Friendship Youth Blog

More Pics from RockQuest

2007-02-26T07:09:00.001-08:00

[Thanks to Brien for snapping them.] [Click on the pics to see them enlarged.]

Pics from the RockQuest Trip

2007-02-26T07:07:00.001-08:00

We had ten climbers, two of them first-timers for our youth group journey to RockQuest yesterday. My son-in-law, Brien, took these pics. If you have more of them, please send them my way and we'll post them here on the blog!]

[Click on the pics to see them enlarged.]

Check This Out

2007-02-11T21:52:00.000-08:00

[Click to see enlarged image.]

We've Got Another Fund Raiser on Tap

2007-01-30T12:04:00.000-08:00

In addition to the other fund raisers designed to help cut down on your expenses associated with the mission trip this summer, we have another one scheduled.

It happens on Saturday, May 26, from 10AM to 6PM at Biggs, Eastgate. We'll be bagging groceries on the Memorial Day weekend, a time when we'll have an excellent chance of raising a good deal of money for the trip. Participants will be asked to arrive fifteen minutes early, just to get the lowdown.

For all of our other scheduled events for the next few months, go here.

Here are some of the youth activities nailed down for the next few months...

2007-01-16T13:38:00.000-08:00

January 26/27: Bowling and Stuff Lock-in. We'll meet at Cherry Grove Lanes at 5:45PM. We have several lanes for two hours, 6 to 8PM. The cost is $11.00 per person and covers shoe rental, pizza, soft drinks, and lane rental. After we're done, we'll go to the church building to prep for the Bible Bowl and actually sleep. (Adults needed: 2 at the bowling alley and 1 males and 2 females for the overnight portion.) To help prepare for the Bible Bowl, we will also watch The Prince of Egypt.

February 25, 6:00PM: Rockquest. Depending on our group and how many adult belayers we provide, your cost could be anywhere between $15.00 to $22.50. Past trained adult belayers need to let me know of their availability.

March 4, 2:00 to 6:00PM, 2007 Southern Ohio Synod (ELCA) Bible Bowl. Here is the official web site for the event. Go there every day for updated information. There are also sample questions and memory verses that will be part of the competition. The focus of the Bible Bowl will be the Old Testament book of Exodus. I also suggest reading four chapters of Exodus every day. I would also advise that each day you pray God will teach you more about this fabulous book...not just to do well in the Bible Bowl, but also to grow in faith.

April 12, TGIFriday's. Information here. We should raise even more funds for the mission trip through this endeavor than we did the last time we did it!

April 29, Cookout, Sam's Club, 12:00-6:00PM. Same as last time, only warmer. Another difference: I've put in an application to get a $1000.00 matching grant.

Watch for a complete list of upcoming activities for the next three months or so, in the next several days.

Youth Meeting on January 14

2007-01-05T07:10:00.000-08:00

There will be a brief meeting of our youth at 6:00 on January 14. We’ll look at the next few months and let you get back home to watch the NFL playpffs.

Put It on Your Calendars Now!

2006-12-08T13:47:00.000-08:00

We'll be raising money again for the youth mission trip to New York by serving dinner (and getting the tips) at TGIFriday's at Anderson Town Center on Thursday, April 12, 2007. That's the Thursday after Easter.

We'll need twenty adult volunteers to help.

Tell all your friends that we'll be serving dinner from 5 to 9PM that night and that all their tips will help finance our trip!

We'll Make Tree Decorations on November 25

2006-11-16T20:28:00.000-08:00

Our next youth get-together happens on Saturday, November 25, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM. We'll be making Chrismons for the church's Christmas tree. (Thanks to Charlene Hauke, who is helping us.)

I originally said that we would put the tree up on that date. But because Advent, the season before Christmas, doesn't begin until December 3, I'd like to ask as many of you as can be present on the evening of November 26, starting at 6PM, to be there then for the tree-decorating. I don't think that should take more than an hour.

Youth-Led Worship Postponed Until After First of Year

2006-11-16T20:09:00.000-08:00

I spoke with your president, Courtney DeVore and vice president, Steve Feine, tonight about postponing the youth-led worship until after the first of the year. They agreed that given how busy all of our youth are this time of year and the little time that would be left to prepare for our originally-scheduled time, it would be best for the youth to lead worship after we get into the new year.

