Happy Holidays

Wow, it feels like a while since we've been together. I hope that everyone had a good Christmas and is having a great break from school.

Our next youth event won't be next week - Bible Study next Tuesday night at 7:00 pm at my house (169 Lake St.). Fairview youth members are welcome to join us since you're Monday night Bible study isn't going to be happening anymore. We've been going through the book of Luke, so if you've got time then read through the first 4 chapters of Luke to get caught up to where we are.

Then next Friday (January 8th) we'll be having an ugly Christmas sweater party. We'll start at 6:30 that night because we'll be having supper together potluck style (that means everyone has to bring something).

Stay tuned for more details, but start looking through your closet (or your mom, dad, or grandparents closet) for a Christmas sweater.

Christmas Babysitting

Scott St. youth members remember that we're meeting at the church tomorrow at 3:30 and we'll be having our choir practice from 3:30-5:30 and then getting pizza. Bring $3 to cover supper. Also remember that this Sunday after church is the run through of the Christmas Eve program so plan on staying for lunch and then attending that practice.

For youth tomorrow we're going to be blessing the young families in our churches by doing some Christmas babysitting...don't worry, I don't even like small children and yet I think this is a fun youth event. There are going to be different activities that we'll be doing with them and it's going to be a packed evening. Although it will be a great event, keep in mind that it will be about us babysitting and entertaining the kids, not us entertaining ourselves, so if you come then be ready to help and play with children.

We'll be meeting at the church at 6:00pm (that's an hour earlier than we normally meet). AND BE ON TIME. I don't want to scramble around to explain things to you once the kids arrive...we need to be ready for them when they come.

See you tomorrow.

Where's Waldo?

First off, we'll be having our youth choir practice tomorrow at 5:30. If you are a part of the Scott St. portion of our youth group then this means you should be at the church tomorrow at 5:30. Please be on time.

If you are not a part of the choir then meet us at the church at 7:00 pm. We will be heading to the Pen Centre from there. No, we will not be shopping. Christmas is hanging in the balance and we have some culprits to find in order to save Christmas! Hm...that either sounds exhilarating and exiting or lame, but trust me it'll be fun!

Extra Youth Choir Practice

Christmas Eve is coming quickly and the youth choir definitely needs some more practice...AND MORE PEOPLE! So, I'm calling out to all SSMBY members and asking you to come out to our practices. You're going to be at the Christmas Eve program anyhow and you'll look pretty silly sitting in the audience while we're up there singing, so you may as well join us.

We're going to start meeting on Tuesday nights at 7:00 pm at Scott St. instead of Bible study. So, come to the church tonight, not to my house.

If you read this message, then text it to all your friends and tell them to come.

Stuff for this week

The youth choir is meeting at the church at 5:30 on Friday for their 2nd practice. Whether you came last week or not, come out tomorrow. We are meeting earlier for youth so there won't be time to get pizza this week...make sure you eat supper before coming to choir practice.

We're going to an Ice Dogs game for youth tomorrow. Here is a list of the people I bought tickets for:
Amy Browett
Marissa Peacock
Aaron Giesbrecht
Nathan Schafer
Jesslyn Duerrstein
Christina Braoun
Patrick Bartley
Josh Mason
Kristen Kort
Carmen Mortley
Kevin & Nikki Klassen
Suzanne Wilson

If your name is not on this list then I do not have a ticket for you and therefore do not come to the church tomorrow night. If your name is on this list, then come to the church at 6:45 tomorrow night (BE ON TIME) and bring $14 to pay for your ticket (I fronted the money for the tickets and I definitely need it back).

Sunday is our youth Christmas. It's going to be at Fairview, after church. It's not to late to come, even if you haven't talked to me or Suzanne yet, so let us know. Tickets are now $12.

There will be a re-gift exchange, so dig through your draws and closets and find something that you no longer use to wrap up for the gift exchange...do not go out and buy something - find something that you already own, but no longer use (approx. value $10).

Let me know if you've got questions.

Games Night with Seniors

This post is going to be packed with information so please read all of it...even if it's long.

First off today is going to be our first youth choir practice for the Christmas Eve program...actually last week was the first one, but no one showed up :(. Come to the church at 5:30 pm and either bring $3 to chip in for pizza or eat supper at home before coming.

For youth tonight, we've invited the seniors from both Scott St. and Fairview to join us for a games night. Last year was loads of fun and I'm sure this year will be great too! You need to be at the church by 7:00 (no later!) so if you can't make it to choir practice then come to the church at 7:00.

Next Sunday is our Youth Christmas Banquet and today is the deadline for the early bird ticket price, so bring $10 along...seriously, you do not want to miss this banquet!

Also, next week we're going to an Ice Dogs game and I absolutely need to know who is coming so I know how many tickets to buy. The tickets cost $14 and I'm only buying tickets for the people who tell me they are coming, so if you haven't talked to me by Monday then you are not coming.

I think that's it, so I'll see you tonight!

GOOD NEWS!!!

The youth choir is reuniting and the first practice will be tomorrow at Scott St. at 5:30 pm. Emily will be there as our director extraordinaire so please be on time. The goal is to have two songs ready for the Christmas Eve program at Scott St. It's going to be a blast and everyone is welcome to join, but if you are from Fairview then please make sure to ask your parents if this is okay. I don't want our Christmas Eve program to compete with something at your church...although perhaps we can do a preformance at Fairview as well. Also, if you're interested in pooling money to buy a pizza for supper then please bring $3.

