The Countdown Begins and a Favor

Hi Folks:

I'm very excited that in 5 hours we will be leaving for the Fall retreat. As happens, we get some last minute cancellations due to illness or to frenetic schedules that just make it impossible for youth to negotiate their schedules and get away for an experience like this.

At this point we are charged for each person registered, even if they can't make it. We've not made this a bad deal in the past. This year, however, please consider, if your resources allow, making your registration fee a donation which helps us fund scholarships for families that are going through tough times. But if you would prefer a refund this is possible as well. Contact me at tome@macalester-plymouth.org regarding your preference.

Either way, this weekend and the months to come, I look forward to being a part of the spiritual formation of your youth.

Peace,

Tom

Retreat Location and Emergency Contacts

Where we are going and how to contact us in an emergency:

Please be at church by 6:30pm so we can start packing the cars and leave promptly at 7:00pm. Come with a full stomach, but we will have a snack later in the evening.

Koinonia Retreat Center
7768 Pilger Ave NW
South Haven, MN 55382
1-888-801-7746

http://www.koinoniaretreatcenter.com/


Adults on the trip and their cell numbers are:

Tom Ewald 612-716-3150
Marsha Berry 651-895-9838
Norm Tiedemann 651-335-6962
John Schepers 612-730-7829
Maggie Passmore 612-716-8823

Blessed with a Mess!

Hey folks:

Registrations keep coming in for the Fall Retreat and we may be looking at upward to forty people (including adults) heading up this year! This is great news, but it requires us, as in years past to beat the bushes for anyone who may be willing to make the trip to Annandale either Friday night or Sunday morning to help transport youth. It is a beautiful drive and you get the chance to spend time with some great youth. Please let me know if you would be willing to provide rides either way and how many youth you can carry. My email is tome@macalester-plymouth.org

Also, just another reminder. The Mission Trip Worship Service is September 25 at the 10:45am service. We will also be speaking at the adult forum at 9:30am. Please mark your calendars for a 9:25am show-up and be thinking of things about this last mission trip that you would wish the congregation to learn.

Finally, and I'll talk more about this at Youth Fellowship this Sunday, but start brainstorming and researching opportunities for Mission Trip 2012 that can be presented at the Fall Retreat. In the past, we have discovered that people who present the most details are likely to get more buy-in than those who have general ideas. So if you are feeling a strong pull toward a specific piece of mission work we can do, become an advocate for it.

I'll see everyone Sunday!

Peace,

Tom

First Post of the 2011-2012 Youth Season

Hi folks:

By now you hopefully have received a mailing for the Fall Youth Retreat. Please get them into the office by August 31st. If you did not receive the letter or have lost it , the forms are available on the right hand column of the blog.

Also in that mailing I sprung the big news that we'd be using the blog as a way to get the most up to date information on all things youth-related: mission trip, youth fellowship, confirmation, etc. and so please make sure to check the blog often.

Thanks again to Norm for helping with all this.

Peace,

Tom