Grace Youth News

2012-02-22T19:17:00.000-05:00

We've moved!!
Please forgive us as we update our website- but please visit our new blog page at: http://graceumyouth.blogspot.com/

2012-01-25T09:39:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the Grace Blog page! This past Sunday we had a false alarm on the freezing rain so we have our WAKE THE WORLD event re scheduled for this Sunday! Speaking of winter weather...Be sure to check out Jansen's first play in the snow!

2012-01-02T16:09:00.004-05:00

Girls Enjoy Talent Show

By Debbie Burkhardt

The teen girls were given an opportunity to share their gifts and talents during December's GIRLS NITE. The theme of the evening was "Created to Shine". And shine they did! Emma Barley treated us by playing guitar and singing Taylor Swift songs. She recently sang in the Millersville's Got Talent Show. Scarlett Morris and Brooke DeBerdine played a Christmas song on their violins along with Abbie Busswood on her trumpet. Emily Laughlin strummed the beautiful ukalali, and Nicole played the guitar. Victoria Jones wowed the group with high throws and fancy spins while twirling baton. Allison Schaeffer ended the show by playing the piano.

Everyone did an amazing job but during our teaching time, the girls learned that not everyone has gift/talents that can be displayed on a stage, but everyone has an area where they shine. Genesis tells us we are created in God's image and Psalm 139 shows us we are wonderfully made. We are one of a kind, created to have a relationship with God and to make Him visible to others. God gave each of us our own way of doing that!

Once we understand how we are made, we can accept ourselves and do what we were created for. The group looked at an acronym that shows four of the biggest things God has given us to form who we are:

Skills
Experiences
Likes
Foundation (personality)

The girls were encouraged to "Embrace how God designed them, and realize how unique and valuable they are. To take what God has given them - whatever it is- and use it to be a blessing. To find what they love to do and do it well!" They were each given a sparkling star to hang on their Christmas tree as reminder that they were "Created to Shine"!

2011-11-14T13:02:00.005-05:00

A very special announcement from our Youth Pastor...

My wife Jenna and I have continually been broken for and drawn to the hurting and overlooked. God has equipped that passion with skills to journey alongside teenagers and we have been truly blessed to serve the students, families, and community of Grace Church since August 2007.

After a lot of prayer, discussion and affirmation of close family and friends, we feel God calling us to become more involved in the lives of hurting students. We have accepted a position to be houseparents at the Milton Hershey School. Milton is committed to help students grow up successful and healthy. Oftentimes the students in the program come from very hard family situations - whether they be abusive, impoverished, etc. As houseparents, we will have opportunity to be intimately involved in the lives of these students, sharing God's truth and love with them. This chapter for our family will present new challenges and opportunities that we are excited to see the Lord use for His glory.

Our hearts are heavy with the weight of moving on from our Grace family - You have meant more to us than we can express and we are incredibly grateful for the relationships and support you have blessed us with. You all hold a very special place in our lives and that will never change.

Although transition can be hard, the youth ministry will continue moving towards God's good purposes over the next few months and into the future. From a practical standpoint, we will still have our regular weekly gatherings, teachings and special events. Our last Sunday will be February 19, after which we will be traveling with the youth group up to Messiah College for the annual Dodgeball Tournament!

We have been touched by the presence of God within the family of Grace - a testimony of His goodness. It will be very difficult to say goodbye, but we celebrate the wonderful things God is calling our family to, and where He is calling the Grace family as well. We ask for your prayers as we embark on this new adventure. We pray for a season of fruitful relationships and ministry over the few months. We know the good work God has begun here and in us will continue to be multiplied by His good pleasure.

We wish we could have visited with each family individually to share this news personally, I hate that some of you might be reading this news for the first time. We are glad that we were able to share with more than 50 of our students directly between our Sunday morning and evening programs. We invite you to share questions, thoughts and hugs as you feel led - We will have opportunities for your involvement in the strategic direction of the ministry and will have a Parent Meeting on Sunday January 8, 6-7pm

Thank you. We love you all very much.

2011-10-25T10:40:00.001-04:00

2011-10-17T11:51:00.003-04:00

Welcome!

This past week we began our group-wide game called MISSION IMPACT- Each student has a secret target in the group who they are to encourage through 8 missions that include writing encouraging notes, poems, delivering simple gifts, etc...And they are to complete them without being discovered! It's been a lot of fun so far.

We have the November calendar posted under the FALL CALENDAR tab, so make sure to check that out! We have some great things coming up this week which you can see above, and below are two more great opportunities that you don't want to miss. Email Justin Watkins for more information!

2011-10-04T10:43:00.000-04:00

Welcome to our blog page! Take a look below at our October calendar and scroll down to see our summer review video...and of course, come check us out!

2011-08-29T12:20:00.002-04:00

Summer 2011 Review

School is back in session this week, and we're excited to see what God has in store for us! Take a look at some of the things we were up to this past summer and stay connected to our ministry as we gear up for another amazing school year.

Girl Swim Makes a Big Splash!

2011-08-15T12:57:00.019-04:00

On August 17th Grace's teen girls enjoyed their 3rd annual GIRL SWIM event at the Millersville Pool. The party started in the water with Sharks 'N Minnows, a Penny Dive, and Silly Dive Contest. When dinner time rolled around, the girls enjoyed jumping in the pool for their drinks. The menu included pizza, watermelon, and gummy worm cupcakes.

After eating, the group voted to go back in the water for more games. The summer evening ended with the Jr. High verses the Sr. High in "The Banana Relay". All members of each team had to hold onto a rope & search all around the pool grounds to find a banana for each girl with her name on it. The bananas also had pieces of a Bible verse about serving written on them. The Sr. High won by finding all their bananas & piecing together their verse first. The verses were read aloud ,and to put the words into action, each Jr. High student assembled and served a Sr. High student a banana split made just to her liking.

The swim party was the last 'Girls Only' event for the summer but the girls can look forward to strengthening the special bonds they developed during the upcoming school year!

Submitted by Debbie Burkhardt

2011-08-15T10:08:00.001-04:00

Celebrating the Summer....
With just a couple more weeks left of the summer, it's hard to believe it's come so fast...And yet, it always does. But we want to celebrate the great times we've had this summer and there's still plenty left to enjoy! Our remaining events are:

Girl Swim - This Wednesday 4-8pm at Millersville Pool
Summer Wake Party - This Sunday, 4-8pm at Bigler Lake
Man Day Monday - NEXT Monday, 2-4pm, Slip N Slide Baseball
Fall Parent Gathering - Sunday August 28, 6-7:30pm

We're requesting that if you or your child has any pictures or videos from our summer of activities and want to share them with our group, please email them, put them on disk, or arrange to borrow the youth flash drive to fill it up with memories. Speaking of...here's a look at some of the things we've been up to lately!

Girls Enjoy Backyard Camp-out
By Debbie Burkhardt

July Girls Nite began with dinner around a campfire at the Bigelow home. Sixteen girls & four women enjoyed hot dogs & s'mores cooked over the open fire & great conversation that gave lots of new 7th graders time to get comfortable. The group enjoyed the "Going on a Cruise" game, and Taylor Forbes stumped everyone with "The Stick Game". After hours of fellowship & laughs all headed to the Burkhardt home for an ole'-fashioned backyard camp-out.

The large group of girls shared two tents each surrounded by white lights pitched under the summer stars. Before settling in for the night, the Jr. High tent joined the Sr. High tent for some sleepover games & junk food. They played "The Candy Game", "Spoons", and of course "Truth or Dare". The teens discovered that Allie can really sing, everyone loves Taylor Laughtner, & there is no trail that goes through the Burkhardt woods.

As the night wore on , the Sr. High girls "excused" the silly Jr. High girls so they could settle in & talk. The night had just begun for the younger girls, and 3:00 am found them seeing how far they could frizz their hair out.

Gradually the only sounds were the crickets & the trickling pond water. However 7:00 am came fast & the energetic middle schoolers were up, cleaned up , bags rolled up & giggling as they peeked in at the crashed out older girls.

Everyone enjoyed an 8:00 o'clock breakfast of doughnuts, Pop Tarts, orange juice & chocolate milk. No doubt there would be lots of naps that afternoon.

On Wednesday August 10, we took 30 students and 5 adults up to Community Bible Church for our first ever Water Wars and Worship event. CBC happens to be my father's youth ministry and so it was a night full of fun competition. We split into 9 teams of 10 students, and sent them out to compete in 7 different water games. They would compete against another team in games such as:

Water Slide Relay (Fastest time)
Water Balloon Volleyball
One Base Pool Ball
Drip-Drip-Drop (Duck-Duck-Goose with water!)
Slick Tarp Relay Race (See video below!)
Slip N Slide Kickball
Fountain Cup Relay

After pounding down pizza, chips and soda (the food line was determined by the winning teams) we enjoyed the worship gifts of the Salt N Light Worship band who shared in music, drama, testimony and sharing from God's Word. It was an awesome night!

2011-08-15T09:08:00.001-04:00

2011-07-30T09:00:00.004-04:00

2011-07-25T11:57:00.001-04:00

WELCOME TO OUR BLOG PAGE!
It's hard to believe July is almost over...School is starting to peek its head over the sunny horizon. Students, don't miss two great events this Wednesday:

Man Day Wednesday - 2-4pm: Guys meet in the gym for some competition!
Girls Nite - 6pm: Girls meet at the Bigelows from 6-9pm for games, smores and a campfire. For those who can stay, they'll travel over to the Burkhardt's backyard for a camp out! Bring sleeping bag, pillow, toiletries and favorite game. Pick up will be 9am. For addresses or more details, email Justin Watkins at jw1273@gmail.com

This Saturday our Baltimore Team heads out for a week of painting, music camp and outreach with the homeless community. Next Monday's email will include ways you can keep us in prayer for the week. We're very excited for what God is going to do!!

Looking ahead to when we return from Baltimore...

Sunday August 7 - SNL at the McMurtries, 7-10pm
Monday August 8- Man Day Monday
Wednesday August 10- Water Wars and Worship

2011-06-05T19:24:00.006-04:00

2011-05-31T12:44:00.000-04:00

Welcome to our blog page!

It's so nice of you to visit us! Check out the SUMMER CALENDARS now posted on the tabs above and get involved in some great opportunities this summer!

I pray you had a restful and relaxing holiday weekend - Enjoying the freedoms that have been granted by the sacrifice of others. We are told that greater love has no one than this but to lay one's life down for a friend. In your relaxation, I hope you were able to reflect on how truly blessed we are by the sacrifice others have given.

Don't miss this amazing sale which features vendors like Rita's, Thirty-One, Mary Kay, DogSlingers and so much more! You can participate in 3 ways:

1. Reserve a table for $20

2. Come out and shop!

3. Invite others to participate!

The table reservations will be donated to Hope International in their fight against global poverty.

To reserve a table, email Bruce Heydt:

bruceheydt@gracemillersville.org

2011-05-16T15:10:00.001-04:00

Welcome our Confirmation Class 2011!

After attending our Disciple class, which sets aside time to explore matters of faith in the context of individual and communal reflection, nine students desire to express their commitment to Christ and His Church. Below is their favorite verse, a quote from their “Affirmation of Faith” and the gift they feel God has given them to share with the Church Family.

As members of the Grace Family, we ask that you continue to help guide, equip, and challenge their growth in the love, truth, and purpose of Christ. These students are not simply the “future” of the church, they are a part of the NOW. Welcome them!

Christopher Robert Rorabaugh (John 3:16, love of nature)"The church is a community of followers of Christ. I want to join the church so I can continue to learn God's word."
Darren Zachary Smith (2 Corinthians 5:21, leadership, piano) "I want to publically express my faith to my family, friends, and the community…I think they need to know that I want to accept Jesus as my Savior."
Emma Joan Evarts (Jer. 29:13-14a, helping others and joy) "The 'church' is the community of people who believe in and follow the same faith. I would like to join the church to become closer to God."
Elizabeth Rose McIlhenney (2 Cor. 12:9, and more!, writing) "I need God as a confidante, a father, a friend. God is caring and kind, He loves us unconditionally, God is the Father of Heaven and Earth."
Meghan McMurtrie (2 Corinthians 5:21, working with kids) "I need Jesus because He is the One who died on the cross for all of our sins. He gave up His life for us, so we could forget about all of our sins and live in the life of God."
Morgan Emily Martzall (Romans 3:23, kindness to others) "The church is the community that continues to teach God's word through actions and words. I want to join the church because I want to be a part of spreading God’s Word too."
Nathan Michael DeBerdine (Romans 5:8, a people person) "I would say Jesus is like a really good guidance counselor. Because, He is with you all the time and He will not let you down."
Rachel Yuan Olcott (Prov. 16:2, music, writing, photography) "The church is a community of people looking to serve and/or become closer to God. I want to be closer to God and the church and hopefully change my life and others."
Zac Reitnauer (John 3:16, working with kids, theater) "Without Jesus we would live a life of sin, shame and hate. God is perfect and just, He is also loving, protecting, faithful, and full of grace."

2011-03-22T11:56:00.019-04:00

Check out some of our BIG summer events at Grace Youth Group. Some deadlines and payment options are still to come...You should know there are family discounts for multiple kids as well as discounts for adults who join us as a chaperone. If you have a question about cost, please email Justin.

Lawn Party: Wed June 8 (Rain date June 9)
We gather together on the corner field of the church property to celebrate the end of school with food, games and our annual movie on the lawn to kick off the summer.

UE Camp: June 20-24

This sleepaway camp for 6-8th graders is truly the ULTIMATE EXPERIENCE! Mornings are focused on small group experiences and exploration that help apply the big ideas of the week. Afternoons are full of many activity options like tubing, caving, swimming, hiking, canoeing, zip line, water slide, and a trip to Gretna Lake and Beach the last full day of camp. Team competition takes place after supper, followed by our evening session. After small group time, we have a late night activity like Mission Impossible and a Counselor Hunt. Our theme this year: WHAT IF?

Click here to download registration forms and to learn more (Click on WEEK 2 tab)

Creation Music Festival: June 29-July 2

Camp out with tens of thousands of others and hear the top Christians artists and speakers. Worship our Creator in a way you will never forget! Reserve your tickets by clicking the button below. Cost is $100 if reserved by May 29,(requires a non refundable $20 deposit per ticket), otherwise, the cost is $115 by June 12.
Click here to see the full line up of speakers, bands and more!


Pocono Plateau Youth Camp: July 10-16
Want a unique camping experience that is geared for all Jr./Sr. High youth? This week has: awesome worship times, family groups, low ropes, boating, a climbing tower, talent night, night games and more. High ropes are available, by choice, for those in Sr. High. More information can be found by visiting the camp's website, or picking up an information brochure from the Youth Room.

Click here to register online or download forms.


Mission Trip to Baltimore: July 30-August 5

We’re partnering with the Center for Short Term Missions to serve the Baltimore community through work projects, a children’s program, and outreach to the homeless. This week is by far one of the most impactful events that our ministry participates in each year. You will learn more about God's love and truth while participating in ministry together as a community. Registration for our trip must be completed online by April 29. (By both student and adult participants) We will be training together as a team before leaving, as well as fundraising to help make the trip as affordable as possible.

Click here to fill out the online registration form.

2011-03-14T12:09:00.002-04:00

Thanks for visiting our blog page!

Last night was an absolutely entertaining night as our Guy-Girl Night focused on "Battle of the Sexes!" In small groups, each gender put together a list of questions about the opposite gender and things they wish the other knew about them.

By far our most entertaining part of the night was our Battle of the Sexes game. The guys came up with 10 "guy" questions about guy stuff to try and stump the girls. The showdown was hilarious as both teams spent 30 seconds with each question, squirming, screaming, and scratching their brains to figure out the answers. The result? Girls won 6-5, surprising most of our guys with their knowledge of sports!

We then discussed some of the differences between the brains of guys and girls, as well as some of the cultural pressures that are put on each: The girl brain is likened to a plate of spaghetti in terms of the way everything is connected like a series of intentional wiring vs. the male brain which is more like a waffle, with compartments for different area of life...including their NOTHING box! We also looked at some of the cultural pressures put on women to fit into a definition of beauty and worth that can result in self esteem/validation needs. For men, the opposite is often true where pride can play more a role as well as a focus more on their own wants versus looking out for others.

We then mixed our gender groups to allow each to share what they had shared earlier in the night about what questions they had of the opposite gender. We just began to scratch the surface of the dynamics our differences create in our relating to one another, so we expect to continue this exploration in the near future for sure. We wrapped up our night by reminding everyone that God has created each gender with strengths and weaknesses meant to make us better together: We are each equally loved and created in His image and sharing life together is part of His design.

