Next year, the Youth Committee will become  the Youth and Family Ministry Team, with an increased emphasis on ministry to youth of all ages and their families. In fact, our awesome "youth guy," Scot Redman, is actually our Youth and Family Minister, and he has been involved with families from the start. We hope you will get excited about the events we have coming up! 

As the youth move along in age, they move along in the youth groups and activities.  On September 19 and 20, one first-year Confirmation student and three second-year students had a chance to get together at the Back-to-Confirmation Lock-In at the church and then a pool party at Pastor Bill and Carol’s house.  Then, October 4-5, it was the high school students’ turn to welcome new 8th graders into their group at a one-night retreat at Briarwood, which included lots of games and good food.  The high schoolers will get together again November 7-8 for a lock-in at the church, where they will bake goodies on Friday night and have a car wash on Saturday, both to raise money for their summer mission trip.  Look for a table on Sunday, November 9, where you can make a donation and find some treats to take home.  The next activity for the 6th–8th graders will be November 14-16, when they will have a chance to stay at a hotel in Ft. Worth while attending a Lutheran Youth Organization gathering.  Then in January, both groups will get together for Discipleship Camp. 

We haven’t forgotten about the younger children, though!  We hope to schedule a craft time during the Sunday School hour for children of all ages to make items to take to shut-ins when our families go Christmas caroling on Sunday, December 21.  The caroling is a wonderful way for families to do something fun and meaningful together and connect with some of the older members of our congregation who we don’t get to see very often.  Another family activity will be our outing to Pump It Up for kids from Kindergarten and up and their parents, on Saturday, January 24.  Also, remember that Families INC has activities for families with young children.