Youth News – 2010 to 2011 “Run the race with your eyes fixed on Jesus.” (Hebrews 12:1-2) the Christians Under the Stairs youth program: setting the pace for Christian youth. Youth Leaders' Vision Statements 2010-11 ... Thinking Big!! Daniela Bodden – Vision Statement I believe the CUTS Youth group is a place where people can expand their faith and meet new people in the process. For our cuts youth group I want this year to be focused on strengthening our communication with Lulu and our friends in Uganda. I also want to focus on community service projects like caroling and the 30 hour famine. I also want to continue to expand our youth group and reach out to others in the community. I would also like for the group to continue communicating with Jessie and let her tell us her experiences while participating in the world race. I want the CUTS group to go on trips together like the youth retreat or a skiing trip so we can bond as a group an participate in activities that we can enjoy. I hope we have a great and memorable year. Dennis Marsh - Vision Statement This up and coming youth group year is going to full of new activities, and I would like to find a way to get the youth more involved with helping out around the community. I have a few ideas in mind that we might be able to workout this year. Hopefully we'll get even more involved with other youth groups around the world and add to the network we've established over the last few years. I think starting a phone/text message chain is a very good way to keep in touch with everybody, and make sure everyone is up to date. I am very confident that we'll have a fun and successful year, just like every other year I've been involved with the youth group. Chantel Durgana – Vision Statement For the youth group this year, I see us doing more work to help out our community. Whether it be the group participating in an austism walk to raise money, or just helping out at the Shepard's Table through the church. I feel that it is very important that we do whatever possible to help our community because it's where we live and we should be helping in any ways possible. Because of the recent tragedy at the Hope For The Future warehouse, I believe that it's our duty to do whatever we should to help them get back on track, because I know that we all have fun when we go into the city and who would want to lose that. I know I don't! Vicki Mann - Vision Statement I have a vision of expanding our activities with other youth groups. I wish to strive for a night once a month where we meet with another youth group from a different church. This would not only allow people from our group to make new friends from people they wouldn't have known otherwise, but also will allow us to see how other youth groups are organized. We may learn some new activities from them, and they may learn some from us, making our time together more fun as we learn new things to do. I'd also like to see an increase in the communication between Lulu, our bible pen pals, and any other new friends we may make in the future or present years. I think a night where we all sit down and talk about what we've learned about these kids would be interesting, make it less of a chore or an assignment to some members, and more of a relationship. I hope to be able to help Tim in any way I possibly can, wherever he may need me. I think it's time that I give something back to him, after all these years of hard work on his part. I’d like to attempt to start an "alumnai night" of some kind, where people from the past are invited back for a meeting, and we can talk with them about how things are different now, and what it was like in the group when they were younger. I also think bring a friend night should happen twice a year, once right after Christmas break ends, and the kids want to get back to the group. Not only would we get more members, but we’d be able to meet more people this way. I’d like to talk about trying to get the trip to the cabin turned into an annual trip, if possible. Anyone who goes on the trip has a lot of fun, regardless of the weather, and it would be a thing for the group to look forward to every beginning of the year. And I would finally like to start a tradition for the seniors. In years gone by, the walls in the hallway were marked by balloons with a members name and date they arrived on it. I'd like to start celebrating the graduation of high school for an individual with something like a senior sheet, where the seniors could write about their years in the group, where they loved to go each year, the friends they made, the lessons learned, the favorite Olympic sport, (all PG rating here guys) and their names, so we can hang a different sheet up every year and be able to remember these people from their "yearbook" comments. I hope that I may be of good use to the group, and that I can help anyone who needs it in anyway I can. Activity Ideas that will challenge the minds and hearts of our young people Click here: Activities for Christian youth Next Hope for the Future Soup Kitchen: Saturday, June 11th. Meet at church at 12:00 noon Bring a bag lunch Will complete mission with cleanup aby 7:00 PM Bring money for dinner at diner Christian youth serving the homeless on the streets of New York Here are the Olympic Teams for 2011: Super Stars : Dennis Marsh (capt), Rachel Gebhardt(capt), Michael Gebhardt, Julianne Murray, , Chantel Durgana, Daniela Bodden,Ryan K., George Cartoons Anonymous :Arindam Jurakham (capt), Vicky Mann (capt), Anthony Rizzuto, Tyler Treadwell, Allan Bodden, Stephanie,Marlana Goldstein,Ryan 2011 Olympics Schedule is as follows: March 20th ... Volleyball and Spelling Bee March 26 ... Hope for the Hungry - youth work at a New York City soup kitchen and get points for their olympic team March 27th ... Darts and Charades April 3rd ... Pool and Domino Stacking ... Hope for Friends - youth write to Bible penpals in Uganda April 10th ... Bowling, Puzzle Making and Treasure Hunt April 17th ... Listomania and Pie Eating April 24th (Easter) ... Hope for Faith - youth present Easter dawn service at beach for the group and the church membership May 1st ... Soccer, Ping Pong, Musical Chairs May 8th Mother's Day (no meeting) May 15th ... Track and Limbo May 22nd ... Bible Trivia and Hope for the Elderly - youth visit a local senior citizens center and read, play a game with, lead a sing-a-long with an elderly person May 29th Memorial Day weekend (no meeting) June 5th ... Finale - Skits, Songs and Banner competition. For this competition the youth teams have to organize themselves and create a banner for themselves which is judged and for which they receive points. They also have to write a skit and a song which is performed and judged at a final performance for parents and youth members to attend. Many youth have developed new friendships while doing these activities which require planning, cooperation and practice. For more information on Youth Group Olympics, please read chapter 8 of "Not the Same Old, Done-it-before Youth Meetings".

Let's remember as we compete in olympics and other competitions such as volleyball that the Apostle Paul talks about the race that we run each day of our lives in Hebrews chapter 12. ... "let us run with determination the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus on whom our faith depends from the beginning to the end". As we play softball, run races, do limbo and Bible Trivia - keep our eyes "fixed on Jesus" and the Holy Spirit will guide our hearts to the Godly success of His special calling for each one of us.

Ariel, Kelly and Amanda

Performing at Xmas Show 2007