Feeding the Homeless

It’s that time of year again when we get up really early on a Sunday and spread God’s love and compassion to the guests at the First United Methodist Church in Plymouth. FUMC hosts a rotating homeless shelter through the Cass Community Social Services.  This will be our 5^th  year of serving in this valuable ministry. Our middle school youth group is scheduled to prepare and serve breakfast on Sunday, November 11 to about 50 homeless people who stay at this rotating shelter. This would mean getting up pretty darn early in the morning, but it is a great opportunity for service. Let me know ASAP if you’d be willing to do this. Please let me know in person, text or email me.

We meet at the church in Plymouth at 5:30 AM and prepare and serve breakfast at 6:00. We also eat with them and fellowship with them, showing them Christ’s love over breakfast and conversation. Sometimes we play games like chess, or cards before they leave about 7:00 AM. Once breakfast is over, we clean up and head back to our homes (usually by 8:00.) We will still have Food for Thought at 11:00.

We will be preparing eggs, fruit, pastries or muffins, juice and sausage to go with our meal that morning. 

If you have volunteered for this ministry in the past you know how much joy you can bring to others less fortunate and you know how much joy you also receive from serving. I encourage you to sign up, you won’t regret it! Adults are more than welcome to stay, help prepare, and fellowship with the guests.

Looking forward to serving alongside of you,

Nancy

Learn about other's faiths and share your own!

Wednesday, October 17

7:00 - 9:00 PM (We'll meet at Geneva at 6:45, or meet us at St. Thomas a'Beckett  around 7:00)

 @ St. Thomas a'Beckett church

Area teens from all faiths to meet!

Each visiting teen (or teens) will give a 5 minute (or so) synopsis of the beliefs and practices of their religion.  There will be a total of 7 or 8 different religions represented and all teens will have the chance to listen to each group speak on behalf of their faith.  

After all have spoken, we will open up the floor to questions - in which ALL teens (a'Becket and visitors) will be able to ask and answer.  When we have finished, we will end the evening with some fellowship - cookies, punch, conversation and laughs! 

Adults are invited as well!  I am sure parents would love to hear their teens speak. 

from Stephanie Tierney, Youth Pastor at St. Thomas a'Beckett:

I really think that this meeting holds so many opportunities for some great understanding in regards to the teens.  It is my hope that some great connections and friendships will result from this.  Thank you so much for your interest in be a part of this - I cannot wait to meet everyone!  

30 Hour Famine- POSTPONED

October 5 and 6th are super busy for everyone I guess! We'll try to do this in January when we've got more time...

Our 30 Hour Famine has been postponed!! It seems that the majority of our youth have soccer, swimming, running, marching band, family trips, and other very important activities that weekend. We will attempt to do this again in January. If you have already collected funds, please let your donors know we will be doing the Famine in January instead. 

Call for Youth Bloggers

IYA (Interfaith Youth Activist) is calling for youth bloggers! They'll even pay you! Check it out here!

And we're off!

I’m really excited about how our fall programming has taken off.  I love how many kids have been coming to Food for Thought on Sunday mornings, and I also LOVE meeting in the Youth Room! (no more school-like tables and chairs - hurray!) I think everyone is enjoying the videos and I look forward each week to our discussions. Our youth have really good understanding but they also ask excellent questions. They sure keep me on my toes!

I’m really enjoying Sunday night youth fellowship as well. I’ve got some fun activities planned for our weekly youth group time, but I also hope to take suggestions from you (this means youth AND parents!) There will be a box in the youth room marked “Sunday Night Suggestions” and I hope you use it! Please put game suggestions, service/mission project suggestions or anything you have in mind for our Sunday Night get-togethers; remember this is YOUR youth group!

Thanks to the people who've been bringing friends to both Food for Thought AND our fellowship events. I think you'll agree, we have a much better time when more people are there! Keep it up! And if you haven't brought a friend yet, please do so!

Here's the Scoop!

2012-2013 

Youth Group Information

Sunday Mornings (in the Youth Room)

Food for Thought (High School) 11:00 (right when the service starts)

** This year, from September through April we will be using The Story curriculum along with the entire congregation!

Fun and Fellowship Sunday Evenings 6:15 – 7:30

(in the Youth Room/Young Children’s Worship area) 

Typical Sunday Evening Breakdown: (subject to change)

5:30 Family dinner in the sanctuary (if you can't come to this come at 6:00 or so!)
6:00 Hanging out, free time
6:15 Both groups together for music and message
6:30 (or so) Groups split for fellowship and other activities (Middle school/high school)
7:30 Dismiss

Typical Sunday evening activities include games, art, drama, service projects, movies and more

Other Activities/Fellowship

Each month there will be a service activity that all youth are encouraged to attend. Many of these activities will be in conjunction with the Local Missions Team

Each month there will be an additional fellowship outing offsite or at a different meeting time. These outings/events may include retreats, lock-ins, late-nights, bowling, mini golf, wally ball, or movies.

Each group will participate in several fundraisers over the course of the year to fund our annual summer mission trips.

Mission Trip reflections

Although your weeklong mission trip is over, God is still moving in you and through you! I’d like you to think about how this experience has changed you.

How has it changed…

your understanding of God?

your understanding of yourself and how God sees you?

your view of the world?

What have you learned…

about serving?

about following Jesus?

In thinking specifically about your ministry in Washington DC…

What/who made the biggest impact on you?

What surprised you about ministry?

What thought(s) or question(s) have stuck with you since you’ve been back?

How do you think God will use this trip to shape your future (where you live, where you spend your money and on what, how you treat people, your career)?

Now that you’ve been back for several weeks…

What have you enjoyed the most?


What things have most gotten on your nerves?


What do you anticipate others’ responses will be to changes in you?

How are you personally going to continue on this journey?


I urge you to keep serving here in Michigan! Our church has many, many opportunities for you to continue working toward helping others. Here are a few that are coming up soon:

Intergenerational mission project at Wayne County Family Center on Saturday, July 28. Picnic dinner and games with the homeless families that live in this shelter.

VBS at Geneva starting August 13! Help guide children, make snacks, sing songs and more!