Hey!

August is behind us and September is falling into place. This means school routines are becoming normal, college & NFL football is in the air, people are making last trips to the lake & swims through their pools, and we as a youth ministry are hoping to find our rhythm as well. One thing that hasn’t changed is the “Jay Leno” show, isn’t that just the Tonight Show but earlier? Should be called the Evening Show.. okay, apologies, my sleepiness makes me ramble.

• Big “Yeah God” to the news that Briana was given a cancer free report after her surgery to remove the melanoma cells. We have many folks in our community who are affected by cancer, so as we celebrate Briana & her family, we want to continually lift up those who don’t always get great news.
• Thanks to everyone who has been coming, showing up to help out with youth events the last few week weeks. Its been a real blessing to have such a great group of folks to be in ministry with.
• Parents Meeting: This Sunday in Genesis Hall, from 4:15 (get there around 4 to look at papers and stuff) till 5:45 with a break in focus at 5pm from Youth Stuff to NWG Choir.
• Basketball Players wanted to form a HFUMC Church League Team (Grades 9-12).  Registration taking place NOW!  Call or text 615 513-9170 or email merrilee.wineinger(at)hfumc.org by Thursday, September, 24 if interested.
• NWG Choir: This Week
• Youth Gathering this Week! We will be breaking into Drive Groups for the year. Will need everyone to be there.
• Fall Camping Retreat: View Photos from the Retreat
• Eikon: We have Eikon on Wednesdays from 630-730. Right now we have Improv rolling along, will be bringing back Writing and Photography and hope to start Arts soon.
• Helping with CoffeeHouse? Thanks to those folks who showed interest in doing some of the techie side of CoffeeHouse & Youth stuff. I’ll be sending out a schedule of ‘who is on duty’ for which weeks later.
• Have you downloaded & filled out our yearly Health & Permission release form? Please do that.
• Senior Photos: Some of you know Anna from being our Summer Intern, she is starting a new business as a Photographer and has some deals for those looking for Senior Pictures.
• This coming Up to check out School House Rock Live, the World Vision Africa experience, & Spirit Days.
• Take a little Action today. Take a Photo and Join the Don’t Forget About Darfur petition.
• Check out our website, especially the right side as I am bookmarking articles that I find interesting and you might find relevant to your life, parenting, school culture, research, or just something for a laugh…
• Seeking out few good Security Guards to watch the Tent, Tables, Chairs overnight from Saturday to Sunday leading to our “Spirit Days” Celebration.

Thanks again everyone for your support of the ministries & especially to Erin, myself, & now Brooks! He is doing great, he reached the 7lb 11oz mark this week & got to meet some folks from our youth community when he made a surprise appearance to the consignment sale.

shalom

-gavin

Hey All!

Since the last time we talked via 5minute eLetter a lot has happened & some of it wasn’t planned that way. We are still moving along and building our youth community for this coming year. As everyone probably knows, Erin & I welcomed Brooks Foster “The Pellet” Richardson to the family on August 16th, only 6weeks early. No problem.. Well, we are adjusting, mom & boy are great and I am getting back into work as usual.

• We have run into some safe sanctuaries issues since the start of fall. Nothing major but finding out that some of you fabulous leaders have not been certified through our Safe Sanctuaries process. Whatever the case may be, per our guidelines, no one who hasn’t gone through the screening & training process is allowed to be in leadership (that covers leading programs to helping out) for youth & children programming. There is a training this evening in the Companions class where you can get all that set behind & moving forward. If you cannot make tonight, please keep tuned in for the next available training. The safe sanctuaries team has been doing them pretty regularly since we started this last spring.
• Eikon:Writing, Improv & Photography will be on for this evening. We hope to finish the start of Arts & have all four groups rolling by next Wednesday. These are multigenerational misfit communities, come out if you are interested.
• NO NWG Choir: This Week
• NO Youth Gathering This Week either. We traditionally take a breather on Labor Day & Memorial Day weekends for Family time & Rest for our Leadership
• Parents Meeting: Due to the surprise arrival of Mr. Brooks, we postponed our Parents Mtg for that day. We will now be trying out a joint Youth/NWG choir mtg on September 20th, 415pm – 5pm for Youth, 5-530/45 for NWG Choir. Location in the church has yet to be determined..
• Fall Camping Retreat: The camping retreat went off really well thanks to a great crew of adult leaders. From what I know everyone came home in one piece and some even want to change their daily occupation to River Rat. View Photos from the Retreat
• Youth & Youth Leader Training: We will be rescheduling our last training session before we break up into our drive groups for September 8th from 530-730. I know its right on the heels of a long weekend, but make sure to do your homework and be there, we will be going over a TON of stuff.
• Helping with CoffeeHouse? A few of you have mentioned wanting to help out with CoffeeHouse sound board, tech stuff, etc. We are going to do a crash coarse Sept 13th, from 11am to 12. Right after we get done that Sunday
• Have you downloaded & filled out our yearly Health & Permission release form? Please do that.
• This coming Up to check out School House Rock Live, the World Vision Africa experience, & Spirit Days.
• Take a little Action today. Take a Photo and Join the Don’t Forget About Darfur petition.
• In the world of, “I can’t believe what I just saw” (or heard) may I suggest I will leave youth ministry if something like this happens at my church or youth event…

Thanks everyone for your support of the ministries & especially to Erin, myself, & now Brooks!

shalom

-gavin