UPCOMING YOUTH CALENDAR ITEMS:

Wednesday, January 25 is the Elm Springs Winter Olympics.

TONIGHT IS THE DEADLINE TO TURN IN FORMS AND FUNDS FOR VERITAS.

Sunday, January 29 is a Youth Council meeting (all officers and adult leaders need to attend) at noon.  Lunch is provided.

So, what are Conference and District events?

As United Methodists, we are divided into geographic zones somewhat like school districts or sports leagues.  Currently we are in the Arkansas Annual Conference, which means all United Methodist Churches in the state are in the same conference.  Each conference is then broken down into districts.  We are currently in the Northwest District (Benton, Washington, Madison and Carroll Counties) but we may be merging with the West District (Fort Smith region).  In our state, there has been an ongoing commitment to youth ministry.  The Arkansas Conference Council on Youth Ministries (CCYM or ACCYM) has events throughout the year.  Our District Council on Youth Ministries (DCYM) also does some events.  I hope you will try to attend one of these during this coming year!  Keep an eye on the calendar for “district” or “conference” events.

Ozark Missions Project: Summer 2012

Ozark Mission Project

We would like the youth feedback on doing this mission for 8th to 12th graders.  This is a United Methodist based group that has been doing missions around Arkansas for 25 years.

Youth Officers

Our 2011-2012 Youth Officers for the Elm Springs United Methodist Youth

President – Zoe Keller

Vice President – Sarah Zimmerman

12th Grade Representative – open

11th Grade Representative – Carley McGaugh

10th Grade Representative -Avery Hodson

9th Grade Representative – Catrina Taylor

8th Grade Representative – Fu Xin Keller

7th Grade Representative – Matthew Burgin (waiting confirmation)

6th Grade Representative – Gretchen Palmer

Wednesday Night Schedule

August 17, 6pm-8pm – One Night

Games, food, fun as we start back to school.  Prizes to the person who brings the most people, and the grade who brings the most canned goods for missions.  Dinner is served from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m.

August 24, 6pm-8pm – Elbow Grease

Finish off the youth space; bring a small item from home that represents you that will be added to the room.  Dinner is served from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m.

August 31, 6pm-8pm – Elm Spring’s Got Talent

Come and share in fun; take the stage if you want to share your talent!  Dinner is served from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m.

September 7, 6pm-8pm – Mission Trip Information Night

All youth who are interested in going on the mission trip next year and their parents/guardians need to attend.  Even if you don’t think you are going, come and see how you can support our teams.  Dinner is served from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m.

September 14, 6pm-8pm – Canned Food Scavenger Hunt

We will be collecting canned foods for Bread of Life at First United Methodist Springdale.  Consent forms required.   Dinner is served from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m.

September 21, 6pm-8pm – Retro Night

We are bringing back former youth group eras to share about their experiences and do some games.  Dinner is served from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m.

September 28, 6pm-8pm – Dime Store Dance

why not have a dance on a Wednesday?  If you feel you want to wear something new, then make sure nothing is more than $10 from a local thrift store.  Dinner is served from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m.

Youth Group Events and Forms

YOUTH WHO’S WHO 2011-2012You can download and print these forms for upcoming youth events.  They are in .pdf form.  Forms are also available at the church.  For any event offsite, youth must have the Annual Participation Form plus the consent form(s) for that activity.

Annual Participation Form 2011-2012

Youth Who’s Who 2011-2012

Consent Form Wild River CountryEvent

 

2011 Graduates

Crazy Love

Lately we’ve been going through the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan. We started with the first chapter about how incredible, huge, outrageous and infinite our God really is and then we talked about how we as tiny, frail humans should respond to this huge view of God. A couple of weeks ago, we talked about how crazy it is that he, the God of the universe, the maker of all, should love the frail, fragile, and completely preoccupied humans that he made with such a passionate, unending love.

Last week we looked at a profile of a lukewarm person and compared it to what the bible says Jesus asks of his followers. It’s like the rich young man who came to Jesus and said, “Jesus, I’ve followed all the commandments, what else must I do to inherit the Kingdom of heaven?” Jesus reply was that he should sell all of his stuff and follow him. But the young man won’t, so he goes away sad. What about you? Can you give up all that you have to follow Christ? Grace may be free, but it’s also a very costly thing. It costs us everything. Jesus sasy that if we want to be his followers, we must “pick up our cross daily, and follow him.” Or to modernize it, “pick up your leathel injection, your hand gun, your electric chair, or other death device, and follow me, because this will cost you your life.”

This next week we’re going to look at the fifth chapter, where Chan says it is impossible to be a “lukewarm” Christian.

For more informatin visit crazylovebook.com.

Youth Group Name

Elm Springs Youth Group needs a name to give us some identity. Our theme is based on Elm Springs, (so trees and springs) as well as Psalm 1:1-3

Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinner or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. HE IS LIKE A TREE PLANTED BY STREAMS OF WATER, WHICH YEILDS ITS FRUIT IN SEASON AND WHOSE LEAF DOES NOT WITHER. Whatever he does prospers.

Give us your ideas!! You can even submit them anonymously.

Isaiah 57:1-2

Question: The bracelets in remembrance of Thomas Culp (teacher at HarBer) have Isaiah 57:1-2 written on them. What does this passage mean?

 ¹The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his heart; devout men are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. ²Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death. Isaiah 57:1-2

 Then & There: Isaiah is a prophet, meaning God speaks through him to His people. Isaiah writes and speaks to Judah, the southern kingdom of Israelites, during the Assyrian captivity of their northern brothers Israel. Assyria also lay siege to Jerusalem, the holy city for both the northern and southern kingdoms. As they are watching their northern brothers being taken into captivity, God’s main message is this attack was judgment because they, as a people, had turned their back on Him. It was a warning of the coming judgment for the Judah. However, this little caveat is saying that there were a few righteous people, who were a part of the captive Israel. They were suffering all kinds of injustice while the evil men could do whatever they liked. But death, rather than being a punishment as some thought it to be, was a relief and escape from that injustice and evil.

Here & Now: For today, this passage means that while injustice is everywhere, and as a people often turn away from God, there are still a few righteous mixed in there. They suffer injustice undeservingly, but in death, they find relief from the injustice of this world. Thomas Culp experienced an untimely death and will be missed by many, but this passage is one of hope. Rather than death being a punished, he is experiencing relief and escape from injustice and evil. And while he will be missed and we should definitely allow ourselves to grieve his loss, we should also be glad to know that he no longer has to deal with the fallenness of our world.

 What are your thoughts?

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