SNOW TUBING @ Snow Trails

On February 4th, we will be joing our friends from Newark UMC to go Snow tubing.  We will be heading up to Snow Trails in Mansfield for an afternoon of tubing.  The cost for this trip will be $40 and will include dinner.  We will meet at the church at 11:00 am on February 4th and return sometime around 8 pm.  Let Matt know if you want to go by January 29th. 

Coming Up

Good morning,

Here are just a few reminders about things we have coming up in the near future.  December is a busy month so be ready!

1.  This Saturday, December 3rd, we are going shopping in Columbus and then to the Zoo lights. We will be meeting at the church at 10::30 am and heading to Tuttle mall.  While at the mall, you can shop for anyone.  If you would just like to "window shop" that is fine too!  Then you will need to eat dinner at the food court before leaving around 4:30 pm to head to the Zoo to see " Wild Lights".  The evening will then end with us returning home around 9:30 pm.  Please bring $12 for the zoo lights and any money for food/shopping that you may need.  This will be a great day!  IF you are planning to go, please make sure Matt knows no later than Wednesday (tomorrow).  If there are any adults who can go, I am still in need of some chaperones.  

2. Since we will be at the Zoo lights and Shopping on Saturday, there will be NO youth group this Sunday as indicated on the original schedule.

3.  On December 18th, we will be having our Christmas Party and "Living Nativity".  This is a Sunday night, however both youth groups will be combined and we will share in a small gift exchange.  Please plan to bring a gift that can be purchased for $5 or under.  Dinner will be served and we will then participate in the living Nativity.  To give us a little more time this evening, please plan to be at the church from 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm.  Make sure to dress for the weather.  

4. THIS IS A DATE CHANGE:  On December 21st, we will be partnering up with our Snack and Learn program as well as our soup kitchen to have a small Christmas party for the kids at Lincoln Park.  As you may have noticed on Sunday, we are having the congregation pack shoeboxes to distribute to the kids.  Since few of us have school this day, we figured that middle of the week may be better than another Saturday event in December.  Here is the plan: 

4:00 pm - Meet at the church to cook/ pack up

5:00 pm - Leave for Lincoln Park/ set up

5:30 pm - Have crafts for the kids to make (with our help)

6:15 pm - Serve dinner

7:00 pm - Distribute shoeboxes

7:30 pm - Return to church/ clean up

8:00 pm - Finished

I think that is all for now, if you have any questions don't hesitate to call or email.

In Christ, 

Matt Ballentine 

Don't Forget...New Schedule Tonight

Just a reminder, we are changing our schedule a bit for the rest of the year....STARTING TONIGHT

6-7:45 pm           Middle School Youth
6:45-8:30 pm      High School Youth

Upcoming Events

Good evening,

Here are a few things that we have coming up.  Please don't hesitate to let me know if you have any questions….

1.   We will combining youth group on October 30th and November 6th for a mission oriented event.  This Sunday, October 30th come dressed for halloween (no masks or face paint please). We will be running a food drive “Trick or Treat so Kids Can Eat” and on October 30th we will be distributing brown bags to three different communities (Brewer Heights, Story Place and North Fork Village) to distribute brown bags.   November 6th we will also be combined to collect the canned goods to be donated to Good Sam.  When we are combined, that means we will meet from 6-8:30 pm and we will still have dinner for everyone at the end of the evening.  Please plan to be on time and dress for the weather so that we can set out as soon as possible.

2.  On November 13th, we are going to be changing the format of youth group a little.  We have felt the need to incorporate worship into our Sunday evening activities a little more and so we have come up with a plan to do so.  Here will be the new schedule that will begin on November 13th:

6-6:45 pm Middle School
6:45-7:45 pm Combined Worship/ Food
7:45-8:30 pm High School

    We are in the process of creating a praise band that could lead us in music and plan to present the message through video, skit, drama or music each evening that we meet.  We are really excited about this awesome opportunity.  You aren't going to want to miss this experience.  

