WELCOME GARY PECUCH
Great news! We now have a youth and family ministry staff person in our Southern Ohio Synod! His name is Gary Pecuch and he has really been getting around. If you haven't already met him, you will want to be sure to look for him as he is a great guy. You can read about what he is doing at www.southernohiosynod.org Simply go to "congregations" and then "resources". If you then click on "youth and family ministries" you can stay up to date with what's up. He will definitely be at the next synod youth gathering on January 23-25 at Camp Kern with Lost and Found. L & F can be found at www.speedwood.com
Did you see the important date in that first paragraph? Mark your calendars now as the 2009 Southern Ohio Synod youth gathering is scheduled for JAN. 23-25. The new synod youth board has been hard at work preparing for this event and the theme is: Expect the Unexpected. What can you bring to the next youth gathering that will help illustrate the theme?
The Bible verse for next year's event is 2 Corinthians 4:18 which states "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."
The synod board also announces the "5 Ton SOS Challenge". In case you didn't know, SOS stands for Save Our Stomachs. In an effort to combat World Hunger and specifically Ohio hunger we have partnered with the Southeast Ohio Lutheran Social Services. Mary Woodward will be at our synod gathering on Friday evening to collect our items for a new mobile Food Pantry being established in Southern Ohio. For those on the eastern side of the state, you may contact Mary at: 740-509-1132. She will come and collect from you. Your leader will count your items and bring the count to Camp Kern. It is time to make a statement on a statewide level. Let's fill the truck and break the hunger train. Let's do our part for World Hunger!
The 2008 SYNOD YOUTH GATHERING held January 11-13 was something else. Here are some reasons why:
1 - It didn't snow (terrific weather)
2 - Camp Kern (terrific facilities)
3 - Theme (terrific study of Mark 1:16-18 Gone Fishing)
4 - Peder Eide (terrific musician at www.pedereide.com/)
5 - Workshops (terrific sharing of information)
6 - Speakers (terrific work Victor, Logan and Gary)
7 - Small Groups (terrific up close and personal time)
8 - Talent Show (terrific sharing of God's gifts)
9 - Dance (terrific DJ and movement)
10 - The people (terrific youth & adults of our synod!!!)
This event made it so clear that there is so much left to be done, but there is also so much to appreciate. I appreciate Peder Eide, who opened my eyes to true worship. I appreciate all the speakers, who encourage us to go out and be fishers of men and make as many disciples for Christ as we can. I appreciate all the people that attended to remind me that we are a community of believers with one goal. And I appreciate the board for all the hard work they did to prepare for this event. I pray that everyone will come again next year as I am sure that it will be even more uplifting. Peace, Brandon Huston-outgoing president
Here are some more comments:
-Peder was stupendous
-I loved the talent show
-The speakers really brought the theme home
-I can still feel the zing
-Those bagpipes were crazy
-We didn't have any butter
-We are going to work hard to make next year's event special, too! - Beth Allen, new SOS LYO president
-Ooh Ahh Mmm Yea Boo Mom...youth leader David Gore
MANY, MANY THANKS TO THRIVENT FOR THEIR GREAT SUPPORT OF THIS YOUTH EVENT. THEY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THE HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH OF OUR SYNOD TOGETHER!
One youth group came up with a list of the 10 unique things about our recent synod youth gathering................
1-bagpipes
2-goldfish boxes everywhere (even in the rafters)
3-"Jesus Loves Me" marshmallows
4-pogo sticking out the door (and back in)
5-group hand chimes (and doing Peder Eide's "Abba")
6-giant jenga
7-head hitting music
8-rubik's cube racing
9-pastor throwing liquid on people and yelling "it's water"
10-dancing (superman-electric slide-hoe down
-chicken dance & more)
And go to this website of Zion Lutheran in Hamilton. You will see many people you recognize from the recent youth gathering including Mr. Outgoing President and the new Miss President. Just click on photos...........
http://www.zionhamilton.org/
Have you heard? The next national youth gathering will be July 26-29, 2009 in New Orleans. Everyone will be together for one week only which will make this Louisiana city grow by 40,000 people for five days!!! Check out the ELCA website and read more about the upcoming event: http://www.elca.org/youth/gathering.html
Here's a youth group at the last national event.....
The 2008 Bible Bowl is set for March 2nd at Trinity Seminary and the book of emphasis will be Matthew! Here are the top 2007 Bible Bowl teams who took home banners as winners: St. John (West Alexandria), Zion (Groveport) and St. John's (Miamisburg). The names of the winning team are: Fulton Collins, Myranda Nelson, Laura Ingram and Angela McLean. It was very impressive to see how much everyone knew about Exodus! Watch the following website for information on the 2008 event: www.sosbiblebowl.blogspot.com/
Below is a picture of the St. John's (Miamisburg) Bible Bowl team. Great t-shirts!
The 2008 S.O.S. L.Y.O. BOARD is below.
President.............Beth Allen-Zion, Hamilton
Vice-President........Leif Thompson-Lord of Life, Worthington
Financial Secretary...Bianca Krebs-Hosanna, Pataskala
Recording Secretary...Whitney Ramsay-First English, Ashville
Member at Large.......Alyse Rettich-Emmanuel, Germantown
Member at Large.......Matt Conner-Hosanna, Pataskala
Member at Large.......Alec Van Dyke-Christ, Heath
Alternate.............Paige Miller-Emmanuel, Germantown
Lay Advisor...........Robin Kaelin-Zion, Hamilton
Pastoral Advisor......Grant Eckhart - http://www.princeofpeaceelca.org/
Synod Advisor.........Casey Backus - http://www.mowana.com/mowana_staff.html
mowanaprogramdirector@earthlink.net
Synod Staff Liaison...Ed Williams-Assistant to the Bishop
Here is a recap of the 2006 ELCA National Youth Gathering in San Antonio and a video from St. Paul Lutheran in Westerville. Do you recognize anyone?...........
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7033196018035641812&q=elca+national+youth+gathering&hl=en
Check out this link to pictures of youth from First Lutheran in Springfield. See if you recognize anyone (like a certain talent show pogo hopping champion)...........
http://www.flickr.com/photos/firstlutheranspringfield/
