“Be joyful in hope; patient in affliction/hard times; and faithful in prayer.”
~Romans 12:12~

This verse has popped into my head several times lately and I want to share with you what I’ve thought about as this Advent season begins. I read this verse and heard words that are used so many times in our society and they’ve lost some of their meaning to me: “I love my new shoes! I’m starving!” So, I looked up each word’s definition in this verse to give them meaning again in my mind and came up with an extended version of this verse:

“Be truly happy with believing and trusting God;

Be persevering and constant during times of great distress, anxiety, pain, and grief;

Rely, trust, and remain steady in spiritual communion with God.”

Read that again. Is this you? I’m with you if you say some of these are hard at times!

Why would Paul make a suggestion like this? Because doing these things has a tendency to improve our quality of life! Because doing these things is a gift! Because God gave us reason to be joyful, to have hope, to be patient, and to be faithful!

His name is Jesus Christ! We are in the season of Advent, the time of preparation and waiting for the birth of our Savior! It’s so exciting! This verse is definitely true of the definition of the Advent season we are in right now. We get to do all the things in this verse and be in direct company with God every single day because of a tiny baby born into our world! This baby, crying and helpless, left the heights of heaven to come down and live among us: dirty, mean, and hurtful people. He did this out of love (Love: passionate devotion) to us!

No wonder Jesus is the most wonderful gift! We get to do all the things in Romans 12:12 because we have our Savior who walks with us every step of the way: from our infancy to our elder age. He never leaves us! Amen!

What the youth have done:

Service Opportunity: Costume Party

Elim’s Annual Costume Party took place this year on Friday, October 31^st. Many youth and adults helped to make this night a success! Thank you to everyone who helped by decorating, donating food, serving food, running games, taking tickets, and cleaning up! It could not have been done WITHOUT you!

The Costume Party made a total of $130, contributed to Elim’s Campership Funds!

Cross Training Retreat

A total of 28 youth in grades 7^th-9^th attended the Cross Training retreat to Luther Point on Friday, November 7^th – Sunday, November 9^th. Ten small group leaders were also there joining the fun of learning about stewardship of God’s resources, our identities in Christ, and the Trinity. Thank you to all!

Service Opportunity: Date Night

On Friday, November 14^th, 9 youth provided games, food, and fellowship for 20 children! It was a wonderful evening with lots of laughter! Thank you to all! Donations made towards PCYC totaled $130!

Service Opportunity: Youth Coffee Hour

On Sunday, November 16^th, 7 senior high youth served coffee hour with donations toward PCYC totaled $624.56! Thank you to all! This was truly amazing!

PCYC Shopping at Wal-Mart

Thank you to all the small group leaders, volunteer drivers/shoppers, and youth for a wonderful evening shopping for PCYC! There was a total of 341 gifts bought to donate!

Service Opportunity: Lutefisk Dinner

On Thursday, November 20^th, 2 youth helped serve and clean-up the Lutefisk Dinner.

Lock-In: Invite your friends!!!

On Friday, November 21^st, a group of 19 youth went to Shoreview Community Center for a lock-in filled with fun at the pool, in the gym, with food, playing games, and in worship! Thank you to all for coming and to the willing adults!

Service Opportunity: Advent Fair

On Sunday, November 30^th from 11:30am-3pm youth helped families with crafts, serve food, and clean up! Thank you for helping make this a memorable beginning to Advent!

What the youth have planned:

Service Opportunity: Greening the Sanctuary

On Saturday, December 6^th at 9am, youth help is needed to continue the tradition of decorating the sanctuary for the Advent/Christmas season. Please sign up in the youth room!

Service Opportunity: DATE DAY

On SATURDAY, December 13^th, your help is needed to provide supervision and fun from 9am-4pm (Shifts are available: please talk to Amanda). We’ll help a bit with Sunday School rehearsal and then play outdoors, watch movies, and play games! Bring appropriate outdoor clothing and be willing to serve! PLEASE SIGN UP IN THE YOUTH ROOM!

Fellowship Opportunity: Fellowship Night

On Wednesday, December 17^th, please continue your routine of Wednesday nights at Elim for some fun before Christmas from 7pm-8:30pm! More details to come!

Service Opportunity: Coffee Hour

On Sunday, December 21^st, it is the 8^th and 9^th grades’ turn to serve coffee. Please be in Elim’s kitchen at 8:15am that day with a pan of bars to share! We’ll break for the 9am hour for Sunday school or worship service, followed by serving and cleaning up. We should be done around 11am. Please sign up in the youth room! Thank you in advance!

