It’s hard to believe that summer is going so fast!  Fall sports are already in preparation for a new season and students will be back in school in a month plus our weekly youth meetings on Sunday nights will begin again on September 9th @ 6:00 PM.  Where has the summer gone?

July was a good month for the youth as we finished up with a great weekend in Mio.  We had great fun camping, canoeing down the AuSable River with the Mio Youth, then a cookout Saturday, plus attending church the next morning and a great meal at the AuSable River Restaurant.   A special thanks goes out to Lawrence & Jo Adams for hosting us at their cabin in the woods.  Great time, great fellowship!  We are already planning for next year if we again have the opportunity.  Unfortunately, the Meridian Church of God had to cancel out with the softball game and we were unable to have enough students for the Scavenger Hunt (this was postponed until sometime in Sept. or Oct.).  However, we all had a great time at the Great Lake Loons game.  Good times!

This is a BIG month and we will NEED your prayers!  14 people will be leaving early in the morning on Friday, August 24 to travel to Chicago for a mission trip with the Center of Student Missions.  We will travel most of the day, arriving in Chicago that evening for an ethnic meal and a prayer tour of the city. All day Saturday we will be participating in planned local missions, enjoying another ethnic meal that evening plus some other spiritual activities.  On Sunday, we will attend a local Chicago place of worship, have another ethnic lunch, and then be on our way home.  This event is truly one of the most spiritual life-changing experiences of the year for our youth.  Please pray for our youth, their counselors, the people and places we serve and the city of Chicago.  We will be having a special meeting about the mission trip on Monday, August 20, 2012 at 7:00 PM at Mt. Haley that we ask all participants to attend.  (Hopefully, this meeting is after all the summer events, fair, vacations, camps, etc.)

Also this month we will offer the opportunity to spend the afternoon at the Midland County Fair with your youth group on Thursday, August 16th.  We will offer rides into town to attend the fair and we know several will already be there.

Our new youth room is getting closer to being FINISHED!  New walls, new ceiling and fresh paint are completed.  The flooring and lights still need to be done then we can move in.  We have been garage sale shopping all summer.  We have new area rugs, several different items of furniture and shelving, plus a mini-refrigerator.  It’s going to be COOL!  Thank you CHURCH for doing this for our youth!  It is GREATLY appreciated!

A new youth year is coming and we will be welcoming in our new 6th graders and any other youth age student in the ministry.  Please let us know WHO these students are, with their phone numbers and addresses.  With a new youth room we want to FILL-IT-UP and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them!  Also, September means we will be having all students and parents submitting new 2012-2013 Medical Release and Permission Forms.  Watch for these coming to your home soon.  We are also planning on having a special “Parent Meeting” for new youth in the near future. Watch for times and date.

During class time on Sunday mornings (10:00 -10:45) the Middle School students are meeting with Maggie Hyde and the High School Class is with Pastor Jerry & Connie.  The High School students are studying the book of Romans and we are inviting YOU to come.  Each lesson stands on its own; you are not behind or ahead, SO, join on Sunday mornings.  (You just have to GET UP and COME.)  As always, you are invited to church also at 11:00.   One item of information for you, there will be NO youth on Sunday, September 16, 2012 because Connie & I will be attending the Baby Dedication of our granddaughter in Lansing.  Thanks for your understanding.

Praise God for the AWESOME summer we have had!  Remember to PRAY for our Mission Trip to Chicago!  Know that you are always welcome at the Mt. Haley Church of God.

Love God, Love People!

Blessings,
Pastor Jerry