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Vision Statement: The youth ministry of CSUMC loves, serves, and fosters the spiritual development of our youth, their families, their friends, our volunteers, and our community in order that they may grow as disciples of Jesus Christ in fellowship with one another. 

With so many different images and voices in our culture beckoning for our youth’s time and attention, the ability to clearly see the things in life that matter most sometimes become blurred. At Church Street we strive to help our youth see clearly the vision that God has for a life of real meaning, purpose and wholeness.

It is our desire to meet God where God is already working: from inner-city mission work with the Wesley House in Knoxville, Tennessee…to hurricane-relief effects in Mississippi…from special dances and parties at the church…to climbing and rappelling in the mountains of east Tennessee…from saying silent prayers in Sunday School to Spiritual Life Retreats that change our world. God works all around us in truly amazing ways. Come and be a part of it!

CSUMC Youth Weekly Update 01/24/12

Church Street UMC Youth Vision Statement

The youth ministry of CSUMC loves, serves, and fosters the spiritual development of our youth, their families, their friends, our volunteers, and our community in order that they may grow as disciples of Jesus Christ in fellowship with one another.

• There are LOTS of announcements today, please read carefully and thoroughly. Thanks!

IgnitionSeven - One of the challenges Reggie Dabbs left us with after Resurrection 2012 was to walk with him for the next seven days by watching a a series of videos, one each day, and engaging in bible study and prayer that accompany each video.

Sunday night during Nightlife we kicked off our own challenge asking students to carve out 20 minutes in their day to watch the video onwww.ignitionseven.com and read and respond to the accompanying scripture in the “LUP ” section of the website. Many of our youth said they would join me in doing this?

So, how are you doing? Stay with it. If you are faithful in your efforts God will bless you.

High School Bible Study - One of the goals that came out of visioning in early December was to start two mid-week Bible studies this year. We would like to begin with a high school study. We know that high schoolers are extremely busy and we want to make this as convenient as possible. Perhaps a weeknight with a later starting time at a central place like Panera in Bearden? Jenny has created a simple Google form so that you can express your desire and preferences. High school youth, please take a moment to fill it out, it will be very helpful information. Visit this link to access the form: High School Bible Study Form

New Drama Group - Many of you may have heard about the exciting new drama group that Laura Still is starting at Church Street. She made an announcement about it this past Sunday before Sunday school

There will be a meeting this Sunday, January 29, 3 PM, in the Gathering Place in the children’s area for those who might be interested. As I understand, the plan would be to have a first production ready for a dinner theater evening this spring. Sounds like lots of fun.

Safe Sanctuary Training - Safe Sanctuary is a policy that we have at Church Street designed to protect our children and youth as well as the volunteers who work with them. Most of our volunteers were trained a number of years ago and it is our intention to retrain everyone after the policy has been reviewed by our church Safety Committee.

In the mean time, we have several volunteers (and potential volunteers) who have not completed Safe Sanctuary training and need to do so. A training has been scheduled for those folks for February 26 during Sunday school from 9:50 -10:40. There will be a presentation, handouts, and paperwork to complete. A background check is a part of the initial Safe Sanctuary training and is required by our policy. If you have not been trained, please make plans to attend this training.

Girls’ Basketball - Girls’ basketball is in full swing. We had great games this past Saturday with a win for our younger team, the Night Furies. Our older team, the Protestant Princesses had a hard fought and respectable loss. Please join us for a game. You can view schedules by visiting this site: http://sites.google.com/site/westknoxbasketball/schedule. They would LOVE to have cheering sections.

Parking Hangtags - Church Street is entering into a partnership with Republic parking where they will manage our lots for most all events. Obviously we will retain parking on Sunday mornings, evening, football games, and other church events. Weekday parking, community events, and random off the street parking will all be handled by Republic.

We have been asked to place a small Church Street parking decal in the lower driver’s side of our windshields to let Republic know that we are allowed to park in the lots anytime. Youth who drive and adults, if have not picked up a parking decal, they are available at the Welcome Center on Sunday mornings. I will also try to have a few available on Sunday to hand out.

Curriculum Retreat - The Youth Ministry Architect guys are coming back February 10-12 for a curriculum retreat. It is that weekend that we will make a plan for what we will study in youth ministry over a six-year time span. We will ask the question, “What is it that we would like youth to have been taught when they graduate 12th grade at Church Street?” We will then work backwards from that questions and develop a systematic plan for teaching those things over a six-year period. After the plan is developed we will begin matching the topics and lessons with appropriate quality curriculum. If there are adults or youth who are interested in curriculum and would like to be a part of this process, please let Marc know. It will require a Friday evening and Saturday morning commitment.

