30 Hour Famine Information

Good Afternoon,

Thank you to those who were able to come yesterday evening as I went over the details of our 30 Hour Famine this weekend.  If you weren't able to be there, no worries, I have attached the schedule to this email and have shared some links below with you.  

Don't forget, if you aren't getting a text from me on almost a weekly basis, you probably want to sign up for our "REMIND" texts.  You can do so by clicking here: https://www.remind.com/join/drivenws

I am really looking forward to your participation this weekend in the 30 Hour Famine.  As I explained last night, please make an effort to raise some funds for this awesome organization as they fight hunger all over the world for the thousands (16,000/ day under the age of 5) of children that are dying daily.  World vision does not have a specific form that donors need to fill out but rather save on costs by just providing an envelope.  If you didn't get a formal envelope, feel free to use one that you may have at home.  Please bring any money collect to the start of the event on Friday at 6pm.

?As a reminder, you will eat lunch on Friday at school and then we will not have another meal after that.  If you have a medical condition that does not allow you to fast, that is OK, just let me know and we will make arrangements for you to be able to eat.  This is NOT a reason for you to not participate, we want you to be there.   

Please see the attached schedule, if parents you wish to participate in any part of or all of the event, let me know and we can make it happen.  We certainly appreciate any and all help we can get.  All parents are invited to join us for our "break" fast at 6pm on Saturday night.  

Here are some helpful Links:

Is Fasting Safe?

https://www.30hourfamine.org/info-for-parents/about-fasting/

Why we fast?

https://www.30hourfamine.org/hunger-facts/

Promo Video:

https://youtu.be/wiF50Sf0jlY

Once again as a reminder, this is not your traditional lock-in and we will be sleeping.  So please bring the necessary items for an overnight.   

As always, if you have any questions, let me know.  

Have a great week.

In Christ's Love,

Matt

December Events

Good Evening,

As I indicated in my text reminders, I will be starting to send a monthly email to remind everyone of what we have going on.  Please take a moment to note the dates/times below in order to help out and be active where ever you feel you can. The month of December is going to be a busy month!  We have several different things going on, hope you can join us!

Tuesday, December 6th from 5-7:30 - We will be helping with Community Night at Chillicothe Middle/High School Cafeteria.  If you are able to help serve hotdogs, lemonade, chips, etc... please let me know.  This is an awesome outreach to our community.  

Sunday, December 11th - Youth Group from 6-8 pm.  DON'T forget, this is the deadline to sign up/ register for the Mission trip that will take place the week of July 9-14 to Nashville, TN.  By this date I will need a commitment to participate by making a $100 deposit toward the trip.  Please see attached document for more information regarding our Mission Trip.  

Sunday, December 18th from 5-8 pm we will be sorting the Giving Tree gifts, having our Christmas Dinner and participating in our living nativity from 6:30-8pm.  Please plan to bring a $5 gift wrapped creatively for our gift exchange...PLEASE NOTE THE EXTENDED TIME FOR YOUTH....

Monday, December 19th from 4:00 - 7:30 pm we will be preparing and providing a Christmas dinner and crafts for the families of Lincoln Park.  We will be preparing at the church from 4-5 them packing up and heading to Lincoln Park from 5:30-7:00pm.  

Thursday, December 22nd from 6:00-8:00 pm we will be helping with the Christmas Gift distribution for the Giving tree. 

Friday, December 23rd from  9:00am - 12:00 pm we will be helping to distribute giving tree gifts.

Sunday, December 25th - NO Youth Group...LOL

Confirmation

This year we will be holding classes on Sunday mornings (11am-12pm) and evenings before youth group (4:00-6:00pm) and it is expected that you be at both. The United Methodist Church has put together a 14 week (1.5 hours each) confirmation curriculum that we are going to do over the course of seven Sunday morning and evening sessions. It is our hope that by not stretching the program out fourteen weeks that it will be more manageable for your schedules.  

