Hey Families!

It's hard to believe we've reached the end of the year! This semester at Dive has been amazing! Five new small group leaders joined our team back in August and we added 1 new small group. We've had so many new students this semester too, which has really diversified our group - we've got 10 schools represented among our students.

Before Thanksgiving, we gave students a free Christmas Devotional: A Song Of Hope. It's a really cool way to have daily time with God that includes and Christmas hymn, Scripture, and reflection questions to help students focus on the HOPE we have in Jesus this Christmas!

This month we're looking forward to the Merry & Bright Carnival Night Christmas party on December 15. And we're in the final days to sign up for Winter Retreat at Bair Lake Bible Camp, February 7-9. 2025! SIGN UP NOW!! We'll have a few weeks off during Christmas break, and we'll resume on January 5.

 - Pastor Rich

Throughout this series, we’ll look at the special role that “light” plays in the Christmas story throughout history, including what it looks like for us to carry the Light of Jesus in our world today. 

This three-week series dives into the Christmas story from three different perspectives: 700 years before Jesus’ birth, the time of Jesus’ birth, and today. We'll specifically spend time digging into these passages:

• The Light Predicted (Nov 24) – Isaiah 9:1-7
• The Light Breaks Through (Dec 8) – Luke 2:8-20 and Matthew 2:1-12
• The Light Within Us (Dec 15) – Matthew 5:14-16

It would be wonderful if you could find time to read and discuss one or more of these passages with your family during this Christmas season. During these conversations, try to encourage your teen to open up about how they’ve grown in their understanding of the topic that we discussed each week.

Continuing the Conversation

1. Look Back on the Series: Go over the Big Ideas we covered and ask your teen to reflect on how these concepts are showing up in their daily life.
2. Be Curious: Engage in deeper discussions about these ideas. A helpful tip: try asking more questions than providing answers. It might be challenging, but it's a great way to demonstrate that you truly value your teenager's thoughts and opinions.
3. Encourage Sharing: Motivate your teen to share their insights with peers or other family members. Talking about their beliefs can deepen their understanding and affirm their faith.

Thank you for your support and engagement throughout this series. Your involvement is invaluable in helping your student navigate their faith journey. If you have any feedback or need additional resources, please feel free to reach out.

Pastor Rich’s Top Reasons to sign up for Winter Retreat (in no particular order)

1. Disconnect from the world.
   It’s a short time away and disconnected, but it’s good for them. No TV. No computers. No video games. No cell phones.

2. Friendship Opportunities.
   Kids need relationships like they need air. Our students come from all different schools and neighborhoods. Retreats are a way to make new friends, which is key to keeping them involved in youth ministry.

3. Building Resilience.
   We’ve all heard about the rise in teen anxiety. There’s lots of contributing factors, but whatever the reason, retreats can be the cure. Getting out of our comfort zone in an environment built around Jesus and fun can help overcome fear and anxious thoughts.

4. Shared Memories.
   Nothing builds community like the unexpected moments of a retreat. These are the things students will be talking about for years.

5. Space to Hear from God.
   Getting out of routine and into a new environment might just be the thing to shake up our spiritual dullness. We’re doing all the same things we do at youth group (prayer, worship, and teaching), but hearing it from a new person or in a new way can be just the thing we need to connect with God.

6. Spiritual Espresso.
   A weekend retreat is worth a whole semester at Dive. This isn’t just about chasing a “camp high” – there’s real spiritual momentum that happens coming out of Winter Retreat. It’s like nothing else!

7. Spiritual Breakthrough.
   Camp often becomes a “milestone moment” for a lot of teens. For those who choose to trust Jesus the first time and those who recommit to following Jesus, camp often changes kids’ lives forever.

8. Too Much Fun.
   We have so much fun – it should be illegal! There is nothing back home that comes close to what we do at Winter Retreat. Nothing.

9. Nothing to Lose.
   I’ve been in student ministry for 20 years. I’ve heard every excuse – “I don’t know anyone.” “I’m scared.” “What if it’s not fun?” “I’ve got homework.” “I’m busy.” “I don’t want to give up my phone.” “What if I miss home?” “I’ve got to do _______.” It’s just one weekend. You’ll survive. Everything will still be there when you get home.

Need to contact a small group leader? Here are the phone numbers for each small group leader at Dive for this school year. If you have prayer requests, needs, or just want to talk to a friendly person, they're here to help! 

JR HIGH (7th and 8th Grade)

Claire Carnes - (574) 952-1517

Kem Myers - (574) 780-6041

Anna Lawrence - (260) 209-0103

Darren Demis - (574) 315-0091

Jesse Huerta - (574) 780-7630

Zach Pickens - (574) 835-5881

Rich Gamble - (574) 540-6736

 

SR HIGH (9th-12th Grade)

Breanna Morrow - (574) 780-1091

Elizabeth Aggertt - (574) 933-4074

Liz Collins - (574) 952-3780 

Zach Dean - (219) 730-9273

Roger Krynock - (317) 697-7746

Michael Wagner - (574) 316-9105