouldn't support spending money to increase the fun level. The youth programs are at their best when they're focused on inspiring not on entertaining.

[Tick's wife]

About spending money on youth trips etc...

What, exactly, would be the purpose of this? To keep kids in the church for the wrong reasons until they are mentally/emotionally mature enough to keep going for the right reasons?

I think that if kids are choosing to be active in the church because of how much fun it is then they are doing it for the wrong reasons and will become inactive and possibly bitter adults once the fun times are over.

My views on the subject may be kind of clouded by my experiences growing up. There was a megachurch near my high school that included a skate park and frequent concerts and carnivals to rope in the local kids. The youth pastor of this same megachurch was also very hard on the LDS church and so I felt a lot of backlash in high school for it. It always bugged me that I knew that these kids were only going to this megachurch because it was so "fun" and then when they got there they were indoctrinated about how much they were supposed to dislike me and my views.

I don't know too many youth that go to church on their own, most go because their parents tell them to and most won't have a testimony until they become an adult. having something for the youth to do keeps them out of trouble. We have a megachurch, quite a few, actually, and they are often anti-Mormon

[Tick's wife]

I wouldn't support spending money to increase the fun level. The youth programs are at their best when they're focused on inspiring not on entertaining.

Not trying to increase 'fun' trying to increase 'interest' and activity.

[Slim]

I don't know too many youth that go to church on their own, most go because their parents tell them to and most won't have a testimony until they become an adult. having something for the youth to do keeps them out of trouble. We have a megachurch, quite a few, actually, and they are often anti-Mormon

My parents never made me go. I remember one Sunday as a teenager standing there telling my mom I didn't want to go that day and she told me that I didn't have to and it was my decision.

I eventually decided to go anyway because my dad was inactive at the time and seeing the pain it caused my mother I didn't want to be responsible for even more of that.

[marsupial]

Our youth just went up to Nauvoo. That couldn't have been a cheap trip.

[jay santos]

Of everything in the church, the youth program is probably what I like about the best.