Ames First UMC YOUTH!

Destination Unkown: September Edition

2011-09-27T08:40:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow night is our first Destination Unknown for the high school youth group. Justin and Sadie have planned something awesome for us to do but you'll have to come to find out what it is!

Here is the one clue Sadie gave us: Are you ready to get lost?!?

If you plan to come please note a few things:
       1. Be at the church no later than 6pm (eat dinner at home)
       2. Wear weather appropriate clothing and closed toed shoes
       3. Bring a canned food item and a flashlight
       4. We will be back at the church no later than 8pm

Sounds like we are ready to go on an adventure right?! Whether you have come every week or we've never seen you before we would love to see you on Wednesday night!

When is the last time you...

2011-09-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

...prayed?

And by that, I mean outside of worship or church activities. When is the last time you tried to have an intentional conversation with God?

My relationship with prayer has changed a lot over the years and as I moved into full-time ministry.

When I was little, prayers were often initiated by my parents. We prayed before every dinner together, and we prayed at night when they tucked me in for bed. I don't really remember ever praying on my own until I got older.

A significant change occurred in my prayer life when I started driving. This was a time in my life when I started to notice things more. As I drove around town to various activities, I would see things that made me sad: the animals dead on the side of the road, the people living under a bridge or sitting at the entrance to the interstate trying to hitchhike a ride to someplace else. I began praying when I saw anything that made my heart twinge. I knew that I couldn't pick up a hitchhiker or take a homeless person home with me, but I could pray that God would find a way to help that person. This is something I still continue to do.

As I discovered my call to ministry and began to journey in that direction, my prayer life grew. I prayed often for guidance from God, both in the daily and in thinking about a plan for my future. Prayer truly helped direct me on the path I have taken in life, and continues to do so. I also grew in my propensity to pray for others, to think beyond myself. I began to pray for both people I knew and people I didn't know. I discovered that prayer has a way of bringing me peace and clarity.

In seminary we prayed a lot. We prayed before every class started, before every meeting started, and in a lot of worship services. Prayer began to feel like something I "had" to do, one more thing on the agenda for the day. One more thing I could cross off my to-do list. When I was at family events or other gatherings where someone would ask me to pray I began to joke that people would have to pay me for that now as it was my "job" and I was a "professional". My personal prayer life and my relationship to God suffered because of this.

This lack of vigor in my prayer life was a big problem and I knew it. So for this reason (among many others) I spent the summer of 2009 at a monastery in Wisconsin. Living the monastic lifestyle helped me to renew my prayer life. I returned to school refreshed and invigorated.

These days my prayer life consists of many things. I am still opening and closing meetings with prayer, praying in worship, praying before meals, and praying in many other ways with other people. But I don't view it as a chore or something I "have to do". Instead I see it as a wonderful way to bring a fellowship of people together in connection to both God and each other. It is a holy experience. Every time.

My personal prayer life is not a routine because I find that spontaneity helps me feel more genuine. Prayer is not something on my daily list, but rather something that happens when I feel the spirit move, or when I am given a specific prayer request. I have in my bedroom, a "God Box". I take prayers that are on my mind or that other people have asked of me and write them down on a small piece of paper. I take some time to pray about what is on that paper and to really talk about it with God. Then I put it in the box, and to me that symbolizes that it is now in God's hands. Many of my prayers to the Lord are lifted up in this way.

Prayer. It can mean so many things to so many different people. I could write more on the subject but I may have bored you already :) My point is this - to encourage you to engage in a prayer life of your own, outside of church. It doesn't have to be everyday, it doesn't have to look anything like the way I do it. All it requires is the intention to be in personal communication with God. It requires no flowery language or grasp of difficult theological concepts, rather it is about relationship with God.

I pray that all of you will find a way to incorporate prayer into your lives beyond the walls of the church.

Wednesday Night Activities

2011-09-06T10:25:00.000-07:00

Don't forget about our super fun Wednesday activities! We kicked-off last week with a progressive dinner around the church and an introduction to each other and this year's plan of activities.

Tomorrow's schedule is the usual:
6:00 Dinner in the Fellowship Hall
6:30 Youth Group
MS in Room 103
HS in Room 102

I hope to see you all there!

Theological Thought for the Day

2011-08-26T14:44:00.000-07:00

The Sabbath is more than a day, more than a name for the seventh part of the week, It is eternity in time--the spiritual underground of history.

Keeping the fourth command is rather specific. Just stop-tarry here a while and learn that you are more than your work or what you do.Sabbath is a reminder of every persons royalty. it is to affirm work without being a slave. Sabbath is holiness in time.

~ Abraham Heschel

When is the last time you...

2011-08-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

...counted your blessings?

Yesterday I presided over a communion service at Green Hills retirement community. To start the service, I let the residents choose a few hymns to sing from their hymn book. Almost immediately someone suggested the hymn "Count Your Blessings". This hymn is over a hundred years old - it was written in 1897. So it contains some more "old-fashioned" language. It's message however, is timeless. As we sang the song, I noticed that many of the people singing were not even looking at the hymn book - they had the words memorized.

The chorus of the song goes like this:
      Count your blessings, name them one by one,
      Count your blessings, see what God hath done,
      Count your blessings, name them one by one,
      And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

See what I mean by "old-fashioned"? No, that wasn't a typo - it really is the word "hath". It is a beautiful song and I found that it has really stayed with me. I woke up this morning with the music stuck in my head! At first I was a little annoyed, I don't really like having songs stuck in my head. But then I thought - maybe it's there for a reason. Maybe God is trying to tell me something.

And I realized, I need to take those words to heart. I couldn't remember the last time I counted my blessings. I can remember the last time I thought about things I didn't have, or something I really wanted but couldn't afford. But I couldn't remember the last time I sat down and really looked for and appreciated the blessings in my life. So I took some time this morning to do just that. And as the song says, I was surprised by what the Lord "hath" done.

I am incredibly blessed to be the Associate Pastor at First UMC. I have a wonderfully loving and supportive congregation and I am having so much fun learning and trying to follow God's call on my life. I am blessed beyond belief to live in the beautiful parsonage that the church owns. I am blessed with a family I am close with, and friends both near and far that are always there for me. And these are just the big things! There are lots of little every day blessings as well - like the sun shining, the weather starting to cool, and the road construction finally being finished by the church :)

Sometimes, I might say I'm "lucky" to have these things. I'm "lucky" to have a job I enjoy, I'm "lucky" to have a beautiful house to live in, I'm "lucky" that I get along with my family. But truly, I think it is beyond luck. These things are truly blessings - and blessing come from God. I want to take a moment each day to remember that, and to thank God for the blessings in my life.

And I want to challenge you to do the same! Because really, when is the last time you counted your blessings?   I hope after reading this you can answer with " today".

ASP - Mission Accomplished!

2011-08-09T12:33:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness that was one whirlwind week! I had SO much fun getting to know all of the youth and helping out some Appalachian families. Below are my reflections on the trip. I hope to be back later this week to share some reflections from the youth!

My Reflections on my first ASP Experience:

Throughout the week my crew worked on three different sites painting, installing trim, building a tin roof for a porch, and installing a window, among other things. We worked hard and accomplished a lot. .

