Just a couple of things

Girl's Christmas Party at the Sullivan's
This upcoming Tuesday night (Dec. 22) the Sullivan's are inviting the girls to come to their home for a girl's Christmas Party.  It will be from 6:00pm-10:00pm and they will have food, games and movie. Also, each girl should bring a pair of wrapped fuzzy socks.

Their address is:
711 Greenbriar Drive
Northport, AL 35473

Holiday Schedule
This Sunday Dec 20 - There IS class at 10:00am as usual
Wednesday Dec 23 - There is NO UY gathering
Sunday Dec 27 - There is NO class
Wednesday Dec 30 - There is NO UY gathering

Mission, Mission, Beach

Nicaragua Interest Meeting - Wednesday, December 16 - 5:30pm

This upcoming summer we are planning to take a group to Nicaragua.  This will be for those in High School and any parents that might be interested.  Just to get the ball rolling and see who all might be interested we are going to get together next Wednesday to talk about some very preliminary things.  If you or your teen has any interest at all in participating in this, next Wednesday would be a good start.  You aren't committing to anything by showing up.  This is designed to help you make a decision on whether this is the right opportunity for your family.  

Sneedville Trip - December 18-20

We are going to be taking a small group to Sneedville next weekend to visit with the families we have connected with in the past.  This is a last minute, quick trip but there have been some who went last time that have been wanting to return… so we are going to do so.  We will be leaving on Friday at 4:00pm and returning Sunday by noon.  The cost for the trip will be $50 which will cover lodging and gas.  

Gulf Coast Getaway - January 15-18th - $95

The College group is once again inviting any Juniors and Seniors to join them to go to Gulf Coast Getaway.  The cost is $95 which covers registration, lodging, and food for the weekend.  Deadline to sign up will be December 27th.

Stay home and Gift wrapping

Not Meeting

This Wednesday, November 25, the UY will not be meeting… enjoy your thanksgiving with your families.

UY Christmas Party - Sunday, December 6 - 5:00pm

The UY will be gathering at the building for this year’s Christmas party.  There are a couple of things I need to inform you on in order for your teen to be prepared to have a jolly ole time.

1. We are having an ugly Christmas sweater contest, so they should suit up with an ugly Christmas themed sweater with no shame.
2. Keeping with what we have done every year, we are asking every UY participant to create their very own homemade ornament.  It will be judged on creativity and overall awesomeness and the winner shall receive a stellar prize.  It will be hung on the tree with years past ornaments.
3. We are going to do a dirty santa exchange again but the gift should be something that they already have and are willing to part ways with… no purchasing anything, just something around the house that others would potentially like to have.

Small Group this week.

This only applies to those in our small group but I thought I would just go ahead and include it so I don't have to bog you down with another email.  This Sunday, November 29, we will be meeting at 6:00pm in the teen room.

Labor, Gather, Spotlight and Ornaments

UY Room Work Day - This Saturday 9:00am

Let me first say that I am fully aware that the length of time the room renovation has taken is completely ridiculous and I apologize for that.  On the bright side, one of the main construction points that has been holding it up finally came together this past week and we are progressing rather nicely. The end is in sight and I need a little help to push it further in that direction. So, any help available Saturday morning would be greatly appreciated.  FYI, paint will be involved so dress accordingly.  

Hang night - This Saturday Nov. 14 - 6:00pm-9:00pm - Building

The teens will be gathering to hang out for a bit Saturday.  If they could bring $3 to help cover food, that would be fantastic.  

Performance Night - This Sunday, Nov. 15 - 6:00pm - CVA

I dropped this out there a while back as a future date but it may have gotten kicked under the rug.  This Sunday evening we are going to spend some good ole fun time together as families.  Several of your teens have agreed to take part in performing for you guys.  We will begin at 6:00pm in the CVA and have a meal together (food provided).  The idea is to allow those who may have the ability to perform in some manner (Sing, Play an instrument, Comedy, Dance, etc) to have a chance to do just that.  I have a feeling this may be rather entertaining so I hope you can join us.

Christmas Party - December 6 - UY Room

For those of you who keep up with dates, you will see that the date has changed.  For those of you who don’t, you can pretend it has been December 6th all along.  More details will be given as we get closer.  

