Pictures from Orlando

UPDATE FROM ORLANDO

Greetings from Orlando!!!!

We have been in Orlando for a couple of days now and the Gathering is in full swing! God blessed us with safe travel and we arrived with virtually no problems. We arrived Friday morning and most of youth spent the day in hotel recovering (i.e. sleeping) from their early wake up call. Friday evening we spent the day exploring I-Drive (a 4 mile strip of restaurants and shops). We also checked out the Ripley's Believe or Not Museum.

On Saturday we spent the afternoon with 600 other youth from Central Illinois District. The CID hosted a theatre luncheon at Pirates Cove. We watched and cheered as the pirates performed.

The first Mass Gathering occured Saturday night. It is amazing to 30,000 LCMS youth under one roof worshiping God. The speakers were engaging and presented a great message about importance of community in our Chistian faith.

The first full (very full) day was Sunday. The youth participated in servant events, attended seminars, and took part in the interactive area. The whole day was dedicated to how we are CHOSEN to the World. They explored different aspects of how they fit into the world and their responsiblity as Christians. Topics included missionary work, ministering to muslims, why bad things happen, and dating as a Christian.

On Monday morning the lack of sleep in becoming evident. Sandy and I (the adults) are going strong, but the youth are fading fast. We'll chalk it up to wisdom and experience. I suspect the youth will be looking for quick naps throughout the day.

Today, Monday, the youth will be exploring how they are CHOSEN by Christ, how they been chosen, redeemed and loved by Jesus. I will post more later about what the youth have seen and experiened, hopefully in their own words.

Blessings to everyone in Illinois!

From Orlando,

Mike

P.S. Sorry about the lack of pictures. We are having techinal difficulties. I doubt they will be solved soon.

And They're Off...

This morning at 5:45am , the youth

group met in the church parking lot to head off for Orlando. After a prayer led by Pastor Strom, the nine youth and two chaperones loaded up the bus to head for the Indianapolis Airport.

Leaving Friday!

Only 36 hours until the youth group leaves for Orlando to go to the National Youth Gathering! Please keep the group in your prayers for safe travels. Also, please pray that the Gathering will be a meaningful experience for each youth as they learn more about Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection for our salvation, and how He has made each one of them uniquely and CHOSEN to do His will. Check back throughout the week for pictures and updates of the youth in Florida!

Caption Contest Winner

The winner of the Creative Caption Contest is...
Daniele Brookshire! Thanks to everyone who entered the contest. Check out the original post comments to see all of the entries.

Extreme Room Makeover

Senior high - put your interior decoration skills to good use! The senior high will be designing and creating a special featured library room on Saturday, Aug. 25. We will start at 1pm and go until it is finished - hopefully in time for the Grand Opening and dedication Sunday morning, August 26!

This project will help feature books from our church library that can be checked out and shared with members of the congregation and community. What a great way to share our faith and help others learn about the love of Jesus!

Stay Afloat!

On Sunday, August 5, the junior high will meet for boating and games at Crystal Lake Park. We will meet at church after the Sunday School hour at 11:30am and carpool over to the park. Pack a picnic lunch to bring along. Parents are welcome to attend! Please RSVP to Karen by Friday, August 3.

Creative Caption Contest

Enter your most creative suggestion for the caption of this picture of Seth and Mark. To vote, click on the word comments in the bottom right of the post. The winner will be announced Wednesday, July 25.

For Guys Only!

On Saturday, July 21 men of all ages are invited to come to a "Guys Only" canoe trip. We will leave the church at 1pm and head over to Kennekuk County Park. After an adventurous canoe trip, we’ll end the day with a manly BBQ before heading back to church. Please RSVP to Mike Beadle to make reservations.

Stamping Service Project

This Friday, July 20, we will meet at the church at 6:30pm to work on stamping cards to send in care packages to troops overseas. Youth, parents, and friends are welcome to join us!

National Youth Gathering - Orlando or Bust!

The National Youth Gathering is coming fast. We leave for Orlando in less than two weeks where we will be joining 30,000 other LCMS youth! The theme for this year's Gathering is Chosen. We will explore how we are Chosen in Christ, Chosen to Others, and Chosen to the World. At the Gathering, the youth will hear nationally known speakers, take part in quality break-out sessions, and participate in the ChoZone ( 500,000 sq.ft. of interactive fun). We will also be checking out Discovery Cove and SeaWorld while in Orlando. Check back for pictures and updates of the Gathering. Mike will be posting throughout the trip.

Welcome!

Welcome to the Trinity Lutheran Church Youth Blog! Check out this blog to stay up to date with Youth Group happenings. Get the scoop on exciting events, Bible studies, and service projects.