IN Christ's Love,

Matt Ballentine

BOB Evans Festival Cancelled

Due to a lack of interest, the Middle School Youth will not be going to the Bob Evan's Festival on Saturday.  Since this event is cancelled, WE WILL HAVE MIDDLE SCHOOL YOUTH ON SUNDAY....

Bob Evan's Festival & Kings Island

Hi Everyone,

Here are just a few reminders on things that we have going on over the next couple of weeks.  If you have any questions, please let me know.

1.  Don't forget, this Sunday coming up, there will be NO YOUTH due to the fact that Mike Rayson will be at our church performing a concert and sharing his message.  Please come on out and support this event because I am sure it will be great fun for you and your family.  There will be a potluck dinner at 6:00 pm with the concert starting at 7:00 pm.  This is NOT going to be some boring speaker, I am sure you will really enjoy it. 

2.  On October 15th, our Middle School Group will be heading to the Bob Evan' Festival in Rio Grade.  This event will also be open to any 5-6th grade students who would like to participate.  We will meet at the church at 9:30 am in order to depart by 9:45 am.  The cost for this trip will be $8 and please understand that you will need some money to purchase lunch while at the event.  They will also have other vendors like Hirsch Fruit Farm :) to purchase from.  It is my hope that we will return to the church between 3 & 4 pm.  We will call when we are close to returning.  We are also in need of parents who would like to attend this trip as a chaperone.  Please let Matt know by Sunday, October 9th if you would like to go. 

3. On October 22nd, the High School Group will be going to King's Island for their Halloween Haunt on October 22nd.  We will meet at the church at 2:00 pm for a 2:30 pm departure.  The cost for this event will be $40.00 and will not include any meals that you may need to purchase.  We will stop on the way down to purchase food at a fast food restaurant to help avoid the high costs of park food.  This is open to any student in 9-12th grade.  We will then return to the church at approximately 3 am.  If you wish to sleep at the church for the remainder of the night, you are more than welcome to, just bring you overnight supplies to the church.  Please let Matt know if you want to go by October 16th so I can make sure I have enough drivers.  I am also in need of chaperones for this event, remember chaperones must be over 21 years old.   

Just as a reminder, any weekend that we have an event for a particular youth group, we will not have youth group for that age group that Sunday night.  So with these two events there will be no Middle School Youth on October 16th and no High School Youth on October 23rd.  

I look forward to these upcoming events, again don't hesitate to call or email with questions. 

He we go...

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to remind everyone that this SUNDAY (9/18) at 5:30 PM will be our Youth Group kick off event known as messy night! While we may not have the usual food mess, we will be playing lots of mud games…like tug o' war, mud volleyball, and much more. We will also throw in there a few water games to clean ourselves off!  This event is combined for all middle school and high school students. Again it will start at 5:30 pm and end at 7:00 pm.  It is sure to be a good time so bring out your friends so we can get to meet them!  

The following week, September 25th we will have our first regular scheduled meeting with middle school starting at 6:00 pm and high school starting at 7:00 pm.  We are going to try to have that overlap time again where I want to try something new…It is my goal to bring our middle school and high school group closer together and so weekly we will be having dinner together from 7-7:30.  This first week September 25th, parents are welcome to join us for a pizza dinner while we discuss the calendar and logistics for the year. In order to make this dinner idea successful, I will NEED parents to help out by volunteering to bring dinner for a week, it can be pizza, KFC chicken, tacos, etc…  If we have 15 parents who are willing to help out, then each parent will have to provide dinner twice during the school year.  Remember, I am not looking for Martha Stewart meals, just simple.  IF YOU ARE ABLE TO HELP, or know someone in the church that might like to help out our youth ministry, please talk to me so that I can get this schedule together.  

I really looking forward to this year as we focus on missions and outreach.  It is my prayer that you will grow closer to God and each other as we participate in these awesome activities.  Please let me know if you have any questions. 

In Christ,
Matt Ballentine