Opportunity, Barn and Dates

Jennifer Johnson

Jennifer is the mom of Coty Johnson (a 7th grader in our group) and as most of you may have heard, is battling another round of cancer… this time in her stomach.  She is currently in Birmingham receiving chemo for the next several weeks.  Overall they are not in a stable financial situation so we wanted to pitch in to help in some small way.  Last night Gina Jackson began receiving donations to help go toward food, gas and anything else they may be in need of.  If you didn't have the opportunity last night you can give Gina your donation through this Sunday.  Please be praying for Jennifer, Tom and Coty as I know they are in need of the peace and comfort that can only come from God.  

HOEDOWN - Sun., Oct. 18th - Ken and Leigh Ann Smelser’s - 4:30pm

It is indeed time for our annual hoedown and I for one am excited about it.  Live music, square dancing and great food means it’s time for you to get excited as well.   As indicated above, we will be at the beautiful home of Ken and Leigh Ann Smelser for this little shindig.  

Their Address is:

6444 Sanders Ferry Rd.

Tuscaloosa, AL 35401

I am in need of some help to pull this thing off successfully.  So, if you would be willing to help in some way you can click HERE and indicate in what areas.  Thanks so much and I look forward to Hoedowning with you all.  

Dates Looking Ahead

November 14 - Hang night

November 15 - Performance Night

December 12 - Christmas Party

Quick Reminder and a Request

Fall Retreat - October 2-4 - Mentone, AL

This Sunday (September 20) is the deadline to register for this year's fall retreat.  You can do so HERE.  The cost is $55.  I also want to ask you guys to begin praying for this weekend we will have together.  Retreats are such a vital part in our group growing together.  It's a chance to get away and devote an entire weekend to drawing in to God's Spirit.  Pray for God to use this time we have together to impact His kingdom by transforming our hearts to line up with His.  

HELP!?

There are several students who want to be able to go on the retreat but have conflicting commitments on the Friday evening we leave.  I was hoping that someone would be willing to take one for the UY team and drive them up late Friday night so they could be a part of the weekend.  You are more then welcome to stay the weekend with us or return home whenever you desire.  Depending on how many kids will be wanting to come late, the small bus is available for use.  If you have a larger vehicle that will hold them, we will reimburse you for the gas.  There are no guarantees but Im pretty sure this single act of service will grant you a full size Jacuzzi in your mansion in Heaven.  If you would be willing, please let me know.  Thanks

Wednesday, Sign-Up's

This Wednesday Night - September 9

We are going to be doing a little something different this Wednesday night and will be partaking in a movie outing.  For those families who are interested, we will be gathering at Cobb Theater for the 6:50 showing of "War Room".  If you aren't familiar with the movie, here is the TRAILER.  I know some people my have other class responsibilities so in any case where your teen wants to go but you can't or if someone just needs a ride, Ill be driving the bus, leaving from the building at 6:20pm.  We should be back at the building by 9:10pm.

UY Small Group Sign-up HERE

Fall Retreat - October 2-4 - Sing up HERE

Tubes, groups and sign-ups

This Weekend

I know there may be some going out of town for labor day weekend but for those teens hanging around we are going to be doing a couple of different things.  

-Tubing the Cahaba River - This Saturday, September 5th

We are going to be heading to Brent, AL, about 30 minutes away, to tube the Cahaba river.  We will be leaving from the building at 10:30am.  The cost will be $20 and they will need to bring a sack lunch with them.  Pick-up from the building will be at 4:30pm.

-Hang night - This Sunday, September 6th 

We will be gathering at the building at 6:00pm to hang out.  They can eat before they come or bring their dinner with them.  We will wrap things up at 9:00pm

Small Groups

I try to keep communication between those in the UY small group and those who aren't separate. Since there is no official sign-up this year, I need to know who plans to join the UY small group so I can communicate appropriately.  So, if your family is intending to be a part of it, I need you to click HERE and enter your family’s name in the space provided.  Also, we will not be meeting as a small group this upcoming Sunday but will begin our regular gatherings on September 13.

Fall Retreat Sign-up

Registration for our Fall Retreat, October 2-4, is now open.  Click HERE to register your teen(s) to be a part of it.  Cost is $55 and deadline to sign up/pay will be September 20th.

Moving forward

Parents,

I do try to be as concise and to the point when I communicate with you guys on here, but from time to time I think its beneficial to share some thoughts concerning our direction and road map as a youth ministry. That’s my way of saying this is not going to be concise.

