Dear Parents,
I pray that all is going well as summer vacations have ended and students are heading back to school. For those of you who are new to the Shire this year, I want to welcome you and your child to the Shire Youth Ministry of Devonshire Church. This ministry is specifically geared toward the middle school and high school student. Our purpose is to see young people grow in their love for God and others by becoming passionate followers of Christ.
I’ve met this past week with our youth leadership team and we are anticipating a great year of ministry and seeing God work in amazing ways in the lives of young people. I’m grateful for the leadership team that God has given us and I know your children will benefit from them.
As the leadership team gets ready for weekly Wednesday night meetings and the fall, here are a few items we want you to know about:
FUSION: Friday, September 10 from 8-10 we will be holding a special gathering for prayer and worship that we hope your whole family will join us for. I’ve included a little handout with a few more details.
FIRST TWO WEEKLY MEETINGS: On September 8 and 15, we will meet for our first two meetings on Wednesday nights from 6:45 – 8:15 p.m. Our weekly meetings consist of fun games, icebreakers, worship, teaching, and small group discussions.
TIME CHANGE—ALPHA COURSE: Beginning on Wednesday, September 22 going through November 3, The Shire is going to be taking a journey through the Alpha Course. For the Alpha Course, we will be starting a little earlier at 6:30 p.m. with dinner. You may be asking, “What is Alpha?” Summed up Alpha is a course that addresses questions such as, “Is there More to Life Than This? Christianity: Boring, Untrue, and Irrelevant? Who is Jesus? How Does God Guide Us? What about the Church?” If you need more information on what Alpha is, please go to our church website and click on Alpha.
As we journey through the Alpha Course as a youth ministry, we will be joining the adult ministry of our church as they work through the material.
ALPHA WEEKEND: As part of the Alpha experience, we are going to be heading out to Camp Hebron for a retreat for an overnight Friday, October 15 to Saturday, October 16. The cost for this weekend is $30 per person. The deadline for signing up for the retreat is September 15th. Sign up by calling the church office at 717.545.8485. These retreats are often highlights of the year. We look forward to seeing you there!
PARENTS’ LUNCHEON: On Sunday, October 3, we want to invite parents of middle and high school students to stay for lunch on us after the morning service. Our hope is to gather parents for a time of encouragement and equipping. It is our desire to partner and support your efforts in helping your young person grow in their walk with the Lord. More details will be coming on this!
AFTER SCHOOL PARTY: On Friday, November 19, we will be holding THE AFTER SCHOOL PARTY from 5 pm to 12 am. This is going to a great event with all kinds of fun activities. More details will be coming, but save the date and plan to be a part of this event.
So there you have it … that’s our plan thus far and we hope you’re looking forward to it as much as we are. If you have any questions about anything, feel free to give me a call. We look forward to getting to know you more throughout this year—and we’ll look forward to seeing your young person on Wednesday, September 8.
For His Glory,
Pastor Derek
