Thanks, Wednesday, Keys, Lake, Serve

A big huge gigantic thank you to all who were able to be there last night and bring your piece of  the puzzle to make our Welcome Cookout a success.  I feel like our day of 7th grader inducting went really well.  It was half fun and half serious and I hope they feel like they are a part of this group now as we move forward into the summer. I also know the interns appreciated it and thus far feel extremely welcomed by your efforts to make them feel that way.  So, thank you.  Ok, the summer train is rolling and here is what is around the near corner.  

Wednesday Nights
As has been announced, there are no adult classes on Wednesday nights but we as a youth group will be getting together when we are in town.  This week we will meet, but next week we will not because of Knoxville Workcamp.  Still same standard 6:30 time.

Keys to the Kingdom Workshop - This Friday
Over the past several months I have been teaching on various topics meant to push your teenagers into action for the Kingdom of God.  We want to move past just trying to “be a good kid” and into a place of awareness that God wants them available to be used in powerful ways.  This Friday night is a great opportunity to continue that thought process.  In the simplest of terms, we are going to have a mini-retreat at the building.  There is a group of 12 high school students from TN, who in my opinion, have been doing some pretty powerful stuff to advance the kingdom of God locally and globally.  They have developed a workshop called “Keys to the Kingdom” that is designed to help youth groups identify their spiritual gifts and also show them what it looks like when teenagers step out of their comfortable little worlds and into what God is calling us to be.  I have known each of these students over the past 6 years and I promise you your teen will benefit from hearing from them and simply being around them.  Here’s the plan:  6:00pm Friday, May 30, teens arrive at the building with: 

$5 (to help cover dinner and breakfast)
Sleeping bag
Pillow
Air mattress (if they have and want one).  
Change of clothes and showering items if they desire to freshen up Saturday morning.. Lets encourage them to do so.

Let me be clear…. THIS IS NOT A LOCK-IN.  Sleep will be had… granted it might be limited but there will be a bedtime/lights out.  We will wake up, have breakfast, and spend the morning hours continuing the workshop in sessions and breakout groups.  We will wrap things up at 11:00am.   

I really do hope your teen is available to be a part of this.  I promise you, they will benefit as a follower of Christ as a result of being there for those short few hours.  Let me know if I need to clear anything up surrounding this opportunity.   

Lake Day
This upcoming Saturday, May 31 we will have our first lake day.  Arrive at 1:00pm at Sunshine Pointe and girls bring chips, dessert, or some other form of snack and guys bring drinks (cans or bottles).  Hamburgers and hotdogs provided.  Pickup or go home is 7:00pm.

If you are in a situation where your teen wants to participate in the Keys to the Kingdom and lake day and that window of time in between presents you with a problem, we can work out transportation straight from one activity to the next.  They may get there at the lake a little early, but hey, its the lake.

Knoxville Workcamp

We will be heading out next Sunday and I ask that you guys will be in prayer as we travel and serve.  Parents with participants, I will be sending an email shortly with the needed details.