Posts with the category “youth”

Why didn’t anyone warn us that parenting was so tough before we had children?It can be downright exhausting. All stages of motherhood bring their own level of weariness.The infant and toddler stage is physically exhausting. The school-age stage is mentally exhausting, and the adolescent and teen years are emotionally exhausting. I think we need to remind ourselves that motherhood will not look per...  Read More

I wanted to give you an update as to what your students are learning during our small group meetings. I currently have four girl’s groups that are following a seven-week overview of Scripture; two groups are exploring Genesis, and one group that just started looking at Ephesians. Following you will find information on all the studies. Seamless covers the people, places, and promises of the Bible, ...  Read More

Ah, fall... A season of football, crisp air, and pumpkin-flavored everything. This season always brings a feeling of togetherness and warmth, but like so many things this year, November may be a little different.While uncertainty still looms like a dark shadow, there are some things you can do to make this fall not just something to get through, but something to actually look forward to. This mont...  Read More

(Okay…as I’m sure you can imagine, I used to say a lot of things… and I still do! As I look back, I realize that I think I often added onto the stress my kids felt rather than helping them navigate through the ups and downs of being a teen, so take this advice in stride!)Being a teenager is not easy. There’s peer pressure like they’ve never experienced before.Suddenly, sitting at the right table a...  Read More

For months I have been receiving phone calls, emails, and texts from parents and youth inquiring about what our youth ministry might look like in the upcoming fall season. All are asking important questions about what we can do with the teens in our midst while still living within the reality of the pandemic. Perhaps you have been wondering about this as well.Most students I talk to are hoping tha...  Read More

Have you ever played red light, green light with a group of kids? I love playing this game! During COVID-19 however, I feel like somebody keeps shouting “red light”, “red light”, “red light!”I’m ready to move, and I’m waiting for a green light. And then I hear the words “red light” again. Like many of you, trying to navigate this season has not only been hard, but also frustrating. We all need enc...  Read More

There are moments in our lives that mark our place in history, and we ask ourselves this question – where were you when? Where were you when the Berlin Wall fell? Or when Mt. St. Helens erupted? Or when John Lennon was shot? Or when the space shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after liftoff? Where were you when 9/11 happened? Where were you when.Sometimes this question is more personal. I distinc...  Read More

Today's devotion is written by Stacy Kutz, who sent it to our High School and College Students and shares it today with all of us:March Madness: CancelledDisneyland: ClosedClasses: Online or cancelledTravel to Overseas: SuspendedWorship: LivestreamedCancelled. Closed. Online. Suspended. Livestreamed. Is anyone else tired of hearing these words?It’s inevitable that you are a victim of cancelled eve...  Read More

By Stacy KutzYouth and Young Adult Minister For many years my son Joshua swam on a club swim team. His best event was the 100 yard (or meter) backstroke. This was a sprint. He would jump in the water, hands on the starting block, mentally preparing for the race ahead. When the starting gun went off, he poured every ounce of energy into racing the four laps ahead of him, and within seconds, the rac...  Read More