Weekly Update 01/17/12

For this week’s update, please visit here.

Photo Release for Resurrection…UPDATE

Hey folks, sorry to be relentless. I am having two chaperones go up earlier on Friday to check us into the hotel and at the convention center. The Resurrection folks will not give us our entrance passes until we have a photo release from every participant. So, I need to have them before Friday afternoon if at all possible.

Here are a few options:

1. 1. Print the res2012_photo-video-release-form, fill it out, scan it, email it back to me.
2. 2. Print the res2012_photo-video-release-form, fill it out, take a picture of it with your cell phone, text it to me (604-8239)

Thank you for your help. The inconvenience now will pay off with a smoother evening Friday.

CSUMC Youth Weekly Update 12/21/11

Merry Christmas youth, families, and friends,

Here is a little reminder of why we celebrate this time of year:

Just a few announcements today.

 Christmas Sunday – We will not have Sunday school in the youth area this Sunday. We will be joining with other Sunday school classes in Parish Hall (9:45) to hear Steve Roberts share another of his holiday stories. There is also only one worship service on Sunday at 11 AM.

Resurrection – Please visit the website for Resurrection 2012 information and an online registration form. Registration is due January 1.

Vision Retreat – The first weekend of December several folks gathered with the Youth Ministry Architect consultants to develop some guiding documents for our youth program. You may view the process and final documents here.

Have a blessed rest of the week and a very Merry Christmas,

Christmas Party

Christmas Party - This Saturday is our youth Christmas party in downtown Knoxville.  We will gather at the church at 3:30 PM (youth parking lot), walk downtown, go ice-skating, and enjoy food and our annual gift exchange at Ann Marie’s house on Gay Street. We will be done by 8 PM. Your parents can pick you up at Ann Marie’s at 8 PM. Please bring a fun wrapped gift ($10-15, or less) for the exchange, money for ice-skating ($10), and $5 as an offering (if you can) for youth service fund, our UMC youth mission organization. The ice-skating requires a release form for everyone under 18. Please download it here, print it, fill it out, and bring it Saturday. PLEASE RSVP for this event by sending and email to mgamble@churchstreetumc.org, sending a Facebook message, a text, or calling Marc at 604-8239. Hope to see you there.

Resurrection 2012

Resurrection is Holston Conference’s annual retreat held in Gatlinburg, TN at the convention center. Church Street attends January 13-15. All youth, grades 6-12, are invited and welcomed to join us. We leave, on a school bus, Friday afternoon at 5:30 PM and return on Sunday at approximately 3 PM. The cost for the retreat is $100 and covers transportation, lodging, and event registration fees. Students will also need money for six meals (most fast food) and whatever spending money they would like for event T-shirts, CD’s, etc. We also ask that they bring a few extra dollars for a Youth Service Fund offering.

We stay at the Sydney James Mountain Lodge on Airport Road. Students room with their friends in age appropriate groupings. Event chaperones are situated throughout our block of rooms so that all students are safe and cared for. There is a block of free time on Saturday afternoon. Middle schoolers are not allowed to roam Gatlinburg without a chaperone at any time. High schoolers are given a bit more freedom as appropriate.

Packing list: Bible, comfortable warm clothes, comfortable shoes, toiletries, money for six meals, souvenirs, and YSF offering. You do not need to bring bedding or towels.

To make registration easier, we are trying online registration. Just fill out the form below and submit it (if for some reason my username and email are already in the fields, please overwrite them with your information). Please note that if you have not turned in an annual medical release form for your student, you must do so before leaving on this retreat.

Registration is due January 1.