Whether you're interested in the choir or not (and I hope that you are) regular youth will be starting at 7:00 pm at Scott St. and we'll be playing Gargon so be prepared to be scared!!! Also, make sure that you are wearing proper footwear...there will be a lot of running and turning tight corners and I don't want anyone slipping and falling down the stairs or something because they were wearing bad shoes...no joke, it's happened!

Bill Cosby & Ice Cream

Tomorrow night is Bill Cosby night!!! Last week, my mind was blown when I found out that some of you don't even know who Bill Cosby is...seriously, Fat Albert, The Cosby Show, Jello Pudding Pops...if you have no idea what I'm talking about , then you, my friend, are in for a treat...that won't strike out with mom (Click on the title to watch Bill Cosby in action).

We'll be meeting at the church at 7:00 and don't eat dessert before coming because we'll have ice cream.

Bible Study is for EVERYONE!!!

Bible Study is tonight at my house (169 Lake St.) at 7:00 pm. I'm hoping to look at Luke 3, but if it's a smaller group then I've got something else planned. Remember, Bible Study is for EVERYONE!!!

Festival of Art

This weekend is Scott St. Church's art festival. It's an entire weekend devoted to worshiping God through a celebration of the arts. Friday night we'll be joining the rest of the church for the coffee house and art open house. We'll be meeting at the church at 7:00 pm. After we've sufficiently perused the art exhibit we'll be heading to Suzanne's parents' house to hang out for the rest of the night.

Bible study...

Today is Tuesday and you know what that means....Bible study tonight!!! Meet me at my house at 7:00 pm and remember that Bible study is for everyone! It's been a pretty small group that has been coming out recently and the group hasn't been very consistent, so whether you usually come out or not, come give it a shot. We've been going through the book of Luke in order to get a better understand of Jesus and what his life means for our lives today. See you tonight!

Hayride

This week is our annual hayride! What the heck…is it seriously the end of October already!?! I guess so.

We’ll be joining Cornerstone, Grantham, Orchard Park and Vineland for a time of worship singing, a speaker and then the hayride!

Here are the details:
Meeting at Scott St. at 7:00 pm – BE ON TIME because we won’t be waiting around for long
Bring $2
Dress appropriately…as in warm
We are not going to a house after because we’ll be covered in hay and who wants hay all over their house, so if you want to hang out afterwards then it’ll have to be at Tim Hortons or Wendy’s or something.

NO BIBLE STUDY TONIGHT

Hey Guys,

Unfortunately I'm still sick, so I'm cancelling Bible study for tonight...the flu sucks and I would hate for any of you to get it from me.

Hopefully I'll see you on Friday.

Fall Lounge Night

Tonight is our Fall lounge night...a.k.a. pumkin carving!! It's hard to believe that it's already time to do that, eh. We're meeting at the church at 7:00 pm, so be there! I unfortunately will not be there because I'll be hanging out with the junior youth tonight...seriously, it feels like forever since I've seen some of you, but have fun!

Stuff for this week and next

Are you ready to tap into your creative side and try your hand at screen writing, directing, and acting? I sure hope so, because this Friday you're in for a night of ridiculous fun and it's going to be AWESOME!!! You'll be meeting at the church at the regular time...7:00 pm and you may notice that some familiar faces are missing - the adult and student leaders will be up at Camp Crossroads for the annual Youth Leadership Retreat, but our very own Jordan Duerrstein and Tim Goertzen will be back to lead you in a night of movie-making fun!

SUNDAY SCHOOL is canceled for this Sunday...and by that I just mean that I won't actually be there, since I'll still be at Camp. However, if you're going to be at the church during that time anyhow then feel free to go into the kitchen and help yourself to breakfast. I'm pretty sure that you all know where the breakfast stuff is...cereal in the youth cupboard, milk in the fridge, etc. Just make sure to clean up after yourselves.

BIBLE STUDY NEXT WEEK will be at 2A Water St instead of at my house and Mark will be leading it, so meet him at his house at 7:00 pm next Tuesday to see what happens next in the Gospel of Luke.

13th Annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner

This Friday is SSMBY's 13th annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner. Thanksgiving weekend is typically a time for people to spend with their friends and family, but the reality is that not everyone has friends and family, so this is a night that we spend serving our community by providing food for the hungry and a place of belonging for those who may not have it elsewhere. Last year we cooked and served Thanksgiving dinner for over 130 people! That's pretty huge and it takes all of us chipping in to make it work. This is no regular youth night, so come to the church at 3:30.

It's going to be a lot of work...for goodness sake, we're cooking and serving a huge dinner for over 100 people...but since we'll be doing it together, it's sure to be a blast!

Please be on time and be ready to help. Wear dark pants (preferably black) and light tops (preferably white) because we will need most of you to help serve the food. Let me know if you've got any questions.

BE ON TIME - 7:00 pm!!!

Man, I am behind on this, but if you read this tonight then please call or text all your SSMBY friends and remind them that it is ESSENTIAL that you are all here BY 7:00 pm. NO STRAGGLING IN LATE!

Fairview MB is joining us tonight...for the first time ever and it's important for us to give them a SSMBY welcome.

We'll spend half an hour with them (7-7:30) and then we'll all head to the sanctuary for Harvest Missions Fest! Yay for Harvest Missions Fest!

