Overhauling the AY
A major overhaul on several aspects involving the AY activities is needed to make the programs more dynamic and bring out the desired inspirational enhancements that the AY is designed to facilitate:
Membership Review:
1. Status: Active and Inactive
A comprehensive membership review is in order to put substance to all AY initiatives. Work should be done to classify members as either active or inactive. The membership status may change depending on the recorded number of attendances, monitored within a specific time frame. Placing the names of some members in the Inactive Status may result in fallout (their complete absence from all activities because “sumama ang loob”). Nothing, however, will change because, in the first place, they are often absent and unavailable to begin with.
It is plain common sense to set our goals and program activities parallel and congruent to the guaranteed presence of active members. To plan our programs based on a bloated roster of membership is plain delusion. We cannot move forward unless members decide to present themselves every Sabbath, except when there are critical considerations why their absence is mitigated. These pressing circumstances will have to be recorded, however, to schedule activities in such a way that, when members are pressured to absent themselves, for reasons beyond their control, programs are not planned to include them. In essence, members will have to be responsible in informing the leadership of their availability, at specific times and circumstances, to safeguard the integrity of the programmed activities.
In the first place, we cannot cajole ourselves of having so many members while our programmed activities are in a mess, simply because the majority of them do not take it upon themselves to be responsible. We may look good in numbers but terribly lacking in substance, quality, and direction. With a few members determined to serve the Lord in whatever capacity—giving their all-out best—we can go places, as the Lord will bless even our minutest efforts because of the self-effacing nature of our service. The ministry will later on grow in number (a miracle of sorts!) with quality members to boot.
2. Attendance monitor
After the membership-status determination, an official list should be drawn and the secretary (or whoever is assigned to oversee the work) shall closely monitor attendance every AY program. This can be done or facilitated by each group.
Leadership Commitment and Training
As there is a need to ascertain the commitment of members, steps should also be taken to determine the commitment of leaders. Leaders who do not wish to dedicate effort and time to the work of setting up better programs and approaches, for reasons of non-availability and pressing livelihood commitments, should be transparent enough to admit the fact and give way to others who are committed and willing enough to be trained.
The collective support of everyone is needed in achieving an enhanced life for the AY programs. No one who is willing to commit, even those who forebode a negative perception of capacity and capability, should be refused the opportunity to be trained and be amply used in the ministry. As mentioned earlier, the ministry should concentrate more on those members who are committed and have hearts to learn.
Planned “theme-based” program and activities
Program planning should be theme-based for the 4 or 5 weeks, as the case maybe, that comprise a month. An example of this kind of approach will relegate, for instance, the:
First Sabbath: “Nature”
Second Sabbath: “Health”
Third Sabbath: “Building the Kingdom” (inclusive of a Music Sabbath)
Fourth Sabbath: “Testimonies and Bible dynamics” (including Bible games)
Fifth Sabbath: “Church Concerns and Issues”
Each group shall be assigned a Sabbath where the collective talent and skills of each member can be honed to a higher level of ministry. The thrust shall include grouping people together who can contribute to the activities that are needed to put the program together (i.e. Program coordinator, research source, and etc.). Every group is encouraged, in instances when there is an obvious dearth of skills for a particular program, to seek the help and support of other members of other groups or the AY Head, and even the participation of people from outside the Balestier community.
Strong Sponsorship
A strong and active AY Council that will coordinate and monitor programs should be established, under a person who can provide leadership, vision, and guidance to pursue the approaches outlined above. Training must also be provided to ensure that each leader and group act in concert.