March Sign Ups!

2011-02-26T22:24:00.007-05:00

IF OUR GOD IS FOR US CONCERT

Featuring Chris Tomlin and Louie Giglio

Friday March 18, Leave by 5pm

This will be an awesome night of music and encouragement as Christy Nockels and Rend Collective opens for world-renown worship artist Chris Tomlin, with an encouraging word from Louie Giglio. Tickets available for students and adults, group carpool to leave Grace by 5pm. Concert is at Giant Center in Hershey.

*WE ARE CURRENTLY SOLD OUT OF OUR GROUP TICKETS. If you are still interested, you can either wait to see if some of our "questionables" drop out or simply order your own tickets by clicking here.

MESSIAH YOUTH CONFERENCE

"Moving Beyond Hurt"
Sat March 26, 7am – 5:30pm, Cost is $25

This is a terrific resource for student leaders and adults involved in youth ministry. It offers 20 workshops, great worship, resources, and keynote speaker Chap Clark (Youth, family and culture expert). Spend the day getting equipped to do ministry. Cost includes breakfast and lunch, and registration for the conference. Sign up by March 13. To read a full description of all the workshops/keynote speaker, click here

ParenTeen Seminar:
Friday March 25, 7-8:30pm (Cost $5)
West Shore Evangelical Free Church, Mechanicsburg, Pa.

Another resource for parents occurs the night before, the ParenTeen™ Seminars equip parents to both understand and nurture their children in a constantly changing cultural environment. ParenTeen™ seminars are guaranteed to help parents gain insight into their child’s journey and to develop a more authentic and effective parenting strategy throughout the teen years and beyond.

Welcome!

2011-02-22T09:50:00.001-05:00

I won't belabor the suspense...Our Dodgeball Tournament did not end in the triumphant glory that we have experienced in the past, but in some ways it was one of our best tournaments out of three years. We had the largest team of students we've ever had, including 7 students brand new to the experience. We faced the hardest teams and games we've ever faced (including three games that either came down to the final minute or Overtime play) but I was most impressed with the amount of integrity and postive attitude our team demonstrated throughout the day. Next week I will share how I was particularly impressed and encouraged by our 5 seniors.

Next week will also be an online sign up for the Chris Tomlin concert on March 18 and the Messiah Youth Conference (check out info on the March tab).

Read below about the Girls Spa Night from last week...Check back next week to see pictures and read stories about our Dodgeball Tournament!

Girls Enjoy a Night at the Spa!

2011-02-22T09:35:00.001-05:00

(submitted by Debbie Burkhardt)
During Girls Nite on February 13th, the teen girls enjoyed being treated to a Valentine's Spa Nite. They met in the Youth Room for a brief discussion on inner beauty & society's unrealistic & unattainable expectations of outer beauty. They each got to read an alarming statistic such as eight out of ten girls are not happy with their appearance, and Americans had 11 million cosmetic surgeries in 2006 & spend $40 billion a year on diet & beauty products. These world views were contrasted with what the Bible says about beauty. One verse stood out & the group was encouraged to post it on their mirror - Psalm 139:14, "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." The teens were assured that they are a masterpiece created in God's image, and when they look in the mirror they would realize God doesn't make junk!

The anxious group made their way to the Grace Room which had been transformed into a Five Star spa. Candlelight, nature sounds, and the aroma of eucalyptus provided a relief from their busy worlds. Throughout the evening the girls were pampered with warm hand waxes, soothing foot baths & massages, hand massages & manicures, facials, and relaxing back massages. Candy hearts, strawberries, & chocolates were served as special treats. Each girl got to take home a Valentine's gift box containing candy treats, beauty products, and a gift certificate to a local hair salon.

Welcome!

2011-02-13T16:39:00.008-05:00

Well, you may have started to hear some buzz from your students, and yes it's true. We are adding a bonus event for the month of February after our UN-Tour was canceled this past weekend. This upcoming Sunday, February 20, we will be attending the Salt N Light Battleball (we still call it Dodgeball!) Tournament at Messiah College. It was a last minute addition and we're pulling together a team in record time! We have 30 students joining us, making it the largest team we have ever had, including at least 9 students new to the Tournament!!!

Registration is now closed, so for those going, here's info you need to know:

Students should bring their $10 registration with them on Sunday.
We will meet in the Youth Room at 11:30am and are hoping to leave by 11:45 (we will be taking a school bus up to Messiah, which is about an hour trip)
Students may bring $ to purchase lunch/dinner (Messiah provides a wide assortment of options, and we often stop at Wendys on the ride home) or they can pack food that we can keep in a cooler.
Students should wear shorts, sneakers and a t-shirt, we're going with all black (intimidation factor!)
We will return to Grace Church between 9:30-10pm, and will call when we are back on the road (Remember, Penn Manor has off Monday because of President's Day!)
We need some adult cheerleaders to support the team, so please email Justin (jw1273@gmail.com) if you can offer yourst!

Don't be fooled by the unprepared looks on their faces, this team fought hard to win our 3rd championship back in October!

2011-02-13T16:28:00.000-05:00

What's going on this week~

Thursday
Deeper Bible Study, 6:30-8:30pm
Students who would like to join us for dinner from 6:30-7 in the gym are asked to bring a $2 donation. Our study of our Perspectives on Poverty series, will run from 7-8:30 as we look at Week 5.

Sunday
Sunday Encounter: 10-11am, Students bring a Bible!
We continue our study of Acts with a look at what COMMUNITY is and should be in the life of the church.

Dodgeball Tournament, 11:30am - 9:30pm (NO SNL)
We're returning to Messiah College in pursuit of our 4th championship title! It will not be easy but we're excited for a fun day of competition followed by an exciting worship rally with more than 10 other youth ministries.

Catch up on our previous week~

2011-02-13T16:25:00.000-05:00

Thursday Feb 3: Deeper Bible Study
Our week 4 lesson didn't go much beyond our first three questions of the night: Why is there poverty? What is our response? Does God treat humanity with equality and/or fairness?

Sunday Feb 13: Encounter
We moved into the second chapter of Acts as we looked at the day of Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit.
Sunday Feb 13: Guy-Girl Night
Description to come...

Welcome!

2011-02-07T17:39:00.002-05:00

As strange as it sounds, this Bears fan was happy to see the Packers win last night. I just didn't want to see the Steelers get another Super Bowl...

Our Youth Super Bowl party was a blast of ping pong, hanging out, fooseball and food as we put the big game up on the big screen. (Not to mention our staple food for the evening, McDonalds nuggets!) Each student brought in a bag of canned food items as admission to the party, which will be donated to the Souper Bowl of Caring organization to meet the needs of individuals and families in need.

At halftime we paused to discuss fastest growing criminal activity in our world today: human trafficking. With the big game, some organizations have used this as a platform to bring more attention to this incredibly tragedy of our human condition. After watching the below clip, students had decided that during the second half we would pause during commerical breaks to pray for victims, oppressors, and how God is calling us to respond. It was a powerful time of crying out to God and it was my highlight for the evening.

Coming up this week~

2011-02-07T17:38:00.001-05:00

What's going on this week~

Thursday
Deeper Bible Study, 6:30-8:30pm
Students who would like to join us for dinner from 6:30-7 in the gym are asked to bring a $2 donation. Our study of our Perspectives on Poverty series, will run from 7-8:30 as we look at Week 4.

Friday-Saturday
The Un Tour Conference
The conference focuses on challenging and equipping students to share their faith with their friends. The conference is filled with drama, worship, music, speakers and interactive experiences as we join with thousands of other students down in Washington DC.
Sunday
Sunday Encounter: 10-11am, Students bring a Bible!
We continue our study of Acts with the story of Pentecost.
Sunday Night Live: 6:30-8:30pm
The guys will meet upstairs for a night of games and small groups while girls should come prepared for a night of being pampered with facials, hot hand waxing, maincures, foot baths, pedicures, and more!

Catch up on our previous week~

2011-02-07T17:20:00.001-05:00

Thursday Feb 3: Deeper Bible Study
Our week 3 lesson focused on the overwhelming statistics of suffering worldwide. We broke into small groups to look at Scriptures that looked at the root causes of poverty. These discussions dug into the harder questions of why suffering exists and asks the question: How do we respond to make change? Our memory verse for this week comes from Proverbs 29:7: "The righteous care about justice for the poor, while the wicked have no such concern."
Saturday Feb 5: Church Building Dream Session
It was exciting to dream about where God is leading our church and I had the opportunity of sitting with a group of 10 students to put their ideas into a concrete building plan. We spent about 2 hours cutting out rooms, sanctuary spaces, hallways and more to create a visual of what they believe the church is designed to be about: Authentic relationships centered around using our gifts to worship and serve God. We presented our design to the rest of the room (about 100 people were in attendance) before everyone voted, and our students got a lot of great response and support!

Saturday Feb 5: Girls PJ Movie Night
What better way to enjoy a cold and wet night in February than in your pjs, wrapped up in a warm blanket,with lots of popcorn, friends, and good movies. That was the scene in the Youth Room this past Saturday night as the teen girls enjoyed Pj Movie Nite. Lots of pillows, streamers, and pink & white balloons transformed the room into a cozy, girlie pajama party. And what would a pajama party be without a friendly game of"Truth or Dare"? The girls took turns popping either a white balloon containing a "Truth" to be revealed, or a pink balloon with a "Dare" inside. The "Dares " included challenges such as choosing a partner; singing a few lines from a Taylor Swift song, being made over in 3 minutes, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance while standing on your head...Read more about their night and see pictures by clicking on the EVENT REVIEW TAB!

Sunday Feb 6: Encounter
We wrapped up our study of the introduction of Acts by combining the 4 topics from last week to give us a holistic pictures of the purpose for the book, and thus, the identity, purpose and function of church. As each group shared their responses to their topics, we summed things up as:
"Jesus is still teaching and acting in our world through His Church, who are to serve as witnesses to the world of who He is. Equipped by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, the Church can confidently step into this mission because we do not follow a religion, but a living God who has conquered death."

Sunday Feb 6: Super Bowl Party
We had a great turnout for a night of awesome food, games and conversation as the big game played on the big screen. We packed out the Youth Room and chowed down on pizza, snacks and McDonald's chicken nuggets!! We sought a deeper purpose in our gathering than simply enjoying each other's company and did so by having each student bring a bag of canned food items as their admission to the party. We paused at halftime to discuss the issue of human trafficking. Small groups of students spent time in prayer for victims, oppressors, and God's guidance for how we can be involved in healing those situations...And in the end, most of the party was very happy with the result of the game :)

Welcome!!

2011-01-31T11:15:00.001-05:00

We've got a number of new content on our page this week that I hope you will take time to check out: You will find a new section of resources for parents. We've updated our "About Us" section to include an overview of the different parts of our ministry. In the "Get Involved" section, you can find new opportunities to plug your personality, perspective, and passions into the exciting ministry of the Grace Youth Group!

And now if you would sit back and enjoy my son's latest accomplishment: STANDING!

2011-01-31T11:08:00.001-05:00

What's going on this week~

Thursday
Deeper Bible Study, 6:30-8:30pm
Alpha starts this week and that means we have the opportunity to join them for their dinner from 6:30-7 in the gym. We ask for a $2 donation if your child eats. We will start promptly at 7pm with our study as we look at Week 3 of our Perspectives on Poverty series.

Saturday
Church Building Dream Session, 8am-Noon, in the gym
*refreshments served from 8-8:30am
As Grace looks to build for the future, we want input from students and parents now.
Join us for an interactive dream session where you can help put together a model of the new building.

Girls PJ Movie Night, 6:30-11pm, Youth Room
Put on your warmest pajamas, grab your coziest blanket & get ready to curl up in the Youth Room for a mid-winter, double feature movie night! Enjoy games, snacks, chick flicks & time with your girl friends. ** Please bring a clothing or jewelry item(s) you no longer wear, or beauty product(s) you no longer use. We will set up a store that you will be able to "shop" at during the night.

Feel free to join the fun anytime during the night.
Games start at 6:40, movies 7:15 & 9:15.

Sunday
Sunday Encounter: 10-11am, Students bring a Bible!

Super Bowl Party, 6pm-??, Youth Room
We're asking students to bring a donation of canned food items as admission.
Feel free to bring board games and other activities to do while we watch the big game!

Catch up on this past week!

2011-01-31T11:03:00.001-05:00

Thursday Jan 27: Deeper Bible Study
With the weather iffy, we chose to not meet in person but rather hosted a virtual Bible study online. We met in a chatroom for nearly two hours to talk about our experience of the Pathways out of Poverty exhibit and the challenge from last week (Replace our hot showers with a cold bucket shower!). Our convesation led to our week 2 lesson on spiritual poverty and we realized that we often live our lives focused on ourselves rather than pursuing the restoration of relationship with God, others and creation. But thanks be to God for His saving work among us!

Sunday Jan 30: Encounter
Using the awesome set of questions our students pulled together last week, we broke the introduction into 4 topics: 1) Who, what and why was the book written? 2) Why did Jesus have to leave? 3) What was the situation of the disciples and 4) How did Jesus prove Himself to be alive, and why?

Two small groups took each topic and studied other Scripture for answers and this upcoming week we'll bring it altogether and put the pieces back to get a fuller understanding of the introduction.

Sunday 30: Parent/Ministry Gathering
We had a tremendous turn out of parents and other adults interested to hear about our ministry. The main focus of our ministry right now is to create opportunity for both students and adults to become involved in ministry by providing better training and structure to do so. The goal is to create healthier relationships that will deepen our ministry. Some of the ways we are doing that is starting a Student Ministry Team and a SNL Mentor Team. You can read more about what our ministry is doing by clicking on the "ABOUT US" tab and visiting the "GET INVOLVED" tab to see how you can plug your gifts into our ministry.

Welcome!

2011-01-24T12:11:00.000-05:00

Well if you know me at all, you know I'm a big Chicago sports fan and this weekend didn't quite go the way I had hoped...At least not sports-wise. But I am really excited about our weekend of ministry, including the start of our Acts study on Sunday morning. We are exploring the early church, asking the question: WHAT IS CHURCH?

What Acts describes is a dynamic community centered on the Gospel that was full of so much life, joy, purpose and excitement, that people around couldn't help but be drawn to what was going on. That's what we are seeking to build at Grace. We're not quite there but we invite you to join us as we journey this life together.

2011-01-24T11:44:00.001-05:00

What's going on this week~

Thursday, 6:30-8:30: Deeper Bible Study
Students should come having read WEEK 2 in our books, along with meeting the challenge from week 1.

6:30-7 is time to hang out, we'll start promptly at 7 with our study

Sunday, 10-11am in Youth Room: Encounter
We're continuing our study of the introduction of Acts, so bring your Bible!

Sunday, 6:30-7:30pm: Ministry Meeting
For all parents and adults interested in getting involved in our ministry, we'll meet for an hour in the Youth Room to discuss our ministry vision and calendar. Join us!

Catch up on our past week...

2011-01-24T11:21:00.003-05:00

Thursday Jan 20: Deeper Bible Study
We reviewed the main focus of our week 1 study which defines poverty as the lack of shalom in our relationships: Sin has broken our relationship with God, ourselves, one another, and creation. We are all in a state of poverty and the result of our sin is a world of selfishness and suffering. This is the foundation from which we humbly move forward to look at material poverty.

We traveled to Hope International to go through their Pathways Out of Poverty experience (Click here to learn more). This is a powerful resource that takes you on a journey through the stories of people around our world living in unjust situations. We learned facts and personal connection with suffering and God's call for us to respond. We will be discussing our observations at our upcoming Bible study.

Sunday Jan 23: Encounter
We opened our Acts study up by splitting into groups of 4 to dig into the introduction (Acts 1:1-11) Using a basic study tool (What? So What? Now What?) we spent our morning focusing on understanding what was going on by listing a number of questions about the passage, significant points, and summarizing the verses. I can't tell you how excited I am about the questions students came up with, which we will seek to answer next week as a group. (Scroll down further to read the list of questions)

Sunday 23: Sunday Night Live
Our focus was on relationships, specifically how we speak and treat one another. We split into Jr and Sr High groups and while the one group played volleyball, the other came downstairs to discuss our topic. We watched a very relevant What Would You Do video clip (Search for "Taking on Mean Girls") which staged a scene of three girls bullying another girl in the park. We talked about how prevalent and damaging bullying is and how it's far too common among our own relationships, even in youth group. Most of us admitted that we've bullied other people in the words, names, and jokes we've used...as well as been the victim. Sacrasm, jokes, and unkind words easily fly across our room. But as we read through Ephesians 4:20-5:2 we discovered that how we treat one another is a significant part of following after Christ. We should only use words that build up others and deliver grace to their ears...we should speak the truth, be kind, tenderhearted and forgiving...We are to immitate Christ by walking together in love. Our youth group should be a place where that list is lived out on a regular basis as the power of the Gospel transforms us into a community of love.

