This month in Velocity we’ve been going through a series called LIFE.  We’re talking about some of the major parts of life and this week, both on Sunday and tonight at V-Groups, we talked about parents.  We gave kids a chance to write anonymous notes to their mom & dad and we wanted to share some of their comments with you.  They’re pretty powerful!

Dear Mom & Dad,

• Thank you for loving me and giving me the opportunity to have a relationship with God. I am sorry if I don’t understand where you are coming from at times. I love you guys.
• I wish that we talked about God more in everyday life.
• I wish my mom and stepdad would listen to me more after they get home from work instead of watching TV.
• I wish we could go out and do more things.
• I like it when you spend individual time with me, like playing basketball or going to lunch with me.
• It seems like you are never home.
• I wish that you would not yell.
• I just wish I could get you to sit down and actually listen to me instead of just saying “I’m the adult, you’re the child.” It makes me feel like you think I’m stupid.
• I wish you would spend time with me.
• Help me. Listen more often.
• I do not think that I say sorry enough.
• I wish you knew how much I really appreciate you.
• Make more rules.
• I am so happy that you give me so many rules. It helps me.
• I wish you knew how much I appreciate you and what you do for me.
• I love you. Thank you for being kind. I wish you could know that I want to spend more time with you.
• I can’t say how much I love you.
• I love you so much! You mean so much to me. I am so proud to be your child.

 Love,

Your Child

Last week our new intern, Drew Kanzler joined the student ministry team.  We’re excited to have him and we wanted to give you a chance to get to know him so you can get as excited as we are.

1. What were you doing before coming to WSCC?

I was (and still am) a student in the Undergrad program at Lincoln Christian University. I will graduate in May and continue as an intern here. I also worked with at risk youth in Lincoln for the past 3+ years.

2. What are 3 things most people don’t know about you?

I collect a peculiar and strange assortment of hats (I have over 70), I have had two knee surgeries and I have traveled to England, Italy, Germany, Austria, South Korea, Mexico, and Canada.

3. What was your very first paid job?

My first paid job was landscaping. I worked for a company called Earth and Turf for three summers. ‘We take Pride in your Outside!”

4. What do you love?

My girlfriend Alexis, family, state fair corn dogs, White Sox, making people smile, the Lord, Youth Ministry, playing basketball, brain games.

5. What makes you laugh?

TV shows without a laugh track, watching the Illini lose, Bill Cosby, puns, wittiness, cheesy jokes.

6. Greatest fear?

Falling down the stairs.

7. Secret Ambition?

To be a Division 1 Men’s Basketball Head Coach.

9. Favorite Quote?

Do not let the things you can’t do, keep you from doing the things you can do. -John Wooden

Success is having something, Excellence is being something. -Brad Stevens

9. Describe one of your proudest moments.

This past summer when I was working on Camp Teams for LCU, I baptized a young high school girl. She was the first person that I have baptized. That is one of my proudest moments.

10. What is the best way to contact you?

 Telepathically, but if you can’t do that, e-mail me at DrewK@wschurch.org.

 Please help us welcome Drew to the student ministry team!

Don’t miss our end or year V-Group Christmas Parties on December 14 from 6:30-8:00PM. Even if you’ve never been to V-Groups before you can come and join in the fun. We’d love to have you!

Just make sure you bring some sort of goofy, weird, cheap or ridiculous white elephant gift to exchange. See you there!

In honor of the Cardinals making it to the world series we’re changing up our plans for V-Groups this Wednesday (10/19).  We’ll meet together in the gym at 6:30PM just like usual but from there we’ll go straight to our V-Groups for a few minutes to check in and see how everyone is doing.

Then we’re going to gather together to watch the first part of Game 1 of the World Series (it starts at 7:05PM) as the Cardinals take on the Rangers.  You can watch the game with your small group or just hang out and talk.  We’ll have free food (if anyone would be willing to bring chips, cookies, etc let Chris know) and we’ll also have some prizes for most (and maybe even least) Cardinal team spirit so you may want to come decked out and ready to cheer.

It’ll be a great time to hang out together but, best of all, this is a perfect chance to invite your friends.  Even if they don’t love baseball, who wouldn’t want free food and some time to hang out and get away from homework for a while.

We’ll meet during our normal time, 6:30-8:00PM so even if you’ve never been before just plan to come meet up in the gym and we’ll go from there.  See you then!

On Wednesday, November 2nd from 6:30-8:00PM our normal V-Groups will be replaced by our fourth annual Pumpkinpalooza! We’ll meet you at the camp for lots of post-Halloween fun. We’ll do some fun fall stuff and, since it’ll be just after Halloween we’re asking everyone to come in costume. We’ll also be doing some fun stuff with candy but we need some donations. If you or your family have any extra candy or would be willing to provide some, please contact ChrisS@wschurch.org.

