The Church At Severn Run7279024248

Weekly Newsletter

Weekly Update: September 21-27, 2026

We are back for another great week of Student Ministry! Attached to our weekly email is a calendar for this Fall and our updated info on our Winter Retreat which is now January 22-24, 2027. Join us this Wednesday Night for a very special event : COOKIE POSTER PARTY! This is an event where we partner with Kairos Prison Ministry, we will spend a lot of our night eating cookies and making posters for the Kairos team. The posters that our students make will be used by Kairos to share the Gospel and bring encouragement for people who are in prison, it is a great opportunity to enjoy a special night with friends and do something special to share the hope of Jesus.

This Sunday, we are hosting our first Lunch & Learn for students and adults from 12:30-1:30pm. Lunch & Learns are an opportunity to learn more about leadership, theology, and what it means to follow Jesus. All students and leaders are welcome! If you are looking to serve with us in Student Ministry, use this form to get started - Serve In Student Ministry. You can learn more about what is going on and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and through our website. As a reminder, we have a texting services that you can opt in to for free : text the word "students" to (443) 888-3130.

1) WEDNESDAY NIGHTS: SEPT 23, 2026 @ 7-8:30PM - It's COOKIE POSTER PARTY!!! Invite a friend and enjoy a special night with worship, cookies, and posters.

2) BRIDGE 56 / JOURNEY 78 : SEPT 27, 2026 - Our 5th-8th grade groups are meeting upstairs! Parents & high school students: we still need more people to serve on Sunday Mornings and you could join an amazing team of people serving with 5th-8th graders.

3) LUNCH & LEARN : SEPT 27, 2026 @ 12:30-1:30PM - This Sunday, we are hosting our first Lunch & Learn for students and adult leaders from 12:30-1:30pm. Lunch & Learns are an opportunity to learn more about leadership, theology, and what it means to follow Jesus. All students and leaders are welcome!

4) STUDENT MINISTRY FOCUS GROUP : SEPT 30, 2026 @ 6:15-7pm - We are inviting all students, parents, and leaders to a special focus group to share your heart and thoughts about the future of our student ministry. Pastor Matt is transitioning to the new role of Executive Pastor and we are getting ready to start the process of hiring our next great leader for Student Ministry. We will have some snacks and light refreshments. We would love to hear from you and invite you to begin praying with us.
Cookie Poster Party
September 237p - 8:30pLOCATION: The Church at Severn Run
Lunch & Learn
September 2712:30p - 1:30pLOCATION: Room 212 (upstairs)
Student Ministry Focus Group
September 306:15p - 7pLOCATION: The Church at Severn Run
Celebrate Your Family Identity
Jim Burns -President of HomeWord and Executive Director of the HomeWord Center for Youth and Family at Azusa Pacific University
On Monday nights when our girls were growing up, Cathy and I would take them to the Golden Spoon for frozen yogurt after dinner. The weekly yogurt run was part of our family identity --- part of what made us who we were. Even the neighbors knew our routine and sometimes shouted to-go orders as we pulled out of our driveway. Our three daughters are now grown, but when our family gets together, we still make trips to the Golden Spoon. It's one of those simple traditions that have kept our family bonds strong.

Not surprisingly, a strong family identity also helps children develop a strong and healthy self-identity. Knowing what makes their family unique --- traditions, values, and ways of relating to one another --- gives children a clear starting point for discovering their own place in the world. Studies have shown that kids who identify with their family's values tend to be less promiscuous and face less risk of drug and alcohol abuse.

I'm a big fan of parents who make the effort to build a strong family identity. But how is it done? Here are three principles that I believe are critical to the process.

1. Be present. Children regard your presence in their lives as a sign of care and connectedness. Families who eat meals together, play together, and build traditions together thrive. Your presence matters! Does your family eat together at least four times a week? If so, there is a greater chance your kids will perform better in school and be less likely to exhibit negative behavior.

2. Celebrate everything! Don't miss a single chance to celebrate your family. You can celebrate birthdays, graduations, and other rites of passage, but don't miss out on celebrating life's smaller occasions such as Little League victories, learned skills, and school achievements.

3. Talk about faith. For some families, spiritual discussions are easier said than done. But having faith conversations with your kids helps to build your family identity. They also help your kids build strong convictions, as they get older. When you regularly expose your kids to God's truth, it can, as a friend of mine says, "help them develop a sweet tooth for Jesus." And that's something far better than buying your kids frozen yogurt at the Golden Spoon.
https://www.instagram.com/studentsatsr https://www.facebook.com/StudentsAtSevernRun

Share

Weekly Newsletter

Cookie Poster Party

Lunch & Learn

Student Ministry Focus Group

Celebrate Your Family Identity