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Happy Monday! I’m fueled today by a few extra cups of coffee after a late-night, high-energy weekend with our Jr. High Youth Roots! We had a great weekend at Black Rock Retreat’s Winter Camp despite the rain! Impactful worship, engaging and scripture-saturated teaching from Isaiah 55, competitive card games, epic silent disco dance moves and good community was the recipe for a great weekend! A huge thank you to Kerri Kreider and Karl Auker who sacrificed the weekend and joined me in leading our 6 Jr. High Youth Roots. You can see pictures of our weekend together HERE if you’d like!

I understand there is wonderful feedback going around after week two of the BELIEVE series! Thank you to all the teachers who continue the conversation in our Sunday School classes each week! Don’t forget that Pastor Kevin is leading the Wednesday Night Adult Bible study through the “next level” discussion on each week's topic. If you want to go deeper, that group meets every Wednesday night (not just on Roots Nights!) from 6:30-7:30 in Room 014. You are always welcome to join!

Today the OAKS have their winter movie showing and ice cream social. This upcoming weekend is the Youth Roots Carmel Corn Fundraiser! Don't miss out on your opportunity to place a pre-order! The sign-up sheet is in the Gathering Area. We’ll be back on the 21st for our next Roots Night, don’t miss out!

Tonight the church board and commissions reconvene for the 2026 year. This feels as the official signal that we’re back in action after the holidays. I look forward to gathering with the many willing church family members who have said “yes!” to serving in this capacity. Continue to pray over that body, as we have commissioned them all to service this past Sunday.

I’m grateful for a slower January calendar for Scott and I! I hope to sneak away to the PA Farm Show for an afternoon with my dad and nephew this week. I’ll willingly brave the crowds for some of those yummy PA Farm Show treats! Blessings to your family this week!

 

What WE’RE Learning This Week: A nugget of what our Lil’, Youth and Adults Roots heard this week

Our Key Question: Does God Care About Me?

Our Key Verse: Psalm 12:1-2

How Every Generation Lives This Out: Start a list of all the ways that God cared for you each day of this week. Add to it every day! Praise God for his great care for you!

Check Out This Week’s PODCAST

*This season of the “The Dig” podcast is specifically designed for EVERY 

GENERATION to deepen their understanding, ignite their curiosity and grow as fruit-producing, God-glorying disciples! Don’t miss out! To make it easier for you to find and listen, you can now grab “The Dig” episodes on the church website: https://www.mgcb.org/family-ministries/the-dig-podcast--8 

 

What I’M Learning This Week: Sharing what I’m reading and listening to lately

It was fun to study an Old Testament passage this weekend at the Jr. High Youth Roots Winter Retreat! Isaiah 55 is a jam-packed chapter, go visit it sometime this week!

Here’s how Christopher Young, our speaker this weekend summarized the chapter. He challenged the participants to commit to these five decisions for their lives…

  • Vs 1-3: Decide to turn away from the world and toward God
  • Vs 4-5: Decide to turn to Jesus the Messiah and only salvation
  • Vs 6-9: Decide to repent and forsake sin
  • Vs 10-11: Decide to put your hope in God’s sure Word
  • Vs 12-13: Decide to enjoy and experience God’s covenant fully and in freedom.

He reminded the group that these decisions won’t always be easy to stand on. But 

through Jesus, we have the will and ability to do what pleases God (Ephesians 2:10). I’m sure this swing at Isaiah 55 and what it is asking of believers will be a great reminder for all us! Have you decided?!

 

Make Every Week Count: Parenting, Grandparenting & Spiritual Mentoring Resources

Something to Read: I recently added this to my Bible collection - CSB Connecting Scripture New Testament. It uses colors to mark direct and implied references to Old Testament texts within the New Testament! 

Something to Listen to: We sang this song a bunch this weekend! “Refuge” is an original song by the praise band that led us in worship!

Something to Follow: Hate to break it to you but Valentines Day is coming! Here’s a super cute, Scripture-focused valentines gift to give out to classmates and friends!

 

How Can You Pray? Prayer Requests and Praises from Roots Ministries

PRAY for wisdom, discernment and grace for the church Commissions and Board members meeting this evening.

PRAISE for a safe and moving Jr. High Youth Roots Winter Retreat!