Youth Happenings December 1, 2013

Here's the plan:

9:00 am Early Worship
9:00am Youth Choir
9:30am Chapel Choir
10:45am Late Worship

No Explorers, Adult Ed, Confirmation, or Youth Group this weekend

Next weekend: youth group will be right after church. We will eat and shop for the Aliveness Project (please bring $10) and help set up for the Around the Table Carol Sing as an in-house service project.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!


Tom

Youth Happenings Sunday November 24, 2013

Hey Folks, here's what's going on...

(no early worship)
9:00am Youth Choir
9:30am Chapel Choir
9:30am Adult Forum on Thanksgiving
10:45am Worship
11:45am Curt's Retirement Celebration

5:00pm Youth Group: Christmas party planning and special guest Adam Blons

I look forward to seeing everyone!

Peace,

Tom

Another Opportunity

I have a family looking for snow removal December 14-29 at $20 a shot. This is not a mission trip fundraiser and is open to junior and senior high folk. Email me.

Tom

Opportunities for Youth

Hi Folks:

It isn't here yet, but snow is on the way. I've had two requests for youth willing to do snow removal:

The first is from a member who is having surgery and will be unable to shovel his snow. He is willing to pay $20.00 per time. This would be a good way to make some money for someone with transportation as the home is near Roseville.

The second is from a family who is willing to make a donation for the mission trip for someone to be on call for snow removal while they are out of town November 20 to December 1. They live in the Highland neighborhood. This is a great opportunity for a mission trip participant to earn fundraising credit.

Both need to know quickly, as they have people in reserve, but wanted to offer this to our youth first. Please email me at tome@macalester-plymouth.org if you are interested in either.

Peace,

Tom

Youth Happenings Sunday November 17, 2013

9:00am Early Worship
9:00am Youth Choir
9:30am Chapel Choir
9:30am Jim Nelson speaking to parents at Adult Forum
10:45am Late Worship

3:30pm Confirmation youth and parents

5pm Junior and Senior High Fellowship-Aliveness Project Holiday Basket Kick-Off. This is our time to show our commitment to local ministry.

I look forward to seeing you all Sunday!

Peace,

Tom

Mission Trip Meeting Update for Sunday

Hi Folks:

Please bring a $50.00 deposit for the mission trip to Sunday's meeting.

I look forward to seeing everyone!

Peace,

Tom

Youth Happenings Sunday November 10, 2013 and more

Hi Folks:

I have lots to share with you in this post.

The schedule this Sunday is....

9:00-9:30am Worship
9:30-10:30 Adult Forum: Jim Nelson speaking about youth. See note below*
10:45-11:45am Worship
3:30pm-5:00pm Confirmation-Parents only
5:00pm-7:00pm Youth Group (From 6-7pm there is a mandatory mission trip meeting for youth and parents)

*About Adult Ed: Jim Nelson is a retired child and youth psychologist whose book Running on Empty, speaks to many issues confronting youth and their parents in a plugged-in culture of busy-ness, with expectations on young people from a number of fronts that are leading to disturbing trends amongst adolescents. Jim has asked that I invite you to come with any questions or concerns you have about youth and our current culture as a lead-off to the discussion.

Lastly, from the Stewardship Campaign:

Dear Friends in Faith:

As the 2013 Stewardship Chair, I have been asking members of our church to share some of the Surprising Gifts that they have received as part of their life in the Macalester Plymouth faith community. 

I wanted to share with you, parents of the youth of our church, some thoughts from Anne Bushnell on this topic.  Her thoughts echo what I've heard from many parents and they certainly reflect our own experience raising a family in this church.  As you consider your giving this year, I would ask that you reflect your own family's experience.  

Rich Passmore

Dear fellow MPUC parents of youth,

I was asked to think for a bit about what Macalester Plymouth United Church has meant to my boys, now 15 and 18, and to us as a family. This turned very quickly from a task on my to-do list, to a rush of gratitude and an overflowing heart. From a bit of a thorn, to a big, beautiful rose.

Counting the blessings received from my kids’ involvement in Mac Ply youth programs… It’s so much more than dropping them off at 5 o’clock on Sunday night for youth fellowship. It is watching both of my boys get up in front of our trusting, loving congregation and read their personal statements of faith as they step forward to be confirmed. It’s an engaged discussion at the dinner table about marriage equality, people who are homeless in St. Paul, and yes, even about what Jesus would have had to say about it all. It is standing back while one of them organizes leaf raking and offers up his pie baking skills to do his part in fundraising for the mission trip. It is hearing the other explain a Bible story (in detail I never knew), and being so glad he’s got this in his toolbox. It is listening to them sing, and laugh, and learn about silence.

I am grateful for all of the caring adults MPUC has brought into their lives, for our church’s courage to offer Our Whole Lives sexuality education, for helping teenagers learn to look outward as well as within.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. 

With love and gratitude,

Anne Bushnell