Just a quick note to let everyone know that our Annual Mid-Winter Retreat will be in Belfast February 19-21st. Thanks go out to the First Church Of Belfast for agreeing to host us!

Read on for more information, including the registration form, newsletter, and directions to the event!

This is one of many great opportunities provided by the SYC for high school age youth to meet others their own age from around the state and have a great weekend of fellowship and faith.

The registration forms are due in as soon as possible, and can be downloaded here:

SYC Mid-Winter 2010 Registration and Information Sheet

The most recent SYC Newsletter is also available.

Please pass this along to all of your friends or any high school youth you work with and encourage them to attend. This is also the annual business meeting for the youth of the conference, and will include elections for the SYC Executive Committee.

*EVERY CHURCH* in the Conference should have at LEAST one youth delegate in attendance to vote and optionally run for a committee position if they desire. During times where most churches are seeing a decline in youth involvement this is an excellent opportunity to keep them engaged and offer them leadership opportunities.

Churches are encouraged to provide financial support for their youth but assistance is also available from the SYC (cost should not prohibit anyone from attending). If your church is unable to provide you with needed assistance simply use our contact form and an SYC Executive Committee Adult Advisor will make sure you can attend.

Directions to the event may be found in the newsletter (link above) and on Google Maps.

Cya on the 19th!

Curious to know exactly what we’ll be doing this weekend?

Read on for a preview of this weekend’s event, Fall Convention!

State Youth Council Fall Convention at Pilgrim Lodge

October 16-18, 2009

Friday 10/16:

5pm Registration

6pm Ice Breakers

7pm Family Group

7:30pm Worship

8pm Movie

11pm Zzzzzzzzzzz

Saturday 10/17:

8am Wake Up!

8:30am Jumper

8:45a Breakfast

9:45am Worship

10am PL Service Projects

12:15pm Jumper

12:30pm Lunch

1:30pm Family Group

2pm Movie “Aliens Amongst Us” & Discussion

3:15pm Choice: Ultimate Frisbee OR Board Games OR Beading OR Mission Project

4:30pm Regional Youth Event Presentation

5pm Free Time

5:45pm Jumper

6pm Dinner

7pm Business Meeting

7:30pm Worship

8:00pm Boardwalk Time

8:30pm Dance!

10:30pm Snacks / Boardwalk time

11pm Zzzzzzzzzzzz

Sunday 10/18:

8am Wake Up!

8:30am Jumper

8:45am Breakfast

9:30am Worship

10:15am Cabin Clean Up!

10:45am Closing Circle

11am Bye Bye! – See you at Mid-Winter Retreat!

Update 14-OCT-2009: Fall Convention is still on! Register Today! It’s not too late, but since it is so close to the event please do NOT mail the form in. Just bring it with you and let SYC Secretary Heather Galasyn know you are coming (her contact info is on the registration form).

Quick Links: Registration Form (download) &  Newsletter (download) You want both.

Come join us October 16-18 2009 for a weekend of friends and fellowship at Pilgrim Lodge! This is a convention/retreat for all high school youth (grades 9-12) affiliated in some way with a church in the Maine Conference. It’s a time to get together, enjoy each other’s company and discuss issues which are meaningful to us. Attendees do not need to be a member of a church to come. Bring a friend!

If your church is not sending at least 1 youth delegate, please ask your pastor or church council why that is. It is important that there be representation from all over the state! Tell your youth group too!

It is very important that you register early this year. Due to recent financial concerns we will need to cancel the event if enough registrations are not received by September 26th. Please help us in making sure this event can happen – Put it on your calendars *now* and make arrangements with sports and work schedules so that this is a priority! (Update: Fall Convention is still on! Register Today!)

Read on for more info, the Registration Form, and the 2009 Fall Newsletter!

The cost for this event is $65.00. However, if your registration is postmarked by or otherwise received prior to September 26th then we will refund $5.00 to you at the event. The increase in cost for the event from last year is due to changes in rental fees for the facility.

*Financial Aid Is Available For Those Who Need It!* If cost is the only thing preventing you from attending PLEASE contact your church and ask for assistance. If they are not able to help you, contact one of the adult advisors of the State Youth Council Executive Committee by using the contact form on our website and they will make sure you can attend. Your message will only be viewed by an adult. We do not want the cost of this event to keep anyone from coming!

You can also RSVP for this event on Facebook, but you still need to send in your registration form ASAP!

Here is the Registration Form. Please print and mail this in as soon as possible! It is available in Portable Document Format (PDF, an online standard). You will need Adobe Reader to view it. If you are still unable to view it after installing that, please let us know.

Fall Convention 2009 Registration Form (PDF, 140K)

Lastly, the Fall Newsletter is also available, which contains additional information about Fall Convention such as drop off and pick up times, a list of things to bring, and directions to Pilgrim Lodge.

