PRAY FOR THOSE LEAVING TODAY FOR THE BLAST RETREAT!

The theme for our Blast Retreat '09 experience is "MAKING IMPRESSIONS..." Students will get a chance to see the ripples their life's witness has had on the people around them and the impressions God has given them and the impressions they might be giving back to God. They will also be challenged in this new school/church year to make NEW and LASTING IMPRESSIONS that will honor God on their campuses and with their families, both church and home. Through crazy get-to-know-yah games, group building activities, campfire singing and smores, worship gatherings & the beautiful mountain scenery pray that everyone will be safe and challenged this weekend in Christ Jesus.

A NEW FACE for WEDNESDAY NIGHTS for YOUth!!

Starting the first Wednesday in September youth will have a slightly NEW look to their Wednesday night small groups. At 6:10pm in the Youth Exchange Andrew Danner and Marcus will open with prayer, announcements and some crazy group building game. (Oh, thanks Andrew for this past Sunday getting us the tires so we could play REDNECK FRISBEE GOLF. It was outstanding!!) Then at 6:30-7:30pm students will go to their assigned rooms for their elective.

Last Sunday at SPAM night students began signing up for 1 of 7 small groups that will "focus" on particular electives. The small group electives for this fall are:

DRAMA
HEMP making (limited to 15)
CPR & Emergency Responses (limited t0 15)
BACKYARD Kids lub for Lydia's Loft
A/V/L (limited to 8)
SMC PRAISE BAND (limited to 10)
HEALTH for the BODY, MIND & SPIRIT

These electives will be offered for a three month term with the MAIN FOCUS being to build deeper Christ-centered relationships among the students while learning a skill they can use to share God's love with others. We would love it if you were able to join us this fall.

**If you are a college student to senior adult and God as given you a passion, contact Marcus today about the possibility of leading a small group elective in 2010.

SALUTE OUR NEW SUNDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY LEADERSHIP to begin in September

September Classes, Teachers & New Rooms
6th & 7th Grade Boys - Joey McMellon, Craig Orr - DC107
6th & 7th Grade Girls - Beth Henry, Brenda Kreitter - DC104
8th Grade (Coed) - Robby Bales, Joy Nall - DC103
9th & 10th Grade (Coed) - Robert Kreitter, Jeff Meckola - DC210
11th Grade (Coed) - Troy&Cheryl Messick, Greg&Sallie Bass - DC209
12th Grade (Coed) - Neal Clayton, Joe Henry - DC211
Praise God for those who served this past year as a Sunday morning youth teacher! May the seeds of faith God planted through you continue to grow under this year's new line up. Pray for them and offer assistance that they may be as successful as you have been. TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

MORE BLAST RETREAT INFORMATION

What to Bring
Pillow, Twin bedding or sleeping bag, Towel & toiletries
Insect Repellent, Small Blanket, Flip flops / tennis shoes
Bathing Suite & pool towel, Flash light (optional)
Bible (not optional), Notebook & pen
Watch for the weather & bring appropriate clothing for two nights & two days. It will probably be cooler in the evenings.
What NOT to Bring
Cell phones – Camp policy
Anything valuable that you don’t want lost or damaged
Electronic games (could get lost or damaged, also can be distracting)
Alcohol or tobacco products
Absolutely no drugs or drug paraphernalia
Knives
Anything that could get you in trouble
Anything that could distract you or others from experiencing Christ
Where is the Retreat
Hickory Cove
Bible Camp & Retreat Center
170 Ferguson Lane
Taylorsville, NC 28681
Phone: 828-632-2987
Business Manager: Wolfgang Salewski
www.HickoryCove.org

BLAST RETREAT SCHEDULE

BLAST 2009 Retreat Schedule
for August 28-30 at Hickory Cove Bible Camp
Friday
5:30pm Meet @ church and load up the buses
6:00pm Leave for Hickory, NC
7:00pm Arrive at camp & Eat
8:00pm Unload & get settled (cabins)
8:30pm Orientation & Icebreaker activities (chapel/field/lake)
10:30pm Large Group Worship 1(chapel)
12:00am In Your Cabin
12:30am Total Quiet
Saturday
7:45am Rise & Shine
8:00am Breakfast
8:45am Quiet Time (alone with God)
9:15am Meeting in the chapel
9:30am Group Building Activities (field/gym)
10:30am Large Group – Worship 2 (chapel)
11:45am Get Cleaned Up for Lunch
12:00pm Lunch
1:00pm Free Time / Explore Time / Organized Games
(Gym or field sports; also 1-2:30 Pool, 2:30-4:30 Iceberg & Canoeing)
4:30pm Get Cleaned Up for Supper
5:00pm Supper
6:00pm Large Group Activity
8:00pm Meeting in the chapel
8:30pm Large Group Worship 3(chapel)
10:00pm Group Building/Large Group Fun
12:00am In Your Room
12:30am Total Quiet
Sunday
7:45am Rise & Shine
8:00am Pack Up, Clean Up & Load Up
9:00am Quiet Time (alone with God)
9:15am Meeting in the chapel
9:30am Large Group Worship 4(chapel)
11:00am Brunch
12:00pm Leave for FBC_H
1:30pm Get Picked Up at FBC_H

LAST HANGTIME OF THE SUMMER!

HANGTIME (11:49am; this Monday)
Hey High School YOUth! Monday, August 24, will be our last Hangtime of the summer. School for many will gear up on Tuesday, so if you can...join us! Hangtime will be at Panera Bread on Sam Furr Rd/Hwy 73 at exit 25 off of I-77. It's physical address is 9905 Knockando Drive, Huntersville; 704-655-1255. See you there!