Student Name(required)

Parent(s) Name:(required)

Emergency Phone Number(required)

Email(required)

By signing the box below: We, the undersigned parent/guardian, authorize permission for the above youth to attend this event sponsored by Church Street United Methodist Church. We authorize any adult sponsor to consent to any x-ray, medical, surgical, or dental treatment and hospital care. As Parents/guardians we do hereby release, forever discharge and agree to hold harmless Church Street United Methodist Church, Marc Gamble (youth director), other Church staff, and other adult chaperones of Church Street United Methodist Church from any and all liability which result from personal injury, sickness or death. We assume all responsibility as result of participation in recreation and work activities involved in this event. Should it be necessary for our child to return home due to medical reasons, disciplinary action or otherwise, we hereby assume all transportation costs.(required)

Any additional information to note:

CSUMC Youth Update 12/12/11

Parents’ Night Out  - If you will remember, one of the youth department’s contributions to the Soiree was to sponsor a parent’s night out in December and one in February. The December one is this Friday night. We will be caring for a few kids at the church. The time is somewhere between 6-9 (I cannot find the exact time at the moment, but will tomorrow). We need several youth and just a few adults to staff the evening. Please let me know ASAP if you can help.

Christmas Party - This year we are going to have our youth Christmas party in downtown Knoxville on Saturday, December 17.  We will gather at the church at 3:30 PM, walk downtown, go ice-skating, and enjoy food and our annual gift exchange at Ann Marie’s house on Gay Street. We will be done by 8 PM. Please bring a fun wrapped gift ($10-15, or less) for the exchange, money for ice-skating ($10), and $5 as an offering (if you can) for youth service fund, our UMC youth mission organization. The ice-skating requires a release form for everyone under 18. Please download it here, print it, fill it out, and bring it Saturday. PLEASE RSVP for this event by replying to this email, sending a Facebook message, a text, or calling Marc at 604-8239.

Sunday School - This Sunday, December 18, Steve Roberts will be with us to read his famous Christmas stories. The following Sunday in December 25 and all Sunday school classes will meet together in Parish Hall. December 31, New Years Day will all meet together in CLC 15. The confirmation class will continue with their regular schedule except for Christmas day.

Resurrection 2012  - Believe it or not Resurrection 2012 will be here soon. The dates are January 13-15 in Gatlinburg. Resurrection is Holston Conference’s annual gathering of youth. It is open to all youth in grades 6-12, will cost $100 per person, and is a FANTASTIC weekend. Put it on your calendar now. Registration information will be going out soon.

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That is all for today. Have a blessed remainder of the week. By the way, thank you all for your prayers, kind words, and great food since Darla’s surgery. She is doing better every day.

CSUMC Youth Weekly Update 11/22/11

Good afternoon! I just wanted to say how thankful I am for the youth, families, and volunteers of Church Street this Thanksgiving season. I am blessed to know each of you.

Announcements:

Advent Series - We continue our Advent series in Sunday school this week focusing on Mary’s visit to Elizabeth. Classes will be back to meeting with their regular grade level groups: confirmation, seventh grade, eighth grade, ninth and tenth, and eleventh and twelfth. This is a great series to begin to prepare our hearts and minds for the coming of the Christ child again in our lives.

Advent Crafts Festival - For the next several Sunday evenings we will be taking part in all church activities on Sunday evenings. This week is the Advent Crafts Festival immediately following choir rehearsal. Please consider bringing a snack to add the snack table. There will not e regular snack supper, so anything you bring to eat will be helpful.

Girl’s Basketball - Girls, our first practice will be Sunday from 6:30-7:45 PM after the Advent Crafts Festival. Please remember to bring in your league release from and the $45 registration fee so that we can get out league fees paid. The next practice will be Thursday, December 1 from 6-7 PM.  We may have a game on December 4 to determine which bracket our teams will play in. More information coming soon.

Christmas Party - It is amazing how quickly our December weekends filled up with activities. This year we are going to have our youth Christmas party in downtown Knoxville on Saturday, December 17.  We will gather at the church at 3:30 PM, walk downtown, go ice-skating, and enjoy food and our annual gift exchange at Ann Marie’s house on Gay Street. We will be done by 8 PM. Please bring a fun wrapped gift for the exchange, money for ice-skating, and $5 as an offering for youth service fund, our UMC youth mission organization. Look for more information soon.

Resurrection 2012 - Believe it or not Resurrection 2012 will be here soon. The dates are January 13-15 in Gatlinburg. Resurrection is Holston Conference’s annual gathering of youth. It is open to all youth in grades 6-12, will cost $100 per person, and is a FANTASTIC weekend. Put it on your calendar now. Registration information will be going out soon.

CSUMC Youth Weekly Update 11/16/11

Good afternoon! Here are the announcements and updates for the week.

