Retreats are the most awesome way to spend your winter vacation!

Registration for the retreats are starting NOW.  If you are in the 6th -8th grade, you need to check out the Jr High retreat on Feb 20-22, 2009.   If you are in the 9th-12th grade, you need to check out the Sr High retreat on Feb 14-16, 2009.  Please print out a registration form and return it to Pastor Sandy with your parent’s signed permission and check.  We are making every effort to keep the fee unchanged (same as 2008).  Some partial scholarships are available for financial hardships (just register by Jan 11 with scholarship requests).

Deadlines:

Early (due Jan 11):  $110.

Regular (due Jan 25):  $120.

Late (due Feb 1 for Sr High, Feb 8 for Jr High):  $125.

Come to celebrate the birth of Jesus our Savior during a solemn but festive time!  For those of you who have not escaped to the ski slopes, the Christmas Eve Service will be held on Dec. 24th at 7:30-8:45 pm, in the CBCGB Sanctuary.  Followed by a time of tea and cookies.

It is a lovely time to sing carols, listen to a brief message,  pray and reflect on Scriptures, and enjoy the fellowship.  Forecast is finally above freezing, with wet slushy rain rather than howling winds and white-out snow.

Merry Christmas to you and your family!

The January-April 2009 calendar is available now!

Dear youth and families,

We are posting early here… Youth ALIVE will be cancelled on Friday, Dec 19, due to inclement weather.  Please DO NOT venture out to the church or to hang out with friends.  Sorry for the inconvenience and disappointment of postponing our Christmas party… until after Christmas?  LOL, enjoy!

I will be away from CBCGB this Sunday since I am scheduled to preach at MetroWest, so unfortunately, I will miss the opportunity to wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas!
I love you all,

Pastor Sandy

If you have any interest to join one of our summer trips, please come to the Youth Mission Informational Meeting this Sunday, Dec 7th, at 1:15-2:30 PM in the Junior Chapel.

DCLA 2009 - a triennial evangelism training sponsored by Youth For Christ at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC. Trip dates: July 9th-14th. For event info: http://dcla2009.com/

YouthWorks Lynn 2009 - (level 1) a community service trip to reach out to urban Lynn, MA. Trip dates: June 28-July 3rd. Estimated cost: $268 fee plus $30 team expenses. For event info: http://www.youthworks.com/getSite.aspx?siteID=758

STM to NY Chinatown 2009 - (level 2) a mission trip to reach out to reach out to unreached latchkey children and youth in New York City Chinatown in partnership with Overseas Chinese Mission Church. Trip dates: Aug 8th-20th. Estimated cost: $330 team expenses including travel.

STM to Taiwan 2009 - (level 3+) a mission trip to reach out to middle school youth through Bilingual Youth Camp in Erh-Shuei, Taiwan, ROC in partnership with local church and Junior High. Trip dates: June 26th-July 12th. Estimated cost: team expenses plus airfare. Please contact Pastor Steve Chang for specific information on a potluck meeting on Dec 21 at 5pm in Needham.

STM to UK 2009 - (level 4) a mission trip for youth leaders and pastors to reach out to BBC youth (British-Born Chinese) outside of London, in partnership with Chinese Church In London (CCIL). Details forthcoming. Trip dates: July 19th- 29th. Estimated cost: team expenses plus airfare.

“I want God more than food, so I will fast.

I want God more than me, so I will fellowship.

I want God more than my plans, so I will pray.

I want God more than things, so I am willing to sacrifice.

I want God more than the world, so I will seek after Him.

I want God more than anything, so I will love unconditionally.”

– Pastor Virginia Ward

Come worship and seek the Lord together!

Youth Passion Night

CBCGB Sanctuary

Friday Nov 28 at 7:30-9:30 pm

Followed by snacks & fellowship downstairs

Program elements:

Extended Worship

Drama: Puppets

Imaginative Prayer Stations

Speaker: ** Virginia Ward

Audience includes jr high & sr high youth, parents, college and adults.

All are welcomed.

** Rev. Virginia Ward is the director of Black Campus Ministries New England for Intervarsity. She also serves as the youth pastor at the Abundant Life Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts where her husband, Rev. Lawrence Ward, is the pastor. Virginia serves regionally on the Council of the New England Network of Youth Ministries. Her national involvement includes her membership on the Ministry Council of the National Network of Youth Ministries and as a trainer for the DeVos Urban Leadership Initiative, a national, faith-based urban youth leadership venture founded by the DeVos families. Virginia and her husband of 24 years reside in Boston with their two sons.

The Youth Parent Seminar meeting originally scheduled for Saturday, Nov 15th, has been postponed to Saturday, Jan 17th, 2009. The speaker will be Rev. Bob Whittet, Associate Professor of Youth Ministries from Gordon College.
I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience.

Small group night is an activity-fellowship night for each of our class/gender groups. All groups meet at 7:30-10:15pm unless otherwise noted.
Sr guys & Jon - Nathan & Raffi’s house in Carlisle for cooking/eating food

Sr girls & Karolyn- postponed until college apps are done!

Jr guys & Terry- 6:45 church van departs, all-you-can-eat at Churrascaria Rodeo Restaurant in Woburn, followed by games at Jeff’s house in Lexington, pick up at Jeff’s 10:30p

Jr girls & Pastor Sandy- Ellen’s house in Lexington for cookie baking, games, chick flick

Soph guys & Geoff- Geoff’s house in Lincoln for fun

Soph girls & Serena- postponed until Sunday afternoon

Fresh guys & Uncle John- Jeremy’s house in Bedford for games, munchies, chat

Fresh girls & Auntie Jane- Dana’s house in Winchester for games and munchies

Youth Parent Seminar Series

Topic:

“Surviving

Middle School”

Led by Pastor Sandy & Minister Larry

Sunday, October 19^th

1:15-2:30 pm

Junior Chapel

Dear parents of “tweens” in grades 5-8,