In case you haven't figured it out by now, I'm a HUGE follower and supporter of Christian Apologist Natasha Crain. She explains things incredibly well, yet in an easy-to-digest format, as she certainly considers herself "just a parent" like the rest of us who are just doing our best to raise godly kids. Even so, she is a parent who has a gift to make it real, relevant, and repeatable to our kids/teens. Here is a quote she posted last year around Thanksgiving that inspired me again this year (and I hope it will for you, as well):
"It doesn’t require much sacrifice or change of heart to take inventory of our blessings. Gratitude is simply a measure of our perspective on the things we already have, and most of us can easily embrace those things with a seasonal reminder. Gratitude is not what most of us struggle with most, however. It’s the closely related cousin named contentment that causes far more consternation.
While gratitude is a measure of our perspective on the things we already have, contentment is a measure of our perspective on the things we don’t have. It’s being able to say we want nothing more no matter how much or little we have. But how is that possible? How can we ever genuinely say that we could want no more if we were to have almost nothing?
Such true contentment is only possible with a full dependence on Jesus. Every earthly thing can be taken from us, but Jesus can never be. We can always trust that He is all we need because His promises are for eternity; our earthly time is but a mist (James 4:14).
It’s amazing that as a society we go from gratitude in November to wanting more, more, more in December. What’s more amazing is that we’ve already been given the most we can have: the birth of Jesus.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the November counting of blessings naturally segued into the December counting of all the things we don’t need in light of the birth of Jesus?"
We want First Baptist Student Ministries to be a place that our students can be themselves and find a place to connect with God and with each other. We want our students to have fun, we want them to learn, we want them to worship and serve, and we want them to enjoy being around each other, too. Anything that we can do to foster that environment that you'd like to see, please let me know!
With YOUth on My Heart,
Jonathan D. Hale <><
Minister of Students & Discipleship
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Bridging the Generations
Sunday, November 21 • 5-7pm
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Our youth ministry continues to make intentional efforts to break the "silo" model and interact in meaningful and purposeful ways with other generations as well. One small step this time is doing our generational "show & tell" speed-dating style activity... this time with some of the "younger" older adults :) They have some great stories to share AND each one of them is looking forward to hearing our teens' stories as well. This evening will begin with a dinner together, followed by some really fun, interactive games and of course the "show & tell" activity to finish it out. Don't miss it! |
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Bring an item (not a picture) with you that represents something significant in your life that you can talk about for at least 2 minutes. |
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Amended Schedule for Thanksgiving |
There will be no evening activities at First Baptist on Wednesday, November 24, nor on Sunday evening, November 28. The church office is closed on Thanksgiving Day and the day after, as well. We'll all miss each other, but we hope and pray the Lord blesses you all with a great Thanksgiving with your families. You're encouraged to make the MOST out of Thanksgiving by being intentional with your statements and actions of gratitude to God. |
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A.C.T.I.O.N. Wednesdays
A Call To Invest in Our Neighbors
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All youth are encouraged to prayerfully and generously, as they are able, contribute toward an Angel Tree child in need. Many of our youth are employed and the others usually have means to acquiring "their own" money. This is an opportunity to worship through giving and service yourselves, and an opportunity to do so without tapping a parent's wallet. The girls will go shopping for Angel Tree with that money and will wrap it up for delivery on December 18
The guys will serve at Esther's Heart for Transformation Ministry. Both groups need to meet as close to 5:30 as possible, as both projects will require a little extra time. All youth will meet for a second A.C.T.I.O.N. Wednesday on December 15 to pack Angel Tree boxes.
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Guys: December 1
Esther's Heart
Girls: December 1
Shopping for Angel Tree
All: December 15
Angel Tree Mass Assembly
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Live Nativity Outreach
Saturday, December 4 • 5:00-8:00 p.m.
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Volunteers needed to staff this creative outreach to our community. Opportunities to serve the Lord through this activity include actors, set-up, clean-up, concessions, and traffic control. Please let Jonathan or Catrinia Sutton know if you're willing to serve a shift or two. |
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Christmas Progressive Dinner
Sunday, December 5 • 5:00-8:00 p.m.
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Our traditional Progressive Dinner is back! Meet at the bus lot by 5pm sharp to caravan around town to three homes for tasty treats. The group agreed to do "White Elephant" gift exchange at a rate of a $1 gag gift up to $10. You never know what you're gonna get-- and that's half the fun! Bring one with you, wrapped, and get ready for a great time of food and fellowship together.
Friends welcome! Dress "Christmasy" if you'd like... it'll make it funner-- yes, I said "funner" :)
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Appetizer: Jason & Elizabeth Pasch
Main Course: Roger & Kathy Haas
Dessert: Brian & Brooke Yorke
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Christmas Cantata: December 12 |
The youth ARE still meeting on December 12, but not "youth group style." The youth and all adult leaders are encouraged to attend First Baptist's Christmas Cantata at 7pm to worship God together through this beautiful reflective work to prepare our hearts to celebrate Christ's birth on Christmas. |
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First Baptist Family Christmas
Sunday, December 19 • 5:00 p.m.
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Do you ever think about how some people celebrate Christmas with sunscreen and beach towels? Yes, in Australia! Our God is a global God and He sent Christ that first Christmas for the entire world. It's SO easy to be ethnocentric (in general, but especially around the holidays), so we're going to enjoy some creative ethnically-diverse Christmas traditions, music, and even samples of their holiday food! Along with all this, of course, will be a service of worship (in the Fellowship Hall) for the One who created us all. Come celebrate Christmas with ALL ages at this year's First Baptist Family Christmas entitled, "Christmas Around the World." |
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There will be no evening services at First Baptist on December 22, 26, and 29. We will resume regular youth group schedule on Sunday, January 2, 2022!
Parents, click here to sign up for Sunday Night dinners for Spring Semester 2022! |
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Sunday, January 2
12:15 • Lunch Provided
Be sure you're in the know with all the youth ministry is doing for and with your students in the Winter/Spring (and some of the summer, even) 2022.
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January 14-17, 2022
Final balances are due by January 9 for our annual Winter Retreat. If anyone has any financial inhibitions, please contact Jonathan to discuss and we'll work out a plan. We want all interested youth to participate!
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MFUGE will be at Ridgecrest this year, June 18-22 (Sat-Wed)
$60 deposits are due by January 30, 2022.
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