[Our Philosophy] Us Student Ministry: A community of students living the mission of Christ that embraces God and engages one another & the world with liberation, redemption, reconciliation and recovery. There is no them, just us. Romans 12:1-2 (The Message) So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. Us Student Ministries is about living in rhythm with God. This rhythm of God can be seen, perhaps, as a song in the world in which we can embrace. Everyday, students are challenged to live in tune with the song that is God. In His taking on of flesh, Jesus shows us what God is like; He shows us how the song goes. We are committed to helping students embrace God and his song of jubilee. In so doing, we find students becoming more and more in tune to live in such a way as to engage each other and the world with His song. Thus, we are learning to do 3 things: Friendship with God Friendship with One Another Open Friendship for the Sake of the World
Our everyday life is shaped as we embrace these friendships through Education - Discovering who God is! Doctrine: Our belief system about God Discipleship - Embracing who God is! Journey: Searching after the heart of God Worship: Rehearsing who God is! Rehearsal: Applying the heart of God to Life Service: Being who God is! Christ likeness: Embodiment of God in the World Everything done in and through Us Student Ministry flows from these 3 things and is implemented by way of the 4 pillars of education, discipleship, worship, and service. Ministry at OKC First is the greatest job on the planet and we are excited and encouraged to journey with you and your students as God shapes us all.
[Stay Connected] We also want to update you on a few things administratively as it deals with calendar, events, and ways to be/stay connected to all that is happening in Us Student Ministry. Stay connected and updated by: 1. Please update all contact information or create a profile at www.myokcfirst.com (CCB) 2. We send weekly emails with detailed information about all that is happening OKC First Youth. Email zach@okcfirst.com with your request to be added to this weekly update. 3. We also send text messages to students & parents that contain important announcements and information. To receive these text messages, text @usmini to the number 81010. ( Remind app) 4. Follow us on Instagram here: @usministries
[Regular schedule] Every Sunday: Sunday School: 9:30-10:15am Middle school CCC room 1 High school CCC room 2 Outpost: 4:00-5:45pm Meet at church at 4pm for prayer 4:15pm head to Bluff Creek, Mt. Vernon, or Meridian Ridge Every Tuesday Book Club: 6:30-8:00pm Pastor Zach s House 2812 Pinto Trail Edmond, OK 73012 Every Wednesday: Pre Service: 6:00-6:30pm Students are welcome to come play in the gym, hang out in the bistro, or help set up for service. Youth Service: 6:30-7:30pm Weekly youth service is a combined service, which meets in the Cole Center rooms 1 & 2, to rehearse for life and faith. Life Together (LT) groups: 7:30-8:00pm All groups meet at the church Groups for middle school boys & girls & high school boys & girls Every Thursday: Pastor Zach will be visiting schools for lunch and other activities. Every 2 nd Sunday: Middle School Lunch: 12:15-1:30pm
All middle school students are welcome to join us for lunch Bring money and we all go out for lunch. Transportation is provided. Every 4 th Sunday: High School Lunch: 12:15-1:30pm All high school students are welcome to join us for lunch Bring money and we all go out for lunch. Transportation is provided. Kids Club: Every Monday Thursday 4:00-6:00pm Volunteer to help tutor & mentor kids from our neighborhood. If you would like more information, contact zach@okcfirst.com
[Year at a Glance - Monthly Schedule] August 2018: 19th - N6i Breakfast/Promotion Sunday 19th - September 23rd - N6i - New 6 th grade institute September 2018: 7th - SNU Naz Nite at Six Flags 9th - Back To School Block Party 30th - Bake Sale October 2018: 5th - 6th - SNU College Days (for grades 11th & 12th) 18th - 19th - Fall Break 28th - Fall Fest November 2018: 2nd - 4th - Fall Retreat New Life Ranch 11th - Harvest Dinner 21st - No Wednesday night youth service 22nd - Thanksgiving Day December 2018: 2nd - First Sunday of Advent 5th - Search for Santa 6:00-8:00pm 9th - Bake Sale 16th - Outpost Holiday Meal - 4:00-6:00 pm 24 th - Christmas Eve Service 25 th - Christmas Day 26th - No Wednesday Activities January 2019: 1st - New Years Day 2nd - No Wednesday Activities 20th - Oklahoma District Night of Worship 21st - MLK Day: Silent March & Parade outpost February 2019: 3rd - Bake Sale