If you may remember, a year ago I explained our 2014-15 school year plan which included the idea of equipping your teens with opportunities to be active in their faith, specifically related to their spiritual gifts.  This was extracted from an Ephesians 4 mentality that we gain unity in Christ, maturity, and the fullness of who He is through obedient and intentional action.  It has been an awesome experience to see the different ways your teens have stepped up to lead, plan, teach, and serve in the name of advancing the Kingdom.  This mindset will continue to be a part of the DNA of this youth ministry as we move forward but over the past few weeks I have felt God calling us into something more.

     

This summer was one of the best I have ever been a part of while doing youth ministry.  I observed a tremendous amount of spiritual growth in so many of your teens.  From Knoxville work camp to IMPACT to camp and everything in between it was apparent that God’s spirit was moving in so many of their hearts.  With such a great summer comes the quite and sneaky temptation to be complacent.  

"Complacency is a deadly foe of all spiritual growth," -A.W. Tozer

For the 2015-16 school year we are going to be dialing in on what it means to be living out a life on mission.  The great commission isn't a choice for us to consider… it’s a command we are to obey.  In order for us to get to a place where this is reality, we must dive in to a passionate devotion to pushing ourselves deeper.  Now, before you find yourselves thinking “Yeah that sounds great and all, go ahead and challenge my kid to do those things”, let me say that this is beyond just your kid. You’ve heard me say it before and Im sure this wont be the last time but the most effective arena for genuine spiritual growth in a teenagers life, is within their own families. With that being said, I want to invite you into the initial step.  As communicated in the previous blog post, we will be gathering together this Sunday night to launch our small group for the semester.  Ill put the when, where and other tidbits of detail below but I want you to understand that we will be unpacking our direction together after we eat.   If you can make it, I believe it will be beneficial.   Even if you have no intention of being in this particular small group, you are invited to join us.  

I wont ramble on any further but I look forward to where God is leading us and hope you can make it Sunday.  And now a few dates and reminders:

This Sunday Night - August 30 — 6:00pm - at the building

Dinner will be provided 

Fall Retreat - October 2-4 - Mentone, AL

Hoedown - October 18th - Smelser’s home

A couple of things

Parents,

I hope everyone has had a successful transition time from summer to school.  I just wanted to make you aware a couple of different things real quick.  

Hang Night - This Saturday, August 22 - 6:00pm - 9:00pm

The teens will be gathering together at the building to hang out together.  They’ll need $3 to help cover dinner and drinks.  For those teens who have a desire to be on our leadership team (E4), and can make it, I have asked them to be here at 5:00pm to help plan and map out our direction for this school year.

Small Groups

To my knowledge, there is no official “sign-up” for small groups this year.  So, this is how this is going to work. As always, if you and your family are already connected with another small group, that is fantastic and you should continue doing so.  If you have been a part of this one, are new to the group, or don't currently have a small group… here you go:  

On Sunday, August 30th at 6:00pm we will have our initial small group kick-off gathering/meal.  All families of teenagers are invited to be a part of this group.  

If your family has not been a part of a small group in the past or if you are unsure if that is even something you would want to do, I would encourage you to at least show up to this initial gathering as we will be laying out our vision for where we want to go with this.  If you have any questions about this at all, please feel free to contact me.

Fall Retreat - October 2-4

We will be returning to Mentone, AL this year for our Fall Retreat.  Registration for that will open up around the first of September but I wanted to go ahead and get it out there so you could put it on your calendars.  

Wrapping up the Summer

LOCK-IN - This Wednesday, July 29th

We will begin the lock-in at 8:00pm at the building and pick up will be 8:00am Thursday morning.  If it fits your schedule to come get them earlier then obviously I am ok with that.... seriously, come get them.  They will need to bring $5 to help cover the cost of drinks, Snacks and some breakfast items.  

Lake Day - Saturday August 1st

We will be having our final lake day of the season this Saturday.  If girls could bring canned drinks and guys could bring side items to go with chicken, that would be splendid.  Starts at 1:00pm and wraps up at 7:00pm.

Good Bye Intern Party - Sunday August 2nd

We will be gathering at the building at 6:00pm to share a meal and some memories from the summer. I thought we could do a good ole fashion Money/Gift Card tree for them, so if your heart is moved to do so, you can come willing to donate to give them a little gift as they depart.  Food will be provided, but in order for me to have a good understanding of how many to expect, I will be sending an RSVP text later in the week.   