Questions from the intro of Acts
What's the former book he's referring to? (v1)
Who is writing this book and why?
Who is Theophilus? (v1)
Why did Jesus spend 40 days appearing to people? Is that number significant? (v3)
Why did Jesus appear/prove Himself to the apostles and not to those who didn't believe Him? (v3)
What/how did Jesus prove Himself to those people over that time? (v3)
What is the "promised gift"? (v4)
Why did Jesus command them to not leave Jerusalem (v4)
What is the "baptism of the Holy Spirit" and how is it different than water baptism? (v5)
What is the situation/expectations of the apostles during this time? (v6)
Why can't they know the time/how Jesus will return? (v7)
Who are the robbed men and why did they tell the apostles to stop staring up? (v11)
What is the difference between "our kingdom" (v6) and the "Kingdom of God"(v3)?
Why did Jesus have to leave?
What is the significance of Jesus command to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the world? (v8)

Welcome!!

2011-01-07T13:27:00.020-05:00

We had an absolute blast this past weekend at the Paramount Sports Complex for our 2011 Lock In. I actually discovered something more appealing than pizza to teenagers: A massive gymnastics gym filled with foam pits, trampolines and more! There was little need for organized games as students found different activities to keep them occupied well into the morning hours. Some highlights were the Minute to Win It competition, a big game of SPUD, and dodgeball.

Altogether we had 41 students come and enjoy the fun and I thank the crew of Dennis Keperling, Kaysee DuVall, Jeff Ott, Chad Busswood, Mike Kroll, Mike McDonald, and Steve Marsh for their tremendous help and sacrifice to be apart of our evening. Without these courageous and sleep deprived adults (as well as our two Paramount staffers Travis and Jen) our night would not have been possible.

Scroll down below to see some more of what our ministry was up to this past weekend and be sure to check back next week and click on EVENT REVIEW to see more pictures from our lock in.

2010-11-29T22:46:00.037-05:00

Coming up this week~

Thursday, 6:30-8:45pm: Perspectives on Poverty Experience
In connection with our "Perspectives on Global Poverty" study (learn more about by clicking here.) we are traveling to Hope International to walk through their Pathways Out of Poverty multi-sensory experience.
6:30-7 is time to hang out....We will leave by 7pm and return at 8:45

Sunday, 10-11am in Youth Room: Encounter
We dive into the book of Acts this week, so bring your Bible!

Sunday, 6:30-8:30pm: Sunday Night Live!
Students in 7th-12th grade are invited out for a fun, food and fellowship, join us!

What we did this past week...

2010-11-23T11:45:00.039-05:00

Last Thursday: Deeper Bible Study
We started our small group study on Perspectives on Global Poverty. I'm so excited about this series because it will not only teach us about suffering and God's call for His people to respond, but the curriculum is set up to really draw us into God's presence. Each week is a reading and Scripture study which we discuss, a verse to memorize, and a challenge to put the truths we learn into practice. From last Thursday to this week, we're supposed to replace our daily shower with a cold bucket shower. It's defnitely not been easy but incredibly beneficial as we look at poverty being caused by broken relationships with God, ourselves, one another, and creation.

Last Friday/Saturday: New Year Lock In
It was so great to see some new faces at our Lock In. I think we'll need to make a return trip to Paramount in the future for sure. The night was jam packed with great things to do and besides the long recovery time afterwards, I can't think of a downside to our time together!

Sunday morning: Encounter
We began our Acts study by splitting everyone into two groups for discussion of three questions:
1) Why did you come to church this morning?
2) What better thing could you be doing with this hour besides coming to church?
3) Define "church"

It was great to have such honest discussion about these topics as we seek to understand the incredible power, excitement, mission and life of what church is really supposed to be. Church isn't a Sunday morning hour or building, it's the living-breathing-powerful extension of Christ's mission to the world expressed through dynamic community!

Sunday night: College Night
We wrapped up our weekend with a great opportunity for high school juniors and seniors to connect with college students about life after high school. Admittedly, we should have changed the name of our evening because all of our guests stressed pursuing God's purpose for after high school rather than the pressure to fit into a certain path of life. After a fancy pizza meal, we gathered around couches for a very informal discussion about topics such as "Why or why not college?", "Differences between high school/college?" and "How do you pursue your relationship with Christ beyond high school"?

Fall Retreat Highlights

2010-11-08T12:41:00.019-05:00

You may have missed our fall retreat but you can still check out a couple of highlights with the videos below. The first video is the powerful Lifehouse Everything drama performed by our very own crew of Emily Biechler, Steven Morris, Tanner Burkhardt, Seth Morris, Allison Schaefer, Elisa Ott, and Heather Morris. It was significant part of our Saturday night session. The second video is our annual Youth Pastor music video which features the Youth Pastors from the combined youth ministries. Enjoy!!

2010-11-08T12:40:00.001-05:00

Coming Soon...

SR HIGH ALL NIGHT BOWLING

Friday November 26

That's right, it's starts at Midnight and ends at 6am. How long can you stay up and bowl?! The night is filled with snacks, Christian music, and glow bowling. It's a great way to connect with others. Cost is $16, meet at church by 11:15pm, pick up at 6:30am.
THIS EVENT IS FULL! No more sign ups.

Christmas Outreach:
Sunday December 19
Starting around Thanksgiving, we will be collecting toy items for families in need of some Christmas cheer. On December 19, we will deliver them and help kids choose presents for their family. Followed by some Christmas treats!

NEW YEARS LOCK IN

Friday January 14

2011 is going to be such an awesome year and we're going to celebrate in style! This year we are heading to the Paramount Sports Complex to use their amazing facilities for an evening of games, rock-climbing, sports and food. Cost is $10

WELCOME!!

2010-11-02T11:37:00.001-04:00

It may not be the best theological position, but this Saturday is probably one of my favorite holidays of the entire year: We roll back the clocks and get one extra hour of sleep! With our culture in a constant state of GO-GO-GO! I pray you use the extra time this weekend not to do more work, but to rest. I can't tell you how many of your kids tell me that their lives are too busy to rest...Help them find that space in their life before they get used to the unhealthy pattern that far too many of us are in.

Speaking of Go-Go-Go....Our weekend was filled with opportunities for students to connect with one another and the truth of Christ. Friday night was our 5th Quarter eventwhich featured the powerful "Lifehouse Everything" drama, Saturday night was a fun-filled evening for the ladies during the Girls Only Destination Unknown, and we wrapped up the weekend with our Harvest Party. Make sure you click on the Event Review tab to read more about each event and see some scary pictures of your Youth Pastor's costume.

2010-11-02T10:39:00.001-04:00

Here's what's coming up this week at Grace Youth Group~

Justin is eating lunch at Manor Middle (Weds, all 3 lunches) : Certain students have signed up for me to be "based" at their table at each lunch but I'll be roaming around to connect with as many of our group as I can!
Deeper Bible Study (Weds 7-8:30pm, Youth Room) : We continue our journey together as we learn what it means to be transformed into the person of Christ. We use small groups, discussion, study and practice of what it means to grow closer to Christ, in addition to the book, RENOVATION OF THE HEART.

Sunday Encounter / Parent Gathering (10-11am) : We're into our fall program as we split the Jr and Sr High up. See "Sunday Mornings" tab for more info.

SNL Youth Group 6:30-8:30pm : We'll be focusing on "serving needs" of the community around us as we brainstorm a project to do on Friday Nov 12 at our Early Out Outreach.

SIGN UPS!

Fall Retreat (Event Nov 19-21)
Sr High All Night Bowling (Event: Nov26)

We're in need of more adults and students for this event to take place. We do not have enough of either at this point, so sign up today! We will make a decision about canceling the event on November 14.

Updated Needs

2010-10-19T08:41:00.002-04:00

There are a few opportunities coming up this month and next for you to support our ministry by being present in our time together. Please email Justin if you are interested in helping in any of the following:

SNL Chaperones: Sunday Nov 7, 14

3-4 adults per night
Come join our night and help chaperone the group for a time of activity and teaching. Justin will give you all the instruction needed before the night starts. It's a simple and easy way to get to know other students in our group!

Drivers/Chaperones for All Night Bowling: Nov 26

I am looking for 3 more parents who are willing to carpool students from the church to the bowling alley and enjoy a night of bowling!! Your cost will be completely covered by the youth ministry.

Looking Ahead...

2010-10-19T08:39:00.005-04:00

Dream Team: Sunday Nov 14, 5:30-6:30pm

Parents and students are invited to spend an hour giving their feedback on the fall that was, and get a preview of the winter/spring calendar. Come ready to share your thoughts, concerns and questions about our ministry! Meet in the Youth Room.

FALL RETREAT:
Fri-Sun November 19-21
It's always a fall highlight, so don't miss it! We're getting away with 5 other youth groups from our area for an amazing weekend of worship, teaching, and reflection together about what God is calling us to be. Our theme this year is LIGHT: how it leads, reveals, and attracts.

SIGN UP AND PAY BY OCTOBER 17: $80

AFTER OCTOBER 17: $95

SR HIGH ALL NIGHT BOWLING

Friday November 26

NEW YEARS LOCK IN

Friday January 14

Welcome!

2010-10-12T00:00:00.001-04:00

I want to thank all the students who joined us this past Sunday night for our special outdoor movie outreach. We had a great number of first time guests come and spend the night with us at the McDonald home. So my second thank you goes out to them (and their neighbors) for opening up their backyard! We spent the first hour listening to music, snacking out hot dogs, marshmallows and junk food before watching the movie on a wall sized screen in the backyard. After the movie was done, there were some small group discussions about the topics raised in the movie and I gotta tell you, those conversations were very significant. Our students were processing a lot of emotions brought up by the film.

If you or your child has NOT seen the powerful movie "To Save a Life" you should borrow it from me or make sure you don't miss future showings (there's some plans in the mix for winter/spring). Besides being an entertaining movie, it brings up some intense issues that are affecting our students on a day to day basis. The movie looks at cutting, teen pregnancy, parties, parents splitting up, suicide, and so much more. Some of the main messages the movie brings up is how we treat one another and the value we give to people who are different than us.

Some of the other questions raised: What do you want your life to be about? Friends, feeling good...Or is there more to life? How should a Christian community (such as a youth group) treat one another and others? Is our youth group a place of genuine love or judgmental clicks? And of course, where does God rank on our priority list if our lives aren't being changed by what we say we believe?

This Week...

2010-10-04T09:40:00.003-04:00

Here's what's coming up this week at Grace Youth Group~

Deeper Bible Study (Weds 7-8:30pm, Youth Room) : We're into a great time of wrestling with what it means to be transformed into the person of Christ. We use small groups, discussion, study and practice of what it means to grow closer to Christ, in addition to the book, RENOVATION OF THE HEART.

Saturday October 16 (7am-1pm) : This unique event equips men to follow Christ and become disciples. Contact Chad Busswood for more details.

Sunday Encounter / Parent Gathering (10-11am) : We're into our fall program as we split the Jr and Sr High up. See "Sunday Mornings" tab for more info.

Special SNL: 6:30-8:30pm : This Sunday we welcome special guests Joy Olcott and Julie Evarts to share with the group about the dreams/passions God has given them and how He's led them to some unique ways to serve Him!

SIGN UPS!

Girls Only Destination Unknown
Fall Retreat (Early bird discount until Oct 17; Event Nov 19-21)
Sr High All Night Bowling (Event: Nov26)

Adults Needed!

2010-10-04T09:24:00.006-04:00

5th Quarter: Friday October 29

6 security
6 parking attendants
6-7 food distributors
At least 10 people to bake 2 dozen baked food items ahead of the event

SNL Chaperones: Sunday October 17, 31, Nov 7, 14

3-4 adults per night
Come join our night and help chaperone the group for a time of activity and teaching. Justin will give you all the instruction needed before the night starts. It's a simple and easy way to get to know other students in our group!

Meal preparation: Sunday Oct 31

We are looking for 3-4 families to provide a meal for our Harvest Party at the end of the month. This shared meal is a fun part of our ministry and it's nice to SHARE the preparation with other families.

Drivers/Chaperones for All Night Bowling: Nov 26

I am looking for 4-5 parents who are willing to carpool students from the church to the bowling alley and enjoy a night of bowling!! Your cost will be completely covered by the youth ministry.

Looking Ahead...

2010-10-04T09:19:00.005-04:00

5th Quarters: 15th and 29th
Come enjoy a safe place to hang out after the home football games with food, music and a testimony sponsored by MBC, Crossway and Grace UM youth ministries.
*Oct 29 is Grace UM's night.

We will need plenty of adult help for the evening so please look for sign up sheets. And come out to watch students from our ministry perform the powerful "Lifehouse Everything" skit. They're working hard and it's looking great under the direction of Mike McDonald.

Girls Only Destination Unknown

Saturday October 30, $10
*TIME CHANGE, 5-10pm

Girls don't miss this awesome night of fun. We promise that it will be a night you won't forget. GIRLS DRESS FORMALLY for this special evening...So if dust off that homecoming dress from the beginning of the month and wear it again!

SIGN UP AND PAY BY OCTOBER 17: $80

AFTER OCTOBER 17: $95

SR HIGH ALL NIGHT BOWLING

Friday November 26
That's right, it's starts at Midnight and ends at 6am. How long can you stay up and bowl?! The night is filled with snacks, Christian music, and glow bowling. It's a great way to connect with others.

Welcome!!

2010-09-27T11:59:00.001-04:00

It was a joy for me to see so many students come out for the See You at the Pole event last Wednesday. I was at Manor Middle for a time of small group prayer over family, friends, school and community. It was very encouraging and powerful to hear students calling to God for His leading.

We had our first Guy-Girl Night of the fall last night with an amazing turnout...Nearly 50 students joined us for a time that was geared towards the needs of each gender. The girls were introduced to their fall focus, a dvd series called "And the Bride Wore White- 7 Secrets to Sexual Purity". Besides some intense dodgeball, the guys were pulled aside in pairs to have an honest conversation about where they were in their faith journey. I thank all the adult mentors who were present!

We also had our first "Lifehouse" skit practice this week and as director Mike McDonald said, he was getting goosebumps from their performance. A number of students popped in the gym to see the drama and were very impressed. This powerful skit can be viewed by scrolling down to the bottom of the page.

And finally, we had another first this past week with the start of our fall Deeper. Wednesday nights throughout the fall, we're gathering to discuss what it means to draw closer to God and be transformed by His presence. We're using the book, "Renovation of the Heart" along with prayer exercises, journaling and small groups to journey together to know God more. Our first night was spent reflecting on the "season of the soul" that each of us were currently in. Check out all the great things we have going on as we turn the calendar to October at the end of this week!

This upcoming week...

2010-09-14T12:43:00.006-04:00

Deeper Bible Study (Weds 7-8:30pm, Youth Room) : We're starting a great series of small groups, discussion, study and practice of what it means to grow closer to Christ. We'll be using the book, RENOVATION OF THE HEART, YOUTH EDITION.

Fri Oct 1: MBC runs the first 5th Quarter of the year at Crossway Church! : Join hundreds of students this Friday after the home football game for a night of food, fellowship and music, along with a testimony time.
Sat Oct 2: Stop Child Trafficking Walk, 12-3pm at Binns Park: Our team is still trying to raise money for our walk. Team members should meet AT BINNS PARK in the city. Justin will not be present at the event, so parents, keep that in mind.
Sat Oct 2: Jr High Corn Maze, 5:30pm-10:30ish: We've got enough to go this Saturday night! Students who signed up should bring a FLASHLIGHT, $10 and clothes for the weather as we'll be outside! *Still looking for one driver*
Sun Oct 3: Dodgeball Tournament: We're looking to claim a third championship as we travel to Camp Hill UMC. Meet in the Youth Room at 11:30am with money/food for lunch and dinner. We'll return around 9pm. *WE MUST HAVE AT LEAST 2 MORE DRIVERS OR WE ARE UNABLE TO GO*
Sunday Encounter / Parent Gathering (10-11am) : We're into our fall program as we split the Jr and Sr High up. See "Sunday Mornings" tab for more info.