March 2019: 6th - Ash Wednesday 28th - 30th - Extravaganza @ SNU 18th - 22nd Spring Break 20th - No Wednesday Activities April 2019: 12th - Spring Banquet, Auction & Variety Show 14th - Palm Sunday 17th - Holy Week: No Wednesday Youth 18th - Maundy Thursday Service 19th - Tenbrae service 20th - All church cleaning day 28th - OKC Memorial Marathon May 2019: 10th - Senior Dinner 12th - Senior Sunday 25th - Yard Sale: 7:00am- 4:00pm front lawn of the church June 2019: Middle School & High School Camp Dates TBD 22nd - 26th - Middle School Mission to Cactus, TX July 2019: 9th - 15th - NYC 2019 in Phoenix, AZ 19th - 28th - High school mission to Toronto Canada
[Q & A] Q: What is the best way to contact Pastors Zach or Kristin? A: Zach: zach@okcfirst.com (913) 744-1313 Kristin: kristin@okcfirst.com (405) 623-7191 Q: What adults help lead/teach in us student ministry? A: A variety of adults work with students and help lead and/or teach. Pastor Zach is always leading. Pastor Kristin is the associate Youth Pastor. Cambra Strawn is our NYI President to the Board. Mike Laughlin is our Neighborhood Pastor & Cole Center Director. Our adult sponsors are Steve Stark, Natalie Lucero, Avarilla Flemming, Chuck Mosley, Sarah Mosley, Chesney Johnson, Laura Jergensen, Heather Clemmer, & Amber Elder. We also will have SNU ministry interns: Brandon Clements, Brett Hiebert, Noah Bradford and Immanuel Brooks. Q: When are middle school and high school students combined and separated? A: Students are combined and separated for very specific reasons. Younger students can benefit from being involved with older students and older students need to have the responsibility of leading those younger. However, there are times when separating the group is beneficial to discuss age appropriate subjects and issues. During Wednesday night, activities, & events, students are generally combined. During Sunday school, LT groups (grade & gender), & camp, students are separated to foster stronger relationships and a stronger focus on age appropriate issues. Q: What can a new middle school student expect to experience in student ministry? A: us Student Ministry is no longer children s ministry. Students are expected to have some level of care for themselves. We no longer hand hold them through the steps of ministry. They are expected to have and take an age appropriate level of responsibility for themselves and those around them. They
can also expect a deeper level of ministry involvement, teaching, and input as a member of us student ministry. They can expect a strong relational and mission based ministry. Our purpose/goal is not to simply entertain students with activities but rather, Us Student Ministry strives to challenge students and place them in areas of ministry that not only give them opportunity to change the planet but also be shaped in the image of Christ. If they give themselves over to this journey with Christ, they can always expect to be challenged, shaped, and spent for the Kingdom. Q: How do Fundraisers work? A: Fundraisers allow students to either split money raised or gain money earned from fundraising events. That money is then placed into an account (held by the church) with their name on it. This means money they raise goes to pay for their involvement in student ministry events, trips, missions, and camps. Q: What exactly is an LT Group? A: Life Together (LT) groups are small groups based on grade and gender. Middle school girls & boys and high school girls & boys are groups that allow students to journey together as they share life. These groups are not completely a bible study and at the same time is not completely a social group. LT groups find a balance between the journey of sharing life together and our journey of faith. You could say, LT groups allow students to grow up together in faith.
[Thank You] Please do not hesitate to contact us with questions concerning youth. We are looking forward to a wonderful year in Us Student Ministry! Zach Lucero Lead Student Ministry Pastor Email: zach@okcfirst.com Phone: (913) 744-1313 Kristin Mason Associate Student Ministry Pastor Email: kristin@okcfirst.com Phone: (405) 623-7191