SIGN UP FOR THE BLAST RETREAT BY THIS SUNDAY!!

Hey everyone! Remember to sign up BY THIS SUNDAY (AUGUST 23rd) for the Blast Retreat. Letters & forms were mailed out on August 11th to help with registration. The registration form is also on the church website. If you did not received this letter contact the church office today or see Marcus this Sunday. Don't forget that if you have a credit due you from Caswell, call the church office and have it transferred to your Blast Retreat account. You can then just pay the remaining amount and turn in the forms to reserve your student's spot on the bus. The retreat schedule, packing list and other related information will become available next Monday to those who are registered.

Dawn & Marcus Just Sent This Phone Tree Out

Join us this Sunday evening (August 23) from 5:30-7pm for our ORIENTATION for New Youth & SPAM NIGHT located in the church gym and dining hall. Things begin at 5:30pm with our ORIENTATION for those new to the youth department. Families will be able to hear from the youth guy and music lady about the many opportunities to plug into our student ministries and time for Q&A. Then starting at 6:00pm, be ready for SPAM Night! SPAM is a fun way to celebrate Student Performing Arts Ministries at FBC. There will be booths for all our Arts ministry groups, and you will be able to sign up for the ministry of your choice. And don’t forget, you will get to dine on those delicious SPAM Appetizers. Yummy...yummy...in my tummy! We hope to see you this Sunday evening at SPAM Night!

MIDWEEK ROCKED THIS WEEK!! HERE ARE SOME PICS

A Special Thanks goes out to Ma & Pa Dorcas for hooking us up with this place, cooking in the rain, cleaning up in the dark and just being the rockin parents we know and love. Muchas Gracious!!

WEEK OF AUGUST 7-23 Youth Activities

HANGTIME in the summer (every Tuesday @11:49am)
This Tuesday our rising 9th-12th graders will meet at IHOP (16815 Caldwell Creek Dr., Huntersville; 704-987-3295) for lunch. If you are in the area drop by and share how your summer has gone. This is the last Hang Time on the summer calendar, however the youth who've attended talked about trying one more on Monday before school starts. If you are interested, let Marcus know asap where you would like to go next Monday for HangTime.

MIDWEEK Home Connection
(This Wednesday from 5:30-8:30pm)
Wednesday, August 19th, will be our last home connection for the summer. The location is the Davidson College Lake Campus in Cornelius (152 Lake Campus Dr., Mooresville, 28117). Bus transportation will be available from the church, leaving at 5pm sharp and returning around 9pm. Wear your swimsuit and bring $3 for lake entrance fee, your favorite 2-liter soft drink and beach towel. We extend a special welcome to our rising 6th grade youth! It is great to have you aboard. Friends are always welcome!
Directions: To reach the Lake Campus from Huntersville take I-77 North to Langtree Rd Exit #31 (this is a new exit ramp) and turn left. Stay on Langtree for about 1 mile. Turn right onto Lake Campus Drive and follow to the gatehouse entrance. My cellular number is 864-245-8791 if you have any difficulty finding it.

BLAST RETREAT SIGN-UP!
Don't forget that this Sunday (August 23) is the deadline to sign-up for the Back-t0-School BLAST RETREAT! We will leave on Friday (August 28) at 6pm and return to the church on Sunday (August 30) at around 1:30pm. Cost is $81 which includes two nights lodging, transportation, program and all meals. Download your form today off our church website and turn it and your payment into the church office this week. Starting this fall off right...together!

THANKS FOR GIVING OF YOURSELF

Here is are few shout-outs of THANKS for people that have been the hands and feet of God to our youth this past year!

THANK YOU SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS for your leadership over this past year. You can be sure that the time you spent in prayer for the youth in your class, time preparing your sunday school lesson and time being with the youth and building relationships (when you could have been participating in your own adult class)...has been honored by God. The seeds have taken root and the youth are growing closer to God...because of you. Thank you!!

THANK YOU MIDWEEK HOSTS & LEADERS! The summer rocked because you opened your homes and/or came out to support our youth and got to know them. Those relationships are the things that our youth will remember over the long haul...your love!

THANK YOU SMALL GROUP LEADERS for your dedication this past year. You help create sacred space where youth could let down their guards in the midst of their busy week and discover they were cared for and missed. Those relationships in Christ will last forever!

AUGUST 12TH MIDWEEK LOCATION HAS BEEN CHANGED

The location for this Wednesday's home connection has been CHANGED from the Davidson College Lake Campus to the Lake House of Joey & Amber McMellon. The address and directions to the lake house are below. Midweek will be 5:30-8:30pm. Bus transportation will be available from church, leaving at 5pm sharp & returning by 9pm. We will have plenty of time for swimming, kayaks, paddle boat, canoing, devo by Drew Barnett, a crazy game, etc. Wear bathing suits and BRING beach towel, life jacket if you have one, beach chair if you need one, a 2-liter drink and Girls bring something SWEET/Guys bring something SALTY! The menu is hotdogs with chili & fixings, beans, and whatever you bring. Friends are welcome & encouraged to join us!

DIRECTIONS
From I-77 at exit 25...Go west on Sam Furr Road 4 1/2 miles and turn right on Hagers Ferry Road. Follow past SouthLake Christian Academy and almost to dead end. Turn right onto Stinson Cove Road. Third house on right. 16312 is on mail box, look for gravel driveway. Additional parking is two doors past us on the right (look for signs). Walk around to backyard please.

The McMellons (Joey, Amber, Evan & Aaron)
16312 Stinson Cove Road; Huntersville NC 28078; 704-875-8358