Anyhow, if you read this any time before 6:50 then text everyone who goes to SSMBY and tell them to BE ON TIME!

Bible Study

This is just a reminder that we are having Bible study tonight at 7:00 pm at my house. We'll be looking at the rest of Luke chapter 1. Please bring your Bible if you've got one. And just a heads up that Pastor Pat is joining us tonight.

SSMBY Games Night

I don't know about you, but I kind of like to think of SSMBY as a sort of family and what's a family without a games night? Tomorrow night we're going to be having a SSMBY games night, but not just any games night, all the games are going to be giant-sized!

We'll be meeting at the church at 7:00 pm...well, I won't actually be there because I'll be at the junior youth kick-off, but you'll be meeting at the church at 7:00 pm.

Bible Study

Bible study is tonight at 7:00 pm at my house (169 Lake St.). We're going to start going through the Gospel of Luke. Bring your Bible if you've got one.

SSMBY Records

Tonight (Friday) you have the opportunity to become a part of a very prestigious group...the SSMBY Record holders. This opportunity only comes once a year, so make sure you plan on coming and start practicing. There will be judges and stop-watches and we're counting on you making your way into the SSMBY Book of Records.

We will be providing the supplies for classics like sunflower seed spitting, chubby bunny, card throwing, and SPAM eating, but if you've got something else in mind then please remember to bring your own supplies.

We're meeting at the church at 7:00.

Bible Study

We're re-starting Bible study tonight and I want to invite all of you to come out (that includes all of you in grades 9 and 10). Last year it was mostly the older students coming on Tuesday nights, but Bible study is in fact for everyone, so whether you've ever come before or not, know that you are invited and welcome to join us.

I'm not sure about you, but I know that for myself, growing up in the church and hearing the stories of Jesus since I was a small child in Sunday school, although good, has sort of made me disillusioned to the reality of who Chirst is and the message that he came to bring. I was reading through the gospels this summer and was amazed at how many times I'd come to a familiar story, and after reading it and reflecting on it, would come away amazed and having learned something new about God, or myself, or the what it means to live my life for him, etc. So, we're going to start this year off by looking at the life of Jesus and some of our misconceptions of who he is and what it means for us to be in relationship with him.

See you tonight at 7:00 pm at my house (169 Lake St.)

Student Leader Initiation

Man, I am so late in writing this. If by chance any of you check this before coming to youth tonight I'm happy to inform you that student leader initiation is back by popular demand. That's right, tonight you are going to be introduced to your new SSMBY student leaders for 2009/2010. We'll be testing their intellect in a trivia challenge where wrong answers will require various tasks to be completed. We will be amazed, disgusted, and delighted by them.

We're meeting at the church at 7:00 pm. See you soon.

NO BIBLE STUDY

I'm not sure how many of you read the bulletin and noticed that it said we'd be having youth Bible study tonight, but the bulletin was wrong. Youth Bible study will be starting up next week. Please do not come to my house tonight, but definitely plan on coming next week.

See you on Friday.

Outdoor Coffee House

The end of the summer is near and as sort of a celebration of this past year and a transition into the coming year we're going to be having an outdoor coffee house with the young adults. It'll be fun and relaxing for all, but I want to make a special invitation to those of you who graduated high school last year and are moving on to university or the life of full-time work. You're obviously still invited to come to youth this year (and we hope that you do), but the reality is that you're growing up, so this is sort of a night where your old family (SSMBY) is saying goodbye and your new family (young adults) is welcoming you in.

We'll be meeting at the church at 7:00 and then heading to N.O.T.L., to my parents' house. There will be live musical entertainment (Tim Durksen will be playing), great snacks and coffee, and some outdoor lawn games. Please be on time tomorrow because we're hoping to be at my parents' by 7:30, so that means we'll have to leave shortly after 7:00. If you know you'll be late then please arrange to be dropped off at my parents' house...I can give you directions if you need them.

Also, this week has been surprisingly chilly, especially in the evenings, so be prepared and wear warm clothes. Seriously, if you don't trust me then just step outside once its dark tonight, its pretty cold out there and the night will be a lot more enjoyable if you aren't shivering and cold all night.

See you tomorrow.

Treasure Hunt

Tomorrow night is going to be our first ever SSMBY treasure hunt. Now, I know that you guys don't like change or trying new things, but trust me, this is going to be fun. It'll be packed with adventure and you'll have to use your wit, your charm and your brawn in order find the treasure.

See you at the church on Friday at 7:00 pm.

p.s. What's a pirate's favourite sport?

Ice Cream @ Port

We're going to be going to Port Dalhousie for ice cream this Friday...nice and relaxed after an AMAZING retreat. So, we'll be meeting at the church at 7:00 (the usual) and then heading out. Please bring some money along if you want to get ice cream. Hmm...it might also be a good idea to bring some bug spray. I don't think the bugs have been that bad this year, but I'm having flashbacks of last year and being eaten alive, so it's probably best to be prepared.

See you Friday!

Lawn Games & Outdoor Movie!!!

