Moving to Summer and Missions!

This week is our last week for Breakfast Club until the fall. Since last September we've covered so much of the bible through reading and discussing The Story! It was a long journey but I'm really happy we did it. I think we read and heard lots of stories from the Bible that we've never heard before.

These last few weeks we've been talking about service and mission and what the needs are, why we're called to do it and how do we serve. I'm hoping this creates an excitement for the service opportunities we'll have this summer.

In June (Sunday, the 23rd) we'll be following Jesus' teachings and 'feeding His sheep.' After church we'll get together to make a bunch of sack lunches. Then we'll head downtown Detroit and hand them out to people who look hungry. We did this ministry several years ago during our Detroit mission trip. The youth and adults who took part loved it! It was a wonderful experience to be able to feed a hungry person. I hope that we have many people (adults and youth!) who can join us this year. (You'll need a yearly permission form on file!)

In July, we'll be heading to Minnesota for our summer week-long mission trip. I'm really looking forward to seeing how God will use us on this trip. If you aren't able to join us this year you can help us by praying for us and considering joining us next year!

In August we'll be sprucing up our own church by pulling weeds and trimming bushes. As always, this service will end with Ice Cream! (Everyone needs incentive to pull weeds!)

If you have other local service or mission opportunities you know about and would like us to do, please let me know! I'm always looking for ways to serve!

Success!

Hey everyone! Great job on another A Night Out success! We worked hard gathering donations, setting stuff up, serving and cleaning up after. We've even got all our thank you letters written and sent out! Amazing work everyone. Together, we raised $7,000 towards the cost of our mission trips this summer.

I heard lots of compliments about the evening, ranging form the great service, to the good food to the wonderful entertainment. I agree! I was super impressed at how well everyone came through remembering their lines, being where they were supposed to be and performing wonderfully- whether it was skit or music or joke! I was especially impressed with the youth that had never participated in A Night Out before- Great job!

The only thing left to do is make sure you follow through with your auction services. Don't let it get too late before you complete your services! If the person who won your service hasn't contacted you in a month or so, PLEASE contact them, and at least remind them.

It's almost Auction Time!

How important is this event?

In the past, each student would have had to pay almost their entire mission trip expense. There were some small fundraisers (Super Bowl Subs, Pancake Breakfast, Car Wash) but they didn’t make a significant impact on expenses. There were also Youth Serve opportunities, but these were sporadic. The big fundraiser was our “A Night Out” dinner. The entire profit from this dinner was typically $1500. (split between all mission trip participants.) In 2010 we implemented a silent auction portion to our fundraising dinner. The  average profit from the auction alone has added between $3,000 and $4,000 to our expenses. Since we implemented the auction, no student has had to pay more than their $50 deposit. All expenses have been covered.

This year, we have the added expenses of extra travel days, which creates more meals needed and more gas to purchase. We’ve also added the cost of 2 passenger van rentals. This year, more than ever, we want a very successful fundraising dinner and auction.

How can you help?

Parents and Youth: Encourage bidding! Mingle with your guests or others at the auction tables, encouraging them to bid and even overbid on the items.  (It’s for a good cause!)

Parents: bid yourselves! Yes, you’re still spending money, but you’ll be getting some wonderful items for it! Or, maybe you’ll just be increasing the amount that other people will pay for that item!

Remember the mantra.... Bid high and bid often!

A Night Out is coming!

The date for our annual fundraising dinner and silent auction is coming up quickly! We’ll be setting up, serving and providing entertainment to the many people who are supporting our summer mission trips.

Youth and Parents --  here’s what you need to know:

Donations:

~ Parents and Youth - Bring in some auction donations! With the additional expense of rental vans, we’ve got a larger amount we need to raise.  Ask businesses to donate, or relatives or friends who own businesses. Letters to businesses are available on the bulletin board at church.

~ Youth - think about what service YOU can auction off. What are you good at that people will want to pay for?

Here are some suggestions:

Are you good in the garden? Planting or pulling weeds would be a good service to offer. Can you babysit? A Night of babysitting would be excellent to offer. Do you like to cook? A dessert of the month or a special complete dinner would be very much appreciated! Are you known for your love of animals? Maybe a weekend of pet-sitting is the thing for you. Can you clean a car inside and out? Auto detailing is always a big hit with bidders! Do you like kids? Maybe you could offer your services at a child’s birthday party. Do you like to paint nails? Offer some manicures! Maybe you don’t think you’ve got much to offer… how about taking in mail and watering plants while people are on vacation? Talk it over with your parents if you aren’t sure what you can offer.

All donations and forms need to be returned by Thursday, April 4!

Time commitment:

~We put out auction items for bidding the week before the auction, Sunday April 14. I will need some help on Saturday, April 13 and Sunday morning, April 14 in setting up the auction.

~Between Sunday, April 14 and Saturday, April 20 we need ironers! Plan on spending an hour or two up at the church in the afternoon or evening ironing tablecloths and napkins.

