Get Ready for MOSAIC!

This year for our Senior High Missions Experience we will be participating in MOSAIC the summer youth missions camp of First United Methodist Church Long Beach, MS. As many of you may remember but a crew of you do not, we started a long standing relationship with FUMC Long Beach in 2006 the summer after Hurricane Katrina. We had a 50 person youth team and a 20 person adult team that spent two weeks at the church working with it & its community recovery of the hurricane in August of 2005. Rebuilding still goes on, and will for many years. Due to that we have had a number of adult teams that have returned to FUMC and Long Beach. This will be our first time down as a youth team since the summer of 2006.

This years Senior High Missions Experience will be at the same time as the NWG Choir tour, we are in conversations with the folks at FUMC about bringing the tour to the area and helping out with some of the work during the week as well. It is sure to be a special time whichever experience you partake in.

We’ve been waiting on a few logistics to clear up before we promoted this fully. So here is the experience as its currently set.

Where: First United Methodist Church Long Beach, MS

When: Sunday June 20th, leaving the church at 5-6am till Friday June 25th, midnight approximately. (Be ready to pack vans Saturday the 19th)

Cost: $250 (Due to budget needs. We are asking Adult & Young Adult Leaders sell stock to help cover the overall cost of the mission)

Limit: We are limiting this experience to 21 total team members: 6 adult leaders, 3 young adult leaders & 12 youth.

Deadline: April 18th – Deposit $125 & Paperwork (MOSAIC 2010 Mission Camp Registration)

Note: Taking a Missions Stock Packet, available Sunday after Easter, will be considered a sign of committing to the missions team.

Photos from 2006 Long Beach Mission Team

Tentative, but pretty solid, Schedule:

Pack Saturday June 19th in the evening

Leave church for Long Beach, at 5-6am Sunday June 20th

Arrive approximately in Long Beach around 4pm

Work Detail through the week.

Friday June 25th, Worship & Camp Dismissal at approx 10am

Explore area & Visit Beach for a few hours

Leave Long Beach for Hendersonville approx 1pm

Arrival in Hendersonville approx midnight Friday June 25th

If you have some special circumstances or questions feel free to give Gavin a call or email. Check out FUMC’s info packet for packing & tool lists for teams (MOSAIC Info).

yes it was a crazy snowy time that weekend, but we were able to stay quite Warm at Warmth in Winter. our group was small by some of our standards, but it was one of the most gelled groups in years. Everyone did great, being where they needed to be, and no incidents to speak of.. or that I am aware of. Check out our PhotoSet from Warmth in Winter 2010.

It is time for our annual Ski Trip to Perfect North.

It will be an overnight trip and the cost is going to be $155 for youth and $65 for adults. Youth fee covers transportation, hotel night, and skiing (food is not provided) Adult fee covers skiing. Deadline to sign up is January 31st & would require the Perfect North Ski Slope Release Form & $55 deposit.

We will jet from the church parking lot at 3:30 (or the earliest we can get everyone out from school), head up to the slopes, ski late into the night (like 1-2am, its really cool). We will then head back to lodging, grab a few hours rest, wake for breakfast, a time of devotion and then hit the slopes for the rest of the day. Ending around 5-6pm then heading home. Should arrive home around midnight.

There seems to be a lot of buzz about the trip, so we most likely will be taking a charter bus for the event. If you have never been skiing, no worries, Perfect North is a great place to learn & besides, most everyone had to learn sometime so we all get it.

Packing List

• Money for food (we should have breakfast covered, but other than that, you’re on your own)
• Ski Gloves
• Ski Pants
• Nice Warm Jacket (preferably one that doesn’t get wet)
• Long Underwear
• Ski / Knit Hat
• Glasses or goggles (something to hold them on as well)
• Chap Stick
• Other under garment clothes (sweatshirt, pants, etc)
• Sleeping Bag & Pillow
• Toiletries (I don’t want to smell your inevitable stink)

There is probably more, but that list will get you started

Check out the slopes here:
URL: http://www.perfectnorth.com

Warmth in Winter : Jan 29th - 31st, 2010

Warmth In Winter 2010 is coming soon. We begin registering now (you can turn in money this Sunday). You can register at church on Sundays or Register Online. Cost will be $125 for your food, transportation, and registration. Late night pizza and stuff like that is on your own. It’s going to be a great time, so don’t miss out. The conference office is also asking for each youth to have their own registration form this year in order to be registered. So, even if you don’t turn in money this week, but plan to come, please fill this out ASAP. Warmth in Winter Registration Form

Wonder what Warmth in Winter Looks Like?

Warmth in Winter 2009 Highlights from Gavin Richardson on Vimeo.

We Know you are a Fan, Now Become a Fan of Warmth in Winter on Facebook

So You Missed our Parents Meeting earlier this evening. Here’s a recap so that you can be informed.

Youth Meeting

• There were super cool forms to fill out, one being the yearly Health & Permissions form.
• I told you about my youth growing up, finding my own ’strangely warmed’ experience amidst a youth program, but never finding discipleship till God called on me to practice my faith.
• Our shift in programming from a traditional UMYF model to our current set up is a movement back to our Methodist roots of young adult small groups and empowering youth people to practice their faith and grow deeper in discipleship.
• We went over our weekly program set up.
• We went breezed through this cliff-notes version of our calendar for the next 12 months. If you have questions about a specific thing, just email me.
• Different with the calendar you might see, is 2 senior high missions experiences to Long Beach. One during spring break & the other during the choir tour. The plan is to have choir tour come through Long Beach to do their choir performance and the whole group will do a day of missions in the area. The size of the two missions teams will be smaller than our normal, only being 15-20 people for each. Other logistics are still working out on that one, but that’s the dream.
• We need folks to sign up to help with Warmth in Winter, Pumpkin Patch, the Missions Experiences, and Snack Supper especially. If you are willing to help with Snack Supper please email Donna Daly.
• We have added the NWG Choir to the google calendar on our calendar page. If you are having trouble seeing the details of an event, let me know. In updating the calendar viewing permission might not have been set correctly. I think I got it right, but I have been known to screw that up in the past. &:~D

If you have more questions feel free to email gavin(dot)richardson(at)hfumc.org for youth program related stuff or nwgpraises(at)gmail.com for all things NWG Choir.

cartoon via cartoonchurch.com lots of funny stuff there