St. Mark's EYC

Change the World!

2012-01-23T12:21:00.007-05:00

St Mark's Annual Meeting is THIS Sunday (January 29th), and St Mark's EYC has volunteered to help with refreshments and clean up as part of our January service project. We need 7 more volunteers (6 at 9:45 a.m., and 6 at 11:00 a.m.), so please let me know if you're available!

This week at Junior EYC, we'll be talking about how we can change the world through our actions ! At Senior EYC, we'll be talking about the story of Esther. Are you in your current situation "for such a time as this"? Join us for EYC this Sunday at the Youth Center! Junior EYC (7th-8th graders) is 5-7 p.m., and Senior EYC is 6-8 p.m.

This Sunday will be our first EYC with combined worship from 6:30-7 p.m. ! We will have a worship team made up of Junior and Senior EYC members, and we will pray, sing, and worship together as a group. Get excited!

The first group of pics are some crazy moments from Sunday's EYC:

The next St Mark's Follies Planning Meeting will be Thursday, February 2nd from 7-8 p.m. in the church library. Participation is mandatory if you are going on the Mission Trip !

Do you want to change the world ? St Mark's EYC is doing the 30 Hour Famine next month (February 24-25)! By raising money, and then fasting for 30 hours, you can change the lives of children around the world. The only cost to do the Famine is $10 (for a T-shirt). Check out this video:

During the weekend, we will volunteer at the Ortega River Run, play lots of games, watch movies, and (of course) have a whole lot of fun! Get your fundraising packet this Sunday at EYC, and get more info on the Famine by clicking here. Sign up by February 5th (Super Bowl Sunday)--Overcome Hunger!

If you are doing the Famine, we need to decide on a group shirt. There are 3 options (seen in the pic below), and we all have to agree :). Let me know your opinion before Feb 5th!

Are you ready for some football ? The annual EYC Super Bowl Party is coming up on Sunday, February 5th! Have you ever wanted to watch the game on the really big screen? Here's your chance! The party will be from 5:30 p.m. through halftime. If your last name is A-L, bring a 2-liter drink to the party. If your last name is M-Z, please bring chips (NOT Tortilla chips--we have plenty) or a dessert. Check out this pic from last year's party...

Random Holiday : Thursday (1/26) is Lotus 1-2-3 Day. Yay for spreadsheets! Click here for more info.

For those of you who missed Sunday's EYC, we talked about shining for Jesus with our lives and actions. As a reminder, here is We Are, by Kari Jobe. SHINE!!!

We did this a few years ago, and now I'm bringing it back :). There's a poem called The Vision that casts a vision of who we can be as Christians if we surrender to God in our lives. Let's pray this as a group. Here's the first section of The Vision:

The vision is JESUS – obsessively, dangerously, undeniably Jesus.

The vision is an army of young people.

You see bones? I see an army. And they are FREE from materialism.

They could eat caviar on Monday and crusts on Tuesday. They wouldn't even notice. They are mobile like the wind, they belong to the nations. They are free yet they are slaves of the hurting and dirty and dying. What is the Vision? The vision is holiness that hurts the eyes. It gave up the game of minimum integrity long ago to reach for the stars. It scorns the good and strains for the best. It is dangerously pure.

Quote of the Week : “The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind the scenes with everyone else’s highlight reel.” –Steve Turnick

Our final pics include a group shot. Remember that God loves you, and so do I ! See you all on Sunday!

Shine!

2012-01-18T17:46:00.004-05:00

How can we shine God's light to the people in our lives ? This Sunday at EYC, we will be discussing how we can show God's love to others in a meaningful way. EYC is 5-7 p.m. for 7th-8th graders, and 6-8 p.m. for 9th-12th graders. Meet at the Youth Center, and don't forget $4 for dinner!

Our pictures for this week are from last weekend's Diocesan Ski Trip:

The first St Mark's Follies Planning Meeting is tomorrow night (Thursday), from 7-8 p.m. in the church library. Participation is mandatory if you are going on the Mission Trip!

St Mark's Annual Meeting is coming up on Sunday, January 29th, and St Mark's EYC has volunteered to help with refreshments and clean up as part of our January service project. We need 12 volunteers (6 at 9:45 a.m., and 6 at 11:00 a.m.), so please let me know if you're available!

Are you ready for some football ? The annual EYC Super Bowl Party is coming up on Sunday, February 5th! The party will be from 5:30 p.m. through halftime. If your last name is A-L, bring a drink to the party. If your last name is M-Z, please bring chips or a dessert.

The second group of pictures show the chilly temperatures (and some fun with makeup)!

Random Holiday : Thursday (1/19) is Tin Can Day!

Do you want to change the world ? St Mark's EYC is doing the 30 Hour Famine next month (February 24-25)! By raising money, and then fasting for 30 hours, you can change the lives of children around the world. Check out this video:

During the weekend, we will volunteer at the Ortega River Run, play lots of games, watch movies, and (of course) have a whole lot of fun! Contact me this week to get your fundraising packet, and get more info on the Famine by clicking here. Overcome Hunger!

Pray for Happening 122 at Camp Weed this weekend!

Quote of the Week : “It seems that all my bridges have been burned, but you say 'That's exactly how this grace thing works'. It's not the long walk home that will change this heart, but the welcome I receive with every start.” –Mumford and Sons

The final photos show our group having fun in the snow! Remember that God loves you, and so do I !

Merry Christmas/Happy New Year!

2011-12-12T14:32:00.004-05:00

The last day to sign up for our 2012 Diocesan Ski Trip was yesterday (12/11)! If you are still interested in coming, contact me ASAP! The Ski Trip will be January 13th-16th at Winterplace Resort in West Virginia! We will be leaving the Friday morning of Martin Luther King Weekend, so you will have to miss school that Friday if you participate. The trip is $400 per skier, and you can sign up TODAY with a $100 deposit. The final balance of $300 will be due before Sunday, January 8th.

There will be no EYC during the Christmas holidays : December 18th (Happy Luminaria!), December 25th (Merry Christmas!), and January 1st (Happy New Year!).

St Mark's EYC Spring Kickoff will be at the Youth Center on Sunday, January 8th, with Juniors (7th-8th graders) from 5-7 p.m. and Seniors (9th-12th graders) from 6-8 p.m.!

We will have an EYC Parents' Meeting from 6:30-7 p.m. in Grace House (next to the Youth Center) to discuss our Spring events, and to pass out Spring calendars.

Our pictures this week are from Sunday's Tacky Christmas Party:

Random Holiday : Friday (12/16) is Underdog Day!

Some of you may have read the book Blue Like Jazz, a bestselling book about finding faith. Blue Like Jazz the movie is coming out in 2012, and here's the trailer:

This week, let's pray for all those who are unhappy or suffering during this holiday season.

Quote of the Week : "I think someone needs to tell [Tim] Tebow that world hunger and cancer are up by 13 and there's only 3 minutes left." --Twitter

The last pictures include a group shot from the Christmas party! Don't forget that God loves you, and so do I !

EYC Tacky Christmas Party!

2011-12-06T13:02:00.007-05:00

Thank you to everyone who worked this year's Tree Lot and/or bought a tree ! Tonight is our last night, and the Lot has again been a great success for Youth Missions.

THIS Sunday (12/11) is our EYC Christmas Party , at the Egans' house from 5-7 p.m.! We are doing our annual White Elephant gift exchange, so bring a wacky wrapped gift to share (click here for more info on White Elephant). The party's theme is Tacky Christmas, so come dressed in your funniest holiday gear! Here are some examples of Tacky Christmas:

The last day to sign up for our 2012 Diocesan Ski Trip is THIS Sunday (12/11)! The Ski Trip will be January 13th-16th at Winterplace Resort in West Virginia! We will be leaving the Friday morning of Martin Luther King Weekend, so you will have to miss school that Friday if you participate. The trip is $400 per skier, and you can sign up TODAY with a $100 deposit. The final balance of $300 will be due before Sunday, January 8th.

Our first group pf pictures for this week are from the Christmas Tree Lot, including our attempt at spelling out EYC on the Youth Center deck!

(Belated) Random Holiday : Monday (12/5) was International Ninja Day, which really should be celebrated all week :)!

There will be no EYC during the Christmas holidays : December 18th, December 25th (Merry Christmas!), and January 1st. EYC Spring Kickoff will be on Sunday, January 8th!