Here are the dates and topics for class this year: 

January 15th - Creation, Sin, Redemption

January 22nd - Holy Spirit and Church

January 29th - New Creation and Way of Discipleship

February 5th - No Class

February 12th - Way of Salvation, Wesleyan Quadrilateral and Worship

February 19th -Sacraments and Living a Holy Life

February 26th - Renounce, Reject, Repent

March 5th - Accept/Confess and I Believe 

March 12th - Make up Class due to inclement weather

March 19th - Confirmation Sunday

The confirmation ceremony for confirmands will be held on March 19th at the worship service of your choice. Please let Matt Ballentine know if you have any questions or concerns, he can be reached at mballentine@walnutstreetumc.com 

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, give me a call.  

Have a great Friday,

Matt

Upcoming Events

Good Morning Everyone,

I wanted to let everyone know about a few events that are coming up.  

1.  This Saturday, January 30th we will be going snow tubing at Mad River Mountain.  We will be meeting at 12:30pm at the church and heading out around 12:45pm.  The cost is $40 to include tubing and dinner on the way home.  We will hopefully return around 9:30pm.  Please let me know if you plan to go by Thursday, January 28th so I can ensure we have proper transportation.  If you are a parent and would like to chaperone, also please let me know.  

2.  February 7th - Superbowl Sunday we will have two events... first, we will need all participants that plan to attend the mission trip (and those who would just like to help) to be at church by 8:00AM to help make the Super Bowl subs.  If you would like to help increase our profits, please ask your friends and neighbors if they would like to purchase a sub/salad for $6 and you can take it them that Sunday morning.  

Then, according to your schedule it says we will not have youth group that Sunday evening, however I have decided to host a youth Super Bowl Party at our home (message me for address) from 6-9pm.  I will provide the "main course" however please bring something to share with everyone (chips, dip, pop, etc..)  The only thing I ask is that you be picked up at 9pm even if the game is not over so that I can get my kids to bed. :)

3.  February 21st - We will be having our first pancake breakfast to raise money for our Mission Trip.  All who are planning to go on the mission trip please plan to be at the church by 8:00AM.  This is one of our most profitable events so please plan to help even if you can't make it on the mission trip this year.  

4.  February 25-26th -  We will be holding the 30 Hour Famine again.  I will be discussing this more at youth and Sunday School but I wanted to make sure you have it on your calendar.  

Lastly, If you are planning to go on the mission trip and haven't made your deposit, I need to get that money in by February 1st so that I can ensure that we have the proper accommodations and travel arrangements.  As I have mentioned all along it is imperative that I have that deposit in order to put your name on the list.  If financial issues are keeping you from the deposit please let me know privately and I can make arrangements.  Here is who I have on the list to go currently:

Sierra Adams

Jacob Calvin

Gabe Corcoran

Maria DiFrango

Nick DiFrango

Courtney Hines

Ethan Kerns

Sarah Quanci

Katie Remley

Autumn Schaeffer

Anna Smith

Rebecca Smith

Katie Kerns

Kevin Calvin

Matt Ballentine

Greg Smith

Angie Terry

**If I missed you, don't panic, let me know and I will add you. ;)

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to email or call me.

Have a great day,

Matt

Parent Meeting Postponed

 Parent meeting tonight is postponed...we have a bunch going on...we will go to see movie "War Room" tonight.  Meet at church 6:15 pm if you want to go.  Movie is FREE!  Look for a text/email later this week with rescheduled parent meeting date.

Get Ready for Messy Night

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

It is my hope and pray that you have taken some time over the summer to relax and prepare for another great year of school and youth group!!

It's that time of year that we are getting ready to have our annual messy night!  This year it will be held on September 13, 2015 from 5:30 - 7:00pm.  Plan to come on out, have a ton of fun and get really MESSY!!!  You won't want to miss a game of messy kickball!

We are also really excited about a brand new opportunity this year to have our golf course be a part of the Hirsch Fruit Farm Apple Harvest Open House on September 19-20th.  We will need help on Wednesday, September 16th to help transport the golf course to Hirsch Fruit Farm.  As soon as I finalize a time, I will let you know.  We will then also need help on September 19th (8:30-6:30pm) and September 20th (11:30 - 6:30PM) to help run the golf course.  Please let me know how you can help. All monies received from this effort will go to help support our mission trip for the summer of 2016 (NYC here we come).  If you plan to participate in the mission trip, we really need your help to make sure this event is a success!!

Lastly, we will have a parents meeting on September 27th at 6:00 pm before youth group.  We will look at our schedule for the year and talk about the mission trip.  Please plan to attend....

