Hot Dog Roast & Blessing of the School Year on Sept. 8

September is a time for new beginnings. This new school year offers many exciting opportunities and challenges. Youth Group is a place where we can celebrate the victories with you and support you through trials. We learn together, serve together, and have fun together!

We’re going to start the year with a hot dog roast hosted by Penny Highhouse on Sept. 8. ssing the School Year & Hot Dog Roast. Come join young Lutherans from around the area for food, outdoor games, and some prayer for the new school year! Open to all youth (including Confirmands) and parents. Join us at 223 Acorn Lane in Russell, PA.

Full details are in the newsletter link below.


A quick note to parents: There has never been a better time to involve your child in youth group. It provides at least two opportunities for Christian Education every month. It is open to all young people grades 5 and up. This program year we are meeting on Sunday evenings so we don’t conflict with other activities. We are using the same churches as the Shared Confirmation group to make it easier for families who have kids in youth group and confirmation. In September, we’ll meet at First Lutheran.

Cosmic Bowling is out of this world!

Shared Lutheran Youth Ministry presents COSMIC BOWLING this Saturday, July 27 from 10 pm - Midnight at Jamestown Bowling Company, 850 Foote Avenue. Just $10 for two hours of bowling and shoe/ball rental. Come out for an out of this world night of fun!

Walk This Way on Sunday, June 23

The Shared Lutheran Youth Ministry invites all young people in grades 5 - 12 to join us at the Jamestown Audubon Center & Sanctuary on June 23 from 1 pm - 3:30 pm for WALK THIS WAY.

It is a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon:

• Get to know Lutheran young people from around the area.
• Enjoy a hike in the outdoors.
• Learn about God's creation.

We hope to see you there!

Helping the Hungry

The National Association of Letter Carriers is holding its 21st annual National Food Drive this Saturday, May 11. Joint Neighborhood Project, an organization close to the hearts of our youth, is one of the beneficiaries.

JNP needs help stocking shelves as the food comes in and they are asking Lutheran Youth to lend a hand. Help is needed Saturday, May 11 from 1 pm - 4 pm at Joint Neighborhood Project, 532 East Second Street in Jamestown. (Next to Immanuel Lutheran Church).

Contact Ian if you are willing to make a difference for the community!

Intergenerational Pen Pals

"At the luncheon I spoke of the culture of abandonment in which today’s youth struggle to find adult support, modeling, and mentoring. We juxtaposed the teen life of 50 years ago against teen life today. Then I asked them to consider adopting a teenager and writing that young person one letter a month until Jesus comes..."

A caring conversation can take many forms. Here is a beautiful story about how God is working through a pen pal: 

Intergenerational Pen Pals | StickyFaith.org

Shared Lutheran Youth Ministry news for March 2013

The Shared Lutheran Youth Ministry is a cooperative effort of four Jamestown-area churches: Bethel, First, Holy Trinity, and Immanuel. It is open to any youth who are interested in growing in faith, making a difference, and having fun! We are meeting on Sundays now--we're trying several different times until we choose a permanent time. Check out this month's newsletter in the link below:

2013 Summer Camp registration underway

"Pinch another cheek, pinch the cheek next to ya...!" 2013 Summer Camp Registration is underway!

The 2013 Lake Chautauqua Lutheran Center summer brochures have been mailed to individuals on the camp mailing list and packets have been mailed to congregations.

If you didn't receive a brochure and would like one, you can view the brochure as a PDF file and register online by clicking here.

For more information call 716-386-4125 or email LCLC.

Congratulations, Tara!

Tara Eastman, Youth & Family Director at First Lutheran Church, graduated with a Certificate in Youth & Theology from the Princeton Theological Seminary Institute for Youth Ministry on January 30.

While pursuing her degree Eastman was a contributing writer to Connect, a witty, video-based Sunday School curriculum for pre-teens from Sparkhouse (a division of Augsburg Fortress). She wrote units based on Exodus in the Old Testament. Her contributions were also incorporated into the Connect Bible, a companion resource also published by Sparkhouse.

In addition, she also served on the board of Joint Neighborhood Project and pursued various art projects. Eastman is now a student at Wartburg Theological Seminary in the Theological Education for Emerging Ministries program. She resides in Jamestown with her family.

The Toilet Bowl 2 is this Sunday!

Spend some time at THE TOILET BOWL this weekend! It is an action-packed Southwestern Conference Youth Ministries event that has a lot happening:

• RECREATION: Laser Tag, Skateboarding/BMX, Video games w/video projector, Ping Pong, Air Hockey, Pool Table, Human Foosball Court & Chill Out Lounge and Snack Bar.

• SERVICE & JUSTICE PROJECT: We're collecting Toilet Paper (and other paper products) for Joint Neighborhood Project, an agency that "in the response to the call of Christ...serves and empowers people of all ages, races and creeds to ensure help for today and hope for a better tomorrow."

• WORSHIP: A youth-led contemporary worship service with talented young people from throughout the Southwestern Conference.