Sunday Night Live (Sun 6:30-8:30pm) Guy-Girl Night : NO SNL THIS WEEK

Special Opportunities

2010-08-30T16:06:00.040-04:00

Men at the Cross: Oct 16

Join us for an intense men’s only event centered on the call to discipleship. You won’t leave wondering what’s next! You will leave with a renewed passion to see men know Christ, families come together, churches under the leadership of God fearing men and workplaces impacted for the glory of God! Discipleship is becoming a way of life for hundreds of men across the country! The event includes special breakout session for teen guys as well. It's especially encouraged for fathers to come with their sons. Tickets are $29 for adults, $10 for students 18 years and younger. Men at the Cross is hosted at Calvary Church in Lancaster from 8am-12:45 and includes great speakers and worship that will challenge men to follow Christ in all parts of their lives. For tickets or more information, contact Chad Busswood at SCSA@comcast.net, or sign up at the bulletin board today!

Lifehouse Everything Skit

Our group will be performing the drama you see below at our 5th Quarter on October29. This powerful way of communicating the Gospel also allows our students to share their passions and talents in a way to reach others for Christ. We hope this drama will also be used in other opportunities throughout the year. Mike McDonald is directing.

Coming Soon...

2010-05-29T23:24:00.051-04:00

To Save a Life Outreach: October 10, 7-11pm

Invite a friend for a night of food, fellowship and a powerful movie that will spark deep discussion about what and who we are living our lives for. Here's the trailer:

5th Quarters: Oct 1, 15, 29
Come enjoy a safe place to hang out after the home football games with food, music and a testimony sponsored by MBC, Crossway and Grace UM youth ministries.
*Oct 29 is Grace UM's night. Our students will share the "Everything Skit" for the testimony time

Girls Only Destination Unknown

Saturday October 30

SIGN UP AND PAY BY OCTOBER 17: $80

AFTER OCTOBER 17: $95

SR HIGH ALL NIGHT BOWLING

Philly Trip Training

2010-05-29T23:19:00.029-04:00

We are going to Philly to share the Gospel with our actions and words...by serving the needs of those in situations of suffering and sharing about what motivates our love: Our relationship with Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 is our focus for the week and we've challenged each team member to share the Gospel with one friend/family as well as one person during our time in Philly.

Below are two podcasts from Dare To Share that are helpful resources as training.

"Reach out, Don't Freak Out"

Gives helpful training for how to share your faith.
Click here to download a printable note sheet.

Free Youth Ministry Resources
Not working? Click here for the online link.

"The Gospel Truth"

Want a deeper look at what the Gospel message is? Check this out:

Click here to download a printable note sheet.

Free Youth Ministry Resources
Not working? Click here for the online link.

2010-05-25T11:41:00.007-04:00

Welcome Confirmation Class of 2010!
This past Sunday we celebrated the commitments of 15 students at our Confirmation Service. After completing the Disciple course, they chose to express their faith to family, friends, and community, and to join the church. I pray their hearts and minds will continue to be drawn closer to the Lord as they move forward from this time. The pictures above are from our team building time at Gretna Glen.

THIS WEEK!
Wednesday 6:30-8pm, Deeper Bible study (Youth Rm)
Friday: Deadline to sign up for UE Camp
Sunday 10-11am Encounter
*NO SNL this week

Encounter: Sundays 10-11am in the Youth Room

We split into groups of 7-8th graders and high school students for a time of small groups, study, conversation and activity around Matthew 5-6.

May 30 and June 6:
We wrap up our study of Matthew 5-6 and conclude our Encounter program until the fall

*There is no Encounter on June 13

Deeper Bible Study: Moves to Sunday mornings

Sundays 10-11am in the Youth Room (Starts June 20)

Starting on June 20th, we're moving our Deeper Bible study to Sunday mornings. This is a more formal time of Bible study than our Encounter program. Students are expected to come and participate in discussion and study. Bring your own Bible!

Sunday Night Live
Sundays 6:30-8:30pm
SNL is a great way to wrap up your weekend and kick start your school week with fun and fellowship that centers on God's truth. Come out for games, snack, and conversation.

May 30: There is NO SNL

June 5: Meet in the gym for our last SNL of the school year!

June 13: No SNL, take a short break before our summer schedule starts

June 20: Meet at the McMurtrie's

June 27: Meet at the Evarts'

UE CAMP: June 19-23

For students in 6th - 8th grade

Click here to learn more about it!!!

Baby Jansen!
We're so so thrilled to welcome our little boy to the world! Although it's taken some adjustments to our sleep and sanity, all three of us have been doing well at home and look forward to introducing him to you all :) For the time being, here's a little video the proud daddy put together of his first week with us...Enjoy!

Welcome Jansen Isaiah Watkins!!

2010-05-15T15:01:00.017-04:00

We are so absolutely thrilled to introduce to the world our precious baby boy! His name is Jansen Isaiah and he was born at 2:15 am Sunday morning. He weighed in at a whopping 9lbs, 1 ounce (YIKES!) and is doing fantastic. He and mommy are both very healthy and doing well. It is a joy that is indescribable. Oh my oh my I want to share with everyone every picture I've got (approaching a 100 of them already!) and we cannot wait to introduce him to you!! Thank you for all your prayers and support!!!

Phase 6: Friday May 21: 6:30-8:30pm

We've invited the upcoming 6th grade class for a night of food, fun, and fellowship to welcome them to the youth group. We'll be serving pizza in the gym at 6:30pm before beginning our night. Parents are welcome to join us in the Youth Room at 8pm to hear more about the youth ministry including summer opportunities for your child!

*Student volunteers for the night should arrive to the church by 6pm*

This week:

Wednesday 6:30-8pm, Deeper Bible study in the Youth Room
Friday 6-8:30pm, Phase 6
Sunday 10-11am Encounter, 6:30-8:30pm Sunday Night Live

Sunday Mornings

May 23: Festival of Music, 10-11am

We will be enjoying the Festival of Music during the 10am hour in the sanctuary. The Youth will reserve a couple of pews but please arrive by 9:50am. The Festival of Music celebrates worship through the musical gifts of our congregation.

*We are NOT meeting in the Youth Room for Encounter*

Confirmation Sunday at 11:15 Souljourn Service

Come out May 23 to hear from the Confirmation Class of 2010 as they share their commitment of faith and desire to join Grace Church.

Encounter: Sundays 10-11am in the Youth Room

We split into groups of 7-8th graders and high school students for a time of small groups, study, conversation and activity around Matthew 5-6.

May 23: There is no Encounter, we're at the Festival of Music!

May 30 and June 5:

We wrap up our study of Matthew 5-6 and conclude our Encounter program until the fall.

Deeper Bible Study: Moves to Sunday mornings!

Sundays 10-11am in the Youth Room (Starts June 20)

Starting on June 20th, we're moving our Deeper Bible study to Sunday mornings. This is a more formal time of Bible study than our Encounter program. Students are expected to come and participate in discussion and study. Bring your own Bible!

Sunday Night Live

Sundays 6:30-8:30pm

SNL is a great way to wrap up your weekend and kick start your school week with fun and fellowship that centers on God's truth. Come out for games, snack, and conversation.

Schedule:

May 23: Meet in the gym, but prepare to be outside if it's good weather

May 30: There is NO SNL

June 5: Meet in the gym for our last SNL of the school year!

June 13: No SNL, take a short break before our summer schedule starts

UE CAMP

June 19-23

For students in 6th - 8th grade
Click here to learn more about it!!!

Click here to visit the official Creation website.

Join us as we camp out for 4 nights with tens of thousands of others at Agape Farms and hear the top Christian artists and bands rock out along with amazing worship and challenging speakers. This is an experience you do not want to miss!!

Early Bird Rate: Sign up and pay by Wednesday May 19, $95

Regular Rate: $105

2010-05-10T15:18:00.008-04:00

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Sunday our Guy-Girl Night invited moms to join us for a night to celebrate moms! The guys prepared and served dinner before enjoying a Mother's Day version the Newlywed game. We wrapped up our night looking at Proverbs 31 and a chance for sons to praise their mom in front of the group.

The daughters and moms played the Newlywed game, broke into groups (Moms got to chat, girls made cards), and then spent time talking one on one. They wrapped up by listening to Celine Dion's song, "A Mother's Prayer"

Both groups provided a time of intimate connection and celebration of the moms who we owe so very much to. Thank you to all the mothers and may God bless the time and work you give to your families! (And yes, that's my mom I'm standing by!)

This week:

Saturday: LOL Day, Grace Garden

Come out at 9am to the garden in the corner field of the church. Dress in clothes to get messy in and bring a pair of gloves as we help plant the garden which will serve the needs of people in our community.

Sunday Morning: Encounter, 10-11am Youth Room
* Please note that we are reserving a couple of pews in the sanctuary for Sunday May 23rd's Festival of Music. We will NOT be meeting in the Youth Room. PLEASE arrive a few minutes prior to 10am in order to join the group in the sanctuary. The Festival of Music is a celebration of musical gifts and worship that we are excited to be present for!
Sunday Night: Sunday Night Live, 6:30-8:30pm

Special Summer Event for Jr Highers
Click here to learn about UE, the Ultimate Experience Camp for 6-8th graders!

Coming Up...

Deeper: Wednesdays 6:30-8pm (In the dungeon!)

May 19-June 9

We’re back for a 4 week series based on a video curriculum, Bible study, and discussion time. Grow deeper in Christ through community! Depending on the size of our group, we’ll be meeting in the Dungeon. Enter the Youth Room and follow it back towards the doors that lead to the back of the sanctuary.

Phase 6, May 21, 6:30-8:30pm (Gym & Youth Rm)

*Volunteers show up at 6pm

We’re welcoming in the new 6^th graders with a night of food, fun, and fellowship. Join us for a night of great relationships! If you are already in the youth group, please arrive to the Youth Room by 6pm.

Early Bird Creation Tickets, May 19

As the largest Christian music festival, Creation (June 30-July 4) offers jam packed days filled with the top musical artists, worship tent and more. Come camp out with tens of thousands of other students and enjoy top Christian bands and speakers. Early bird: $95 vs. $105
We're also looking for adults to sign up and come along as well!

What's been going on....

Check out some of the things going on in the ministry!

SURPRISE BABY SHOWER!!
Sunday April 18, 2010

(Report and pictures provided by Deb Burkhardt)
Last week during our monthly Guy/Girl night, the girls surprised Jenna with a Baby Shower! They have been so excited about the new addition and had such a great time planning and decorating for the shower. Getting 25 teen girls to keep a secret was quite a task, but they succeeded and the night was tons of fun!

When the guests arrived they each received a safety pin to wear. If they accidently said the word "baby" at any time during the night, someone would claim their pin. This proved to be a funny challenge and Angie Oppido won the prize for the most pins.

Each person was given an "egg baby" to decorate as a boy or girl. They had to nurture and tend to their eggs like a real infant. A person could claim another's egg if they noticed it unattended/neglected. Unfortunatly there were a few cracked eggs as the night went on. Madeline Zapata was the winner with the most "adopted" eggs !

Another popular game was the Baby Food Tasting contest. Emily Laughlin won by identifying the most of six varieties!

Jenna received lots of wonderful gifts for baby, along with a few words of advice collected from each guest. "Take time for yourself", "Remember, babies will dig, so observe safety rules" ( Erin Patterson learned this in FCS class!), "Let them know why they're in time out", and "Remember to almost always hug them" were some of the golden words of wisdom passed on to the mother-to-be!

A special thank you to Emily Biechler for the beautiful cake.

Congratulations to Justin and Jenna. We all look forward to the "Big Day"!

2010-05-04T12:39:00.006-04:00

Check out the video above to hear from some of the students who participated in the 30 Hour Famine and read below about how you can join us in continuing the fast by taking action...

What we’re doing:
From now until the end of June, students from Grace Church are walking, running, jogging, biking, and swimming to help fight human trafficking. They’ve set mileage goals to track over the next 8 weeks, raising awareness with each step taken.

How you can partner with us:
A list of participating students can be found at each bulletin board. Help us provide each student with at least one sponsor. Invite friends/family/co-workers to join in! All donations will go to Love 146, an organization working to end trafficking worldwide.

Love 146 Benefit Concert

More than 250 people turned out, and $1844 raised for the Love 146 concert at the Chameleon Club. The crowd enjoyed great music including Reilly, learned about the issue of trafficking, and supported a great cause.

This week:

Wednesday: National Day of Prayer, Youth Edition

Meet at Grace Church 5:45pm, leave for LBC by 6pm.

We're joining hundreds of students for a night of worship and prayer at Lancaster Bible College. We'll be back to the church around 9pm.

Check out the speakers and worship leaders by visiting the event website: ndpthirty.blogspot.com

Sunday Night: Special Mother's Day Event
6:30-8:30pm at the church
The Guy and Girl Ministries are hosting a special Mother's Day event this Sunday night at SNL. For guys, bring your mother for a night that will include dinner in the gym. For the ladies, bring your mom down to the Youth Room for a special night of activity and conversation.

Sunday Morning: Encounter, 10-11am Youth Room

Parents of Youth Sunday School Class
Don't miss this time of support and fellowship for parents with teensagers in the house! 10-11am in the Albright Room.

Coming Up...

Deeper: Wednesdays 6:30-8pm (In the dungeon!)

May 19-June 9

LOL Day: Garden of Grace, May 15, 9am - ??

Come get dirty! Help this new ministry get started by helping to plant the Grace Garden. The food grown will be donated to organizations and individuals in our area who are in need. Come out to garden (located in the corner field of Grace Church) ready to get dirty!

Phase 6, May 21, 6:30-8:30pm (Gym & Youth Rm)

*Volunteers show up at 6pm

Early Bird Creation Tickets, May 19

What's been going on....

Check out some of the things going on in the ministry! Coming next week will be pictures from our Confirmation Weekend!

SURPRISE BABY SHOWER!!
Sunday April 18, 2010

Another popular game was the Baby Food Tasting contest. Emily Laughlin won by identifying the most of six varieties!

A special thank you to Emily Biechler for the beautiful cake.

Congratulations to Justin and Jenna. We all look forward to the "Big Day"!

2010-04-27T15:29:00.004-04:00

Watch the video above to get a small taste of what nearly 70 students experienced this past weekend at our 30 Hour Famine. We hosted the event here at Grace, which included groups from Millersville Bible Church, Lampeter UMC, and Grace Baptist Lancaster. It was a weekend of great experience, education, service, fun, and fellowship. Come out this Sunday to hear a little more about the weekend when we share in the church services.

This week:
Friday: Disciple
Dinner at the church 6-7pm (Pizza, soda, etc)
Disciple: 7-10pm
We wrap up our Disciple program with a look at the church and the Holy Spirit. It will be a great night of fellowship, extended time for game and activity.

Friday-Saturday: Confirmation Weekend Away
We're wrapping up confirmation with a fun weekend of community. We'll meet with the entire Disciple group until 10pm before doing our own thing for the rest of the weekend:

6-10pm: An extended Disciple including dinner, activities, and fellowship.
10-Midnight: Hang out time before bed
8am - 9am: Breakfast and devotions
9:30am: Leave for Gretna Glen
10:30-12:30: Low ropes course at Gretna Glen*Bring permission slip!
1:30-3:30: Family BBQ at the Evarts

If you have questions about the confirmation weekend, please email Justin.

Saturday May 1, Love 146 Benefit Concert
Doors open at 6pm, music starts at 6:45pm at the Chameleon Club
Come out for the second annual benefit concert with Reilly, Farewell Flight, Josh Albright Band, Chuck Gibson Band, and St. Eloise. The night will be filled with great music and education about the work Love 146 does to stop childhood trafficking and sex slavery. Proceeds from the tickets go to the organization.

We are not meeting to go as a group but I encourage students and parents to come out!

Sunday Morning: Encounter, 10-11am Youth Room
We're looking a little deeper at true fasting as we spend time sharing about the 30 Hour Famine. (A reminder for the Fladelands, George signed up for snack this week!)

Parents of Youth Sunday School Class
Don't miss this time of support and fellowship for parents with teensagers in the house!
10-11am in the Albright Room)

Sunday Night Live, 6:30-8:30pm, Celebration Feast
Come on out for a night of fun, fellowship and food as we gather together around a theme from God's Word.

National Day of Prayer, Youth Edition, May 5

Arrive at Grace BY 6pm, leaving at 6:10 for LBC
The event runs from 6:30-8:30pm, so we'll return around 9pm.
We’re joining with hundreds of other students for a night of communal worship and prayer at Lancaster Bible College. We’ll be carpooling from the church for the event which runs from 6:30-8:30. Check out the speakers and worship leaders by visiting the event website: ndpthirty.blogspot.com

SURPRISE BABY SHOWER!!

