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The Needle 
Finding & Introducing our Youth Pastor

By Michael Buerke, Associate Pastor
The Resume
Last March, amidst a flurry of news about our building purchase and related activities, Mercy also quietly began its long anticipated search for a youth pastor.

Within days of posting our job description, we had received resumes from dozens of very qualified applicants from around the city and around the country. By the time we closed the official application deadline in mid-April, we had received a very promising candidate pool of nearly 70 women and men.

Over the next few weeks Le Que, Jeff and I painstakingly narrowed that field of candidates down to 12 finalists we felt held the most promise. We were very encouraged (and humbled) by who we had the privilege to consider - a diverse and strong pool of extremely qualified individuals! By mid-May, we were well on our way; we had assembled our dream interview team and had begun contacting our 12 finalists for first-round interviews.

Around this time, I received a random email from Jacksonville, Florida. Someone that had seen our posting was interested in the position and asked if he could send his resume, apologizing that he was late. Frankly, I was surprised that he even found the posting online; I had removed it from all the major websites, college boards, and search engines, yet it was still somehow visible on an obscure cached clickbait site that I had never heard of where he had stumbled into it.

My first reaction was to disqualify the emailer, as the deadline had passed. The odds were certainly stacked against him. We already had amazing candidates. We’d read so many resumes. The deadline. Jacksonville is 1500 miles away.

Well, a few hours after being surprised and a little dismayed that we were going to accept his application, I had his resume and official cover letter in my inbox. Within the first sentences, I knew I needed to forward it to Le Que.

It was a good one.
"The more my wife and I learned about Mercy’s heart for justice and desire to be a multi-cultural church we knew that this was the type of church we would love to raise our 'Brazilican' (half Brazilian & half American) family in. Mercy Vineyard was also our 'needle!'" -Leo
Are Unicorns Real?
If at any point you happened to ask Jeff his thoughts about the daunting task of hiring for a youth pastor, he would give you his description of what he wanted.
  • Someone that is first and foremost called to work in ministry.
  • Someone that is slightly crazy in slightly crazy ways.
  • Someone that wants to hang out with teenagers - lots of them at one time.
  • Seemingly unlimited energy and relentless optimism.
  • A gifted speaker, relator, engager, evangelist, and outreach-oriented people-gatherer that also probably didn’t quite grow out of the things that teens like to do when most people grow out of the things that teens like to do.  
Finding a talented, resilient, long-suffering, tireless, God honoring, Jesus loving, long-term youth pastor is like finding a needle in a haystack.

After vetting dozens of candidates, interviewing many by phone, by skype and in person, the hiring team kept coming back to one particular candidate that seemed to check off a lot of those peculiar boxes. Is this person even real?

The Visit
It sure seemed like he was the guy. The hiring team was unanimously impressed with the man from Jacksonville. Enough so that they decided we needed to meet him in person. We sprung for a plane ticket and awaited his first visit in July. He spent 4 days with us in different settings; collaborating with staff, guest-teaching in the youth room and enduring many questions from many people about his experiences and his heart for ministry. Needless to say, things went well. At the end of his time here, he was offered and accepted the position of Youth Pastor for Mercy Vineyard Church.
The Youth Pastor
He’s real, and he’s the real deal! His name is Leo Alves. He’s from Brasilia, Brazil, via Jacksonville, via New Jersey, with some midwestern Kansas City thrown in for good measure. He’s intelligent and educated, personable and passionate about Jesus and youth. He has that type of personality where you’d say he’s “never met a stranger”. Even in those first few conversations, you find that he is quick to laugh, filled with the type of joy that is only found in God, and he isn’t afraid to go into the deep waters of ministering to teens.

I’m impressed by what I’ve seen so far and beyond thankful that he has agreed to join our team. I hope everyone has a chance to get to know Leo better over the coming months, as well as his wife Sarah (from Minnesota!) and his baby boy Levi.

God is going to do great things through him for Mercy youth and for Minneapolis!

Finding & Asking for Mercy
A Little Bit about Myself

By Leo Alves, Youth Pastor
My Background & the Minnesota Girl
I was born and raised in Brasilia, Brazil. I spent a few years in New Jersey, Kansas City, and most recently Jacksonville, Florida. While attending Bible School in Kansas City, this Brazilian guy met a Minnesota girl named Sarah and was properly warned by one of her friends that if you marry a girl from Minnesota you will have to move to Minnesota, because Minnesota girls always go back to Minnesota. I didn’t believe it. I thought the nice weather and the beach lifestyle of Jacksonville would convert her to a happy Floridian, I was wrong. Minnesota girls love Minnesota! We got married in the fall of 2012 in Afton, and moved to Jacksonville where I worked as a full time Youth Pastor for 4 years. Around year 3 we began dreaming about starting a family, and after much prayer and consideration it became clear to us that the Lord was completing our season down South and moving us up North to raise our family, around family.

