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 Weekly E-news
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Dear youth and parents,
You should be receiving a mailing today or tomorrow that includes information on summer camps and mission trips for 2011, and I encourage you to read through the enclosed letter, flyers, and info sheets. I can't say enough about how these camps and trips provide both individual spiritual formation and formation as a faith community - the kind that might take an entire semester in weekly Sunday school classes or youth group meetings. There's something about living together in an intentional community at camp or on a trip that ultimately can't be replicated, which is why we make such a big push for participation and use our reserve funds to reduce the cost for participants. I hope that at least one of these experiences fits with your summer calendar, and I'll look forward to seeing you on our Camp Registration Sunday that's coming up on April 3. Read on for details!
Grace and Peace,
Russ
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Registration begins for summer camps at Disciples Crossing
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 Youth and children from Pre-K through 12th grade have the opportunity to grow closer to God and one another this summer at Disciples Crossing, our church camp in Athens. There are nine different camps spread across the summer, each with a different focus. To see a full list of camp descriptions, dates, and prices, click here. For a registration form, click here. UCC is covering $100 of the registration cost for those who register early, and additional scholarships are available up to the full early-bird price if needed.
The easiest way to register for camps and mission trips will be our Camp Registration Sunday on April 3. Sharyn Peterson will be set up in Fellowship Hall from 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and again from 6-7 p.m. with plenty of blank registration forms and tally sheets. Registering that day ensures that you make the early bird deadline, saving $130 off the regular registration price. Mark your calendar and we'll see you there! |
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Serve others on the Chi Rho or CYF Mission Trip this summer!
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UCC's middle and high school youth will be hitting the road to learn and serve on two mission trips this summer:
The Chi Rho Mission Trip will take our youth in grades 6-8 to Austin from June 12-15. While there, they'll be serving others at several different agencies, including the Salvation Army, Elderhaven Adult Day Care, and Manos de Cristo before spending a day cooling off at Schlitterbahn Water Park in New Braunfels. Click here to download the registration flyer for more information.
Our 9th-12th grade youth will travel to Los Fresnos, Texas for the CYF Mission Trip, scheduled for June 25 - July 2. They will spend the week working at Southwest Good Samaritan Ministries, a Disciple mission agency committed to serving the "least of these" in the Rio Grande Valley. For details, click here for the registration flyer. |
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Interfaith Youth Trialogue coming on April 10 for grades 8-12
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 Our friends at the Texas School of Islamic Studies have invited us and Beth-El Congregation to join them for our second annual Youth Trialogue on April 10. This event brings together Christians, Muslims, and Jews to get to know one another and learn about each other's faith.
This year's program will include presentations from the youth of each faith community, a luncheon, and a friendly game of "interfaith Jeopardy" to test everyone's knowledge. All UCC youth in grades 8-12 will meet outside Fellowship Hall at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 10 to carpool to the mosque and the event will conclude at 1:30 p.m.
Parents: If you are willing and able to drive youth to or from the event (or spend the whole day with us), let me know at russ@uccftw.com.
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Prom Dreams open Thursdays & Saturdays - volunteers needed!
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 Prom Dreams had its grand opening last Saturday, March 19 and volunteers are needed on Thursdays and Saturdays through April 16 to help during hours of operation. Volunteers will act as "sales associates" for the Prom Dreams "store" and will help girls "shop" for their dresses. Volunteers will also help manage the inventory as we "rent" (for free) dresses, shoes, jewelry, purses, etc. to these ladies. It takes less than one minute to sign up - just click here to provide your info and select the volunteer slot(s) you'd like. Dates volunteers are needed: Thursdays, March 31, April 7 & 14 from 5-7 p.m. Saturdays, March 26, April 2, 9, & 16 from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. |
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Prayer in the chapel each Wednesday evening during Lent
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During this Lenten season we're offering Wednesday Night Prayer in UCC's Chapel of the Good Shepherd for youth in grades 6-12, their friends, and parents/guardians. This will be an open, informal prayer time from 7-8 p.m. every Wednesday through April 20. There will be different prayers stations and various guided prayers, or people can simply come to reflect, meditate, or pray on their own. Though the prayer time is one hour, we encourage you to come and go as you please.
Want something to guide your prayer time, whether it's in the chapel or at home? Lenten reflection journals are available for all youth at Sunday school, youth groups, Wednesday Night Prayer, and on the desk outside the Gathering Room (303).
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Prayer shawl ministry moves to Sunday evenings - 6:30-7:30 p.m.
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 On March 13 the Sunday Prayer Shawl ministry group began meeting at 6:30 p.m. and will continue to do so throughout the season of Lent. This new meeting time is parallel to UCC's Sunday night youth and children's groups, creating a great opportunity to participate in the Prayer Shawl ministry while members of your family are already at church. This ministry welcomes all who wish to participate and experienced knitters are happy to help anyone learn.
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Youth events on the horizon...~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
March 23 - Chapel open for prayer and reflection each Wednesday - 7-8 p.m.
April 1-3 - Chi Rho Spring Retreat at Disciples Crossing (grades 6-8)
April 3 - Camp/Mission Trip Registration Sunday
April 10 - Youth Trialogue event at the Islamic Association with Temple Beth-El
May 8 - Youth Sunday in morning worship services
May 11 - Senior Banquet - 6 p.m. in Fellowship Hall
June 12-15 - Chi Rho Mission Trip to Austin for grades 6-8
June 25 - July 2 - CYF Mission Trip to Los Fresnos for grades 9-12
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More ways to keep up...
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Staff Links~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Russ Boyd, Associate Minister for Youth - E-mail Russ
Herbert Murray, Assistant Minister for Chi Rho (grades 6-8) - E-mail Herb
Jessica Vacketta, Assistant Minister for CYF (grades 9-12) - E-mail Jessica
Sharyn Peterson, Ministry Assistant for Congregational Life - E-mail Sharyn
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