Fellowship Opportunity: Service and Fun Day Out!

On Tuesday, December 30^th, there is an opportunity to get out of the house and head to the cities for a fun day of service and fellowship for all youth in 7^th-12^th grade! Please be to Elim’s youth room at 10am with a PACK LUNCH and plan on being back at 8pm. The cost is TO BE DETERMINED. Please SIGN UP IN THE YOUTH ROOM!!!

Learning Opportunity for Volunteers: Recharge

On Saturday, January 10^th is an opportunity to get together with other volunteers and “recharge” ourselves for the second half of our year! There will be great speakers and wonderful fellowship! Please continue watching for more information!

SKI TRIP:

Elim’s youth ski trip is schedule for Saturday, January 17^th – Monday January 19^th (Martin Luther King weekend) at Giant’s Ridge in Northern Minnesota.

Times:

Be to Elim Youth Room at 6:45am on Saturday, January 17^th

Back to Elim Youth Room at 4pm on Monday, January 19^th

The cost:

$110 – room, food, gas contribution, and lift ticket for entire time

IF YOU NEED RENTAL: Please add…

$36 for skis for the whole time we are there (totaling $146)

$44 for snowboard for the whole time we are there (totaling $154)

*If you would like to go, there are 42 spots open for youth and 6 spots open for adults. This is a first-come, first-serve basis! No exceptions!

*To reserve your spot, please have a deposit of $35 to Amanda by January 7^th. The remaining money ($75 ($111 – ski rental OR $119 – snowboard rental) can be handed to Amanda by the time we leave.)

What the youth are learning:

7^th/8^th Grade Cross Training

Deliverance/Review

-          What have we learned about the Lord’s Prayer?

-          What does it mean to be “delivered”?

9^th Grade Cross Training

Faith and Bible:

-          How can we be sure of our faith in the world today?

-          Is the world during Biblical times relatable to today’s world?

-          How do we read the Bible?

Senior High

Corinthians:

-          Why do we go through tough times?

-          What do we do with the lessons we learn and the things we know?

-          How do we share our faith?

Regular Elim Announcements:

Thank you       Thank you        Thank you

PCYC was a success…   Because you helped!!!

This was incredible! Elim’s youth went shopping on Wednesday, November 19^th at Wal-Mart with $1,287.60!

THE GOAL: At the beginning of November, you might have started to see more things about Plymouth Christian Youth Center around the church. Every year Elim … 1) sets a goal with PCYC, 2) raises the money, 3) buys gifts with that money at Wal-Mart, and 4) donates these purchased gifts to PCYC for local families of Northern Minneapolis at Christmas. We set a goal of $1,200.

WHAT HAPPENED: As of Wednesday, November 12^th (one week before shopping) at 9:30am, no money had come in designated for PCYC. At the end of that day, almost $400 had been designated! On Friday, $130 more was added from Date Night contributions! On Sunday, November 16^th, from Coffee Hour and loose offering, we reached AND EXCEEDED our goal!

WHY: Because God is good! Because we are the body of Christ! Where there was a need, it was met with your contributions and help!

Praise be to God!!!

DATE DAY IS COMING!!!

WHAT: Date Day is an extended “Date Night” during the holiday season. Elim’s youth and a few adult volunteers will provide games, crafts, a meal, snacks, and fun for children of Elim.

WHEN: Saturday, December 13^th from 9am-4pm (Same day as Sunday School Program practice)

WHY: To give parents the opportunity to shop, cook, relax, etc. without children for the day!

HOW: Please follow these steps…

1)      Sign your child up between December 1^st and December 10^th by calling Sally in the office.

2)      Check your child in!!!

a.      BEFORE Sunday School Program Practice

b.      In the youth room, if checking in after practice

3)      Fill out a permission form.

4)      Enjoy your day!

5)      Pick up your child anytime before 4pm.

Free Will Donations are accepted and will be donated toward Elim’s Campership Funds.

HOW TO HELP:

Elim’s Youth NEED adult volunteer help on/for Date Day – Saturday, December 13^th from 9am-4pm

1)      Volunteer to stay in nursery (can be in shifts)

2)      Volunteer to be another adult during the day

3)      Donate a meal of food for 50 people

4)      Donate one snack for 50 people

5)      Donate one snack for 50 people

6)      Donate ideas for Christian Christmas crafts

7)      Donate ideas for games

8)      Donate sleds