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November-December 2002

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 weekend retreat at the beach was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the end of a great year with the Jr. Youth and to honor the "graduates" who will be going into the youth group. The Jr. Youth spent a weekend at the Outer Banks in North Carolina from Friday, August 30, to Sunday, September 1, 2002.

The weekend activities included bowling, a group teaching session, a group sharing session, and good old-fashioned fun. We had a great time in spite of the nearly continuous rain (After the severe drought of the summer, we were all thankful for the rain!) which limited our beach activities. When it was nearly time to head home, the only opportunities we’d had to enjoy the sand were walks on the beach late at night after the rain had stopped. So we finally decided to go to the beach in spite of the rain! We did not stay long, but we had fun!

Several opportunities for personal quiet time were provided during the weekend. Everyone used this time to prepare to share a favorite Bible verse and a personal testimony of a special time when the Lord had ministered to us. This resulted in a very special time of sharing with each other on Sunday morning--a perfect way to end a great year! We praise the Lord for His guidance and protection during the trip and for the plans He has for the futures of each of the Jr. Youth.

A note of thanks to Ivan and Joyce Lehman who faithfully served as Jr. Youth leaders for two years. It was through their vision and leadership that a Jr. Youth group became a reality for our young people. Ivan and Joyce were also in charge of the spiritual input for the weekend retreat.