Come. Grow. Serve.

Peer Events- These are events that will take place with 2-3 students and an adult leader (youth pastor or volunteer leader).  These could include a variety of activities- going out to eat, movies, Frisbee golf, tennis, shopping.  Basically anything that a teenager would find entertaining or fun will be incorporated into these Peer Events.  They not only will be a time of relationship building, but expect the tough questions to be asked. 

Service- Service is a huge part of who we should be as Christians, and the youth group is no exception.  We are planning on having at least one major service project for each age group (7th-9th and 10th-12th).  Along with that, we will also be serving at Vacation Bible School. 

Mission Trip(s)- Mission Trips happen once every two years.  The next one will take place in the Summer of 2008.  The Sr. High Trip went to San Francisco to serve in a variety of different ways in the Summer of 2006. 

Big Events- What good would summer be without some BIG events?  Well the summer schedule is laced with events to attend with a large number of students.  This summer look forward to: Sonshine, Blaze, Movie/ Bonfire Nights, Golf Outing, and a possible family boating day.  In the summer of 2008, we will be starting an annual retreat for the students. 
 

1. We do this to allow for our volunteers to have a break.  They are hardworking and invaluable to our ministry, and we want to keep them that way!  They need to vacation and recharge for the upcoming year.
2. The summer schedule for students if filled with vacations, sports, and all sorts of activities that limit regular youth group participation.  To accommodate for this, we more fluid sporadic schedule was created to allow more participation from the students.
3. The summer is used for big trips: Sonshine, Valleyfair, various mission trips.  These take countless hours of behind the scenes work to develop what you see during the summer.
4. RELATIONSHIPS- This is a prime time to have freedom to develop strong relationships with students in a relaxed setting.  Plan on seeing peer events popping up during the summer.
5. This time is also used to recharge the regular ministries.  Time is put into evaluating other ministries, evaluating our own ministries, and preparing leaders to develop ministries next year that are relevant, impressive, and life changing.