We welcome the New Year 2014 as we count the BLESSINGS of 2013.  We have grown spiritually and in youth numbers as we enter the New Year and it is awesome to know how much God loves and cares for us – each and every day.   His BLESSINGS are so apparent and our appreciation of how he blesses us just continues to grow.  Thank you God, thank you parents, thank you youth and thank you Mt. Haley Church of God.  May we proclaim His Gospel!

We are anticipating 2014 in great ways!  “I can walk!” is probably one of my greatest blessings as your prayers continue to bless my knee replacement reconstruction.  The journey has been a struggle and just plain “hard” but with your prayers, therapy, good doctors and my wife walking beside me – God is being glorified with my recovery.  It will probably take most of 2014 to fully recover, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  PLUS, the youth ministry did not stand still as I took my medical journey, but it flourished as we packed Thanksgiving Baskets, celebrated great attendance with “The Hanging of the Greens,” sold wreaths & poinsettias, created a Winter Retreat group, created an IYC team for next summer (13 & counting), solidified the Guatemalan Team, had an extremely well attended Christmas party, plus some Sunday AM and PM youth meetings.  We finished the year out with great blessings!  Praise God!

Our most immediate upcoming event is our trip to Cran-Hill Ranch for our Winter Retreat.  We have 18 students & adults on our registration list and will be departing on Friday, January 10^th @ 4:00 PM for the camp.  Please be at the church by 3:30 PM with your Cran-Hill Permission slip (if you haven’t turned it in) and your “stuff” for the weekend.  We will plan on a fast food stop on our way to the camp. (Bring money)  We will return approximately between 3:00 PM & 4:00 PM on Sunday afternoon.  A letter has been sent with more details to all the participants.

We have created a team of delegates (13) for the International Youth Convention in Nashville this summer and there is STILL TIME to sign up for this once in a lifetime experience.  Early Bird sign-up ends on March 21^st (the time we would like to have our total team) and ends May 9^th.  Fundraising efforts for this will intensify for the IYC and we hope to have a pop can/bottle collection each month.  We are also asking the congregation and friends of Mt. Haley to consider “hiring” students between now and June with jobs you may have around your home that need to be done.  Snow shoveling, basement cleaning, window washing, etc. whatever the need might be to help students earn the money for this opportunity.  Or perhaps, you would like to help sponsor a student by providing some of the needed funds.  If you have a job, want to sponsor or have other questions, contact Pastor Jerry.

The Guatemalan Team has been set, plane tickets reserved and packing begun.  Please pray for us as we depart on Thursday, February 6 and return on Thursday, February 13^th.  There will be a commissioning service for the trip on Sunday, February 2^nd.

On Sunday, January 5^th, youth meetings will begin after our holiday break.  On Sunday mornings we will be exploring “Characters of the Bible” and learning about their walks with God, with their joys and struggles.  On Sunday evenings, we will be looking at “Relationships” which will encompass many aspects of our lives.  Our relationship with God will be our main focus; however, we will see how relationships with parents, family members, friends, members of the opposite sex, between youth group members, those people we don’t get along with, and people in general, all play a role with our walk with God.  It should be fun and hopefully help us grow in our relationship with God.

We do NOT have definite dates for upcoming activities because I have been out of commission; however, we do know some things that will be coming.  Watch the weekly postings & texts as we get dates organized.  We have intentions of a bowling party, a Lock-In, a Super Bowl party, pop can collecting –all coming within the next two months.

Again, I want to personally say “Thank You” to all the people who have prayed me through this knee surgery adventure.  Your prayers have made a difference!

Parents and church, your prayers, support and encouragement are greatly appreciated and we look forward every week to sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with our students through interaction, study, fellowship and relationship.  Thank you for sharing your son or daughter.

Love God, Love People!

Blessings,

Pastor Jerry