I hope you're planning on coming to youth tomorrow night because it's going to be AWESOME!!! We'll start out playing a few classic lawn games (bocce ball, croquet, etc.) while we wait for the sun to set and then we'll lie back and enjoy a movie that brings us back to the simpler times of childhood fun and adventure. Seriously, you do not want to miss this! However, to make sure that you have a truly enjoyable evening PLEASE BRING WARM CLOTHES AND BLANKETS!!! Even if it's hot out during the day and you are absolutely sure that you won't get cold, just indulge me by bringing really warm clothes and at least one blanket along...trust me, it gets cold out once the sun goes down...bug spray might also be helpful.

We'll be meeting at the church at 7:00 pm and then heading to my parents' house, so let me know if you're going to be late and I can give you directions. Also, if you know that you need to be home early then arrange for your parents to pick you up from my parents' house (I can give you directions if you need them).

So, just to make sure you get it...
You need to bring:
* warm clothes (pants, hoodie, socks and shoes) for when the sun goes down
* a warm blanket to cover up with (we definitely didn't have enough last year, so everyone bring one just to make sure)
* a lawn chair (if you have one, if not then hopefully we'll have enough blankets to lay down on and cover ourselves with)
* YOUR SUMMER RETREAT FORM!!! Tomorrow is the deadline for them

See you tomorrow!

Last BS of the Summer

It's the first Tuesday of the month again...man, time is going to so quickly...however, instead of having girl/guy bible study we're going to be having regular Bible study at my house tonight...and this is going to be the last Bible study of the summer! WHAT!?!? I know it's a shocker! It's been a while since we've had regular Bible study, but if you think way back, you'll remember that we've been going through the book of Ephesians and we'll be finishing up with it tonight.

So, I'll see you tonight at 7:00 pm at my house.

This Week

This is going to be a super quick update to remind you guys that I'm going to be up at Camp Crossroads next week, so we won't be having Bible study this week.

On Friday Mark will be taking you guys hiking. You'll be meeting at the church at 7:00 pm and then heading out from there. Please make sure that you wear shoes...flop-flops will not be convenient foot wear.

See you Next week!

School Yard Games

Wow, we've had a lot of rain this summer. Well, rain or shine we're going to be playing school yard games tomorrow...either at Lincoln Centenial or in the church gym. So, come to the church at 7:00 pm and get ready to be brought back to your childhood. If you've got some favourites that you used to play as a child then feel free to make a suggestion...and if anyone has any skipping ropes please bring them along.

BS at Church

This is just a reminder that we're going to be meeting at the church for Bible study tonight. Nathan Dirks (he's going to be the speaker for our summer retreat) is coming to show a movie followed by a discussion. The movie will have something to do with underdeveloped countries and refugees and whatnot, but he said that it's really good (not boring).

So, meet me at the church...NOT MY HOUSE...at 7:00 pm tonight.

Girl/Guy Week Installment #2

Tomorrow night is our girl/guy sleepover. We will all be meeting at the church at 7:00pm and then heading our separate ways and here are the details of what to expect and what to bring:

Guys
You will be going to Gary’s house where you’ll be swimming, barbequing meat and doing whatever you guys do on guy nights.
Things to bring:
* Meat - for midnight meat
* Bathing suit & towel - if you want to swim
* Lawn Chair
* Sleeping bag & pillow
* $ for breakfast

Girls
We will be going go-karting before going to my house where we’ll be eating good food and drinking good drinks (I recommend not eating a full supper before you come), chatting, doing our nails, watching girly movies and doing other such girly things.
Things to bring:
* $ for go-karting - $10 should cover it
* Movies – if we all bring our favourites then we have more to choose from…although make sure that they are youth appropriate
* Nail polish
* Sleeping bag & pillow
* $ for breakfast

Everyone
You’ll notice that $ for breakfast is on both lists and that’s because we’re all going to be having breakfast togetheron Saturday at The Little Red Rooster in N.O.T.L.
Just let me or Gary know if you can only come for part of the night and we can give your parents directions for where to pick you up or drop you off. If you’re staying for the whole thing then let your parents know that we will do our best to drive everyone home on Saturday morning, but if we don’t have enough drivers then we will be finished everything by approx. 10:00 am.

See you tomorrow!

Girl/Guy Bible Study

This is the first installment of Girl/Guy week. Girls meet me at my house at 7:00 pm and guys meet Mark at the church at 7:00 pm. Stay tuned for the 2nd announcement of the week that will give you all the info regarding the sleepovers on Friday!!!

Ultimate Frisbee

We're meeting at the church at 7:00 pm tonight and then heading over to Pearson Park (the one across from Laura Secord Secondary School) to play some Ultimate. Make sure you wear appropriate clothes and shoes for it. See you tonight!

NO BIBLE STUDY

Today is the day that we're going to the zoo, so we won't be having Bible study tonight. See you on Friday!

Frolf & Fireworks

I hope all of you had a good Canada Day yesterday and are ready to keep the celebration going! Tomorrow night we're going to be going to the Durksen residence (Mark and Emily's house) to play some Frolf (Frisbee Golf) before we have our own fireworks display. Now, in order to make this good we all have to chip in, so please bring some money along to contribute to the fireworks. The more money we have, the better the fireworks. It's as simple as that, so bring however much money you want to contribute.

We'll be meeting at the church at 7:00 pm and then going to the Durksen's. Remember that we'll be outside for the night, so dress appropriately and perhaps bring some bug spray.

Also, please bring me your zoo permission form. The trip is on Tuesday and I need to know how many people are coming so that I know how many drivers we need.

Bible Study

BS is tonight at 7:00 pm at my house. See you there!

