CHRISTMAS - Jesus is the Reason for the Season
The children of Megawhizzers, Whizzkids and creche will take part in the Nativity play on Sunday 18th December during the 11am service. The play written by our youth leader Sarah will include Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and .... a stroppy teenager. All welcome.
Encounters with Jesus is this terms theme for the childrens church who meet during the 11am service on Sundays in the Church Hall. On the first Sunday of the month we join with the rest of the congregation for an interactive All Age service in church. This coming All Age Service is also the Harvest Service which will be led by the members of the Youth @ St Marys and Youth Club.
The Youth @ St Marys is split into two groups, designed to make learning about Jesus more enjoyable and also easier to understand. Megawhizzers is for academy aged youth and their sessions consist of silly games, fun quizzes, the bible and getting to know Jesus better. Whizzkids is for children aged 4-11 years. Their sessions are simpler and include crafts, bible stories and games. There is also a creche in the hall for babies and toddlers. Why not come along and see what we get up to?
In addition, every fortnight Youth Club meets in the Hall at 7.30-9pm on a Sunday. This group if for youth from S1 upwards. Each session has a different theme along with games, the bible and of course lots of SNACKS!! ALL WELCOME.
At Saint Mary's we are linked with the work of Urban Saints, Scotland, formerly known as Crusaders.
Contact Sarah Goodyear, tel 01358 724327 for more information
 4 Teenagers, 1 homeless family, 1 house to build, 5 days to do it, £6000 needed...
***Total rasied to date ......£6700***
We've done it - and raised almost £7000 in 7 months!
Car washes, car boot sales, cake bakes, book sales, Bingo evenings, a Posh frocks nearly new sale, pub quiz, a Mr & Mrs competition (won by Dr & Mrs Pucci) and finally a Soup and Sweet lunch - with Santa - have all helped us learn what hard work is - something that the kids will be doing lots of when they get to Mexico in April.
We met with Charlie from Urban Saints and saw photographs of the house build this year in Mexico. Wow, it's one thing knowing that you're going to build a house - but actually seeing that you are going to dig the foundations, cut the timber and build the wooden frame and then render the walls!!! Hope Sarah doesn't loose the instruction manual. Now all we need are the innoculations, kit including solar showers (if you don't hang your black bag of water to heat in the sun each morning then you have a cold shower) and tickets of course and then we're off. We head to Luton at the end of March and fly off to Mexico on the 31st of March 2012. Can't wait!
Next Easter 4 teenagers (Michael, Mairi, Chloe and Matthew) and their youth leader (Sarah) from St.Mary's are travelling to Mexico to change one family's life forever. Project ReBuild (run by Urban Saints and Amor Ministeries) is an 11day trip to Mexico where teams of youth build a house from the foundations up with only hand tools. They also arrange activities for the local children and at the end of the trip hand over the keys of the house to the family. This will be no holiday! The group will be camping, living on a basic diet (similar to those living in Mexico) and not getting a days rest from when they start. This life changing experience will be an excellent opportunity for the youth to experience a new culture and appreciate what they have, whilst helping others.
Ellon ReBuild Mexico Team 2012 would like to thank everyone for their continued support and prayers, and wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
For more information contact ...
Sarah Goodyear, tel 01358 724327
Imagine
Three of the teenagers from Youth @ St Marys went to the Imagine festival in Inveruie this August. It's the first time the Diocese has led a group to the event so it was a steep learning curve for everyone involved. It's a week long Christian festival with speakers, bands, games, events and a prayer tent - and of course if good festival tradition you camp there. Although they only went for a couple of days, and sleep was in very limited supply all agreed that it's a MUST for next year - and this time they are camping for the whole week! Well, maybe. Here's what two of them thought.
Wow! Imagine just blew me away. To see so many teenagers under one roof (there were literally hundreds of us), praising God really gave me hope. These days' teenagers are accused of being lazy, anti-social and not caring about anything other than the latest fashion trends or computer games. Never have they been proved so wrong! The best part was the worship with the live band. The music literally shook the floor and almost every person was jumping, dancing or clapping, there was so much joy. I learnt so much in the short time I was there. I also learnt how to become a better friend and more compassionate person. I also learnt alot about praying. Mike Pivalachi (one of the speakers, very funny by the way) said something that really made me think. 'Praise by faith through pain. Anyone can pray when life is easy'. Anyway, I cannot wait for next year, bring it on!!!
Imagine was the first Christian youth camp I went to and I want to go back every year now!
It was mostly because of the people there that made me enjoy it but also because of the amazing talkers like mike pilavachi he is so funny! (I definitely recommend going to see one of his talks) but also because of the friendly people and activities around the site.
I definitely recommend going to this event when you can because it’s amazing! |
