January 2019 Parent Newsletter
I feel so blessed to be going into 2019 full of optimism. Optimism can come about in a variety of ways, sometimes its just a choice, sometimes its what is needed, and sometimes it comes from a realistic observation of the scenario at hand. For me, optimism for the youth ministry comes from the third avenue I mentioned, observing the lay of the land. The obvious observation is that God remains faithful. He is at work in the youth ministry here at Ustick Baptist, and this is noticeable when we see students discussing matters of faith in serious and mature ways each Wednesday night, when students are engaged in the Word on Sunday mornings, and when we hear testimonies of students putting their faith into practice in real world ways. I'm optimistic because we have a great team of volunteers who are heavily invested in the lives of students and committed to seeing them grow in their faith. I'm encouraged because I see parents caring about what their students see, hear, and do. I'm glad because Ustick Baptist Church as a congregation is committed to seeing youth thrive and mature in faith. I'm just completely excited for all that God will do in 2019 through our Blaze Youth Ministry.
A few upcoming highlights include winter camp, summer camp, summer missions, service projects and fellowship opportunities, but those are the bigger things. The thing I am most looking forward to are all the moments in between; chatting with students before youth group starts, checking in during games (I like refereeing first base during kickball because I get to talk with a variety of students for minutes at a time), talking about life during car rides, lunches, coffee, etc. It's not just the big stuff that makes an impact in lives of students, it's the day to day stuff, and that it what I hope to embrace more fully in 2019. I am always inspired by Paul's words in 1 Thessalonians 2:8, " so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well." To me, the idea of sharing lives together, centered around the Gospel, is what youth ministry, fellowship, community, church, is all about.
I also hope to have more opportunities to spend with you guys, the awesome parents of Ustick Baptist Church students. It's always a pleasure to catch up with you. Thank you for raising your kids well, and for being great examples in the church.
God bless,
Pastor John