Start of a new year!

We may just have to scrap the idea of the youth actually doing the updating on the blog. I mean, we don't have to scrap it for good...but logistically it was just a bit tricky to get that job done. I think for now I will be doing the posting on here. I hope to be a bit more faithful to this blog this year..so we will start out right with a new post after our first meeting in 2009.

We were finally able to have a youth group meeting last night..after a few weeks off (due to Christmas, New Years and a few snow storms). It was nice to have the kids back again. It was our Yankee Swap/New Years party..since we missed both of those in December. I was amazed by the fact that everyone who came REMEMBERED to bring a gift! I had a few extra's just in case..but since everyone brought a gift if meant that my kids got to play too:)

Of course..what's gift opening without reading the from Luke 2. This was Melissa H's job. She's always the first to volunteer for reading. We then got to go through the swap..(with ME picking the coveted #1 out of the hat!). There was lots of trading and bartering going on..and lots of pretty crazy cool gifts too. There were coffee mugs with coffee from Starbucks, nice cozy throw blankets...lots of candy and chocolate and probably the coolest thing ever was the over sized Yoda pez despenser. Ethan picked that one...and nobody had the heart to take it from him (even though he was fully prepared for that!)

Along with the Yankee Swap we also had some yummy food...with brownies (the famous Mel Phillips brownies), ice cream, soda....and pizza of course.










After gift opening each of the students (and leaders..although, I was preoccupied with loading the ginormous Yoda Pez dispenser) were able to share how they saw God work in 2008. It was nice to hear what everyone had to say and they were all very genuine answers..ranging from things about the Revolve Tour, Super Bowl to places where they have seen God work in their families (like the Getty family for example). We had a time of prayer and it seems that the most requested prayer was one for guidance especially for the Seniors as they seek Gods will for what they should do next year.

It was a good night:)