Monday, January 28, 2008

One Awesome Night

Hey Guys!
Thanks to everyone who was a part of the Monster Lock-In this past weekend! We had around 75 students who came so thanks for inviting your friends and making this our biggest event! But don't forget to invite your friends to Acquire the Fire too. It's coming up fast so make sure to grab a permission slip and get it into Dave ASAP. This is an awesome way to help your friends meet Christ and for you to grow in your relationship with Him as well. So don't miss out!

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Lock-In Deadline Extended

As of Monday there are 51 students signed up for the Lock-In. Please don’t miss out, there is till room for you and your friends.* We need all applications here at Messiah by the end of this Wednesday’s Youthnite. By the way, this week is Small Group night, so we’ll be having Pizza (suggested donation of $2 per person.)

Note to Parents and Leaders:
We are still in need of five adults who are willing to spend the night as either Security or chaperones. We especially need female leaders. We also need at least three more to help serve breakfast and do clean-up in the morning. (*Without these additional numbers we will need to cap total registrants at 60 in order to guarantee a safe event for all students.) Please get back to me by Wednesday.

-Dave

Monday, January 7, 2008

January Youth Update

To the Messiah's Youth Community:

Parents, Students and Leaders

Happy New Year to you all! I trust the Christmas season gave you all time together with your families. Our Christmas break is coming to a close and we are ramping up for a wonderful winter season of Youth Ministry here at Messiah Episcopal Church. Our Youth Team just finished a prayer and planning retreat and the excitement was palpable. This Sunday Sunday School is back and this Wednesday, Jan. 9th, sees another Youth & Family Potluck. Youthnites follow, with this month’s theme of "Reaching Your Peers," some practical teaching on friendship evangelism. Look for some of our large, fun and life-changing events as well, with our Monster Lock-In on Jan. 25th and Acquire the Fire on Feb. 15th-16th. Because we were able to purchase a bulk of tickets for Acquire the Fire lat year, we can make this very special announcement: students who pay their fees for the Monster Lock-In in January earn a $25 discount toward Acquire the Fire in February.

Two future notes:

First, our Youthnite theme for February is "Know the Truth," helping families learn about, prevent and overcome chemical dependency. Look for more info soon.

Second, a new Confirmation Class begins in Lent. Our current class concludes its classroom work at the end of January and moves into ministry internships. There will be an info meeting for interested parents and students, mature 8th graders and up, Sunday, Jan. 27th.

Also, look for exciting Summer Ministries info in our February e-mail.
With every blessing for 2008. And, please bookmark our new blog, faithfully updated by Dwight Reynolds and Kevin Hendricks.

Dave

Saturday, January 5, 2008

Happy New Year!

Hey Messiah's Youth,
Hope you all had an awesome Christmas and our excited for the new year after celebrating the birth of Jesus. At the start of the new year it is important that, aside from our new year's resolutions, that we committ ourselves to growing closer to Christ in 2008. It may be something like committing more time to prayer and scripture reading or perhaps simply seeking to develop more godly qualities such as patience and humility. It may be difficult, but we cannot stand still in following God, we must always seek to become more like Christ and the beginning of the new year is a great time to look for more ways to do this. My prayer is that we can encourage each other to do this at church, at school, at home, and everywhere we go so we can show the glory of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to those around us. So Happy New Year to all of you and I hope to see you at the potluck on Wednesday!

- Dwight

Saturday, December 22, 2007

New Photos!

Hey Guys,
Just wanted to let you know that I've uploaded some new photos for your enjoyment!
Merry Christmas!

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

December Youth Update

To the Messiah's Youth Community,

As I wrote to you all some time ago: The old liturgical calendar is rolling to an end. Each year, as we get closer to Advent, I’m reminded that I have another chance to get it right, to prepare my heart for Jesus' birthday and to better integrate my faith, my work and my family. For Thanksgiving, Advent, Christmas and even the New Year celebration are times when we have clear permission to be with our kids, our extended and our church families.

