Youth Happenings Sunday January 19, 2014

Due to the holiday weekend, there will be no youth activities (including Explorers) on Sunday.

Parents and mission trippers, please remember the fundraising meeting on Tuesday at 9am in the Plymouth room. Contact Tom with any questions.

If you'd like to reach me, my new church e-mail address is sarahg@macalester-plymouth.org.

Thanks,
Sarah Goodall
Youth Coordinator

My Mistake

The meeting for the fundraiser will be Tuesday at 9, not Monday. Sorry for the confusion.

Rally the Troops Time

Hey Folks:

In order to make the fundraising dinner that Katie is proposing happen we are calling all youth and adults who are available 9am Tuesday for a meeting at church. Adults, if you know you CAN make it plus notify me ASAP. Youth, apparently you don't have school. Let's get this show going.

Peace,

Tom

Important Mission Trip Note from Katie Sterns

Mission Trippers and Mission Trip Parents and Chaperones:

Tom and I have been working to develop a fundraising event to help offset the loss of funding from a previous grant source.  We need to raise an additional $2000.  Here is the concept (please keep in mind that this is a draft and not final!):

Mardi Gras Dinner and Jazz Fundraiser!
Help us help our Mississippi River friends in New Orleans!

Date: Thursday, February 27th, 5-7 pm

Location: church social hall

Stop by for a delicious Cajun meal and jazz! Menu will include: (ideas...tentative) gumbo, jambalaya, red beans and rice, crawfish, beignets, corn, fried okra, sweet tea

Music will be provided by local jazz bands including the Capitol Hill Big Band and (Adam's Dad's band name) Dixieland Band.

Learn about continued rebuilding and restoration projects still happening in New Orleans post Hurricane Katrina.

$15 per person
$10 under age 12
($x per ticket is tax deductible)

Budget:

Youth and church members will presell tickets to this event. Each youth needs to sell 15 tickets.
If 22 youth sell 15 tickets that is 330 tickets at an average of $13. This will gross $4,290 less costs (still needs to be priced out but will include: food costs, marketing costs, band stipend.)

Next steps:

Leadership Team: We need to convene a group of student leaders and adults to accomplish this effort as soon as possible. Here are the subcommittees/teams we will need:

· Food Planning and Execution (determining menu, pricing suppliers, cook or cater, defining tasks and assigning workers, prep, food line, clean up, etc.)
· Ticket sales (determine ticket sales strategy, train youth and track sales)
· Graphics, Communications and Marketing (ticket and posters design/printing, social media, community calendars, media releases, etc.)
· Dining Service and Hospitality (defining tasks and assigning workers, set up, service, transporting seniors from local senior facilities, etc.)

Please respond back to me asap if you are willing to jump on board with this FUN AND FABULOUS event! If you’ve never worked with me you find that I am intense, creative and love to laugh! If that doesn’t scare you then please consider helping! We really need to divide and conquer so PLEASE see what you can do. I will do the overall management in coordination with a youth leader. We need one adult and one youth leader for the other areas.

Please respond if you can meet Monday or Tuesday of next week during the day preferably to begin work.  (No SPPS Public School on Tuesday).

Thanks!

Katie Sterns
651-295-1730

Youth Happenings Sunday January 13

Hey All, here's what's up:

9:00-9:30am Early Worship
9:30-10:30am Explorers
10:45am Late Worship

3:30-4:45pm Confirmation

5:00-7:00pm Youth Group: Junior High will be with Sarah; Senior will be having a mission trip meeting, required for youth. Not a parent meeting.

The following Sunday, January 20 there are no youth activities because of the holiday weekend.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday though!

Peace,

Tom

Change to Sunday's Schedule

Hey Folks:

Because of the temperatures we are expecting to roll in tomorrow evening, youth group is cancelled. We will still have Explorers at 9:30am and Confirmation at 3:30pm.

Also, remember to come support Claire Romey as speaks at the adult forum if you are a senior high person.

Peace,

Tom

Sunday January 5, 2014

Happy New Year everyone, here's the deal for this Sunday:

9:00-9:30am    Early Worship
9:30-10:30am  Explorers
9:30-10:30am  Adult Forum: Senior High-ers...Come hear Peacemaking Award winner and youth group                               alumnus Claire Romey talk about her trip to Costa Rica.
10:45-11:45am Late Worship

3:30pm-4:45pm Confirmation

5:00-7:00pm Youth Group

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone Sunday!


Peace,

Tom

Youth Happenings: Christmas Break Edition

Hi Everyone:

First of all, thanks to all, parents, youth, and especially Sarah, our youth coordinator, for a great Christmas party!

I delivered the presents to the Aliveness Project last Monday and they were very appreciative. There are a lot of families that weren't adopted and so they are grateful for the fact that the youth group does what it does for this effort. Thank you contributors, shoppers, and wrappers.