Capture the Flag

We're going to be playing capture the flag this week. We'll be meeting at the church at 7:00 pm. Please be prepared to spend the evening outside and wear shoes that you can run in.

Also, this Sunday is our church picnic, so don't come to the church on Sunday morning. We'll be having church at Burgoyne Woods and it'll start at 10:45 am. There is a potluck lunch after church, so if you feel adventurous then bring a salad or dessert to share (there should be enough food for you if you don't bring something, but heck, why not give it a shot). You do have to bring your own plates and utensils though.

Remember to bring you're permission form for our trip to the Toronto Zoo.

This Week

Bible study tonight at my house. See you there at 7:00.

Also, we've got a church membership meeting this Thursday at 7:30 pm at the church, so if you're a member of our church then please plan on coming to the meeting.

The end is near!

Hopefully your exams are going well and you’re getting ready to start a great summer. This Friday we’re going to be having an outdoor lounge night. We’ll be meeting at the church at 7:00 pm and then heading over to Woodland school to hang out outside, play some ultimate, etc. We’ll be going to Jordan’s house afterwards and their pool is open, so if you want to go swimming then bring your swimsuit (girls please wear dark tank tops over bikinis). The weather forecast indicates that there is a chance of rain…if it does rain then no biggy, we’ll bring the lounging indoors…either way meet at the church at 7:00 pm.

The church picnic is coming up (Sunday, June 28th) which means that we’ll be doing church outside! As per usual there will be a church potluck after the service that you’re welcome to join in on. Hotdogs and hamburgers will be for sale for the lunch, but you have to pre-order them (that way we know how many to buy). I’ll have forms for that available on Friday, so think about whether or not you’re coming to the church picnic (I highly recommend it) and about whether or not you want to join the potluck for lunch (again, highly recommended).

Bible Study

I realize it's exam time and I just want everyone to know that if you need a break from studying, my house will be open at 7:00 pm and you're welcome to come and hang out. Instead of having our regular Bible study we'll just hang out and pray. If it's nice out, maybe we can go outside for a while.

Good luck on your exams!

Something different

This week is going to be a bit different from our normal Friday night events for a number of reasons:

1. We're going to be joining a few different youth groups (Cornerstone, Orchard Park, Niagara UM)

2. We're going to be worshiping God with those groups through singing and hearing a speaker, Brett Ullman.

3. We're going to spend the night in Virgil...seriously, what's in Virgil?!?  (just kidding)

I know that some of you have already heard Brett speak at Eden earlier this year, and to be honest I don't know a lot about him, but I took a look at his website and what he talks about seems to address some of the issues that we wrestle with in our weekly Bible study...he talks about how we interact with and are impacted by culture in our daily lives, habits, relationships, etc.  

Even though what we're doing is different, I want to encourage all of you to come out with an attitude that is opening to learning and experiencing God.

THIS IS IMPORTANT:

1. We are meeting at the church (Scott St.) at 7:00 pm and YOU HAVE TO BE ON TIME!  We have to drive to Cornerstone Church, so it is important that you come at 7:00 pm, not 7:10, or 7:20 or heaven forbid 7:30!  I'm usually at the church by 6:45, so I'm even going to suggest that you come early.

2. The night costs $5, so please bring money along.  If money is an issue just let me know.  I don't want anyone to miss out because of it.

Ridicu-putt

Are you ready for a night of ridiculous fun?  We're going mini-putting this week, but there's a twist... you'll have to come out tomorrow night to find out what that means, but trust me, it'll be fun!  

We're meeting at the church at 7:00 pm.  Bring $6.50 along to cover the mini-putting... if money is an issue than just let me know, I would hate for anyone to miss out because of it.

Oh, and if my memory is correct, there is an ice cream shop across the street from the mini-putt place, so if you want to have some ice cream then bring money for that.

3rd Annual Cub Car Rally

Put the finishing touches on your cub car because this week we're in for a night of speed and excitement.  It's the 3rd Annual SSMBY Cub Car Rally!  Kevin Klassen has been the champion of speed for the past 2 years, so let's see if this is the year that he loses the title.  Averil Harder was last years winner of the "Most Good Looking Car" award...maybe you can be the next winner of this prestigious award.

We're meeting at the church at 7:00 pm and come out (even if you haven't made a car) and join a pit crew.

Regular Bible Study

We're going to be having regular Bible study this week, so meet at my house tonight at 7:00 pm.  The guys were originally going to make supper for the girls tonight, but they've had to postpone it, so make sure you eat supper before coming and stay tuned for an announcement about the guys making supper for the girls.  See you tonight!

NO YOUTH

This is just a reminder that there is no youth this Friday because of the church retreat.  There also will  not be a youth Sunday school class on Sunday morning. 

Bible Study

Bible study is tonight at 7:00 pm at my house.  See you there.

p.s. if you have not yet paid for the church retreat then please bring your $ tonight.

p.s.s. if you want to come on the church retreat, but haven't handed in your form yet then let me know tonight.

Canal Walk

This Friday we're going to be heading outdoors.  We'll be going to the canal for a walk.  Feel free to bring a bike or roller blades along if you want to. 

Things to bring:

• Comfortable footwear
• A sweater or jacket in case it gets cold once the sun goes down
• Money for ice cream (we're going to the Avondale across the canal, so if you want ice cream then bring money)

We'll be meeting at the church at 7:00 pm and until then, keep fit and have fun.

