Hi Parents, 

We have a great summer planned for Southcliff Student Ministry. This newsletter will give you a little glimpse of what all is to come and I hope your child will be a part of it. 

We want to keep our students connected throughout the summer. It is natural for numbers to drop and students to want to skip. Without having school and wanting to sleep in everyday, the temptation is there to take a break from church. 

If we do these 3 things, I believe it will help. 

1. Lead by example - Spiritual leadership starts at the home. I understand we all miss church at times do to vacation and other things but it is important to display to the family the importance of church. If we don't view it as a priority and regularly attend, our children won't either. 

2. Encourage - PLEASE encourage your child why it is important. When I was a kid I would always ask my dad "Do I HAVE to go to church?" And he would answer, "No, you GET to go to church." Church is a privilege that we sometimes take for granted. I believe by encouraging them to be consistent, they will grow closer to God and to others in the ministry. 

3. Pray - Please be praying for our students. We have kids who are going through some really tough stuff. We have kids who don't view church as a priority. We have kids who need Jesus. If you could take a couple minutes out of your day and pray for them and for the ministry, I really believe we will see God do something great!

Sunday, May 7 is the last day that you can sign your student up for Youth Camp. 

If your student isn't signed up, please pray about letting them go. Its going to be an incredible week. 

Call me or email [email protected] if you have any questions. Especially about finances. We have scholarships available. Please don't let money be the reason they don't attend. 

You can sign up online at southcliff.com/youthcamp

Parents,

I would like you to be aware of a show that is very popular among teenagers currently. The show is called "13 Reasons Why" and is available on Netflix. The show depicts a girl who is a junior in high school who commits suicide. She leaves behind 13 tapes explaining why she chose to do it and how certain people affected her decision. The show contains some very graphic scenes that are a bit disturbing. 

I have seen a few episodes but could not finish. It is disturbing indeed. Disturbing to the point where public schools are sending letters home warning parents about the show and how it is affecting teenagers. 

I encourage you as parents to find out if your students are watching it and for you to be aware what it is all about. 

Here is an article I found with many links that will help inform you about the show. 

http://www.infoforfamilies.com/blog/2017/4/26/13-reasons-why-your-teens-probably-shouldnt-watch-13-reasons-why

Come celebrate our seniors. They will be recognized in both services on Sunday, May 21.

This meeting is mandatory for students going to camp and at least one parent. 

We will go over the week and answer any questions that you may have. 

We can't wait to welcome the new 7th graders into Southcliff Student Ministry. We will celebrate the day with pancakes. 

New series on Wednesday nights in May. 

How do we continue to stand up as Christians when the world is moving in the opposite directions. 

Join us Wednesday nights in May as we take a look at people in the Bible who stood up for their faith.