Lock-In 2009 of the Fall

It is a tradition of ours to decorate the hallways of First Presbyterian Church for our annual Freaky Fun Fabulous Fall Festival one week before the actual event. This year was no different and due to fall break and the week if fell on, we took good advantage of this tradition and turned it into an all night event. From the decorating, to supper, carving pumpkins, dancing in Kroger and stories around a fire, our evening was well spent and nothing can beat a lock-in.

These pictures are just a few moments we captured during this 16 hour extravaganza! Enjoy.

Fall 2009 With FPC Youth

October 2009 PresbyNotes

October 2009 Youth PresbyNotes:

Inside October:
October 4th—Not Youth Group
October 8th—Sanctus 6:30-8pm
October 11th—Youth Fall Retreat Destination Unknown
October 15th—Sanctus 6:30-8pm
October 16th,17th--Youth Council Meeting in Murray 4pm depart return 4pm Saturday
October 18th—Youth Group Lock-in 5pm through 9 am Monday Morning & Decorating
October 22nd—Sanctus 6:30-8pm
October 25th—Freaky Fall Fabulous Festival 5-7pm
October 26th--Camp Loucon Registration Due
October 29th—Sanctus 6:30-8pm
October 31st—AIDs Walk and Lunch 12-3pm—Parents encouraged too!


Youth PresbyNotes Article--
Truth and Love
For God, you and I were created.

For you and I were created not to bring darkness with our words and actions, but to bring light with love and peace. We are not to bring violence, war and hate, but to bring justice, hugs and love. Peace and the Kingdom, they go hand in hand, and when we see them, live them out, we are reminded of how near the Kingdom really is. So, be the love and not the pain this world so desperately needs.

We were created for God. In us is God and God is in us. God is we and we dwell in God. We are able to love God because God first loved us and still loves us. God loves us, oh how God loves us. Rejoice in this then, beloved. When time get’s rough, stop, listen and know, God’s love is indeed all around you.

God loves YOU!

Love, what are the those things which you love? How wonderful it is knowing God’s love flows freely to us, like a bubbling spring in the thickest part of the woods. Yet we must stop and ask, “Do I love God?” What are those things which we love that may prevent us from experiencing God’s love for us? Can you see it? God’s love, that is. If not, why not? What are you looking at?

You know the truth, friends, don’t you? You know how to love. We know how to love, yet we find ourselves doing the things we know don’t bring love but we are hopeful and want to do the things which do bring love. Know then, you have the truth, Christ and in Christ, your truth will lead to life for you and for others.

Love, remember, is the image you were created in. Thus, the One who is love, created you in Love’s image. Love then, all the time, is in existence and present. Where is love present to you now? Look, for it.

In the first breath we take in the morning and the one you just took then, we breathe in life and the reality that is God: life, love and hope.

God is for us. God is in us. God is our life. Choose life everyday and to love, it’ll be easier to see I’m sure. Choose life over death and but death we mean those things which prevent us from seeing the truth, the stuff which sets us free. God loves you now, like God did yesterday and beyond our understanding.

You are beloved and God is pleased with you.
Now then,
Stop.
Hear this.
Listen.
God,
Loves,
You!
Accept this truth. Be this truth. Love the truth.

Christ's love to you,
Adam

News and Announcements:
Although October is almost half over and you are not just receiving this newsletter, I want to highlight some upcoming events you will need to take note of.
During our youth lock-in evening on the 18th we will be decoration the church for our annual Freaky Fall Fun Fabulous Festival which is on the 25th. On the 18th, the lock-in night, I invite you to bring back your pumpkins to decorate and or carve and they will then be used as decorations for our fall festival!

Our Fall Festival then is the time where we come together and celebrate the fall season. Included in the celebration is a costume contest with 3 categories: 0-10, 11-18, 19+ and a couple’s contest category. Those who finish first and second will be taking home a prize. So come with your costume and be prepared to have a grand old time!

On Saturday, October 21st, 2009, our church is participating in the AID's walk here in Owensboro. The festivities begin at 12pm and the walk officially starts at 2pm. Again this is a church wide event so look for more information to come in the PresbyNotes. All youth are invited and encourage to walk! What a great way for us to be the light for Christ.

November is quickly coming upon us and with this said, here are some dates to take note of and mark down on your calendar:
November 1st--Youth Group along with Kirk Night. We will begin at 5pm and we will be working on our Youth Sunday roles.

November 6th, 7th and 8th--Is our Camp Loucon retreat. We will leave @ 4:30 pm on Friday and return sometime @ 3pm on Sunday. Your registration is due by the 26th of October and a list of items to bring is located on the permission slip! Don't forget to ask about the discounts for families with more than 1 student and for those who are bringing friends.

November 15th--Youth Sunday is here! We will be leading both the 8:15am worship service and the 10:30am service. So please, it is important for you to attend the November 1st run-through. Also on the 15th in the evening we will be participating in our Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Ministry. This night, all youth (KFC, jr. high and sr. high) are invited to come and participate and join up in this ministry opportunity.

November 22nd--Our discussion on Love will be the topic at hand this evening. Jr. high devoted time will be from 5-6pm, followed by a joint dinner with the sr. high and then the sr. high specific time will be from 6:30-7:30 pm.