Bible Study

We're having regular Bible study tonight, so meet at my house (169 Lake St.) at 7:00 pm.  If you have a chance, read Ephesians 2:1-10 before coming.

It's a Mystery

Here's the tragic thing: Someone has been murdered! Here's the fun part: We need your help finding out who did it! Come to youth this Friday at 7:00 pm to take part in SSMBY Murder Mystery '09.

Girl/Guy Bible Study

It's the first Tuesday of the month again, so that means tonight is Girl/Guy Bible Study.  Guys meet Mark at the church at 7:00 pm and girls meet me at my house at 7:00 pm.

SSMBY Autoshop & SOAR info...

This week is SSMBY Autoshop week.  With our Cub Car Race coming soon we thought it would be fun to spend a night working on our cars.  If you’ve given you’re block to Kevin then he’ll have it ready on Friday…if not and you still want to make a car then you’ll have to find another way to get it cut.  We’ll have sandpaper and craft paint at the church, but make sure that you bring your own can of spray paint.

If you aren’t making a car that doesn’t mean that you can’t come on Friday.  Come to hang out anyways. 

On an entirely different note…I need to know who is interested in going to Montreal this summer for SOAR.  The dates for it are July 8-22.  It’s going to be a great opportunity to get closer as a group, worship God together with other groups, serve God and see a bit more of what He’s doing in other parts of Canada.  The cost is $450 plus travel expenses, but we can do a bunch of fundraising to lower the cost.  There were a few people who put up their hands when I asked two weeks ago, but I need to have a more definite number, so talk to your parents about it and be ready to let me know on Friday if you’re able to come.

Bible Study

Bible study tonight is at 7:00 pm at my house.  We're going to be looking at the 2nd half of Ephesians Chapter 1, so if you have a chance read it over before you come.

Youth Sunday!!!

Youth Sunday is so close and I have to say that I have loved working with all of you on this.  I know that I say this often, but I really like you guys a lot!

Our next choir practice is today at 4:00 pm at the church.

Tomorrow for youth we will be going through the service step by step so that everyone knows what they're supposed to do and when on Sunday.  If you're doing something for the service and you're a bit nervous that's okay (I'm a bit nervous too) hopefully when we go over it all tomorrow it'll feel a bit better.

We'll be meeting at the church on Friday at 7:00 pm.

Youth Choir Practices

So, next Sunday is youth Sunday and we had our 2nd youth choir practice today during Sunday School...it sounded a lot better than it did after our first practice, but we still have a ways to go.

The next practices are:

Monday at 4:00 pm at the church
Tuesday at 7:00 pm at the church

Try your best to come to these practices. It's okay of you can't make it, but please do try to come...perhaps I'll bring a treat for those of you who come.

Air Bands

Wow, this is really late and I'm not sure that anyone will be reading this before coming to church, but as you can see in the "Coming Soon..." side bar we are doing air bands tonight.  Hopefully you've gotten your band together and perfected your performance, but even if you haven't, there should be some time to get a band together during the sound check/warm-up time.  

We'll also be talking a little bit more about Youth Sunday, which happens to be NEXT SUNDAY!!!  

Bible Study

Bible study is tonight at my house at 7:00 pm.  See you there.

Easter Stuff

Easter weekend is here and tomorrow is Good Friday.  We won't be having youth tomorrow night because the weekend is packed with church and family get togethers.  We will however, be having church tomorrow morning.  There is a Good Friday service tomorrow at 10:45 am and I hope to see you there.  It'll be a time for us to think about the sacrifice that Christ made for us on the cross and a time for us to respond by taking communion together.  I love Easter services and I definitely want to encourage you to come.

We also have the Sunrise Service on Sunday morning.  We'll be meeting at the church at 6:00 am or at the gazebo in N.O.T.L. at 6:30 am.  I know that this is pretty early, but again, it's a time for us to celebrate what happened on the cross and the fact that Christ was resurrected and therefore we have life!  From what I understand this service isn't usually very well attended, but again, I want to encourage you to come...you might be missing a few hours of sleep, but in the long run you'll be gaining a lot more.  Let me know if you want to come.

Because of the Sunrise Service we won't be having Youth Sunday School this Sunday, but Mrs. Dahl has asked us to hide the Easter eggs for the Sunday School Easter egg hunt, so please come to the church at 9:30 to help with that. 

Girl/Guy Bible Study

It has been a long time since we've had a girl/guy Bible study, but tonight is the night!  So, that means all the guys need to meet Mark at the church at 7:00 pm and all the girls need to meet me at my house at 7:00 pm.  

Gym Games & Brainstorming

Tonight, we’ll be playing gym games so please wear appropriate shoes.

Youth Sunday is quickly approaching, so we’re going to take a bit of time at the beginning of youth tonight to brainstorm and start putting together this service. In case you don’t know what Youth Sunday is, it’s a Sunday morning church service where we get to be in charge and show the rest of the church what we’re learning and how God is working in our lives. If you were at church this past Sunday you will remember that it was Kids Club Sunday, so the we got a bit of a glimpse into what the Kids Club does and whatnot. However, unlike Kids Club Sunday, Youth Sunday is all us. We’re going to lead the worship singing, do the ushering, and preach the sermon.