Results of This Past Week's Fundraising Efforts

2006-11-16T19:58:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all the people who volunteered to wait and bus tables at TGIFriday's tonight, we raised $755.02 for the youth mission trip to New York! I thought that this was a great success on a night when it rained like crazy. (I also thank the Friendship folks who were there tonight to support the congregation's youth!)

When added to the $276.78 cleared from last week's Sam's Cookout, we've so far raised $1031.80 for the trip.

I'm keeping track of who has been able to work on a spread sheet. Some of the money raised will go toward gas money for the trip and the rest accounted to fund-raising participants.

There will be more fund-raisers after the first of the year, including a return to Friday's in early May.

Remember...

2006-11-02T14:10:00.000-08:00

Tomrrow: Road Trip to the Underground Fall Brawl ROUND 1. Above The Average Citizen, Arlington, Lined In Chalk, Point Blank, and Sheffield are the local bands playing. Cost: $7. 9th grade and up w/valid ID. We need to plan on leaving the church building at 5:30PM. Bring money for fast food, in addition to the $7 charge at the door. I need one more parent-driver.

Then on Sunday: Our next ALL YOUTH gathering happens this coming Sunday, November 5, from 6 to 7-ish. We'll have pizza, thanks to Donna Seckman!

Press Release That Went to Local Media Over Past Two Days

2006-11-02T14:08:00.000-08:00

High school and middle school members of Friendship Lutheran Church, 1300 White Oak Road in Pierce Township, are participating in a community service mission trip in upstate New York next June. During their week in New York, the twenty-member contingent may do anything from cleaning and repairing the home of a hospitalized person to providing programming for a community outreach to children or working in a nursing home. To help pay for this venture, Friendship's youth and adults have scheduled two several special fundraising events, with more to follow.

On Saturday, November 11, youth and adult volunteers will be cooking and selling hot dogs, among other things, at Sam's Club, Clepper Lane, in the Eastgate area. The cookout happens from 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM. Money raised will go toward paying for registration and other expenses associated with the trip.

The same is true of another event the Friendship youth and adults have scheduled. On Thursday, November 16, from 5:00 to 9:00 PM, they'll be serving dinner and refreshments at TGIFriday's at the Anderson Towne Centre. All tips given by restaurant patrons will go toward the mission trip.

"We hope that our many friends in the community will support our youth's mission effort by getting a hot dog outside of Sam's on November 11 or dinner at TGIFriday's on November 16," says Friendship's pastor, Mark Daniels of Union Township.

Friendship's youth, like the rest of the congregation, have a commitment to service as a way of sharing Christ's love with others. After a recent gift shower at the church, Friendship's youth packed 26 duffel and baby bags. The bags were given to CASA for Clermont Kids!, which in turn gave the bags--filled with things toys, shampoo, blankets, and sleepers, to children who have to be taken to foster homes. Friendship's youth have "adopted" the Clermont CASA organization. (CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates.)

This year's officers at Friendship include: Courtney DeVore of Pierce Township, president; Justin Feine of Pierce Township, vice president; Laura Kuebel of Pierce Township, secretary; and Sean Daniher of Union Township, treasurer.

Friendship Church is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Worship celebrations are held at the church building on Saturdays at 5:30 PM and Sundays at 10:00 AM. Sunday School and nursery care are provided during the Sunday worship time.

For more information on the youth mission trip, feel free to call the church office at 602-5265.

[Make sure you invite as many friends as you can for these two events!]

Remember...

2006-10-24T11:43:00.000-07:00

we meet at the church building at 6:00 PM tonight. We'll go get fast food and then head to New Richmond High School for a concert of Devon Beck's choirs, which starts at 7:00.

Watch for...

2006-10-24T11:42:00.000-07:00

detailed information on our upcoming November 11 and 16 fundraisers. I hope to post those tonight or early tomorrow.

Update on Our 'Week of Hope' Mission Trip

2006-10-16T08:44:00.000-07:00

There are still a lot of questions about the Week of Hope mission trip. Several that have come up in the past few days:

Where will we sleep?
On air mattresses at a school in Canandaigua. Showers, breakfasts, lunches, and all but one of the dinners will be provided for us as part of our registration.

When should we get our $50 deposit in?
The deadline was last Sunday, October 8. But I set that deadline for us at Friendship. The quicker we get our registration in, the more secure our spots will be. The other deadlines you'll see below are from Group Workcamps, the organization that puts the Week of Hope together.

How many adults are needed?
We need one adult for every five youth. So far, in addition to myself, four adults have indicated a desire to attend. Their registration costs the same as the youth participants' registration.

