NYM Parent Blog | May 2023
NYM Parents,
May is here and summer is only a month away!
April Recap:
We did a lot in April! We finished up our study in the book of Colossians, we had an amazing worship night, we started a series on Relationships, and we ended the month in PJ’s and ate cereal. I love doing Wednesday nights with your students, it's really special!
In May we will continue to focus on talking about Relationships.
May 3rd: Relationships: Friendship | 6:30-8:30 | Snack Shack Open
May 10th: Relationships: Love The Hard People | 6:30-8:30 | Snack Shack Open
May 17th: Relationships: Parents | 6:30-8:30 | Snack Shack Open
May 24th: Relationships: Marriage | 6:30-8:30 | Snack Provided
May 31st: Small Group Night
Announcements:
On “Last” Wednesday, May 24th, our theme for the night will be Favorite Decade Night. Stay tuned for more exciting details!
May 31st our small groups will be able to spend time together off-site making memories and building relationships with their Small Group. We will be giving each Small Group some cash to do an activity of their choosing. We will let you know 2 weeks before where each Small Group will be meeting.
Just a reminder our Snack Shack is open Weeks 1-3 before and after our program. Students are welcome to purchase snacks ranging in price from $1-$3. Each week a different Small Group gets to run the Shack with the leader. On “Last” Wednesday we provide a snack that goes with our theme for the evening.
Volunteer Parent Spotlight:
Brie Tomlinson has 3 children in NYM. She has been serving for 3 years in various roles from getting rooms ready for our teens to vacuuming the auditorium after teaching time to overseeing snacks. Currently Brie volunteers as our Director of Experience. She oversees our Snack Shack, Lobby Activities, and New Student Experience. In her spare time Brie likes to make fun memories with her family. A book she is currently reading is “Mama Bear Apologetics Guide To Sexuality” by Hillary Morgan Ferrer and Amy Davison. One of her favorite snacks is dried mangos. A huge thank you to Brie for all the creativity and fun she brings to NYM each Wednesday!
Volunteer Opportunities:
We are looking for more parents who would be willing to help out at NYM on Wednesday evenings. If you might be interested in helping us out please email Jenn Congdon at JCongdon@Northridgerochester.com for more information. We are looking to involve more parents in Security, Childcare, Prayer Team and more! We would love to have you join us.
Saranac Summer Camp 2023 (Aug 11-14):
We are counting down the days to Summer Camp at Saranac. Last year we made so many memories laughing, playing outrageous camp games and growing deeper in our walk with God.
We will send out Registration Information starting next month so make sure you look for that. The cost for camp this year is $350 per student.
As we mentioned in our last email we are looking for parents to help with our Kitchen Work Crew or helping out with driving our students. It is incredibly difficult to find enough transportation for all our teens at a reasonable price so we are asking for help this year. You will be accommodated with pay for your time and travel! If interested in either of these volunteer opportunities to help out our teens please email Jenn Congdon.
Praise:
We saw a middle schooler come to know Jesus as his personal Savior this month
We are baptizing two middle school ladies on May 24th this month!
Prayer Request:
Please pray for our series on relationships. We want healthy discussion and interaction in small groups as we desire to see students be like Christ in all of their relationships.
Please pray for the WKND summer camp & that we would fill all the volunteer needs that we have.
Please pray for our interns coming in May to help our NYM team.
Please pray for students to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Spiritual Encouragement:
Recently, I've been working toward memorizing Psalm 139. There is so much power in Scripture Memorization, and to me, it seems like a lost spiritual discipline in our day. I'd love to share the whole Psalm on here with you, but i'll just share the first 4 verses with you for now :
Psalm 139:1-4
“You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.
2
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4
Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.
The intimacy of this Psalm speaks so deeply to me. That the God of all creation searches all of me, that he knows my movements, he discerns all that I do, He is familiar with both my strengths, and my weaknesses. Before I say anything He knows it completely. What great comfort that we have a God that knows us in all of our ways. In our trauma, in our success, on the mountain, in the valley. He knows us completely, and he has from the beginning when he knit us together in our mothers womb.
If I can be of any encouragement to you today. God knows you - even the areas that are hidden. Come out of hiding, you are safe with Him.
Partnering with You,
Conell Christiansen & NYM Team
