Fun stuff

update: Thursday

Sweet event for teens this weekend @ the Ida Festival. Head to the teen event tent from 4-9pm for free food, prizes, Wii tourneys, live entertainment, and more!

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Thanks for all who came out and participated and helped with the Softball Night. Another success!

1. schedules. We would love to have a copy of each of your sports schedules, music events schedules, ballet recital schedules, etc, etc, etc. The reason for this is...we heart you guys. And we love checking out your wonderful talents in action. Whether you play the flute or dunk the basketball or spike the volleyball or hit one out of the park or sing in the choir or whatever, we'd love to know about it.

2. personalization. decoration. We think it's about time our basement (aka your youth room) get a little personality. Wouldn't you agree? We want you guys to make it yours by bringing your favorite posters to hang or some school paraphanelia or personal artwork or photography or whatever. Get creative! Make collages, paint pictures, do some graphic design.

check out this awesome design Chris & Isaac came up with in their own room! It's made from all the cd jackets pieced together. So start collecting paper cd covers:

3. corn maze we are planning on going to a Corn Maze on Saturday Sept. 19. fun stuff, right? There are a couple options that we have to choose from. Your input is important:

$5.50 Crots Corn Maze--Ottawa Lake (35 minute drive) (the one we went to last year)

$9.50 Corn Maze Fun--Dundee

$10.00 Farmer Charley's--Monroe

Now, here's the deal. Crots is the cheapest but it's a bit of a drive. Dundee is expensive and is just a corn maze. And Farmer Charley's in close here in Monroe and the $10 includes tons of stuff--like bonfires, hayrides, flashlight mazes, and more. You can check out each of these websites by clicking on the blue links above.

4. bonfire We're hoping to have a bonfire within the next month or two. Be listening for details. You won't want to forget your marshmallows! :D

Let it be Known!

1. Softball Game & Hotdog Roast--this Sunday @ 6pm.
Invite everyone you know.
Bring your own equipment (balls, bats, mitts, helmets, etc).
Spectators should bring their own chairs.

This is a youth group sponsored event so if you can arrive @5:30 (we'll probably be at the church by then) and help set things up that would be awesome!

2. Concert on the Plaza @ SAU--Friday, Sept. 11th
Like Jonathan.
Everday Sunday.
The Parlour.
Spring Arbor University tour.

(ps. Those blue words are all LINKs to their websites!)
Leaving from our house @ 4pm Friday.
Bring $5 for the concert.
And $5-10 for dinner & ice cream (or pack your dinner!).
We'll take a tour of SAU campus.
Then jam at the concert starting @ 8pm.
Bring extra cash if you want souvenirs.
We'll be back around midnight. (We may be able to drop you off if you live in Monroe.)

We're going to need extra drivers/vehicles. Parents, you are welcome to come and if you can lend a vehicle and/or drive some students let us know ASAP.

3. CARWASH. Saturday, Sept. 26th 2-5pm
Hopefully in the new Walmart Parking Lot. That will be decided soon.
Get sponsors!
Compete with each other.
The money you earn goes to YOUR account--for Dare2Share and The Mission Trip.

4. Dare2Share. Feb. 5-6. Columbus Convention Center (Ohio).
Registration is $44 if you pay before Sept. 17th.
After that it increases to $54. Then up to $69.
I'll be ordering tickets on the 16th. So if you want to come I'm going to need your fee.
Save your money. Don't buy your daily coke. Or that new sweatshirt. Or skip your fastfood addiction for a week.
Hopefully some if not all of that $44 will be repaid to you once we've done our carwash!!!
So RAISE money for the carwash!!

Parents, I have informative letters about Dare2Share as well as release forms that will be sent home shortly. For more information see their website: http://www.dare2share.org/columbus.

Calendar stuff

There is SO much on our Spirit Fire calendar! Do you still have the "upcoming events" handout we gave you Sunday? Is it on your fridge or in your file of calendars just like we talked about? I hope so! :D

This week is VBS! Thanks so much for all of you who are being such fantastic volunteers. These kids will not forget our ministry to them!

Coming up this Sunday: Welcoming New Students (especially upcoming 7th graders!)! Join us at our house at the usual time--5:30pm. We'll head out to Nortel Lanes (on Telegraph Rd.) for 2 games of bowling. Each game costs only $1 and shoes are $1 which means you need to bring $3. We're also getting pizza, so bring your appetite too! Your parents can pick you up from the parsonage around 7:30pm.

Coming up this Wednesday (not today...but next week): our first official Bible Quiz Practice! All are welcome to join us--the more people involved the more fun and the better the practice quizzes are! Come out and give quizzing a chance! We're all still learning all the ins and outs of this competitive way to memorize God's Word. It would be to your advantage if you are well versed in I Corinthians chapters 1 & 2. Read over those chapters at least once each day and try to really know the information in those chapters.

And besides all the great activities that are listed on your take home calendar and along the side of this blog, we have added a concert at Spring Arbor University. Friday, Sept. 11 @ 8pm SAU is hosting Like Jonathan and Everyday Sunday in concert on the Plaza! We plan on leaving around 4pm in order to have time for a stop at The Parlour as well as time for a Kevin-and-Melanie-led tour of SAU campus. You'll need $5 for the concert and $5-10 for ice cream and/or dinner at the Parlour. We'll probably get back to the parsonage/church around 12:30am.

Oh, and speaking of concerts, don't forget about the Nevercast concert here at the church on August 21st @ 6:30pm. Invite EVERYONE you know!!