Family Movie Night

This week at youth was our family movie night. We watched Meet the Robinsons at the church. There was a really good turn out, and we were able to make some money for the youth group by running a concession stand. My role for the night was partly helping run the concession stand, and then helping clean up afterwards and setting up for a wedding the next day. It was a very neat event because a large amount of our youth come from un-churched families, and this was a way to have them bring their family along. Also, now that those families have been to the church, there is hopefully a better chance of them coming back again.
The clean up was also pretty sweet, because it was a great team effort between the leaders, the youth, and the others who had come.

Overall, i’m really loving the youth group, and am getting to know the kids better each week, which is really exciting! Please continue to pray for me as I’m with them, that God could be with me and that I would be able to help them where they are at.

Thanks and God Bless,

steve

Mission Explo

This Saturday, my youth group went to a mission explo in Victoria. It was a very long day, filled many challenging speakers, worship, and a time of mission outreach. While the day was not completely what we had expected, and was much longer, when I reflect on the day, it was a very positive experience.
One thing I took out of the day that was mission based, was regarding the many homeless and underprivileged people and how easily we, with much, disregard them as people. We forget how real they are, how they have hopes and dreams…and how we are only a few dollars from being where they are.

My favorite thing about the day we simply getting to hang out with a part of the youth group in a different setting. I definitely got to know so many of them much better and really love it!

I also felt a large sense of assurance of God’s placement for me in this church and youth group. During the day many events small and large, helped me realize this. Events like, having a map when we got lost, being able to help keep the youth in-line due to my previous knowledge/experience, and even just in the many times of relationship with them all.

God very much answered my prayer for the day of getting to know the youth better, and I have faith he will continue to help me in those relationships, and to daily make me more aware of what he has in-store for me.

First Jr Youth Night!

On Friday was our first “official” jr youth, and it was a blast. True, it was scary, because I still feel like I don’t know many people and didn’t know where to go, but once we were in the right place things took off. There are about 30 kinds, and lots of boys with lots of energy! We were playing giant board games (trouble, checkers and spoons) and it was a good time. Once people were out of the game I was able to talk to a lot of them. It was really neat because they were madly running around, but once I sad down and started talking to them, they totally calmed down and we got to discuss things. I'm learning their names, and am very excited about the relationships forming.
Its good to feel needed because there’s not a ton of leaders, and its also cool because im younger and somewhat crazy (like the kids), and so hopefully can reach kids who might not talk to someone else.
My favorite part of the night was by the end of it, being able to name a bunch of youth (even when they started telling me made up names for a lot of them).

Road Tour Time

This weekend I was able to help in the Qwanoes Road Tour. What is it? Its basically a way to reconnect with kids who went to camp this summer and their friends. I happened at a church, and it involved singing, games, food, and a speaker. I was helping with the games (which were crazy fun) and then with clean up afterwards. During the games it was a good time to get to know a few of the kids on my team.
It reminded me of my summer at camp, being with kids and having fun, singing and playing games. It was a blessing to help the camp in this way, as they get to reach out to many campers and continue to work in their lives. Many campers look forward to this day from the day they leave camp in the summer.

We did not have youth this weekend, due to it being thanksgiving, but we are back on Friday for our second night. I'm very excited for that and would ask that you would continue to pray for the relationships that will be formed there.

Thanks again,
God Bless