Have a great weekend,
Matt

UPCOMING EVENTS...

Good Evening,

Just a couple of reminders for upcoming events with our youth.

1.  ICE CREAM SOCIAL - This Sunday, May 31st, we will be helping to set up for the Ice Cream Social during Sunday School (11 AM).  We will be setting up tables, cutting fruit, etc.  Please plan to come out and help.   Then on Monday, June 1st, they will need help for 2 different shifts first from 11:00AM - 1:30 PM and the second from 4:00 - 7:30 pm.  We will be helping to clear tables, serve food and at the end clean up the tables.  This is a great opportunity to help our church raise funds for missions work, some of which they donate towards our mission trip.  I can not be there for the morning shift so please let me know if you plan to attend then so I can let Penny Blankenship know who will be there. 

2. LAST YOUTH GROUP - This Sunday, May 31st will be our last youth group for the summer.  We will be doing something a little out of the ordinary for youth group by going to Mrs. Schilling's mothers home (an elderly member of our congregation) and helping her do some yard work.  As normal, we will meet at the GREEN BUILDING and we  will still provide dinner but could use as many hands as possible.  Please plan to bring some gloves if you come as well as a rake or shovel if you have one.  Feel free to bring parents along with you, we would be HAPPY to have them join us.  Remember, we are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus and this is one way we can spread his love. 

3. LOCK-IN - YES!  You read that right...I know that everyone has been begging for a lock-in...well here it is folks...a night filled with fun and no/little sleep!  We will be locking ourselves into the church on Friday night, June 5th starting at 8pm and we will stay until 8 am the morning of Saturday, June 6th.  All we ask is that you bring yourself, a friend and $5 to help pay for the costs of food/drink. Come on out...YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO! 

4. MISSION TRIP FUNDRAISERS -   The first fundraiser will be our annual church cookout on Sunday, June 7th from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm.  We will collect a free will donation for you to come and enjoy, hamburgers, hotdogs and chips along with lemonade.  The second fundraiser will be a Silent Auction for several “Thirty-One” bags that have been donated.  This silent auction will start TODAY and run through next Sunday.  The bidding will conclude at 1:00pm on Sunday, June 7th after our cookout.  Check out the bags we have in the entrance off of Walnut Street today.

5. VBS - Don't forget, we can use any and all help for VBS the week of June 15-19.  There is the morning session from 9-11am and the evening session from 6-8 pm.  Please plan to attend one or both of these sessions.  We can use help as guides, with games and many other aspects of the week.  Please plan to stick around after church on June 14th to decorate from 12pm - ????  Hop to see you there!

WOW!  June is going to be a very busy month.  I appreciate all of you helping with the many different events listed above.  If you have any questions, don't hesitate to give me a call. 

In Christ,
Matt

Upcoming Fundraisers....We need your help!

Good Evening,

I wanted to take a moment to remind you of a few things that I have mentioned over the past couple of weeks at youth/Sunday School.  Over the next couple of weeks, we will be holding a few fundraisers to help support our mission trip to Charleston, West Virginia.  If you aren't planning to participate in the mission trip but could help with these events, that would be GREATLY appreciated! If you are planning to go on the mission trip, we really need you to help with these events in order to allow us to keep the cost to only $50 per person.   

1.  Our first fundraiser will be THIS Sunday starting at 8:00 am with our Pancake Breakfast.  If you could arrive at 8:00 am and plan to help through 1:00 pm, that would be great.  We will be serving between services on Sunday, April 26th from 9:00 am - 12:30 pm.   This breakfast will be pancakes, sausage, fruit and orange juice/coffee.  We will need help cooking, serving and cleaning up tables.  

2. Our second fundraiser will be a Petunia Sale.  We are selling potted petunias (2) for $5.  We will be taking orders in church as well as making extras to sell on May 3rd after our worship services.  We will need to meet on May 2nd from 9:00 am - 11:00 am to create the pots and get them ready for sale the following day.  We will meet at the garage behind the church (old Dan's Property).  If you wish to sell these to friends/family that don't attend our church, feel free to take orders and we can make sure they receive them. 

We would really like these two fundraisers to be successful!  I appreciate your help and look forward to the success we will have.

If you have any questions, please let me know.  

In Christ,

Matt