Hey everyone! iConnect will be meeting tomorrow night for Alive! from 7-9pm. Come on out for a night of games food and fun.
Check out the post about May Camp on the youth blog. 6 grade 7s are going up with the youth!
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Wednesday, May 02, 2012
Pastor Brad's resignation
If you weren't at church on Sunday you may not know that Pastor Brad resigned at the end of the service. For many of us, this will be very bittersweet: while we're excited for Brad, Colleen, and their kids as they set out on a new adventure, they will be very sorely missed. I've enjoyed working with Brad over the past five years and I probably wouldn't still be in ministry if it wasn't for his mentorship and guidance along the way.
Here is what Brad posted this week on his Facebook:
In case you haven't heard I am resigning from my role as the Pastor of Student Ministries at Bethany Baptist Church. I have truly enjoyed the privilege of being able to serve the youth and families of Bethany.
I will be continuing in my interim role as Pastor of Adult Ministries until the end of August. Then I will be taking a sabbatical through the fall (thank you to Bethany's Elders for granting me the sabbatical). I will officially be done at Bethany at the end of the year.
Colleen and I are excited about the future but we don't know where we will be serving next. Your prayers are appreciated as we seek His leading. We will continue to pray for Bethany and trust that God will guide His church.
I'm sure for many of you this news is surprising. If you would like to talk about it, please don't hesitate to contact either Brad or I. I'm sure Pastor Brad would love to hear from you and I know he's looking forward to spending time with many of the youth over the next few months as he wraps up his ministry here at Bethany. He asks for your prayers as well as he of course doesn't know what the future holds for him and his family.
Here is what Brad posted this week on his Facebook:
In case you haven't heard I am resigning from my role as the Pastor of Student Ministries at Bethany Baptist Church. I have truly enjoyed the privilege of being able to serve the youth and families of Bethany.
I will be continuing in my interim role as Pastor of Adult Ministries until the end of August. Then I will be taking a sabbatical through the fall (thank you to Bethany's Elders for granting me the sabbatical). I will officially be done at Bethany at the end of the year.
Colleen and I are excited about the future but we don't know where we will be serving next. Your prayers are appreciated as we seek His leading. We will continue to pray for Bethany and trust that God will guide His church.
I'm sure for many of you this news is surprising. If you would like to talk about it, please don't hesitate to contact either Brad or I. I'm sure Pastor Brad would love to hear from you and I know he's looking forward to spending time with many of the youth over the next few months as he wraps up his ministry here at Bethany. He asks for your prayers as well as he of course doesn't know what the future holds for him and his family.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Long time no post!
Wowza I can't believe how long it's been since I posted on this blog! I update the youth blog much more often beacuse I'm the one who plans the lessons and events, so it's a lot easier for me to quickly update over there. Because I'm not at most iConnect events or lessons, it's harder to give recaps of events or explain the curriculum. Sorry about that!
As you may or may not know, we have been trying to include the grade 7s more often with youth stuff to help them get used to the ministry that they will be a part of next year. They are able to come to small group (which happens on Mondays from 7-9pm) as well as a few key events (30 Hour Famine this Friday, our May Camp retreat, etc.). Another reason for this is because our current grade 7s have already been in youth before our iConnect ministry started and we didn't want them to feel 'demoted!'
This past Friday was Alive and the preteens joined the youth for the whole night as Cora, along with one of our leaders, Jake, were giving their testimonies. It was a great night and you can read a more detailed recap on the youth blog.
Coming up this Friday is a Mystery Utensil dinner. It is also the last Friday event night for many other ministries at our church like children and adults. Chinese, youth, and preteens will continue. Because many groups are wrapping up, we will be having an ice cream social for part of the night on Friday along with our regular event.
Grade 7 students have been invited to participate in the 30 Hour Famine - if your preteen has signed up, check your email inbox for more details about the event. If they have not signed up, they may attend iConnect as usual that night.
Finally, remember that May Camp is coming up for grade 7+ so if you have not recieved a brochure be sure to swing by the youth room soon as the last day to register is May 13!
As you may or may not know, we have been trying to include the grade 7s more often with youth stuff to help them get used to the ministry that they will be a part of next year. They are able to come to small group (which happens on Mondays from 7-9pm) as well as a few key events (30 Hour Famine this Friday, our May Camp retreat, etc.). Another reason for this is because our current grade 7s have already been in youth before our iConnect ministry started and we didn't want them to feel 'demoted!'