The second set of pictures show some Tree Huggers:

Thanks to everyone who participated in delivering the Christmas Poinsettias on Sunday! I've heard a lot of great feedback on your experiences, and you definitely brightened a lot of people's days. Here is a picture from the event:

This week, let's pray for all of the "Special Friends" that we met on Sunday, delivering poinsettias. Here's a special prayer that you can use:

God, there is so much wisdom in the eyes of our elders. Help us hear them, God. They have so much to teach us. They can advise and enlighten us. We should be like sponges around them. Help us absorb it all, God. And help us offer our friendship, care, and support when they need it. Thank you for these silver teachers. Help us listen. Amen.

Quote of the Week : "Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more!" --Dr Seuss

The last group of pictures includes a couple of classic Tree Lot shots--the circle and the pyramid. Remember that God loves you, and so do I !

EYC Christmas Delivery!

2011-11-30T14:03:00.007-05:00

Sign up for Tree Lot shifts ! The EYC Christmas Tree Lot is our primary fundraiser for the Summer Mission Trips, and we are open 5-8 p.m. on weeknights, and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. on weekends until the trees sell out. I will sign for volunteer hours, so please e-mail me if you would like to work this week/weekend!

THIS Sunday (12/4), we will have a combined EYC (7th-12th graders) from 5-7 p.m. in the Youth Center ! From 6-7 p.m., we will be delivering Christmas Poinsettias to members of St Mark's. If you are a parent who is willing to drive, please let me know!

The first group of Tree Lot pics for this week are from the Unloading on Thanksgiving Day (photos by Priest Sandy):

Our 2012 Diocesan Ski Trip will be January 13th-16th at Winterplace Resort in West Virginia! We will be leaving the Friday morning of Martin Luther King Weekend, so you will have to miss school that Friday if you participate. The trip is $400 per skier, and you can sign up TODAY with a $100 deposit.

Next Sunday (12/11) is our EYC Christmas Party , at the Egans' house from 5-7 p.m.! We are doing our annual White Elephant gift exchange, so bring a wacky wrapped gift to share. The party's theme is Tacky Christmas, so come dressed in your funniest holiday gear!

The second group of photos include a picture of my Birthday Buddy (both working the Tree Lot on our B-day)!

Random Holiday : Sunday (12/4) is National Cookie Day!

This week, pray for those older than you. May we all gain wisdom and strength from their experiences.

The third set of pics show some of our amazing Tree Lot shift pictures:

Quote of the Week : "Don't cry because it's over--smile because it happened." --Dr Seuss

The last group of pictures includes a picture of the Lot. Remember that God loves you, and so do I !

EYC Homecoming!

2011-11-15T16:23:00.008-05:00

This Sunday (11/20), we're "coming home" to the Youth Center for a busy night of EYC (5-7 p.m. for 7th-8th graders, 6-8 p.m. for 9th-12th graders)! This Sunday's schedule includes:

Tie Dye Night: Bring pillowcases, sheets, or T-shirts to dye. If you haven't received your first St Mark's EYC T-shirt, we will give you one on Sunday for free. St Mark's EYC T's will also be on sale for $5 each.
Nerd Night: Dress up in your best nerdy outfit! Best costume gets a prize!
Stump the Priest: Fr Donavan will be with us all night, answering all of your craziest questions about God, the Bible, and the Episcopal Church!

Get ready for an awesome night of fun and faith--come home to EYC !

Sign up for Tree Lot shifts ! The EYC Christmas Tree Lot is our primary fundraiser for the Summer Mission Trips. We unload the trees on Thanksgiving Day (11/24), and the Tree Lot starts the day after Thanksgiving (11/25). We will be open until the trees sell out. This year's Tree Lot will be at the Youth Center!

The lot will be open from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. on weekends and November 25th. The weekend shifts are 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., 1:00-4:30 p.m., and 4-8:30 p.m.. The lot will be open 5-8 p.m. on weeknights, with two shifts of 4:30-6:30 p.m. and 6:30-8:30 p.m.. We need adults for each shift, and if you're going on the Mission Trip you are required to work at least two shifts! Please e-mail me which days/shifts you would like to work!

Our pictures this week are from Sunday's Paintball Day! Here are some fun(ny) moments:

There will be NO EYC on Sunday, November 27th because of the Tree Lot . Have a great holiday!

Our EYC service project for December will be delivering Christmas Poinsettas to our elderly St Mark's parishoners ! Come on Sunday, December 4th to spread a little Christmas joy and love to some great people.

The second group of pics from Paintballing are a little more serious :)...

Random Holiday : Thursday (11/17) is National Unfriend Day (as in, Facebook friends). If you haven't talked to someone in over a year, you may want to think about it here!

Team applications for Happening #122 (a renewal weekend for 10th-12th graders held 3 times a year at Camp Weed) are due by THIS Saturday (November 19th). You can register here if you've already attended Happening. If you are in 10th-12th grade, and would like to be a candidate for Happening #122, click here before January 4th to register.

This week, let's pray for all those affected by natural disasters.

Quote of the Week : "You see things, and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were, and I say, 'Why not?'" -George Bernard Shaw

Have a great week! Remember that God loves you, and so do I !

Paintballing 2011!

2011-11-07T12:12:00.009-05:00

EYC Paintballing Day is THIS Sunday (November 13th) from 12-5 p.m.! We will be Paintballing with Christ Episcopal Church Ponte Vedra at GTF Paintball in Yulee. The price is $25 per person (due ASAP), and everyone needs both the St Mark's release form AND the GTF Paintball release (here) to participate! We need a few more drivers, so please let me know if you are available!

NEXT Sunday, November 20th will be a busy day for St Mark's EYC --it's Tie Dye/Nerd Night! Dress up like a nerd for EYC (best costume gets a raffle prize), and Tie Dye a St Mark's T-shirt on the same night :). Your first St Mark's T-shirt is free. If you already have a St Mark's T, you can bring another shirt/pillowcase/socks to tie dye, or you can buy a St Mark's T for $5 each. Here's a Nerd Night photo from last year:

Sign up for Tree Lot shifts ! The EYC Christmas Tree Lot is our major fundraiser for the Summer Mission Trips. We unload the trees on Thanksgiving Day morning (11/24), and the Tree Lot starts the day after Thanksgiving (11/25). We will be open until the trees sell out. The lot will be open from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. on weekends, and 5-8 p.m. on weeknights. We need adults for each shift, and if you're going on the Mission Trip you are required to work at least two shifts!

Speaking of Christmas, our EYC Christmas party (Sunday, December 11th from 5-7 p.m.) will be held at the Egans' house this year ! Thanks to the Egan family for their hospitality.

Random Holiday : Thursday (11/10) is Sesame Street Day! What's your favorite Sesame Street character?

Our first group of pictures for this week are from Sunday's CROP Walk for hunger relief. Check out the vintage pic from CROP Walk 2006 that we re-imagined!

Team applications for Happening #122 (a renewal weekend for 10th-12th graders held 3 times a year at Camp Weed) are due by Saturday, November 19th. You can register here if you've already attended Happening. If you are in 10th-12th grade, and would like to be a candidate for Happening #122, click here before January 4th to register.

Pray for St Mark's returning pilgrims, as well as all veterans.
Quote of the Week : "I don't pray to God to move God. I pray to God so that I will be moved." --CS Lewis

The final group of pics are from the CROP Walk. Remember that God loves you, and so do I !

CROP Walk!

2011-10-31T16:33:00.001-04:00

The CROP Walk is THIS Sunday (November 6th), from 1:30-3:00 p.m.! CROP Walk (a Westside walk to help local and world hunger) will start from Riverside Presbyterian on a 3 mile walk along the river. Please wear your St Mark's T's!

Remember, we as a youth group have decided to do a service project once a month, and this is our November service opportunity! We can only help if we raise the money--so if you still need a fundraising packet, please let me know! You can get more info about CROP Walk here.

Thanks to everyone who worked St Mary's Fall Festival yesterday --you were great, and I know that the kids appreciated it. Check out the thank you card from St Mary's on the Youth Center bulletin board! The first pics are from set-up and serving lunch:

Our 2012 Diocesan Ski Trip will be January 13th-16th at Winterplace Resort in West Virginia! The trip will be $400 per skier, and you can begin signing up on TODAY with a $100 deposit. More info is attached to this week's e-mail!

EYC Paintballing Day is NEXT Sunday (November 13th) from 12-5 p.m.! The price is $25 per person (due THIS Sunday--November 6th), and everyone needs both the St Mark's release form AND the GTF Paintball release (here) to participate!

Our second group of photos show some of our Fall Festival games, with a video from our Revolution energizer (thanks, TR):

Random Holiday : Tuesday is National Go Cook for Your Pets Day!

Sunday, November 20th will be a busy day for St Mark's EYC ! That Sunday, we will be having a Tie Dye/Nerd Night! Dress up like a nerd for EYC (best costume gets a raffle prize), and Tie Dye a St Mark's T-shirt on the same night :). If you already have a St Mark's T, you can bring another shirt/pillowcase/socks, or you can buy a St Mark's T for $5 each.

