May Meetings for Youth

Hey Everyone!

I think that we are now finally getting on schedule. During May, I see no conflicts, so we are going to have youth group meetings every Sunday from 5:30-6:30 with separate meetings for Middle School and High School. So get it on your calendars!

Also, we have some other events in the church that are cool.

Friday night, May 9th is Dinner and a Movie. This will be the opening celebration of our new audio/visual equipment! Dinner at 6, movie at 7.

Saturday, May 10th is the Viriginia Creeper Trail Bike Ride. We have 30 signed up already. This will be a blast. The ride starts at 11:00 a.m.

Earth Day Hike This Sunday!!!

This Sunday (April 27th), Youth (both senior highs and middle school) will meet after worship. We are going to participate in the Earth Day Hike from Hampton to Dennis Cove! So, grab a lunch after church or bring one or whatever. Make sure you bring a water bottle and good hiking clothes.

Wednesday Film, Anyone?

Movie at Milligan. Are any of you interested in attending the film, panel discussion and pizza afterward? I know it is kind of late and a school night. Let me know, ASAP, by replying to this e-mail!

For the Bible Tells Me So at Milligan College

Milligan College (Elizabethton, TN) is going to show the film, For the Bible Tells Me So, this Wednesday evening. Here is the news from Andy Olivo, a Milligan Student, who blogs at Fides Quaerens Intellectum, a key player in making this happen. It must have taken some effort, but kudos to Andy and others for pulling it off:

Our President and Dean of Students approved our showing of the documentary, and we have four wonderful faculty on board to lead the post movie discussion. We will be showing it at 7pm in Wilson Auditorium on the Milligan College campus this Wednesday, April 23rd.

Here is the synopis of the film:

Can the love between two people ever be an abomination? Is the chasm separating gays and lesbians and Christianity too wide to cross? Is the Bible an excuse to hate? Through the experiences of five very normal, very Christian, very American families -- including those of former House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt and Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson -- we discover how insightful people of faith handle the realization of having a gay child. Informed by such respected voices as Bishop Desmond Tutu,Harvard's Peter Gomes, Orthodox Rabbi Steve Greenberg and Reverend Jimmy Creech, FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO offers healing, clarity and understanding to anyone caught in the crosshairs of scripture and sexual identity.

Here is the trailer:

Ever helpful, Andy even included directions:

Directions to Wilson Auditorium:

• When turning into the main entrance of campus take main road up and park in large parking lot on the right in front of Hardin Hall and across from the Welshimer Library.
• Take the stairs up to the front of Hardin Hall and the Wilson Auditorium is in Hardin Hall through the double doors on the left of the building.
• If all else fails, find a student and ask them where Wilson Auditorium is!

So get the word out and I hope to see you Wednesday!

Sunday Meeting at the Movies

Hey Everybody!

The Creating a Culture of Peace workshop will be in the church on Sunday. So we are going to go to the movies on Sunday. I messed up. I thought Prince Caspian was opening this weekend, but it is not until next month.

So here we go, the reviews have been great!


Horton Hears a Who! (showtime 3:10 at Carmike 14 in Johnson City!)

See you there!

Remember, a person's a person, no matter how small.

Day of Silence

Hey youth.

I posted this over at the PFLAG Tri-Cities blog. We had 50 people including high school students at our first meeting last night!

The Day of Silence is April 25th.

The National Day of Silence brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools. This year’s event will be held in memory of Lawrence King, a California 8th-grader who was shot and killed Feb. 12 by a classmate because of his sexual orientation and gender expression. Hundreds of thousands of students will come together on April 25 to encourage schools and classmates to address the problem of anti-LGBT behavior.

You can read the latest updates on the Day of Silence Blog.

A couple of high school students attended our PFLAG Tri-Cities meeting last night and shared a bit about the harassment lgbtq students experience. The Day of Silence is a good day for straight allies to speak out by not saying a thing.

Find ways to get involved by going to the Day of Silence website.

Check out this public service announcement:

Youth Stuff for this Weekend!

Hey Everybody!

This Saturday night (April 12) is the big square dance! It is going to be a blast. Square dancing may sound, kind of, well, square. But it is fun. And you don't need to know how. You will be taught. And it will be in Martin Hall with a live band. It is for all ages. So bring your friends!

The caller is Jim Kirkpatrick. Jim is a friend of mine. He runs the Presbyterian Campus Ministry at ETSU and is the staff person for our presbytery's youth programming. They do some great things. He has taken college youth to the area devastated by Katrina several different times--plus many other places.

Anyway, you will get a chance to meet him.

Also, he is going to be at youth group Sunday night with Jason Reece (a high school student) to talk about all the stuff that is going on with youth in Holston presbytery.

So, two things:

Saturday night dance at church at 7 p.m.

Sunday youth group from 5:30-6!

Be there or be square.

...ooops

Youth Stuff!

OK, this Sunday, the sanctuary is in use for the Creating a Culture of Peace thing, and both Vivian and I are in it. So I need a favor. Can someone help with the youth for this Sunday, say by going for a movie?

For example, 3 p.m. Bonnie Kate "Horton Hears a Who"

Here is what is playing at Carmike. This would be an all ages family event. Then we will be back for our regular 5:30 - 6:30 meeting on April 13.

Also, I am going to serve as an adult on the Holston Presbytery Youth Council. We could use one more adult (hint, hint) and youth (hint, hint, hint). Here is the application.

On June 8-14, I am going to go to Montreat for the Youth Conference. 1000 other senior highs will be there. Should be great! I don't want to be lonely and have no one from my church go (guilt, guilt).

Here is the web page for that.

I know that some of you have been to youth conferences in which they want to "save you" and whatever. This isn't like that.

If anyone tries to save you, I promise I will un-save you again!