Throughout it all (even the times when I was hot, tired, and wanted to go home!), I really felt God's presence. There were amazing things accomplished - things that I could never have imagined doing before this week. I learned how to use a miter saw (no hands were cut off!), a drill (only one drill bit destroyed), and how to put up drywall (that mud is messy!). I came away with an exhausted body but a renewed spirit.

I loved seeing the way the youth from Ames and Nevada bonded and formed quick friendships. We had a blast each evening playing cards and making ice cream runs. The opportunities for fellowship were everywhere and we definitely took advantage of them.

I've come away from the trip with a renewed respect for how blessed I am in this life. I was grateful to come home to running water and air conditioning in my own private home. I pray I never forget that having a safe, warm, dry place to live is a privilege that unfortunately not everyone in our country has. I want to continue to do what I can to make it a reality for all people - through working with ASP and other forms of ministry.

With God's grace we will continue to serve.

Blessings,
Bethany

ASP Packing!

2011-07-29T11:18:00.000-07:00

Tonight at 6:30 PM we will be meeting in the church parking lot to pack for ASP. Please bring with you your luggage for the week that can be packed away.

Wait and bring with you tomorrow an overnight bag and other things that you will need to access during our overnight stay in Columbus, IN. I am looking forward to the trip!

Peace,
Bethany

Tonight's Gonna be a Good Night!

2011-07-27T09:44:00.000-07:00

Hello all!!

TONIGHT I am hosting a party for ALL YOUTH (middle school and high school) at my parsonage. There will be food - walking tacos + dessert, and backyard games - badminton, volleyball, bocce ball, croquet, horseshoes and more!

I hope to see you all there!!

My address is 1102 Burnett Avenue. It's the white house with the green shutters on the corner.

Welcome!!

2011-07-22T08:27:00.000-07:00

Hello all!

This is the NEW and IMPROVED Youth blog - your place for all things youth related. Here I will post announcements about upcoming activities and events, devotions, and hopefully reflections from you yourselves about what is going on in our ministry at First UMC.

If you are reading this because of the announcement in the church newsletter - thanks for stopping by! I hope you add this blog to your reader and check back often. Please comment to let me know you were here!

Peace in Christ,
Pastor Bethany

Confirmation Camp June 12-17

2011-03-17T14:33:00.000-07:00

The Confirmation program at First UMC provides preparation for youth 8th grade and up to choose to declare their faith in Christ and commit to a life of Christian discipleship. Our program begins with a week at Camp Wesley Woods to help our youth grow together as a class and get a feel for what the year is all about. Last year's confirmation campers have great memories of swimming at the lake, horseback riding, morning devotions, and having fun getting to know each other and other confirmation students from around Iowa.

This year, Confirmation Camp will be June 12-17 and will be open to current 7th graders and older. We will be taking a van, so any children or youth who need a ride to or from Wesley Woods that week should contact either Pastor Sean or Ellen Johnsen. Also, if you have any questions about Confirmation at First UMC please contact Pastor Sean.

ASP Location Announced!

2011-03-17T14:32:00.000-07:00

This summer our Appalachia Service Project team is once again headed to Perry County, Kentucky. This will be our third time in four years working at one of the ASP centers in Perry County. Long time volunteers can attest to the changes and improvements in infrastructure of the region in which we work, but this trip will give most of our returning volunteers a chance to reconnect with a county they are familiar with.

We do have a wonderful team of volunteers already beginning to make preparations for the trip. Our team of 43 youth and adults from Ames First UMC, Nevada First UMC and the surrounding area are busy with educational, team-building, and fundraising activities. If you would like to make a direct contribution to this year’s trip, you can become a part of our extended team effort by purchasing “ASP Stock” at $10 per share. Please contact Pastor Sean for more information.

Youth Worship This Weekend!

2011-01-25T07:21:00.000-08:00

Youth Worship Weekend is this week (January 29-30)! We have some great services planned, with a blend of contemporary music and traditional favorites, reflection on scripture and testimony from youth, an Up With Puppets performance, and sharing communion at Christ's table!

All that is missing is you! Youth worship weekend is a team effort, and we need a bunch of youth helping lead worship in a variety of ways (most DON"T involve speaking in front of the congregation). Please visit www.mysignup.com/youthworship to see how you can help!

Youth Strike For Christ - Feb. 4-6

2010-12-15T12:12:00.000-08:00

Youth Strike for Christ is a celebration of God's love - a chance for youth from all over Iowa to gather for worship, fun, and growth in Christ! It's like a 40 hour lock-in at the Des Moines Marriott and Convention Center with hundreds of youth and awesome speakers and artist (musical and otherwise).

Regular registration for Youth Strike is $199 per person, but the First UMC Youth program is giving you the chance to participate for just $100. We will register youth in grades 7-12 as a group - so please get your forms (from the office or online) and return them to the First UMC office with your $100 payment by our January 10th deadline.

For more information about Youth Strike, or to see the video promo, go to www.youthstrike.com

Youth Worship Planning - Online!

2010-12-13T12:25:00.000-08:00

Youth Worship Weekend will be January 29-30th, 2011.

We have gotten some advance planning done (thanks to everyone who helped!) but now we need to fill in details and content. To help us along the way I have created a worship outline at Google Docs which anyone can read and edit.

Please click the link and look over the outline if you have suggestions (especially for music) or would like to lead one part or the service just write your ideas and/or first name right there on the order! If everyone uses different colored text it might help us read the ideas (and create a rainbow of conversation).

Remember - we are still early in the planning process, so very little is set in stone. Feel free to share all the great ideas that you'd like to help make happen!

God is calling YOU!

2010-12-08T12:30:00.000-08:00

You can make a difference! You have the skills, the opportunities, and the call from God to change your world for the better!

The mission of the United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. You are called to be one of those disciples and so you are called to transform the world through your life, love, and actions.

We are called to live out this purpose each day of our lives, and we gather together as Christians to support, encourage, and equip one another for our work. One of the special ways that we help prepare each other for living God’s mission every day is through trips like the Appalachia Service Project. Mission trips are not primarily about getting a job done, but are intended to help us realize what we can to every day, giving us the skills, awareness, and confidence to put our faith into action.

Ames First UMC has had a long partnership with ASP, and from July 30th to August 7th, 2011 we will send our 25th team on this mission trip. This year we are making some changes and getting back to basics. At its core, ASP is a high school mission trip. It is about giving youth ages 14-18 the chance to experience life changing service that unlocks their potential to live God’s mission every day. This year we want to focus on that experience for high school students, and to send a great group of youth along with adult facilitators to make the trip a significant event in their lives.

While the summer trip is the focus of this project, we will also have several planning meetings in the months leading up to it, and several important team projects for skill- and team-building and fundraising. Your commitment to travel with the team includes a commitment to be fully prepared through participating in these activities.

God has called you to transform your world. Please prayerfully consider if ASP is part of that call in your life. You can find an application form here. Please complete that form and return it to the First UMC office, or contact Pastor Sean with any questions.