The 2012 Senior High Mission Trip is filling up , so sign up by sending in your $100 deposit today! Click here for more info on our Senior High Mission. If you have any questions, please contact me!

The third group of pics show some fun moments from the Festival:

This week, pray for Westside Christian Outreach, the organization we will be walking for at this Sunday's CROP Walk.

Quote of the Week : "I think there's room on everyone's schedule for pure, unadulterated stupidity." –MTV President Van Toffler

The last group of pictures are some of my favorites, including a group picture! I also made a collage of some of the St Mary's kids' best pictures. Remember that God loves you, and so do I !

Service Sundays!

2011-10-25T14:38:00.005-04:00

St Mary's Fall Festival is THIS Sunday (October 30th from 1-3 p.m.), and we need YOU to help! We are meeting at the Youth Center at noon this Sunday, and everyone needs to bring a bag of candy! If you are in town this Sunday, e-mail me with what you would like to do: Decorations, Food, or Games! I will sign for service hours.

The CROP Walk is NEXT Sunday (November 6th), from 1:30-3:00 p.m.! CROP Walk (a Westside walk to help local and world hunger) will start from Riverside Presbyterian on a 3 mile walk along the river. We can only help if we raise the money--so if you still need a fundraising packet, please let me know! You can get more info about CROP Walk here.

Our first group of pictures are from last week's performance of Suessical! Great job, everyone!

EYC Paintballing Day is coming up from 12-5 p.m. on Sunday, November 13th! The price is $25 per person (due by November 6th), and everyone needs both the St Mark's release form AND the GTF Paintball release (here) to participate!

2012 Mission Trip Update : The Junior High Mission is now full, but we are taking names for the waiting list. The Senior High Mission is filling up as well, so sign up by sending in your $100 deposit today! Click here for more info on our Senior High Mission, or here for the Junior High Mission. If you have any questions, please contact me!

Our 2012 Diocesan Ski Trip will be January 13th-16th at Winterplace Resort in West Virginia! The trip will be $400 per skier, and you can begin signing up on November 1st. More info coming in the next few weeks!

The second set of photos are from Sunday's EYC. Lots of laughing!

Random Holiday : Friday (10/28) is National Breadstick Day! I'm not a fan, but celebrate away here!

This week, pray for our St Mark's Pilgrims, traveling this week to the Holy Land.

Quote of the Week : "I never took the time to stop and realize that death takes many forms--even while alive." --Plankeye (from the song Goodbye)

The final group of pics are from Sunday, with a few group pics thrown in for good measure! Don't forget that God loves you, and so do I !

Sign Up!

2011-10-17T13:05:00.005-04:00

We have lots of events coming up in the next month or so that need sign-ups --read this blog carefully so that you don't miss anything!

St Mary's Fall Festival is only two weeks away (Sunday, October 30th from 1-3 p.m.)! St Mary's Fall Festival is an annual Halloween carnival organized by St Mark's EYC, held at the Youth Center for the children and youth of St Mary's Episcopal Church downtown. We need LOTS of volunteers to put on the Fall Festival, so e-mail me with what you would like to do: Decorations, Food, or Games!

Come to EYC this Sunday ! Junior EYC (5-7 p.m.) will be talking about how to keep the faith, even when our faith is tested. Senior EYC (6-8 p.m.) will be discussing the life of David--how can someone with so many issues be called a "man after God's own heart"?

Our first pics from Sunday's EYC include a game pic and stacking bubbles!

Sign up for the CROP Walk ! CROP Walk (a Westside walk to help local and world hunger) is coming up on Sunday, November 6th at 1:30 p.m. I will be giving out fundraising packets this Sunday at EYC, and you can get more info about CROP Walk here.

Random Holiday : Monday (10/17) is National Cake Decorating Day!

2012 Mission Trip sign-ups are open ! Each trip has a 20 person limit, so sign up by sending in your $100 deposit today! Click here for more info on our Senior High Mission, or here for the Junior High Mission. If you have any questions, please contact me!

The second group of pics show the random moments of EYC :)...

EYC Paintballing Day is coming up from 12-5 p.m. on Sunday, November 13th! The price is $25 per person (due by November 6th), and everyone needs both the St Mark's release form AND the GTF Paintball release (here) to participate!

Pray for the city of Jacksonville--for its people and leaders.

Quote of the Week : "Thrift stores are the closest thing that commerce finds to Redemption--where everything gets a second chance." --Jon Foreman

Check out our final group pictures! Remember that God loves you, and so do I !

Mission Trip Meeting!

2011-10-10T15:46:00.006-04:00

Our 2012 Mission Trips Meeting is THIS Sunday (10/16), from 6:30-7 p.m. in the Youth Center! Parents and Youth are invited this Sunday to come learn the details of St Mark's EYC's 2012 Mission Trips to Toronto and New Orleans.

We will still have regular EYC (Juniors 5-7 p.m., Seniors 6-8 p.m.), but the meeting will be during our combined games time. In case you haven't gotten the Mission Trip flyer in the mail yet, check it out here:

A $100 deposit on Sunday will secure your spot--sign up for an amazing experience!

Come to our Fall Festival Planning Meeting THIS Tuesday (October 11th), from 7-8 p.m. in the St Mark's church library ! St Mary's Fall Festival (an annual carnival organized by St Mark's EYC for the children of St Mary's Episcopal Church) will be on Sunday, October 30th at the Youth Center, and we need lots of volunteers and planners!

Our first group of pictures this week show a "Shoe Game" gone awry :)...

St Mark's EYC is doing the CROP Walk ! CROP Walk (a Westside walk to help local hunger) is coming up on Sunday, November 6th at 2 p.m. I will be giving out fundraising packets this Sunday at EYC, and you can get more info about CROP Walk here.

Random Holiday : Wednesday (10/12) is International Moment of Frustration Scream Day (wow, that's a long holiday name)! Celebrate at your own risk!

Speaking of random holidays, have you heard of Jesusween ? Yes, there is a group taking over Halloween, encouraging their followers to "take a stand for Jesus" on October 31st instead of "hiding" their faith. Click here for the full scoop. Again, wow (and what a name!)...

The next group of pics include a moment from a Senior High skit!

This week, let's pray for our Mission Trip cities of Toronto and New Orleans.

Quote of the Week : "Here's to the crazy ones. The rebels. The troublemakers. The ones who see things differently. While some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do." --Steve Jobs (RIP)

Check out Sunday's group shot! Remember that God loves you, and so do I !

Be like Jesus!

2011-10-04T12:26:00.008-04:00

Come to EYC this Sunday at the Youth Center ! Junior High (7th-8th graders) meet from 5-7 p.m. This week, we'll be talking about perfection. Do we have to try to be perfect for God (and others) to love us? Senior High (9th-12th graders) meet from 6-8 p.m. This week, we'll be discussing how to get real with ourselves, and with God.

High Schoolers ! You can be a part of the Middle School New Beginnings weekend (November 11-13 at Camp Weed) by working on team. Team applications are due THIS Friday (October 7th), so click on the link here to volunteer!

6th-8th graders! Would you like to have a fun weekend at Camp Weed, meet new friends, and learn more about God? Sign up for the New Beginnings weekend! New Beginnings #1 will be November 11-13 at Camp Weed for 6th-8th graders. Click here to find out more, and to register for the weekend!

Our first group of pictures are from Sunday's EYC, including an example of "bug eyes" (TR's specialty) and a group bug eyed shot:

Fr Donavan and I are visiting Bolles Upper School for both lunches on Thursday, October 6th! We need one person from each lunch to "pick us up" from the front office, so please tell me which lunch you have! We'll be bringing cookies !
Speaking of Bolles, I just found an interesting link (here) on the Bolles website :)...!

Random Holiday : Today (10/4) is Cinnamon Roll Day (click here for more info)!

Come to our Fall Festival Planning Meeting NEXT Tuesday (October 11th), from 7-8 p.m. in the St Mark's church library ! St Mary's Fall Festival (an annual carnival organized by St Mark's EYC for the children of St Mary's Episcopal Church) will be on Sunday, October 30th at the Youth Center, and we need lots of volunteers and planners!

EYC Theme Nights are back ! Once a month, we will dress up for EYC in a certain theme. Our first Theme Night will be St Mary's Fall Festival on Sunday, October 30th, which will have a Halloween costume theme. The next Theme Night will be Nerd Night, on Sunday, November 20th. Here's an example from last year!

Here is the EYC calendar for October. It's also attached as a PDF to the e-mail!