Each person was also given an "egg baby" to decorate as a boy or girl. They had to nurture and tend to their eggs like a real infant. A person could claim another's egg if they noticed it unattended or neglected. Unfortunatly there were a few cracked eggs as the night went on. Madeline Zapata was the winner with the most "adopted" eggs !

Another popular game was the Baby Food Tasting contest. Emily Laughlin won by identifying the most of six varieties!

A special thank you to Emily Biechler for the beautiful cake.

Congratulations to Justin and Jenna. We all look forward to the "Big Day"!

2010-04-19T12:54:00.003-04:00

Celebrating Life, Baby Shower and Mother's Day
Last night at Guy-Girl Night, my wife was showered with love, food, gifts, and community as the girls hosted their surprise Baby Shower. It was a great night of fun games, conversation, and joy as we look forward to the birth of Baby Watkins. And for the guys, we looked ahead to our Mother's Day event by creating invitations for our moms to join us for a special night to honor them. It was a great night for both groups, celebrating the gift of life, and appreciating the mothers who make it possible! Pictures will eventually be posted from the shower :)

*Mark your calendars Mom: May 9th
On May 9th, we are still meeting for our Guy-Girl SNL night, but we're inviting the moms out for a special treat. The girls will meet in the Youth Room for a special Mother-Daughter time, while the guys invite their moms to a dinner in the gym for a Mother-Son event. For now, just mark your calendar, 6:30-8:30pm on Mother's Day...more info will come.

Click here to visit our 30 Hour Famine site!
We have 25 students signed up from our group who will be joining 50 more students from Grace Baptist Lancaster ,Millersville Bible Church, and newly joined, Lampeter UMC for a weekend of education, experience, and service. We're raising awareness about poverty and trafficking in our world by going without food for 30 hours. *Students should begin fasting after lunch on Friday*

The weekend includes sleeping outdoors in a cardboard city, presentations from several organizations such as Love 146, Who Cares and Hope Internaional, interactive games, activities, a service project, videos, response stations, and small group time. You'll have to experience it to believe it!

*Students coming should bring:

Permission slip signed and filled out
Duct Tape for their shelter construction
Clothes, toiletries, etc for the weekend, including pillow, sleeping bag, etc.
Clothes to get dirty in on Saturday morning: service project!
DO NOT bring: food, cell phones, other electronic devices (ipods, video games, etc)We need cardboard, cardboard, and more cardboard! If you have any big pieces/boxes or have connections to some, we need as much as we can get.

Event Needs:

Cardboard: We need as much cardboard as we can get, so if you have some, we'll take it!
Chaperones: Whether you're with us the whole time or just part of the weekend, we're inviting adults to join us for our time.
Roaming Guards: We need volunteers to give a couple hours from midnight to 7am to walk the line between the guys and girls section of the cardboard city.
Dinner help for Saturday night: We're closing the event off with a meal and could use some extra hands in the kitchen.

Love 146 Benefit Concert: May 1st

The only fundrasing we're doing BEFORE the Famine is to sell tickets for the May 1st concert at the Chameleon Club, featuring Reilly, Farewell Flight, Josh Albright Band, Chuck Gibson and St. Elouise. Below you can check out the headlining band Reilly. Doors open at 6pm, music starts at 6:45. ALL proceeds benefit Love 146, an organization fighting trafficking. Click here to visit their website. We are trying to sell 50 tickets as a group...So you're invited to join us for a night of music while also learning about the issue of trafficking...And then hey, help us spread the word and be apart of this great opportunity. Tickets are $10 in advance and can be purchased from Justin.

REILLY - Sunlight (HD) from Reilly on Vimeo.

This week:
Thursday: Disciple
Dinner at HOP 6-6:45, Disciple 7-8:30pm in Youth Room
We continue our look at God's Love Story by looking at "being the church". We welcome Pastor John Laughlin in to lead our LAST Thursday night Disciple.

*We will meet for one last Disciple on Friday April 30th, from 6-10pm to look at the Holy Spirit. Check out what we've been doing, visit our Disciple blog page!

Friday-Saturday: 30 Hour Famine
5pm: arrive, register, start building your cardboard shelter!
7pm: We'll gather to welcome everyone and kick off our event together.
*Event is over at 7pm Saturday. Parents are invited to join us at 6:30pm to hear about our weekend.*

Sunday Morning: Encounter, 10-11am Youth Room
We're looking a little deeper at true fasting as we spend time sharing about the 30 Hour Famine. (A reminder for the Fladelands, George signed up for snack this week!)

Parents of Youth Sunday School Class
Don't miss this time of support and fellowship for parents with teensagers in the house!
10-11am in the Albright Room)

Sunday Night Live, 6:30-8:30pm
Come on out for a night of fun, fellowship and food as we gather together around a theme from God's Word.

Looking Ahead...

May 2nd @ SNL is a Celebration Feast
May 5th: National Day of Prayer Youth Edition at LBC: Follow the video blog posts of the worship leaders and speaker, Ben Murray (From the fall retreat!)
Barnstormer Games: We are looking for 30 volunteers (ages 16 and older) to run a base-side concession stand for each of the games listed below. You will be teamed up with another volunteer from the church to serve customers by bringing them their order or running a cash register. Training is provided, no special skills required!

9% of the profits we make that night are donated to the Grace Youth Group!!
Dates: June 19, July 10, July 26, Aug 21, Sep 3, Sep 17

2010-04-12T13:54:00.004-04:00

What to do with "The Day of Silence"
This Friday middle, high, and college students across the country will participate in the Day of Silence. Students take vows of silence in an effort to encourage their schools and peers to address the problem of anti- lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, and transgender behavior. You and your child may have questions about what the event is and most importantly, how are Christ-followers called to respond.
Please click on this link for a great resource from CPYU.
Have a conversation with your kids about the day, and feel free to give me a call/email for further discussion.

This year we're partnering with Grace Baptist Lancaster and Millersville Bible Church for a weekend of education, experience, and service. We're raising awareness about poverty and trafficking in our world by going without food for 30 hours.

Click here to visit our very own 30 Hour Famine site!

Needed for faminie:

Students coming should bring a role of duct tape and supplies for gardening/cleaning Saturday morning. We're looking for wheel barrows, rakes, shovels, gloves, etc...If your interested in helping with our service project that morning, please email Justin.
We need cardboard, cardboard, and more cardboard! If you have any big pieces/boxes or have connections to some, we need as much as we can get.
Chaperones: Whether you're with us the whole time or just part of the weekend, we're inviting adults to join us for our time.
Roaming Guards: We need volunteers to give a couple hours from midnight to 7am to walk the line between the guys and girls section of the cardboard city.

Love 146 Benefit Concert: May 1st

REILLY - Sunlight (HD) from Reilly on Vimeo.

This week:
Thursday: Disciple
Dinner at HOP 6-6:45, Disciple 7-8:30pm in Youth Room)

We continue our look at God's Love Story by looking at the life of Jesus. Come join us for this time of dynamic teaching and small group interaction! We have two more Thursday meetings left, so don't miss it!
Check out what we've been doing, visit our Disciple blog page!

Sunday Morning: Encounter, 10-11am Youth Room

We continue our study of the Sermon on the Mount through small groups.
A reminder for the Keperlings...Maegan has signed up for snacks! :)

Parents of Youth Sunday School Class
Don't miss this time of support and fellowship for parents with teensagers in the house!
(10-11am in the Albright Room)

Sunday Night: Guy-Girl Night, 6:30-8:30pm
Girls have a great night planned for them down in the Youth Room while the guys will be hanging outdoors (weather permitting) for some games and discussion about our mothers!

Philly Trip Meeting, 11:15am in Youth Room
Our group is returning to Philadelphia this summer, August 7-14 to learn about God's Kingdom and what He calls from us to respond to suffering in the world. Students AND adults interested should join us for a short time of information.

2010-04-05T14:46:00.008-04:00

If we have been united with Christ in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with,that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
(Romans 6:5-7, 2 Corinthians 5:17)

We celebrate the sacrifice and resurrection of Christ and that truth sets us free to live lives that are transformed into something new and beautiful through Him. Are you living awake to that truth? God wants us to come alive for we have been set free through Christ's love!

T h i s  W e e k:

Thursday: Disciple

(Dinner at HOP 6-6:45, Disciple 7-8:30pm in Youth Room)

We continue our look at God's Love Story by looking at the life of Jesus. Come join us for this time of dynamic teaching and small group interaction! Check out what we've been doing so far by visiting our Disciple blog page!

Sunday Morning: Encounter

(Jr and Sr High, 10-11am in the Youth Room)

We're going through the Sermon on the Mount and will be looking at Matthew 5:38-42
Parents of Youth Sunday School Class
(10-11am in the Albright Room)

Sunday Night: One Worship

(Meet at Millersville Bible Church, 6:30-8:30pm)

Join with other youth groups for a time of worship and fellowship. The church is located at 1940 New Danville Pike.

I want to thank a number of people who've been a huge help the past week. From making eggs to setting up for our Summer Preview to helping with the Maundy Thursday Service, you have been absolutely essential to the ministry God is doing through the Grace Youth Group. I couldn't thank you enough!! And please forgive me if I miss anyone's name...In no particular order...

Bert Stoltfus (The Queen of the Kitchen), Becca Strock, Paul, Julie and Meghan McMurtrie, Maegan Keperling, Elisa Ott, Emily Laughlin, Megan Laughlin, Ryan Tremblay, Kim Hatch, Matt Hatch, Heather and Steven Morris, Erin Patterson, Dennis Keperling, Chad Busswood, Skyler Busswood, Bonnie & Anthony DiSciullo, Joy and Rachel Olcott, Melinda Shao, Jenna Watkins, Carole Jennings, Brandon Glover

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!

Easter Egg Sales

We've got just a few chocolate eggs remaining so if you didn't get any, send me an email before they're all gone! We're still collecting $ but we're hoping to have made about $300 for the youth ministry. Thanks to you who helped by making and buying!

Looking Ahead...

Saturday April 17: 3 on 3 Co-Ed Basketball Tournament
Get your team signed up soon! We'll meet at CBC in Marietta, cost is $5 and tourney runs from 11am-5pm
Sunday April 18: Summer Service Trip Meeting
This meeting is for both students and adults who are interested in joining us August 7-14 on our service trip to Philadelphia. We'll meet at 11:15 in the Youth Room.
Sunday April 18: Guy Girl Night at SNL
We're splitting into guys and girls for a great night of fellowship
Friday April 23-24: 30 Hour Famine
Learn about global and local suffering by taking part in this one of a kind experience. You're asked to stop eating at noon Friday until 6pm Saturday night. Click here to visit our very own 30 Hour Famine website to learn more.
Sunday April 25: SNL Theme TBD
Friday April 30-May 1: Confirmation Weekend Away

2010-03-30T12:43:00.005-04:00

At the beginning of this week, we celebrated Palm Sunday: The crowds gathered around Jesus in praise and adoration as He entered Jerusalem to celebrate the Jewish Passover. They praised God for who He is and what He has done, shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"

The word "Hosanna" means "Save us" as the people expected a warrior king to over throw the Roman Empire. But the path Jesus took was not what anyone expected. Just as the Passover remembers God's saving power through the blood of the lamb, Jesus was to save all of humanity through His own sacrifice on the cross.

Join us this Thursday...
Maundy Thursday Service, 7-8pm (Sanctuary)
Come and reflect on the sacrifice of Christ in this powerful experience. This is not designed to be simply a youth event, but is open to the entire congregation and community.

Passion of the Christ, 8:30-10:30pm (Sanctuary)
Following the service, we will offer a showing of the PASSION OF THE CHRIST from 8:30-10:30pm. This is an intense look at the suffering Christ endured leading up to and during His death on the cross. Whether we view the R-rated version (for graphic violence) or the unrated, re-cut version (some scenes of violence removed) it is not intended for the faint of heart. Students under 18 should not attend without permission from their parents.

Sunday Program

We ARE meeting for Encounter to celebrate Easter, 10-11am in Youth Room.
There will be NO SNL held Sunday night.

Easter Eggs
We are still trying to finish all the orders and will be meeting Tuesday and Thursday of this week to finish making them. ANYONE who is able to help us out will be GREATLY appreciated. If you have orders that you would like to pick up earlier than Sunday, please call Justin to make sure we can accomodate you. Otherwise, orders can be picked up Sunday morning in the church work room.

2010-03-22T15:23:00.004-04:00

Above is the Philly promo video we showed in church on March 14th. Yes, the opportunity to order chocolate eggs is finished, but you can still support our trip by helping make eggs on March 28-31, joining our team this summer (info meeting for adults and students is April 18), or volunteer at a Barnstormer game this summer.

I was away all of last week facilitating a college spring break service trip with Christian Endeavor. It was a great week of connecting with Messiah and LBC students through conversation and serving alongside them. We saw great progress as we worked on an office building that will be the HQ for an organization equipping young people in West VA with skills and education.

Going on this week...
Disciple (Thursdays 6:30-8:30pm)
Click here to see what we've been studying so far.
Dinner will be served ($3 donation) from 6:30-7pm in the gym, followed by our Disciple gathering in the Youth Room from 7-8:30pm

Messiah Youth Conference (Saturday 7am - 5:30pm)
Those who have signed up should arrive to Grace at 7am so we can head up to Messiah College for this great day of worship, workshops and fellowship. Click here to visit the event's website.

Sunday Morning Program (Sunday 10-11am)
Encounter: For students in 7-12th grade. We'll be looking at Palm Sunday
Bringing snacks for March 28: Madeline Zapata
Bringing snacks for April 4: Cole Bigelow

Easter Egg Making (Sunday 12:30-5pm)
Bring a packed lunch or $ to order pizza/Chinese food as we meet in the church kitchen to make over a 1000 eggs for this year's sale that benefits the summer service trip! We will be making eggs after school until 5/5:30 from Monday-Wednesday as necessary. If you ordered, please pick them up on Sunday April 4th in the workroom by the sanctuary, OR arrange to pick them up earlier by contacting Justin Watkins. (jw1273@gmail.com)

Dance (Sunday 5:15-6:30pm)

SNL Summer 2010 Preview (Sunday 6:30-8:30pm)
Come out for a night of fun and dreaming about warm weather as we look ahead to the 2010 summer events and activities for Grace Youth Group!

Coming soon....
Maundy Thursday Service, Thurs April 1, 7-8pm
Passion of the Christ, 8:30-10:30pm)
Come and reflect on the sacrifice of Christ in this powerful experience. This is not designed as a youth event, but is open to anyone interested. Following the service, we will offer a showing of the PASSION OF THE CHRIST from 8:30-10:30pm. Students under the age of 18 will need to have signed permission.

There will be no SNL held on April 4th, Easter Sunday.

Click here to read about and view pix from our tournament!

2010-01-18T14:19:00.054-05:00

We had an awesome weekend at the Pure Conference. We joined with over a 100 students from local youth ministries to dig into God's holistic view of purity. Through worship, workshops and reflection, we had some deep processing of our soul, heart, mind, and actions...looking at how each level of who we are impacts the rest of us. Sunday morning we continued our weekend by bringing the same content to Encounter. We split the Jr and Sr High into separate groups then broke them down into smaller group to wrestle with questions and Scripture. God's call to purity is not simply "Don't have sex before you're married"...It starts first with our relationship to Him at our soul level, filters into the desires of our heart, translates into filling our mind with His truth...and then is ultimately evidenced by our actions.

All Night Bowling: Friday March 12^th

Meet at Garden Spot Bowl from 11:45pm – 6am ($16)

Oh yeah, it’s back…all night bowling! This event is for both Jr and Sr Highers this time and you’re invited to spend the entire night glow bowling, snacking out, and listening to great music. Will you be able to make it through the WHOLE night??

Fun Friday: Friday Mar 19^th
(6:30-9:30pm)

The entire Grace Church family is invited out for a night of fellowship and fun focused on the winter Olympic games. Meet in the gym!

LOL DAY, Live Out Love: Sat Mar 20^th
(1pm-4pm)

We show the love of Christ by serving the needs of others. Come join us as we look to connect with a couple local retirement centers, giving of our time and presence to those who deserve it. (Meet at church)

Messiah Youth Conference: Mar 27^th
(7am-5:30pm)

This conference offers great worship, workshops and resources to help you as a student leader grow in Christ. Click here to see the workshops for adults, click here for students.
Cost: $25 for students, $45 for adults.

Chocolate Eggs Sale

Staring March 7^th we’re selling peanut butter, coconut, mint and butter cream eggs to raise money for our summer service trip. Deadline for orders are March 21^st and then we need help making them! Come out March 28-31 to make these delicious treats in the church kitchen! Order forms found at Youth Bulletin Board.

