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Youth Ministeries Newsletters
November 2009
December 2009
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08/21/09 |
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Youth Ministries Newsletter | |
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 WASHINGTON ISLAND FORUM |
A wonderful opportunity to learn more about not just youth ministry but the climate of faith among teens is happening next summer at the Washington Island Forum.
The theme for next year is "Almost Christian: What the Faith of Our Teenagers is Telling the American Church". The leader is Kenda Creasy Dean, is an ordained elder in the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference (United Methodist) and Associate Professor of Youth, Church and Culture at Princeton Theological Seminary, where she works closely with the Institute for Youth Ministry.
You can read more here:
The Washington Island Forum is an ecumenical annual gathering of Christian leaders, with different topics each year. I haven't been to one yet, but I know some people who have gone to these and love the experience - much learning is done, as well as the chance to worship together, hang out with other church leaders, see some beautiful scenery, and get some rest time in as well.
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 Retreat for High School Students, individually or with their church groups. Experience faith in community, meaningful worship and great music, silence and time for prayer, getting to know new people and hanging out with friends.
Rest from the stress of school, listen to God's word, connect with yourself and others, and find satisfaction in silence and in fun activities. Be inspired by the beauty of God's Creation on Green Lake, and by workshops and discussions with adult leaders and your peers. Printable registration |
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| Soul Tending: Life-Forming Practices for Older Youth and Young Adults
 From our national website (ucc.org) "Soul Tending expands on the ideas Kenda Creasy Dean and Ron Foster put forth in
The Godbearing Life: The Art of Soul Tending for Youth Ministry (published by Upper Room) and offers a practical way for senior high youth and young adults to study spiritual disciplines while strengthening relationships among participants. The study includes lessons on inward, outward, and corporate disciplines. The goal is that Christ would be formed in each participant. Youth and adults co-journ together as they examine classical and contemporary disciplines, supporting one another, and intentionally seeking encounters with God."National Website of the United Church of Christ. |
| Great Lakes Regional Youth Event (RYE) |
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When: June 17 - 20, 2010
Where: Defiance College in Defiance, OH
Who: Youth who have finished 6th through 12th grade and their chaperones.
Cost: Estimated $225. Covers housing, food and program. The Wisconsin Conference will be organizing busing which will be an additional expense. We hope to also have a conference gathering the night before we leave for Ohio. Andra Moran and Stephen King will provide music and be our worship leaders.
Theme: Challenges, Choices, Consequences
Registration will be online soon....More information to follow.
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Future Youth Events |
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This retreat is designed for the high school youth and young adults to age 23 who would like to "plunge" deeper into their faith and answer God's call, who want to know more about God, and who have theological questions about the Bible... about the questions of suffering in the world...about social justice...or about the afterlife. This retreat will focus on spiritual exercise, quiet time, and reflection.
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Wisconsin Conference UCC congregations raise $4,230.95, as well as 766 food items and barrels of food items.
 The Souper Bowl of Caring, whose mission is to utilize Super Bowl weekend to mobilize youth to fight hunger and poverty in their local communities, begin at Spring Valley Presbyterian Church in Columbia, SC, in 1990. The high school youth group at that church invited 22 other youth groups around Columbia, SC, to join them in collecting dollar bills in soup pots to give to the local charity of their choice. The idea was to use Super Bowl weekend, a time when people come together for football and fun, as a time to come together for a greater purpose. Since 1990, this event has spread throughout the nation and more than $50 million has been raised for soup kitchens, food pantries, and other local charities.
Wisconsin Conference UCC congregations were invited, through the youth leader network (wcucc_youth_leaders@yahoogroups.com), to share their results from the 2009 Souper Bowl of Caring. Twelve churches responded. Two churches held soup lunches after church to raise money. One church reported that the youth held a bowling party after they collected money for their chosen charity. Wisconsin Conference UCC congregations raised $4,230.95, as well as 766 food items and barrels of food items. Each youth group was able to select the charity of their choice to receive the money and food items that were collected. As of February 17, 2009, $8,564,811 has been raised nationwide for the 2009 Souper Bowl of Caring. |
