Follow the Star

Hey everyone, I encourage you to go to this site as much as you can during advent. Each day there is a reflection and music to help you really prepare for Christmas.  Check it out!

Following the Star

It’s that time of year again when we get up really early on a Sunday and spread God’s love and compassion to the guests at the First United Methodist Church in Plymouth. FUMC hosts a rotating homeless shelter through the Cass Community Social Services.  This will be our 6^th  year of serving in this valuable ministry. Our middle school youth group is scheduled to prepare and serve breakfast on Sunday, November 17 to about 50 homeless people who stay at this rotating shelter. This would mean getting up pretty darn early in the morning, but it is a great opportunity for service. Let me know ASAP if you’d be willing to do this. Please let me know in person, text or email me.

We meet at the church in Plymouth at 5:30 AM and prepare and serve breakfast at 6:00. We also eat with them and fellowship with them, showing them Christ’s love over breakfast and conversation. Sometimes we play games like chess, or cards before they leave about 7:00 AM. Once breakfast is over, we clean up and head back to our homes (usually by 7:30.) We will still have Breakfast Club that morning at 11:00. 

We will be preparing eggs, fruit, pastries or muffins, juice and sausage to go with our meal that morning. 

If you have volunteered for this ministry in the past you know how much joy you can bring to others less fortunate and you know how much joy you also receive from serving. I encourage you to sign up, you won’t regret it! Adults are more than welcome to stay, help prepare, and fellowship with the guests.

Looking forward to serving alongside of you,

Nancy

Why Join a Youth Group?

It’s can be tough out there on our own. In our hearts, we know we are called to love others and be faithful to God’s word – but it’s not easy. Not everyone defines love the same way. Jesus said, “Love consists in this – laying down one’s life for a friend.” At church, there are caring adults and other teens who lay down their lives for us – by giving us their attention, time, prayers and friendship.

No group is perfect, but our God is – and God is always there. God calls us to love, to forgive, to be patient and to make a difference. He calls us to do this together as his church. Friendships made in youth ministry groups can grow into lifetime friendships as we continue in this faith-filled community.

Why should anyone join a youth group? Here are the top 10 reasons a youth group is a great place to be:

 (As posted on FaithMag.com)

10.  In any friendship, we make mistakes. Being part of a Christian youth group means we believe in forgiveness.


9.  The negativity of others can bring us down. A Christian youth group will encourage and uplift.


8.  We look around our world and wish we could make a difference. In a Christian group, we are called to work together to make this a better world to live in.


7.  It seems like there’s no right or wrong in the world we live in. Being in a Christian group can give us direction and help us to choose what is right and provides friends who will support us.


6.  By ourselves, we don’t always feel close to God. Jesus promised that where two or three gather in his name – he is with them.


5.  Some of the other teens around me seem so lethargic. They don’t seem too excited about their faith. In a Christian youth group, most people are there because they want to be there. The enthusiasm is contagious.


4.  In a Christian group, we have others with whom we can pray and share our concerns.


3.  In a Christian group, Jesus is our role model and we have other leaders who strive to live like him.


2.  In a Christian youth group, we can bring our friends who have the same needs we all have and who also need a supportive group of friends in their lives.


1.  In a Christian youth group, we are connected to the larger church that Jesus established. It is a place where we can know our God, grow in love and faith, and change the world we live in.

We've got a lot of activities and events planned that give you the opportunity to be a disciple of Christ!
So mark your calendars and set your sights on Christ!

Learning - finding out more what it means to be a disciple!

Breakfast Club! every Sunday at 11:00 in the Club Room

Winter Retreat! Friday January 24-Sunday, January 26 at Michindoh. We will be a part of their teen retreat weekend. (Cost $105)

Practicing - doing stuff! Youth group on the 2nd and 4th Sunday evenings from 6:30-8:00. This is not just a time for fellowship, but also a time where we can be doing some service for others, and sharing our faith.  Sunday nights are perfect times to bring friends!

September 22 - games and possibly campfire (weather permitting)

October 13 - Corn Maze
October 27 - campfire/s'mores and stuff

November 10 - Operation Christmas Child (extended youth group time)
November 24 - possibly bell ringing for the Salvation Army

December 8 - Christmas Cards for seniors, treats and movie
December 22 - rehearsal for Christmas Eve service

Serving - serving others means serving Christ!