Dance: Sundays 5:15-6:30
Mar 21 and 28
Sara Habecker teaches girls how to express worship to God through the creative art of dance. Expert or beginner, you’re invited to grow! Meet in the gym.

Encounter: Sundays 10-11am (Youth Room) Connect everyday into the presence of Christ by exploring what it means to follow Him. We're looking at the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5-7 in small groups and are hopeful about starting a Jr High class in the next month! Small breakfast snacks provided.

Parents of Youth Class: Sundays 10-11am
Come find the fellowship and support of other parents of teenagers with this Sunday school class lead by the Skellys. The class meets adjacent to the Youth Room in the Albright Room.

Disciple: Thursdays 6:30-8:30

This dynamic 12 week look at the Bible can’t be missed! Meet in the gym for dinner at 6:30 ($3 suggested donation) before diving into the story of God like never before. Dynamic teaching, small groups and activities allow you to wrestle with your questions about the basic elements of the Christian faith. *We've opened it up to ALL students 7-12th grade*

Sunday Night Live: Sundays 6:30-8:30pm (Gym)
SNL is a great way to wrap up your weekend and kick start your school week with fun and fellowship that centers on God’s truth.
Themes in March:
March 14: Board Game Night
March 21: Guy-Girl Night
March 28: Summer 2010 Preview

Click here to read about past youth events!

2009-12-20T22:12:00.014-05:00

FREEZE!
It certainly is a winter wonderland, and I for one, am absolutely loving it! After my first two winters in PA being complete duds, this one holds some promise! Unfortunately, the temperature wasn't the only thing to freeze this weekend as we canceled our Outreach, Sunday morning program, AND our Christmas Party :( No worries, it's Christmas and there's snow on the ground!! or those missed Crazy Bingo, bring your wrapped gifts out to our New Year's Lock In!!

I ask for traveling mercies this weekend as my dad and three younger brothers drive out to Chicago to see the Bulls and Bears play...
And wouldn't you know it? Snow in the forecast...

Parent Meeting!!
Sun Jan. 10th, 6:30-8pm
Please please please mark this on your calendar, the time should avoid playoff football and your teens will be cared for upstairs. Meet in the Youth Room to discuss January-March calendars, address needs/questions and take a look towards summer events.

Confirmation 2010:
Sign up by January 24th
If your child has completed 7th grade and is interested in becoming confirmed in the United Methodist church, email Justin or sign up at the Youth Bulletin board. Confirmation is a 3 month period of exploring one's faith through our dynamic Disciple program and various family events. At the end of the 3 months, your teen can make the decision to express their faith commitment and choose to join Grace Church. For more information, please contact Justin.

Family Luncheon: January 24th, 12:15-2pm
2010 Class recognized in Souljourn service: Jan 24th? (TBD)
Disciple Program begins: February 4th

Deeper Bible Study: Thurs 6:30-8:30pm
*Starting back up again January 7th
Get deep into God’s Truth by studying it with others. We start a series looking at topics submitted by students, studying Scripture for truth to apply to our lives. *Note time change in January: 6:30-8:30

Encounter,
Sundays 10am-11am in Youth Room
Connect everyday into the presence of Christ by exploring what it means to follow Him. We do this through small groups, video clips, discussion and reflection on Scripture. Small breakfast snacks provided.

New Year Lock In
Jan 1, 10pm-7am
It’s our third annual New Year Lock In and this is going to be the best one yet as we will be getting outside the church throughout the night for some extra fun activities like bowling! *And yes, please note that it is on New Year's DAY not New Year's EVE.

Cost is $15, please sign up at the Youth Bulletin Board
We are bowling at Leisure Lanes late at
Bring two wrapped Christmas gifts (No more than $5 in value each) for our Crazy Bingo game!
Also, we welcome the band Ends Illuminate: Check them out!

Click here to read about past youth events!

2009-12-15T16:21:00.021-05:00

Our trip to Florida was a great time of relaxation and of course, wans't long enough! We didn't have great weather (on Friday it was in the high 40s-low 50s) but we were able to connect with a number of friends, spend a day at Disney, chill out, and even caught a Cirque du Soleil show. But my favorite part (besides spending alone time with my wifey) of the week occurred Thursday when I felt the baby kick! It was such an incredible joy and yes, I began crying like a baby. It may take some time to get back into the swing of things, and the holidays are always hectic, but like my highlight from vacation, relationships are still the most important thing to focus on during all the craziness...

Christmas Candy
I will soon be able to determine the top three sellers (who will receive a lovely prize for their efforts). We did not sell enough to totally cover costs and distribute rewards for helping out in the kitchen, I can offer those helpers a $10 coupon to use for youth events. Those who sold candy will still receive the money they earned to be used for any youth event/retreat/trip. Thank you to everyone for your hard work!

Parent Meeting!!
Sun Jan. 10th, 6:30-8pm
Please please please mark this on your calendar, the time should avoid playoff football and your teens will be cared for upstairs. Meet in the Youth Room to discuss January-March calendars, address needs/questions and take a look towards summer events.

Deeper Bible Study: Thursday 6-8pm
Get deep into God’s Truth by studying it with others. We start a series looking at topics submitted by students, studying Scripture for truth to apply to our lives. *We will take a two week break on the 24th and 31st, but will be back again in January at a new time of 6:30-8:30.

Brereton Manor Outreach
This Saturday, Dec 19th, 1-4:30pm

There’s no better way to celebrate God’s gift of Christ than by giving to others. This year we’re spending time with residents at Brereton Retirement center, playing games and building relationships with them. We'll return to the church to do a couple projects around the Youth Room/office and finish by watching THE NATIVITY STORY with hot chocolate and popcorn. Meet at the church.

Christmas Party!
This Sunday 6:30-8:30pm

Our annual Christmas party always includes music, games, and food! Bring 2 wrapped gifts (under $5 each) for our Crazy Bingo game!

* Please note: we'll not meet for Sunday Night Live on December 27.

Encounter,
Sundays 10am-11am in Youth Room
Connect everyday into the presence of Christ by exploring what it means to follow Him. We do this through small groups, video clips, discussion and reflection on Scripture. Small breakfast snacks provided.

This past week we learned about the prison system, remember our need for humility, grace and compassion even for inmates. Recall Jesus' words in Matthew 25 that calls for us to visit the prisoner and treat him as if we were meeting with Jesus. Thank you to Paul Commero for sharing his experience of prison ministry. Sunday night we made 143 cards to be delivered to inmates through the Justice&Mercy organization.

New Year Lock In
Jan 1, 10pm-7am

It’s our third annual New Year Lock In and this is going to be the best one yet as we will be getting outside the church throughout the night for some extra fun activities like bowling! *And yes, please note that it is on New Year's DAY not New Year's EVE.

Cost is $15, please sign up at the Youth Bulletin Board...We're still looking for adult help, ESPECIALLY SOME LADY CHAPERONES!

2009-11-30T15:57:00.012-05:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with all the essential F's: Family, friends, food, football and falling fast asleep :) Yesterday morning we spent our time focusing on giving thanks for all the wonderful blessings God has given us. I pray that you are constantly humbled by the gifts He provides on a daily basis: air, food, health, family...everything is a gift!

And I thank God for the gift of not sleeping Friday night but rather piling on 14 games of bowling at our Jr High All Night Bowling! Click here to read about and see pictures from Encounter, the Fall Retreat and the All Night Bowling. Jenna and I will be heading to Orlando, Florida from Monday December 7th through Saturday December 12th so we are both very happy for the upcoming rest and relaxation as we celebrate our 2 year anniversary and the upcoming addition to the family!

I imagine many families were away for the long weekend but we had a great group for SNL as we looked at favoritism and discrimination. We made a list of the ways people are favored or discriminated against (height, race, weight, personality, group of friends, intelligence, religion, athletic ability, money, job, what you clothes you wear, etc) and had a great discussion about how each teen had been victim and villian in the area of discrimination. We then watched the social experiment clip called "Shopping While Black" which you can watch yourself by clicking on this link. We finished our time by exploring God's truth in James 2:1-10 in which we are called to love everyone equally and not favor or discriminate. A powerful reminder to us all.

There is no candy making tomorrow: We finished it up today and now we're encouraging your teens to sell! Sell! SELL! This Sunday is the order deadline and we will pack up the orders on December 13th for pick up.

Deeper Bible Study starts up this Thursday from 6-8pm in the Youth Room. *Please note that dinner is no longer being provided as Alpha is no longer meeting. I will send an email out about whether we will meet Thursday the 10th due to my being on vacation.

Dance Practice this Sunday 5:15-6:30pm in the gym

Sunday Night Live: Sundays 6:30-8:30pm
SNL is a great way to wrap up your weekend and kick start your school week with fun and fellowship that centers on God’s truth.

December 6: Guy-Girl Night
We split guys/girls to understand God's call to young men and women for Him

December 13: Caroling Outreach
We’re going to visit a nearby neighborhood to sing Christmas carols and pass out cookies. Each teen is asked to bring a dozen cookies to pass out! This is a FAMILY EVENT so please join your teen for this great outreach. *Please email Justin if you're planning to come with!

December 20: Christmas Partay!
Our annual Christmas party always includes music, games, and food! Bring 2 wrapped gifts (under $5 each) for our Crazy Bingo game!

December 27: No SNL

Encounter, Sundays 10am-11am in the Youth Room

Connect everyday into the presence of Christ by exploring what it means to follow Him. We do this through small groups, video clips, discussion and reflection on Scripture. Small breakfast snacks provided.

Deeper Bible Study: Thursdays 6-8pm

Get deep into God’s Truth by studying it with others. We start a series looking at topics submitted by students, studying Scripture for truth to apply to our lives.

Outreach + Nativity Story, Dec 19th, 1-4:30pm
There’s no better way to celebrate God’s gift of Christ than by giving to others. This year we’re spending time with residents at Brereton Retirement center, playing games and building relationships with them. We’ll return to the church to watch THE NATIVITY STORY with hot chocolate and popcorn.
*We're looking for adults to help us with this event and ask teens to sign up for this.

New Year Lock In: Jan 1, 10pm-7am
It’s our third annual New Year Lock In and this is going to be the best one yet as we will be getting outside the church throughout the night for some extra fun activities like bowling!

Cost is $15, please sign up at the Youth Bulletin Board

2009-11-23T12:53:00.001-05:00

Christmas Candy Sales:
Money seems to get shorter and shorter these days and we never want the cost of events to keep any teen from participating. This Christmas, the youth group is making and selling Christmas candy, and the majority of the proceeds will go directly back to you!! A fund will be set up in your child's name that can be drawn from just like a debit account to be used for ANY youth group event, retreat, or program. But we can't sell if we don't make, and we can't make a whole lot if we don't sell...So it's time to start cracking!

Candy Making Dates: Mon-Tue Nov 23 & 24 (after school til 5:15) Sunday Nov 29 (12:30-5:30) and Mon-Tue Nov 30 & Dec 1st (after school til 5:15). Order forms can be found in the Parent Email or at the Youth Bulletin board.

DANCE! Sunday November 29th, 5:15-6:30pm
Yes it's back! Sara Habecker, one of our Girls Night Mentors, is taking on another exciting time of dance for girls who are interested. Each dance practice includes time of fellowship and small group sharing in addition to learning to worship God through the art of dance. The first time to get together will be Sunday November 29th, meet in the gym.

December Preview:
The Dream Team volunteer staff worked on our December calendar and it will be out soon. Highlights: Guy Girl Night (Dec 6), Christmas Caroling Outreach (Dec 13), our annual Christmas Party (Dec 20th), service project (TBD), and our always popular New Years Lock In on Friday January 1st.

Jr High All Night Bowling: November 27th, 11:45pm-6am
That's right, all night bowling with middle schoolers! We're meeting at Garden Spot Bowling in Strasburg for a night of snacks, bowling, games and great Christian music. Cost is $16 and includes unlimited bowling, snacks, and billiards!

2009-11-16T12:45:00.006-05:00

Guys Girls Night
We had our second Guys-Girls Night of the year and it was a great one! The guys started off the night with a dodgeball tournament (in which the adult team only won one game) before breaking into small groups of 3-5 guys. We have a great group of male mentors who will be meeting with their small groups to provide encouragement, support, and challenge of being men of God. Thank you to our mentors: Brandon Glover, Chad Busswood, Matt Kneisley, Dennis Keperling, and Kevin Davis. (Mike Wilson will also participate in the mentoring groups) Last night was the first time we broke into our groups and they spent time getting to know one another.

As for the ladies, they met around the topic of inner beauty, and God's value for each one of them. They continued their strong small group program with Sara Habecker, Jenna Watkins, Deb Burkhardt, Meg Zapata and Becca Strock, each meeting to strengthen the teen girls in our group to seek God's identity and purpose as young women of God. They watched a couple of video clips, had discussion and small group time in the environment of a sweet smelling (yay for candles and beauty products!) youth room.

Our next Guys-Girls Night is December 6th.

Christmas Candy Sales:
Money seems to get shorter and shorter these days and we never want the cost of events to keep any teen from participating. This Christmas, the youth group is making and selling Christmas candy, and the majority of the proceeds will go directly back to you!! A fund will be set up in your child's name that can be drawn from just like a debit account to be used for ANY youth group event, retreat, or program. But we can't sell if we don't make, and we can't make a whole lot if we don't sell...So it's time to start cracking!

Candy Making Dates: Mon-Tue Nov 23 & 24 (after school til 5:15) Sunday Nov 29 (12:30-5:30) and Mon-Tue Nov 30 & Dec 1st (after school til 5:15). Order forms can be found in the Parent Email or at the Youth Bulletin board.

DANCE! Sunday November 29th, 5:15-6:30pm
Yes it's back! Sara Habecker, one of our Girls Night Mentors, is taking on another exciting time of dance for girls who are interested. Each dance practice includes time of fellowship and small group sharing in addition to learning to worship God through the art of dance. The first time to get together will be Sunday November 29th, meet in the gym.

December Preview:
The Dream Team volunteer staff worked on our December calendar and it will be out soon. Highlights: Guy Girl Night (Dec 6), Christmas Caroling Outreach (Dec 13), our annual Christmas Party (Dec 20th), service project (TBD), and our always popular New Years Lock In on Friday January 1st.

Fall Retreat: November 20-22nd
Our theme of the weekend is "Disciple" as we seek to understand what it means to live for Christ. The weekend is an incredible opportunity for your teen to take a break from their busy lives and care for their souls as we have great worship, community, rest, reflection, and fun. The weekend is an awesome chance to evaluate where the heart is and how to move towards Jesus. The cost for the retreat is $95.

Jr High All Night Bowling: November 27th, 11:45pm-6am
That's right, all night bowling with middle schoolers! We're meeting at Garden Spot Bowling in Strasburg for a night of snacks, bowling, games and great Christian music. Cost is $16 and includes unlimited bowling, snacks, and billiards!

2009-11-09T13:39:00.007-05:00

Our Peach Baby...
I'm sorry for all of you who are finding out this news via the blogsite, but we announced yesterday in church the super awesome, fantastic, life-changing news that we're expecting our first child on May 14th! To the left you can see the size of our child at 13 weeks. We are so thrilled and excited for this blessing. Thank you for all the support you have been and will continue to be through these next few months, as well as for our family as it expands! :)

One Worship: From Consuming to Participating
It was more packed than our normal meetings, but the mood was very intimate as 4 local youth groups joined our group in the Youth Room last night for One Worship. (Due to the nature of our night, each group brought a smaller number of students, so don't worry, fire code was obeyed!)

The night was unlike anything they had experienced, and my guess, anything you've experienced. The powerpoint "led" or "prompted" the entire evening. There was no adult leader who got up and introduced the night or gave instruction: All the instruction was on the screen and every component of the night required students to step up and participate. For example, it asked 3 or 4 students to share a verse that centered our thoughts on Christ, or if anyone had an Ipod to come plug it in and share a song that directed our thoughts to God, or for examples of where God was moving...It was painfully awkward at times as kids sat staring at one another in silence, but as the evening progressed, participation improved. We even had two students get up and lead a couple worship songs. It was a beautiful time of community in which the students were challenged to participate, rather than simply consume.

What does your church experience look like? Are you simply taking it all in, or are you getting involved in the building up of the Body by using your time, talents, passions and personality to give to the community? Hm....Good question!

CLICK HERE TO READ FOR A RECAP AND PIX FROM OUR DODGEBALL TOURNAMENT!

