June 2020 Driven Newsletter

We are so very PROUD of our 2020  Graduates!!!  CONGRATULATIONS!  We will be recognizing all of our  Graduates in the service on Sunday, June 7 at 11:00 am.  We will be putting together a special video to HONOR them.  This includes high school, college, and graduate school.  

We will have a special gift and a care package for our High School Graduates that comes from our Student and Riverkidz Ministries.  

We want to encourage our graduates and families to come IF YOU FEEL SAFE to.  If not, it will still be on our Riverbluff Church YouTube Livestream that morning for everyone to enjoy.  And you can drop by the church office one day to pick up your gift and care package.

It is almost time!  We have set the dates for promotion to be Sunday morning, August 2 and Wednesday evening, August 5.  That simply means that all kids will be moving up to their new grade level within the Riverkidz and Student Ministries.

All rising sixth graders will be moving into youth.  We recognize that this is a BIG change for many kids and their parents.  This is a transition that can be very exciting and scary at the same time, and we want to do all we can to make it as smooth as possible!  On the morning of August 2nd, please feel free to come by to meet the teachers and introduce yourself.  I believe it is essential for parents and those who teach their kids at church to know one another.  We want to partner with you in every way we can.  Please feel free to let me know if there is a specific way we can help or if there is anything we need to be aware of about your son or daughter.

Here are some significant changes that your child will experience as he or she moves up to Student Ministries:

We offer Sunday Bible study classes only at 9:30am.  We encourage all youth to participate in their classes and then go to the 11:00 worship service, or head home with their parents who may attend the early service.

• Sixth graders do not go through the check-in process like they did in children’s ministry. They will go directly to their new classes and the roll will be taken there.  Melissa Rhoton, Deena Booth, Linda Walker, and Celina Fleming rotate to teach the middle school girls, and their class meets in Room 109 on Hallway B.    Thomas Witman is the primary teacher for the boys, and their class meets in Room 110 on Hallway B.  Garrett Walker is the back-up teacher.
• Students are dismissed directly from their classrooms to the service or to meet their parents. There is no “checkout” procedure for Student Ministry. You may want to discuss with your child ahead of time where he or she should meet you on Sundays after class!

• A new opportunity for your child is DRIVEN, which is our gathering for all youth, every Wednesday night in the Annex from 6:30-8:00 PM. DRIVEN is a large group time with games, praise and worship, teaching, and discussion and prayer groups.  These discussion/prayer groups are led by youth leaders to help students apply what they learn.  We want to encourage you, if possible, to have your son or daughter join in with us on Wednesday nights.  We believe they will enjoy it and we have found it very valuable to have a mid-week connection time.

High School Graduates will need to transition to the Gathering which is our ministry for 18-23 year old young adults.  They have an on-campus Bible study SOAP group at 9:30 am on Sunday mornings and they meet at 5 pm on Sunday evenings - scheduled by Jimmy and Pam Sanders - at their home.