We have been meeting for a solid month now and I am excited about the progress of our youth groups.

The Image (high school group) has just finished our series on Influences where we took a good, hard look at the influences in our lives. Through our friends, to the media and then to the church, we looked at how we can improve our life by God’s standards by not letting ourselves get sucked into the world, through our friends or the media. We also talked about how the church could better minister to the world of teenagers and we are looking at how to do that as a ministry and as a church. We also just had Nate McCarter from Western Illinois University come and share about their campus ministry there and we had him share his life journey with and without Christ.

Our Next series is on Prayer. We will take a look at our own personal prayer lives and how they can benefit us and help us connect with God. We will also see how prayer is not just us talking but, probably more importantly, listening for God’s reply.

The Jr. high youth group (we are working on a name and will have one shortly) has just finished our series on Friends and how they impact us and our lives. We looked at what a good friend looks like and how bad friends are like Ex-Lax (the chocolate kind). They can look good on the outside but when they get inside, they can mess you up. We had some good chats about how to pick out the good friends and how to stay away from the friends that will take us further away from Christ.

Our next series is on The Media and role that it plays in our lives today. We will also be having 2 testimony nights from people inside our church. John Wulff and Danielle Quillin will be speaking the first night about their life journeys with God. I am excited for this next month and I hope that you are too.

Just a reminder:

· The Image meets on Sunday nights from 5-7pm

o We do meet before hand to pray for the group that night if you would like to join us for that at 4:30pm

· The Jr. High meets on Wednesday nights from 6:30-8pm

o We also pray before that night as well at 5:30 for the nights activities.

o We also have a meal that is provided for the youth and all who attend.

October 10^th- Men’s Breakfast-8am

October 10^th- Hayrack Ride @Wildcat Den- 4pm

October 15^th- Girls Night Out- See Stephanie for more details

October 17^th- Music House- 8-10pm (see Justin to sign-up to work)

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