February 2012 - it's Blackstone time!!! The annual winter retreat at Blackstone will be 02/10-12/12. The keynote speaker this year is Kim Parker and the band is "StereoReel". I've heard good things about them and can't wait to hear them. The theme is "Would You Friend Jesus?" (a little Facebook/Twitter reference - what do you think?) It sounds like a great weekend is in store for us. I will definitely let you know in next months newsletter. :-)
Also, the Shrove Pancake supper will be on Tuesday evening 02/21/12. The youth have always helped serve in the past so let's be ready again if asked. Please don't forget to invite your family, friends, and neighbors to this event. What a better supper than pancakes and sausage!
We will continue with the lesson series "Surrender". There are two lessons left. The first lesson dealt with "surrendering" your "stuff" (material things, money, clothes, etc) and lesson number 2 dealt with "surrendering" your status. There has been some great discussions and some eye opening revelations for both the youth and myself. Any one that would like to sit in with us for the last two lessons please feel free to join us on Sunday evening at 6:00. We have dinner together and then usually start the lesson around 6:45 and end at 7:45.
Please remember that there will not be youth group on Sunday, 02/05/12 (Superbowl Sunday) or on 02/12/12 (Blackstone).
Everyone agreed that we need to find a mission for the dates of 06/17-24/12 time frame. This is the week after school is out. Anything earlier we are not able to go because of school and anything later interferes with other summer events (summer school, Boy Scout camp, vacations, summer jobs, leaving for college, band camps, cheerleading camps, etc). The Choctaw reservation is already booked for that week but I have looked into TeamEffort camps - an international mission camp experience and they have mission camps available for the week we need in Myrtle Beach, SC and in Gatlinburg, TN so I need to book us as soon as possible. The cost looks to be around $300.00 per person (not including transportation). We need to begin more and serious fund raising immediately as well. I will also be looking for adults as chaperones. I hope to secure a van/mini bus this time so again, fund raising, fund raising, fund raising. I will need to know also as soon as possible which youth will definitely go, any adults that want to go, and which site (TN or SC).
Whew - a lot going on and a lot to do so LET'S GET IT STARTED!
Love and blessings,
Barb Alexander, Youth Director