This week, pray for the elderly members of our St Mark's congregation (especially those 90+).

Quote of the Week : “Oh, if life were only moments…even now and then a bad one—but if life were only moments, then you’d never know you had one!” –Into the Woods

Our last group of pictures show some fun moments from Sunday's EYC. Remember that God loves you, and so do I !

Happy October!

2011-09-26T09:29:00.006-04:00

Pray at your school flagpole THIS Wednesday (September 28th) for See You At The Pole (SYATP)! SYATP is an international day of student prayer, where millions of teens pray on their school campuses at 7 a.m.. Will you step out of your comfort zone next Wednesday morning, and pray at the flagpole of your school?

Come to EYC this Sunday at the Youth Center !

Junior High (7th-8th graders) meet from 5-7 p.m. This week, we'll be talking about fitting in. What does that mean, and where do we "fit into" God's kingdom?

Senior High (9th-12th graders) meet from 6-8 p.m. This week, we'll be discussing how we can best support one another during hard times.

Lots of pictures from Sunday's service project at Angels for Allison! Thanks to everyone who volunteered your time.

Fr Donavan and I are visiting Bolles Upper School for both lunches on Thursday, October 6th! We need one person from each lunch to "pick us up" from the front office, so please tell me which lunch you have! We'll be bringing cookies !
6th-8th graders ! Would you like to have a fun weekend at Camp Weed, meet new friends, and learn more about God? Sign up for the New Beginnings weekend! New Beginnings #1 will be November 11-13 at Camp Weed for 6th-8th graders. Click here to find out more, and to register for the weekend!

High Schoolers! You can be a part of New Beginnings as well, by working on team. Click on the same link above to volunteer--team applications are due by September 30th, and the Team meeting will be on Saturday, October 22nd!

Have you heard of Spent? Spent is a thought provoking online game where you try to make it through 30 days living in poverty on $1000 a month. I played it today, and you definitely have to make some tough choices to survive. Check it out here--it's free.

A few more pictures from the first shift of Angels for Allison:

There's a new faith-based basketball movie coming out in theaters called Mighty Macs ! Check out the trailer:

Mighty Macs is going to be playing in Jacksonville (opening October 21st), so let me know if you would like to see it as a youth group!

Random Holiday : Friday (9/30) is Blasphemy Day. Really, people?!

The 2nd shift of Angels for Allison was a lot of fun...

If you went on the Mission Trip this summer, and you have not picked up your copy of the Mission Trip Slideshow DVD, please remind me this Sunday at EYC!

Pray for all families that have lost a child, in particular the families helped by Angels for Allison.

Quote of the Week : "The best moments in reading are when you come across something - a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things - that you'd thought special, particular to you. And here it is, set down by someone else, a person you've never met, maybe even someone long dead. And it's as if a hand has come out, and taken yours." - History Boys

Our final group of pictures shows the 2nd shift group of volunteers! Remember that God loves you, and so do I !

Angels for Allison!

2011-09-20T13:03:00.005-04:00

St Mark's EYC is volunteering at Angels for Allison THIS Sunday (9/25) in two shifts: 4:00-5:30 p.m. and 5:30-7:00 p.m. Dinner (bring $4 per person) will be from 5:00-6:00 p.m. at the Youth Center, depending on your shift. We will leave for both shifts from the Youth Center!

Our first pictures are from last weekend's Happening weekend at Camp Weed, including a monster shopping trip and a team picture.

Pray at your school flagpole on Wednesday, September 28th for See You At The Pole (SYATP)! SYATP is an international day of student prayer, where millions of teens pray on their school campuses at 7 a.m.. Will you step out of your comfort zone next Wednesday morning, and pray at the flagpole of your school?

6th-8th graders ! Would you like to have a fun weekend at Camp Weed, meet new friends, and learn more about God? Sign up for the New Beginnings weekend! New Beginnings #1 will be November 11-13 at Camp Weed for 6th-8th graders. Click here to find out more, and to register for the weekend!

High Schoolers! You can be a part of New Beginnings as well, by working on team. Click on the same link above to volunteer--team applications are due by September 30th!

Our second group of pictures show some fun moments from the Happening weekend:

If you went on the Mission Trip this summer, and you have not picked up your copy of the Mission Trip Slideshow DVD, please remind me this Sunday at EYC!

I just heard about a new faith-based basketball movie coming out in theaters called Mighty Macs ! Check out the trailer:

Mighty Macs is going to be playing in Jacksonville (opening October 21st), so let me know if you would like to see it as a youth group!

This week, let's pray for anyone who is in a bad home situation.
Quote of the Week : "Our purpose in life is not to see through others--it is to see others through." --Gloria Vanderbilt

The final pics show our St Mark's group, and the full group of Happening #121. Remember that God loves you, and so do I !

First EYC!

2011-09-13T14:35:00.008-04:00

Our first official EYC of the year is THIS Sunday (September 18th)! Remember, Juniors (7th-8th graders) meet from 5-7 p.m., and we'll be talking about being real in our relationships with each other, and with God.

Seniors (9th-12th graders) meet from 6-8 p.m., and we'll be learning how to keep your faith, even when God seems silent.

Bring $4 for a yummy dinner. Don't miss it!

Thank you to everyone who participated in last weekend's Rock the Universe , especially our adult leaders! Our first RTU pictures show our group having fun at the Switchfoot concert, and at the famous Universal globe:

NEXT Sunday (9/25) is our Service Sunday for the month of September! We will be cooking and serving dinner at City Rescue Mission , so be ready to work! Watch your e-mail for specific times.
Sign up for the 4th Annual St Mark's Camping Trip ! It's going to be October 7th-8th at Salt Springs in Ocala. Let's get an EYC group together--for more info, click here.

Random Holiday : Thursday (9/14) is National Felt Hat Day (click here for more info)!

The second group of pictures includes more concert pics, and a funny pic of our group!

See You At The Pole (SYATP) is coming up on Wednesday, September 28th ! To quote from their website, SYATP is "a global day of student prayer, began in 1990 as a grass roots movement with ten students praying at their school. Twenty years later, millions pray on their campuses on the fourth Wednesday in September." Here's the promo video:

Will you step out of your comfort zone, and pray at the flagpole of your school?

We finally have more information on New Beginnings (the renewal weekend at Camp Weed for middle schoolers, similar to Happening )! New Beginnings #1 will be November 11-13 for 6th-8th graders. Click here to find out more, and to register for the weekend!

Pray for Happening 121, this weekend at Camp Weed !

Quote of the Week : Don't wait for someone else. Don't wait for someday. You are the someone, and today is the day." --Zach Hunter

Our last group of photos has our official group shot, as well as planking/owling in the same picture (embrace the awesomeness )! Remember that God loves you, and so do I !

RTU 2011!

2011-09-06T13:10:00.003-04:00

Rock the Universe is THIS weekend (September 9th-11th )! We are leaving from the Youth Center at 5:00 p.m. Friday evening, and we will be back on Sunday by 10:30 a.m. Bring at least $50 for food and snacks, and please pack light! Check your e-mail for more details!

Fr Donavan and I are coming to Episcopal THIS Wednesday (tomorrow, for most of you) for High School chapel, and Middle and High School lunches. We'll be bringing cookies , so come and say hey!

As you know, this Sunday is the 10 year anniversary of 9-11. I recently found this video online that commemorates 9-11 in a sweet but simple way:

Our first official EYC of the year will be NEXT Sunday (September 18th)! Remember, Juniors (7th-8th graders) meet from 5-7 p.m., and Seniors (9th-12th graders) meet from 6-8 p.m. Bring $4 for a yummy dinner. Don't miss it!

Sign up for the 4th Annual St Mark's Camping Trip ! It's going to be October 7th-8th at Salt Springs in Ocala. Let's get an EYC group together--for more info, click here.

Random Holiday : Wednesday (9/7) is Salami Day! What a great meat product :)--click here to celebrate!

Please pray for Happening 121 (September 16th-18th at Camp Weed)!

Quote of the Week : "[God] is not silent. He is not whispering. We are not quiet, we are not listening." --Scott Dente

This week, we have a couple of pictures from last weekend's Happening team meeting (and another Snowball fight). Remember that God loves you, and so do I !

Congrats!

2011-08-30T16:51:00.008-04:00

We all had a busy Sunday , beginning with Rally Day Games. Congrats to everyone who volunteered--you did a great job!

NO EYC this Sunday--have a Happy Labor Day !