Here’s a quick outline of some of the ideas that I have for things to include in the service:

Instead of one big sermon we’re going to do 3 smaller sermonettes (8-10 minutes each)

3 Sermonettes
Worship Team
Special Music
Video
Prayer Cards
Children’s Church Dismissal
Ushers
Scripture Reading

These are just some of my ideas, so feel free to bring other ideas to our brainstorm meeting tonight.

In order to add a sense of unity to the service I suggest that we have one main Bible scripture or verse that we work around. This verse should have to do with what we do/talk about in youth (by youth I mean Friday nights, Tuesday Bible study, Sunday School, retreats, mission trips…basically everything that we do as a youth group). My suggestion for a scripture passage is:
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbour as yourself.” Matt. 22:37-39

Again, if you have a different passage in mind then feel free to suggest it tonight. Remember that we want it to be a passage that goes with what we do/talk about in youth.

See you tonight.

SSMBY goes German

There is no youth Sunday school this week.  The German service has invited us to join them for their service...there will even be a special intergenerational musical number...whoa!  It starts at 9:30 and please be on time!  Seriously!

SSMBY Arts & Crafts Festival

This Friday we're going to be tapping into our creative sides...don't worry though, you won't actually have to be creative to have fun.   There will be paint and canvases (of sorts) at the church for you to create a masterpiece with.  There will also be a craft corner for those of us who need a bit more direction for our creativeness.  Heck, if you've got something crafty or artsy that you're working on at home right now then bring it along to work on.  

See you at the church on Friday at 7:00 pm.

* note: our paint supplies won't be the best of quality so if you're pretty particular then feel free to bring your own stuff.

* another note: the paintings will be hung in the youth room to spruce it up a bit.

Bible Study

Bible study is tonight at 7:00 pm at my house.  We're finishing up with the book of James and if you read this and have 5-10  minutes before you come then I'd like to you read James chapter 5...read the whole book if you the time (it's a short book and won't take you very long) and think about what we've talked about so far and what this last chapter might be saying to you.

Gargon

This week is Gargon week.  It's going to be frightening and it's going to be fun.  Please make sure that you are wearing proper footwear (running shoes...or just shoes with grip on them).

See you tomorrow!

Bowling

Tomorrow night we're going bowling!  I'm not going to lie, it's been a really long time since I've slipped on a pair of bowling shoes.  We'll be meeting at the church at 7:00 pm and the bowling will cost $4, so please bring the money along...correct change is ideal because I don't have a bunch of loonies laying around to break bills, so please try to bring the correct change along.  If money is an issue then just let me know.  I'd hate for anyone to miss out because of it.

See you tomorrow!

Bible study

I'm not sure that I really need to post this, but what the heck, why not?  Bible study tonight is in the usual place at the usual time (my house, 7:00 pm).  Hope to see you there.

Midsummer Night's Dream

We're going to see the Eden play tomorrow and our very own Jordan Duerrstein will be performing!!!  You can either meet at the church at 6:45 pm to get a ride or you can meet us at Eden at 7:00 pm.  The play doesn't actually start until 7:30, but in order to get tickets and seating we're meeting at 7:00...please be there then!  The play costs $8 for students and $10 for non-students, so please bring money along for your ticket and if money is an issue then please talk to me because I would hate for anyone to have to  miss out because of it.  

* if you are coming to the church for a ride then you must be there on time or you will miss the ride.  

Regular Bible Study

There's been a change of plans...even though it's the first Tuesday of the month we're going to be having regular Bible study instead of girl/guy Bible study.  So, that means everyone come to my house at 7:00 pm.

See you then.

Winter Retreat!!!

This Friday is the winter retreat!!!!  We'll be meeting at the church at 5:30 on Friday and please be on time and if you have not yet given me your permission form and money then MAKE SURE YOU REMEMBER!!!

A few things to make sure you bring:

• Bible, notepad and pen
• Sleeping bag and pillow
• Clothes
• Towel, deodorant, toiletries
• Winter jacket, snow pants, mittens, scarf, toque, etc.
• Ice skates (if you want to go skating)
• A bit of money for the stops we make on the way to and from camp (this is optional...you really don't have to buy anything at the stops if you don't want to)

Let your parents know that we'll be back at 4:00/4:30ish on Sunday.

See you Friday!

Bible Study and pancakes

There is a little change in Bible study today. Instead of meeting at my house, we’re going to meet at the church at 7:00 pm. I also want to invite all of you to come to the church at 6:00 pm for pancakes.

In case you don’t know, today is Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Tuesday. Shrove Tuesday ('shrove' stems from the old English word 'shrive', meaning 'confess all sins') is the day before Lent.

Lent commemorates Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness, and it is Christian tradition to mark this period by fasting. So Shrove Tuesday was cleverly invented to use up the ingredients that were given up for Lent - milk, butter and, particularly, eggs - which may not be eaten again until Easter.

So, come to the church at 6:00 pm to participate in Shrove Tuesday.

This Friday and more...

This Friday we'll be meeting at the church at 7:00 pm for a creative photo night.  Please remember to bring your retreat form and money.  The retreat is next week!!!

I also want to give you a bit more information regarding the March Break Service Trip (Mar. 16-18).  We're going to Waterloo for the three days and we'll be volunteering at a soup kitchen called St. John's Kitchen in the mornings and then going to a drop-in centre for street involved people in the afternoons (click on St. John's Kitchen to get to their website).  We'll spend our nights sleeping in a church and in the evenings we'll have the opportunity to visit some local attractions.  

