~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Weekly E-News March 18, 2016
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Dear youth and parents,
The Youth Ministry Committee suggested we try something a little different this year to promote our summer camps at Disciples Crossing. Rather than just setting up registration tables one Sunday morning to facilitate signing up, the group suggested a fun event modeled after our Youth Family Roundup that kicks off the school year. That means that in addition to computers and iPads set up for camp registration and people to facilitate that process, we will have food, games, and activities set up in Walker Fellowship Hall during the Sunday school hour so that children, youth, and parents can participate in some of the things that make church camp a great experience. We hope you can join us on Sunday morning and have some fun whether or not you're heading to Disciples Crossing this summer.
Read on for info about this event, as well as programming changes this Sunday, an intergenerational Agape Feast on Sunday evening, upcoming lock-ins, and more.
Grace and peace, Russ
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Youth programming changes this week for Palm Sunday
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There are a couple of programming changes this week, and we want to make sure everyone is on the same page for Palm Sunday:
Sunday school:
All youth will gather in Walker Fellowship Hall starting at 10 a.m. for our Church Camp Sunday activities, and will be dismissed at 10:45.
Youth groups:
Chi Rho and CYF will gather with children, college students, and adults for an Agape Meal (an ancient Christian "love feast") in Walker Fellowship Hall from 5:30-7 p.m.
Youth handbell choirs:
The UCC Ringers (grades 9-12) will rehearse from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. so that they can participate in the Agape Meal. The Whitechapel Bells (grades 6-8) will ring in worship this Sunday morning and will not rehearse on Sunday evening.
Additional details on Church Camp Sunday and the Agape Meal are available in the articles below.
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Summer Camp Sunday: Fun activities & convenient sign up
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Our annual Summer Camp Sunday will look a little different this year, and you're invited to stop by Walker Fellowship Hall this Sunday (March 20) to be part of it. During the Sunday school hour (10-10:45 a.m.) staff and volunteers will be available to help register children and youth for summer camps at Disciples Crossing, and we will have a variety of fun camp-related activities set up around the room to help provide parents and potential campers with a taste of the summer camp experience. You can enjoy camp delicacies like cinnamon rolls and s'mores, make crafts, dance along to energizer songs, try your hand at (Nerf) archery, meet real live campers who know all about the different camp opportunities, and more! After the activities wrap up at 11, several staff will remain to continue answering questions and assisting with registrations until 12:30 p.m.
Registrations completed on Sunday will qualify for early bird discounts, saving as much as $190 for week-long camps. If you'd like to get a head start on the process, you can already register for summer camps online at uccyouth.org/camps.
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Agape Feast for all ages Sunday evening from 5:30-7:00
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This Sunday evening, children, youth, and adults of all ages are invited to share in an Agape Meal, an ancient Christian "love feast," in Walker Fellowship Hall from 5:30 - 7 p.m. Special foods, prayer experiences, scripture readings, and music will combine to create a multisensory worship experience that enlivens your whole being as we begin Holy Week together. For more information or to assist in preparing for this special evening, please contact Rev. Jessica Vacketta at jessica@uccftw.com.
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CYF Good Friday Lock-In for grades 9-12 on March 25
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From Alison Nicoll, Assistant Minister for High School:
All CYF youth (grades 9-12) are invited to a lock-in next Friday, March 25. For those that do not have school, the lock-in will begin at 3 p.m. on the third floor with movie and binge-watching of TV shows. If you do have school, you are welcome to join us as soon as you can after you're done with school! The rest of the evening includes attending the UCC softball game, playing dodgeball and Mario Kart, worship, and a surprise midnight trip! In the morning, Bob and Carol Stewart will be making us delicious breakfast burritos before we end our time together at 8:30 a.m. This is definitely a lock-in you do not want to miss!
Please bring $10, a snack to share with the group, and all of the things that you will need for an overnight at the church (toiletries, sleeping bag, pillow, etc.) If you have questions, contact me at alison.nicoll@uccftw.com. See you next Friday!
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Chi Rho April Fools Lock-In for grades 6-8 on April 1
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From Tyler Heston, Assistant Minister for Middle School:
On Friday, April 1, all 6th-8th grade youth are invited to an April Fools themed lock-in. We will play games, watch a movie, and do other fun activities. The lock-in will start at 7 p.m. Friday and end at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday morning. We will have snacks on Friday night, but youth should eat dinner before arriving.
Bring $5 to help cover snacks and supplies, and be sure you have everything you need to spend the night at the church (sleeping bag, pillow, toiletries, PJ's, and an optional change of clothes). If you have any questions, contact me at tyler.heston@uccftw.com or 901-335-1202.
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Register online for summer camps at Disciples Crossing
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Our church camp, Disciples Crossing in Athens, has a full slate of camps for children, youth, and families available this summer, and now is the time to sign up and take advantage of early bird pricing. As an additional discount, UCC automatically covers half of the cost for every participant from our church. That means that a week-long camp with a regular price of $370 is only $170 with the early bird discount and UCC supplement. For a promo flyer with dates and descriptions for all the camps, click here.
The UCC discount and any parking funds or scholarship monies can be selected on UCC's registration and payment page before proceeding to the camp website. Please be sure to complete the sign up process with UCC and Disciples Crossing by April 15 to ensure you are fully registered for camp and qualify for early bird pricing.
Our special Summer Camp Sunday event on March 20 will give you a convenient "one stop shop" to get registered at UCC while experiencing fun camp-themed activities set up around Walker Hall, but if you're ready to sign up now you can use the links above and beat the crowd!
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Youth events and key dates on the horizon...~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ March 20: Summer Camp Sunday - Register from 9:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
March 25: CYF Lock-In (grades 9-12) - 7 p.m.
April 1: Chi Rho Lock-In (grades 6-8) - 7 p.m.
April 22-24: Just Say Know high school retreat - Riverbend Retreat Center
May 1: Youth Sunday worship services
May 4: Senior Banquet
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More ways to keep up...
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| Staff Links
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Russ Boyd, Associate Minister for Youth - E-mail Russ
Tyler Heston, Assistant Minister for Middle School - E-mail Tyler
Alison Nicoll, Assistant Minister for High School - E-mail Alison
Susan Henry, Ministry Assistant - E-mail Susan
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