The first pictures are from Rally Day, including Face Paint and the Cookie Walk:

Rock the Universe (RTU) is only a week and a half away (September 9th-11th)! If you have not turned in your $175 per person, please get that into me ASAP. We will leave from the St Mark's Youth Center on Friday, September 9th at 5:00 p.m., and we'll be back that Sunday by 11:00 a.m.! The RTU Concert Schedule has just been released (click on the picture below):

Random Holiday : Today (8/30) is National Toasted Marshmallow Day! Click here to learn more about the ooey, gooey goodness!

Save the Date : New Beginnings (a Junior High renewal weekend similar to Happening) will be held at Camp Weed the weekend of November 11-13! Look for more details soon...

More Rally Day pics, including Fr Donavan's Dunk Tank experience!

Invite friends to our next official EYC (Sunday, September 18th)! Junior High (7th-8th grade) meets from 5-7 p.m., and Senior High (9th-12th grade) meets from 6-8 p.m.. Bring $4 for dinner ($1 goes to our sponsored child, Minakshi).

Pray for Happening 121 (September 16th-18th at Camp Weed)!

Sunday night's EYC Kickoff was our biggest yet, with 70 people! Check out some pictures of fun and worship:

Quote of the Week : "Guard against the tyranny of the urgent. The most important things will seldom scream for your attention--they will simply wait for you to discover them." --Charles Swindoll

Hot off the presses, here is our September EYC Calendar, along with our last pics of EYC Kickoff! Remember that God loves you, and so do I !

EYC Kickoff!

2011-08-23T14:46:00.004-04:00

EYC Kickoff is THIS Sunday, August 28th (Rally Day), from 5:30-7:00 p.m. in the Youth Center ! Come to play games, eat dinner, and discover our EYC theme verse for the 2011-12 school year.

There will be a Parents' Meeting from 5:30-6:00 p.m. on August 28th in Grace House. At the meeting, we'll go over the Fall Calendar and answer questions about St Mark's EYC.

We still need a few more Rally Day Games volunteers ! The two shifts are 11 a.m.-Noon and Noon-1 p.m., and we really need help with the Bounce House for both shifts. Sign up for your shift/game today!

The first photos are some underwater shots from the Dive-In Movie:

Happening 121 (a renewal weekend for 10th-12th graders) is coming up the weekend of September 16th-18th at Camp Weed ! Candidate applications (if you've never been to Happening) are due THIS Friday (August 26th). Sign up here!

Save the Date : New Beginnings (a Junior High renewal weekend similar to Happening) will be held at Camp Weed the weekend of November 11-13! Look for more details soon...

Our annual trip to Universal Studios for Rock the Universe (RTU) is the weekend of September 9th-11th ! This year's RTU price is $175 per person (NOT $150--sorry for the confusion), which includes tickets and hotel. The final $100 per person will be due THIS Sunday (August 28th)! Check out this year's RTU lineup here.

Quote of the Week : "In the end, your finest moments of life aren't necessarily those in which you finish first, but when you did it heart and soul, and held nothing back." --Michelle Kwan (Olympic figure skater)

Our final group of pictures are a tribute to this year's Senior Class. Remember that God loves you, and so do I !

Let's take a look down memory lane...

Dive In Movie!

2011-08-15T16:19:00.006-04:00

Are you ready to dive into a new year of EYC ? Our first official EYC event of the school year will be a Dive-In movie at Good Shepherd Episcopal church's pool THIS Sunday (August 21st) from 5-7:30 p.m.. We are meeting at Good Shepherd (e-mail me if you need directions), and pick-up from Good Shepherd will be at 7:30 p.m. Please let me know if you're coming!

Mission Trippers ! Our Mission Trip Wrap-Up (with Slide show and youth speakers) is THIS Sunday at 9:00 a.m. in Leatherbury Hall, during the final Summer Breakfast. Wear your St Mark's Tie-dyed T's! The Wrap-Up is for the whole congregation, so please come to support the EYC Mission Trip participants.

LOTS of pics from last week's 7th Grade Camp ! Thanks to all of you who volunteered your time last week to help. We start out with some fun moments in the Youth Center...

Random Holiday : Thursday (8/18) is Bad Poetry Day! Roses are red, Violets are blue...

EYC Kickoff is NEXT Sunday, August 28th (Rally Day), from 5:30-7:00 p.m. in the Youth Center ! Come to play games, eat dinner, and discover our EYC theme verse for the 2011-12 school year.

There will be a Parents' Meeting from 5:30-6:00 p.m. on August 28th in Grace House. At the meeting, we'll go over the Fall Calendar and answer questions about St Mark's EYC.

We still need more Rally Day Games volunteers ! The two shifts are 11 a.m.-Noon and Noon-1 p.m., and this year's games are: Bounce House, Dunk Booth, Water Slide, Cake/Cookie Walk, Face Painting, and Fishing Pond. Sign up for your shift today!

More Camp pics from the Bridge and our game of Balloon Pop:

Our annual trip to Universal Studios for Rock the Universe (RTU) is the weekend of September 9th-11th ! This year's RTU price is $175 per person (which includes tickets and hotel), and $75 will secure your spot today. The final $100 per person will be due by Sunday, August 28th (Rally Day)! Check out this year's RTU lineup here.

Save the Date : New Beginnings (a Junior High renewal weekend similar to Happening) will be held at Camp Weed the weekend of November 11-13! Look for more details soon...

Some fun Camp pictures from Sulzbacher...

Quote of the Week : "I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it." --Thomas Jefferson

The final pictures include underwater camera pics, picking up trash in Stockton Park, and a group shot of 7th Grade Camp and helpers. Don't forget that God loves you, and so do I !

Summer Sundays!

2011-07-19T13:18:00.008-04:00

Join Fr Donavan and I for our Summer Sundays lunch after the 10:00 St. Mark’s church service THIS Sunday (and July 31^st and August 7^th). We will meet outside of the Youth Center at 11:15 a.m., and you need to bring $5-$10 for lunch. Each week we’ll eat at a different place, so come to reconnect with EYC friends!

7th grade Camp is coming up August 8th-10th, and we need your help! Youth Council members are required to work at least one day (9 a.m.-2 p.m.) if you're in town! We need help with games, food, and basic supervision. There will be an 8th grade Day on Tuesday where the 8th graders are invited to participate as well. Please let me know if you can help out!

Our first group of pics are from an EYC member's softball game, along with pictures from last week's 5th-6th grade session at Camp Weed:

Random Holiday : Friday (7/22) is Rat Catcher's Day (Eww)! I'm glad that someone is out there doing it!

Are you ready to dive into a new year of EYC ? Our first official EYC event of the school year will be a Dive-In movie at Good Shepherd Episcopal church's pool on Sunday, August 21st from 5-7 p.m.. Look for more details in a few weeks!

Our annual trip to Universal Studios for Rock the Universe (RTU) is the weekend of September 9th-11th ! This year's RTU price is $175 per person (which includes tickets and hotel), and $75 will secure your spot today. The final $100 per person will be due by Sunday, August 28th (Rally Day)! Check out this year's RTU lineup here.

Last chance ! Are you interested in joining St Mark's Youth Council? The Youth Council is made up of Junior and Senior EYC members, and we meet monthly to discuss EYC, and ideas on how to improve and get closer to God. The application for this year's Council is attached to the Blog e-mail!

Quote of the Week : “It is quite ironic that a society that constantly tells its youth to just ‘be yourself’ has also created an environment where ‘being yourself’ is impossible to do, without automatically being judged and written off as just another stereotype.”--Kaitlin Junod

The last pictures are from July 10th's Youth Breakfast. I hope that all of you are having a great summer! Remember that God loves you, and so do I !

End of the Year!

2011-05-09T14:18:00.009-04:00

Congrats to EVERYONE who worked Youth Sunday yesterday--it was great ! Whether you were an acolyte, or ushered, played guitar, greeted, read one of the lessons, or did oblations, you all did an amazing job, working together to make it happen. Pictures below!

If you are going on either Mission Trip , your final payment and all forms were due two weeks ago (May 1st)! That includes the St Mark's release form, the Youthworks release form, the Youthworks Covenant, and for Junior High, a Caving and a Whitewater Rafting release form. Please turn those into me ASAP!

Our first pic is actually not from Youth Sunday, but I visited Landon last Wednesday for lunch ! If you would like for Fr Donavan and I to visit your school for lunch (preferably if there are at least two people from St Mark's at your school), let me know!

There will be no May Youth Council Meeting ! We are done for the school year, but watch your e-mail/Facebook for future meetings (after the 2011-12 Board is selected). Don't forget that all current Youth Council members need to reapply for the 2011-12 school year! Which leads us to...

Are you interested in joining St Mark's Youth Council ? The Youth Council is made up of Junior and Senior EYC members, and we meet monthly to discuss EYC, and ideas on how to improve and get closer to God. The application for this year's Council is attached to the Blog e-mail!

