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Whether
you eat or drink,
or whatever you do,
do all to the glory of God.
~I Corinthians 10:31
Fall Start Date: September 19 at 7:00 p.m.
Youth ministries
have been a vital part of The Church of the Open Bible for several
decades. Ideas have been gleaned from national organizations providing
assistance to church youth groups and tailored to our local congregation.
A four-pronged set of objectives for children and teens has emerged:
(1) Urge them
to have their own personal relationship with God through our Lord
Jesus Christ,
(2) Show how
God's Word, the Bible, relates in a practical way to everyday life,
(3) Encourage
the development of talents and skills, and
(4) Provide
lots of wholesome fun and a setting for making friends.
Adult leaders
are enlisted who have a commitment to spiritual values, an enthusiastic
love for children, and a variety of interests and talents. Care
is taken that all activities, on or off church property, be closely
supervised. Some groups may be meeting at a local gym and occasionally
field trips are taken on other days.
There are
separate groupings and appropriate activities for girls and boys
at various age levels. Challenging projects to be completed at home
with parental cooperation are promoted, such as, patriotism, care
of pets, cooking, hobbies, handcraft, nature appreciation, camping,
and spiritual development. Successful completion of these projects
is rewarded by achievement recognition and overnight activities.
Boys eagerly compete in the Annual Pinewood Derby. And girls eagerly compete in the Annual Bake-Off Competition.
The program
is held Friday evenings from 7:00 to 8:45 p.m. from late September
through the end of March with nights off for school vacations
and special church functions.
A portion of each session includes instruction from the Bible, prayer,
and the singing of Christian hymns.
Costs for
this program are minimal. Participants are encouraged to purchase
the Circle B Handbook ($5.00). Suggested uniforms are inexpensive
or can be composed of clothing generally available already at home.
Costs of crafts and activities are watched carefully so that the
children's share is very reasonable.
Parents are
invited to participate in special events during the season.
At the end of the program Mother-Daughter and Father-Son Banquets
are held at which special recognition and final awards are presented.
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