Camp departure, xbox cabin, wrapping it up

Camp 2015
If you have a participant in Camp this year, you will need to click HERE to get all the pertinent information to prepare for departure.  If you don't have a participant, you can ease on down to the next section.

This Wednesday night
We are going to mix things up a little for this Wednesday.  The girls will be having a sleepover at the Sunshine Pointe Cabin and the guys will be spending some time gaming.  

Girls
Meet at Sunshine Pointe at 5:30pm.  They will need to eat dinner before they come but plenty of snacks will be provided.  Pick-up will be 9:00am on Thursday morning.  If there is a transportation issue picking up (as I know many of you have real jobs you need to be at) let me know, and we can figure out how to get them home.  

Guys
They will meet at the building at 6:00pm on Wednesday night and will wrap things up at 9:00pm.  No need to bring anything.  

A few dates to keep in mind as we wrap up the summer.
Monday, July 27 - Enocity #3 
Wednesday July 29 - Lock-In
Saturday, August 1 - Lake Day
Sunday August 2 - Intern Goodbye bash

Sign-up, Females, Offsite Worship, Smores

Camp 2015

I promise this is the last reminder to sign up your camper if you have not already done so.  Deadline is THIS SUNDAY and cost is $115.  Click HERE to register!!

Girl's Night - Tuesday July 7th

Hunter will be hosting a girl's night at the building next Tuesday from 6:00pm-8:00pm

Wednesday Gathering - July 8th

We will be gathering together this upcoming Wednesday night at the Pierce home in West Circle for a night of worship and hanging out. It will start at 6:00pm and wrap up at 8:00pm.

Camping - Thursday July 9th

For those who are down for this sort of thing, we are going to take a little camping excursion to Blue Creek Camping site.  This is near the Holt Dam out Hwy 69 North.  We will meet at the church building at 4:00pm Thursday afternoon and return to the building at 9:00am Friday morning.  Dinner and drinks will be provided but if they want any additional snacks, they should bring them.

Sign-ups, Animation, Devo, Slide, and Independence

Greetings from IMPACT,

For those of you who have kiddos here at IMPACT, everything is going just grand and I sincerely see God working in each of our hearts.  I just needed to take a second to remind and inform of some things going on in the next couple of weeks.  First the reminders...

Sneedville Mission - July 8 - 12
Deadline to sign up will be next Wednesday, July 1st.  Cost is $60.  Money will suffice for sign-up.

Camp Registration:  
I neglected to say in the last post that camp is for those going into the 5th grade - High school graduates.  Deadline to sign-up is July 5th.  Cost is $115.  Register your little camper by clicking
 HERE

Happenings this Upcoming Week:

This Sunday Night June 28th
We will not be gathering together this Sunday evening.

Tuesday June 30th - Movie
For those who want, we are going to get together and go to a movie to see "Inside Out" next Tuesday.  As of now, it says there is a 1:50pm showing so we will plan on that.  Either drop them off at the building at 1:00pm and we will go from there or if it's easier, they can meet us there.  

Wednesday July 1st - Worship
We will be getting together for a time of devotion and worship

Thursday July 2nd - Splish Splashtastic
At 3:00pm on next Thursday we will be getting out the grand ole slip and slide and take to some H2O shenanigans.  After we finish, we will order pizza and have dinner together.  They need $3 and we will be done at 7:00pm.

Saturday July 4th - Lake Day
As usual we will be participating in the 4th of July festivities at Sunshine pointe.  Everyone is to bring canned drinks.  Starts at 1:00pm and ends at the firework's finale.  

Money, Mission and Waterfalls

Alrighty, I just have a couple of things to remind and some new info to roll out there to you.

Wednesday Night
UY will be meeting together this Wednesday night at 6:00pm but will not be meeting together next week.

IMPACT Money is Due
Remaining Balance for JR. - $130
Remaining Balance for SR. - $190

Sneedville Mission - July 8th-12
We are planning to return to Sneedville to work with the families and children in that community. The cost will be $60.  I really can't say enough about this opportunity to simply love people and be Jesus in a place with so little hope.  If any of you as parents are interested in joining us, please jump on in on this.  My vision is for this to develop into a family oriented missions point... so the more of you guys who can get connected there, the better.