Random Holiday : Friday (5/13) is Blame Someone Else Day! Guess what? It's your fault! It's also the first Friday the 13th of 2011.

Our first group of Youth Sunday pics show ushers, singers, and readers (including a certain EYC alum):

Fr Dave Killeen (our former "Youth priest") is being installed as Rector of St John's Episcopal Church in Tallahassee next Sunday (May 22nd) at 4:00 p.m. ! For the past year Fr Dave has been St John's “Priest-in-Charge”, which is kind of like a trial period. Please let me know if you are planning to go to the service!

Chi-Town Crusade (for those of you going on the Senior High Mission Trip to Chicago) is Saturday, June 11th from 4-8 p.m. in the Youth Center. We'll be doing some games, eating dinner, and learning more about how to serve others as a group!

Pray for AP Exams, the tornado victims, and a safe and happy Episcopal graduation.

Quote of the Week : "Jesus is as controversial now as He has ever been. Not much has changed in 2,000 years." --Jim Caviezel, who played Jesus in The Passion of the Christ

Our last pics show our preacher, the Seniors, and the Youth Band! Don't forget that God loves you, and so do I !

Youth Sunday!

2011-05-02T12:56:00.004-04:00

Pictures are at the bottom of this week's blog--but please read carefully!

We need YOUR help for Youth Sunday (THIS Sunday--May 8th), when the youth group takes over both the 8:45 and 11:00 services!! The positions we still need to fill are: One reader for 8:45, 4 Ushers for 8:45, 2 Greeters for each service (8:45 and 11), 2 Oblationers for 8:45 (bringing up the wine and bread after the Offertory), and Youth Band (which is both the 8:45 and 11:00 services).

Youth Sunday Practices: Youth Band practice is Wednesday, May 4th at 7 p.m. in the church--if you can sing or play an instrument, please come along!

If you are reading at either service, we are having a mandatory rehearsal on Friday, May 6th at 6 p.m. in the Church. Don't be late!

For all of you KJ-52 fans out there , I just read an article about his "feud" with Eminem. Check out the drama here.

Random Holiday : Tuesday (5/3) is Lumpy Rug Day. I don't know why that's a holiday, but who am I to judge?

Chi-Town Crusade (for those of you going on the Senior High Mission Trip to Chicago) is Saturday, June 11th from 4-8 p.m. in the Youth Center. We'll be doing some games, and learning more about how to serve others as a group!

If you are going on either Mission Trip , your final payment and all forms were due last Sunday (May 1st)! That includes the St Mark's release form, the Youthworks release form, the Youthworks Covenant, and for Junior High, a Caving and a Whitewater Rafting release form. Please turn those into me ASAP!

I know that many people are suffering from Royal Wedding overload , but I think that the official prayer for the couple (released by our own Church of England) is sweet, and universal:

God of all grace, friend and companion,
look in favor on William and Catherine
and all who are made one in marriage.
In Your love deepen their love, and strengthen their wills
to keep the promises they will make,
that they may continue in life-long faithfulness to each other; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Pray for all mothers, for women who can't conceive, as well as everyone taking AP Exams.
Quote of the Week : "Find out who you are, and do it on purpose." --Dolly Parton

Our pictures for this week are from my trip to LaVilla, and our Junior High Mission Trip Lock-In. Remember that God loves you, and so do I !

All Service Sunday!

2011-04-26T15:46:00.005-04:00

The Senior High EYC is planning to volunteer at Angels for Allison THIS Wednesday night (April 27th), starting at 7 p.m.! Come ready to paint some angels .

All Service Sunday (a day when St Mark's as a church serves the Jacksonville community together) is THIS Sunday (May 1st), from 12-4:30 p.m. . We really need signups from the youth and youth group families! If you are a project head, don't forget that you need to be recruiting workers.

We will have lunch after the 11:00 service, and then we will go out to serve at these projects: Sulzbacher, Habijax, St Mary's Episcopal Church, St Mark's Day School, Ortega Elementary, Riverkeepers, Park Cleanup, and St Mark's Church. Afterwards, everyone is invited to an Ice Cream Social/Pow-wow to relax and discuss their experiences! Go here, and click on Events to sign up!

OMA What A Day (the Lock-In for those going on the Outdoor Mission Adventure) is THIS weekend (April 29th-30th), from 7:00 p.m. on Friday night-10:00 a.m. on Saturday morning. Get ready for some fun, games, and learning! Everyone needs to bring $20, and all of your regular sleepover stuff.

More pictures from last week's EYC...

Youth Sunday is coming up in NEXT week (Sunday, May 8th), and we need volunteers ! The open positions are: Ushers (8:45 only), Greeters (both services), Oblationers (bringing up the wine and bread after the Offertory--8:45 only), and Youth Band (which is both the 8:45 and 11:00 services).

If you are reading at either service, don't forget that we are having a mandatory rehearsal on Friday, May 6th at 6 p.m. in the Church. Don't be late!

Are you interested in joining St Mark's Youth Council ? The Youth Council is made up of Junior and Senior EYC members, and we meet monthly to discuss EYC, and ideas on how to improve and get closer to God. The application for this year's Council is attached to the Blog e-mail!

Random Holiday : Thursday (4/28) is Poem in your Pocket Day!

Pray for all ongoing conflicts, and for St Mark's All Service Day.

Quote of the Week : "If Easter says anything to us today, it says this: You can put truth in a grave, but it won't stay there. You can nail it to a cross, wrap it in winding sheets and shut it up in a tomb, but it will rise!" --Clarence W. Hall

The final pics are also from last week's EYC, including a previously unseen group shot! Remember that God loves you, and so do I !

Happy Holy Week!

2011-04-18T12:56:00.006-04:00

This week is Allison Week at Yobe in Avondale (frozen yogurt), in honor of Allison Haramis . 10% of the Avondale store's profits this week will go to Angels for Allison, to help families who have lost a child--so go and eat for a good cause! Check out a picture of some of our EYCers working at Angels for Allison on Sunday:

The Senior High EYC is planning to volunteer at Angels for Allison next Wednesday night (April 27th)! Contact EDaw for more info.

All Service Sunday (a day when St Mark's as a church serves the Jacksonville community together) is NEXT Sunday (May 1st), from 12-4:30 p.m. We will have lunch after the 11:00 service, and then we will go out to serve at these projects: Sulzbacher, Habijax, St Mary's Episcopal Church, St Mark's Day School, Ortega Elementary, Riverkeepers, Park Cleanup, and St Mark's Church. Afterwards, everyone is invited to an Ice Cream Social/Pow-wow to relax and discuss their experiences! Go here, and click on Events to sign up!

Lots of pictures this week from our final regular EYC of the year! We start out with some interesting "flour" pictures!

Youth Sunday is coming up in two weeks (Sunday, May 8th), and we need volunteers ! The open positions (for either the 8:45 or 11:00 service) are: Ushers, Greeters, Oblationers (bringing up the wine and bread after the Offertory), and Youth Band (which is both the 8:45 and 11:00 services).

OMA What A Day (the Lock-In for those going on the Outdoor Mission Adventure) will be NEXT weekend (April 29th-30th), from 7:00 p.m. on Friday night-10:00 a.m. on Saturday morning. Everyone needs to bring $20, and all of your regular sleepover stuff.

Save the Date! We ARE going to Rock the Universe this year (September 9-11). Rock the Universe is a Christian rock festival at Universal Studios, and we'll be going to Islands of Adventure that Saturday. Look for more info at the end of the summer (or click here)!

Our second group of pics includes some funny moments from Sunday's EYC:

Random Holiday : Thursday (4/21) is High Five Day! Click here to see what you can do to "have fun and do good" through High Fives.

Are you interested in joining St Mark's Youth Council ? The Youth Council is made up of Junior and Senior EYC members, and we meet monthly to discuss EYC, and ideas on how to improve and get closer to God. The application for this year's Council is attached to the Blog e-mail!

Pray for Holy Week, and that we would remember and truly appreciate Jesus' awesome sacrifice for us.

Quote of the Week : "What we think about when we are free to think about what we will--that is what we are, or will soon become."--Anonymous

Our last group of pictures show our final group, and some of our Raffle prizes. Don't forget that God loves you, and so do I !

Final Sunday EYC!

2011-04-11T09:48:00.005-04:00

Our final Sunday EYC of the school year is here ! We will have Juniors (7th-8th graders) from 5-7 p.m., and Seniors (9th-12th graders) from 6-8 p.m. in the Youth Center. Bring your $4 for dinner!

