V-Group Final Parties

Our weekly V-Groups are wrapping up for the semester and our groups are planning fun nights to celebrate the end of a great year. See below for your group’s plans on Wednesday, 5/9 and check back to make sure there aren’t any changes.

• All 6th Grade Boys – 6:30-8:00PM, meet at the new YMCA (Illes & Archer Elevator Rd), bring swimsuit & towel.
  
• Jon, Stewart & Corey (7th) – 6:30-8:00PM, meet at West Side, pizza & games.
• Jerry, Tony & Curtis (7th) – 6:30-8:00, meet at Culver’s on Wabash, bring money for food.
• All 8th Grade Boys – 6:30-8:00PM, meet at West Side, Pizza & Dodgeball, bring your own drink.
• All 6th Grade Girls – 6:30-8:00, meet at Smashburger & Cherry Berry. Bring money for food.
• Bethany, Amy & Angie (7th) - 6:30-8:00PM, meet at the Harney’s house, see flyer for more info.
• Bridget, Brenda & Maddy (8th) - 6:00-8:00PM in E205, pizza and a movie.

While we will no longer have our weekly V-Group times over the summer, we will still have monthly opportunities to see each other (in addition to Velocity on Sunday mornings). Check back soon for more info on what we’ll be doing over the summer.

Family Mission Trips 2012

Last year we took our first Family Mission’s Trip for students and their parents and it was a huge success!  This year, we’re expanding it to two different trips.

• June 11 through 14 we’ll return to Springfield, MO to work with Victory Missionto serve the homeless and those in need. Cost is $75 per person. Register online by May 13.
  • Sign up and pay online
  • Sign up and pay in person
• August 8 through 11 we’ll work with Jesus People USAto serve low income women, children & seniors in Downtown Chicago with Jesus People USA.  Cost is $100 per person.  Register online by July 15.
  • Sign up and pay online
  • Sign up and pay in person

Space is limited for each trip so sign up today!

LSCA Summer Camp

Summer camp at Lake Springfield is a can’t miss for every age but the Jr. High and Niners (for students who just finished 8th grade) weeks are extra special.

• Jr. High 1 – July 1-6 (going into 7-8th grade)
• Niners – June 17-22 (going into 9th grade)

Find out more and register online at www.LSCAcamp.org.  Register by May 1st to take advantage of the early bird rates!

Arise & Awaken

These are intentional events we’ve designed just for our current 7^th graders and their parents.  We’re bringing together a few God-honoring adults from our church to help students make that important transition into adulthood.  We’ve been working all year long to make them incredibly memorable so I hope every 7th grade family will make it a priority to participate.

• ARISE for fathers & sons is June 22-24 at Camp CILCA.  Signup online by 5/6 for a discounted rate of $99 ($49.50 each).  The final registration deadline is 6/3 ($119).  Read the full info letter here.
• AWAKEN for mothers & daughters is June 8-9 in Bloomington, IL.  Signup online by 4/29 for a discounted rate of $79 ($39.50 each).  The final registration deadline is 5/27 ($99).  Read the full info letter here.

Space is limited so take a minute right now to register online and save your spot!

Not in 7th grade?  No problem.  If you’re younger, we’re planning to offer this event each year so you can particpate next year.  If you’re already through 7th grade and want to do something like this, let us know.  We’ll get you some valuble resources to help you create an event like this for your family.

Mall Mania

Coming up on April 25, 6:30-8:00PM at White Oaks Mall Food Court we’re planning this fun event in place of our regular V-Group time.  You do not want to miss it!  We are going to meet up at the food court at the mall at 6:30PM.  We’ve got a scavenger hunt and several other challenges planned.  Plus, we’ll have some fun prizes for our winners.  It should be a GREAT time so pick up some invite cards start inviting your friends.  We hope to see you there!

NOTE: We will NOT meet at the church.  Students should be dropped off and picked up from the mall food court.

Giant Sundae Sunday

Next Sunday, April 1st at 10:15AM, Velocity is going to to be HUGE!  As a wrap up to our How To Save A Life series we’re going to have an extra special program for April Fools day and we’re encouraging EVERYONE to invite a friend.  We’re making it a perfect Sunday to bring friends and we’re hoping to have a record breaking number of students with us for all the fun we have planned.  Not only will we worship together and play some extra fun games, we’re going to have a GIANT ice cream sundae.  We’re talking epic.  You won’t want your friends to miss it!

Invite Idea: Consider having a sleepover the night before.  Pizza and video games (or late night giggle sessions for the ladies) are a great lead in to fun worship and a giant banana split.  Have a sleepover and then come to church together in the morning!

Velocity Dodgeball Tournament

The dogeball tournament is almost here!  Next Wednesday, March 14 from 6:30-8:00PM we’ll be gathering in the gym for our most highly attended event of the year.  Make sure you come and invite your friends!  It’s a super easy excuse to come to church and meet some fun people.  Also, don’t forget that the students with the best dodgeball outfits get prizes so figure out something fun to wear.

Parents: We’re looking for some additional snacks for the night. If you’d be willing to bring some chips or cookies or send them with your student that night, please contact ChrisS@wschurch.org to let us know.

Student Center Dedication Event

On Sunday, March 25 from 4:00-5:30pm the entire West Side family is invited to a unique prayer & worship event to dedicate our new Student Center.  Come see a sneak peek of the building, worship with us and pray for the building, the students and the lives that will be changed in this amazing new ministry space!

If you missed it a few months back, you can find out more about what we’re planning for the Student Center and even see a live feed of construction progress online now.

Love Costs Everything

We’re excited to announce that on Sunday, March 11^th at 6PM in Studio 1 we have the opportunity to host a national simulcast of the documentary, “Love Costs Everything.”  It features internationally acclaimed author, Francis Chan and real-life stories of the world-wide persecuted church.  It is a powerful film and will not be something you’ll want to miss.  Discussion guides will be made available following and the cafe will be open so consider coming with your small group or bringing family.  Due to intense subject matter, we suggest those attending to be Jr. High and older.  We hope you’ll be able to make it.  RSVP today!

Believe Recap

Last Friday over seventy of us headed down to St. Louis for our annual trip to the Believe conference.  It was an amazing weekend and hopefully you either got to go or got to hear about it from someone who did.  If not, make sure you don’t miss it next year!

We’ve uploaded some of our pictures to Facebook so you can take a look there to see some of the fun.