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 Weekly E-News November 1, 2013
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Dear youth and parents,
One of my ongoing projects for the last few months has been a search for a good sign up service to make it easier for potential volunteers to see what opportunities are available, sign up for available slots, and receive an automated reminder before their selected volunteer slot. After testing out several different services, I have settled on SignUpGenius.com as the best fit for our needs. Two volunteer opportunities have already been set up using the service (the next TCU football parking fundraiser and Sunday morning bagel/donut pickup) and in the near future we will add a few more (including snack supper). As with any new service, it will take us a while to tweak the forms to do exactly what we need them to do. However, I'm already impressed with the results for this Saturday's football parking shifts and I hope you find it helpful as well!
Read on for more information about the next TCU football parking fundraiser, Room In The Inn volunteer training, CYF Fall Retreat registration, and more.
Grace and Peace,
Russ |
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Middle school youth depart for Chi Rho Fall Retreat today
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Sign up online for your shift at Saturday's parking fundraiser
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Football season is here again, and youth and parents have the opportunity to raise money by parking cars in the church lots for TCU football games. Part of the money raised goes into youth and youth handbell choir reserve funds, and part goes into the individual accounts of those who work each game to use for camps, retreats, trips, and other church events. This year, each hour is worth $50 per family member who works.
The next TCU home game is this Saturday, November 2 against West Virginia with a 2:30 p.m. kickoff. We will need volunteers in shifts from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. to control access to our season parking lots and direct cars/take money for the daily parking lots. We are now using an online sign-up sheet through SignUpGenius to ensure we have the right number of volunteers for each shift. Click here to reserve your shifts for tomorrow's game, and (if you missed yesterday's e-mail) be sure to read about several important updates to the parking fundraiser here.
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Room In The Inn volunteer training this Sunday
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Are you interested in volunteering with Room In The Inn? This incredible ministry provides our homeless neighbors with delicious meals, a shower, good company, and a peaceful night's sleep on Wednesday nights during the coldest and hottest months of the year. Volunteers help prepare and serve meals, dine and play card games with our guests, set up and clean up the dining and sleeping areas and more. To participate in this ministry, plan to attend the volunteer training this Sunday, November 3 from 12:15-2:00 p.m. (lunch provided) and stop by the table in the Gallery on Sunday mornings to sign up for volunteer shifts during the winter. This is a wonderful opportunity to build relationships across generations while making a real difference in the lives of our homeless neighbors, so if you have time to help come be a part of Room In The Inn!
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Last call to register for CYF Fall Retreat at Disciples Crossing
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Our high school youth have the opportunity to join others from Disciple churches around the area for the CYF Fall Retreat at Disciples Crossing, our church camp in Athens. This annual retreat is scheduled for November 22-24, and it offers 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 November 22 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 27, but spaces are still available. You can download a form by clicking here.
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Volunteer for a Disciples Crossing workday - November 16
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On Saturday, November 16 you're invited to participate in a workday at Disciples Crossing, our church camp in Athens. The group will gather in the UCC parking lot at 7 a.m. to depart, and will return around 6 p.m. Lunch will be provided by Disciples Crossing. To sign up (or ask questions) contact Jessica Vacketta at jessica@uccftw.com by November 13 so transportation, food, and site duties can be finalized.
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Sign up online for Sunday morning bagel/donut pick-up
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From Courtney Perry, Sunday Morning Snackage Coordinator:
 Hello all! We are in need of volunteers for Sunday morning snack pickups for our middle and high school youth. Thank you to those that have graciously volunteered for September, October, November, and December. This easy job, not requiring large amounts of time, entails picking up pre-ordered snacks from either Circle Donuts or Einstein's Bagels and dropping them off in the youth gathering room by 9:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings for one month. We currently need volunteers for each month from January through August. Click here to visit the sign-up page and select a month to volunteer. Thank you!
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Youth events and key dates on the horizon...~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
November 1-3 - Chi Rho Fall Retreat at Disciples Crossing
November 3 - Room In The Inn volunteer training - 12:15 p.m.
November 10 - Youth Sunday at The Search - 5 p.m.
November 16 - Workday at Disciples Crossing - meet at 7 a.m.
November 22-24 - CYF Fall Retreat at Disciples Crossing
December 27-31 - CYF Ski Retreat to Crested Butte, Colorado
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| Staff Links
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Russ Boyd, Associate Minister for Youth - E-mail Russ
Alison Nicoll, Assistant Minister for Middle School - E-mail Alison
Michael Yandell, Assistant Minister for High School - E-mail Michael
Sharyn Peterson, Ministry Assistant - E-mail Sharyn
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