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It is Holy Week. This week we walk with Jesus toward the cross. We remember the righteous anger of Jesus at the injustices at the Temple, the tender service of Jesus washing the feet of his friends, the surprising pain of his betrayal in the garden, and torturous road to the cross. God's grace is no cheap thing! Jesus' actions in living out God's love were costly! This week, remember and live with the pain and sacrifice that have to come before Easter joy and salvation.
Several ways that you can do that this Holy Week: attend the Maundy Thursday Service at Oakland or the Stations of the Cross in Downtown Rock Hill on Friday, spend personal time in prayer and in reading the "passion story" (try Mark 14-15), using Journey to the Cross as a daily devotional guide. Hope to see you this week!
"The journey is the thing. Easter breaks forth. But not yet..."
Unidiversity and Mission Trip Registration
 Summer is just around the corner, and sign-ups for Unidiversity (July 5-10) and Mission Trip (June 13-19) begin now! Unidiversity returns to Longwood University in Virginia. Kyle Matthews will be our proclaimer/musician. And our theme will be "H20 - when you pass through the water i will be with you." For Unidiversity, we need a $50 deposit by April 14.
And for Mission Trip, we just need your name on a list! We will travel to Eastern Kentucky to one of the 20 poorest counties in the U.S. to do construction work, camps for elementary kids, and mentoring with college-bound high school students. This will be a chance to connect with a different culture and to make a difference in someone's life -- maybe your own!
Total cost for Unidiversity is $260, and for Mission Trip is $100. You can find sign-up forms online at www.obcyouthministry.com!
Sunday Night Live! Heads to Sports Connection -- April 11
On Sunday, April 11, there will be no youth choir or hand bells. So, teenagers will travel to Sports Connection in Ballentyne for Laser Tag and Bowling.
- -- Cost will be $15 for activities at Sports Connection
- -- OBC will provide dinner
- -- Make your plans to come and invite a friend!
NOTE: There will be no SNL! this week (April 4) because it is Easter Sunday!
Youth Fundraising -- Candy Sales
Many of you have asked for a low-key, ongoing way to raise money for Unidiversity, Mission Trip, and other youth trips and retreats. Harriet Hartzog has offered her services to organize some of these fundraisers. The first involves individuals selling candy. The boxes of candy can be checked out from me or from Kerri Norwood on Sunday or Wednesday nights, or at other times by appointment. For each box of 52 candy bars that a person sells, a little over $26 will be placed into a fund for them to use toward youth trips or retreats. This first sale will go through Sunday, April 18. Please let me know if you have any questions, or want to check out a box of candy!
Moving Youth Ministry Forward -- The Next Steps
Th ank you to everyone -- teenagers, parents, and youth workers -- that participated in the BRAINstorm sessions over the past month. We have compiled quite a list of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. And several key themese emerged throughout the discussions. Now for the next steps!
- -- Post the responses from the S.W.O.T. analyses from the various BRAINstorm groups
- -- Identify key initiatives and priorities that will "Move OBC's Youth Ministry Forward"
- -- Develop action plans to help implement these initiatives
- -- Celebrate with a Vision Day at Camp Canaan (May 15)
Please watch for e-mails and web site updates on this process, and add your voice to the mix. It takes all of us -- teens, parents, youth workers, and our larger congregation -- working together to fully be the presence of Christ for each other and for our community.
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