In addition to games and music, Juniors will be talking about "Awakening" our everyday faith, and Seniors will be answering our last question of faith: "What if we are not worshiping the right God?"

We have lots of pics of (hopefully) everybody who came to Sunday's Soul Surfer Movie Night! Soul Surfer got 4th at this weekend's Box Office!

Our April Youth Council Meeting is Tuesday night (April 12th), from 7-8 p.m. in the church library. It's one of our last meetings of the school year, and we have important things to discuss--so please don't miss it!

Random Holiday : Today (4/11) is International Louie Louie Day!

All Service Sunday (one day when St Mark's serves the Jacksonville community together) is Sunday, May 1st, from 12-4:30 p.m. We will have lunch after the 11:00 service, and then we will go out to serve at projects including: Sulzbacher, Habijax, St Mary's Episcopal Church, St Mark's Day School, Ortega Elementary, Riverkeepers, Park Cleanup, and St Mark's Church. Afterwards, everyone is invited to an Ice Cream Social/Pow-wow to relax and discuss their experiences! Watch the St Mark's website for info on how to sign up!

Youth Sunday is coming up in a few weeks (Sunday, May 8th), and we need volunteers ! The open positions (for either the 8:45 or 11:00 service) are: Ushers, Greeters, Readers (Old Testament/Psalms, New Testament [only at 11:00], and Prayers of the People), Oblationers (bringing up the wine and bread after the Offertory), and Youth Band (which is both the 8:45 and 11:00 services). The readers at the 11:00 service will hopefully all be Seniors.

The second group of pics shows more glimpses of Tinseltown!

Pray for ICARE, and for the people of Jacksonville.
Quote of the Week : "Be yourself, because everyone else is taken." --Oscar Wilde

Our last group of photos include an Aloha parting shot, in honor of the movie! Remember that God loves you, and so do I !

Soul Surfer Movie Night!

2011-04-05T14:16:00.010-04:00

Our Soul Surfer Movie Night is finally here , and we need drivers! The whole youth group (7^th-12^th graders) will be seeing the new movie Soul Surfer on Sunday, April 10^th at the Tinseltown movie theater. You will need $20 per person for your movie ticket and snacks. Meet at the Youth Center at 3:30 p.m., and we will be back by 7:30 p.m. Invite your friends (but let me know who is coming)! Here's the Soul Surfer trailer:

Don't miss this fun EYC event!
ICARE's Nehemiah Rally is coming up THIS Monday--April 11th ! ICARE is a faith-based group of 27 congregations that are trying to make a difference in the city of Jacksonville. As Christians, we need to be part of the solution, not part of the problem! We are trying to get 100 people from St Mark's to attend, and we would like to bring 20 youth group members! Click here for more info!

Thanks to everyone who volunteered at Angels for Allison on Sunday! I hear that it was a great event .

Our pictures are some fun moments from last weekend's Happening #120, including a penguin outfit?!? Don't ask me :)...

Our April Youth Council Meeting will be NEXT Tuesday (April 12th), from 7-8 p.m. in the church library. It's one of our last meetings of the school year, and we have important things to discuss--so please don't miss it!

Because of our crazy schedule of EYC events (and a late Easter), April 17th (NEXT Sunday) will be our last regular EYC of the school year. Don't miss it !

The St Mark's Parish Retreat is THIS weekend (April 8th-10th), at Camp Honey Creek in Georgia ! Come with your family for a fun weekend of swimming, frisbee golf, and kickball. Dave Bast (from Jacksonville Young Life) will be leading the youth, so you know it's going to be awesome! You can sign up on the St Mark's website here.

Random Holiday : Wednesday (4/6) is Teflon Day! Go out and cook something in non-stick happiness :).

Pray for this weekend's Parish Retreat--for safety, fun, and a deepened faith.

Quote of the Week : "I try to give to the poor people for love what the rich could get for money. No, I wouldn't touch a leper for a thousand pounds; yet I willingly cure him for the love of God." --Mother Teresa

The final group of pics include two group shots, and the announcement of the next Happening Rector (from St Mark's)! Don't forget that God loves you, and so do I !

Angels for Allison!

2011-03-30T11:32:00.003-04:00

Angels for Allison (a charity that helps families who have lost a child, in honor of Allison Haramis) has asked St Mark's EYC to come help paint angels THIS Sunday (April 3rd). We still need drivers to drive the group from the church. We are eating dinner at the Youth Center from 5-5:30 p.m., and we will be back at St Mark's by 7 p.m.. Please let me know if you can help with this worthwhile project!

The St Mark's Parish Retreat is April 8th-10th, at Camp Honey Creek in Georgia ! Come with your family for a fun weekend of swimming, frisbee golf, and kickball. Dave Bast (from Jacksonville Young Life) will be leading the youth, so you know it's going to be awesome! You can sign up on the St Mark's website here.

Our first group of pictures are from last weekend's 30 Hour Famine, at St Peter's Episcopal Church in Fernandina. I found a "heart leaf" while we were weeding, and then we raked leaves in the cemetery.

Our Soul Surfer Movie Night is only a little over a week away! The whole youth group (7^th-12^th graders) will be seeing the new movie Soul Surfer on Sunday, April 10^th at the Tinseltown movie theater. You will need $20 per person for your movie ticket and snacks. Meet at the Youth Center at 3:30 p.m., and we will be back by 7:30 p.m. Invite your friends! Here's the Soul Surfer trailer:

Don't miss this fun EYC event!

If you are a Mission Trip parent who couldn't make it to last Sunday's meeting, we will be sending out the information by mail next week. If you would like the packet earlier than that, please come and pick one up at the church office.

Random Holiday : Thursday (3/31) is National She's Funny That Way Day! Pay tribute to a funny woman in your life.

ICARE's Nehemiah Rally is coming up on Monday, April 11th ! ICARE is a faith-based group of 27 congregations that are trying to make a difference in the city of Jacksonville. As Christians, we need to be part of the solution, not part of the problem! We are trying to get 100 people from St Mark's to attend. Can we make 20 of that 100 youth group members? Click here for more info!

Pray for this weekend's Happening #120, and our 15 participants from St Mark's.
Quote of the Week : "Religion might die because it is man's creation to reach God--but God can't, and will not die because He had no beginning. -Philloodem, a blogger on relevantmagazine.com

Our last pictures are from Sunday's Senior EYC. Remember that God loves you, and so do I !

30 Hour Famine!

2011-03-22T11:44:00.006-04:00

The 30 Hour Famine is this Friday-Saturday (March 25th-26th) ! We'll be leaving the Youth Center at 4 p.m., and we will be back by 8:30 p.m. on Saturday evening after the break-fast meal . It's going to be a small group this year, so I need to know if you are planning to come! You can get lots of service hours! If you are doing the Famine, you need to bring 2 jugs of juice along with your regular overnight toiletries/sleeping bag. Love Hungry!

We have normal EYC this week , with Juniors from 5-7 p.m. and Senior High from 6-8 p.m. Junior EYC will be talking about God's grace--can God forgive any sin? Senior EYC will discuss another question of faith: Are Jesus and God the same person?

Angels for Allison (a charity that helps families who have lost a child, in honor of Allison Haramis) has asked St Mark's EYC to come help paint angels on Sunday, April 3rd. We will need drivers to drive the group from the church. Please let me know if you can help with this worthwhile project!

Our first group of pics are from Sunday's EYC. Check out the shoe in the group pic!

Random Holiday : Today (3/22) is International Talk Like William Shatner Day, in honor of his 80th birthday! Even if you don't know who William Shatner is, click here to join in the fun!

Could organized religion become extinct ? According to a new study, that is going to happen in 9 countries, including New Zealand and Australia! Click here for the article.

The St Mark's Parish Retreat is April 8th-10th, at Camp Honey Creek in Georgia ! Come with your family for a fun weekend of swimming, frisbee golf, and kickball. Dave Bast (from Jacksonville Young Life) will be leading the youth, so you know it's going to be awesome! You can sign up on the St Mark's website here.

Our second group of pics are from last weekend's Revolve Tour, our girls' event in Lakeland!

Invite your friends to see Soul Surfer with us on Sunday, April 10th! We're going to see the movie at Tinsletown late that afternoon (around 4:30 p.m.). Here's the trailer again:

Don't miss this fun EYC event!

Continue to pray for Japan, and for everyone living in a war-torn area.

Quote of the Week : "Man is born broken. [We live] by mending. The grace of God is glue." --Eugene O'Neill

Our last pictures (and short video) are from Revolve, including our birthday girl! Don't forget that God loves you, and so do I !

Go Green!

2011-03-14T14:09:00.004-04:00

Happy week of St Patrick's Day !

