November 2009 NewsLetter

First Presbyterian Church
Youth Group PresbyNotes
November 1st, 2009

God’s Attention in a Shoe Box Form

We’ve all seen the videos.
Nothing has changed really.
We know there is a problem in the world.
We know the statistics.
We see the pictures.
We see the old guy on the movie asking us to do something about it, to help out those who are less fortunate than us.

We come. We ‘listen’ to the homily before. We get excited. We run to the fellowship hall. We gather with our friends and stuff boxes. Picking up toys we like and putting them in boxes to some boy or girl we’ll never meet. Once one is done, we run get another one and do it all over again until, until there is nothing left.

Until there is nothing left…

Perhaps this is how God must have felt when God tried and tried to get the people’s attention about what it means to be a Holy Nation, or to live as the people of God. God created something beautiful, God created things good. Along the way though, we missed it, dropped the ball if you will and have forgotten just how good we are. Prophets would come along and boldly ask and tell and hope for people to turn from their ways and to really think about whom they are and if they are living into their identity as God’s people.

Isaiah and other prophets came along, all hoping for the day when their pains of being an oppressed people, being a people in exile would be over and someone would step up and take them, lead them out of their exile. Someone who would demonstrate and fulfill God’s love and remind them of just how good they are. Great leaders would rise up and help lead them, get along the journey just a little bit farther and then, they too would have nothing left to give. They tried but it all was to daunting and the people, they complained. They were satisfied with having what they have, living under an oppressive ruler and not really raising a concern about how things were going, being slaves and not taking on the responsibility to be God’s chosen people. These people, God’s people, had forgotten what good news was like and the way good news never left you feeling empty…or as if there was nothing left.

Then it happened. God entered into the world, becoming for the Israelites and for us, good news in the form of an infant, a child, Jesus. Finally a fulfillment to the hope the prophets spoke of and a sign of God’s faithfulness comes in a child, one who would lead them out of another exile, who would lead US out of an exile. Now this, this is good news! Jesus came, is here and is coming with God’s love for all people, especially those who find themselves to be poor, homeless, ill and alone. Jesus came and showed there is another way of doing things; another way of caring for each other, Jesus came to show God’s love in its purest form. This Jesus guy, the one who heals the sick, gives sight to the blind and helps the lame walk, is the person Isaiah talked about when he wrote about someone coming who will use power in its purest way, leading a people out of the slavery they found themselves to be in and into a new kingdom, a kingdom which is here, there, near and now. No longer are they empty feeling, no longer are they hopeless, no longer are they in exile. They are filled with hope, they are filled with joy and full of God’s love as this new kingdom has arrived.

This year we have the opportunity again to bring good news to people all across the world with the shoe box ministry. Our time together will be gathered around tables, kind of like communion, putting together a package for someone we may never meet, but we will send them one anyway because we want them to experience God’s love the way we have. Advent is here almost and we will again celebrate the good news of Christ coming as Savior and redeemer of the world and there is no better way to prepare ourselves for this than to send a package of love to children in all lands and places proclaiming good news to them in the form of a shoebox.

May we see our shoebox ministry night not as just another year of watching the same video, packing the same shoe boxes with the same toys and doing it all the same way again. Let us do it intentionally, prayerfully and hopeful, as we think about what we are sending and how it’ll be received. Perhaps all year these kids wait for their packages. Perhaps to these kids, this is all they have to look forward to. Perhaps to these kids, they are in need of good news…good news in a box…a box that isn’t full of nothing…but a box full of something…a box full of good news.

Above all, may we see this ministry opportunity as God’s way of getting our attention and reminding us to take care of each other, all of God’s children and to do it with grateful and loving hearts. This November, we will worship with each other, we will give thanks with our families, we will proclaim Christ the king and together we will hope for God’s love to transform us again and again and again.

Peace to you this month.


November 2009 Schedule of Events
1st—Youth Sunday Preparation 4:30-7:30 pm
5th—Sanctus Bible Study 6:30-8pm
6th, 7th & 8th—Camp Loucon, 4:30 pm Friday-3pm Sunday
12th— Sanctus Bible Study 6:30-8pm
15th—Youth Sunday 7:30 am for the 8:15 & 10:30 services
**Operation Christmas Child 5-7:30 pm**
All youth: KFC-Sr. High
19th— Sanctus Bible Study 6:30-8pm
22nd—Youth Group 5-7:30pm
Jr. High 5-6:30 pm
Sr. High 6:00-7:30pm
29th—Destination Unknown 5-8pm

Events and Going On’s

October 31st—AIDS Walk
All youth interested walking in the AIDS walk need to be at the church at 1:30 pm on Saturday, October 31st. We will then go to KWC where starting at 2 pm we will walk down Frederica Street to Brescia in support of AIDS research. All those who participate will receive a $10 discount on their mission trip deposit.

