~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Weekly E-news
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
|
Dear youth and parents,
I mentioned last week that I may or may not be spending this week at my Army Reserve unit as part of our Annual Training due to the potential government shutdown. You are likely aware that a shutdown was averted, and so I'm wrapping up my last day in the office at our reserve center here in Seagoville. I have been squeezing in UCC work between Army stuff and in the evenings, so I apologize if replies to e-mails and other communication has been a bit slow.
We had a GREAT time with our Jewish and Muslim friends at the 2nd annual Interfaith Trialogue this past Sunday, and I know our youth enjoyed the experience. I also had the joy of representing the entire Christian faith in a Q&A in which I was asked such softball questions as " "If Jesus was God, how could God die?" and "Was God dead for three days?" I'll bet you're jealous, aren't you? :-)
It's a busy weekend with the last Saturday for the Prom Dreams store, a day retreat for the Disciples Class, Confessions of Faith in our worship services, and Youth Sunday planning on Sunday night parallel to the sexuality series for parents of youth. Read on for more info and take advantage of these great opportunities!
Grace and Peace,
Russ
|
|
Sexuality study for parents of youth ends this Sunday evening ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 UCC is in the midst of a multi-week sexuality series for different audiences on Sunday nights, and two weeks for parents of youth are here! Rev. Paul Thompson, LPC, led a first session this past Sunday and will lead a final session this Sunday specifically for parents of 6th-12th graders entitled "Teen Sexuality: From Conversations to Decisions." The series takes place in Room 205 from 6:30 - 7:45 p.m. (parallel to youth groups). If you missed the first session, you are still welcome at the second and should get a lot out of it. Spread the word to other parents and be sure not to miss this important study! |
|
Summer camp registration continues - sign up today! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 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. (NOTE: Several camps were a day off on the original camp description sheet that mailed.) For a registration form, click here. And for a tally sheet, click here. UCC is covering $100 of the registration cost for those who register by May 15, and additional scholarships are available up to the full early-bird price if needed. |
|
Serve others on the Chi Rho or CYF Mission Trip this summer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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. |
|
See Prom Dreams in action this Saturday - last time this Spring!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Prom Dreams had its grand opening on March 19 and volunteers have staffed the space every Thursday and Saturday since then. Volunteers act as "sales associates" for the Prom Dreams "store" and will help girls "shop" for their dresses. Volunteers also help manage the inventory as we "rent" (for free) dresses, shoes, jewelry, purses, etc. to these ladies. The store will be open for the last time this year on Saturday from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., and you're welcome to stop by to help or just see the amazing renovated space in action! |
|
Prayer in the chapel each Wednesday evening during Lent
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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. |
|
Prayer shawl ministry on Sunday evenings - 6:30-7:30 p.m.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 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.
|
|
Youth events on the horizon...~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
April 17 - Youth Sunday planning at youth groups - 6:30-7:45 p.m.
April 20 - Chapel open for prayer and reflection each Wednesday - 7-8 p.m.
April 29 - Guys Night / Girls Night events for all youth
May 7 - Youth Sunday rehearsal in afternoon (exact time TBD)
May 8 - Youth Sunday in morning worship services
May 11 - Senior Banquet - 6 p.m. in Fellowship Hall
May 15 - Regular price registration deadline for summer camps at Disciples Crossing
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
|
|
|
|
More ways to keep up...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
|
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
|
|
|
|
|
