2012- Current: Writer, Speaker, & Author

One of the last things I did in the UK was to speak at a progressive conference in Derbyshire on the theme of institutional racism in the Church. I am also in conversation with a publisher on the subject of institutional racism, theology and the Church. I have spoken at GreenBelt, a Christian arts and justice outdoor camping/conference on why Missions & Social Justice needs to change.

2011 – 2012: Youth Engagement Officer

I worked alongside national agencies (i.e., county councils, NHS and the local population to create, sustain and develop age-relevant groups (from age 13-75) that would create, respond and implement to necessary changes in the Government Health Systems and Social Agenda.

My role (short-term Consultant) was to specifically train volunteers to continue the process on to promote localism and to provide platforms for people to have a voice to express general concerns about the development of health.

I worked in partnership with local schools, authorities, colleges and universities to promote the companies agenda toward

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George A Elerick

Youth Pastor

Address: 1440 Camper View Rd, San Dimas, CA 91773

Home/Mobile: 951 438 5175

Email: thejourneyalive@gmail.com

transformation that, in the end, would effect the positive development of the Health and Social agenda.

2008-2011 Events Manager & Family Ministries (i.e. Youth, Children and Worship), and Community Developer

I was:

-Responsible to catalyze, create and implement new ministries that pertain to youth, family and children. Literally, creating relevant substance for each age-group and liasing with local and national agencies to provide opportunities for all ages to encounter God in creative applicable ways.

- To find, train, and pastorally encourage relevant volunteers

- To assist teens on future vocations.

- To speak at gatherings on relevant topics.

- To disciple youth in creative

- To create festivals and event manage them which include the following

responsibilities: creation of concept, find and train volunteers, network with

local, national and relevant global agencies, grant fund writing, policing,

speak, and partner with government officials.

- To create, write and speak on relevant topics.

- To create relevant ministries for University – Age students, to lead, train

volunteers, resource the University age students with relevant vocational

resources.

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- To develop ministries in line with personal passions that coincide with ethos

and direction of the Church

- To train find, develop and train volunteers for both ministries which included

the direct discipleship of each one

- To create, design and promote events with flyers, facebook, twitter and other

online and offline media

- To work alongside the local media to promote events

- To partner with local and national agencies

2006-2008

Pastor, Family Director and Campaigns Director

I was the first Youth Pastor for this organization and therefore catalysed a lot of new initiatives, among them, I was a local council youth representative, I set up local initiatives in partnership with the town council to engage with youth on the street and lower anti-social behaviour on a Friday night (A program still going today). I also worked at Youth Juvenile Facility and spoke when invited to.

I provided opportunities for youth to get involved in community projects, e.g. apartment cleaning for a recovering drug addict. I worked within the local school and created partnerships between the school, churches and community. I also kick-started multi-agency work, incorporating police, churches, local school and local council, both for youth development projects and wider community initiatives. I trained volunteers and empowered others to lead community events. Convened, chaired meetings and worked in line with the Every Child Matters agenda.

1996-2007

Family Pastor, Campaign Managing, Fundraising & Speaker

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I started as a junior youth leader at the age of 14, at a local camp, which inspired me to study Youth Development, Religious Studies and Behavioural Science at California Baptist University. Following this, I undertook predominately shorter term contracts, ranging from 3 months to 2 years, as a pioneer of new youth initiatives, or revamping out-dated youth programs.

Although the University provided the technical basis, my main learning occurred on the job as it quickly became apparently that each setting required careful consideration of the sub-cultures, before appropriate youth and community initiatives could be suggested.

I had the direct responsibility of being the direct advocate for youth in the community and for the employer which allowed for substantial responsibility on the campaign side of things. I had the opportunity in almost every case increase the clientele, thereby increasing he finances, by at least 3-5 times the company previously had attained.

Before new initiatives were started I dealt with the issues of safeguarding policy and procedures as a priority. A large part of any program that I have initiated involves volunteer recruitment, including training up the older youth to take on leadership roles, thereby empowering the youth and also ensuing that the programs/initiatives are both low-cost and sustainable over the long term.

I was responsible for working one-to-one, for the action planning, for acting as an advocate, and supporting young people in crisis. Another key aspect of projects that I have undertaken involves setting up mentoring between youth and older members of the community, in order to break down barriers and help facilitate mutual learning and respect between the generations.

Other responsibilities:

Supervise Sunday mornings in the full children’s ministry area (including nursery & preschool) for 1 service time. Nursery & Preschool Director will supervise the alternate service.

Oversee the set-up of the elementary & student ministry classrooms before services and the tidying-up of the classrooms after services.

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Oversee curriculum & program development for Sunday mornings.

Oversee security system and background checks for the elementary & student ministry.

Manage supplies, pulling out materials/object lessons needed for each week and reordering as necessary.

Oversee curriculum materials printing and craft prep each week for elementary ministry.

Welcome first time guests and make sure they receive the children’s ministry brochure.

Pastorally care for parents and volunteers.

Coordinate efforts to get children & students plugged into ministry around the church.

Attend weekly staff meetings.

Help prepare budget, track & report expenses for the elementary & student ministry.

Define personal and ministry growth goals every trimester.

Work with Nursery & Preschool Director

Some of my more noticeable achievements include:

2007 – Open House, Canada – Pioneered mentoring program for

university-age students; created children and youth programs

2006 – First Baptist Church (Hispanic), Nevada – Pioneered three

different age-relevant programs for children, youth and university-age

students; including worship and speaking to the adults in Spanish

2005 – Youth With A Mission, India – Co-led a team of seventeen

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across Southern India in community development projects; (Church Ministry Development, Discipleship & Cross-Cultural Evangelism); Translator

2003-2005 – Youth For Christ, Hawaii – Partnered with the local

schools to provide activities for teens, doubled the attendance to

group activities.