Tom Friesen (the previous youth pastor at SSMBY) is helping me organize the trip and he actually works at the soup kitchen and drop-in centre, so for those of you who know him it'll be a great chance to spend some time with him and see what he's up to now.  The trip is going to cost $50 and I can only take 8 people (possibly less if I'm the only one who can drive), so let me know a.s.a.p. if you're interested in coming...and if you're not interested in coming then seriously, think about it because it's going to be great!

RETREAT FORMS!!!

Remember to bring your retreat form and money!!!  The retreat is really close!

SSMBY Love Connection

Are you ready for SSMBY Love Connection??? Really, how many of us are? This Friday is sure to be packed with fun and awkward moments, but come on out and have a good laugh.

We’ll be meeting at the church at 7:00 pm and the night will start with us having the opportunity to hear a genuine love story that’s been 43 years in the making…the Eitzen’s have asked if they could come and share their story. Then we’ll be playing some valentine’s themed games that are sure to produce some laughs.

See you then!

p.s. bonus points for anyone dressed valentinesy

No bowling...

I regret to inform you that we will not be able to go bowling this week.  Youth will however still be awesome!  We'll be meeting at the church at the usual time (7:00 pm), so come on out for a great night of fun.

Girl/Guy Bible Study

I'm back!  I'm not sure how I feel about this cold, but it's good to be back to real life and I'm excited to see all of you again!

In case you've lost your handy-dandy SSMBY Calendar, I thought I'd remind you that it's girl/guy Bible study tonight, so guys meet Mark at the church at 7:00 pm and girls meet me at my house at 7:00 pm.  

Also, remember that this Sunday is our spaghetti dinner and pie auction and it's going to take all of us chipping in to make this go smoothly.  This is basically the fundraiser that makes our budget what it is, so think about what you can do and how you can help.  I'm hoping to get about 20 pies, so please think about what kind of pie you can make and set some time aside on Saturday to make one.  The first time I baked a pie was at youth a few weeks ago, but I'm excited to give it a shot and see what I can come up with...although, I did ask my mom to help me out with it...  Anyhow, let me know if you can bake a pie and what kind you're going to make.  And if you don't normally come to Sunday school on Sundays then please try to come if you can because that's when we'll be doing all the cooking and prep for the spaghetti dinner.  Come to the church at 9:30 am on Sunday.

Thanks for being so great!  

I'm on vacation!!!

Okay, I'm leaving for Florida on Sunday so here are the details for the week:

Tuesday: Meet at the church at 7:00 pm...we're volunteering at the Salvation Army

Friday: We're swimming at Brock, so bring your bathing suits and $3

Sunday: NO SUNDAY SCHOOL! I'm still going to be gone.

Remember that we've got the spaghetti dinner and pie auction coming up, so start thinking about what kind of pie you're going to bake. Also remember to fill out your retreat form and get your parents to sign it...I need it back by February 20th and I'll give bonus points to the first person to get me their form and money.

Have loads of FUN!!!! I'll see you in a week!

Lounge Night

Exams are coming up and I’m sure that your head has more information crammed into it than can possibly be good for it, so this Friday we’re going to have a lounge night. It’s going to be a time to unwind, relax and not think about anything important. Come to the church at 7:00 pm on Friday.

Bible Study...

Bible study is tonight at 7:00 pm at my house! See you there!

Oh, and Tim will be collecting money for the labour ready lunches, so if you want to help out with that then bring your money for him tonight.

Newspaper is the new black

With the economy taking the downward turn that it is and with the huge push to go green and be eco-friendly we’re going to take a look at how to reuse, reduce, and recycle when it comes to fashion. That’s right, this week we’re having a newspaper fashion show…talk about trendy! So, start thinking about designs that you’d like to recreate in an eco-friendly way…i.e. with newspaper and get ready for a night that is sure to produce a lot of laughs.

We’ll be meeting at the church on Friday at the usual time…7:00 pm.

Bible Study...

Bible study this week is tonight at 7:00 pm at my house. It feels like forever since we've had regular Bible study, eh. Well, hopefully I'll see you there!

Cooking with Mark

I’m pretty sure you get what we’re doing this week from the title. This week we’re going to be cooking with Mark! Bring an apron if you have one and get ready for fun, food and fellowship…okay, that might just be cheesy, but it will be fun, there will be food and we will be fellowshipping (is that a word?).

We’re meeting at the church on Friday at 7:00 so I’ll see you there!

p.s. Hopefully you’ve noticed that I’ve put the retreat date in the “coming soon…” section, so mark your calendar! You’re really going to want to make sure you can be there because this party is going to be off the hook!

Prayer Meeting...

Hello SSMBY!!!

I just wanted to remind you that we’re going to the church’s prayer meeting for Bible study tonight. Our church sets aside a few evenings at the beginning of every new year to spend time in prayer…I think this is incredible…and we’re going to join them for the prayer meeting tonight. I’ve been at the prayer meeting for the past two nights already and it’s mostly an older crowd…actually it’s all an older crowd (other than Mark who joined me on Sunday night), and it’s been great to spend time praying with some of the older members of our church. So, we’re meeting at the church tonight 7:25 (it starts at 7:30, but I want to make sure that you’re all on time, so we’ll meet at 7:25). It’s in the sanctuary, so just go on in once you get to the church.

See you tonight!