September 2020

WELCOME BACK!

School has started for almost all students now AND it is very different from what we are all used to - Online learning, staying at home, figuring out how to be sure that your student gets the safest and best education they can. We at MVPC are diligently working to figure out how we might best serve our families and students as well as the community at large.

In planning for FALL 2020 we sent out a survey to see what everyone's feelings were about in-person meetings for learning, games, activities, and more.  Thank you for your honest feelings.  It is very helpful for us to know what is going on with our families and how to proceed for this fall.

Things will look a bit different than they ever have been before - and that's OK!  It is new, challenging, and unusual.  Please know that if you have any concerns, ideas, or questions we are here for you!  Just contact Pastor Jim Webb or Youth Director Christy Smith via email or phone or text.

WORSHIP @ MVPC

We would like to invite you and your family to join us on Sunday mornings if you do not have a home church.

PARKING LOT WORSHIP starting at new time SEPTEMBER 6 @ 9:00am - 9:30am

Bring your own chairs and be sure to mask up as we sit socially distanced from one another to sing and worship our living LORD!  As long as the weather is nice we will meet outside in the parking lot.  Once it turns cold, we will be heading into the Fellowship Hall/ Gym (you still bring your own chairs and mask up) and practicing social distancing!  Keep an eye out for Christy & her family!  We would love to have you join us!

 

ONLINE WORSHIP Sundays @ 10:45 am live stream or anytime via youtube

Are you searching for a worship service to join in online from the comfort and safety of your own home?  Look no further!  Join us online for Worship by visiting our website https://www.mymvpc.com/ and clicking on the link.  You can also watch this service anytime during the week that may work better for your schedule!

Youth Group will be a time for us to meet in-person and have a great time! As always, friends are welcome to attend!  We will be practicing social distancing!

YOUTH GROUP FALL 2020 KICKOFF

Sunday, Sept 13, 2020, from 5:00 pm - 6:15 pm in the North Parking Lot

Youth Group will consist of: Games (both active & sitting down), Lesson & Discussion Time, and Prayer.

Students are required to:

Wear a mask at all times

Bring a Bible, Notebook, & Writing Utensil (if your student needs a Bible please let Christy know - the Church would like to give them/you a Bible!)

Bring a filled Water Bottle

Bring a Chair or Blanket to sit on

PLEASE NOTE:

If your student or anyone in your family exhibits any signs of illness we ask that the student NOT ATTEND.  We can make arrangements for them to participate by facetime or video calling for that evening.

 

Restrooms and the Church building will not be available.

 

We will cancel in-person youth group due to inclement weather or poor air quality.  We will try to set up a ZOOM meeting for the evening. A group text will be sent out as well as information will be announced on our Facebook and Instagram pages.

 

IF the weather turns bad during our in-person meeting, students will contact their parents and arrange to be picked up immediately.  Students will be out in the elements until picked up, so parents need to be available during this hour and 15 minutes.

 

Starting in September our series will be POWERHOUSE!

Powerhouse is about going all-in for Jesus. It’s a refusal to give in to the status quo and a call to step up to the challenge of living for God in a world that does not acknowledge His Lordship. It’s both a battle cry and a humble acknowledgment of our Holy Spirit dependence. As we examine the accounts of five “powerhouse” women in the Bible, students will be inspired and equipped to set the tone wherever they go: in their love for God, their passion, their humility, their discipline, and their overall leadership. We’re inviting students to be “powerhouses” for God’s kingdom.

 

SNACK & CHAT!

Since students will be home during the beginning of the school year with their online learning and such, we wanted to offer something NEW and DIFFERENT!   SNACK & CHAT!

Students will need a little break during the day to help keep them on track and attentive.  Christy will be making a house call with a snack and checking in with your student(s) 2 times a month.  She will see how things are going, what we can pray for, etc.  OF COURSE, this will all be done with social distancing in mind - She will knock, set down a snack, then back up about 8 feet to wait to share time with your student(s).

Students will get to choose their regular day and time slot.  Families with multiple students in the Youth Group can either participate together or sign up for their own individual time!  If a student is sick or needs to cancel for any reason, all they need to do is contact Christy!

Sign up now! SNACK & CHAT SIGN UP!

By: Annie Pajcic

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test?
2 Corinthians 13:5, NIV

"Mom, you have got to switch me out of this English class! I already told Ms. Swift that I was going to be in her class this year. I don't even know this new English teacher. I mean, she could be terrible. My grades will fall. My life will be miserable! Mom, you have got to do something about this."

Does this conversation sound familiar? Let's be honest. It's sometimes easier to trust God for the BIG things in life and overlook the small things. But God wants us to trust Him in ALL things! The beginning of a new school year brings a host of new “things!” There are new teachers, new friends, and a new locker combination. There is worry about where you will sit at lunch and who you will sit with in class. What if you forget a book or wear the wrong outfit? These are all "things" that God wants us to bring to Him. They are all part of our day-to-day faith journey of trusting God. So how do we do it?

In this last chapter of 2 Corinthians, Paul writes the words, “examine yourselves.” We need to examine ourselves every day to see whether we are IN THE FAITH. Paul even tells us to test ourselves. The word for “test” can also mean “to prove.” God wants us to trust Him in ALL things so He can help us pass each test and trial that comes our way. It's not just so we can get an “A” on our report card, but He wants us to rely on HIM through difficult circumstances so our faith is proof to us and others that He is real and that He cares about us. It’s amazing to know that as believers in Jesus, He is LIVING IN US and ALL the wisdom, patience, love, hope, joy, and kindness in Jesus is accessible to us. When we pass each test, our faith will not only bring glory to Him, but our faith will be proof to others that God IS IN US. Maybe not getting the English teacher you really wanted isn’t as bad as you think. In fact, she might even turn out to be your favorite!

Prayer: Lord, thank You for being alive in me. I need to hear that today! Often, I try to control my own circumstances rather than believing You can and will use my circumstances for the purposes You have for me. Help me to examine my faith and rely on You for ALL things, big and small. It’s exciting to release the reigns of control and watch You work in my life. I want to pass each test—not only for me, but also to give You the glory and show others that You are alive. Amen.

Journal: Think of a time when you trusted your own ability to control a situation rather than examining your faith and trusting that God would help you. What was the outcome? How can you specifically move forward in your faith and trust that Jesus is living in you and will help you overcome any test that comes your way?

Dig Deeper: 1 Peter 1:7, 2 Corinthians 9:13, Romans 8:28