Youth and Family Ministry
Youth and Family Ministry Calendar
Mondays 6:00 pm - Hallelujah Chorus (grades 4, 5, & 6) Sept-May
Mondays 7:15 pm - Young Fishermen (grades 7th, 8th, and 9th) Sept-MayPeer Ministry
How well are you as a family? No, I don't mean as far as your health is concerned, but as far as HOW you are doing in the big picture of things? Are yout out of balance in any area? God is the center of each area in our lives and God is the one who makes us whole. It's about God, not us controlling these areas.
For example, imagine a Gingerbread Cookie:
- Think of the head as the "Intellectual" part. What are you doing to grow in ministry? How do you gain insight?
- The right arm is the "Emotional" part. What's going on inside of you? What aren't you talking about at home? The problem is not what we talk about as families, but what we don't talk about that can be the problem.
- The left arm is the "Social/Relational" part. How are your family relationships?
- The middle/chest part of the body is the "Spiritual" part. We need to have balance in every area. Are you being filled up? Are you living a life of faith in your home, in your neighborhood, and within your community?
- The pants pants represents the "Environmental" part. How do you live in creation? Do you conserve and recycle? What do you do to protect the earth?
- The right foot represents the "Physical" part. Are you tending to your physical needs?
- The left foot is the "Vocational/Occupational" part. Where is God in what you do outside of the church?
Create your own Gingerbread person based on how you see yourself and your family. Are you out of balance? How can we as a church help families who are out of balance? How would you like it to be? What prevents this from happening? What do you choose to do about it? What can OSLC do to support you and your family? Please let us know - we'd like to see your Gingerbread drawing!
Youth Opportunities
Youth & Family Ministry Internship - Would you be interested in working part-time this summer as an intern helping out in Youth & Family Ministry at Our Savior's Lutheran Church? The internship would involve helping to plan summer youth activities, Vacation Bible School/Day Camp, and planning the calendar for this fall while expanding the Youth & Family Ministry concept. If you are interested, please contact Donna Hoag at 263-7422 or 263-8103 by May 15th.
Canoe Trip Opportunity - for 10th-12th graders - Our Peer Ministry group which includes: Garrett, Richard, Mara, Mike, Michelle, Turner, Krista, and Katie would like to invite you on a canoe trip in the Boundary Waters! The group would depart on Saturday, August 4th. Please talk with your friends and get back to Donna Hoag ASAP to reserve your spot. Please join us!
Soup Kitchen
OSLC will be cooking, serving, and cleaning up at the Salvation Army Soup Kitchen the 4th Wednesday of every month. All members of your family are needed to help out.
OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE AS A "AAA" ADULT:
One part of the 4 Keys to Spiritual Formation is your gift of time!
* We are looking for the following helpers for Wednesday Nights:
- Co-leaders for Hand Chimes/Bells
- Co-leaders for Puppets (we have one volunteer)
- Co-leaders for activities
- Co-leaders for Cherub Choir (we have one volunteer)
- Any age vocalists for worship at 6:30 pm.
- We are looking for more individuals to keep in contact with our college students. Our goal is for each volunteer to have 1 or 2 students to periodically connect with while they are away at college. Right now we have adults for the 2005 graduates and we are asking for more volunteers for 2006.
If you are interested in helping out in any of these areas or another area, please contact Donna at 263-7422 or 263-8103. Please consider being a AAA (Authentic, Available, Affirming) Adult in the lives of our young people.
Grace for the Month
Lord, we look to you to give us food at the proper time.
As we enjoy your good gifts, please send us your Spirit.
Renew us to sing your praises.Amen.
The practice of saying grace before meals seems to happen less frequently now, as families eat in shifts or on the run at fast food drive-thru's between activities. Yet the discipline of asking God to bless our food before eating is a wonderful reminder about the One who is the source of our every desire. (G. Bingea, Mich)
MonthTry these Family Activities during the
"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit." (Psalm 51:10-12).
• Caring Conversation
takes place in the home talking about the Christian faith
- Wind and fire are two of the most powerful forces of nature. What are some of the destructive effects of wind and fire? Positive effects?
- On the day of Pentecost the first Christians received the Holy Spirit with signs of wind and fire (Acts 2:1-4). How is the Spirit like wind and fire?
- How, when and where have you received the Holy Spirit? What does the gift of the Holy Spirit mean to you?
• Devotions help us cultivate ways of listening to God.
Make Christian unity a focus in your family devotion time this month. Here are some prayer suggestions for each day of the week:
Sunday - Pray for peace and unity in your congregation;
Monday - Pray for peace and unity in your church;
Tuesday - Pray for peace and unity in the families of your congregation;
Wednesday - Pray for peace and unity between churches of different types;
Thursday - Pray for peace and unity between marriage partners;
Friday - Pray for peace and unity between parents and children;
Saturday - Pray for peace and unity in your own family.Conclude your prayer times with a candle ritual. Light one central candle and give each family member an unlit candle. At the same time, light your individual candles from the central candle. Pray this prayer together:
Jesus, you are the light of the world. Help us each to draw on your light, so that we grow together as a family, united in your love. Keep us at peace with each other. Amen.
• Service as a family has particular power and significance.
- Prepare a meal or host Day Camp Counselors at your home.
- Offer to help clean up a Sunday School room as a family.
- Volunteer to work at LSS Family Resource Center in Virginia by painting and fixing up a room.
- Clean up after your picnic or outdoor adventure and keep our waters and streams clean and litter free.
- Invite a young person to Camp Vermilion and/or Camp Hiawatha.
• Rituals and Traditions reflect and enact values, reminding us of what is important.
- How is God "at home" in your home?
- How is your faith reflected in your day-to-day family life?
- How and when does God show up in your home?
- Plan to attend our Worship and Ice Cream Socials on June 20th and July 25th.
Keep in touch with what's happening throughout the month by e-mailing your address to: dmhoag@mchsi.com.
to Sheri for her assistance in the layout of the "Graduating Senior Biography" portfolio.
- Many Thanks
dmhoag@mchsi.com.To contact Donna for more information about any of the events or projects listed on this page call the church office at (218) 263-7422 or email her at:
Last updated: July 11, 2007