This week I began a new journey at our church, as both Director of the Christian Education programs and as your new Youth Director.  It’s going to be a challenge to run two programs, but I’m excited about it and am looking forward to helping all of you plan a Youth Program that will be fun and exciting. 

I’m completely open as to what your Youth Program will look like and you all need to help shape the direction of it.  I will work as hard as I can to accomplish this, but I’m asking for your patience because it’s going to take time and effort.  But let me tell you, you are worth every bit of it.  You are enthusiastic, hard workers who have a heart for God and all the others you come in contact with.  You have made a big impression on me as I have watched most of you grow up in the church.

I know it has seemed as though the church hasn’t been there for you in recent months.  But you need to know that even though there were few meetings and events, many adults were working behind the scenes to get a great program started for you.  They care deeply about you.  I am asking you to forgive us for this time spent without a program and to please work with me to get things up and running again.

 On January 28^th at 7:30 pm there will be a church wide “Youth and Family Night”.  All of you who are currently in 7^th through 12^th grades and your parents are encouraged to attend.  We will meet in Fellowship Hall before splitting into smaller groups.  I want to hear from you, where you would like this program to go, what you want it to look like.  I want your parents to be part of this, if for no other reason than to support and encourage you.  Some of them will be asked to help as their time and talents allow.  If we all work together and we each take a small part, we can accomplish huge things.  Together we can channel our resources and create a program that will thrive and grow.  I’m confident of it. 

I look forward to seeing you there.  Remember, Sunday night, January 28^th  at 7:30.

Mrs. Harris

Date

Activity

Time

Every Sunday

Youth Group

7:30 to 9:00 PM

January 28

Youth and Family Night

7:30 PM

February 4th

Bake Sale

During Coffee Hour

February 11th

Valentine's Day Candy Sale

After Both Services

February 11th

Work Camp Participant & Parent Meeting

7:30

Come to Fellowship Hall on Saturday, February 3, from 1-4 PM and join Reinhold Krueger for a cookie/brownie bake-off.  E-mail or give your favorite recipes to him by January 28 so your ingredients will be on hand.  Call him at 330-808-0608 for info.  If you cannot attend, you're still responsible for providing bake sale items for Sunday, February 4!!

The next Work Camp participant/parent meeting is Sunday, February 11, 2007, at 7:30 PM at the Escape.  This is the primary planning meeting for our April 22 Spaghetti Dinner/Silent Auction fundraiser.  PLEASE PLAN TO ATTEND!

Contact the Eavensons at

(330) 995-6268 for further information

I would like to extend an invitation to our young ladies in their sophomore, junior or senior year in high school to attend a CHRYSALIS weekend. 

This special opportunity to experience the Love of Christ comes on February 17, 18 and 19.  See me for details.         

                                          Reed Fuller

Dear Jr. & Sr. Highs,

By the time you read this I will have already met with many of you at a Church Camp planning meeting.  One purpose of this meeting was to introduce Church Camp to our new Youth Director, Toni Harris, and another purpose was to plan for a Camp Reunion to be held at our church on March 2 - 4.  Over 200 invitations will be mailed to campers and staff to join us for two lock-in nights in a row!  All Jr. and Sr. High youth at the Church in Aurora will be invited as well.  For veteran campers this will be a time to reconnect with old friends and experience an “extra day of camp.”  For others it will be a grand introduction to Church Camp.  I hope you will be able to make this epic event (I will certainly be there since I don’t have to preach that weekend).

In the meantime I will look forward to seeing you at youth meetings as my schedule permits and maybe some other places that might surprise you (I just came back from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame where our own Cole Messner was performing with his band, “Trivial Riffed.”  I have a tee shirt to prove it).  Together we are going to build a great youth ministry at The Church in Aurora.  Why?  Because you are worth it and because the church needs you and the spiritual gifts God has given you to share with us.

In closing, I have a surprise for each of you.  Stop by my office when you get the chance and ask, “Where’s my surprise?”  I think you’ll like it.

With love and a prayer,

Rev. Schnell