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Welcome to the Student Ministries page! Please scroll down to find out more about us, meet our director, and see what events are coming up for youth at First Alliance Church. You can also find our weekly update on this page, so you know what your student was learning about this week on Wednesday night. Questions? Go all the way to the bottom and contact us!
Stay connected or contact us via Social Media by clicking on the icons. |
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Who We Are |
The Crash is the name of our Student Ministry at FAC. We meet Wednesday nights (from September-May) from 6:16-8:18. In this environment all students benefit from a small group setting with one or more caring adults whose mission it is to love students to and through a relationship with Jesus Christ.
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What's with the Name? |
Just as a group of elephants are known as a HERD, a group of rhinos is called a CRASH. Rhinos are unique animals that, despite their incredible mass, can run at speeds up to 40 mph. What is even more remarkable is that a rhino can only see about 15 feet ahead. It takes a great deal of faith to run at 40 mph with such limited visibility, but ultimately it doesn’t matter what is 15 feet in front of the rhino because it had better get out of the way. We want our students to exercise this kind of faith in life. That is why our guiding verse is 2 Corinthians 5:7, “We live by faith, not by sight”.
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Where can you find us? |
On Wednesdays during the school year, you can find us in the worship center or in small group rooms from 6:16 - 8:18. We have a large group time of worship, announcements, a speaker, and often a crazy game - followed by small group breakouts based on grade level and gender. When small groups end, the youth enjoy free time in our open gym, snack bars, game room, and cafe! On Sundays at 9:20, look for us in Building C (The Crash) on campus, and at 11:00, many of us sit together in the front right side of the worship center. |
Duane Richards, Director of Student Ministries
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James Ugland, Student Ministries Intern
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Word of Life Summer Camp is July 14-20
Click on the image to see our Facebook Event
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The cost is $420. Price includes camp tuition and transportation, and we try to lower that cost with a fundraiser. See below for more information on how you can help & benefit from the fundraiser!
Register by turning in the Sign Up form (downloadable below) and paying a $75 deposit. Word of Life Camp Scholarship Application Printable Sign Up Form for Word of Life Camp |
Upcoming Big Events & Announcements
Word of Life Summer Camp: July 14-20
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This is an incredible opportunity for students to make new friends, deepen their relationship with Christ, and have an incredible week full of fun activities! See the information at the top of our page and mark your calendars. NOTE: Camp is full at this time. Please message us if you'd like to be placed on a waiting list.
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Summer Calendar 2019
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Click on the blue links behind each date to see and share the Facebook events for each activity. See you in the summertime!
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June 11: $2 Tuesday @Stone Crabs meet in section 204 6:30pm
June 14: Laser Tag at FAC 6:16-8:18 PM Please fill out this WAIVER July 1-5: Winshape Camp at First Baptist Church, PC July 3: WOL Camp Parent Meeting in Crash Landing 6:16-7:17pm July 5: Movie Night in The Young Life Teen Center (PC Town Center Mall) 6:16-8:18pm July 10: Self Defense @ Nokido Ju-Jitsu 1050 Innovation Ave, Unit B109 North Port 2:00-3:30pm July 14-20: @WOL Camp (Sun-Sat) July 23: Camp Reunion: $2 Tues @ Stone Crabs meet in section 204 6:30pm July 31: Family Game Night in the Young Life Teen Center (PC Town Center Mall) 6:16-8:18pm August 7: Laser Tag! 6:16-8:18pm September 4: Crash Kickoff 6:16-8:18pm |
Parent Workshops - Monday nights at Young Life
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There are some incredible parent workshops occurring at the Young Life space at the Port Charlotte Town Center this summer. See the dates and topics, and come down to the mall for some parent connection time!
To visit the Port Charlotte Younglife Facebook time, click on the YL parent connection image! |
Weekly update from Pastor Duane
Week of Wed, May 15
Dear parents,
Summer has finally arrived and we have stopped our regular meetings. Many have asked why we do this. Let me start by clarifying, we are not "taking a break" over the summer. We are working on a modified summer calendar. We do this for several reasons.
One reason is that our leaders need a break! Many who serve in our church do so about once a month. We ask our student ministry leaders to serve every single week and then invest in students outside of Wednesday nights. This is A LOT to ask. Our leaders need time to "sharpen the saw". Summer vacations and extended time with family is very important. By modifying our calendar in the summer we are able to plan large events that can be run with a "skeleton crew" if necessary to accommodate vacations and give our leaders a season of refreshment.
Another reason is that many students leave town for vacations, camps, or get summer jobs and are simply not always available every Wednesday night. Releasing the summer calendar in early spring helps students and their parents make their summer plans accordingly.
Additionally, with students out of school during the day, it allows James and me the opportunity to meet with students in smaller, less formal settings so that we can cultivate stronger relationships--with the goal of helping students know and become more like Jesus.
Finally, the modified summer creates momentum and excitement. Students look forward to the finale at the end of each school year and they enthusiastically anticipate our fall kick-off. As the fall kick-off draws near we do a daily countdown that generates a great deal of excitement among students. Our fall kick-off events are consistently among the most highly attended events that we do.
I hope that you and your teen(s) will take full advantage of our summer calendar and all it has to offer.
Blessings,
Duane
Dear parents,
Summer has finally arrived and we have stopped our regular meetings. Many have asked why we do this. Let me start by clarifying, we are not "taking a break" over the summer. We are working on a modified summer calendar. We do this for several reasons.
One reason is that our leaders need a break! Many who serve in our church do so about once a month. We ask our student ministry leaders to serve every single week and then invest in students outside of Wednesday nights. This is A LOT to ask. Our leaders need time to "sharpen the saw". Summer vacations and extended time with family is very important. By modifying our calendar in the summer we are able to plan large events that can be run with a "skeleton crew" if necessary to accommodate vacations and give our leaders a season of refreshment.
Another reason is that many students leave town for vacations, camps, or get summer jobs and are simply not always available every Wednesday night. Releasing the summer calendar in early spring helps students and their parents make their summer plans accordingly.
Additionally, with students out of school during the day, it allows James and me the opportunity to meet with students in smaller, less formal settings so that we can cultivate stronger relationships--with the goal of helping students know and become more like Jesus.
Finally, the modified summer creates momentum and excitement. Students look forward to the finale at the end of each school year and they enthusiastically anticipate our fall kick-off. As the fall kick-off draws near we do a daily countdown that generates a great deal of excitement among students. Our fall kick-off events are consistently among the most highly attended events that we do.
I hope that you and your teen(s) will take full advantage of our summer calendar and all it has to offer.
Blessings,
Duane