~On Saturday, April 20 we’ll start setting up at 9:00 AM for several hours, then give you a break, then expect you back later in the afternoon to start serving.  Once the evening is over, we’ll expect EVERYONE to help clean up.

Entertainment:

Youth must participate in at least ONE piece of our entertainment. Youth (AND Adults) can participate in as many of the entertainment pieces as they want to. (The only requirement is that for part three (testimonies) people must have been on a mission trip.)

~Skits will be performed in several parts. (see below)

~Musical pieces will be performed in between each act.

~We’ll perform a reader’s theater.

~We’ll also present something about Minnesota and the need for us to mission there (not sure how we’ll do this yet.)

Skit information:

Part One- Game Show  (Performed Live)

Cast:

Game Show Host                   Nathan                      

Contestant 1                          Jessica

Contestant 2                          Josh                            

Contestant 3                          Drew

Prize Girl                                Caitlin                        

TV Announcer                       Steven

Commercial Man                   Luke                           

Commercial Woman             Beth

Whammy                               Louie                          

Parent                                    Angie 

Part Two - A Van Ride (Performed Live)

Each participant will work with Jake Zinke to create a sketch revolving around a van ride to a mission trip. We’ll start writing this skit on March 24 @7:00 PM. 5-7 youth plus one adult are needed for this sketch.

Part Three - Testimonies (Video-Taped)

Individuals or pairs will share true stories about events from past mission trips that they’ve been on. There is no limit to the number of participants. Youth AND Adults can take part in this. 

Possible Part Four- Another Van Ride

Depending on how part two works out, we may add a sketch revolving around a ride home from a mission trip. 

8 Ways to Pray

Lent offers us all a very special opportunity to grow in our relationship with God and to deepen our commitment to following Christ.  In our busy world, Lent provides us with an opportunity to reflect and to pray more deeply. As you prepare for Easter, here are some (possibly new) ways for you to pray and reflect on scripture:

1. Journal your prayers.

But don't just journal requests. Write out questions, heartaches and struggles. Don't forget to journal praises, too. Be creative. Put your prayers into poems. Write a letter to God.

2. Take a prayer walk.

Yes, even when it’s cold! Walk around your neighborhood and pray for the family in each home you pass. Or take a "prayer walk" on the sidewalk around your school, or while you’re walking to or from school(s).

3. Pray over your calendar and schedule.

Got a test coming up? Pray for peace of mind. Pray for the players of Friday night's basketball game-both sides. Pray for our youth group night!

4. Pray Scripture.

Let's say that during your Bible reading time you come across 1 Peter 5:7: "God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him." Turn that verse into a prayer: "Lord, I'm going to trust you and give you all my worries. I know you will take care of me." Do this with Scriptures that express needs and also with those that praise or thank God. Hey, why not personalize the Lord's Prayer? Take each sentence or phrase from this well-known prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) and write it in a way that applies directly to your life.

5. Pray about the news.

When you read or hear about a troubling issue, pray for the people involved. Pray for politicians and other national and community leaders who make the news.

6. Partner up.

Find someone to pray with regularly. Plan to meet somewhere once or twice a week, or get together before school. Praying with a friend is great for personal accountability. It's also a cool way to take a friendship to a deeper level.

7. Be quiet.

If prayer is a conversation, then you also need to listen in silence. And silence means getting away from distractions like music and TV. A quiet, little-used corner at the library could be the best place. As you listen, don't expect to hear a voice. But do expect God to tug at your heart, move your conscience, or help you realize something you need to do or change.

8. Keep a prayer on your lips.

Dozens of thoughts pass through your mind daily. You daydream. You may think bad or gossipy thoughts. Turn those daydreams and not-so-great thoughts into prayers. Ask God to help a person hurt by gossip. Ask him to forgive you for thoughts that take your mind places it shouldn't go. Turn daydreams and other passing thoughts into moments to recognize God's presence in your life. As you learn to keep a prayer on your lips, you'll come a little closer to understanding what it means to "pray continually" (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Preparing for Easter

Last year I posted about the Christian season of Lent. At the risk of getting flack for repeating myself, I'm going to do that anyway! 

Lent, is generally observed as a time for Christians to reflect, repent, and pray as a way of preparing their hearts for Easter. It is commonly observed by many Christian denominations—Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, and others—although not every Christian church or denomination does so. Because Lent is not officially instituted in Scripture, observing it isn’t in any way a “requirement” of Christianity. However, Christians from many different theological persuasions choose to observe it as a way of focusing their thoughts on Jesus Christ during the Easter season.

So what have you been doing to prepare your heart for Easter? Like last year, I have been visiting a site called Journey to the Cross. On this site, they provide a daily devotion for Lent. I find that some days, these devotions are just what I need to keep me focused on God that day, and help me to prepare for the joy that is Easter.

If you'd like to participate in these daily devotions as well, I encourage you to visit www.d365.org/journeytothecross