New and Exciting News
Starting in November our youth room will have new 'hours' on Sunday evenings. Youth can begin to arrive @4pm and spend time with each other in the youth room, outside or with me, in prayer. There will be supervision so no need to worry about this. Also, on our 'normal' youth nights, all youth are encouraged to come from 4pm and stay until 8pm. We do have free Wi-Fi, thus if students need to do homework, there will be time allotted for this. I want our youth room to begin to be utilized to its fullest capacity. We have great space and our kids love it, so there is no better place than to hang out somewhere where it is safe and conducive to community.

As a new school year is upon us, we are in need of some new pictures. I wanted to make it known within the next couple of weeks the pictures on the youth board by the Fellowship Hall will becoming down. So if you want one off of there, feel free to snag it before it comes down!

Congratulations!
Parents don't forget to send me your youth's accomplishments. We want our youth to be celebrated and recognized for their hard work! Thanks.

Contact Information:
Email--youthdirector@firstpresbyterianowensboro.com
Phone--church: 270-313-9375
Phone--cell: 270-313-9375
Church Website:http: //www.firstpresbyterianowensboro.com/

Loucon First Notice 2009

Western Kentucky Presbytery
Youth Council
Prayer
November 6, 7, 8
Camp Loucon, Leitchfield, KY

All students in grades 6-12 and their adult leaders are invited to attend this energizing and worshipful retreat!

Activities include: Prayer time, worship time, free time, bonfires, hiking, games, the zipline, high ropes for high school, low ropes and the climbing wall for middle school.

Bring: Bible, flashlight, sleeping bag/pillow, personal items, comfortable clothing for all kinds of weather, jacket, comfortable shoes, bug spray, water bottle, snacks

Arrive at Loucon between 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. Friday night! Depart at 2:30 on Sunday afternoon

Cost: $50 each Deadline to sign up: October 26

Return to Becky Durham, PO Box 1016, Henderson, KY 42419
Or email information to beckydurham@preschurchky.org

Name: _________________________ Grade: _______ T-shirt Size: ___________

Home Church: ________________________________ Phone: ____________

Summer Rest

The summer sun already gracing us with its presence, there is no doubt about it, this summer will be hot! Yet this will not stop many of you from going about your summer routines and finding these few months with no school to be refreshing and restful.

I do encourage you to do whatever you can, however you can to find rest and to be refreshed these next months with having no school. It is often times a habit of ours to fill our empty schedules with stuff and this often times leaves us more rushed, stressed, agitated and tired. We feel as if, if we don’t get in ALL of the things we want to do, then our summers won’t be any fun and we will be left regretting how we spent our summer days. If you stop and think about it really, our summer months are already packed enough. I mean some of us will be going with our parents and families on vacations which are fun, but there goes 1 week or so of our 9 week vacation. Then, we know we can’t do anything before 10 am or after 6 pm because that is when we have practice. Now, we love practice and although it is technically an “extracurricular activity”, we still find it to be life-giving and refreshing. Then we have little odds and end things we know will take up some of our time. You know, things like doctor’s appointments, dentist appointments, visiting Aunt Hilda in Madisonville and then going here or there and everywhere. When it is all said and done, when we take a step back and look at our calendars…right away they are busy, full to the max and maybe even overwhelming.

This then friends, is why I encourage you to find rest within this restful season that is known as summer vacation. Despite the fun things you will do with your families and with your friends, do make sure you find space to love on yourself, and by this I mean, bask in the presence of God in activities and ways which will indeed restore, refresh and be restful. Find Sabbath—a period of rest—and do just that, rest. Don’t overwork your bodies to the point of exhaustion and when it gets too hot outside, hospitalization. I encourage you to work hard and to do your best, but listen to the rhythms of your body and respond accordingly. Remember, to love God in one way is to love our bodies and this means treating them as the holy temples which they are.

After all, even in the thick of his ministry and even in the heat of the end of it, Jesus did what he had to do to find rest. Jesus, even though he loved his disciples, found time to be alone, to pray, to be outside and to listen to and for God. In fact it is in Luke 5.16, we see Jesus withdrawing after he had just healed a leper to find rest and to encounter the Holy. I encourage you to perhaps this summer include into the dance steps you already know as summer vacation, a new step, one which will force you to rest more, to be still a little longer and to find a new beat to the dance which is called life.

When you find yourself rushing around and becoming overwhelmed or exhausted by what you have done, take a moment and stop, and gather yourself. 2 days this summer I encourage you to find rest by simply being in the presence of God and when you don’t know what to do or how to act during these peaceful/quiet times, remember these words the Psalmist prayed:
“Our soul waits for you, O Lord; you are our help and our shield. Indeed, our hearts rejoices in you, for in your holy name we put our trust. Let your loving-kindness, O God, be upon us as we have put our trust in you.”

Be well. Be still. Be refreshed. Find rest. Be love and give love. Be with Christ. Be Christ!

Peace.

July 2009 Schedule of Events

JULY EVENTS BREAK DOWN:
5th—Kirk Night 5-7 pm

9th—Sanctus 6:30-8:00pm

12th—Middle High swim party at the Loucks’
Bring $5 and meet at the church at 4:45 pm.

16th—Sanctus 6:30-8:00pm

19th—Sr. High Pool Party at the Loucks’
Bring $5 and meet at 4:45 at the church

23rd—Sanctus 6:30-8:00pm

26th—Love Movie Night
A Walk To Remember

29th—Holiday World Trip 9am-9pm

30th--Sanctus 6:30-8:00pm