UY CAMP - July 19th- 24th - Cost is $115 -  DEADLINE TO SIGN UP IS JULY 5th!!
I am giddy with excitement. Camp, in my opinion, is the greatest thing we do all year. There is just something incredibly special about getting away in God's great creation for a week together that just can't be replicated in any other way.  I say all of that to strongly suggest that you get your teen to be a part of camp with us.  We will again be returning to Fall Creek Falls State park in Pikeville, TN to spend the week together growing spiritually, worshiping and just having fun. You will need to register your teen online HERE and money ($115) can be given to me.  Checks payable to UCC.   Again, deadline for sign up is JULY 5th.

Hang, Gender specific fun, Sunburn, Hang again and It's all about the Benjamin's

This Upcoming Week

Wednesday 

UY participants will be gathering together this Wednesday night at 6:00pm for a time of worship and devotional.

Thursday - Hang Time

After VBS and lunch we are going to get together Thursday afternoon at 2:00pm to play games and hang out at the building.  We will wrap things up at 5:00pm.

Friday Night - Guy’s and Girl’s hang night

Girls will stay at the building and watch a movie. They will need $3 for pizza.  Guys will be going out to get something to eat (money for fast food) and their exact activity is yet to be determined… but it will probably involve ultimate frisbee or some other manly happening where sweat will be involved.  Everyone meets at the building at 6:00pm and we will be done at 9:00pm.

Saturday - LAKE DAY

Yep it’s time for another lake day.  We just stuck them where we could with the busy schedule.  Standard operating time 1:00pm-7:00pm, however we are going to do things a little different on the “what you should bring” front.  We have plenty of drinks left over from our last couple of get togethers, so there is no need for anyone to bring that.  We are going to get real crazy and not do hamburgers and hot dogs, the entree will be some sort of chicken cooked in some sort of way… still deciding.  Guys, bring a side item: mac and cheese, green beans, pasta salad, etc. Ill let you use your creativity.  There is no official contest, but the one who brings the best side item will probably be hoisted above everyone’s heads and heralded as a hero.  Girls can bring some sort of dessert.  Im sure the same reaction will be had for best dessert as well.  If you are a multiple gender/teen family - just bring one item of your choice.   

Sunday Night

This upcoming Sunday night we are going to plan to get together as a youth group.  6:00pm-8:00pm at the building.  Snacks will be available, but real substantial dinner food should be consumed beforehand. 

IMPACT

If you have a teen participating in IMPACT and haven't paid in full, well, unfortunate for your family’s financial stability... it is time to pay up.  After deposit paid, Junior IMPACTers owe $130 and Senior IMPACTers owe $190.  I will be sending out pertinent details concerning departure, what to bring, etc in email here shortly.

Lake and Wednesdays

Lake Day
This upcoming Saturday, May 30th will be our first lake day at Sunshine Pointe.  Start time is 1:00pm and we shall wrap things up around 7:00pm.  We will plan to eat around 4:30ish. Girls are to bring chips or some sort of side and guys are to bring canned drinks.  

Wednesday Nights this Summer
Through out the summer the teens will continue to get together on Wednesday nights for worship or fellowship.  However, when ever we are out of town as a group, we will not meet. For example, we will meet this upcoming Wednesday night but will not meet the following week as we will be at Knoxville Work Camp.  Below are the dates we will not be meeting.

June 3rd
June 24th
July 8th
July 22nd

Summer, Interns, Bash and Dates

Well, that glorious time of year we refer to as summertime is but a few days away.  I for one am pumped about what the next couple of months has in store for us.  We have a jam packed summer and I hope your teen can jump in where they can.  

One of the great things about summer is having interns to share that experience with us.  This summer Connor Gaines and Hunter Holland will be working with our group.  I have known both of them since they were in the 8th grade and I have no doubt they will do an outstanding job.  Connor is finishing his junior year at Tennessee Tech in Cookeville, TN and Hunter is finishing her junior year at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.  They will be arriving next week to start their time with us.

Welcome New 7th Graders and Their Families and Welcome Interns kick off the summer Blowout Bonanza Bash Cook-Out Extravaganza

I just don’t believe the summer can begin without the above mentioned event.  Fear not, it is in fact happening and is going down on Sunday, May 24th at 6:00pm. That’s right, we invite you and your entire family to come join us at the Cornerstone Retreat for a little Cook-out.  The Cornerstone Retreat is located just past Northside High School at:

21160 Max Vintson Rd, 

Northport, AL 35475.  