SYC Fall Newsletter 2009 (PDF, 516K)

So come enjoy this weekend of faith and fellowship, meet old friends and new, and share in the joy of our community at one of the most beautiful locations in the state, Pilgrim Lodge!

For everyone who is on facebook, we’d like you to know that we will soon be decomissioning the SYC Facebook “Group” and instead moving everything to a Facebook “Organization Page”. A “Page” is much better for our type of youth organization and will enable us to stay in touch with everyone on Facebook much more efficiently.

…And how cool is it that you can go to a website and click a button to “Become a Fan” of the Maine SYC?

So if you are on Facebook and you haven’t already done so, please make the move soon!

Visit the new Facebook organization page for the SYC and “Become a Fan” today!

Beach Day is where the whole SYC gets together to welcome new members, and to say goodbye to recent grads!!!

This year’s Beach Day will be July 25th at Popham Beach State Park from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM and it’s going to be a ridiculously fun time!

Bring your own food and beverages (you know what not to bring) and whatever beach necessities you may need, in addition to the $4.00 state park entrance fee, and of course – your SYC event registration form (required):

Beach Day 2009 Registration Form

If it looks like we might be rained out be SURE to check this website the morning of July 25th, before you leave. If the event is canceled or postponed we will announce it right here.

You can get directions to the event on the Maine Office of Tourism Website.

See you there!

Get Involved! On June 6th the Maine Conference will be holding a special meeting to learn more about the three properties of the Conference (The Pennell Center, Rockcraft Retreat Center, & Pilgrim Lodge) and to hold a vote regarding the possible sale of Rockcraft Retreat Center.

You should participate! Read on for details!

As youth under 20 years of age and a member of a church in the Maine Conference you may ask your church if you can be a Youth Delegate. Doing so will let your voice be heard and give you the right to vote at this meeting!

Be quick! You need to make sure that your church recognizes you as their youth delegate and register with the Conference Office (your church Clerk may handle this) by June 1st.

More information can be found on the Maine Conference website.

Two groups of International Students are coming to the Portland Area this summer. There is a need for host families to accomadate these students in the Portland area. Being a host family is a wonderful experience with memories that last a life time.  If you were at NYE you may remember Eboo Patels message of reaching out and getting to know someone from a culture different than your own.  These students are coming to experience America and what better way than living with an American family for 3-4 weeks.

  Most exchange programs are a year long commitment but this is a short 3-4 week commitment during the summer.  Wondering what it would be like to have an international student living with you for 3-4 weeks.  These students are between 12-18 years of age and speak some level of English.  From 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM Monday – Friday these students will be attending classes and going on field trips.  Host Families provide a bed, meals, and transportation.  Carpooling is an option to make transportation easier.  You could also recruit volunteers in your church that work in Portland to see if they might drive the students to the classes in the morning and home in the evenning.  This is an experience and an oppurtunity of a life time.  When he was in High School he went to Europe with this orginization and had a experience he will always remember and treasure.  For every host family that hosts for the 3-4 weeks of stay a donation will be made to your church.  You will also get a sticker for a passport book for every student you host.  Five stickers equals a $200 travel voucher and ten stickers equals a $500 travel voucher.  If you are looking at doing a Mission Trip this could really help with the cost. 
 
For more information on the program contact Derek White.  He’d be happy to come to your church and talk more about the program.  He hopes to have host families lined up before the end of May so please act soon if interested.  His email is pastorderek@hotmail.com.  His phone number is 207 799-2105. 
The group from Spain is coming July 9th-August 4th
The group from China is coming July 14th- August 2nd.

The Executive Committee met March 27th in Saco for a retreat and orientation for new members. It was a swell time! Don’t you wish you were on the EC?! 

Awesomely awesome pictures below!

This year’s Mid-Winter retreat will be held in Gorham Friday February 20th through Sunday the 22nd.

Registration is $60.00 if received before February 6th or $65.00 after that. We need to know who’s coming ASAP to make sure that we have a place for you to stay and a t-shirt for you to take home with you, so please get your registration in soon!

Mid-Winter 2009 Registration - Microsoft Word File (.doc)

Mid-Winter 2009 Registration - Portable Doucment Format File (.pdf)

Need directions? Get them from Google Maps right here! Parking is down the hill behind the church. Check in will be through that rear door.

We’ll see ya there!

Oh! – Just a reminder that parents are encouraged to join us for worship on Sunday morning at 10:30. The event concludes immediately after.

Fall Convention is Friday, October 17th through Sunday the 19th at Pilgrim Lodge in West Gardiner, Maine.

Registration is $55.00 before October 10th or $60.00 after that.

We’re going to have a blast!

There are great directions included on the registration form which is
available in portable document format (.pdf): fc08reg.pdf