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!

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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!

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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)

Senior High Winter Retreat at LCLC

Senior High Winter Retreat
Lake Chautauqua Lutheran Center
January 4-6, 2013

Come enjoy a weekend of faith, friends, and fun while you explore what it means to be a maturing Christian young person. 

The Winter Retreat will also include:

• Powerful worships and devotions            
• Reconnecting with old camp friends and making new ones 
• Campfires
• Camp Games and activities 
• Sledding and fun in the snow

WHEN: 7:00 PM Friday through 11:00 AM Sunday

WHERE: The Retreat Center at LCLC

COST: $90 (Includes meals, lodging, and program)
      $25 of which is a non-refundable deposit
      The registration deadline is 12/28/12

Click here for a registration form or call 716-386-4125 for more information.

Follow the Star all Advent long

Advent is a time to prepare for our celebration of the incarnation of Christ on Christmas, and a time of anticipation for Christ's second coming. It is a busy time of year, but I encourage you to carve out a little bit of time each day to ponder the message of Advent.

I wanted to let you know about an online resource that can help: Following the Star seeks to provide a safe and meaningful devotional place for youth and young adults during Advent. Check it out--and by all means pass it along to your friends! Here's the link.

4th-8th Grade Advent Retreat

4th-8th Grade Advent Retreat
November 30 - December 2, 2012
Lake Chautauqua Lutheran Center

What better way to combine all you love about LCLC with the excitement of this special time of the year.  Join us for this great way of getting your Advent and Christmas seasons off to an exciting start.

The LCLC Advent Retreat will include:

• Advent Worship & Bible Study            
• Reconnecting with old camp friends and making new ones 
• Campfires
• Advent Crafts
• Cookie decorating 
• Christmas carols
• Camp Games and activities 

WHEN: 7:00 PM Friday through 11:00 AM Sunday

WHERE: The Retreat Center at LCLC

COST: $85 (Includes meals, lodging, and program)
                   $10 of which is a non-refundable deposit
                   The registration deadline is 11/26/12.

Click here for a registration form or call 716-386-4125 for more information.

Thrive on Nov. 18

Southwestern Conference Youth Ministries presents THRIVE on Sunday, November 18 from 1 pm - 4 pm at the Gateway Center (31 Water St., Jamestown). The event is for youth in grades 5 - 12.

An exciting afternoon of recreation is planned with laser tag, bmx/skateboarding, human foosball, game room, and video games... Then Captive Free East Lakes, a relational music ministry team sponsored by Youth Encounter, will lead worship. It will be an inspiring time of Christian music, games, skits and personal sharing.

The cost of the event is $5 plus a donation of an item from the Captive Free needs list (at bottom of email). A signed parent waiver is required for youth wanting to use the bmx/skate park (which can be found at this link).

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We know that some churches on the fringes of the conference have a bit of travel between worship and the event. We have arranged with the Gateway Center to have their snack bar open during the event so you can get lunch there and save time. They have burgers, pizza, fries, etc. available for a reasonable cost.

Please help the Conference Youth Ministries Team reach youth with this positive event:

• Forward this email to youth and their parents.
• Print out the attached flyer and hand them out in Sunday School & Worship.
• Do an announcement about the event in church.
• Organize a group to commute to the event together.
• Get posters up around the church
• Make some personal invites

CAPTIVE FREE EAST LAKES NEEDS LIST:

• Cash
• Stamps
• Gas Cards
• Restaurant & Grocery Gift Cards
• Target & Walmart Gift Cards (for program supplies)
• Phone Cards
• Vitamin C
• Airborne
• Contact Cleaner
• String/Yarn Skeins   
• Guitar Picks (Medium and Thin)
• 12 String Guitar Strings
• Acoustic & Bass Guitar Straps
• Ponytail Bobbles & Velcro Straps (for wrapping instrument cables)
• Oil Change for Van (or money towards)

Sign up now for Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Training

Southwestern Conference Youth Ministries is partnering with the Child Advocacy Program to bring Stewards of Children: Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Training to our conference on Saturday, December 1 from 9 am - noon at First Lutheran Church, 120 Chandler St. in Jamestown.

Do you know how to recognize the signs of sexual abuse? How about your volunteers that work with children and young people? Are you confident that your church would react promptly and responsibly? This is a resource that can help your congregation increase its awareness of a devastating issue and put organizational policies and procedures in place that protect and serve children.

This evidence-based training is appropriate for pastors, youth workers, Sunday School teachers, nursery workers, "Cherish Our Children" committee members, and other caring adults. The cost of the training is $10 per person and includes a workbook for each participant. The Conference Youth Ministries Team will spring for refreshments.

You can mail or fax your registration--please note that the deadline for registration is November 16--to ensure that workbooks arrive in time. I have attached a flyer with further information about this event. Please get this on your December calendars and plan on having key leadership from your church in attendance.

Here is how you can help our team get the word out in your congregation:

• Forward this page on to key leadership in your congregation today--people that work directly with young people as well as people who could make policy changes if necessary.
• Put this on the agenda of your next Christian Ed. meeting
• Make a short announcement in Worship this Sunday. Have registration forms handy for those interested in taking the training. 

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