Now, I know that is a little ways out there but I think this place will be a great venue for a wonderful evening.  I do need a little help in some items being brought so if you would be willing to do so please let me know and Ill tell you what we need.  

Date Reminder

Over the next couple of months there will be a lot going on.  Below is a reminder of the big event dates.  Of course, there will be other things sprinkled in as we go and I will let you know those as we ease our way through.

Knoxville Workcamp - May 31 - June 4

Junior Impact - June 19-22

Senior Impact - June 22 - 27

Sneedville Mission - July 8 - 13

Camp - July 19-24

Lake Day Dates:

May 30th

June 13th

July 4th

August 1st

Retreat thought and a plea for assistance

Quick thought from our Retreat

I just wanted to take a minute to make a few comments about our retreat this past weekend.  As I walked away from our time together, there was one resounding feeling that continued to bounce around in my mind…. this group, I believe, is an exceptional group of teenagers.  There were seven Winshape Wilderness leaders that worked with our group through out the day on Saturday and almost all of them made it a point to come tell me how impressed they were with these kids.  Keep in mind that these people work with different groups week in and week out and it was evident to me that they saw something different in them that they didn't in most groups.  They talked about their maturity, how well they interacted with each other and the way they encouraged each other.  They listened, were always respectful and did what was asked of them with excitement and energy.   Not once did I hear a discouraging remark pointed at another person.     Beyond the obvious compliment to our teens is a compliment to you the parents…. after all, they are the product of your upbringing.  Ive worked with different groups over the years so I am fully aware that this is a great group.  This weekend was just a really good reminder to see others notice it as well.  

HELP!

As most of you have noticed, we have begun a little teen room/area renovation.  Now I know you have been sitting at home, possibly lying awake in bed at times thinking “I wonder how I can help?”  Well wonder no more….  Next Saturday, May 2, we are going to have a little work day to try and put a big dent in a very large project.  We are going to meet together at 9:00am to knock a few things out.  Don't miss the fun!!

Two Deadlines this Sunday.

Knoxville Work Camp - May 31-June 4 - Deadline is this Sunday April 17th

For those of you not familiar with Knoxville Work Camp, it is a week that several hundred teens break off into 18 to 20 different crews to tackle helping someone or an organization in need.  Last year was our first year to participate and it was an outstanding experience.

Cost is $50 (checks made payable to UCC and turned into me) and you can sign your teen up online HERE.  

IMPACT - Deadline is this Sunday April 17th

Junior IMPACT - (Current 6th-8th Grade) - June 19-22 - Full Cost $155

Senior IMPACT - (Current 9th-12th Grade) - June 22-27 - Full Cost $215

Submit application (printable application HERE) and a $25 deposit (checks made payable to UCC) by this Sunday April 17th.

Tiny retreat, Tassels and Important Deadlines

The Bridge Mini- Retreat

This upcoming Friday night we will be having a mini retreat for the Bridge group.  The idea here is that this will allow those kids in the 5th and 6th grade to be acclimated to the UY as they prepare to transition into the youth group in the next few months and year to come.  The UY leadership team has been in the process of planning this over night retreat but the entire youth group is invited to join us.  We will be gathering at Zidon Avisha at 4:00pm this upcoming Friday, April 3rd and the retreat will end at 2:00pm on Saturday.  There is no cost to attend but we do ask that your teen bring some sort of snack to throw into the snack buffet. Transportation will be the responsibility of those coming (Zidon Avisha is local at 11495 Malone Creek Rd, Elrod, AL). All they will need to bring is bedding, toiletries, and a change of clothes.  As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.  

Graduation Celebration Sunday

This year we will be celebrating our graduating seniors a bit earlier than usual.  On Sunday, April 12th there will be combined classes between our two services where we will recognize both the high school and college graduates.  Following second service, just our UY families will be gathering to have lunch together in the UCM room. We hope you can make it.

Summer Sign-ups

Well summer is upon us and I for one am beyond excited to get things rolling.  There are a couple of things that you need to go ahead and sign-up for if your teen is planning on attending.  

Knoxville Work Camp - May 31- June 4

Click the link below to register your teen and by below I mean under all this other info:

Sign up before April 19 = $50

Sign up after April 19 but before May 3 = $60

Absolute deadline is May 3

You can give checks to me, payable to UCC.

