November 2017

Dear Parents of Fourth Church Youth,
 
Here's your November newsletter. You all are great, and so are your kids.
 
Make sure to check fourthchurch.org regularly for updated information. You can subscribe to our weekly e-newsletter here , which will also get you the fliers for event registrations. Thanks for all you do here at Fourth Church!
 
Yours,
 
Rocky
   
topTable of Contents
calendar November Calendar

Friday, November 10-Sunday, November 12
Senior High Retreat at Camp Stronghold in Oregon, Illinois.
 
Sunday, November 12
Youth choir at 10:00 a.m. 
10:30 a.m. Community Time in the Bumpus Room 
Junior High, Confirmation, and Senior High at 11:00 a.m. 
 
Sunday, November 19
Youth choir at 10:00 a.m. 
10:30 a.m. Community Time in the Bumpus Room 
Junior High, Confirmation, and Senior High at 11:00 a.m. 
Parent Meeting at 11:00 a.m. in Room 5G
Youth and Family Service Event: Sunday Night Supper
 
Sunday, November 26
Youth choir at 10:00 a.m. 
10:30 Community Time in the Bumpus Room 
Junior High, Confirmation, and Senior High at 11:00 a.m.   
 
   
sunday Parables and Prophets and Creation and Sin:
Sunday Mornings in November

This month the sixth- and seventh-grade Sunday morning youth group is exploring the parables of Jesus, what they are, what they mean, and what they want from us. The parable of the workers in the vineyard, the ten bridesmaids, and the talents are on the agenda in this unit. The thing they all have in common is that they all address the question of the "reign of God." This is going to be fun.
 
Eighth-grade Confirmation has a keynote this month on the doctrine of creation. As with all the keynotes, this one arises to meet a question asked at the fall retreat, specifically, "Evolution? Creation? Dinosaurs?" The keynote will aim to present the Jewish and Christian creation story accurately and to push students to ask how we can, as people of faith, treat it seriously, though not literally. There will then be a Circle Group session focused on what it means to believe that we (and all humanity) are "created in the image of God," and what we mean when we describe humanity as "fallen" or "sinful."
 
Senior Highs are spending November with the Old Testament prophets. On Sunday, November 19, we'll look at the story of the prophet Deborah from the book of Judges (fierce); and on Sunday, November 26, Ezekiel rounds out the month with some thoughts on fake news.  
 
   
confirmation Missed A Week of Confirmation?

For those of you with students in the eighth-grade Confirmation program, materials for each weekly session are published to the web and posted on the Confirmation website, where you can find the slide presentation for the October 22 keynote talk, "What Did Jesus Teach?" or the Circle Group discussion guides for October 15 and 29.
 
   
parent Parent Meeting on November 19

Thanks to all of you who participated in the parent meeting in October. It was beneficial for me to meet many of you and to listen to you talk about your teens, your hopes for them and your questions about our ministry together.
 
We will do some more of that community building together in Room 5G at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 19 (and, yes, there will be coffee). We will also spend some time talking about the calendar of summer trips we have planned, both for junior high and senior high youth. I look forward to seeing you all there.
 
   
ski All-Youth Ski Retreat Registration Is Live


Before last January, I had never been skiing. But then I went on the All-Youth Ski Retreat and spent a great weekend with about twenty Fourth Church Youth at the Cascade Mountain ski resort in Wisconsin. Some were experienced skiers, others were newbies, like me--although I didn't actually ski. I spent the day in the warm lodge.
 
Everything is set for our 2018 All-Youth Ski Retreat, January 12- January 14: the vans are rented, the house deposit is paid, and the registration page is up. Click here to sign up before Friday, December 22 .
 
We recommend a $200 contribution per person for this to help pay for the van rental, food, house, ski and poles rental, and lift tickets. But as with all Fourth Church youth trips, anyone who wants to go can go regardless of what you can pay; however, please contribute what you can.
 
   
jrhigh We Need a Junior High Retreat Leader

Friday, January 26 through Sunday, January 28, to be precise. Sixth- through eighth-graders will drive to Conference Point Center in Wisconsin. Registration information for that will be emailed out and posted to our website  next week.
 
This retreat needs another adult leader. If you would enjoy a winter weekend on Lake Geneva with our lively community of junior high youth, email Katie Patterson. As with all our trips and retreat, leaders from among the ranks of church membership and parents will make this one happen.  
 
   
summertrip Summer Trip Registration Is Coming Soon

Like, in two or three weeks. As soon as we have all the details finalized. Here's a refresher on the trips:
  • Detroit--for incoming fifth- through eighth-graders, June 23-30
  • Cuba--for incoming ninth- through twelfth-graders, June 25-July 2
  • Missouri--for incoming ninth- through twelfth-graders, July 14-21
  • Montreat (Youth Conference)--for incoming ninth- through twelfth-graders, July 28-August 4
Leaders make these trips, and I don't mean paid staff. We will have an application process for leaders of all of these trips. Watch your email and the website for information about how to apply for the leadership team of the trip of your choice!
 
   
chili How Strong Is Your Chili Game?

Registration for the summer youth trips opens later this month and continues through December. Then, with the turn to the new year, it's time for us to start raising support from the congregation for those trips, beginning with our Chili Cook-Off Fundraiser on Sunday, January 7.
 
I need two things for this. First, if you have a chili you're proud of, enter it. There's a Golden Ladle for the winner. And bragging rights. Email me now if you want in on the list of chili's.  
 
Second, I badly want a small team of two or three people to work with me on the event. The basic setup is easy enough: recruit cooks, sell tickets, arrange judging, eat. But I'm certain that there is experience and creativity lurking among all of you that far exceeds what the youth ministry staff are bringing to this. I'm envisioning a single brief planning meeting and then attendance at the actual event. If this sounds fun to you, email me. Please.    
 
   
childserv Volunteer with ChildServ December 2


There's another opportunity for youth and families to serve together coming up in a few weeks. On Saturday morning, December 2, as many as twenty of us can meet up at ChildServ (8765 W. Higgins) and volunteer at their volunteer gift drive from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. We will be sorting, organizing, and filling gift orders, as well as wrapping presents. We'll go to lunch together nearby afterwards.  
 
Click this link to sign up and reserve your spot by November 30!
 
   

Fourth Presbyterian Church
126 E. Chestnut St., Chicago, IL 60611