SLA Update - For those joining us for our fall retreat at Camp Lookout, please be at the church at 5 PM to load the luggage, and be prepared to leave at 5:30. You will need money for a fast food meal on the way down.  Here are a few other things not to forget: water bottle, sleeping bag for bunk beds, pillow, towel, toiletries, a snack to share Saturday night, comfortable clothes (layers), shoes to hike in, & your Bible. We should return on Sunday around 3:30 PM.

Last UT Home Game of the Season - This is the last home game of the season and many of the youth will be away at our fall retreat. Tim is still in need of a few volunteers to help him park the game. Please contact Tim if you can help, tward@churchstreetumc.org.

Sunday School This Week - Sunday will continue this Sunday. Those who were not able to attend the retreat are invited to combine grades for one class. Bill Lyons will be teaching. The confirmation class will continue with its regular schedule.

Community Thanksgiving - Monday evening November 21 is the annual Community Worship Thanksgiving meal. They are in need of volunteer servers. Diane Richards is coordinating this effort and has asked that servers arrive at 6 PM and should be done by 7:30 PM. If you can help, please let Marc know ASAP and I will give a list to Diane.

Girl’s Basketball - We have had great interest in our girl’s basketball team this year. So much so that we are going to have to divide and have two teams. There are some growing pains associated with the split. In the long run it will be a good thing. We are in need of an additional coach to make sure that each team has two coaches. If this interests you, please let me know and I will get you in touch with the other coaches.

Relief Help Still Needed in Greenville, TN. - If you will remember, many areas close to Knoxville were devastated by Hurricanes earlier this year. Greenville, TN was one of the areas and they still have plenty of work that needs to be done. Robert Bedwell is taking a group to work in Greenville for the day on December 3. We are not sure exactly what the projects will be at this time, but will know more closer to the date. All Church Streeters are welcome to participate. Please let Marc know if you are interested and he will put you in contact with Robert.

Advent Crafts Festival - The Advent Crafts Festival is a favorite activity of many of our youth. This year it falls on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, November 27. Beth Cooper Libby coordinates this effort and is in desperate need of volunteers to host craft tables. She already has the crafts and supplies; she just needs you to show others what to do. If you can help, please contact Beth at bclibby@churchstreetumc.org.

CSUMC Youth Weekly Update 11/08/11

Greetings! I am excited about the season we find ourselves in. Spiritual Life Advance is just two weeks away, we have begun our Advent study, and the feeling in the church begins to shift to one of expectancy. There is a growing energy. I hope you feel it too.

Announcements:

Youth Council - Youth Council will meet this Sunday at 3PM. Youth council is open to ALL youth and adults. This week we will continue to focus on welcoming our members, visors, and those we have lost track of.

Advent Study - We are continuing the series begun last week based on Adam Hamilton’s book titled The Journey. We will be joining with the children’s department and many adult Sunday school classes as we look more closely at the story of Christ’s birth. The lessons will focus on Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, the trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem, and the manger. Each lesson will allow us to look a little deeper into a familiar story that impacts our lives huge ways.

Basketball - Several girls have let us know that they are interested in playing basketball. We will have an organizational team meeting this Sunday evening following Nightlife at 7 PM. Parents are encouraged to attend. The cost for the season is $45 and there will be some league paper work that is required. There will also be practice after the meeting. See you there.

Service Opportunities - I have had several calls and emails in the past few days with individuals and organizations asking for a bit of help. Is there a better season than Thanksgiving and Advent to serve others? If any of these interest you, please let me know by email or calling 865-521-0287.

• Church Street’s annual community Thanksgiving meal is Monday, November 21. Many of you have helped serve this meal in the past. For those who come, it is a great treat to be served a Thanksgiving meal. More specifics will come soon.
• A member of our congregation has a son with autism. He collects bulletins and trash left between Sunday morning worship services. His mom helps him, as do other church members. His mom is wondering if there are any older youth that might like to help him on occasion in this simple task that is needed by the church and allows him to serve.
• The Fantasy of Trees is looking for volunteers to help carry out gingerbread houses on Sunday, November 27. A former youth is working with this project and I can place you in touch with her if you like.

Middle School Girls Bible Study - Jenny Darden is leading a middle school girls Bible study on Wednesday afternoons, 4:30, and Chandler Rosecrance’s home. All middle school girls are invited, as are friends. Give Jenny a call or email if you are interested, need a ride, or plan to come.

That is all for today. Have a blessed remainder of the week, and hope to you Sunday.