High School Youth Room Painting

2010-11-23T07:35:00.000-08:00

As we continue to improve our new youth spaces, the high school youth have identified several areas that would make their room (102) even better for activities. Two areas, soft seating (including couches and bean bags) and custom lighting, are underway and the third, custom paining is coming up.

In October the 3-D leadership team indentified new paint as a needed improvement, and this past Sunday shared and gathered reflections on proposed colors and designs. While the designs may yet need further perfection, we need to also get ready to do the actual painting.

This is a youth project, and we are counting on youth to carry it out – so please click to http://mysignup.com/fumc-paint and sign up to help paint on December 20th and/or 21st. We’ll start at noon and work for several hours each day.

Thanks for your commitment to the youth ministries at First UMC!

Youth Worship Planning

2010-11-08T13:15:00.000-08:00

Youth Worship Weekend will be January 29th-30th, 2011. This is a great opportunity for our youth program to take full leadership of the worship services at First UMC and create opportunities for our congregation to worship God in a new ways.

The end of January may seem far off, but it will be here before we know it, and in order to create an awesome and authentic worship event we need to start planning now. To that end, I would like to invite all high school youth to come to a planning session at 1:00 on Saturday, November 20th.

This session will focus mostly on the music that we want to include in our Youth Worship, since that usually takes the most time to plan an coordinate. We will also talk about the overall theme and form of the services.

If you cannot attend on the 20th but want to be involved in the planning, or if you have ideas for worship that you want to share, please contact Pastor Sean.

Appalachia Service Project Meeting

2010-10-19T09:04:00.000-07:00

Each summer for the past 24 years First UMC has sent a team of volunteers on a mission. Their mission was to share God's love in tangible ways while making homes in the central Appalachia region safer, drier, and warmer. In 2011 we will send a dedicated team of volunteers on our 25th Appalachia Service Project trip!

This 9 day trip is a great opportunity for youth 14 and up to get to live out their commitment to serve others in God's name, to connect with people from another part of our country, and to build relationships with each other and with their adult leaders.

ASP is a big trip and requires good advance planning. In order to facilitate that planning we will meet in the Parlor at First UMC from 4:30 until 6:00 on Sunday, November 14th. This will be a good opportunity to both learn more about what ASP is and to get involved in making the 2011 trip happen. I especially encourage parents of 8-12th grade youth to attend.

Wesley Woods Work Trip!

2010-10-19T07:16:00.000-07:00

Please come along on a Mission Trip to Wesley Woods on Saturday, October 23rd! This Mission Trip is for the entire family. We will provide general labor to help get the camp ready for winter. Plan to meet at 7:00 a.m. at the church on October 23rd, ready to leave for Wesley Woods at 7:30 am.

Our work will begin around 8:30 am. We will take a break around noon to eat our sack lunch and then work until about 4:30 pm. We can stay for free (because we provide a day's labor) so we'll be able to enjoy an evening around a campfire with good food and friends before returning Sunday to Ames!

A Wesley Woods has asked for some help to move furniture out of Timber Lodge on Sunday so they can lay new carpet in Timber Lodge the week of Oct 24. This will require the tearing down beds, and move all furniture in Timber.

Please bring bedding and appropriate clothing-we will be staying in a Cabin. Please contact Ken Van Pelt, Jodi Knox, or Steve Simpson, for more information. HOPE TO SEE YOU October 23rd!

Why Attend Worship?

2010-10-11T13:11:00.000-07:00

When I was growing up, every Sunday morning my family had the same routine: Get up, eat breakfast, go to sunday school, go to worship, and then head out for lunch. It was so routine that it never occurred to me that a person could do anything else. It wasn't until college, when all of my routines and assumptions were disrupted, that I had to make a conscious choice to go to church.

Even then, I didn't ask myself why I attended worship, I just knew it was part of being a Christian. Just recently I've been asking myself, and others, why a person should attend worship. So far it's been a fruitful question. Here's where I'm at:

We should attend worship because of what it does for us. Worship is a chance to connect to God, to feel God's presence, to hear God's word. This isn't always easy - when I am too anxious or distracted it is hard for me to worship well. But it is also hard when I am unfamiliar with the elements of worship. The thing is, worship is a skill, and it has to be practiced to do it well - just like a sport. As I practice singing or prayer postures, or pay attention to the words and movements of holy communion, those elements of worship become more meaningful to me. It gets easier to focus while doing them, and I find more opportunities to connect with God.

But like any skill, this practice takes time. I am thankful that my parents brought me to church every week, giving me opportunities to practice my worship skills. I am thankful for my Sunday school and youth group, for teaching me the basics of the Christian tradition, for giving me a framework to fit worship into. And I am thankful for my college and seminary experiences which taught me to search for the meaning of worship practices and not take any for granted. I still have a long way to go before I'm a world-class worshiper, but the more I practice the more I am rewarded by the time I spend with God in Christian community.

We should also attend worship because of what we do for it. Ultimately, our worship is not about us, but it is about God - celebrating God's goodness and love, God's grace and self-revelation in Jesus Christ. And without each of us that celebration is incomplete. Your presence in worship impacts the quality of the service - it adds to the beauty of the Christian community gathered together and helps the whole congregation to better praise our God.

Your presence in worship also affects those around you. In a very basic way, you can feel the energy of a full worship space - it's the kind of environment that lifts people's spirits. Without you, our worship space is that much emptier. And beyond that, each person present has the opportunity to impact those around them. Where would our worship be without the children to encourage us, or the youth to assure us that we are sharing our faith with a new generation? Where would we be without the strength and insight of our adults, or the wisdom and firm foundation laid by our elders?

I know that these are just a brief foray into the power and purpose of worship - I hope that you will share your insights as we seek a more rich worship life together in our community.

NEW Youth Leadership Team - 3D (Devoted, Determined, Disciples)

2010-09-23T12:41:00.000-07:00

This year there is something NEW for the Sr. High Youth at First United; a Sr. High Youth Leadership Team! Being a part of the leadership team means that they’ll learn leadership skills, grow deeper in their faith, learn what your Spiritual Gifts are, how to lead activities, games and Bible studies for the younger youth and they’ll have LOADS of fun while doing it all.

If you are a youth, or know of one, that would be interested in being a part of this team, please let either Pastor Sean or Kristin Johnson know. Then on Sunday, September 26th we’ll have our first retreat. We will meet at the church at 4pm. We will then head to the University Lutheran Student Center near campus where we’ll do some leadership building games, activities, Bible Studies and of course eat some yummy food. We’ll be back to church around 7pm.

New Youth Spaces This Fall

2010-08-11T13:35:00.000-07:00

The school year is about to begin, and soon after that our fall programming at First UMC will be starting up!
This year we have several exciting new changes to our program - we are joined by Kristin Johnson as youth ministry specialist and several new volunteer leaders, we will have new programs and new topics and materials, as well as new spaces for most of our programs!
You'll be receiving more information on the activities and people of our youth program soon, but I want to focus now on the spaces.

As First UMC moves forward in our building project to expand our ministry spaces we first have to give up some of our old spaces. As the annex is demolished we will move most of the work that our church did there into the main building. This will be tight at times, but will also have some benefits.

