September 2010
1^st – Registration night – 6:00-7:00pm (bring your parents!)
8^th – First night of regular Youth Group – 6:00-8:00pm
11^th – Spaghetti Dinner & Fundraiser – 7:00pm (mission trip theme!)
12^th – Rally Day after church – immediately following worship
15^th – Wednesday @ YG – 6:00-8:00pm
22^nd – Wednesday @ YG – 6:00-8:00pm
24^th – Movie Night – 7:00-9:30pm
29^th – Wednesday @ YG – 6:00-8:00pm

That, my brothers and sisters, is the new mission statement for the youth group ministry here at Plainfield Congregational United Church of Christ. The youth of this church wrote it together during our Summer Retreat weekend at Lake Thunderbird, and they could not have made me more proud… which seems to be a theme as of late. Throughout the entirety of our summer together, the youth of this church could not have made me more proud.

After a year of planning and preparations, the mission trip to Grand Rapids was on this July, and throughout our week away, I was in awe of the young people I have proudly come to call my friends. Surrounded by youth groups from many other churches, our youth stepped up to help lead dances during morning and evening worship, served countless people in the surrounding community, reached out to their peers to create great friendships, and spent an entire week taking faith seriously—communing with the Lord, experiencing the presence of the divine, and discovering that (whether we deserve it or not) we are always welcomed into God’s family. When we stopped at the Michigan Dunes for a day on the beach before returning home, I looked out into the water at 13 young people whose lives had been deeply impacted, and whose good works that week had deeply impacted not only those they served, but a certain youth minister as well.

One week later, I set out to Pilgrim Park with another group of youth—the awesome confirmation class of 2010-2011. For seven days, I watched as the younger youth of this church learned about what it means to live like a Christian, how our church emerged in history, what exactly is in the Bible, and how to share faith with others. I count myself lucky to be spending the upcoming year in the presence of this class of confirmands—a group of thoughtful youth who are sure to teach each other many things, and who I expect to learn much from as well.

Immediately following the week at Confirmation Camp, nearly 20 more of our youth joined me at Pilgrim Park for a day of service work around the camp before heading off to our Summer Retreat at Lake Thunderbird. Tubing, water skiing, and s’mores made the list of traditional highlights of this relaxing weekend, but our discussion of the first missionary gave extra purpose to the weekend as the youth were challenged to think about their mission—as individuals, and as a youth group. (Check out John 4:1-28 to learn more!) New and old members of our group worked together to compose the mission statement written above, and it’s a statement that I can honestly say represents the youth group ministry happening in this church. Count yourselves lucky, friends, for in your presence is a group of young people dedicated to each other, to the Lord, and to sharing the love with all those they meet. Truly, this congregation is blessed.

February 17 – Ash Wednesday Bible Study and Taize
Join us for an active bible study about this important day (and these important 40 days!). We’ll talk about why Lent exists by playing a game, looking at the Good Book, creating masks, and more. At 7:00, we’ll join the entire congregation for a special Taize service.

February 24 – Abundant Life
The first Wednesday with our new ‘curriculum.’ This week, we’ll talk about what it means to have an ‘abundant life’ full of great things – what it means for us (riches, looks, popularity) versus what it means for Jesus (eternal life, heavenly glory, unending love).

March 3 – Pretzels and Prayer Stations
Join us as we dive in to some pretzel-making fun. We’ll make this snack together as we talk about  slowing down and being intentional about how we pray. While our pretzels bake, we’ll divide into our small groups to visit prayer stations set up in the church.

March 10 – Chili Supper Preparation
After a quick Wednesday night worship, we’ll make sure we’re on track to host one heck of an event.

March 14 (Sunday) – Chili Supper Talent Show @ 5:00pm.

March 17 – Prayer Flags and Chili Supper Slideshow
To celebrate a job well done at the Chili Supper talent show, we’ll take a break from worship this week to sit back, enjoy a slideshow of our accomplishments, and create some really cool Lenten artwork.

March 24 – Welcoming
Join us for worship and small group time that focuses on what it means to welcome others. Welcoming is about creating space in our lives and our church for other people, and especially for “strangers.” We honor Jesus – who was often homeless himself – whenever wemake people feel at home and offer them a place to rest.

March 31 – Prayer Stations and Taize
This Wednesday, we’ll work together to create prayer stations that can be used by the entire PCUCC congregation prior to the Good Friday worship service at 7:00pm on Friday, April 2.

April 2 (Friday) – Good Friday
We’ll get together to facilitate the prayer stations and to attend the 7:00pm worship.

April 4 (Sunday) – Easter
All members of the youth group ministry are invited to attend the 8:00 or 10:30 Easter Sunday Worship Service, and for the church’s Easter Breakfast.

This year, we’ll continue the tradition of a weekend together at Pilgrim Park in Princeton, IL. Our group will leave from the church on January 16 at 12:30pm, and return on Monday, January 18 at 5:00pm. It’s Emmy’s first winter retreat with us, and she’s prepared a great weekend focused on one simple phrase: “It’s yours.” Mark your calendars, pack your snow gear, and get ready to hear Jesus say “YOU, follow me.”

Winter Retreat Permission Slip 2010

PermissionSlip

Krebs-Fullriede Haunted House:
Join us October 23-24 and 30-31 as we scare our way through the first big fundraiser of the year! The haunted house runs from 7-10pm each night, and is sure to be a blast. Call Emmy at work for details or to volunteer!

Halloween Lock-In:
Don’t miss out on Halloween! We’ll meet at church at 9pm for a night of fellowship, fun and games. Don’t forget your costume AND that Permission Slip! Lock-In ends at 8:30 am Sunday morning.

-          Working with children at a day camp
-          Serving at a food bank or homeless shelter
-          Leading a Vacation Bible School
-          Assisting the elderly
-          Tutoring struggling kids
-          Working with disabled children
-          Facilitating a sports camp
-          Serving churches and human service organizations

We’ll meet people from different backgrounds, places and denominations; we’ll bond with the people we serve and each other; we’ll combine meaningful service with daily devotions and powerful programs… and we’ll find our hearts opened to some serious spiritual and personal growth!

Interested?  Here’s what you need to know:

What are the dates?
July 18-24, 2010
(All participants must attend the entire trip)

Where are we going?
Grand Rapids, MI

What are we doing?
July 18-23: Serving others in the Grand Rapids area
July 23-24: Winding down and having fun camping at the Michigan Dunes

What’s the cost?
$350 per participant
(Don’t worry, fundraising opportunities abound!)

When do we pay?
ASAP – $50 deposit and commitment to attend
March 10, 2010 – 50% of balance due
May 12, 2010 – Remaining balance due

Who can participate?
Participants must be at least 12 years old or entering 7^th grade in the fall of 2010.

There are lots of new and exciting things happening in our ministry this fall; of course, one of the biggest changes comes in the appearance of new leaders in our ranks. New leadership abounds with the addition of Emmy Odean and  Josh Brauer to the list of our ministry’s leaders. As the new youth minister, Emmy comes to us from Elmhurst College with a degree in Theological Studies, experience in Christian Publishing and years of church work under her belt already! And as the fearless leader of our Seekers program, Josh (a former Youth Group member!) is sure to put his compassion and enthusiasm to work and be a big success.

MANY exciting things are happening this year! Join us soon to check out what other great stuff we’ve got going on. Peace!