Blog Archives - REFUGE

Fall Kick Off Announcements

8/13/2015

We’re ready to kick off another great year in Refuge Youth Ministries! I know you have a lot going on right now preparing to return to school so here are a few reminders to help you stay in the know!

Sunday, August 16 – Promotion Sunday! Youth - join us for Basecamp from 9:30-10:30 a.m. as we welcome the new 7th graders! We will have a delicious breakfast, some games and hear from Haley Watson and Dalton Green (seniors) about their summer mission experience in Hawaii!

*PARENTS - We will also have an official notary (Lori Hodges) in the youth room starting at 9:15 a.m. for any parents who need to have the new medical & media release forms notarized! So, stop by with the form so you can make it official for the year.

Monday, August 17 – Deadline to register for the Back to School Retreat that is August 21 and 22! Make sure to bring or mail your $25 and new medical & media release form to the church office by Monday 5 pm! More information about our Back to School Retreat is on our website at www.refugejc.com. You don’t want to miss this awesome 24-hour kick off to the year!

YOUTH CHOIR and YOUTH PRAISE TEAM: Information is enclosed with the Fall 2015 schedule for youth choir and youth praise team. Our first rehearsals begin Sunday, August 23!

WEDNESDAYS – Our Wednesday youth program, Souled Out, begins on September 2! We meet from 6:00-7:30 pm and have an exciting year ahead. Hope you’ll make it a priority to be there and to bring friends.

Here’s how to stay in the know:

(Links for all of the following are found on our website at refugejc.com/connect)

1.     Join our Refuge Text Service. We send out texts 1-2 times a weeks to remind you about things or to make special announcements.
2.     Join our email list. We send out weekly emails reminding you of the schedule for the week, due dates, and just some general awesome announcements.
3.     If you are on Facebook, ask to join our group (www.facebook.com/groups/refugestudents)
4.     If you are on Twitter, follow us at www.twitter.com/refugejc.

Three Ways to Prepare for a New School Year

8/3/2015

In just a couple of weeks, you’ll be back in the halls of your local school. I know. I just depressed most of you. Sorry. Your late night Netflix binge watching and sleeping in until 11 am is coming to an end very soon. Some of you are fully aware that school is coming because practice for fall sports is underway and band camp is beginning. Some of you are still hiding under the covers. At 2 pm.

There are a lot of emotions and thoughts about the start of a new school year. Fear. Excitement. Worry. Hope. Anxiety. Complete and utter apathy. No matter where your emotions are as you read this, here are a few thoughts on how to prepare for the upcoming year.

1. Pray. Geez, Mel. The churchy answer right off the bat. True. It often is the churchy answer to pray but it’s true. Pray for the year ahead. Pray that you will grow – not just in wisdom but in the likeness of Jesus. Pray for your teachers and coaches. Pray for friends – old and new. Pray for your enemies or for those that have hurt you. More important then preparing your school supplies is preparing your heart and prayer is the way to prepare.

2. Trust. Learning to trust God is one of the most important lessons you can learn. Do you trust that God loves you extravagantly and regardless of your successes or failures? The best thing you can do for your present and your future is trust God’s love for you. As you prepare for all the pressures, stress, and struggles that are a part of school, sports, and friends, find a way to remind yourself throughout the day that God loves you and He is worthy of following completely. Build your foundation on God and no storms will destroy you. He is the one and only constant.

3. Decide. Decide now who you want to be and how you want to act towards others – regardless of their choices. You can’t control others. You can only control yourself. What kind of friend do you want to be? What kind of student or athlete do you want to be? What kind of son or daughter; brother or sister do you want to be? What kind of Christ follower do you want to be? You won’t be any of these things perfectly but, if you never decide for yourself who you want to be, then your more likely to become someone you don’t want to be. Decide now who God wants you to be and commit to becoming that person more and more each day. Come up with a word or phrase that describes who you want to be and post it somewhere you’ll see every day as a reminder.

These are just a few things to think about as a new school year begins. If you have other suggestions, leave them in the comments below.

I’m praying for each of you. I love each of you so much and am overwhelmed with joy that we get to do life together. You got this. This is your year. With God, you cannot fail because He is always enough. May you come to believe and experience that this year.

Friends are family,
Mel