A more detailed information packet will come to us once we've officially registered.

Below, you'll find other information shared here after the youth decided where we will be going for the Week of Hope:

We chose June 17-22, 2007 and Canandaigua, New York as the date and setting for our Week of Hope mission trip. Below are some details on the trip.

1. The cost is $239.00 per person.

2. After we've registered for the trip, we'll learn what we may be doing. It could be:

* Tutoring little kids
* Serving elderly people
* Working at a food bank
* Assisting at a day camp
* Sprucing up a social service agency office
* Helping needy people with their house or yard work
* Doing VBS outreaches

3. Built into the experience will be some time for us to get to know people from other youth groups, to explore the community in which we're spending the week, and to grow in our faith.

4. Registration cost includes:
Lodging
All meals but one
Materials
Camp T-shirt
Professional coordinating staff

5. You can defray your expenses by participating in our fundraising. Every household that participates in a fundraising event, will split the take for that event. (Example: If ten households participate in the Sam’s Club event and we raise $300, each household will be credited with $30, reducing their registration by that amount. If people who don’t have youth in the group participate in the TGIFriday’s fundraiser, what they raise will be split among those youth households that participated.) We're trying to schedule as many of these fundraisers as possible so that everybody’s costs can be reduced.

5. When do you pay?
The first payment of $50, a nonrefundable deposit, should be ready to send in by October 8. (Make checks payable to Friendship Lutheran Church. Give them to our treasurer, Mike Cheney. Be sure to put Canandaigua Youth Trip on the memo line.
Payment 2: 50% of the balance due must be paid by March 15, 2007
Payment 3: The balance due must be paid by May 15, 2007
6. We will have a blast!

The Week of Hope video will answer a lot of our initial questions. Here it is.

As of this morning...

2006-10-16T08:20:00.000-07:00

ten youth and four adults have confirmed that they're going on the Week of Hope trip to New York in June! Awesome!

Schedule Change for This Coming Weekend...and an Addition for Next Week

2006-10-15T19:10:00.000-07:00

Because so many are unable to make it for the lock-in we had scheduled for this coming Friday/Saturday, we're going to scrub it for now and meet next Sunday night, from 6:00 to 7:30 PM. The purpose of the get-together is to plan the youth-led worship happening in December.

Also: We've been invited to attend a concert by the New Richmond High School Choir. Devon Beck is a member of this very good choir. It happens on Tuesday, October 24. If you'd like to go, let's plan on meeting at the church building at 6:00, getting some fast food, and then, heading for the 7:00 concert.

Thanks!...from Pastor Mark

2006-10-15T19:06:00.000-07:00

You did a great job packing the duffel and diaper bags for the CASA for Clermont Kids! program tonight. Children going through tough situations will be helped because of what you did tonight.

Sometime this week, would you pray for them, asking God will use your kindness to help them know that He is there for them and loves them?

I'm proud of you!

God bless.

Pastor Mark

What's Happening This Coming Sunday Night?

2006-10-11T18:53:00.000-07:00

This coming Sunday, we'll be packing duffel bags for the CASA for Clermont Kids! program. We get together at 6:00.

We need parents to provide refreshments for the evening.

Christmas Caroling Date/Time Nailed Down

2006-10-11T18:52:00.000-07:00

We're scheduled to do Christmas caroling at the Eastgate Nursing Home on Sunday, December 10, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM. Put it on your calendars. We'll plan on doing hot chocolate at the church building afterwards.

Everyone Planning on Going on the Week of Hope Trip

2006-10-11T18:50:00.000-07:00

Your $50 per person registration first installment needs to be handed in ASAP. Give those to Mike Cheney, written to Friendship, with something like "Week of Hope Mission Trip" on the memo line.

We Meet Tomorrow Night...

2006-10-11T18:49:00.000-07:00

at 6:00 PM at the church building. From there, we go for some fast food and then head to Kyle Barrett's soccer game.

A Reminder...

2006-10-08T18:46:00.000-07:00

We meet this coming Thursday at 6:00 PM to go to Kyle Barrett's 7:00 soccer game. Scroll down to see other upcoming gathering days and times.

Remember...

2006-10-01T15:57:00.000-07:00

we meet at Friendship's building at 6:00 this coming Tuesday. Then, we'll go fast food before seeing Sam's soccer game.

Plan on being in worship this Sunday...

