Where did the summer go? With the warm weather we have experienced in September and the late start of the youth year due to the late Labor Day, it seems like Fall came up quick. We have already had the school Homecomings of Bullock Creek, Dow, Midland this week, plus Connie and I are heading to Anderson University this weekend and its only the first week of October!

Students, parents, and church, we have the opportunity in our country of worshipping God,attending a church, praying in public, studying His Word and being part of the family of God that most of the world does not get without persecution. We in the Church of God practice the ordinances of communion, foot washing, and baptism because Jesus practiced these things. Well, another practice of Jesus was being part of His church an option we often take for granted. We invite and urge you to come to church on a regular basis and become involved with the family. There are opportunities for worship, prayer, spiritual growth, fellowship and participation every week that you can partake in and enjoy living in the Kingdom of God. We hope you will be here every week!

Youth Meetings have begun and we are off to a great start. We meet every week from 6:00 PM -7:30 PM with our meeting consisting of prayer, games, food, and the study of The Commandments of Jesus, a look beyond the 10 Commandments into the red-letter words that Jesus commanded us to live by in his ministry. We also meet every Sunday morning at 10:00 AM for a study called Being Champions of God, which looks at the personal characteristics of doing your best for God. There is also a study for18-25 year olds called GRADS @ Grahams which meets every Sunday night also at 8:15 PM in Midland@ the Grahams. They are doing the same study as the youth.

During October, plans include a Swimming party at Four Seasons Health Club on October 11th at 2:30 PM followed by our youth meeting, a visit to Grandma’s Pumpkin Patch on October 25th at 3:00 PM followed by a bite to eat, then a Mt. Haley concert by John & Kate Denner.

Upcoming in November, registration will begin for the Church of God Winter Retreat at CranHill Ranch on January 8-10, 2016, along with the Michigan Student Leadership Institute on the weekend of November 13-14th. Pastor David, Connie and I will also be attending the General Assembly of the Church of God Michigan on the weekend of November 6-7. On Sunday, November 22 we will pack groceries for the annual Community Thanksgiving Basket project. That sameevening will be an area Thanksgiving Service being hosted by Mt. Haley this year. On December 8 is our first registration date for the International Youth Convention being held next summer, July 2-5, 2016, in San Antonio, Texas.

We will also be raking Olive’s yard this month with a couple of pop can collecting excursions. ALSO, even though we dont make much money on the project, we will again offer Mt. Haley apparel for sale. You will have your choices of T-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, crew net sweatshirts, embroidered jackets, baseball caps and polo shirts to select from. That sale goes through most of October and is sold at almost retail cost. A chance to show your church spirit!

The Guatemala Mission has begun. We have a team assembled with registrations paid. If you would STILL like to participate, PLEASE see Pastor Jerry ASAP.We are having a donation based Bake Potato supper before the Annual Business Meeting on Wednesday,October 14th which will go to help raise the $5000 needed for our housing project in Guatemala. We already have almost $1500 raised already. This year we will be building two bedrooms and a bathroom for Sonja, the school’s English teacher. Her house was built a couple years ago and it was never actually completed, as it needed to be. The money we send every year is not actually enough to build an entire home for a family, but it completes a major share of the block houses we work on. The team will begin meetings soon for the spiritual preparation of the trip, which will happen March 5-12, 2016 this year.This trip has been on my mind almost every day because I finally did it: I am taking a Spanish class at SVSU every week, which has taught me a lot, plus providing some fun moments. SEE ME if you desire to go to Guatemala in March!

Our Prayer Warrior recruitment has begun. We strive to have someone in the church praying daily for each one of our youth and graduates. Prayer warriors receive a letter each month with current prayer requests but generally these are the needs that we have you pray about for each youth:

  1. Pray that they know God’s will for their lives. (Colossians1:9)
  2. Pray that they would do God’s will in their lives. (Colossians 1:10)
  3. Pray for productivity in their lives. (John 15:16)
  4. Pray for them to have a growing relationship with God and others. (Philippians 4:11-12)
  5. Pray for them to have a right attitude. (Colossians 1:11-12)
  6. Pray for their families, their peer relationships, home, church, and school. (Psalm 145:18 & Isaiah 41:10)

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 people 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, Live It!

Blessings, Pastor Jerry

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