This month, we feature Phylis Ritscher (yes, that is the correct spelling of her first name) as our Youth Worker of the Month. Phylis serves as the Director of Mission and Youth Ministries at St. James Presbyterian Church in Littleton, Colorado. While Phylis has been on staff at St. James since 2001, she has been in Youth Ministry since 1977. She began by volunteering in Young Life. This service lasted over 17 years spanning three states that include, Colorado, Texas and California. In 1994 Phylis sensed God leading her into ministry more fully and was hired by Trinity Presbyterian Church in Arvada, Co. She spent six years working with the high school youth at Trinity. Mission emerged as a love of Phylis’. She began to serve on the Son Servants planning teams. She has planned and led short-term mission experiences in Jamaica, Mexico and all over the United States, including helping to bring Son Servants to Denver for a few years.

Phylis says that the most challenging thing that has happened to her in her time as a youth worker, is “Walking with students through really difficult experiences, painful life situations. It is a privilege, but requires a huge amount of faith that God is at work.” She adds that, “the other challenge is to stay current with changing culture, not always doing the same thing over and over – keeping things fresh, especially when you’ve been involved for 25+ years. Youth ministry as a whole has really evolved in the last 30 years too.”

Phylis has always considered it to be a privilege to be part of such a critical time of life and faith with students. “To see them encounter and follow God, to see them grow as people, and then to see a few of them serving as adults in mission and ministry positions – that just makes it really worthwhile!”, Phylis said. Phylis offers these words of advice to other youth workers? “You really have to love the kids or nothing you’re doing will amount to much. Also, stay connected – youth ministry can be really isolating, often times going unnoticed by the rest of the church. Make sure you have good support and networks of fellow youth workers! And, hang in there – youth ministry is fickle- it ebbs and flows, students come and go. God is faithful!”

Phylis credits the students for keeping her in youth ministry all these years. She says, “They inspire me, make me laugh, help me grow, help me be authentic in my faith journey and I am still having fun with them. I do need more sleep now!”

Phylis has many dreams for Youth Ministry. They include, congregations (not just youth departments) that truly open their arms to the youth in the church and community. I dream of a generation of youth who lead the way in erasing global poverty and hunger. I dream of youth ministry faithfully inviting students to become followers of Jesus who will lead the church, the body of Christ, into the future. I dream of students in our ministries having such profound experiences of God through worship, serving, study, and community that they will never walk away from Christ, no matter what life brings them. “That’s for starters…” she says.

Phylis is married to Greg. They have three daughters. Courtney, Mindy and Candace. Mindy is in full time Youth Ministry serving at Trinity Presbyterian Church where her Mom received her first paid position. Candace spent last summer as a young adult intern in mission at Canal Street Presbyterian Church in New Orleans. She plans to return this next summer. If you get a chance to meet Phylis, you will find a wonderful Christian woman, who has a heart for mission and youth. She is a true servant helping to build the kingdom of God.