2006-09-27T07:40:00.000-07:00

...and sitting together as we introduce the congregation to our upcoming Week of Hope.

One Additional Note

2006-09-25T03:39:00.000-07:00

There will be some additional costs for us to participate in the Week of Hope. We'll need to pay for the trips to and back from our site, of course. We also will need money for meals during our trips, in addition to the money needed for our one meal while there and for any souvenirs you'll want to get. That's all I can think of for right now, but watch for updates as I'm sure that the picture will get clearer the closer we get to June, 2007.

Here's the Calendar for the Next Three Months

2006-09-24T19:35:00.000-07:00

Here's the schedule for upcoming Friendship Church Youth activities...

October 3, Tuesday, 6:00 PM
Meet at the church building to go for the 7:00 soccer game of Sam Miller. Bring money for fast food.

October 12, Thursday, 6:00 PM
Meet at the church building to go to the 7:00 soccer game of Kyle Barrett. Bring money for fast food.

October 15, Sunday, 6:00-7:30 PM
CASA Duffel Bag Packing
Need: Parents to provide snacks 15-20 young people

October 20-21, Friday-Saturday, 8:00 PM-8:00 AM
Lock-in, movies, youth worship service planning
Need: Parents to provide dinner and breakfast
One male adult; two female adults to join with Mark for these festivities.

November 3, 5:00 PM
[For 9th.-graders and older:] Road Trip to the Underground Fall Brawl ROUND 1. Above The Average Citizen, Arlington, Lined In Chalk, Point Blank, and Sheffield. $7. 9th grade and up w/valid ID.

Need: Five parents to help with transport.

[To see more about The Underground, click here.]

November 5, 6:00-7:30 PM
Pizza Meeting, devotional skit
Need: Parents to provide pizzas, drinks

November 11, Saturday, Times TBA
Cooking and Serving Hot Dogs, Sam’s Club
Need: Parents to help with serving and also transporting of grill from the church and back

November 16, 2006, Thursday, 5:00-9:00 PM
Need: 20 adults, aged 19 and older, to take orders and serve drinks at TGIFriday’s, all young people to be present to go from table-to-table talking with patrons about why we’re there. ALL TIPS GO TO DEFRAY EXPENSES FOR OUR MISSION TRIP IN JUNE. All participants will share equally in what is raised through these fundraisers.

Special activity for middle schoolers only: TBA

November 18, early afternoon
We’ll help serve Thanksgiving dinner to Boys and Girls Club members and their families. Details TBA

November 25, 2:00-4:00 PM
Decorate the Christmas Tree

December 2, 6:30 to 7:30 PM
Practice Youth-Led Worship Celebration

December 3, 10:00 AM
Youth-Led Worship Celebration

December 10, afternoon
Christmas Caroling, Eastgate Nursing Home
Youth Christmas Party (back at building)
(This date is tentative. Still awaiting word from the Activities Director at the nursing home.)

What Happened at Tonight's Meeting?

2006-09-24T19:08:00.000-07:00

We had another good turnout tonight and a good get-together.

For devotions, we watched as five of our youth moved my van, something it would have been impossible for any of them to have done on their own. We talked about how we can sometimes get discouraged, because there are things we simply can't do alone. We then looked at Exodus 4:10-13, which tells about how God called Moses to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt, how Moses didn't want to do it for fear that he wasn't able enough, and how God promised to be with him to help him.

Later, we read Nehemiah 4:10-23, which talks about how the ancient Jewish people who had moved back to Jerusalem after a long period of exile, rebuilt the walls of the city. Despite people who harassed them, they were able to do it by first, relying on God, and second, by working together.

As we look at the goals for our youth ministry this year, especially our Week of Hope mission trip, it may seem like a mountain. (Or maybe like a Kia Sedona van!) But depending on God and working together, God will help us do it!

So, what else did we do? We selected youth group officers. They are:
President: Courtney DeVore
Vice President: Justin Feine
Secretary: Laura Kuebel
Treasurer: Sean Daniher
We thank these young people for their willingness to serve!

We chose June 17-22, 2007 and Canandaigua, New York as the date and setting for our Week of Hope mission trip. Below are some details on the trip.

1. The cost is $239.00 per person.

2. After we've registered for the trip, we'll learn what we may be doing. It could be:

* Tutoring little kids
* Serving elderly people
* Working at a food bank
* Assisting at a day camp
* Sprucing up a social service agency office
* Helping needy people with their house or yard work
* Doing VBS outreaches

3. Built into the experience will be some time for us to get to know people from other youth groups, to explore the community in which we're spending the week, and to grow in our faith.