This past Friday was Alive and the preteens joined the youth for the whole night as Cora, along with one of our leaders, Jake, were giving their testimonies. It was a great night and you can read a more detailed recap on the youth blog.
Coming up this Friday is a Mystery Utensil dinner. It is also the last Friday event night for many other ministries at our church like children and adults. Chinese, youth, and preteens will continue. Because many groups are wrapping up, we will be having an ice cream social for part of the night on Friday along with our regular event.
Grade 7 students have been invited to participate in the 30 Hour Famine - if your preteen has signed up, check your email inbox for more details about the event. If they have not signed up, they may attend iConnect as usual that night.
Finally, remember that May Camp is coming up for grade 7+ so if you have not recieved a brochure be sure to swing by the youth room soon as the last day to register is May 13!
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Spring Break Week!
Hey everyone,
This week is SPRING BREAK! Which means:
Grade 7+ girls can come shopping tomorrow.
Preteens are invited to games night on Wednesday.
Both of those event details are on the youth blog: http://bbc-youth-ministry.blogspot.ca/2012/03/spring-breaaak.html
There is NO FRIDAY EVENT this week.
There is NO SMALL GROUP tomorrow.
Small group starts again on the 26th for grade 7+, Friday March 30 is Alive.
This week is SPRING BREAK! Which means:
Grade 7+ girls can come shopping tomorrow.
Preteens are invited to games night on Wednesday.
Both of those event details are on the youth blog: http://bbc-youth-ministry.blogspot.ca/2012/03/spring-breaaak.html
There is NO FRIDAY EVENT this week.
There is NO SMALL GROUP tomorrow.
Small group starts again on the 26th for grade 7+, Friday March 30 is Alive.
Monday, March 12, 2012
iConnect this week
Hi everyone!
This coming Friday is MOVIE NIGHT for iConnect! Not sure what movie you'll be watching but I do know that you should wear comfy clothes!
The following week, March 23, there will be NO iConnect because of Spring break. We'll be back to our regular schedule on the 30th for Alive.
Attention grade 7s: there will be NO small group tonight or next Monday and we will resume on the 26th. Also, remember that you can now register for both the Famine and May Camp! Just ask about it next time you're at the church.
Have a great week!
This coming Friday is MOVIE NIGHT for iConnect! Not sure what movie you'll be watching but I do know that you should wear comfy clothes!
The following week, March 23, there will be NO iConnect because of Spring break. We'll be back to our regular schedule on the 30th for Alive.
Attention grade 7s: there will be NO small group tonight or next Monday and we will resume on the 26th. Also, remember that you can now register for both the Famine and May Camp! Just ask about it next time you're at the church.
Have a great week!
Monday, February 27, 2012
Small group tonight (grade 7)
Junior High (Grades 7-10)
We are continuing our New Testament overview in our small groups this week by looking at what it means to have faith and belief in Jesus, based on his conversation with Nicodemus in John 3. We are emphasizing verse 17, which describes why God sent Jesus: not to judge the world but to save it. It isa refreshing look at an important passage, especially because it’s so easy to assume God views us as an angry judge rather than a loving parent.
Take advantage of the chance this week, perhaps in the car or at a meal, to ask your teenager about what he or she learned about God, and be sure to share your thoughts. Take a few minutes to read John 3 and Romans 5:6-8. Those verses give some great pictures of God.
Here are some questions to get the conversation started:
We are continuing our New Testament overview in our small groups this week by looking at what it means to have faith and belief in Jesus, based on his conversation with Nicodemus in John 3. We are emphasizing verse 17, which describes why God sent Jesus: not to judge the world but to save it. It isa refreshing look at an important passage, especially because it’s so easy to assume God views us as an angry judge rather than a loving parent.
Take advantage of the chance this week, perhaps in the car or at a meal, to ask your teenager about what he or she learned about God, and be sure to share your thoughts. Take a few minutes to read John 3 and Romans 5:6-8. Those verses give some great pictures of God.
Here are some questions to get the conversation started:
- What people are role models in your life? Why do you admire those individuals so much?
- What does the phrase “born again” mean? How would you explain it to someone using other terms?
- Why do you think God was willing to send Jesus as our source of salvation, even for sinners who don’t deserve forgiveness?
Monday, February 20, 2012
Parent resource: Video game reviews
Hey parents!
Ever bought a video game for your kid only to find out it wasn't exactly appropriate? Or, are you not sure which video games are suited for the preteen age group? Here's a great resource for anyone with a kid who loves video games... FREE video game reviews! Courtesy of The Source for Parents.
