Teens seek new
youth director in YouTube ad
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A postcard invites
candidates to "see us on
YouTube" in the search for a
new youth leader at St.
Andrew By-The-Sea United
Methodist Church in Hilton
Head Island, S.C. Church
youth starred in their own
video ad, which was posted
on the video-sharing Web
site. A UMNS photo
illustration courtesy of
Jennifer Lee. |
A UMNS Report
By Andrew Schleicher*
Jan. 28, 2008
Finding the right youth director
can be like catching the best wave,
but only if you know how to surf.
The youth group at St. Andrew
By-The-Sea United Methodist Church
in Hilton Head Island, S.C., hopes
its next director will surf the
Internet to find them.
Last fall, the youth created and
starred in a minute-long video
advertisement touting their "great
location," "really cool building"
and "awesome pastor" and inviting
potential candidates to "come surf
with us at St. Andrew on Hilton Head
Island."
They posted the ad––complete with
scenes of kids playing beach
volleyball, foosball and
basketball––on a popular
video-sharing Web site and handed
out postcards at a youth conference
in Atlanta inviting interested youth
directors to "see us on YouTube."
More than 1,300 people have viewed
the ad since its November posting,
and approximately 200 candidates
submitted their resumes for the job.
While the church used other
traditional advertising methods as
well, nearly every applicant
mentioned the video.
The Rev. Neil Yongue, pastor of St.
Andrew, came up with the idea for
the YouTube ad as a way "that people
could get an immediate taste of who
we were."
"We wanted to do a good thorough
search using all of the devices
available," said Yongue, who
presented the idea to church
leaders. "I think [they] found it to
be an exciting and novel idea."
Church member Glenn Brodie, who runs
a radio and television production
company, produced the video. He said
writing the script was a group
process but that the main idea came
from the youth. "They wanted it to
be at the beach to make it look
fun," he said.
The filming took place over two
days––one day at the church and
another at Coligny Beach. Almost 20
youth members participated,
including 15-year-old Cameron
Stratton.
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Youth members wait for their
video shoot on Coligny
Beach. A UMNS photo courtesy
of St. Andrew By-The-Sea
United
Methodist Church. |
"I thought it was good idea to help
get in touch with people through a
more modern way," said Cameron.
Marissa Nichols, 15, served as the
narrator, surrounded by other youths
wearing shorts and T-shirts and even
bathing suits against the backdrop
of the Atlantic Ocean. "Here, you
can live where most people come to
vacation," a smiling Marissa says in
the video montage.
Marissa was excited to be featured
on YouTube and, after a local
newspaper ran a story about the
youth group project, her friends
checked out the posting and thought
it was cool. "I'm excited about
getting a new youth director," she
said, noting that she wants someone
with "high energy, not necessarily
young … someone we feel comfortable
around (and with) a little bit of
experience."
The church hopes to wrap up its
search by the end of spring and is
now conducting telephone interviews.
The applicants include people of
several denominational backgrounds.
"We are trying to be very careful
and prayerful," Yongue said.
*Schleicher is a freelance writer
based in Nashville, Tenn.
News media contact: Marta Aldrich,
Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or
newsdesk@umcom.org.
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