4. Registration cost includes:
Lodging
All meals but one
Materials
Camp T-shirt
Professional coordinating staff

5. You can defray your expenses by participating in our fundraising. Every household that participates in a fundraising event, will split the take for that event. (Example: If ten households participate in the Sam’s Club event and we raise $300, each household will be credited with $30, reducing their registration by that amount. If people who don’t have youth in the group participate in the TGIFriday’s fundraiser, what they raise will be split among those youth households that participated.) We're trying to schedule as many of these fundraisers as possible so that everybody’s costs can be reduced.

5. When do you pay?

The first payment of $50, a nonrefundable deposit, should be ready to send in by October 8. (Make checks payable to Friendship Lutheran Church. Give them to our treasurer, Mike Cheney. Be sure to put Canandaigua Youth Trip on the memo line.
Payment 2: 50% of the balance due must be paid by March 15, 2007
Payment 3: The balance due must be paid by May 15, 2007

6. We will have a blast!

We also looked at the schedule of youth ministry events for the rest of 2007.

Later, we played HORSE, football, Cornhole, and talked. Thanks for your help in cleaning up the building!

Thanks also to the Kuebel family for providing refreshments!

You'll Choose Which of 5 'Week of Hope' Camps You Want to Do in June, 2007

2006-09-20T08:26:00.000-07:00

If you haven't taken a look at the Week of Hope video, click here now and check it out. It would be fantastic if we could take a group of at least twenty for this week of fun, service, and faith-growing. (We need one adult for every five youth.)

When we get together this coming Sunday night at 6:00, you'll be asked to choose from one of the following Week of Hope experiences:

June 17-22 Canandaigua, New York
June 10-15 Albion, Michigan
June 17-22 Albion, Michigan
June 24-29 Albion, Michigan
June 17-22 Grand Rapids, Michigan

Any of these weeks would be great. But I can tell you from personal experience that Canandaigua is in a beautiful setting, by the Finger Lakes in upstate New York.

So, what will happen on our Week of Hope, wherever you choose to go? You might:

Tutor little kids
Serve elderly people
Work at a food bank
Assist at a day camp
Spruce up a social service agency office
Help needy people with their house or yard work
Do VBS outreaches

Built into the experience will be some time for us to get to know people from other youth groups, to explore the community in which we're spending the week, and to grow in our faith.

Start praying now for which of the Week of Hope locations and times you prefer. Then, we'll work and pray together to make this great experience a reality!

I Need Your Feedback

2006-09-20T08:25:00.000-07:00

In putting together our three-month schedule, I've run into a snag and I need your feedback on what to do.

As you know, I want to take you all to The Underground periodically. The Underground is a place that has concerts by local and national bands, places for ping pong, shuffleboard, and other games, an Internet cafe, and a lounge, all geared to youth.

But I've just learned that on nights when only local bands are performing, only youth in the ninth grade or above can enter. (When national bands play, for which the admission is higher, all ages can enter.) All ages can also go to tapings of The Zone TV show, which are done at The Underground.

Because I wanted both our middle and senior high youth to be involved, I need your feedback on my possible solution:

During those weeks when the senior high youth go to the Underground, we'll arrange for the middle school youth to do something else. I'll need parental help for this to happen.

When a national band comes to play at the Underground, the entire group can go.

What do you think? I need to hear from middle school students, high school students, and parents. Contact me at MarkLuth@aol.com.

[To learn more about the Underground, go here.]

Give Me Your Important Dates

2006-09-20T08:22:00.000-07:00

I need a list of your important dates--academic recognitions, game schedules, Scouting honors and such--for the next three months. We want to to include these important dates on our calendar so that we can be supportive to each other by trying to attend a few of each other's important events. Send them to me at MarkLuth@aol.com.

To Find Out More About 'The Week of Hope'...

2006-09-17T19:13:00.000-07:00

click here. (Be patient, this may take a little while to load. But it's well-worth watching.)

First Get Together for Year Productive, Fun

2006-09-17T18:34:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all seventeen of the Friendship youth who were at the first of our get-togethers for the year.

