Dear Fourth Church Youth Volunteers,

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.  

 

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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. This Sunday they will get their hands dirty with the prophet Amos, examining the plight of farmers; 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.  

 

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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. 

 

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Like, in two or three weeks. As soon as we have all the details finalized. Here's a refresher on the trips:

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.    

 

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