In order to make room for all of our programming, our youth programs will all move into the lower level of the education wing. This will give us some great benefits - including a more centrally located, easy to find youth space, more recently updated rooms, and fewer stairs to climb!

The Up With Puppets program will continue to meet in room 101, all high school Sunday school and youth group will meet in room 102 (formerly the Art room), and middle school Sunday school and youth group will meet in room 103 (formerly the Quilters room). Reel to Real will meet in room 102 starting this Sunday, and Confirmation class will meet in room 103 on Wednesday afternoons.

Right now, though, we need to move some supplies and furniture into these new rooms. I would invite all who are able to come and help, especially in moving items from the balcony classrooms to the education wing. We will begin to move out of the balcony at 10:00 this Saturday, the 14th, and we should be finished before noon. There will be other people moving items out of the annex, and you would certainly be welcome to help with that effort as well.

New Youth Specialist at First UMC!

2010-06-13T11:21:00.000-07:00

For some time, I have been thinking and praying about how our youth program at Ames First United Methodist Church will grow in the next years, and about what will help the program to respond to God’s call to invite, nurture, and deploy disciples of Jesus Christ from among the youth of Ames.

In my conversations with you and others, as well as in my own reflection, I have heard about the central importance of leadership – loving, skilled, gifted adults who have a passion for working with youth. Our program is already blessed with such leaders in our current volunteers and staff, but I have repeatedly heard the need for more dedicated staff time for our youth.

As our Staff-Parish Relations Committee at First UMC was about to take up this question for consideration, an opportunity presented itself. I learned that a colleague of mine was going to be looking for employment in Ames because her position was being downsized for budget reasons. Kristin Johnson is a gifted and passionate youth minister with a seminary degree in Youth and Family Ministry and eight years of experience at both small and very large churches. I realized that this was likely a once in a lifetime opportunity to recruit an ideal candidate to serve on our staff and bring her gifts, skill and passion to enhance our youth ministry.

I brought up the possibility of creating a staff position, as well as the opportunity to hire Kristin, to the other pastors and the SPRC. The SPRC has been entrusted with both structuring our staff for the furthering of our church’s mission and the selection of persons to fill those positions. The SPRC was deliberate and careful in assessing our church’s current and near-future needs, as well as sensitive to the fact that one excellent candidate was actively looking for a position.

The SPRC approved a job description for a Youth Ministry Specialist as a 20 hour per week position for a 6 month trial period to begin July 1st . They secured funding for the first 6 months through a generous grant from the First UMC Foundation. The understanding is that this position may become a permanent position paid from our operating budget beginning January 1st 2011, dependant on evidence that the new position and employee would make a clear positive impact on our youth program.

The SPRC then invited Kristin Johnson to interview for the position. The interview team was a small group representing current youth leaders, parents of children who will soon entering our youth program, the SPRC, and current staff. The interview team was very impressed with Kristin’s qualifications, presentation, and clear passion for youth ministry. They concluded that she was an ideal candidate and agreed that we could not let the opportunity to have someone like her on staff slip away. Recognizing that Kristin was considering positions at other churches in the area, they recommended and the full SPRC agreed that we offer Kristin the Youth Ministry Specialist immediately.

This week Kristin accepted the offer, and it will be our pleasure to welcome her to the staff at First UMC starting July 1st! Again, this will be a 6 month trial position, so the SPRC will be seeking out feedback and impressions, as well as examining statistical evidence like attendance numbers and frequency of attendance to determine if this position is in fact a blessing to our church.

Having worked with Kristin in the Story Protestant Youth Network to bring Summer Stretch to our area, I am confident that we will benefit greatly from her care, passion, and expertise in youth ministry. I hope you will join me in welcoming Kristin and helping her to get to know our community.

One of our first tasks will be helping her to become familiar with the many families in our church. We will be looking for several opportunities for casual gatherings in the first weeks of July. I will host some at my home, and would welcome invitations from others willing to host small gatherings or open houses at their homes. Hopefully we can provide opportunity at a series of meet-and-greets for most if not all to welcome and get to know Kristin Johnson.

May God bless you, and continue to bless the youth ministry of First United Methodist Church!

For High School Juniors: Hearing God's Call

2010-05-10T13:44:00.000-07:00

Throughout history, God has called God’s people, and God’s people have responded in a variety of ways. Some, like Jesus’ mother Mary, answered “Here I am.” Others, like the prophet Jonah, ran away from God’s call. Still others, like the prophet Samuel, didn’t understand at first, but sought the wisdom of others.
God still calls God’s people today—calling Christians to lives of discipleship, and calling individuals to many kinds of ministries. Some people are called to volunteer ministries, some are called to professional ministries in the Church, and some are called to professional ministries in communities, organizations, or businesses.
This summer, I’d like to give you the opportunity to get together with other people your age to listen for and explore God’s call in your life. I am inviting juniors because you are about to start (or are already) making major decisions about what to do with the next several years of your life. These decisions will likely shape the course of the rest of your life—and I want God’s call on you to be a part of that process.
What I would like to do is meet as a group for 3 or 4 weekly sessions in the afternoon or evening this summer. I am happy to have any current juniors in the group—they don’t have to be members of First UMC. Please just let me know if you are interested, send me an e-mail address that you’ll check, and we’ll work to find a time when we can all meet. Please let me know by May 22nd if you are interested.

Summer Activity Deadlines Are Near!

2010-05-10T09:09:00.000-07:00

The sign-up deadlines for Summer Stretch and the Middle School Mission are very close.

The Summer Stretch deadline is Wednesday, May 12th. The cost for Summer Stretch is only $75 with a $25 deposit due with registration. Forms are available online.

The Middle School Mission deadline is Monday, May 17th. The cost is only $100, and the First UMC Foundation has agreed to cover half the cost for members of First - you you can go for only $50. Forms are available online.

These are great new opportunities for middle school students to live and grow as disciples of Jesus Christ this summer! I hope you will join us.

Vision for Ministry

2010-04-19T12:06:00.000-07:00

One of the four areas of focus of the United Methodist Church is "developing principled Christian leaders." In the final words of Matthew Jesus says, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

In my words: the purpose of the local church is to invite, develop, and deploy radical disciples of Jesus Christ. Everything that we do should be for this purpose - to follow our Lord (King, Leader, Owner, Commander, Master) into the new life (Kingdom of God, Heaven, New Day, Salvation, Resurrection) which he promises us.

I have been working to refine a vision for youth ministry in the local church in this context, and have come up with the following. I would welcome your thoughts and reactions as well.

Marks of Radical Discipleship in Youth:

- Asks, what would God have me do today?

- Understands the meaning of service and generosity

- Commits to accountability and support with others in the Christian community

- Asks, what would God have me do with my life (active vocational discernment)?

- Shares their faith with others, through invitation, witness, worship leadership, etc.