The whole point of nights like this is to give you an easy way to invite your friends to come out, have some fun and meet a few people from church. Take the time in the next week or two to mention this to your friends and invite them to come join in the fun!

With the remaining four weeks, we’ll be taking a look at several specific ways Jesus calling us to be weird.  To go along with each, we’re crafted a New Revised Velocity version of Matthew 5 1/2 with some of Jesus’ potential teachings for each week. 

This Sunday, along with the rest of the church, we’re beginning our Weird series in Velocity.  It’s a great opportunity to learn about the incredible, and weird, life Jesus is calling us to.  It’s also a chance for us to let a little weird out, always a good thing in Jr. High! 

Each week during our series, we’re challenging students to dress weird.  We’ve got a theme for each day, but most of all we just want you to be weird!

• 10/9 – The Case For Weird – Anything Weird Day
• 10/16 – Adopt a Weird Schedule – Dress Like You Parents Day
• 10/23 – Build Weird Relationships – Twin Day
• 10/30 – Very Weirdly Yours – Purple Day
• 11/6 – Carry A Weird Wallet – Celebrity/Costume Day

We’re looking forward to lots of fun stuff.  Just make sure you’re fully clothed and keep it church appropriate (don’t go to scary or violent).

Can’t wait to see lots of weirdos this Sunday!

We’re trying something new this year as we kickoff the first month of V-Groups to give groups a chance to get to know each other and catch up from the summer in a casual environment.This coming Wednesday (9/28) all of our groups are meeting off site at a restaurant or somewhere fun. Currently all groups are planning to meet during the regular time frame (6:30-8:00PM) at the following locations:

• 6^th Grade Boys (All) – Dairy Queen on N. Grand
• 7^th Grade Boys (Jerry & Curtis) – Drop off Twist & Swirl, Pick up at WSCC
• 7^th Grade Boys (Jon, Stuart & Corey) – Pizza Machine
• 8^th Grade Boys (All) – Knights Action Park
• 6^th Grade Girls (Melissa & Heather) – Steak & Shake on Wabash
• 6^th Grade Girls (Brigette & Michelle) – Culvers on Wabash
• 7^th Grade Girls (All) – Pizza Machine
• 8^th Grade Girls (All) – Monicals

If you’re not sure where to go or have any questions, contact Chris. You may also want to check back Wednesday before you go just to make sure there have been no changes.

This month in Velocity we’ve been tackling some of the most difficult questions to face any Jr. High student. So far, we’ve discussed:

• Is it ok to have doubts?
• How do we know the Bible is true?
• Is Evolution fact?

This coming week we’re tackling one of our most difficult, but important questions yet. We’ll be covering the question, “What does the Bible say about Homosexuality?” In the culture our kids are growing up in, there aren’t many topics that will be much more important for our students to understand. However, since the topic is a little more sensitive than most, we wanted to make sure parents know ahead of time. If you don’t feel this topic is appropriate for your student feel free to have them attend adult worship or ABF with you this week.

Next week will be a big week for Just Add Hope! From the sound of things we’ll have lots of donations coming in and we can use everything we can get to help us reach our goal. At this point, OUR BIGGEST NEED IS VOLUNTEERS. It will be a HUGE task to collect, organize, price and sell everything we anticipate being donated. There are a few specific ways you can help.

• COLLECTION KICKOFF: Sunday, June 12 from 4-8pm – This is our big collection time. We hope to get the majority of our donations during this time so we can use all the help we can get! Please consider coming as a family to bring donations and then stay to help move things into the right areas to be sorted and priced during the week.
• MID-WEEK COLLECTIONS: Tuesday-Thursday, June 14-16 – We’ll be accepting donations and working to sort and price donations all week and we need your help. We’ll have groups accepting donations and getting ready for the sale on Tuesday-Thursday from 9am-noon and from 5-8pm. We need students, parents and anyone else who can cometo help as many of those time slots as possible. However, we specifically want the following groups to come at the times below so you have a chance to see and catch up with your V-Group as you serve.
  • 7th Grade Groups – Tuesday from 5-8pm
  • 6th Grade Groups – Wednesday from 5-8pm
  • 8th Grade Groups – Thursday from 5-8pm
• SALE DAYS: Friday-Saturday, June 17-18 - We’ll nee all hands on deck for the sale itself. Adults and students alike will be needed to work check out counters, reorganize and straghten items, and help customers load larger items. We’ve setup two shifts each morning from 7:30-10:30am and from 10:30-1:30pm. We also need a team to stay after on Saturday from 1-3pm to clean up and help load any remaining items on a truck to be donated.

You’re welcome to just show up any time to volunteer. However, if you’re able to let us know when you plan to come we’re able to plan our time better. You can signup to volunteer online now at www.wschurch.org/GarageSale or on Sunday at our concourse table.