UTurn

August

Calendars are here!!
Download one here:
August Calendar

VBS - Camp EDGE!!

"Camp Edge" was a blast. We had tons of youth helping this year!! Check out the rest of the pics:
VBS Helper Photos
 

Mission Monday Pics

Thanks to Kelly Colosimo for taking pics this week - the youth camera is acting up right now.

Anyway, you can check 'em out here:  Mission Monday Gallery

We had groups @ the Pregnancy Help Center, Boys and Girls Club, and the Port Ministry in Freeport. Join us next week for work @ Safe Haven, Port Ministry, and the Boys and GIrls Club again!!

Surfside Mission Trip Pics

Hey - you guys should all go check out the rest of the pics from the Mission Trip!! Make some comments too!!

Surfside Mission Trip Pics

These are just a small sample of the ones you can see there.

Nick painted quite a bit @ Mrs Pate's house.

Kim's crew (also at Mrs Pate's house) took a little break for a picture.

Nancy's crew worked really hard out in the heat @ Adrian's house. (He joined them in his wheelchair for the pic.)

There are also pictures from our bowling night, swimming night, worship, and quite a few other worksites. We got a lot accomplished during the week and actually made it to 7 different sites with only 2 hard-working teams!

Attn: Parents

Parent Newsletter from Youth Specialties

Contents

1. Tools for Parenting Teens
2. Learn Their Lingo
3. Movie Reviews
4. Links to Learn From
5. A Little Encouragement...And Humor

1. Tools for Parenting Teens

From http://www.realworldparents.com/starters/

Sin Spotting

Are Christians intolerant and judgmental? What did Jesus mean when he said “do not judge” but “do help your brother get that speck out of his eye when you’ve removed your own plank”? We’re talking with our kids this week…
Read More:
http://www.realworldparents.com/starters/article/sin_spotting/

Featured Resource: A Parent’s Guide to Helping Teenagers in Crisis

Fights at school, sexual abuse, eating disorders, school crises … the list goes on and on. Hardly a day passes without a local crisis at involving junior highers or high schoolers. This practical resource covers the whole continuum of private and public crisis, equipping parents to work with their kids to deal with any crisis in a way that helps the individual and helps the family stay intact.

Receive 20% off A Parent’s Guide to Helping Teenagers in Crisis using coupon code RWPN106 by July 31st, 2009.

http://www.realworldparents.com/store/item/a_parents_guide_to_helping_teenagers_in_crisis/

2. Learn Their Lingo

JTOL = Text message lingo for "Just Thinking Out Loud"

Facebrag = To use Facebook as a platform to brag. Normally about a job, internship, trip, purchase or anything else that nobody really needs to know but you'd like to tell everyone because you're awesome.

3. Movie Reviews for Parents

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

This strangely titled addition to the “Ice Age” saga is getting less love from critics than the first two films, but the franchise continues to…
Read Review:
http://www.realworldparents.com/movies/review/ice_age_dawn_of_the_dinosaurs/

My Sister’s Keeper

Based on book by Jodi Picoult, this film tackles some of the ethical issues surrounding genetic family planning, but ends up focused much more intently…
Read Review:
http://www.realworldparents.com/movies/review/my_sisters_keeper/

4. Links to Learn From

Smart Snacking to Combat Obesity [Chicago Tribune]
http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/sns-health-smart-snacking,0,7415046.story

Teen pregnancy project ditched [BBC]
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8139315.stm

Teen sex linked to children’s TV viewing [Baptist Press]
http://www.sbcbaptistpress.org/BPnews.asp?ID=30846

5. A Little Encouragement...And Humor

Nothing you do for children is ever wasted. They seem not to notice us, hovering, averting our eyes, and they seldom offer thanks, but what we do for them is never wasted.
- Garrison Keillor

Overview of U-TURN Youth Ministry

Anyone ever wondered what our approach to youth ministry is? We just printed up new brochures describing our programs. You can download it here: Download 2009 U-TURN Ministry Brochure (right click and select "save as")

We are also hoping to launch a new "Sr Honors" program this coming fall. We've been asking the question, "What do we want our students to know, understand, be exposed to, and experience during the six years they are in youth ministry?" We've come up with a few things we think are important in equipping them for the future. We will offer those programs/classes/experiences/opportunities throughout those 6 years and then offer a very special honor to those Seniors who complete the requirements. You'll be hearing more about it all in the fall.

Surfside Mission Trip

Download 2009 Surfside Mission Trip Registration Info/Broshure

Registrations are due back May 31st.

After the devastation of Hurricane Ike, we felt like this was the perfect time for us to focus our mission efforts right here in our own backyard. There are plenty of ways we can help with hurricane recovery and how cool is it that God lets us be a part of His work?

We will still be staying away from home in another church so it’ll feel like you’re away in some fancy destination doing work for God. Only difference? No long van ride!!!

You guys are familiar with Surfside beach, and Freeport FUMC is very close. We’ll be staying at the church in the same way that UM ARMY or Faith in Action does - guys in one part of the church and girls in the other. You’ll need to bring cots or air mattresses with sleeping bags and bedding ‘cause we’ll be on the floor. We’ll eat breakfast and dinner @ the church (except for one special night) and we’ll take sack lunches to the worksite.

At night, after showers & dinner, we’ll have some great fun activities and enjoy hanging out with each other. We’ll also spend some time in worship each night reflecting on all that God has done and who He is.

This is a great opportunity to help some of the people here in our community and have a great time doing it!!!

Sr Sunday

We had a great Sr Sunday!

Congratulations!

Ashleigh Bowers

Katie Walzel

Sara Fish

Justin Mikulencak

Cristy Hockstra

Sarah Hancock

Mason Gray

Dennis Faltysek

Will Bedell

Ryan Hemphill

Here are a couple of downloads for ya: (Just right click and select "save as")

Senior Sunday Sermon with Justin Mikulencak

"Hallelujah" - Sarah Fish

2009 Senior Slide Show Video

Pool Party

Hey guys! Our Pool Party is this coming Sunday Night!!! Join us at the Pierson's house from 5-7pm. We'll have food for ya and tons of fun. This is a great opportunity to get to know the other youth in our group and to welcome our confirmands!!!!

Here's the map to their house:  (just click on the picture for a larger view and them right click and select "save as" to download.)

McKinney Falls Camping Trip

Download Registration Form/Info

June 9-12 we'll be heading to McKinney Falls State Park for a great trip. (Check out the video on their site too.) Within the city limits of Austin, McKinney Falls offers a great location for us. They have plenty of hiking/biking trails and places to swim and fish. We'll be staying in screened shelter/cabins with bunk beds (nobody has to bring a cot). We'll also spend one day at the Volente Beach Waterpark.

This annual trip is always one of the best! "Our plan is to have no plan." In this busy world, we live our lives frantically running from one event to the next. This trip is a total break from it all. Our goal is to have so little to do that we actually get a little bored. Why??? Why would any youth leaders want to bore their students? 'Cause when we get bored, we also get creative. And when we get creative, craziness is sure to follow, and amazing memories are made.

God revealed Himself first to us as "Creator" (Genesis 1) and then He said we were made in His image. That means we were made to create too. But we don't ever slow down long enough to become creators. We're too busy consuming stuff that others create. Our hope/goal is that we can slow down and notice God - to slow down and begin to think about Him - to slow down and create space - space for Him to work and space that will allow us to imagine and create new lives in connection with Him.

Download the Brochure/Registration form here:
McKinney Falls State Park Brochure/Registration