CHILDREN AND YOUTH

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CHILDREN AND YOUTH 〰️

EASTER 2023

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD 2022

Our church and youth packed over 40 boxes for Operation Christmas Child. We appreciate everyone who helped with items or with monetary donations to purchase items.

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD BOX PACKING

NOVEMBER 2021

Thank you to everyone who helped with the Operation Christmas Child Boxes. Because of your kind donation of items and your monetary donations, the youth were able to pack 35 boxes. The youth gathered one evening last week and packed all the boxes. Thank you to the youth and all who helped in any way! We are blessed by such a loving and kind congregation!

YOUTH AT SKYZONE JULY 2021

JULY 2021 — YOUTH UPDATE

Some of the youth gathered at First Christian on Wednesday, July 7. Of course those who were not able to attend were missed! Our youth leaders, Amy & Scott Lovelace, led the youth studying Blocked Prayers: (Confessing your sins to God will make for better communication with Him, and to forgive people that sin against you). 1 John 3:21-22. The youth also made get well cards for Logan Smith.

LOGAN SMITH UPDATE

Logan is home recovering after having surgery on his leg. Logan had a bike wreck and broke two bones in his leg, requiring surgery. He is happy to be home. He has had a decent amount of pain, so appreciates your prayers for him.

logna smith recovering at home after leg surgery july 2021.jpg

Fall 2020 Youth and Children activities.

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Youth; 7th through 12th grades

CYF – Christian Youth Fellowship – Grades 9-12

Chi Rho – Grades 7-8

Typically the CYF and Chi Rho groups meet together as the “Youth Group.”

The General Church identifies the mission for Chi Rho and Christian Youth Fellowship Groups as follows: "to respond to the needs of youth for relationships, events, and opportunities where they can be themselves, discern their gifts, and be empowered to be effective leaders and servants as called by God to be the body of Christ in the world."

Youth meet on Sunday evenings and participate in study, fellowship and service. They study scripture, but also study contemporary issues that the youth face on a daily basis, specifically addressing how to respond to these situations and issues in a Christian manner. We hope that in all of their activities and studies, that they enjoy their time together, as they fellowship with other Christian youth.

The youth participate in mission and service. They have activities that reach out to others within the congregation and community. As a part of their outreach to the local congregation and community, the Chi Rho and CYF groups hold a “Trunk or Treat” event each Halloween, and an Easter Egg Hunt each Easter. They have also helped at our local soup kitchen. Every other summer the CYF and Chi Rho groups participate in a mission trip. In past years, these have included:

- Hurricane relief work in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina

- flood relief work in the Nashville, Tennessee, area

- working with the homeless and hungry in Washington, DC

- working with Refugee, Resettlement and Immigration Services of Atlanta, Georgia

- cleaning up after the April 27, 2011, tornado outbreak

- working at a mission site in the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky

- visiting and giving care packages to patients in Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

The CCF and CJF groups participate in study, fellowship and mission. As some of their mission work, they have helped pack backpacks of supplies for Sydney’s Safe Foundation, made appreciation cards for our local police officers, and packed gifts for Operation Christmas Child.

The youth participate in regional events, planned by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Alabama/Northwest Florida. These events include summer camp for age’s kindergarten through high school, fall young adult retreat for college age students and young adults, and Youthtopia, a January event for youth in grades six through twelve.

The General Church holds a General Assembly in odd-numbered years. At these events, there are specific youth activities in which our Chi Rho and CYF groups participate. Locations that our youth have attended these events in the last decade include: Indianapolis, Indiana, Nashville, Tennessee, Orlando, Florida, and Columbus, Ohio. The next General Assembly will be held in July, 2017, in Indianapolis, Indiana.

In order to contribute to the costs of participating in many of these events, the Chi Rho and CYF groups are involved in fund-raising activities each year. These activities include things like rummage sales, Valentine’s Banquets, Soup/Chili cook-off contests, dessert auctions, car washes, and meals. These activities also provide an opportunity for the youth to enjoy fellowship with one another while they work to accomplish their goals.

YOUTH TRIP TO SEE FROZEN THE MOVIE

NOVEMBER 2019

SKY ZONE MAY 2019

In addition, fun outings and activities are held throughout the year. Some of these include bowling, swimming, amusement park visits, zoo visits, farm visits, Christmas caroling, and Super Bowl parties.

TRUNK OR TREAT 2018

Maggie Storie with her father, Reverend James Storie. Maggie was on the 2016 homecoming court for Shoals Christian school in Florence. Congratulations Maggie!!