Spring Banquet

Well, can you tell what we were busy doing on Saturday??? Around our house, things were all abuzz for the annual Spring Banquet at our church. Each year, Life::Redefined honors the seniors. The junior high teens (JAM) do not attend. It is strictly for the high school teens (Emerge). It includes buying a ticket, dressing up, dinner, dancing, games, special presentation of the seniors. A really nice evening out for the students. We have one amazing Youth group staff. I mean, Student Ministries staff. That is the new name for those of you over age 35 who grew up using the terms Youth Group, Youth Pastor, Youth Center.....I am trying to learn to change my lingo but it's tough! We have a brand new POSM. (Pastor of Student Ministries). Actually, he and his wife were hired in March. We are so very blessed to have them. Pastor Rob is paid to work full time as our new "youth pastor". What a marvelous job he is doing and what exciting changes are taking place. So...of course, with a "social butterfly" of a daughter, Courtney bought her ticket. We went gown shopping about a month ago and were blessed to find one in her color for a great sale price! Because the gown was on sale, I let her choose new shoes and her first designer purse! Everything was on sale! She is low-maintenance when it comes to certain things so she did her own nails and pedicure and did her own hair. I did pay for it to be cut a little. I love that length on her. And now.....here are the results of our crazy Saturday getting ready. More pics will be posted tomorrow.

Courtney on June 13, 2009
All dressed up for the Spring Banquet
at the Student Center, Grace Fellowship Church

She is almost 16. The time has just flown by! We are so blessed to have this daughter. She is a strong Christian who has some deep convictions. She knows her preferences. She is getting a solid foundation of core beliefs while attending her life::group and Emerge at the church. She is a pleasure to parent and we are honored that God has allowed us to be the ones to raise her. It is so hard to believe it is almost 16 years since I gave birth to her. She has grown up so quickly! Dave and I are so proud of her!!

Jen (wife of our Student Ministry Pastor, a.k.a Youth Pastor)

Jen is highly involved with the teenagers. Here she is sitting at the Welcome desk in the Student Center welcoming the high school teens to the Spring Banquet. Jen and Rob have 3 children all of whom are in their early 20s.

BFF's Shauna S, Courtney

There is nothing like a best friend. Shauna and Courtney first met at our new church, back in the summer of 2005. They ended up being in the same hall and some classes for Junior High school! They are doing life together! They are now in the same high school but not in many classes together as both are taking different courses of study. Both are strong Christian girls and will be officers at Life Club at the high school this next year. I praise God that Courtney has good, strong friends.

Friends! Matt (an Emerge volunteer, dressed in his National Guard outfit)
Shauna, Courtney, Caitlyn H., Emily V, Barrett (senior)

This is just a small sample of the good friends in the high school portion of Life::Redefined (Emerge) which is the Student Ministry group at our church. Emerge is for teens in grades 9-12 and the "older teens" of life::redefined. We are so thankful to God for leading us to Grace Fellowship and for all of these teens who are strong Christians in their schools. Courtney, Shauna and Emily attend the same high school. Caitlyn attends one to the north of us and Barrett attends one to the south of us. Matt is a college student who volunteers with life::redefined and worksk for the church part time.

Gorgeous Girls! Amber, Beth, Shauna, Julia, Courtney, Nicole
All dressed up for the Life::Redefined Banquet.