Christmas Candy Sales:
Money seems to get shorter and shorter these days and we never want the cost of events to keep any teen from participating. This Christmas, the youth group is making and selling Christmas candy, and the majority of the proceeds will go directly back to you!! A fund will be set up in your child's name that can be drawn from just like a debit account to be used for ANY youth group event, retreat, or program. But we can't sell if we don't make, and we can't make a whole lot if we don't sell...So it's time to start cracking!

Candy Making Dates: Mon-Tue Nov 23 & 24 (after school til 5:15) Sunday Nov 29 (12:30-5:30) and Mon-Tue Nov 30 & Dec 1st (after school til 5:15). Order forms can be found in the Parent Email or at the Youth Bulletin board.

December Preview:
The Dream Team volunteer staff worked on our December calendar and it will be out soon. Highlights: Guy Girl Night (Dec 6), Christmas Caroling Outreach (Dec 13), our annual Christmas Party (Dec 20th), service project (TBD), and our always popular New Years Lock In on Friday January 1st.

Guy-Girl Night (Sunday November 15th, 6:30-8:30pm)
The guys will meet up in the gym for a time of competitive game before breaking into small groups in order to focus on what it means to be a man of God. Girls will meet in the youth room for activity, discussion and small group time to seek God's call for them as young women of God.

Fall Retreat: November 20-22nd
Our theme of the weekend is "Disciple" as we seek to understand what it means to live for Christ. The weekend is an incredible opportunity for your teen to take a break from their busy lives and care for their souls as we have great worship, community, rest, reflection, and fun. The weekend is an awesome chance to evaluate where the heart is and how to move towards Jesus. The cost for the retreat is $95.

Jr High All Night Bowling: November 27th, 11:45pm-6am
That's right, all night bowling with middle schoolers! We're meeting at Garden Spot Bowling in Strasburg for a night of snacks, bowling, games and great Christian music. Cost is $16 and includes unlimited bowling, snacks, and billiards!

2009-11-03T09:15:00.018-05:00

Powerhouse or Fading Glory?
We participated in our 4th Dodgeball Tournament this past Sunday, which was hosted at Camp Hill UMC. A team of 23 teens, 2 adults (myself and Jerry Bigelow) set out in a field of 13 other Youth Group teams from central PA, with the support of a number of awesome teen and adult supporters. We played on two courts: the upper court was a FULL SIZE (at least twice the size of our "gym") gymnasium court, while the other was this cramped fellowship hall, which is slightly longer and wider than our youth room. First a recap of our previous tournaments...

Spring '08: 2nd Place In our very first tournament, hosted at Messiah College, we lost in an intense championship game that came down to 5 on 5 before we lost our momentum, and the game...
Fall '08: 1st Place Hosted at Camp Hill UMC, our team was untouchable as we coasted through the tournament without a single loss to become the champions.
Spring '09: 3rd Place With a couple hiccups earlier in the day, we needed to beat the top seed in the final game of the regular tournament to make the 4 team playoffs...And we did with great ease! Sadly, our game used the full 15 minute limit, and on a day that had already been short on time, the decision was made to cut the playoff and go straight into the championship game. It was widely accepted that we would have won the title if playoffs had been held.

We were without a doubt one of the favorites to win it, so the question is...Would we be a Powerhouse of Power and win our second championship, or had our time at the top begun to fade?

CLICK HERE TO READ A DETAILED RECAP AND VIEW PICTURES FROM OUR TOURNAMENT!

Christmas Candy Sales:
Money seems to get shorter and shorter these days and we never want the cost of events to keep any teen from participating. This Christmas, the youth group is making and selling Christmas candy, and the majority of the proceeds will go directly back to you!! A fund will be set up in your child's name that can be drawn from just like a debit account to be used for ANY youth group event, retreat, or program. But we can't sell if we don't make, and we can't make a whole lot if we don't sell...So it's time to start cracking!

Candy Making Dates: Mon-Tue Nov 23 & 24 (after school til 5:15) Sunday Nov 29 (12:30-5:30) and Mon-Tue Nov 30 & Dec 1st (after school til 5:15). Order forms can be found in the Parent Email or at the Youth Bulletin board.

December Preview: The Dream Team volunteer staff worked on our December calendar and it will be out soon. Highlights: Guy Girl Night (Dec 6), Christmas Caroling Outreach (Dec 13), our annual Christmas Party (Dec 20th), service project (TBD), and our always popular New Years Lock In on Friday January 1st.

One Worship (This Sunday, 6-8pm)
Join other area youth groups for a time of community, prayer, and worship as we come together as a family of believers to praise God and seek His purpose in our lives.

Guy-Girl Night (Sunday November 15th, 6:30-8:30pm)
The guys will meet up in the gym for a time of competitive game before breaking into small groups in order to focus on what it means to be a man of God. Girls will meet in the youth room for activity, discussion and small group time to seek God's call for them as young women of God.

Fall Retreat: November 20-22nd
Our theme of the weekend is "Disciple" as we seek to understand what it means to live for Christ. The weekend is an incredible opportunity for your teen to take a break from their busy lives and care for their souls as we have great worship, community, rest, reflection, and fun. The weekend is an awesome chance to evaluate where the heart is and how to move towards Jesus.

The cost for the retreat is $95.

Jr High All Night Bowling: November 27th, 11:45pm-6am
That's right, all night bowling with middle schoolers! We're meeting at Garden Spot Bowling in Strasburg for a night of snacks, bowling, games and great Christian music. Cost is $16 and includes unlimited bowling, snacks, and billiards!

A Busy, but Awesome Weekend

2009-10-20T10:25:00.011-04:00

I won't lie to you, this past weekend was a long one for me: I was busy finalizing plans for our luncheon, picking my brother up from college so he could join the Philly team, Sr High Night Games, the Luncheon itself, youth group, YIKES...But it was awesome!

Sadly we canceled our last 5th Quarter of the year due to the downpour on Friday night but congrats to the team for pushing through the weather for another win! Our Night Games had to adapt our plans as well as we packed out the Youth Room with snacks, games, and a showing of REMEMBER THE TITANS. It was a great time to relax and have fun.

And the highlight of the weekend was our Kingdom Luncheon in which we were able to not only talk about our time in Philly, but hopefully create an experience of learning about the issues we wrestled with during our time. Guests were randomly assigned economic roles for the lunch that determined how much food they could get as well the quality of their seats. The purpose was to illustrate the disparity between the rich and poor in an attempt to have guests consider the situations of others on a more personal level.

The rest of our lunch was filled with pictures, stories, Scripture and information about the issues of poverty, healthcare, welfare, and injustice. We thank all our guests for taking part in what we hope is not just a time of sharing about our trip, but a challenge to re-think how we live our lives in relationship to those in need. We have been deeply loved and called to do the same.

Dodgeball Tournament: Sunday November 1st, 12:30-8pm
*There is NO Sunday Night Live this week as a result
We return to Camp Hill UMC to re-claim our championship title. There are no more open spots. Permission slips MUST be turned in before we leave on that Sunday along with the $10. Food is sold throughout the day but feel free to pack your lunch and dinner.

Please email Justin if you're interested in driving and include how many spots in your vehicle are open.

Fall Retreat: November 20-22nd
Our theme of the weekend is "Disciple" as we seek to understand what it means to live for Christ. The weekend is an incredible opportunity for your teen to take a break from their busy lives and care for their souls as we have great worship, community, rest, reflection, and fun. The weekend is an awesome chance to evaluate where the heart is and how to move towards Jesus.

The cost for the retreat is $95.

Jr High All Night Bowling: November 27th, 11:45pm-6am
That's right, all night bowling with middle schoolers! We're meeting at Garden Spot Bowling in Strasburg for a night of snacks, bowling, games and great Christian music. Cost is $16 and includes unlimited bowling, snacks, and billiards!

Love and Marriage...Love and Marriage...

2009-10-11T22:38:00.010-04:00

This past weekend, Jenna and I traveled to Pittsburgh to see good friends of mine get hitched. It was a lovely weekend and a tremendous celebration. And it seems anytime we go to a wedding, we are reminded of our own commitment to one another. This past Thursday night at Deeper we focused on Matthew 5:27-32, spending over an hour talking about marriage, love, lust and divorce.

It's no secret that the divorce rate in our country hovers around or above 50%, but what should surprise us is that the divorce rate within the church is at the same %. Divorce is a painful divergence from God's intended plan. We looked at Genesis 2:18-24, Ephesians 5:22-33, and 1 Corinthians 7:1-5 to gain a deeper understanding of the purpose, mystery, and value of the marriage commitment.

Our culture does not have a high value on marriage and we must teach the next generation of God's standard and worth for that covenant relationship. Love is not simply the warm fuzzy feelings we get around someone we like, love is an intentional choice to CHOOSE that person through the good and bad times. Love is self-sacrifice and love takes work. What views of love and marriage does your family reflect? Consider having a conversation with your teen about how they would define "love" and ask why people get married...It could lead to a great teaching opportunity.

CHANGE TO THE CALENDAR: Sun Oct 25 there WILL be SNL
Your October calendars show that there is NO SNL on Sunday October 25th, HOWEVER, the Dream Team has decided that it's important we meet that night because we will be missing November 1st for our Dodgeball Tournament. Please be aware that WE WILL MEET 6:30-8:30 on the 25th. We are looking for some willing adult volunteers to be apart of that night.

KINGDOM LUNCHEON!
Watch the video below about the Kingdom Luncheon & sign up by THIS SUNDAY!

*For any and all teens and adults who came with us to the Philadelphia, we are meeting this Sunday from 12:30-2:30 to finalize our preparations for the Kingdom Luncheon. We will meet in the Youth Room. This is a very important meeting to be at if you are apart of our sharing time on the 25th.

THANK YOU 5th QUARTER HELPERS
We had a tremendous turn out for the 5th Quarter this past Friday night...I believe the accurate mathematical term would be "A LOT". We had an awesome group of volunteers manning the food, helping with parking, and keeping watch over the crowds...Not to mention the great baked goods! It was a great success until the rain came through and we could not have done it without all of your help. Thank you thank you thank you!

And a special thanks goes out to Emily Laughlin who stood up in front of hundreds of her peers to share how her relationship with Christ impacts her everyday life. That takes boldness and confidence in her identity in Christ and I know it will impact the hearts of students who listened.

SR HIGH NIGHT GAMES: Sat Oct 24, 6:30-10pm
Teens MUST sign up for this event ahead of time...no later than Thursday the 22nd. Cost is $10. We'll start by walking down from the church at 6:30 (So please be on time) to Funk's for a hayride and bonfire. Afterward, we will be playing night games back on the church property.

DODGEBALL TOURNAMENT: Sun Nov 1st, 12:30-8pm
One of our most popular events, we're traveling up to Camp Hill UMC to compete against ten other youth groups from all over central PA in a dodgeball tournament. Permission forms will be available in the next week, but sign up and payment is due THIS SUNDAY. Cost for the tourney is $10. There is food to purchase throughout the day or you can bring a bagged lunch & dinner.
*Checks can be made out to "GRACE UMC" and "Youth Dodgeball" on the Memo Line.

FALL RETREAT: Fri Nov 20-22nd, 5pm - 4ish on Sunday
If you talk with most anyone who has come with us on the Fall Retreat, they can tell you just how much of an impact it can have. We have an unbelievable weekend of worship, small group time, dynamic teaching, community, service and games...The best way to understand it is to come along! Cost is $95 unless you sign up and pay by October 18th and receive the early bird special of $75

2009-10-05T19:04:00.008-04:00

At our last count we had 55 teenagers come out to our Harvest Party for a night of fellowship around the bonfire, hot dogs, apple bobbing, pumpkin carving and more! The night was filled with competitions (candy raffles throughout the night, glow stick scavenger hunt, Reeses Pieces-whipped-cream-pie-dive, and a candy balloon pop game) and great harvesty food like hot dogs, cider, fall-decorated cupcakes, and candy corn. After a lot of food, fun and music, we ended the night sharing the three "Lost" parables from Luke 15. The message was simple: God loves and cherishes all 55 of those teenagers and is searching to connect them to Himself. It was an awesome night that could never have happened without the great support of some awesome adults so thank you to the Bigelow, Hatch & Henry families, along with Dennis Keperling, Brandon Glover, Christine Felegi, John Laughlin and my lovely wife Jenna!!!!

DEEPER BIBLE STUDY: Thursday
This week we're jumping back into our study of the Sermon on the Mount. Dinner is served from 6:30-7:15 in the gym, then we head down to the Youth Room for Bible study from 7:15-9pm.

Teens coming out should read Matthew 5:27-6:18

After the home football game against McKaskey, we're hosting a safe place for students to come get food and fellowship. Located a 1/2 mile walk from the school at Crossway Church (follow Cottage down around the bend as it turns into Barbara).

Volunteers please arrive no later than the end of the 3rd Quarter
Baked items should be delivered to the church no later than 5pm that Friday

Encounter/Parent Class: Sunday 10-11am
For teens 7-12th grade, we're challenging you to live out of God's value and the potential He sees in you as teenagers. 1 Timothy 4:12 is our framework as we work to live for Him in our church, families, school, and community. *Meet in the Youth Room

Parents of Youth have a place to find support and guidance as you seek to create a culture in your home centered on God's values, rather than the world's. Come for a video teaching and discussion in the Albright Room.

ONE WORSHIP: Sunday 6-8pm *Meet at Millersville Bible Church
Our monthly worship night is meeting at MBC (1940 New Danville Pike). Come out for a great night of worship and community. Carpooling is recommended!

Philly Team Prep Meeting: October 18th, 12:30-2:30pm
If you or your teenager came with us to Philly this summer, we're putting together the final prep work for our time of sharing on the 25th. Please come with the materials that were emailed out so we can run through the luncheon.

Sr High Night Games: Oct 24, 6:30-10pm
High school students are invited for a hayride, bonfire and night games! We'll be walking down to Funk's for a hayride/bonfire before coming back to play night games on the church property. Cost is $10, bring a flashlight and dress for the weather! *No rain date, so pray for a dry night!

Kingdom Luncheon: Sunday October 25th, 12:30-2:30pm
Our team from Philly wants to share all about what we experienced and learned through a very dynamic luncheon. Teenagers and their families are encouraged to sign up and join us. There is no cost involved but we must have an accurate head count by October 18th. *There is no SNL that evening

2009-09-29T16:16:00.004-04:00

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS
We had a tremendous turnout Sunday night with 21 Sr High and 16 Jr Highers joining us for our "Circle of Friends" themed night. We played three "circle"games: Shuffle Your Buns: The person in the middle of the circle is trying to sit in a seat that is ever moving; SWAT: The person in the middle of the circle is trying to swat at people with a rolled up newspaper to "tag them" before they can pass a name around; and Never Have I Ever: The person in the middle of the circle mentions something they've never done ("Never have I ever gone to the beach") and anyone in the outter circle who HAS done that before, has to find a new seat before the person who is it finds a seat. We split the Jr and Sr High up into groups to look at God's definitions of frienship found in Proverbs and challenged them to be that kind of friend to others and to evaluate the friends that surround them according to that standard. It was a lot of fun!

THIS WEEK

Thursday: NO DEEPER, A small group of us are at LBC for the Follow You Concert!
Sunday AM: Encounter, 10-11am, Parent Class 10-11am in Albright Room
Sunday PM: Harvest Party!! 6:30-8:30pm (If nice weather, bring chairs and blankets!)
*Please sign up at the church bulletin board for our Philly Luncheon

2009-09-21T09:41:00.008-04:00

SNL Back to School Special
We had some great adult help last night as we officially kicked off Sunday Night Live with 42 teenagers, including 5 guests. Teens were split into groups to follow a class schedule of activities: Science class: seeking distance and accuracy with a marshmallow catapult. Math class: converting a cookie recipe from ridiculous measurements such as the firkin to be used later on in the night. Home Ec: take the converted recipe and actually make the cookies. Adventure Ed: get your team up and over the invisible wall without touching it.

At Sunday morning Encounter, we called the teens out and challenged them to step up to the plate: The culture around us says that the teen years are typically a time of irresponsible, immature, lazy, selfish living...And it's rare that anyone challenges that mindset because "We were once teens too" and "They'll grow up eventually" or "They'll find their way in or after college". What kind of low standard have we set for our teens? God sees great use and potential for your teen NOW and there is so much more they can be pursuing.

1 Timothy 4:12: Don't let anyone look down on you because you're young, but set an example for all believers in what you say, in how you live, in how you love, in your faith and in your purity.

I believe they are called for more...God believes they are called for more. Challenge your teens to dig deeper in their faith, purpose and impact NOW. Fight the culture outside that sets the bar low and seek God's standard.

