June is always one of the most exciting times of the year!  The end of the school year, graduations, parties & open houses, exams, accomplishments, warm weather and the anticipation of the summer. Our Youth Ministry has completed another successful school year as we met weekly discussing prayer circles, relationships, “God’s Not Dead,” God’s purpose for us, characters of the Bible and of course, Christmas & Easter. We also have done parties, a lock-in, Winter Retreat, State Youth Convention, many fundraisers, covered a
lot of miles in the van and a lot of times together.  God has blessed us in many ways.

$415 by 6/29 is our general theme this month as we prepare the final
arrangements for the International Youth Convention.  We have 9 students and 4 adults committed to traveling to Nashville, TN for the Bi-Annual International Youth Convention of the Church of God, from Thursday, July 3rd through Wednesday, July 9th.  Our theme is from Galatians 5:25, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”  There will be fabulous speakers & services, great bands, opportunities for service, instructions on purpose, purity, power and people, sights to see, a 5-star hotel and many other once in a lifetime experiences. PLEASE PRAY for the spiritual awakening of our students and adults plus for the financial blessings still needed for the experience.  Some students are ready to go and paid, however, there are some students who still need God¹s help (and maybe even your help) in conquering the $415 by 6/29.  God has a plan and we
are believing in it!  There will be a Youth-Parent Meeting on Sunday night, June 29th.  We are asking all IYC youth and their parents to be at that meeting for last minute preparations for the trip.  High School youth will NOT meet on June 8th (my son¹s ordination), however we will meet on June 15 & 22, then the IYC group on the 29th.  We are expecting all IYC youth to be attending the meetings in June.  The lessons will be appropriate for all high school students.

Another mission opportunity we have this summer is an experience with the Center for Student Missions (CSM) in Detroit on the weekend of August 22-24, 2014.  This was an unexpected opportunity offered to our youth ministry due to my past experiences with CSM in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Houston & Nashville.  We were asked to bring a high school group to “pilot” a weekend in Detroit, a new city for them, this summer as they explore expanding their national program to another US city.  We are registered for 10 people presently and must bring a minimum of 7 and a maximum of 14.  Please pray with your student about possibly participating in this weekend at the end of the summer.  Our ministry had a fantastic time in Chicago two years ago and we know that some would like to experience God¹s work again in the city.

This summer we will be doing a lot of IYC fundraising in June.  If you have opportunities for students to earn some quick cash for this, please give us a call.  Our softball game with the Meridian Church of God will have to be delayed due to scheduling conflicts so it will be sometime later in the summer.  We are doing “Day At The Beach” at Ludington State Park on the weekend of July 26th. There will be some spontaneous events throughout the summer so watch all of our media outlets for events. Every Sunday morning we will be doing “Tough Questions With God” and we encourage students to attend
the morning class.  There will be no Sunday night meetings throughout July and August, however we start up again on Sunday, September 7th.

Pastor David and I will be holding a meeting with Young Youth parents to discuss our past couple of years, concerns, goals and their transition into Sunday night meetings in the Fall.  They are welcomed at any summer activities of the youth.

Once again, we would like to express “Congratulations” to our Bullock Creek High School graduates, Brandon Helm, Isabella Krolikowski, and Nick Torres. We know all of you have college and work intentions; however, you are welcomed to come to Sunday night meetings for the next year.

A special “Thanks” is also extended to Lawrence and Jo Adams (plus Connie) for supervising our State Youth Convention with my needing to leave on Saturday morning for my Dad’s funeral.  We have heard nothing but good reports about the weekend and I was very appreciative for the help as I joined my family in Indiana in honor of my father.

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 and our congregation for holding the youth up in PRAYER.

Love God, Love People!

Blessings,

Pastor Jerry