Ever bought a video game for your kid only to find out it wasn't exactly appropriate? Or, are you not sure which video games are suited for the preteen age group? Here's a great resource for anyone with a kid who loves video games... FREE video game reviews! Courtesy of The Source for Parents.
Small group tonight (grade 7+)
Grade 7 students are invited to join the youth Jr. High small group on Mondays from 7-9pm. They meet in the Upper Room (where iConnect meets on Friday).
Dear parents,
This week we are starting a new small group series providing a “fresh look” at the New Testament, and we began by looking at the birth of Jesus. We read Luke 2, studying the interaction between some shepherds and angels. It’s a great passage that reminds us of several things:
Dear parents,
This week we are starting a new small group series providing a “fresh look” at the New Testament, and we began by looking at the birth of Jesus. We read Luke 2, studying the interaction between some shepherds and angels. It’s a great passage that reminds us of several things:
- We can worship God instead of worrying
- We have the responsibility to both “show” and “tell” others about God’s love
- Every Christmas we can seek or hide from the true meaning of Christmas
- Do you think “peace on earth” is possible?
- Do you spend more time worrying or worshipping?
- What if your friends have heard the “good news” but don’t seem to care? How should you handle that situation? How might it affect your interaction with those friends?
Monday, February 13, 2012
Sunday School lesson - Feb 19
This Sunday the iConnect lesson is about making good choices about media consumption. More often than not, we watch people on television making ungodly decisions, we see poor morals, and we see bad examples of living the kind of life God wants us to pursue. Kids often lack the critical information they need to make informed decisions about the kind of risky behaviour they see on television. During the preteen stage of development, their brains simply can't think critically the way they can as adults, so if we don't talk to our kids about these important issues, they can easily follow media cues and make poor decisions or develop poor decision-making skills.
If you are a parent and would like to talk to your child about the lesson, here are some follow-up questions:
If you are a parent and would like to talk to your child about the lesson, here are some follow-up questions:
- Do you think it's important to evaluate the shows that we watch? Why or why not?
- What kind of things should we avoid watching? Why?
- What kind of rules do you think are fair when it comes to watching tv and movies?
- Are their any shows or movies that you watch that probably aren't good examples to you?
Upcoming events
Hey everyone!
This Friday is Teambuilding Games night for iConnect. This is a great event to get to know your friends better, to make new friends in iConnect, and it's an easy event to invite your school friends to!
In January we started doing Alive, a night of games, worship, food, and small group discussion. For the first part of the night (games, food, worship) the preteens and youth join together. For the last half of the night, the groups go back to their rooms for their own curriculum and small group discussion. The iConnect video series is called Flyte and right now they are learning about Heaven. I've heard from the leaders that everyone is really enjoying the discussion! I love having the preteens join the youth for games and worship - it's great to see them getting to know each other better and having fun. We have a really wonderful group of students at Bethany and I love seeing them get excited on Friday nights!
This week at youth we are having an Oscar party because we made movies last month. Everyone in iConnect can watch them and vote! Just head over to the youth blog to find them.
A few other event reminders for the Grade 7 students...
Have a great week everyone!
Amanda
This Friday is Teambuilding Games night for iConnect. This is a great event to get to know your friends better, to make new friends in iConnect, and it's an easy event to invite your school friends to!
In January we started doing Alive, a night of games, worship, food, and small group discussion. For the first part of the night (games, food, worship) the preteens and youth join together. For the last half of the night, the groups go back to their rooms for their own curriculum and small group discussion. The iConnect video series is called Flyte and right now they are learning about Heaven. I've heard from the leaders that everyone is really enjoying the discussion! I love having the preteens join the youth for games and worship - it's great to see them getting to know each other better and having fun. We have a really wonderful group of students at Bethany and I love seeing them get excited on Friday nights!
A few other event reminders for the Grade 7 students...
- The Clue Game is on Saturday, March 3 from 5:30-9:30pm. To pre-register (which gives you a head start in the game), please email the names of your team members to Amanda at aschmidke@bethanybaptist.bc.ca by February 29. Remember that Clue is an outreach event, so while it's fun for us, the whole point is to bring friends who don't know Jesus so they can learn about Him at the end of the game. Because of that, teams can only pre-register if they have someone new on the team. Otherwise, you can sign up at the door. Cost for the game is $2 and the theme is Night at the Movies.
- You may sign up for The 30 Hour Famine on Friday nights in the youth room at 9pm. The all-nighter event is on April 27-28 and our goal is to raise $5000 to help those suffering from the drought in the Horn of Africa. All participants must raise a minimum of $50 to participate in the event but are encouraged to set a higher goal.
