I am thrilled to be the Young Youth Director at First Lutheran Church! As I am thinking about the first part of my position I think about how busy everyone is at this time of year, school starting and transitions into a new routine. I had the opportunity to meet Lyle Griner who wrote the following… and are my thoughts exactly! 

Leading the young youth of our congregation has been an amazing experience and a continuous string of blessings since I started. Thus, it is with a very sad heart and mixed feelings that I am leaving this ministry.

I hope you all had a wonderful summer and found God’s blessings surrounding you in all that you did. As we enter into a new school year we welcome new friends as well as old and look for new adventures where we can blossom in God’s word. Some of our activities for the year will be new. You can be assured that the favorites will remain however: movie night, Sugar Creek Winter fun days, Sugar Creek summer camp, cookie decorating, etc.

I hope all of you have been enjoying the beautiful summer that God has provided for us. There are so many things to be thankful for that we must not forget to talk to God and let him know that we appreciate everything He blesses us with. Even the sad moments are a blessing because without rain things cannot grow....

What a beautiful year of service. The young youth did a fantastic job of displaying how wonderfully they can embrace the theme of the church with their own gifts! I thoroughly enjoyed watching these children bring smiles to the people around them as they served and followed the word of the bible. Now it is our time to rest and energize ourselves for the upcoming year and all the fun and opportunities that it may bring. There will be a kick off potluck get together in September. Date, time and location are yet to be determined. Until then enjoy all the blessings that God may provide for you this summer. Treasure the memories, opportunities, sun and freedom that you may encounter with the changing of the school year and the busy schedules of summer.

Meet at the church on Dec. 13th from 2:30–4pm down in the Fellowship Hall to decorate Christmas cookies. The cookies will be handed out as gifts to the residents that we visit when the church goes caroling on Dec. 14th at 5pm. Parents are more then welcome, even encouraged, to attend the cookie decorating event!