We do not have Explorers, confirmation, or youth group December 12 or December 29. The calendar shows Youth Choir at 9am and Chapel Choir at 9:30am both Sundays.

May you experience hope, peace, joy, and love this Christmas season.

Peace,

Tom

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

Hey Folks:

Here's the run down:

9:30am Adult Ed on Forgiveness
9:30am Explorers
10:45am Worship (Christmas Pageant)

12:30pm Roger Barr Christmas Story Reading

3:30pm Confirmation

5:00-7:00pm The Annual Youth Christmas Party

What'll it be? A potluck, a white elephant thing, games, present wrapping for the Aliveness Project, music...

What should you bring?

1. A mixed CD you create (and put your name on) to exchange with others as a way of letting people know the real (musical) you.

2. A white elephant gift. Something you don't use anymore but that some else may like. Wrap it!

3. Food. So far here is what has been assigned or volunteered:

Devon-a main dish
Sam-homemade pop
Kat-cupcakes or other desert
Dan: tater tot hot dish
Grace-desert
Samanatha-desert
Cordelia-bread
Sophia-mac and cheese
Rosalie-non-homemade pop
Stephanie-Chips
Emma-fruit salad

Not bad so far. If you don't see your name (which is many of you), bring something you see lacking.

It is going to be a great time, can't wait to see you all!

Peace,

Tom

Youth Happenings December 8, 2014

Busy Day at Church!

9:00am Youth Choir
9:00am Early Worship
9:30am Chapel Choir
9:30am Explorers Class
9:30am Adult Ed
10:45am Late Worship

then...

12:00-2:00pm Youth Group: Shopping for Aliveness Project and Set-Up for Around The Table Carol Sing in the social hall (community service project and in-house service project). Everyone meet in the social at noon on the side with the piano. I will be there with Sarah.

Please bring $10 as able to help pay for gifts for the families we have adopted through the Aliveness Project. We have a couple of teams going to make the shopping run. The others will be with Sarah setting up for the Around The Table Carol Sing. We will order pizza and eat around 1:30pm.

No confirmation...go get some rest so you can come back for the Around The Table Carol Sing at 5:00pm.

Next Sunday (the 15th) is the Youth Group Christmas Party. We did some planning last Sunday: it will be a potluck, think of something you would like to bring to share, food-wise and let us know this Sunday. There will also be a white elephant exchange: wrap and bring something you don't use anymore but that someone else may appreciate.

I hope everyone had a good week and I look forward to seeing you this Sunday!

Peace,

Tom

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

Youth Happenings Coming Up

Hey Folks:

This Sunday, November 3

9:00am Youth Choir
9:30am Chapel Choir
9:30am Explorers Class
10:45am Worship

There is no youth group this Sunday. I will be out of town.


The Following Sunday (November 10)-Big Stuff!

9:30am Explorers Class
10:45am  Worship
3:30pm Parents meeting for Confirmation in the Plymouth Room (youth get to stay home)
5:00-7:00pm Youth Group

There is a mandatory Mission Trip Meeting for senior high participants and their parents that starts at 6pm.

Fellowship for junior high will be led by our new youth coordinator, Sarah. Come and meet her! A full bio on Sarah is coming, but she will also be working with the Explorers class. I am asking parents to encourage their youth to join Sarah at the 10:45am worship service after Explorers each week.

Look for more details next week, but for now, mark those calendars!


Peace,

Tom

Youth Happenings This Sunday, October 27, 2013

Here's what going on this Sunday...

9:00am Worship

9:00am Youth Choir (grades 4-8)

9:30am Chapel choir (grades 9-12)

9:30am Explorers Class (grades 6-8)

10:45am Worship

Youth Group-Important Notice

The Circles of Grace event, scheduled for 6:00pm this Sunday has been cancelled. We will, however, have regular youth group from 5:00-7:00pm for junior and senior high youth. I look forward to seeing you Sunday!

Peace,

 

Tom

A Message from Adam for Parents of Youth

Circles of Grace: Parents and Youth, Oct. 27, 6pm to 7pm

God’s Grace shines through the time, talents, treasure and trust given by this congregation to its ministries and the wider community.  During this year’s stewardship campaign, we have been gathering  in small groups to share the impact of the church on our lives and reflect upon the spiritual practice of giving and pledging. There is a special group happening this Sunday, Oct. 27 during the youth program for youth and adults.  Tom and Adam have crafted an experience that will work for the youth and include the parents.  Part of the evening will be spent separately, but we will end together as we acknowledge the gifts we have received and given that make the ministries of the church possible.  Please email Adam and let him know if you are able to come this Sunday. His email is revadamblons@gmail.com. Youth will gather for dinner, etc. at 5pm.