Brrrrrrr…..It’s COLD outside!  But the Word of God warms our hearts as we count our blessings. It’s a big week for Connie and me as we lead our 7th Shack Attack Mission to Guatemala.  The Guatemalan Team departs on Thursday, February 6 and returns to the US on Thursday, March 13th. We will NOT be having Youth Meetings during this week due to our mission, because we will be working with the hundreds of children in the community of the “Tracks” in Guatemala City.  We will also be working on their Christian school, installing a school library, remodeling the pastor’s apartment and perhaps helping to install a new roof. PRAY for our team and we hope to bring fantastic stories of God’s blessings to share.

The Michigan Church of God Youth Retreat on January 10-12 at Cran-Hill Ranch was a GREAT SUCCESS.  We took 14 youth and many of them were challenged, inspired, and renewed their commitment to Christ.  The trip to Cran-Hill gave us rough weather, but we arrived safely and even had a great meal stop at the “Pixie” in Mt. Pleasant.  We heard four great messages from our speaker Michael Thigpen, worshipped with Tommee Proffitt and his band, and enjoyed all the activities of the camp.  It was a great way to begin 2014.

Our calendar is slowly filing up with events after we return from Guatemala.  After looking at the schedules of many different students – we are realizing that our students are BUSY!  It looks like our Winter Lock-In will be Friday, March 7th.  Many of our activities will center on our fundraising efforts for State Youth Convention and the International Youth Convention this summer. State Youth Convention packets will be arriving soon.  Many ideas are in the hopper right now for activities and fundraisers, so watch for details.

Our current Sunday night series is on “Relationships,” while Sunday morning we are studying “Characters of the Bible.”

The Mt. Haley Youth Ministry has a CHALLENGE! Our High School Students and Counselors are going to the International Youth Convention of the Church of God in Nashville, Tennessee during the first week of July.  Many students are already registered with possibly more.  Our challenge is that each participant needs to EARN over $400 to cover the lodging, transportation, food and other miscellaneous expenses.  We basically have until June 15th to accomplish our goal.

WE WOULD LIKE TO WORK FOR YOU!  The students are willing to work to earn their way to the convention and we would like to be at your service.  What does that mean?  What are the jobs that you need to do around your home in the next several months and would be willing to pay a student help you?  We are beginning the process of inventorying the skills that our students possess and hope to match them up with what you need to have done.  Jobs might include such things as:  Cleaning a garage, washing windows, babysitting, washing a car, yard work, possibly painting, shoveling snow, cleaning out an attic, moving things, and the list goes on and on.  We’re asking you to pray about it, think about it, and put us to work HELPING US HELPING YOU & HELPING YOU HELP US!

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