- Maintains spiritual disciplines (e.g. prayer, journaling, searching the scriptures)

- Makes participation in weekly worship and youth activities a priority

- Strives for perfection in love in this life

- Names injustice

- Seeks reconciliation

- Forgives others

- Faithfully participates in the ministries of the Church by their prayers, presence, witness, gifts, and service

- Characterized by commitment, intentionality, integrity, authenticity

Confirmation Sunday - April 25th

2010-04-13T11:43:00.000-07:00

At the 8:30 service on April 25th we will celebrate the 10 newest full members of Ames First United Methodist Church. The confirmation class of 2010 has been engaged in study and group work for the past year as we explored together the meaning of Christian discipleship. We covered topics like Who are United Methodists? How do we read to the Bible? What to United Methodists believe? and What do United Methodists do?

Now this class has completed their confirmation preparation and is ready to step into full membership at First UMC. We rejoice with them in this commitment and are ready to walk the next steps of their faith journey with them. This year's class includes:

Hannah Bengston
Abby Bergquist
Alye Bodholdt
Ashlynn Cakerice
Jenny Campbell
Brian Emmerson
Haley Kerns
Katie Reed
Maddy Schmidt
Brandon Van Pelt

I hope that you will keep these young people in your prayers and will join in celebrating their confirmation on April 25th.

Gruaduate Recognition

2010-03-30T07:56:00.000-07:00

On May 16th we will celebrate with this year's High School graduates as they mark an important milestone in their lives. Graduation is the culmination of years of effort on the part of the student, their family, their teachers and their community. It also recognizes one more step into adulthood for these young people. As a church family that has nurtured and prayed for these students as they learned and grow, and who will continue to support them in their next steps, we are glad also to celebrate with them at this moment in their lives.

We will recognize this year's graduates in worship at the 8:30 service, and will have a reception following worship in their honor in the Fellowship Hall. We have a good class of seniors graduating this year - and we wish them all the best as they move into the next stages of their lives.

Summer Stretch Info and Forms

2010-03-23T12:58:00.000-07:00

This summer will be the first year of an exciting new opportunity for youth of all ages in and around Ames: Summer Stretch.

Summer Stretch is a program designed for middle school students and let be high school students. It joins several congregations in Ames together for service, worship, leadership development, and fun.

We meet on Wednesdays at 8:30am for a fun day of challenging and rewarding experiences. After large group activities and devotion, we spend the morning in small groups doing service around the community. Lunch is at that day’s host church (everyone brings their own lunch). In the afternoon, the whole group shares in fun activities like the Ames Water Park, Bowling, or Game Days. The day ends at that day’s host church at 4:30pm.

More information and registration forms are available online.

Middle School Mission Trip

2010-03-23T07:23:00.000-07:00

As Christians we are called to live our faith in the world in ways that bring glory to God (Matthew 5:16). As United Methodists our mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. One of my favorite disciple-making activities is the mission trip, which gives us the opportunity to live out our faith in transformative ways. It also gives us the opportunity to have a lot of fun as we grow together in Christian community.

This summer we are partnering with Collegiate UMC for a middle school mission trip. From June 23rd to June 27th we will travel to Omaha, NE for five days of service, learning, and fun. Anyone currently in 6-8th grade is eligible to come, and the cost is only $100 (scholarships are available). Click here for more information, or to print off a registration form.

ASP Center Assigned

2010-03-22T11:17:00.000-07:00

Our 2010 Appalachia Service Project team has been assigned to work in Perry County, Kentucky. This is the same county that we worked in in 2008, though we will be based in a center in the town of Jeff instead of the year-round center in Chavies, where we stayed before.

If you'd like to learn more about the county where we will be working, you can find statistical information from the US Census Bureau, or get a more personal look, with pictures, at KyHomeTown.com/Hazard.

Lenten Discipline

2010-03-01T13:02:00.000-08:00

Lent is a time of preparation, of reflection and repentance as we move toward the Easter announcement of new life and a new creation.

For hundreds of years Christians have observed Lent, the 40 days before Easter (not counting Sundays), with disciplines of prayer and fasting. We have used a variety of "spiritual disciplines" to purify ourselves and focus on God. Many Christians fasted from meat during Lent to turn their focus from their day to day material lives to their spiritual lives and relationship with God. In recent years Christians have found that many forms of fasting help to purify the body as well as the mind, and others have found that abstaining from meat entirely is a way to honor all the living beings in God's creation.

While fasting is an ancient and strong tradition for Christians, some have found that adding new practices during Lent helps them to prepare for the Good News of Easter. They have found that centering prayer, journaling, acts of service, walking the labyrinth, and other disciplines strengthen their relationship with God.

What about you? How are you observing Lent this year? Are you fasting from a food or an activity? Are you taking up a new discipline? If you haven't given it much thought yet, we still have five weeks until Easter, it's not too late to start.

New First UMC Website!

2010-02-22T13:24:00.000-08:00

First United Methodist Church has a new website! Head over to www.fumcames.org and check it out now! The new website features a full calendar and information about our many groups and programs, but the most exciting part of the site is where it can take our ministries in the future. We know what some of the next additions will be (like posting sermons or even whole worship services for download), but even more content will come from you - the members and constituents of First UMC.

So as you're exploring this new site ask yourself, "How can this great new tool enhance the ministry that I'm already doing? What do I want to share with other members or visitors?" Then share those ideas with me or with Adam Laug, our volunteer site manager, so we can help make them come alive.

Michael Card Concert - April 18th

2010-02-16T15:33:00.000-08:00

A great concert and great mission opportunity!

On April 18^th First Presbyterian Church in Conrad, Iowa will host Christian singer/songwriter Michael Card. Card has a special talent for “singing the scriptures” and bringing the Biblical story to life. Tickets for this concert are $12 in advance or at the door, and all proceeds will benefit a unique cooperative farming mission with farmers in Iowa and Madagascar. For more information or to order tickets, please contact Bob Kruse at 641-366-2402. To plan shared transportation, please contact Julie Primmer.

Ash Wednesday

2010-02-16T15:24:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the church season of Lent. Ash Wednesday is an opportunity to take a step back and reflect, repent, and be renewed by God's Holy Spirit. This Ash Wednesday we will gather with members of First Christian Church and United Church of Christ - Congregational for dinner and worship. We will share a soup supper at 5:30 and worship at 6:30 at First Christian Church at the cornet of 6th and Clark.

I hope to see you there!

Summer Stretch

2010-02-11T12:13:00.000-08:00

This summer we will partner with St. Andrews Lutheran Church and Collegiate Presbyterian Church for an exciting new youth program - Summer Stretch. Summer Stretch will include worship, Bible study, service, and recreation for middle school student, led by high school students, and supervised by adults. Activities will last from 8:30am until 4:30pm every Wednesday in July, culminating in a trip to Valley Fair on August 5th.

Details are still being finalized, but more information and registration forms will be available in the church office and mailed to members at the beginning of March.

Relay For Life

2010-02-09T11:31:00.000-08:00

A team of high school students from FUMC plan to participate in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. The Relay for Life will be held at Iowa State University on March 26 and 27.

Please consider helping us raise money for the American Cancer Society. We will be selling luminaries that will help decorate our “campsite”. You can purchase a luminary in honor or in memory of someone who has battled cancer. These luminaries will be for sale following worship services in March.

If you are a cancer survivor, we invite you to become an honorary member of our team. A special lap of the relay is reserved for cancer survivors.

To learn more or get involved please contact Samuel Primmer or Pastor Sean.