Northern Church Search
I looked everywhere in Minnesota, but never really found a church that felt right. I applied at only one other church and surprisingly enough became the top contender to get that job and they even flew us up for a “Candidating” week to make the final decision to hire me or not. But at the end of the week it became clear, it was not the right fit. Later that day on a random job website, I found Mercy Vineyard.

I was quickly interested in Mercy first because it was a Vineyard church. I had been a long time fan of Vineyard worship music and the Vineyard movement, so right away I sent the email (that was almost deleted). In the days after I began to fall in love with Mercy. I listened to about 10 sermons in one weekend and began to Facebook stalk everything that the church was doing and had done. I was deeply impressed by Mercy’s love for Jesus, love for the city, and love for each other. The more my wife and I learned about Mercy’s heart for justice and desire to be a multi-cultural church we knew that this was the type of church we would love to raise our “Brazilican” (half Brazilian & half American) family in. Mercy Vineyard was also our “needle”!

Asking for Mercy
I applied for the job and in the next few weeks my wife and I prayed daily that Jesus would have mercy on us and give us “Mercy”. I was legitimately surprised that my late entry was even being taken seriously and to our great joy I was offered the job after our visit in July. I am so thankful that Mike didn’t delete my email, I am so thankful that Jeff and Le Que decided to give me a chance, and most of all I am so thankful that Jesus closed the wrong doors and opened the right one all in His perfect timing. I am so thankful that He gave us Mercy. Needless to say, my wife Sarah, our baby boy Levi and I are very excited to be here, to get to know everyone and to see all the amazing things Jesus will do with and through the Youth of Mercy Vineyard Church!
Meet Leo Alves this Sunday at the beginning of each service, during the announcements of the 9:15am & 11am service. He'll also be re-introduced & lead the Youth, for his first official Sunday! Then get to know him more during the All-Church Picnic where he'll be an honorary pie judge & will lead kickball!
Sun., Aug. 21 // 12:30-2:30 // Logan Park
Please join us for a good ol’ All Church Picnic on Sunday, August 21 after the 11a service at Logan Park. Get competitive with old-fashioned picnic games like 3-legged & sack races, kickball, lawn games, & raffles, and an epic pie baking contest where the tastiest & prettiest pies win! Meat, desserts, & drinks are provided. What to Bring: Side dishes are potluck style, please bring a hotdish if your last name starts with A-I, fruits &/or veggies if your last name is J-R, and salad for S-Z. Also, bring your own blanket or lawn chairs.
Sun., Aug. 21 // 12:30-2:30 // Logan Park
Pie Baking Contest: bit.ly/mercypie
Register for the pie baking contest & check out the simple rules. Pie judges include Leo Alves and star volunteers!
UPCOMING EVENTS

Watch last year's video here.
The 10th Eastside Community and School Barbecue will celebrate the beginning of the 2015-2016 school year. Over 2000 NE students, families, city/state leaders and elected officials come together for school open houses before the Eastside BBQ. Join Mercy in blessing our neighborhood by serving watermelon, passing out balloons & tattoos, & leading kickball games. Volunteer with Mercy’s staff at bit.ly/eastbbqvol.

Thurs., Aug. 25 // 6:45p // MERCY
Come join Bike & Pint and explore your city, the great breweries and people that pour some of MN’s best pints right here in the Twin Cities! Every Thursday we meet at Mercy at 6:45pm, pedal our way to a local brewery, enjoy a pint together, and ride back to Mercy.  Follow brewery & schedule updates on Twitter @bikeandpint.
Register here.

Wed., Aug. 24 // 5p-7p // ASTER CAFE
Are you new to Mercy or new to Minneapolis? Or are you a lady who wants to make some new friends? Come join us for the New Girl Patio Happy Hour at Aster Café in Minneapolis.
Register here.

THURSDAY’S @6pm: 8/25, 9/1
SATURDAY’S @10am: 8/27 // MERCY – STE 118
We’ll start at a level 1, allowing you an opportunity to gain an understanding of what Holy Yoga is, a basic foundation of meditation, breath work, and primary poses. Holy Yoga is experiential worship created to deepen people’s connection to Christ. Class is free with a suggested $5 donation. Taught by Shelly Lee, R-HYI. You can read more about Holy Yoga at https://holyyoga.net/. Register here.

Wed., Aug. 24 // 6:30p // NEW BRIGHTON
Are you a recent college grad and looking for others at Mercy who are in the same stage in life? Join us for a BBQ on August 24 at 6:30pm for a chance to meet and hear about a new small group launching at Mercy this fall specifically for recent college graduates.
Register here.
 

Mon., Sept. 12 // 7p-8:30p // MERCY
Enjoy a night of creativity with other ladies, a chance to get together and connect. Bring your own supplies (painting, drawing, adult coloring, art journaling, etc.) or some to share with the group. Whether you’re experienced, or newly exploring your creative side, come join us!
Register here.
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1121 Jackson St NE | Suite 130 | Minneapolis, MN | 55413






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Mercy Vineyard Church · 1121 Jackson St. NE · Ste 130 · Minneapolis, MN 55413 · USA