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School Year Ministries
Church Campout set up four times a year by camping guru Barry English, is a great way for all ages of people and their pets to spend the weekend outdoors celebrating the beauty of God’s creation. The youth ministry tries to reserve a site at the Fall and Spring campouts. Usually Saturday nights the whole crew shares a great pot luck dinner. Later there’s singing and storytelling by the fire. Fall:
Mobile Party is the first BIG event of the Fall. Close to the start of school this all-nighter is all about inviting friends, having a blast, and getting caught up from the summer run. We catch the bus after a couple a hours at Gatti-Town, hit the dunk tank, and huge inflatable toys at the churches ranch, then mini golf, video games, batting cages, go carts, Laser Tag, and wind up at I-Hop. There is something in this one for everyone.
D Now is a weekend devoted to experiencing God. Youth are divided into groups, usually by grade, and stay in homes. Friday night usually includes a movie based on our theme and some discussion. Saturdays, the middle school crew gets together for a missions project in the morning and recreation in the afternoon. The high school crew starts the day with rec and does missions in the afternoon. Before returning to their “new home and family” each group stops by the grocery store to pick up dinner “fixins” for their dinner together. Next each crew weaves the days experiences with the weekend’s theme, scripture looking for how God is present in our lives together. Sunday morning the whole group gathers for breakfast, to share what we’ve discovered and to unpack our theme together.
Agape Meal is a simple Sunday dinner of soup and bread near Thanksgiving where our whole congregation gathers around tables to share stories of faith and grace, thanks and communion. Youth serve as the wait staff as a way of saying thanks for all the ways this church helps us live our faith.
Deacon’s Banquet is a formal dinner near Christmas for those who serve our church, past and present. Youth serve as the wait staff as a way of giving back to those who have given us so much.
Christmas Grams Every Christmas our youth choirs sell singing Christmas Grams. On Friday night and Saturday afternoon-evening we deliver caroling cheer in person in behalf of the donor who purchased the Christmas Gram. Proceeds benefit youth choir tours.
MidWinter Retreat is a weekend away to re-connect; with our group, with friends from the SWBYC, -Southwest Baptist Youth Camp churches, and most of all with God. We worship, dance, sing, play, eat, study, rest and pray together. About 300 of us come together at the
Youth Led Worship is a chance to learn worship leadership first hand. It’s a great gift from our congregation to our youth and at the same time a way for our students to express their gifts to God through this community of faith. Every element of this hour is planned, prepared, facilitated and prayed into experience by our youth.
Ski Retreat is not just limited to youth. It’s open to all ages of FBC members and guests. In 99 we flew out and took in the runs at Breckenridge and Keystone. We chartered a bus to Keystone the next trip and invited Broadway Baptist to go with us. That’s been the plan since. Trip cost hovers close to $600 for 4 days & 4 nights of skiing, equipment rental, great mountain side condos, all but 5 travel meals, lift tickets, tubing, and tons of extra fun –like tubing, devotions, movies, ice skating!
Spring Break
Youth Auction is a crazy after worship extravaganza with free BBQ lunch! This event has two purposes to generate funds to offset the cost of summer youth ministries and to build community! Students, parents, church members and neighbors donate services that are auctioned off up front or by silent bid. Last year… nearly $7,000 was raised for summer missions!
Oak Springs Carnival is a Saturday of fun that helps our neighborhood elementary school. The Student Ministry helps set up, clean up and sponsors the tattoo and face painting booth.
Graduate Recognition starts in the Youth Quad with breakfast for the seniors, their families and the rest of the youth ministry. We share stories, laugh, them and their families. Mostly we come together to thank God for these friends. In Worship the church reads a litany together reminding us of God’s enduring love in us. A key chain fashioned for this occasion is given as a way of reminding our seniors of our love for them and God, as reminder of their roots and wings.