To review...
We ate pizza that I had thrown into a garbage can. (It was clean, but you didn't know that at first.) To see that piping hot pizza go into the can may have been disappointing at first, just like our lives can disappoint us sometimes. We then briefly looked at all of the disappointments that the Old Testament figure of Job went through, yet saw that Job kept relying on God. We handed out strips of paper printed with Psalm 33:20-22:

Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and shield.
Our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.
Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.

Then, we talked about the coming year. Some of what we discussed:
1. Focus: Helping young people to grow as disciples of Christ in an atmosphere that includes opportunities for leadership, service, learning, and fun.

2. Some elements:

a. A printed schedule for three months at a time.

b. About once a month, go to Underground, teen Christian “night club” in Tricounty area, including going to taping of The Zone.

c. At least two Sunday night meetings a month, incorporating learning, fun, activities.

d. Youth leadership of...
1. Two worship celebrations (one in November, another in spring)

2. Duffel bag project for CASA foster children

3. Other projects

e. Election of youth officers

g. At least once a month, attending an activity important to one of the kids (ie, their football team, their academic competition)

h. Periodically, get together with youth from other congregations. (Hoping to get in on a Bible Bowl competition either in southern Ohio or northwestern Ohio)

i. Spring camping trip

j. Group Work Camp in early summer (Two bake sales at Sam’s on Saturdays in November. Sam’s will match what we make there. One person already volunteered to bake some items for us.)

k. Integration of kids in ministries of the congregation

l. Regular parental involvement

3. Eventual goal: Splitting into Middle and High School groups. But we can't do that right now.

4. I asked you to give me six months to work with you in our youth ministry. If at the end of that time, you've decided it isn't working for you, I'll understand. But I believe that, as we pray together, work together, learn together, and have fun together, you can have a great experience! I ask you to willingly pour your heart into our youth ministry and I promise to do the same thing.

We'll meet again next Sunday night at 6:00, when I'll present the 3-month schedule to you. Here's what we'll be doing:

Elect youth officers
Get five different dates, locations to choose from for our Group Workcamp Week of Hope in June, 2007
Set date for youth lock-in during October
Set date for youth leadership of a Sunday worship celebration in November

Make sure that you send me your calendar of important upcoming dates. Whether you're on an academic or athletic team--whatever it may be--let me know. We'll be encouraging and supporting each other by attending some of each other's big events.

Make sure you bring your friends.

And pray that we have a good year.

Pizza Meeting is This Sunday Evening

2006-09-12T07:58:00.000-07:00

There will be a meeting for all of our middle and high school youth this coming Sunday evening at 6:00 PM at the church building.

On the agenda:

A brief devotion
Pizza
Your Thoughts
Mark's Thoughts
Prayer

We should be done before 7:30. I'm looking forward to a fun year, capped by mission trip where we can put the love of Christ to practical use, helping people less fortunate than we are.

[If any of your friends are interested in having a great year with us at Friendship...and would be interested in going on a mission trip to another part of the United States in June, invite them to be with us, too!]

What's This About? A Word from Pastor Mark

2006-08-29T11:01:00.000-07:00

As you probably know by now, Tim Vogel has decided that, while he wants to occasionally help with youth minisitry, he's going to focus most of his "church energy" on music.

We all owe Tim (and Laurel) a big thanks for all he (and she) have done with youth ministry at Friendship! He's been the primary mover and shaker behind Friendship's youth ministry for five years and worked by my side for three years before that. Thanks, Tim! (And Laurel!)

After praying and talking it over, I've decided to take primary responsibility for youth ministry again. I can't believe how excited I am!

There are twenty-four Friendship young people of youth ministry-age. While not all of them will be involved in "youth group," my hope is that the atmosphere of love and acceptance that young people find at Friendship will help every one of them mature in their relationship with Christ!

Parents: Remember that we're meeting after worship on Sunday, September 10.

Young People: Do me a huge favor, please! Send me a note on the schedule of important things coming up in your life over the next three months.

Are you taking the SAT, PSAT, ACT? Let me know when and I'll be praying for you to do well.
Are you on the football, volleyball, academic, or science Olympiad teams? Give me the dates and times and I'll try to be there.

What goes on in your life is important to God and it's important to me. Let me know about what's happening.
By the way, you can leave comments at this blog, a great way for youth, parents, and me to communicate...along with stuff like the telephone, emails, and smoke signals. If you'd like to leave comments here, all you have to do is hit "comments" and follow the prompts for setting up a Blogger account--no money involved and you don't need to have your own blog.

I'm looking forward to the coming year. God bless you!