Follow-Up to Last Week's Question

Last week, we asked the question, "So what happens to your faith when the church doors stay closed?" Recently, we asked our youth to share what they themselves did to develop and nurture their faith over the extended holiday break. Their answers are . . .

Encouraging.

As I reflect on their responses, what stands out for me the most is that God is clearly on the minds of our teenagers. While only a handful of youth seemed to have a close-to-definitive approach to nurturing their faith, a strong majority of them pointed to their efforts at prayer, seeing God in others, and reading the Bible. The clearly good news is that God is reaching out to these youth and they are making efforts to respond. Which throws the ball back in our court and asks of us . . .

How well are we encouraging them?

As we all know, youthful impulses, like their hormones, are fluid, volatile, and ever-changing. Often, the key to sustaining faithful development is tied to having a strong community of support that encourages, guides, and models faithful behavior. Our teens need our encouragement to find and stay on "the way everlasting" - are they getting it?

Upcoming Events

With a new semester beginning (finally!), here are a few upcoming events that you'll want to have on your calendar:

Friday, January 28th - Youth Game Night

7-10pm, Rm. 214 (Youth Room) at FBCJC

Guys bring a 2-liter, Girls bring a snack, Everyone bring a friend!

Sunday, February 6th - Super Bowl Party

Time TBA, Greg and Christine Jones' house

We need parents to help provide snacks - let Dave or Christine know if you can help!

Friday, March 4th - WinterJam Concert

Time TBA, Knoxville (Transportation will be provided)

Cost: $10 + dinner

For more info, check out http://www.jamtour.com/.

As always, you can find up-to-date information on FBCJC events on our website, http://www.fbcjeff.org/ (look on the Calendar for the most extensive info). And, if you're a member of Facebook, look for our Youth page ("First Baptist Jefferson City Youth Ministry") for more updates, including notices when there are last-minute changes in events and activities.

What Happens When the Church Doors Stay Closed?

I doubt I need to remind any parents that Jefferson County Schools haven’t been open in quite some time now. No, with each “snow day” tallied, each of us adds a new frazzled nerve to go with it. Cabin Fever catches a hold and we feel like the desperate characters in a “survivor” movie. One more day and we must might . . . well, some things are better left unsaid.

If you’re keeping score at home, you may have also noticed that – with Thanksgiving break, Christmas break, snow days, traveling, and more – we haven’t exactly had a lot of youth activities lately. And, by lately, I mean . . . some of us haven’t even been to church in almost two months straight.

Which makes me wonder . . .

What happens when the church doors stay closed? In other words, how do our teenagers continue to develop their faith when the programs they’ve come to depend on are not readily accessible? Do they just set faith development aside for a time? Pull out their Bible and read? Call their friends and pray together?

The answer to those questions has a lot to do with the answer to this question . . .

What do YOU do when the church doors stay closed? Whether we think it’s true or not, our children look to us for guidance, especially in situations that are new to them. And what kind of guidance did your kids receive from you over this wintry holiday?

Did extra family time become extra opportunities to discuss faith?
Did more meals together lead to more prayer together?
Did cancelled Sunday services lead to special times of family worship?

Or did winter vacation simply become a “faith vacation” as well?

Xchange Resumes January 5th

After a nice holiday of mirth and rest and hopefully not too much egg nog, we're excited to begin a new year at FBCJC! Xchange, our Wednesday night gathering for youth, will resume this Wednesday, January 5th, with a WILD WEDNESDAY!
Stay tuned for some exciting upcoming events!

Stress and Students

This isn't the first time we've posted on "stress and students," but the topic continues to receive attention because the level of stress encountered in teenagers' lives, coupled with their responses which are increasing in both volume and danger, seems to be growing daily. Click on the link to here what panelists for the New York Times have to say about the growing dilemma and how to address it: http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2010/12/12/stress-and-the-high-school-student?hp

Bowling 4 Jesus Event CANCELLED

Due to unfortunate scheduling conflicts, we are CANCELLING our Bowling 4 Jesus Event, originally scheduled for Wednesday, December 22nd. Students are encouraged to explore other possibilities for giving and raising money for the Global Missions Offering.

Information on BIG December Events

We have an Advent season loaded with BIG events and here's your one-stop location to find all the details you need!

Saturday, December 4th, 4-8pm
Kids' Night with Saint Nick
Hosted by the FBCJC Youth, this event has a twofold purpose: (1) to introduce children of our community to the rich legacy of Saint Nicholas this Advent season, and (2) to offer a "night off" for parents to go Christmas shopping, go on a date, take a nap, etc. The night will include games, pizza, a movie, and more, and it's all completely FREE for the families of our community.
Youth should be here by 3:30pm on Saturday to help prepare and they will be done no later than 8:30pm (clean-up) - they will be fed dinner, too.
If you would also like to help us (we can always use more adult help!), just let Dave know or just show up on Saturday!

Friday, December 10th, Time TBA
Dinner and a Movie: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
We will be heading out for dinner and a movie to see the third in C.S. Lewis' Narnian series, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (my personal favorite!). If youth would like to go with us, they will need to let Dave know no later than Sunday, December 5th, so he can pre-order tickets. Tickets are $10 and you can pay them on the night we go. Youth will also need to bring $5-$8 for dinner. We will be eating and dining in Turkey Creek in West Knoxville. At the moment, the exact times are not set, but we will likely be leaving around 4:30pm and returning by 11pm. More specific times will be announced once they are set.

Wednesday, December 22nd, Time TBA
Bowling 4 Jesus!
Our annual "Bowling 4 Jesus" event gives youth a chance to raise money for the Global Missions Offering, collected annually at FBCJC. Students are encouraged to pick up a "pledge sheet" and get donations/pledges for their bowling that night. Students' own contribution to the offering is by paying for their own bowling (approximately $12, exact prices will be announced when they are set) and collecting donations/pledges. Pledge sheets can be picked up outside of Rm. 214 at FBCJC.