At Messiah we want our ministries to children and youth to support families and the parental role of nurturing Messiah’s kids in the Christian faith. As we move into the holy-holiday season we want to be sensitive and supportive of our families' need for time together, all the while providing ministry that prepares our children for Christmas. As you’ll see in the calendar there are some old standards and a few new events:

For all ages: The Hanging of the Greens and Salad and Dessert Potluck on Dec. 23rd. Youth and adults can beautify the church for Christmastide with a Children’s Activity in the Undercroft for the little ones. Older kids (grades 3-5) will also rehearse for the Interactive Nativity Pageant. And don’t forget the Family Christmas Eve Service with Interactive Nativity for children of all ages, 4:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

For Youth: Our annual Christmas-Adventure Party: Dec. 7th, our Youthnite Christmas Service Project (Cards & Cookies for Messiah Shut-ins: Dec. 5th &12th), and our annual Advent Play on Dec. 9th. We’ll also add one new opportunity, by serving at the Annual Christmas Party for the families served by Episcopal Community Services, Saturday, December 15, 2007 St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral.

Dave

Thursday, November 8, 2007

Wednesday Night UPDATE

Hey Youths!
Everyone remembers this month's topic, riiiiiiiiight? SPIRITUAL GIFTS! As we've done these past couple of Wednesday nights, we must remember to take time and look at what spiritual gifts we have and how we can use them to honor God. We also have to remember that each of us have gifts that are vital to the church, we are all an important part of the body of Christ! We looked this week about where in the Bible it talks about this, so let's all remember to live out I Corinthians 12:

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines
The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink
Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

- I Corinthians 12:4-26

Friday, November 2, 2007

November Youth Update

Dear Messiah's Youth Community (Students, Parents and Leaders),

Before I offer a few thoughts, a quick note to let you know there is still room for those who want to stay and play Romans & Christians after the All Saint's Fest. Please reply to this e-mail (or post a comment) to let me know your interest, and fill out a form and pay $10 on Saturday. Now to those thoughts:

As you are no doubt aware I am in the midst of my diaconal work, which, if all goes as planned, will lead to my ordination to the priesthood on December 20. My work as a Deacon is to represent the work of Episcopal Community Services to the youth ministries of the Region 7 Episcopal Churches. What that means is that I attend Diocesan and Regional events (Clergy Conference, the MDG Summit, Region meetings, Diocesan Convention and St. Paul Teens Encounter Christ) and that I visit youth groups and Sunday School classes. In part I am also creating a network for youth ministries that, I trust, bears fruit beyond December.

To that end I am working toward a multi-purpose event, hosted by Messiah, that pulls all the above together. We will host an U2charist here on Nov. 30. According to Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation: “A U2charist is an Episcopal Eucharist service that features the music of the rock band U2 and a message about God's call to eradicate global poverty. The U2charist is a great opportunity to reach out to the people in your congregation and larger community, especially young people. The music and message of the U2Charist is about global reconciliation, biblical justice for the poor and oppressed, and the importance of caring for your neighbor.”

Youth from other Episcopal Churches will be invited, with the admission price of a winter hat or mittens for the children served by Episcopal Community Services. An offering will also be taken for our Haiti Partnership. The event is not just for youth; the whole community is invited!

Dave

Be sure to check our calendar for the latest upcoming events.

Friday, October 26, 2007

Jesus Rocks Nov. 30

Holy communion with the music of U2 is coming to Messiah Episcopal Church on Friday, November 30, 2007. It's U2charist--ancient ritual and rock & roll--a One Campaign benefit to fight stupid poverty.

Admission will be a children's hat or pair of mittens for the Episcopal Community Services Winter Hugs program. A freewill offering will also be taken for Messiah's Haiti Partnership.

It all happens Friday, November 30 at 7:00 p.m. at Messiah Episcopal Church. Contact Dave if you have any questions.

Fall Retreat Pics

Crosswoods Fall Retreat 2007Dwight just posted some photos of last weekend's Fall Retreat at Camp Crosswoods. Head over to our Flickr group and check 'em out (and feel free to upload your own).

Hope everybody had a swell time.