- Our May Camp youth retreat is on May Long Weekend (May 18-21) at Green Bay Bible Camp. This year our speaker is Jeff Bethke - you probably don't know the name, but you will probably recognize him as the guy in this very famous video! Registration info will be out soon so mark your calendars now!
Have a great week everyone!
Amanda
Monday, January 30, 2012
Friday curriculum
Hey parents! Here is some info about what we are teaching your kids at iConnect with questions for you to discuss with them.
January 27: What is Heaven? small group lesson:
January 27: What is Heaven? small group lesson:
- What are some movies that have "heaven scenes?"
- Look up the following verses for an idea of what the Bible says about heaven: Revelation 21:9-18, Revelation 21:19-27, Revelation 22:1-5.
- How many incorrect views of heaven can you think of (that are different from what we learn in the Bible)?
- Look up Acts 16:31 for Paul and Silas' advice on how to go to heaven.
- What are some incorrect ideas about how to get to Heaven?
- What is the one true way to go to Heaven?
Monday, January 16, 2012
Spiritual gifts
Hey everyone!
This past week was our first Alive! night with the preteens and youth together and also our first night with new small groups. If you weren't there and don't know who is in your small group, please let me know and I will send you the info. It was a chaotic night because of technical problems but overall it was still fun and it was great to have the preteens and youth together for worship and games.
This Friday is Board Games Night and it's a great event to bring a school friend to!
Pastor Stef has been preaching on spiritual gifts for the past few weeks so yesterday, we had a combined class with the youth and we all took spiritual gifts test to see what ours might be. We also worked in groups to brainstorm how to use the different gifts in our church and youth ministry. I LOVE having the preteens join my class on Sundays - what a fun group of people! Such a cool age group - they get so excited about everything!
Parents, if you plan on talking about spiritual gifts with your child, you can also do your own test online here or by printing one out here. You can compare it with your student or just look over the test to see what the different spiritual gifts are. Please encourage your preteen to be looking for ways to use their gifts at church!
From the desk of
Amanda
This past week was our first Alive! night with the preteens and youth together and also our first night with new small groups. If you weren't there and don't know who is in your small group, please let me know and I will send you the info. It was a chaotic night because of technical problems but overall it was still fun and it was great to have the preteens and youth together for worship and games.
This Friday is Board Games Night and it's a great event to bring a school friend to!
Pastor Stef has been preaching on spiritual gifts for the past few weeks so yesterday, we had a combined class with the youth and we all took spiritual gifts test to see what ours might be. We also worked in groups to brainstorm how to use the different gifts in our church and youth ministry. I LOVE having the preteens join my class on Sundays - what a fun group of people! Such a cool age group - they get so excited about everything!
Parents, if you plan on talking about spiritual gifts with your child, you can also do your own test online here or by printing one out here. You can compare it with your student or just look over the test to see what the different spiritual gifts are. Please encourage your preteen to be looking for ways to use their gifts at church!
From the desk of
Amanda
Monday, January 09, 2012
New iConnect Blog!
Welcome to the new blog for iConnect!
For the past year or so, we've had a blog for our youth ministry (grades 8-12). I've enjoyed updating it with recaps from our events (parents, I'm sure you've asked your kid how their day was just to hear "fine" and nothing more... these recaps are for you!) along with some other info, resources, etc.
Now that iConnect has been up and running since September, the feedback I've received is that it's high time to start a blog especially for this ministry too! Be sure to check back weekly as myself or other iConnect leaders will be posting information here regularly. Some of the things you'll be able to find on this blog are:
From the desk of
Amanda
For the past year or so, we've had a blog for our youth ministry (grades 8-12). I've enjoyed updating it with recaps from our events (parents, I'm sure you've asked your kid how their day was just to hear "fine" and nothing more... these recaps are for you!) along with some other info, resources, etc.
Now that iConnect has been up and running since September, the feedback I've received is that it's high time to start a blog especially for this ministry too! Be sure to check back weekly as myself or other iConnect leaders will be posting information here regularly. Some of the things you'll be able to find on this blog are:
- Recaps of past Friday evnets
- Information about Sunday lessons so you can discuss the topics with your kids
- Information about small group curriculum so you can discuss it with your kids
- Resources for students and parents (articles, videos, cool websites, etc.)
- Information about upcoming events on our calendar (you can also see the basic Friday calendar on the sidebar)
- Our thoughts on preteen ministry in general or iConnect in particular
From the desk of
Amanda
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