September 2023

IN THIS ISSUE

Celebrating Student Ministry at All Saints Church

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:15-17

Sunday marked the start of Student Ministry for the school year! As we reflected on Colossians 3:15-17, we focused on what it might look like for All Saints Students to be a community like the one described in the passage. As students laughed together, learned about Jesus together, and engaged in small group discussion, it was clear that God has built that community. Our focus now, as Scripture says in Hebrews 10:25, is to continue to meet and encourage each other in the faith!

Summer Camp Was a Blast!

This summer, Ligonier Camp & Conference Center hosted our students for a week of adventure, fun, growth, and fellowship in the mountains of Western Pennsylvania with almost 100 other students from the DC area. They had the opportunity to retreat from their busy lives and experience community with one another.

During the day, students played basketball, "gaga" ball, baseball, dodgeball, and laser tag. They spent a day at the lake, tubing and playing yard games. They competed in a church-vs-church sing-off competition (which, for the record, All Saints won!) and some even went on stage to perform in a Variety Show for the whole camp. They did various team-building and adventure activities throughout the week. For one adventure activity, students had to work together on a 40-ft high ropes course with 6 high obstacle elements. Another, called the “Flying Squirrel” has a student harnessed to a pully with about 12 other students on the other end, who quickly pull them up 70 feet into the air, flying through the trees and overlooking Ligonier Valley. Some students got to climb a 50-foot indoor climbing tower up to a window overlooking the campground. Another adventure had students crawling through a small cave in the side of a mountain to experience God’s creation in a new and unique way.

Why? These activities - among others - all helped our students reflect on what it looks like to take a step of faith, to be a light in the darkness, and to trust in the Lord.

In the mornings and evenings, we had a chance to dive deeper into discussion about who Jesus is and who we are as Children of God. Morning devotionals walked through the overarching narrative of scripture: Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration. This opened the door to learn more about how scripture and the true story it paints are relevant to our life today. In the evenings, students were able to sing and dance in expression of worship to God, before the guest speaker, Jonathan Lindsay, shared on four main topics over the course of the week: Our Identity, Our Purpose, Our Savior, and Our Mission. It was a fantastic week!

For next year, we have tentatively set the date for summer camp as July 21-25, 2024, so please SAVE THE DATE and stay posted for registration info to come for any students who may be in your lives! 

"I had fun meeting new people, there were so many different activities and the food was delicious. The Talent Show was my favorite because everyone's acts were so diverse." -Bella Ongodia 

“It's super fun and every activity we did points back to God. I can't wait to go back next summer!” -Hannah Buracker

What made our experience memorable was living each day as God calls us: worshiping, reading scripture, and enjoying life together. While we can’t ride a zipline or a 100-yard slip-n-slide at All Saints every day, we can live into God’s purpose for our lives.

What's Coming Up?

This year, we’ll have many more opportunities for all students in grades 5-12 to have fun and learn about God, faith, and their identity in Christ, through our regular Sunday morning meetings (CLUB and CREW), Connect Nights (now on Wednesday evenings), outreach, and special events:

• Last year, we built our community during Connect Nights. As we enjoyed dinner, games, and a Bible lesson with discussion, it was also a place for students to be themselves and explore faith together. Connect Nights are now every Wednesday night from 6:30 to 8 during the Fall & Spring.
• We also have several Special Events this Fall, such as Laser Tag (September 24th) and “Turkey Recovery” (November 29th), when we encourage students to invite their friends. We pray students feel a sense of community and belonging through these events!
• Additionally, we encourage students to put their faith into action, such as through the monthly All Saints Coffee & Crafts outreach at the Rockville Women’s Shelter and our annual church-wide community outreach Fall Festival, this year on October 21.

You may find more events on our Fall Calendar. Please reach out to jd.carr@allsaintschurch.net to be added to the student ministry distribution list for more details. 

Our prayer is that Student Ministry at All Saints would reflect God's love by fostering a community where students are known, loved, accepted, and worship God together by learning about Him, and serving His world together.