Puppet Festival - February 26-27

2010-02-08T10:06:00.000-08:00

Puppet Festival is one of the biggest events of the year for our Up With Puppets ministry. It is a chance to join together with puppet groups from many different churches, share our creative ideas and get new ideas and techniques. It is an opportunity to join with others who share God's good news through puppet ministries and be encouraged and to grow in our puppet skills and our faith.

This year our group will attend Puppet Festival in Chicago on January 26th and 27th. The group has been hard at work to prepare songs to share at the festival, and we send them out with prayers that God's grace and love will change lives through their ministry.

For more information about Puppet Festival or our Up With Puppets program, please contact Pastor Sean or Kathy Van Pelt.

High School: Faith and Sexuality study begins

2010-02-03T12:51:00.000-08:00

Wednesday the 3rd is the beginning of a 7 week study for High School youth. At 6:30, youth who have signed up for this study will meet in the North Balcony room with their leaders - Greg and Emily Fuerst and Pastor Sean. Parents will meet with Cami McColley, Carrie Copley, and Steve Moore in the Faith and Reason Classroom at the same time for a parallel discussion.

If you are a High School youth who is not signed up for this study, we hope to see you on Wednesday evenings through February and March as well. You will be welcome to join the middle school group with Susan Campbell, Sandee Bodholdt, and Elizabeth Godfrey in the West Balcony room or to help lead the children's activities with Ellen.

No matter where you plan to get involved, I hope to see you Wednesday Night!

ASP Sign-up Deadline

2010-02-01T13:02:00.000-08:00

The deadline to sign up for the 2010 Appalachia Service Project trip is today, February 1st. I have heard from many people that they are interested in the trip, but so far have only received 12 registration forms. If you are planning to join us on this excellent mission trip, I need your registration form, along with your $80 registration fee, so that I can supply accurate numbers to the ASP Headquarters in Johnson City, Tennessee and send them the first part (more than half) of our group registration payment.

ASP is a great opportunity to grow in faith, bond as a group, and share God's love with those around us, so I want to being as many people as possible, but in need to have accurate numbers, and I get those from registration forms. So if you are planning to join First and Collegiate UMC's, either on the July 24-August 1 trip led by members of Collegiate or on the July 31-August 8 trip that I will lead, I need you to e-mail me right away and submit your registration form this week.

Registration forms are availalble in the First UMC office or online at: http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0ATcruhTy4Q1yZGN4ODN4eDZfMGYyN3B4ZmR4&hl=en

College Scholarships

2010-01-14T14:05:00.000-08:00

There are a variety of scholarships available for high school seniors, college and seminary students through your local church, the Iowa conference of the United Methodist Church, and the General Board of Higher Education and Minsitry of the UMC. Here's a little more information and where to find them:

Ames First United Methodist Foundation Scholarship
- Description and application available from Pastor Sean.
- $800 per year renewable for up to 4 years.
- Priority given to members of and active youth at Ames First UMC.
- Applicants must describe church involvement and answer two essay questions.
- Deadline: March 15, 2010

Iowa Conference Scholarships
- Description and application is available on-line.
- Web-site: www.iumf.org
- Click on “Scholarships”
- Deadline: March 15, 2010

General Church Scholarships
- Description and application is available on-line or from the director of financial aid at the college or university of your choice.
- Web-site: www.gbhem.org
- Click on “Loans and Scholarships.”
- Deadline: Varies, from January 15 until April 15, 2010

Youth Worship Weekend (Jan. 30-31)

2010-01-13T14:17:00.000-08:00

Planning is coming along nicely for Youth Worship Weekend, but I still need volunteers for individuals to lead prayers and read scriptures. Also, vocalists and instrumentalists are encouraged to join the Saturday @ First Band on Saturday evening. On Saturday our songs will include: Surely the Presence of the Lord is in This Place, Shout to the Lord, Thy Word, Spirit Song, Here I Am Lord, and I'm Gonna Live So God Can Use Me.

On Wednesday, January 27th at 6:30 we will walk through the Sunday morning services. Then on Saturday we will gather in the sanctuary at 3:00 to walk through the Saturday service. At 4:00 the Band will set up and practice music for the service, and everyone is encouraged to stay and sing along. After the 5:30 service we will all head downstairs for pizza with anyone who would like to stay after the service (just let us know if you plan to stay and eat so we can order enough).

I'm very excited for this year's Youth Worship, I think it's going to be a great time to lift our prayers and praises to God. And remember to let me know if you'd like to lead a prayer or read a scripture at any of the services!

Appalachia Service Project Meeting

2010-01-06T12:17:00.000-08:00

It's time to begin preparing for our 2010 Appalachia Service Project trips! This year we will partner with Collegiate UMC to send one group from July 24th - August 1st and another from July 31st - August 8th. ASP is a high school youth oriented mission trip, but we also need plenty of college age and older adults to lead our teams.

We will have an informational meeting at First United Methodist Church at 12:15 on Sunday, January 10th. At this meeting we will share a presentation from last year's trip, answer questions about the Appalachia Service Project in general, and outline our preparation and fundraising schedule for this year's trip. We will also have sign-up forms available at the meeting and in the church office. We need to have these forms back by February 1st along with each individual's $80 registration fee so that we can make plans appropriate to our group size.

If you cannot attend this meeting but are interested in more information, please contact me or attend a meeting led by Nan Geske (nangeske@yahoo.com) at Collegiate UMC on Sunday, January 17th.

Faith and Sexuality - Update

2010-01-06T12:09:00.001-08:00

This February our high school youth group will take us this question and more, using the curriculum “Good Sex 2.0” published by Zondervan. The 7 week study will last from February 3 until March 17 and will meet at our regular Wednesday youth group time of 6:30 until 7:30 (February 17th is Ash Wednesday, and the meeting will be held at a later time to allow families to participate in worship). The youth study will be led by Pastor Sean McRoberts and Greg and Emily Fuerst. Parents will also have a chance to study the same material at the same time in a separate meeting led by Cami McColley and Carrie Copley. If you have questions or would like to look over the curriculum please contact Pastor Sean.

All participating youth must have their parent’s permission. We need to know ahead of time that students are committed to attend the whole study so that we can create an atmosphere of trust and confidentiality in which we can share appropriately. I strongly encourage all high school youth to join this study as we work to connect our values with our actions and lay the groundwork for lives of faithful Christian discipleship.

Rethink Church

2009-12-30T14:25:00.000-08:00

What if church were a Verb? Something you do every day of the week rather than just a place to be on Sundays?

This is the core question driving the United Methodist Church's "Rethink Church" campaign. The campaign is aimed at re-presenting the UMC to people looking for an place to actively live out their faith, as well as at churches to help them prepare to receive and deploy Christians in vital discipleship.

If you want to learn more, check out:
www.10thousanddoors.org
www.rethinkchurch.org
or join the discussion on Facebook in the rethink church group

Reel to Real Resumes!

2009-12-28T13:26:00.000-08:00

Back by popular demand: Reel to Real is a chance for high school youth to talk together about Christian life and God's place in the world through reflecting on movies. By watching a movie together and then engaging in discussion we can wrestle with tough topics like relationships, money, and ethical conflicts by reflecting on the shared experience of the movie-world.

