YouthGroupMania!!

Just when you thought life couldn't get any more exciting... Youth Group is back!!

Help us kick off a new year at our opening Kickball/Barbecue Night!!

Everyone is invited to meet up at the middle school ballfield (behind the church) at 4:30 on Sunday, September 7th. Bring a snack/sidedish/dessert to share.

We'll play some kickball, hang out, eat food (yes, I'll bring the veggieburgers...), and get pumped for the year ahead. You'll also get to meet and hear from Eryn Frederick, our awesome new youth intern for the year (see blog post below).

Two other dates you should know about:

6th & 7th Graders!! In addition to the all-youthgroup kickoff, we are throwing a party just for you on Friday night September 12th in the youth lounge (7-9pm). This is your chance to meet fellow middle schoolers, help us brainstorm ideas for the coming year, and get a taste of Jeremy's wacky idea of a good time. Bring all your friends!!

Parents: we are hosting an informal discussion/Q&A about youth group on Sunday September 14th in the chapel here at church after the 11am service. We will hand out fall calendars and look them over, and you can help us set the vision for youth group '08-'09. Please come with any questions, concerns or ideas you have...

Here's to another action packed year!

Welcome Eryn!!

I am thrilled to introduce the latest addition to our youth leadership team: Eryn Frederick!! I thought I would take some space here to introduce her to everyone, since she will be a big part of our year together...

Eryn grew up close by, in Woodstown NJ (pastor Bill was her family's pastor growing up!) She will begin this fall as a student at Princeton Seminary. However, she is no newcomer to ministry. She spent the past two years in the third world, first in the Dominican Republic, and then in Kenya. In both places, she worked with an organization called Foundation for Peace. She has done everything from teaching in schools, to meeting with government officials, to preaching in open-air worship services, to leading youth retreats for Kenyan teenagers. She has some incredible experience! and some great stories to tell.

Below are some pictures of Eryn in action. We are so grateful that she is willing to spend time with us this year, hanging out, talking about faith, and sharing her fascinating life with us. I hope you will make an effort to get to know her and welcome her to our group...

Meeting with officials in Kenya

Preaching in the marketplace

With a young Dominican friend

Wild West Roadtrip

Hi Friends,

I bring greetings from Pine Ridge South Dakota!

As some of you know, last summer we recieved an incredible donation of $50,000 from a family in our church, to be used to support the Lakota people. After much prayer and discussion, we decided to give the money to the Red Cloud Indian School, a school on Pine Ridge with an incredible track record of student success. Last week, Matt Mackowsky, Matt Nussbaum and I travelled out there to meet with leaders at the school and discuss the gift. The visit was incredible, and the drive from Denver wasn't bad, either. Here are some pics (wish you all could have come!!!)

Our red Cadillac- so much more than just a rental car!

the Badlands

Mount Rushmore

On the Needles Highway in the Black Hills

Real Live Mountain Goat!!

Presenting the gift to Father Peter Klink, President of the Red Cloud School

So cool to be able to give such a significant gift - thank you church and thank you youth group for making it happen, and thank you God, from whom all blessings flow!!!