August Parent Newsletter 2K17:

Parents On The Go:

1) The best way to stay in touch with upcoming CREW activities is to sign up for our text message communication through Remind. Text: @1t412 to phone number: 81010.

2)Slip N Slide Kickball: FREE, Wednesday August 2 at 7:00 pm at the church.

3) Lock-IN: Free, Friday night August 18th 8:00 pm-7:30 am

4) Parent Symposium: Educating parents on the development of their teenager. Wednesday, August 16th at 7:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall.

5) Youth Led Service: Sunday Night, August 27th at 6:30 pm. If your son or daughter would like to showcase their talent or share a testimony please contact Pastor T

6) Paintball: Saturday, September 16th

Dear Parents,

I can't believe we are about to start another year in CREW. A new group of students has moved up from the Children's Department and I am excited to see what God is going to do in the lives of all the students. Below you will find an outline of my philosophy of ministry and what I believe every student needs to change.

Gospel + safety + time.  It’s what everyone needs.  A lot of gospel + a lot of safety + a lot of time.

Gospel: good news for bad people through the finished work of Christ on the cross and the endless power of the Holy Spirit.  Multiple exposures.  Constant immersion.  Wave upon wave of grace and truth, according to the Bible.

Safety: a non-accusing environment.  No embarrassing anyone.  No manipulation.  No oppression.  No condescension.  But respect and sympathy and understanding, where sinners can confess and unburden their souls.  A church environment where no one seeking the Lord has anything to fear.

Time: no pressure.  Not even self-imposed pressure.  No deadlines on growth.  Urgency, but not hurry, because no one changes quickly.  A lot of space for complicated people to rethink their lives at a deep level.  God is patient.

This is what CREW seeks to be: gentle environments of gospel + safety + time.  It’s where students are finally free to grow.

Reaching, Teaching & Releasing,



Pastor T Welch

July Parent Newsletter 2K17:

For Parents On the Go:

1) Summer Meals EVERY Wednesday at 6:00 pm in CREW. Cost: $3.

2) Sliding Rock in Ashville, NC. Here is a website to read more about it (https://www.romanticasheville.com/sliding_rock_north_carolina.htm). Thursday, July 13th. 8:00 am-5:00 pm. Cost: $3 plus lunch money.

3) Carowinds, Tuesday, July 25th. Cost of admission plus $ for lunch.

4) Sunday mornings we have begun a new series entitled A Beautiful Design examining God's purpose for manhood and womanhood. I will be doing short video blogs on Monday, Wednesday and Friday on social media to help solidify the content learned on Sunday morning. Please tune in.

Dear Parents,

Last week while I was at summer camp I had the opportunity to interact with several other Student Ministers. Several Student Ministers complained about the lack of support they get from parents and how parents are always undermining their authority. When they were sharing I was thanking God for each of you.

Thank you for being supportive of me and the direction I have been attempting to steer CREW Student Ministries.

Thank you for adopting and supporting my vision of reaching, teaching and releasing 7th-12th grade students.

Thank you for speaking words of encouragement to me through cards, emails and even pulling my aside and letting me know you support me.

Thank you for driving your son or daughter to activities and on Sunday morning and Wednesday nights.

Thank you for encouraging your son or daughter who drives to come out to activities and on Sunday morning and Wednesday nights.

Thank you for paying for events and activities. I know it can be a strain on your budget but I appreciate the sacrifice and know that God is using all of the events and activities to mold and shape your son or daughter into an individual who loves the Lord and serves others.

Thank you for praying for me and my family.

Thank you for entrusting your most treasured possession into our care week after week.

I could not effectively serve the students at FBCS if it was not for your encouragement, love, prayers and support. Thank you.

I will close this brief newsletter with a quote from the Apostle Paul to the church in Philippi,

"I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."

Reaching, Teaching and Releasing,

Pastor T Welch