Revolve Tour Girls' Event in Lakeland is finally here ! We are leaving from the Youth Center THIS Friday (March 18th) at 4 p.m., and we will be back by 7:30 p.m. on Saturday night. We still have one spot left, if you're interested! One of the artists at this year's Revolve is Kathryn McCormick, who was on So You Think You Can Dance. Here's one of her powerful performances:

Our March Youth Council meeting is Tuesday night (3/15) from 7-8 p.m. in the Upstairs Conference Room (NOT the library)! Don't forget--All Service Day 2011 will be on Sunday, May 1st!

Our pictures this week are from Sunday's EYC, where we played a game of Redneck baseball (with a broom as a bat). Check out the teeth!

Happening #120 (a weekend at Camp Weed for 9th-12th graders) is coming up on April 1-3 ! We have 5 St Mark's people on team, and this is the first Happening that 9th graders can attend! If you're interested, click here for more info (or here to sign up)! Applications are due THIS Wednesday (March 16th).

I'm coming to eat lunch at Bolles Bartram Campus on Wednesday (3/16) ! If you're a Bolles Middle Schooler, make sure to come say hey!

Angels for Allison (a charity that helps families who have lost a child, in honor of Allison Haramis) has asked St Mark's EYC to come help make angels on Sunday, April 3rd. We will need drivers to drive the group from the church. Please let me know if you can help with this worthwhile project!

Random Holiday : Today (3/14) is Potato Chip Day (click here to join in the celebration)!

Are you willing to truly Love Hungry ? St Peter's Episcopal Church in Fernandina Beach is hosting the 30 Hour Famine this year on March 25th-26th! The 30 Hour Famine is a 30 hour juice fast to help change your world. Check out the website (here) and video for more info:

The 30 Hour Famine is free, and includes a Saturday evening dinner to end the fast. Let me know if you're coming, so that we can get drivers! It really is a great, surprisingly fun event.

This week, pray for Japan, and all those affected by the tsunami.

Quote of the Week : "I never took the time to stop and realize that death takes many forms, even while alive." -- Goodbye, a song from the band Plankeye

Our final pics are from Sunday's EYC. Don't forget that God loves you, and so do I !

Happy Lent!

2011-03-08T15:54:00.008-05:00

This Sunday, we have regular EYC , with dinner and games! For the Juniors (5-7 p.m.), we will be talking about church revival. What would it look like if we started a revolution of faith?

For the Seniors (6-8 p.m.), we're continuing our study on the biggest faith questions. This week's question is: Why don't more people do the right thing, instead of what's easy?

Follies 2011 was AWESOME ! Thanks to all of the parents, Mission Trippers, and EYC members who made it possible. We have lots of Follies pictures this week (several from Kendra McCrary). Our first group of pics shows the impressive dessert plates, and our Follies hosts:

Our March Youth Council meeting (which will include the adult Service Day heads) will be NEXT Tuesday night (3/15) from 7-8 p.m. in the church library! Don't forget--All Service Day 2011 will be on Sunday, May 1st!

Are you willing to truly Love Hungry ? St Peter's Episcopal Church in Fernandina Beach is hosting the 30 Hour Famine this year on March 25th-26th! The 30 Hour Famine is a 30 hour juice fast to help change your world. Check out the video for more info:

The 30 Hour Famine is free, and includes a Saturday evening dinner to end the fast. Let me know if you're coming, so that we can get drivers! It really is a great, surprisingly fun event.

Happening #120 (a weekend at Camp Weed for 9th-12th graders) is coming up on April 1-3 ! We have 5 St Mark's people on team, and this is the first Happening that 9th graders can attend! If you're interested, click here for more info (or here to sign up)! Applications are due by NEXT Wednesday (March 16th).

Angels for Allison (a charity that helps families who have lost a child, in honor of Allison Haramis) has asked St Mark's EYC to come help make angels on Sunday, April 3rd. We will need drivers to drive the group from the church. Please let me know if you can help with this worthwhile project!

The second group of photos includes the Follies audience, and our Siblings going on the Mission Trip:

Revolve Tour girls' event is NEXT weekend (March 18th-19th) in Lakeland ! If you are signed up, please bring in your $75 as soon as possible.

The first Mission Trip payment (besides your deposit) is due THIS Sunday (March 13th)! The payment is $250 if you're going to Chicago, and $150 for the Outdoor Mission Adventure.

Random Holiday : Today (3/9) is Get Over It Day! Don't we all have something that we just need to 'get over'? Click here for more info!

This week, let's pray for renewed faith in our lives, and the lives of others.

Quote of the Week : "But I don't even have a FLAG!" --Mead, before learning the Waving Flag dance on Sunday

The last group of Follies pics show our group, along with some kitchen workers and Waving Flag action. Remember that God loves you, and so do I !

Follies 2011!!

2011-02-28T10:22:00.005-05:00

St Mark's Follies is here ! Follies (a spaghetti dinner/talent show to support our summer mission trips) is THIS Sunday (March 6th) from 5-7 p.m. in Leatherbury Hall! If you are going on the Mission Trip, you need to be at Leatherbury Hall by 2 p.m.--in your St Mark's Tie Dye Shirt!

Don't forget! If you are not going on the Mission Trip, we still need you on Sunday for our Waving Flag dance . We're the final act, so please be there by 6:30 p.m. if you're not attending the rest of Follies.

Our first group of pictures are from our Senior High-led combined EYC. We played a balloon game, and they led a Bible study on having a child-like faith.

Speaking of Follies, our final Follies planning meeting is Tuesday night (3/1), from 7-8 p.m. in the library!

Random Holiday : Tomorrow (3/1) is Pig Day--apparently a day big enough to have its own Wikipedia page here! Oink, Oink!

Have you heard of ICARE ? ICARE is a faith-based group of 27 congregations that are trying to make a difference in the city of Jacksonville. As Christians, we need to be part of the solution, not part of the problem! ICARE's big event, the Nehemiah Rally, is coming up on Monday, April 11th--and we are trying to get 100 people from St Mark's to attend. Can we make 20 of that 100 youth group members? Click here for more info!

Here's a sneak preview video of our upcoming Follies performance of Waving Flag:

Happening #120 (a weekend at Camp Weed for 9th-12th graders) is coming up on April 1-3 ! We have 5 St Mark's people on team, and this is the first Happening that 9th graders can attend! If you're interested, click here for more info (or here to sign up)! Applications are due by March 16th.

Revolve Tour girls' event is coming up March 18th-19th in Lakeland ! If you are signed up, please bring in your $75 as soon as possible. More info coming...

Get excited! We are going to see Soul Surfer at the Orange Park AMC on Sunday, April 10th ! Like last year's To Save a Life Movie Night, you can invite your friends! Here is the full trailer:

Quote of the Week : "Life is beautiful. Even with darkness all around us, we can find beauty. That is true strength." --Roberto Benigni

Our last group shows Sunday's "design team", lots of ice cream wrappers, and a group shot. See you all on Sunday for Follies! Remember that God loves you, and so do I !

Combined EYC!

2011-02-24T12:20:00.006-05:00

This Sunday (February 27th), EYC will be combined (Junior and Senior High together) from 5-7 p.m., and our Youth Council Board of 10th-11th graders will be leading the group ! We're having a "Reunion" theme, so invite a friend who hasn't been to youth group in a while! You don't want to miss this fun night of games and faith!

Mission Trippers! Wear your St Mark's Tie-Dye Shirts to EYC this Sunday, so that we can take a group picture for the Mission Trip(s)!

LOTS of Ski Trip pics this week! We start out with our journey to North Carolina (sunny!), and some indoor shots:

Follies is coming up NEXT Sunday (March 6th) from 5-7 p.m. ! All Follies acts need to be in by Sunday (Feb 27th)! Also, if you are going on the Mission Trip, you need to turn in your ticket money/names, as well as your raffle prizes by this Sunday (Feb 27th) as well.

Random Holiday : Saturday (2/26) is International Sword Swallowers Day! Painful, but true (click here).

Have you heard of ICARE ? ICARE is a faith-based group of 27 congregations that are trying to make a difference in the city of Jacksonville. As Christians, we need to be part of the solution, not part of the problem! ICARE's big event, the Nehemiah Rally, is coming up on Monday, April 11th--and we are trying to get 100 people from St Mark's to attend. Can we make 20 of that 100 youth group members? Click here for more info!

Our second group of pics show some fun moments on the ski slopes, and at the Lodge:

Pray for all those around the world who are dealing with strife or violence.

Quote of the Week : "Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional." --M. Kathleen Casey

The final pics include our full Diocesan Ski Trip group (minus the kids from Tallahassee), and a snowball fight! Remember that God loves you, and so do I !