October 13 - Crop Walk (after church)
October 26 - Running games at Trunk or Treat 4:00-6:00

November 3 - Sandwich Ministry (after church)
November 10 - Operation Christmas Child (we will collect and pack shoe boxes to send overseas)
November 17 - Serving Breakfast to the Homeless Guests at FUMC in Plymouth - 5:30-7:30 AM
November 24 - Ringing bells for the Salvation Army during youth group time

December 8 - Making Christmas cards for seniors during youth group time

January 5 - Sandwich Ministry (after church)
January 11 - Taking donations to Fort Street (even though you don't stay out all night during boxing night we can use your help loading and unloading the truck!)

Looking to fall!

Here we go!

We're getting ready to kick off another great year of Middle School MInistry at Geneva. I'm looking forward to all the activities and events we're planning, but I'm also looking forward to being able to see everyone grow in their faith and grow closer to Jesus.

In a side column you can sign up to bring food for our weekly fellowship/education/small group time called Breakfast Club. (Now you can click on the date on THIS site and it will take you to the Sign-up Genius site! How easy can you get??) We meet EVERY Sunday during the 11:00 service in the Club room, located at the end of the hall in the Lighthouse area.

Also in a side column, you can see the events and activities planned for each month. These activities are subject to change, so check back often! FYI We'll have youth fellowship on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month from 6:30-8:00. I hope everyone can come, and BRING FRIENDS. The more people we have, the more fun we'll have!

We're back... don't lose your momentum!

Hey everyone, we've been back from our mission trip for a week now. I hope you are thinking about how the trip impacted your faith, how you met and served God in Minnesota and how you can continue spending time with God and serving him here in Michigan.

Every year Youthworks, through their magazine Reverb (you ALL got one as you left ....) lets us know about their 1K challenge to kickstart some service/community minded ministry in our area. I'd like to challenge you all to think about this seriously. Would you like to start a once a month lunch/sandwich ministry in Detroit? (We made a big impact in the few we handed out in June, we could make it a once a month bigger project, maybe even get more youth involved!) Would you like to start and run a community garden in the back of our church? (thoughts are already forming on this with some adults from the church) Is there something else you can think of?

Give it some thought... let me know, and I'll help you fill out the paperwork to submit to Youthworks/Reverb.

For more information on the 1K challenge, click here

Thursday Evening, last day of work!

 Really? That’s all? We’re just getting started! We’re not ready to go yet. What do you mean it’s time to leave already?

What a wonderfully blessed week we’ve had. These 7 young middle schoolers started out a little apprehensive about talking with new people, old people, impoverished people, people not quite like them, and turned into brave, bold and empowered middle schoolers. I wouldn’t be surprised if you don’t recognize them when you see them on Sunday.

This group pushed themselves to do things they wouldn’t normally do. Even though there wasn’t a lot  of physical labor involved this week, there was still work! It takes work to make new friends, speak to new people, do repetitive tasks with joy and step out of your comfort zone. 

Last days are always busy. The ‘wicked crew was at UGM again, this time helping to unload a big delivery, serving lunch, and cleaning up. But they also had the opportunity to sit with some people and talk and get to know them. For some, this was a real challenge.

The ‘seek’ group was back at the nursing home. We weeded a bit in the morning. (Seriously, we CAN’T do a mission trip without SOME weeding,)  then jumped right in talking with residents, painting nails, exercised with them and made some brownies. After lunch we visited and talked (Nancy played several games of cribbage) and really got to know many of the residents. Even though we’d only been there two days, it was really difficult to leave.

There was a community cookout for dinner, then packing and the traditional Youthworks Thursday evening foot washing activity tonight. This is one of the best parts of these trips. Where Jeff and I get to pray for our students. I can’t wait.

Tomorrow it’s off to Clearwater Forest camp to meet up with the high schooler for some water activities, high ropes course and visiting with Elise Russell. (Sadly, Rick and the kids won’t be there- they are actually in Michigan!! Bad timing) After dinner we’re heading for Eau Claire for the night, and Saturday we’ll be home. I’m looking forward to meeting up with the other group and sharing stories of the week.

Don’t forget, we’ll be sharing AFTER church on Sunday (not during the service like we usually do.) I hope you can join us.

Thank you for your prayers.