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 Weekly E-news
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Dear youth and parents,
On Sunday we completed our second week of Disciples Class baptisms and confirmations with youth marking this significant milestone in all three worship services. A lot has changed about this process over the last few years, and I'm very pleased with the way we now approach this important component of Christian formation at UCC. To summarize a few of the shifts:
- All youth in grades 6-12 are eligible to participate in Disciples Class, a 12-week course that explores the meaning of choosing to be a disciple of Jesus and a member of the church. Class sessions are led by UCC's ministers, and participants are clustered into age-based small groups of 3-4 youth that are guided by an adult mentor who builds relationships with the group members over the course of the class.
- Disciples Class rotates between Sunday mornings and evenings each year. In odd years it takes place during the Sunday school hour, while in even years it runs parallel to youth group meetings so that families have two options to choose from.
- At the end of the class, youth may choose to make their confession of faith in worship and formally join the church. If they have never been baptized, they are baptized in one of our three worship services. If they were baptized in another congregation as an infant, they are confirmed in one of our worship services to signify their choice to live into the baptism that's part of their faith journey.
I'm incredibly thankful for the Youth Ministry Committee, ministerial staff, parents, and volunteers who all played such an important role in developing a faith formation process that is practical, theologically sound, and firmly rooted in our identity as Disciples of Christ. It's a great example of how years of faithful praying, planning, and working can develop a system of nurture that impacts the lives of our youth in powerful ways.
Read on for information about opportunities to participate in Youth Sunday, the upcoming mission trip registration deadline, Senior Banquet RSVP's, volunteering with Vacation Bible School this summer, registering for summer camps, and more!
Grace and Peace,
Russ |
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Youth mission trips to LA and OKC - register by May 1!
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Registration flyers for our summer youth mission trips are available for download! Here's the skinny on both trips:
The Chi Rho Mission Trip to Oklahoma City for grades 6-8 will take place June 3-6. The group will be working at the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, visiting the Okalahoma City Memorial and Museum, and cooling off at a local water park at the end of the trip. Cost is $175 per person and scholarships are available upon request. Full details are available on the registration flyer.
The CYF Mission Trip to Los Angeles for grades 9-12 will take place July 21-28. The group will be working at Loch Leven Camp and All People's Community Center, touring Chapman University (a Disciple college), and visiting several cultural attractions in the area. Cost is $375 per person and scholarships are available upon request. Full details are available on the registration flyer.
The deadline to secure a spot on either trip is Tuesday, May 1. After that date we cannot guarantee space because transportation will be booked shortly thereafter. |
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RSVP for the Senior Banquet and come honor our graduates
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You're invited to come honor our 2012 high school graduates at the Senior Banquet on Wednesday, May 9 at 6:30 p.m. During the evening we'll share a dinner catered by Pulido's, take time to meet each of the graduates, see photos and memorabilia from their journeys, and send them off with the blessing of their church family. RSVP's are needed by Friday, May 4, so be sure to contact Sharyn at sharyn@uccftw.com to let her know the number in your party. The cost for dinner is $10 per person. |
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Youth volunteers needed for Vacation Bible School 2012
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Registrations continue for summer camps at Disciples Crossing
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~ 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. And for a tally sheet to total up your check(s), click here. UCC is covering $100 of the registration cost for those who register by the regular deadline for 6th-12th grade camps, and additional full or half scholarships are available to cover the early-bird price if needed.
If you missed the April 7 deadline for the early bird discount, don't worry! You still have until Sunday, May 13 to make the regular registration deadline, saving up to $140 off the late registration price. Just put your registration forms and checks in an envelope (ATTN: Sharyn Peterson) and drop it by the UCC reception desk or mail it in. |
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Youth events and key dates on the horizon...~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ May 1 - Mission trip registration deadline
May 6 - Youth Sunday in morning worship services
May 9 - Senior Banquet in Fellowship Hall - 6:15 p.m.
May 13 - Summer camp regular registration deadline
May 20 - End-of-the-year parties for Chi Rho and CYF (details TBA)
Summer 2012 - Camps and mission trips - Click here for the schedule |
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More ways to keep up...
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 | UCC Youth
Text Alerts |
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| Staff Links
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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 - E-mail Sharyn
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