THIS WEEK *See a more detailed list below

Wednesday, 7am: See You at the Pole
Thursday, 6:30-9pm: Deeper Bible Study
Sunday Morning Encounter, 10-11am
Philly Sharing Prep Meeting, 12:30-2:30pm
Sunday Night Live, 6:30-8:30pm
Sign up for "Follow You" Concert tickets by Sunday night

Wednesday, 7am: See You at the Pole
This is a national event taking place at schools across the country; bringing students together around the purpose of prayer. Students should meet at their school's flagpole at 7am for prayer and worship. I plan to attend Penn Manor's event.

Thursday, 6:30-9pm: Deeper Bible Study
We've tweeked our plan again and will be going through just 3 days of the E100 Challenge each week. This week we are doing Days 56, 57, and 58. We've been getting so in depth with our study that we need to pull back the reading amount.
The passages are: Matthew 5:1-6:4; Matthew 6:4-7:29; Matthew 13:1-58
*NO DEEPER ON OCTOBER 1st DUE TO THE CONCERT

Sunday Morning Encounter, 10-11am
We continue with our challenge to step up to God's standard of being an example to everyone by looking at what God believes teenagers can accomplish NOW.

Philly Sharing Prep Meeting, 12:30-2:30pm
We're getting ready for our October 25th Luncheon. This is for all participants from our summer service trip to Philadelphia. Pizza will be served as we try to put concrete details to the great ideas we came up with last month.

Sunday Night Live, 6:30-8:30pm
We hope to see another great turnout as we have a more "normal" Sunday Night Live experience. We've got a good night of fellowship planned around God's truth!

Sign up for "Follow You" Concert tickets by Sunday night
Three great bands, one great night. The music is for the whole family! All three artists have a very chilled back, relaxed style that flows for teens and adults. Click here to see the site for the tour. Tickets cost $20 and I need sign ups and $ by Sunday night.

2009-09-08T22:25:00.001-04:00

This Week:
Deeper Bible Study: Thursday Sept. 10th, 6:30-9pm
We'll have dinner ($2 suggested donation) and worship up in the gym before heading to the Youth Room for our Bible study around 7:15. We're going through the 50 Essential New Testament passages and it's easy to get involved: Read the 5 passages below for the 10th, take notes, and come to dig into those passages together.

For Sep 10th: John 1:1-18; Luke 1:1-80; Luke 2:1-40; Luke 3:1-20, Matt.3:13-4:17

Service Day: Saturday Sept 12, 8am-Noon
Put your faith into action and get dirty! We'll be meeting the needs of our community so wear clothes that you don't mind getting muddied with service! Parents you are encouraged and invited to serve with us. This is not simply a teen event! We'll meet at the church at 8am.

Encounter Kick Off: Sunday Sept 13th, 10-11am
What does it mean to follow Christ in school? How does the Bible intersect with your life today? Encounter Christ through video clips, reflection on Scripture, discussion and activity. This fall we are looking to split our teaching time for Jr and Sr Highers up (Still meeting in the Youth Room together). Light breakfast snacks provided.

Parent Gathering: Sunday Sept 13th, 6:30-8:30pm
Every quarter we invite parents out to hear about the upcoming calendar and vision of the ministry. Bring your questions and thoughts as we look at what God is doing and how you and your teenagers can be more involved. Drop your son/daughter in the gym for Sunday Night Live and grab a seat in the Youth Room!

Sunday Night Live: Starting Sept 13th, 6:30-8:30pm
Wrap up the weekend and kick start your school week with a time of fun and fellowship that connects God's truth to your lives. Come relax and understand God more through a time of activity, food and relationships. Don't miss our Back 2 School Special on the 20th!

2009-08-31T00:13:00.001-04:00

BACK TO SCHOOL!
Can you believe the summer is over? Last night 16 students from Grace joined other students at Lampeter UMC to kick off the school year with a time of worship and prayer. We participated in a unique prayer walk: the 50+ students paired up and got in line with everyone else and began walking around the LS high school. During the walk, partners would talk and pray for requests for the upcoming year. After each shared three requests and prayed for the other, we switched partners. It was neat to see the fellowship that developed and how much prayer was lifted up for the school year.

I challenge and encourage you to pray for your children EACH AND EVERYDAY. Find some creative way to do it or simply a creative reminder to keep you on track: Write their names on your mirror with a dry erase marker and pray for them in the morning; Instead of just posting a grocery list on the fridge, post a prayer list for your family; Pray for your children's friends and teachers by name; Send small encouragement notes and prayers with your kids as they head off to school* I highly recommend this one! I promise most of your kids will think it's lame, but inside they will feel loved and come to really enjoy those notes, I know I did!

This Week:
There is no youth happenings going on this week as the school year begins and the holiday weekend approaches. We kick into gear on September 10th with Bible study!

Deeper Bible Study: Thursday Sept. 10th, 6:30-9pm
We'll have dinner ($2 suggested donation) and worship up in the gym before heading to the Youth Room for our Bible study around 7:15. We're going through the 50 Essential New Testament passages and it's easy to get involved: Read the 5 passages below for the 10th, take notes, and come to dig into those passages together.

For Sep 10th: John 1:1-18; Luke 1:1-80; Luke 2:1-40; Luke 3:1-20, Matt.3:13-4:17

Service Day: Saturday Sept 12, 8am-Noon
Put your faith into action and get dirty! We'll be meeting the needs of our community so wear clothes that you don't mind getting muddied with service! Parents you are encouraged and invited to serve with us. This is not simply a teen event! We'll meet at the church at 8am.

Encounter Kick Off: Sunday Sept 13th, 10-11am
What does it mean to follow Christ in school? How does the Bible intersect with your life today? Encounter Christ through video clips, reflection on Scripture, discussion and activity. This fall we are looking to split our teaching time for Jr and Sr Highers up (Still meeting in the Youth Room together). Light breakfast snacks provided.

Parent Gathering: Sunday Sept 13th, 6:30-8:30pm
Every quarter we invite parents out to hear about the upcoming calendar and vision of the ministry. Bring your questions and thoughts as we look at what God is doing and how you and your teenagers can be more involved. Drop your son/daughter in the gym for Sunday Night Live and grab a seat in the Youth Room!

Sunday Night Live: Starting Sept 13th, 6:30-8:30pm
Wrap up the weekend and kick start your school week with a time of fun and fellowship that connects God's truth to your lives. Come relax and understand God more through a time of activity, food and relationships. Don't miss our Back 2 School Special on the 20th!

2009-08-26T15:17:00.015-04:00

Summer Comes to a Close...
I heard some amazing things from our Summer Wake Party at the Biglers this past Sunday. We had 49 students and 14 adults come out for an afternoon of swimming, canoeing, kayaking, fishing and snacking. The weather was relatively cooperative and the water temperature was great! It was a second straight year of bringing the summer months to a close with a fantastic time of fellowship. What a perfect way to celebrate the summer that was! I'm sure plenty of you were busy throughout the summer and may not have kept in touch with all that was going on with the ministry...Be on the look out for a picture display of our summer activities in the next few weeks!

And although the start of school may not thrill everyone (I actually begin classes at Evangelical Theological Seminary this Thursday!) I'm excited about the upcoming year! We have so much great things in store this fall our lovely children more consistently. I'm pumped for another year of growing in Christ and serving our mission as His Church to the community around us. Please mark your calendars for September 13th for our Parent Gathering that will plug you in with everything you need to know!

This Week

Barnstormer Fundraiser: Volunteers Arrive BY 5:15pm
MP3 Conference: Saturday, LEAVE from Grace by 8:45am
One Worship: Leave Grace at 5:30, back by 8:30pm

Barnstormer Fundraiser Game: Friday August 28th + Fireworks!
Volunteers arrive by 5:15pm *This is going to be a BUSY one! I have 25 people who have signed up to volunteer, so we are looking to recruit at least 10 more.

MP3 Conference: Saturday August 29th
Leave from Grace at 8:45am, back at 10pm
This is an equipping conference for middle and high school students that is focused on motivating and equipping them to share their faith with their lives during the school year to their peers and community. Packed with worship, prayer, Bible study, small groups and other activities and experiences, this will be a huge motivating step for the school year. Sign ups are required. Cost is $25 and includes lunch and dinner. The conference is held at Lampeter UMC.

One Worship: Sunday August 30th
We are kicking off the school year right with a time of worship and prayer at Lampeter UMC. We will carpool from the church for a night of coming together with other Penn Manor and LS students to ask God to lead us into our first day of school.
Meet at Grace by 5:30pm, back by 8:30pm

Deeper Bible Study: Thursday Sept. 10th, 6:30-9pm
We'll have dinner ($2 suggested donation) and worship up in the gym before heading to the Youth Room for our Bible study around 7:15. We're going through the 50 Essential New Testament passages and it's easy to get involved: Read the 5 passages below for the 10th, take notes, and come to dig into those passages together.

For Sep 10th: John 1:1-18; Luke 1:1-80; Luke 2:1-40; Luke 3:1-20, Matt.3:13-4:17

Service Day: Saturday Sept 12, 8am-Noon
Put your faith into action and get dirty! We'll be meeting the needs of our community so wear clothes that you don't mind getting muddied with service! Parents you are encouraged and invited to serve with us. This is not simply a teen event! We'll meet at the church at 8am.

Encounter Kick Off: Sunday Sept 13th, 10-11am
What does it mean to follow Christ in school? How does the Bible intersect with your life today? Encounter Christ through video clips, reflection on Scripture, discussion and activity. This fall we are looking to split our teaching time for Jr and Sr Highers up (Still meeting in the Youth Room together). Light breakfast snacks provided.

Parent Gathering: Sunday Sept 13th, 6:30-8:30pm
Every quarter we invite parents out to hear about the upcoming calendar and vision of the ministry. Bring your questions and thoughts as we look at what God is doing and how you and your teenagers can be more involved. Drop your son/daughter in the gym for Sunday Night Live and grab a seat in the Youth Room!

Sunday Night Live: Starting Sept 13th, 6:30-8:30pm
Wrap up the weekend and kick start your school week with a time of fun and fellowship that connects God's truth to your lives. Come relax and understand God more through a time of activity, food and relationships. Don't miss our Back 2 School Special on the 20th!

2009-08-18T00:16:00.008-04:00

Fight for Free Valley
Please take 2 minutes to watch the below video about an unjust situation taking place in York county. I visited the community Sunday night and spent almost 4 hours speaking with these people who are being cheated out of their homes.

Will you stand alongside this community, giving them a louder voice against what is happening? I will send out an email soon with more details about how you can be involved but until then, please raise awareness with your friends, family and co-workers as we attempt to build a larger base of support. As Christ-followers we are called to stand against injustice, please pray and act faithfully according to that call. We are not simply feeling bad for the situation they are in, we are acting to change it.

This Week

Deeper Bible Study: Weds 10:30am-Noon (Days 50-54)
Dorney Park: Thursday, LEAVE from Grace by 8:45am
Summer Wake Party: Sunday 4-8:30pm (Bigler Lake)

Deeper Bible Study Reading Plan
The expectation of each person in the group is to read the assigned 5 passages and take notes on WHAT? SO WHAT? and NOW WHAT? so that we can discuss questions and application together on Wednesday mornings.

To Read for August 19th: Days 50-54
To Read for August 26th: Days 55-59* Our last Bible study for the summer!

Dorney Park: This Thursday!
We're filled up for our trip to Dorney, the deadline passed Sunday. For those going, make sure to have your permission slip filled out, $45, and either packed lunch/dinner or extra money for food in the park. Students will call home when we're on our way back to Grace (We'll leave when the group is ready to peace out!)

Summer Wake Party: Sunday August 23rd, 4-8:30pm
Located at the Bigler Lake (1780 Wabank Road), we'll be mourning the end of the summer with our second annual celebration with barbeque, swimming, boating, and relaxing.
*We are asking each student to bring some sort of munchy, whether that be chips, cookies or soda.
*We are looking for parents to stick around and hang out for the fun. Bring along your suits as well and enjoy the lake and grilled meats!

Barnstormer Fundraiser Game: Friday August 28th + Fireworks!
Volunteers arrive by 5:15pm *This is going to be a BUSY one! I have 23 people who have signed up to volunteer, so we are looking to recruit at least 12 more.

MP3 Conference: Saturday August 29th
Leave from Grace at 8:45am, back at 10pm
This is an equipping conference for middle and high school students that is focused on motivating and equipping them to share their faith with their lives during the school year to their peers and community. Packed with worship, prayer, Bible study, small groups and other activities and experiences, this will be a huge motivating step for the school year. Sign ups are required. Cost is $25 and includes lunch and dinner. The conference is held at Lampeter UMC.

One Worship: Sunday August 30th
We are kicking off the school year right with a time of worship and prayer at Lampeter UMC. We will carpool from the church for a night of coming together with other Penn Manor and LS students to ask God to lead us into our first day of school.
Meet at Grace by 5:30pm, back by 8:30pm

2009-08-10T21:02:00.005-04:00

GIRL SWIM
Well the weather is finally starting to feel more like summer, just in time for the countdown for school to begin! But that doesn't mean the fun is slowing down as we had a great turn out for our last host home of the summer Sunday night. The rain stopped in time to give us a nice, muddy court for volleyball (sorry to the mothers who had some extra laundry!) and a great night of fellowship. And the summer wouldn't be complete without a pool party!! Below is a report from Deb Burkhardt about last week's Girl Swim!

Girl swim made a big splash! Last Wednesday our teen girls enjoyed a wonderful night filled with fun, food and water! The evening began with a flip flop hunt: Girls searched the pool grounds hoping to find a flip flop and when they found a match, the pair was theirs to keep! Congrats to Morgan Martzall for guessing the number of goldfish in the bowl.

After a short game of beach ball volleyball, the heat drove everyone into the water where we played gutter ball, sharks & minnows, and Marco Polo. Before enjoying their dinner, the girls had to dive for their drink of their choice. Pizza, snacks served in sand buckets, cupcakes with sharks, and Swedish fish swimming in blue jello were on the menu.

After dinner it was back in the pool for a penny dive and an exciting water relay. The "Mermaids" took on the "Flying Fish" as they raced across the pool with challenges such as pushing a beach ball with their nose, diving and swimming with a soaking shirt (very hard to get on and off!), and lastly swimming with a dive mask and fins! The summer night ended with lots of laughs at the diving boards where Victoria Jones and Emily Biechler took home two of the prizes for winning the Crazy Dive Contest!

Many thanks to Jenna Watkins, Lyn Patterson, Laura Henry and Deb Jones for helping to make the night a huge success!

This Week

Man Gym: Today 3-5pm
Barnstormer Fundraiser Game: Sun Arrive at 11:45am
Deeper Bible Study: Weds 10:30am-Noon (Days 45-49)
Dorney Park Sign Up Deadline: This Sunday

Deeper Bible Study Reading Plan
The expectation of each person in the group is to read the assigned 5 passages and take notes on WHAT? SO WHAT? and NOW WHAT? so that we can discuss questions and application together on Wednesday mornings.

To Read for August 12th: Days 45-49
To Read for August 19th: Days 50-54
To Read for August 26th: Days 55-59* Our last Bible study for the summer!

Barnstormer Fundraiser Game: Sunday August 16th
Volunteers arrive by 11:45am, yes, that's right, it's an early afternoon game and we need to be there at 11:45am. This should be a busier game because it's a Sunday afternoon.

Dorney Park: Thursday August 20th, NOT August 13th
We're meeting at the church at 8am and heading out to Allentown for an awesome day of fun and rides. Cost is $45, and students MUST sign up by August 16th. Permission slips must be filled out as well. Money is needed for food in the park or teens can bring bagged lunch/dinner. We'll bring a cooler. The park closes at 10pm but we'll head out whenever the group starts to get bored :)

Summer Wake Party: Sunday August 23rd, 4-8:30pm
Located at the Bigler Lake (1780 Wabank Road), we'll be mourning the end of the summer with our second annual celebration with barbeque, swimming, boating, and relaxing.

Barnstormer Fundraiser Game: Friday August 28th + Fireworks!
Volunteers arrive by 5:15pm *This is going to be a BUSY one! For those who helped with July's game, this one will be even crazier and so we are in need of at least 30 volunteers.

MP3 Conference: Saturday August 29th
Leave from Grace at 8:45am, back at 10pm
This is an equipping conference for middle and high school students that is focused on motivating and equipping them to share their faith with their lives during the school year to their peers and community. Packed with worship, prayer, Bible study, small groups and other activities and experiences, this will be a huge motivating step for the school year. Sign ups are required. Cost is $25 and includes lunch and dinner. The conference is held at Lampeter UMC.