Starting January 17th, Reel to Real will meet from 5-8 pm on the third Sunday of each month in the north balcony classroom. Food will be provided and the movie will begin at 5:30. Pastor Sean will lead the discussion after the movie, and will be assisted by Amy Abrams and other adult volunteers.

Youth Worship Update

2009-12-22T07:25:00.000-08:00

We had a good group together yesterday to work on planning Youth Worship Weekend and we made good progress toward general feel and theme of the services. Right now we are working toward a general theme of Calling, with the key scripture of Jeremiah 1:4-10.

This year we are taking a slightly different approach than past years by sticking with the usual basic format of Saturday and Sunday services and bringing youth leadership into those forms. That means a casual contemporary service Saturday at 5:30 and warm traditional services Sunday at 8:30 and 11:00.

At this point we need volunteers - we want to connect youth with those areas of worship that they have interests, excitement, or skills for. We need several youth to help create this service by writing prayers, reading prayers, presenting scripture, and sharing special music. Individuals and groups of youth who want to participate in any of these ways should contact Pastor Sean.

And if you have other ideas for connecting people with God in worship and helping us raise our prayers and praises to God, please share them! There's still plenty of time for creative expression and new visions of worship!

Well Done Up With Puppets!

2009-12-16T11:47:00.000-08:00

Up With Puppets had a great performance at First UMC on Sunday evening, finishing up a three stop tour in the Ames community. The show, including great music, blacklights, improv comedy and more, was a great combination of celebration, praise, and education as the youth and adult volunteers shared their unique telling of the Christmas Story.

I am continually impressed by the innovation of the Up With Puppets ministry as they find new and artistic ways to share their faith. If you missed this Sunday's program, you will see one of these new art forms at the 7:30pm Christmas Eve service. Neon painted dowels become staffs, a crown, and even the Messiah in the hands of the performers in this striking presentation.

Once again, well done Up With Puppets! Your weeks and months of hard work and extra practice has paid off, and we look forward to your next presentations.

Youth Worship Planning Team

2009-12-14T08:28:00.000-08:00

Youth worship weekend is an opportunity for youth to create worship in the way that helps them connect deeply with God, and to share that form or worship with their church family. In order to create that experience, though, we need to hear from youth who have a passion for worship and for helping others lift prayers and praise to God. It is for this reason that I am calling for a Youth Worship Planning Team to meet over the next few weeks to plan and design for the January 30-31 Youth Worship Weekend.

If you or a youth you know would help in this work, please visit http://whenisgood.net/youthworship and select the times when you are able to meet. As soon as possible I will contact those who responded to let them know when the first meeting will be.

December 16th

2009-12-14T08:23:00.000-08:00

Our Wednesday evening activities this week will be full of celebrations!

At 6:00 children, youth, and adults will gather in the fellowship hall for dinner and a Volunteer Appreciation Celebration for our “Building on the Past, Reaching for the Future” campaign.

At 6:30 the celebration continues with the annual Christmas PJ party, beginning with a reading of the Christmas Story in the sanctuary and followed by treats and activities in the parlor.
Also at 6:30, middle and high school youth are welcome to join the celebration with treats and games in the north balcony classroom.

Festivities will last until 7:30 pm, and families are encouraged to bring either treats for the party or healthy side dishes for dinner.

See you there!

Winter Weather Policy

2009-12-08T14:06:00.000-08:00

First UMC cares about your safety and wants to help you make good choices, and so has adopted the following winter weather policy:

The FUMC policy for cancellation of events/activities follows the schedule of the Ames School District. So if Ames Schools releases students early and states there will not be evening activities; we also will not hold evening activities. Also if Ames School District is closed for the day – then we would not hold events/activities. The exception to that rule is Food at First --- they haven’t missed a meal in six years --- so let’s all pray that continues!

If there’s no school or Ames gets out early tomorrow, we won’t go caroling.

If we are forced to cancel the Wednesday night caroling party, don’t forget you’ll still have a chance to carol on Sunday afternoon. Caroling for Compassion will happen right after worship on Sunday. We’ll have a soup lunch in the fellowship hall with the folks from United Church of Christ and First Christian Church. Then we’ll all head downtown to carol. Any money raised will go to our Good Samaritan funds which help those in need here in the community.

Youth Strike Sign-up Deadline

2009-12-07T12:03:00.000-08:00

Remember: the deadline to sign up to attend Youth Strike for Christ is Wednesday, December16th. Please have your registration in to the church office by then so that you can join us and other Christian youth from across the state February 5-7 at the Des Moines Marriott. Registration forms are available at the church or at http://www.youthstrike.com/forms/YSFC2010Forms.pdf. Registration costs $159, but First UMC will pay $100 for each youth, so the cost to you is only $59.

Hopes and Longings

2009-12-02T13:18:00.000-08:00

Advent is a time of hope - for our lives and for the world. It is a time of longing - for God's presence to be made more real, for the transformation that God brings about. During these weeks we prepare our hearts for God's vision becoming our reality. We pour out our hopes and longings to God and open ourselves to the exciting and challenging reality of a life lived with God.

As you move through this season, reflect: what are your hopes and longings? Where would you see your life transformed? What vision has God given you for our church, or our youth program in particular? What future do you long for for yourself, your family, your neighbors? How can we open ourselves to exciting and challenging relationships with God?

ASP Informational Meeting

2009-12-01T10:07:00.000-08:00

Faith and Sexuality

2009-11-25T07:28:00.000-08:00

Why is it that the most important topics are the ones we are the least comfortable talking about? I think it is because they are so close to our values and our self-image, and this is exactly why we need to talk about them in Christian community. We need to have each other’s support and God’s guidance in making the important choices in our lives – like how will I live out my gift of sexuality in a way that honors God, myself, and others?

This February our high school youth group will take us this question and more, using the curriculum “Good Sex 2.0” published by Zondervan. Youth will need to pre-register by January. The 7 week study will last from February 3 until March 17 and will meet from 6:30 until 7:30. Parents will also have a chance to study the same material at the same time in a separate meeting. If you have questions or would like to look over the curriculum please contact Pastor Sean.

Up With Puppets Performances

2009-11-23T13:27:00.000-08:00

On December 6th and 13th, Up With Puppets will have two performances in addition to the annual Christmas program here at First UMC. On the 6th they will share their program with Friendship Ark at St. John Episcopal Church at 7:00. Then on the 13th they will head over to Beloit Residential Treatment Center for a noon performance before the 6:00 program here at First UMC. It is wonderful to see our youth sharing their talent and faith with others in their community. Thanks and congratulations to the youth, and to the parent and hard working adult volunteers who make our programming possible.

Up With Puppets is open to all youth in 7-12th grades, and practices at 11:00 in room 101 in the education wing.

Youth Worship Weekend (Jan. 30-31)

2009-11-19T09:07:00.000-08:00

When have you connected deeply with God in worship? Where were you? What were the sounds, the sights, the images and words? Were you in an intimate setting sharing in quiet prayer? Were you standing with arms raised in a stadium with hundreds of others? Were you singing a hymn that you have known so long it resonates in your bones?

