Each day there is a headline screaming to us about some awful thing a teenager has done. There may be some kids out there doing awful things, but please direct your attention to the really fabulous things that our Youth are doing. We have a group of really amazing young people. Sure we have Honor Roll kids. We certainly have musically talented kids. We have athletic kids and theatrical kids. We have a Youth who is considering ministry as a vocation. We have kids in scouts and kids who are artistic. Many of our kids have jobs and are good employees.
But did you know our kids not only commit to, but follow through on doing a Mission a Month? Our kids have busy, hectic schedules -- they could easily choose to spend that time relaxing or having fun. Yet they choose to dedicate themselves to doing good things for God. They haven't been forced, they aren't getting a prize. In fact, it was their idea.
So what do they do on the other weeks when they aren't doing a Mission? They have one week out of the month they devote to fundraising to pay for those Missions. That's AT LEAST one fundraiser. Sometimes they have several in a month - especially in a year where we will be traveling for our Mission. We do some fundraisers around the church, like collecting Our Family labels, aluminum cans, the cookie walk, dinners and maybe a brunch here and there. But we also work outside the church to raise money - that way we are not overly taxing the congregation financially.
We're not all work and no play - we have fun also. We may go to a movie, have a hayrack ride or go ice skating or maybe out for pizza. Sometimes we just hang out up on The Roof - which is what we call our Youth Room up on the 4th Floor.
Each Sunday you can look around and see Youth sitting in the Fusion service, then right after the sermon they stand up and walk out. What is that all about?? Darn kids - where are they all going?? The Youth are going to Sunday School class. While most everyone else is getting ready to leave - our kids have signed up for Sunday School in addition to Sunday Service. Our amazing parents and adult sponsors will usually have something for us to eat for lunch - because after all we are talking about teenagers. They seriously like to eat!
How do you find out more about what these amazing, headline defying Youth are doing? We are all about technology. We e-mail, text, there's a facebook page, a blog and we have a spot on the website. We'll tell you all about our activities during Youth Moment at each service once a month. Sometimes we even go old school and hang flyers around the church. Pretty soon we'll be telling you about the new Confirmation Class that's starting or the Bible Study that's meeting. So check out what we're doing!