THE TOILET BOWL is...

• ...for youth in grades 5 - 12!
• ...is happening this Sunday, February 17 from 1 pm - 4 pm at the Gateway Center, 31 Water St., in Jamestown!
• ...costs just $5.00 + a roll of toilet paper (or other paper product)
• ...THE place to be this Sunday afternoon!

Open publication - Free publishing - More lutheran

Lutheran youth are on the move--to Sundays!

After 4 1/2 years, the Shared Lutheran Youth Ministry is moving from Thursdays to Sundays.Why did we make this change? Three reasons:

• We find that we are getting better attendance at our weekend events as they don’t conflict with other activities during the week.
• Youth from all four churches in the partnership are better represented at weekend events.
• More adults are helping and chaperoning on the weekend.

We look forward to serving even more youth on Sundays as we look towards our fifth year and beyond!

FEBRUARY 2013 SCHEDULE

Recreation & Sacred Space
2/10  5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
First Lutheran Church
We’ll meet during the first hour for dinner together, games, “hang out” time, and snacks. Then we’ll talk about an interesting topic through the lens of the Bible and worship together. 

The Toilet Bowl 2
2/17  1:00 pm - 4 pm
Gateway Center
Let’s change the world--one roll of toilet paper at a time! Important details are on in the link below!

Open publication - Free publishing - More lutheran

Southwestern Conference Youth Ministries Team Meeting - January 2013 minutes

Southwestern Conference Youth Ministries Team Meeting
January 5, 2013  9 am
First Lutheran Church

Meeting minutes

Present: Ian Eastman (SW Conference), Tara Eastman (First Lutheran), Mike Felsman (Tri-Church), Judy Lind (Immanuel) & Ann McKillip (St. Tim's).
Regrets: Jennifer Spacht (Bethel)


Devotion

Ian talked about Seasonal Affective Disorder. People in the Northeast have higher rates of depression this time of year. Something to be aware of when working with youth and congregations this time of year. A portion of Mark Yaconelli's Wonder, Fear, and Longing: A Book of Prayers was read that referenced Psalm 22.

Thrive reviewed
Thrive, our Conference Youth event for November was reviewed. We hosted the Captive Free East Lakes Team the weekend before Thanksgiving. We planned several events for the weekend. The one that worked best was the Sunday afternoon event with 5 churches participating. The Saturday afternoon event, which was planned as a family event, didn't really draw that many kids--although we had older adults from around First Lutheran's neighborhood in attendance. We are planning to host Captive free again in Nov. 2013--we will keep what worked and reevaluate our expectations for the other parts of the weekend. For instance, maybe we should plan Saturday to be a day for the retirees in the housing around First Lutheran. Janet Wahlberg was very helpful in organizing the soup lunch and many individuals and churches contributed for meals for the team. Karen Rine generously hosted the team.

18 people representing 8 different churches in the SW Conference participated in the Stewards of Children training in December.

Stewards of reviewed
The Child Abuse Prevention Committee did a wonderful job training our the conference in how to identify and respond to child abuse. 19 people representing 8 churches in the conference participated. We will consider offering some sort of annual event for Youth Workers and Christian Educators in the future.


Mission on the Mon
The parent/student information meeting for the summer mission trip was only attended by one parent. Due to lack of interest, we are canceling the trip. (The parent was given information about the trip to follow up personally.)

Pastoral Representative & schedule coordination

The Conference Youth Committee is seeking a pastor to serve on its committee and will also seek a coordination meeting with other youth-serving ministries around the conference to coordinate schedules for the 13/14 program year.

Toilet Bowl 2

This popular event for youth is coming back to the Gateway Center on Sunday, February 17 from 1 pm - 4 pm. This year's recipient of paper products will be Joint Neighborhood Project. We will need approximately 6 adults to chaperone and assist. Youth will lead worship. The committee with email churches seeking volunteers for various aspects of the service.

Continuing Education
We also discussed Lutheran Theology: How God is Working in the World using a video produced by the ELCA Youth Ministry Network.




Upcoming Conference Youth meetings:

02/02/13   9 am   First Lutheran

03/02/13   9 am   First Lutheran

Shared Lutheran Youth Ministry schedule for January 2013

Shared Lutheran Youth Ministry schedule for January 2013

The Shared Lutheran Youth Ministry is a youth group for grades 5 - 12 that meets in the Jamestown, NY area. It is a cooperative effort of Bethel Lutheran Church, First Lutheran Church, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Immanuel Lutheran Church, and GA Family Services. If you know of a young person who would benefit from its mixture of faith formation, recreation, and service learning, please send them along! Here's our schedule for January:

Thursdays 6 pm - 8 pm

1/3 - Open Gym & Games @ Gustavus Adolphus Learning Center
1/10 - Make Your Own Treasure Box @ First Lutheran
1/17 - Open Gym & Games @ Gustavus Adolphus Learning Center
1/24 - Game Night w/resdients @ Lutheran (formerly LSS)