1st—Youth Sunday Preparation
Yes, it is time for our youth Sunday guys and gals! It may be a few months late but we are nonetheless planned to lead worship for our church November 15th, 2009 for both the 8:15 and 10:30 services. We are in charge of all of the components of the worship for this particular Sunday and we need to begin to shape our time together.

This Sunday from 4:30-7:30 pm we will gather in the Sanctuary and assign roles for Youth Sunday. Also those of you, who are in the youth choir, plan on rehearsing with Patti at some point during this time. I encourage you to come and participate both on Nov. 1st but more importantly on Nov. 15th. If you desire a particular piece of the service, make sure you are there Sunday night!

Preachers for this Sunday are as follows:
-Wade Zengel
-Katie Duncan
-Sarah Bowley
-Reid Thomas (?)

6th, 7th & 8th—Camp Loucon
Our annual Western Kentucky Presbytery Fall Retreat will be at Camp Loucon in Leitchfield, Kentucky. We will leave at 4:30 pm on Friday the 6th (if you need a ride to the bus, please contact me the week of and we can/will arrange for something) and be back @ 3:30pm on the 8th. If you have not turned in your release forms, please bring them with you. Remember to pack warmly. Each student must bring 1 snack to share with their cabin mates.

15th—Youth Sunday at First Presbyterian Church
We the youth group of First Presbyterian Church will be leading the worship services for both the 8:15 and 10:30 am services on this particular Sunday. I ask you get here no earlier than 7:30 and no later than 7:45 so we can double check our assigned roles. Our worship will be shaped around our experience this past summer with City Sights/City Lights and the trip to South Dakota, along with our discussion on LOVE! Make sure you invite your family and friends to come and worship with us on this youthful Sunday!

15th—Operation Christmas Child & Shoebox Night
An all youth event, we will gather again this November to bring toys, pack toys and celebrate the goodness of God’s love which comes to us and we then give it to others via the Shoebox Ministry. We are still in need of toys and other supplies for our boxes so please bring what you are able to. The evening will be for Kids for Christ, Junior high and Senior high and we will participate in this great ministry opportunity to serving those who find themselves in difficult situations all across the world! Please come and we can begin to bring Christ’s love by simply stuffing some shoe boxes with toys!

Thursday Evenings Together
We continue to meet on Thursday evenings in the upper youth room where we share stories, break bread on the occasion, worship and pray together. Please come and enjoy an hours worth of contemplative life sharing! 6:30-8:00 pm every Thursday night.

Attention All Students in Grades 8-12
Sandy beaches, quaint shops, historical landmarks are the things that we associate with the Outer Banks of North Carolina. In Hyde County, though, hurricanes and unemployment have led to poverty. Here is an opportunity to serve and restore hurting areas of that community!

Who: High School Students (including rising freshmen)

What: Travel to the Outer Banks; 4 days serving on work projects and with a Kid’s Club; nightly activities in the outer banks; worship and devotional time; Whitewater Rafting in the New River Gorge after our mission week is complete,

Cost: $400 per person Deposit Required by January 4: $60
Please note the following balance deadlines:
$170 due by March 1 2010; $170 due by May 1, 2010.

!!!Congratulations!!!
Caroline Lashbrook placed first place in the elementary run of the Marshall County Invitational Cross Country meet on October 10. Caroline runs for the Owensboro Middle School Red Devil team.

A reminder to all parents and students to please let us know of your accomplishments so we can celebrate them with you! Congrats to all of you.

Attention Parents
Operation Christmas Child is just around the corner, November 15th, 2009. We are in need of a volunteer or two to prepare for the evening by laying out the toys on the tables, purchasing (with donated money) any other supplies we may need and to finally drop them off to the Shoebox Ministry drop off location (OCC) during the week to follow. Please let Adam know ASAP. Remember this is for all youth in the church!

~New T-Shirts will be available by youth Sunday. I ask that you either wear the 2009 mission trip shirt, the old red one or/but the new one if it is ready for youth Sunday.~