Online Registration HERE

IMPACT

Junior IMPACT - June 19-22 - Full Cost $155

Senior IMPACT - June 22-27 - Full Cost $215

DEADLINE TO SIGN UP IS APRIL 17th

Submit application (printable application HERE) and a $25 deposit to me by April 17th.  Or go ahead and pay in full if you're feeling crazy.  

Deadline for Spring Retreat

I have to submit final numbers to Winshape wilderness on Monday which means THIS SUNDAY is the deadline to sign-up for our spring retreat.  You can sign your teen up HERE if you have not already done so.  The cost is $80.  I will be out of town in Sneedville this Sunday so if you want you can just leave your payment in my box just outside the main office.  

Next Wednesday Night

Technically there are no church meetings next Wednesday night because of spring break. However, for those teens who are in town, we are going to plan to get together to just hang out. TBA on exactly what that will entail.  

Reiterations

Wednesday Time Change
As you may be aware, the church as a whole is changing the meeting time on Wednesday nights to 6:00pm and just to be clear, UY will make that change as well. 

Sneedville Mission
Deadline for sign-up is the Sunday March 8.  Again, cost is $40 and they can sign up by submitting those funds.

Spring Retreat
Sign up  is HERE.  Deadline is March 15.

Hang out and Sign up

Hang Night - This Saturday

This coming Saturday night is our monthly hang night.  We will meet at the building at 6:00pm and then go bowling.  The special they are running is $12 for two hours of bowling… this includes shoes.  They’ll need to eat before they come or bring something with them.  We will be back at the building and have wrapped things up by 9:00pm.

Sneedville Mission Trip - March 13-17

As previously explained we will be taking a group to Sneedville, TN to work with several families there.  After being there this past weekend I am really excited about this opportunity to simply pour into the lives of the people there.  The cost will be $40 which will help cover food (9 meals) and gas.  Deadline to sign up will be March 8.  The process for signing up is to place $40 in my hand.  

Spring Retreat - April 17-19

I know this is still a ways off but then ropes course program we will be participating in requires us to have in final numbers and paperwork one month in advance.  So, that means the deadline to sign up will be on Sunday, March 15.  The cost for the weekend will be $80 and you will need to click HERE to sign your teen up.  

Worship, Football, Mission

The Living Room

We will be gathering this Sunday night at 6:00pm in the CVA for a time of Worship and reflection together. I hope you and your family can be there.

Super Bowl Sunday - February 1st

This year we will be fellowshipping over football at the Ramsey home (12530 Lakewood Hills Drive, Northport, AL 35475). Bring your favorite finger food along and we shall commence to watch our last dose of football and eating too much.  Kick-off is at 5:30.

Spring Break Mission Trip - March 13-17

In an effort to start a domestic mission point we will be taking a group to Sneedville, TN to serve and love the people of that community.  Sneedville is located in an extremely poverty stricken area with people living in conditions that you would not expect to find in the United States.  God has been doing some powerful things there through an organization called Run4water over the past several years.  We will be partnering with them to take on projects and help families in need. More precise details to come but I do hope your teen will make plans to be able to join us as we begin our efforts there. 

Upcoming Dates

Hello Parents,

I just have a couple of things I wanted to go ahead and throw out there.  First, just a reminder that the calendar (click HERE) is always available for you calendar people.  

Wednesday Nights

We will continue meeting on Wednesday nights at 6:30.

Ephesians 4 Initiative

I have been highly encouraged so far from the response and zeal your teens have given towards this approach we are taking.  We are going to try and kick it up a level this semester with several opportunities coming our way.  It seems that the best time for these meetings to take place are Wednesdays before our weekly gatherings.  Again, you can check the calendar for the schedules of these meetings.  Next week will be the first of the semester.

Hang Nights

Through out the semester we are going to get together on an occasional Saturday night to just simply hang out.  Could be a movie, game night, or a trip to Birmingham.  This Saturday, January 10th, will be our first hang night of the semester.  For this one we will simply get together here at the building and play some games.  It will be from 6:00pm-9:00pm, Food provided.  

Spring Retreat - April 17-19

We are headed to Berry College in Rome, GA to take part in the Winshape Wilderness program.  This is a low and high element ropes course.  I have been there on several occasions and can testify that this is a top notch program.   Ill be in touch with more details as the dates approach