At the end of January the youth at First UMC will lead the congregation in worship. My hope is that this will be an expression of those times when we have connected deeply with God and an invitation for others to pray and praise with us in our worship language. But to do this we have to start planning now. So please share your vision of worship - what would you do if there were no limitations? What sights, sounds, prayers, scriptures, and music would frame our time with God?

Commitment Weekend Is This Week!

2009-11-16T08:43:00.000-08:00

Commitment Weekend for our church's capital campaign is this week, November 21st and 22nd. We have already recieved over $850,000 in advance pledges, and now it is everybody's chance to commit our support to following God's vision for our church and its ministry! There will be no Sunday School or Confirmation classes for youth or adults, because we want everybody to be able to come together around this historic effort. Parent's, please talk with your children about the commitment you are making as a family. This is a great opportunity to share how our faith impacts our finances, and what it means to follow the scriptural model of sacrificial giving. Then after you have made your pledge, please join in the Thanksgiving dinner, which will start serving at 11:30am on Sunday the 22nd. See you there!

YAC Shack Cleanup - Nov. 29

2009-11-12T12:55:00.000-08:00

I need your help! We still have materials and furniture in the YAC Shack that we need to move. Some items (like the pool table and whiteboard) need to be moved into our current youth spaces. Other items (like some couches and tables) need to be moved into storage until we build our new youth space. A few items (like some board games and older books) need to be thrown out or given away. Please plan to stay after church on Sunday, November 29th to lend a hand in this needed work. The more people we have, the faster it will go. If you let me know that you’ll be there I’ll provide food for you.

Youth Program Leadership Teams

2009-11-10T08:16:00.000-08:00

I continue to reflect on how best to structure our leadership for youth programing. Here is an outline for a model I am considering. Starting In January we would use a two-team approach, one team of adult volunteers and one team of youth, each with its own responsibilities and functions.

Phoebe Council (Romans 16:1-2):

Composed of adult leaders of each youth activity
Meets Monthly
Ministry areas primarily funded through operating budget
Responsibilities:

Plan and coordinate ongoing youth activities
Report on successes and obstacles
Develop/implement vision for discipling youth

Timothy Council (1 Timothy 4:12):

Composed of six youth (including at least one middle school youth) and three adults (including Pastor)
Meets quarterly (more frequently as needed)
Ministry areas primarily funded through restricted funds
Responsibilities:

Explore the needs of youth in the congregation and community
Develop/implement vision for deploying youth in ministry
Lead in planning annual youth events (e.g. Youth Worship Weekend, Lock-in) together with adult volunteers
Invite and involve other youth to plan and participate in youth ministries and events
Assist in finding and encouraging adult volunteers for youth ministries

Clayride!

2009-11-08T11:07:00.000-08:00

Destination Unknown

2009-11-05T07:16:00.000-08:00

Last night I joined the middle school and high school youth groups on their "Destination Unknown" trip. After a short van ride we found ourselves in the middle of a dark cemetery, with candles and cell phones as our only light. After exploring the shadowy graves and imagining the lives of those who have gone before us, we gathered in small groups for discussion. We shared our fears with each other, from snakes and spiders to failing tests and losing loved ones. Then we shared scripture togheter and were reminded of the good news that Paul declared in Romans, that nothing, nothing, can separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ.

If you haven't been to a Wednesday evening gathering in a while, stop on by. We share a meal each week at 6:00 in the fellowship hall and from 6:30-7:30 have activities for people of all ages. Its a great chance to have some fun, meet up with friends, and connect our faith with our daily lives.

Youth Strike for Christ

2009-11-03T07:02:00.000-08:00

7th through 12th grade youth: Mark your calendars and save the date - February 5-7 is Youth Strike for Christ. Youth Strike is an annual youth retreat hosted by the Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church packed with Praise and Worship, Spiritual Growth, and Fun with youth from all over the state.

This year the theme for Youth Strike is Portable Faith, as we emphasize that our faith is just for church or home but that just as God is with us in all times and places, so we as Christians live for God wherever we go and whatever we do. The speakers this year will include author and artist Kelly Croy and comedian Bob Stromberg, and our worship will be led by the Christian rock band Harlend.

Registration for Youth Strike is normally $159, but our youth group will contribute $100 toward each person's registration. That means you can join in the excitement (including two nights at the Des Moines Marriott and all meals during the event) for only $59! When you're ready to sign up, please pick up registration forms from the church office, or print them off at www.youthstrike.com/forms/YSFC2010Forms.pdf and return them with payment to the church office.

For more information stop by www.youthstrike.com

2010 Youth Mission Trips

2009-10-21T11:06:00.000-07:00

Mission trips can be a pivotal moment in a young persons development as our passions, the world's need, and God's call come together in meaningful and concrete ways. In order to expand the opportunities for mission that we can offer we will partner with Collegiate UMC next summer.

First, we will have a joint middle school mission trip to Omaha, Nebraska from Wednesday, June 23rd until Sunday June 27th. This is an exciting addition to our youth program, and we encourage all youth currently in 6-8th grade to save the dates.

Second, we will have two options for the Appalachia Service Project. Collegiate UMC and First UMC will work together to send back to back ASP trips from July 24-August 1 and from July 31-August 8. This will offer greater flexibility for individuals and give us the chance to work side by side with our neighbors from Ames.

Summer Stretch

2009-10-19T11:50:00.000-07:00

I'm part of a group of area youth leaders called the Story Protestant Youth Network (SPYN). SPYN is currently making plans for a summer program with and for youth called Summer Stretch. This will be a program for middle school youth, led by high school youth, supervised by parents and other adult leaders. It will include worship, service, and games every Wednesday in July, and a trip to an amusement park on August 4th. More information will be available as we work out the details.

Confirmation Update

2009-10-15T12:47:00.000-07:00

Confirmation is off to a great start! We have begun meeting with mentors, shared the basic outline and expectations for the year, and crafted a confirmation class covenant.

A covenant is a relational agreement, and in confirmation this year it is our primary tool for maintaining accountability and support. We have formed our covenant around the historic 3 Simple Rules of Methodist societies: Do no harm; Do good; Stay in love with God. The confirmation class created this covenant to help us live those rules.

Do No Harm:
1) Don't use drugs, tobacco, or alcohol
2) Don't fight with our siblings
3) Don't gossip or put people down

Do Good:
1) Help someone else each week
2) Visit the lonely once in each month
3) Stand up for someone else

Stay In Love With God:
1) Pray 3 times each week
2) Be in worship once each week
3) Read a chapter of the Bible once each week

Each member of the class has a Class Card to show they are a member of the class, and each card has the covenant written on it to help us remember.

As we go forward in this year, I would ask you to support and encourage the confirmation youth. Help them to know that just as they are gaining more freedom and responsibility in other areas of their lives, they are being prepared to take more responsibility for their own faith. Encourage them to ask questions about their faith and yours, and know that you don't always have answers and that you don't need to. The journey of faith involves shared exploration, shared questions, and shared discoveries. Please continue to pray for and with our youth, that they will find their lives transformed by God's love.