2001-2003 – American Navy and Travelling

1999-2001 – First Baptist Church, California – Created youth, children & family

activities for at-risk teens in poor neighbourhoods.

1996-1999 – First Baptist Church, California – Worked within a

Hispanic community creating youth programs; community

development; speaking. Education

2010-2013– Exeter University – Post-Graduate Certificate in Ethics, Religion & Society

1996-1998;2009 – California Baptist University – Bachelors of Arts in Youth

Development, Religious Studies and Behavioural Science

1992-1996- Hemet High School – General Education Diploma: Maths (2.8

GPA), English (3.4 GPA), Spanish (4.0 GPA), Journalism (3.5 GPA)

Interests

- Have been responsible to teach and train people of all ages to rock-climb

and outdoor survival, a sport I myself am passionate about. I have received

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I have travelled across the globe participating either in community

development or personal enjoyment meeting many different people from

many different cultures. Travelling is one thing I am passionate about

because it reminds me I have a lot to gain from other cultures.

I have formal training in: All Microsoft Programs, Mac Computers, Internet, Social Media and Web Design.

Languages and Skills

Bilingual in Spanish: Read, Write and Speak fluently

4 years professional training in all Microsoft programming: Word, Works,

Excel, PowerPoint, Publishing, Access and etc.; Mac OS

Entry-level web design; Social-networking;

Journalism

Volunteer

Youth Advocate & Campaigner: Christian Aid (UK)

Responsible to contact contributors and encourage their participation

Responsible to attend conferences, campaigns and help lead where

necessary

Responsible to travel throughout the southern region of Pakistan (by

invitation) to speak up to 1,000 people

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On subjects such as peace development, self-esteem, religious cohesion,

and respect for women

Community Development: Youth with a Mission

Responsible for co-leading a team of 17 young adults on a development

mission to India

Responsible to liaise with local contacts, network and provide training for

young adults to engage with local culture

Responsible for resourcing team with practical needs.

Notable Speaking Opportunities:

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Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India 2015 & 2014Theme: Material Theology

Drury University, Springfield MO, (USA) 2013Title: Can postmodernism live in the Church?[w/Peter Rollins, Clayton Crockett, John Caputo]

Cambridge University, Avello Conference 2012Theme: Psychoanalyzing the Errata of Hegel & Newton

GreenBelt Outdoor Conferences 2012Title: Domesticating Monsters

Society for the Study of Theology, Scotland UK 2011Title: Exorcising Hegel's Ghost: A social re-alignment of the Holy Spirit

Claremont School of Theology, California, (USA) 2011Theme: Postmodern/Process Theology w/ John Cobb

REFERENCES

Dan Wilson, California Baptist University, 8432 Magnolia Ave, Riverside, CA 92544Professor of Theologydwilson@calbaptist.edu

Creston Davis, Global Centre for Advanced Studies, 1740 44th St SW, Box 156 Wyoming, Michigan 49519 creston.davis@gmail.com

Esther Reed, University of Exeter, University of Exeter, The Queen's Dr, Exeter, Devon EX4 4QJE.D.Reed@exeter.ac.uk

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FAITH STORY:

This is my story. It’s still unfolding. It’s filled with beauty, treachery, belief and disbelief. We are all part of this story and we get to have a hand in keeping it going. This story is how God invaded my life and has wrecked me for the ordinary. I hope he does the same for you. Faith, for me, is a narrative we belong to. It’s a story that we all are helping write. It’s an ongoing conversation with God and others about the world. Faith isn’t just about one’s personal journey, but also how that journey transforms the very cosmos within which it lives. Faith is the ability to grasp a hold the impossible and not let go until it emerges in reality. My faith is an integral part of who I am and how I practice life in the world, and one consistent reoccurring arc within scripture is the need to care for the oppressed, the widow, the outsider, the socially rejected. As I have had a few days to peruse IJM’s website, I notice this is one of the central components to the very ethos that drives the passion behind what IJM stands for. Jesus goes so far as to claim that when we care for the oppressed, we are caring for him. This very claim is what drives the passion behind the very work that informs my role (over the past 5 years) as a Human Rights Worker in the West and abroad. I encountered Jesus as quite a young age – from being Baptised as a Catholic at Birth, to then being adopted at the age of 5 (rescued by God, as I like to refer to it) and going to an evangelical church in Anaheim, California. I

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remember the invitation like it was yesterday, I was 7 years old and went up to meet Jesus for the first time. It was powerful for a young boy. An indelible moment! Then I proceeded to get baptised 5 times over the course of the next 10 years, just in case it didn’t work the first time! I am sure God chuckled at that. I had the typical falling away period, as I think all should, but the time away made me realize had much God really does mean to me and even moreso how much it must permeate how I see and treat others. I love the word for gospel from the Aramaic, sevartha, it literally just means: hope. It is not tied to the Greek notion which was borrowed from political campaigns, it’s just pure unadulterated hope. This is why my faith is important to me, because the gospel is about inaugurating new forms of hope in defiance of political, ideological, and economical hopelessness that can seem so pervasive throughout the world. This is why I pray daily, read scripture, and share life with fellow like-minded people (Vineyard Church, UK), because not only is it about ‘iron-sharpening-iron’ it is also about discovering together the power of the gospel as we seek to use it to cultivate new spaces within the old where God’s Kingdom can come and break in.

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