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 Weekly E-news
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Dear youth and parents,
We're nearing the end of UCC's stewardship campaign, and the results this year have been very positive. I won't quote numbers since they change every day, but I will say that our total number of pledges and our number of increased pledges are way up compared to this point last year. As a member of the ministerial staff, I can tell you that your pledge has a huge impact. Each year we forecast our budget for the coming year - a forecast that includes everything from camp scholarships to personnel to embroidered towels for youth who are baptized. When you take the time to pledge, you make it MUCH easier for us to plan for our ministry with youth in the coming year. If you haven't pledged for 2013, click here to do so now. It only takes a minute!
Parents: In addition to pledging for your household, I encourage you to have a conversation with your child about making an individual pledge. Most of our youth have a source of income: a weekly allowance, babysitting, mowing lawns, or an actual job. It's great for them to start thinking about how giving to the church fits into their understanding of that income, laying the foundation for a lifetime of generosity that includes their faith community. Making an individual pledge also means that giving is something they are trusted to do, not something their parents do for them. For some excellent ideas about giving as a family, check out this article from the Sticky Faith website. (Parents offering to do "matching gifts" when their kids give? Brilliant!)
Read on for information about our annual Trunk-or-Treat event, a CYF haunted house outing, a farewell celebration for Herb, registration for this year's Disciples Class, and more!
Grace and Peace,
Russ
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Youth and adults needed at Trunk-or-Treat this Sunday
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  ~ UCC will be hosting a Trunk-or-Treat event for children 5th grade and younger this Sunday, October 28 from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. in the church's front and side parking lots. Children from our church and the community will be trick-or-treating from decorated vehicle trunks and enjoying dinner together. Last year we welcomed over 100 families to this event, many of them guests from the surrounding community. We know we need even more trunks and volunteers this year, so here's how youth and adults can help:
- Bring your vehicle (or a vehicle you borrow) to pass out candy from your trunk or tailgate. You're encouraged to decorate your trunk for Halloween or using a theme that suits you - awards will be given for the best trunks!
- Arrive in time to have your trunk decorated and ready to go at 5:45 p.m. You can show up as early as 4:30 to start setting up.
- Come ready to help out on an as-needed basis: lend your talent to a trunk decorator who needs a hand, help direct children around the parking lot, etc. Just come by 5:45 p.m. in a kid-friendly costume and be ready to help!
NOTE: There will be NO YOUTH GROUP MEETINGS or snack supper on Sunday night so that all youth can help with the trunk-or-treat event. |
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CYF Fall Retreat at Disciples Crossing - last call for registrations
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Our youth have the opportunity to join others from Disciple churches around the area for two upcoming fall retreats at Disciples Crossing, our church camp in Athens. The Chi Rho Fall Retreat for grades 6-8 will be November 2-4, and the CYF Fall Retreat for grades 9-12 is November 9-11. These annual retreats offer youth the opportunity to grow closer to God and one another through worship, recreation, prayer, small groups, and interest groups that include options like sports, dance, art, service, photography, and more.
Participants will meet at UCC at 5:30 p.m. on the Friday each retreat begins to share a charter bus to camp, and will return around 12:30 p.m. the following Sunday. The cost for each retreat is $90 and full or half scholarships are available upon request. Registration forms were due to the Youth Office by October 21 for CYF, but we can still accept forms at the moment because the event is not full. You can download a form by clicking here. |
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CYF haunted house outing November 3 - RSVP needed!
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From Jessica Vacketta, Assistant Minister for High School: Our high school youth have been asking for a haunted house outing, and we're making it happen! On Saturday, November 3, youth in grades 9-12 are invited to dinner at Dutch's followed by haunted house fun at Hangman's. We'll meet at 6:30 p.m. at UCC to head to Dutch's for dinner and then drive to Hangman's around 8 p.m. Our estimated return time to the church between 9:30 and 10 p.m. The church will cover half of the ticket, so each youth will only need to bring $10 for Hangman's and money for dinner. We need a minimum of 10 RSVP's by this Monday, October 29 to book the outing, so contact me at jessica@uccftw.com today if you plan to go! *Parents: Please let me know if you can volunteer as a driver or chaperone. |
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Farewell celebration for Herb Murray set for November 4
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  ~ Two weeks ago I received Herb Murray's resignation, and all youth families should have received a letter from Herb in the mail as well. (If you haven't seen the letter, you can read it here.) It has been a great joy to work with Herb, and so much of the energy and vitality found in our ministry with middle school youth is tied to his leadership over the past 2+ years. Many of you know what a talented artist and graphic designer he is, and I have no doubt that his gifts will be put to great use as he follows that calling.
Everyone will have an opportunity to wish Herb well at a farewell celebration on Sunday evening, November 4. We are hammering out details, but I encourage you to save the date and plan on a festive event with food and tomfoolery starting at 6:30 p.m. in Room 207. |
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Interested in baptism/confirmation? Sign up for Disciples Class!
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Youth in grades 6-12 interested in learning more about baptism/confirmation and church membership are encouraged to participate in this year's Disciples Class. The 12-week course provides a helpful introduction to what it means to confess your faith, join the church, be baptized or confirmed, take communion, share your gifts, and more! This year's class will take place on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. beginning with an orientation on December 2. Click here for more information on the class, or click here to register online. The registration deadline for this year's class is November 11. |
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Youth events and key dates on the horizon...~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
October 28 - Trunk-or-Treat - volunteers needed by 5:45 p.m.
November 2-4 - Chi Rho Fall Retreat (grades 6-8) at Disciples Crossing November 3 - CYF haunted house outing - meet at 6:30 p.m. November 4 - Farewell celebration for Herb Murray - 6:15 p.m.
November 9-11 - CYF Fall Retreat (grades 9-12) at Disciples Crossing
November 10 - Football parking fundraiser - Kansas State vs. TCU
November 11 - Disciples Class registration deadline |
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More ways to keep up...
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 | UCC Youth
Text Alerts |
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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 - E-mail Sharyn
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