AUGUST

2-6     Vacation Bible School here nightly from 6:30-8:00pm. Get with Ashlie Ohlman or Ronda Creasong if you haven't volunteered to help anywhere yet!

4     NO youth ministries tonight due to VBS. We'll resume next week on the 11th.

21     Youth trip to Six Flags in St. Louis. Details TBA.

Convention was awesome. As a counselor, it was wonderful to see so many hearts and lives touched. The speaker did a great job of relating to those who didn't know Christ as their Savior. It's always a joy to have one of the youth come talk to you after they've attended worship and to hear how it has changed them in some way. -- Heather Krahn

Convention was amazing. It really showed me that I should "go against the flow", even if it means I lose some friends. Youth Convention really touched me. -- Leah Shelton

Convention was so much fun. It was my first and it was a great experience. My friend Melissa had a great time, too. -- Ali Hoyle

Convention was a lot of fun. I was able to get closer to God and to learn more about Him. I loved the worship services and listening to Peter Eide and 6th Hour. It was a lot of fun.  -- Alisha Nixon

Convention is a great time to get closer to friends and make new ones. Worship was extremely awesome. God really showed up in a big way. -- Katy Booker

It was great to praise God. The band and the speaker (Peter Eide) were great. The youth were inspiring and the youth did great at the Quizzing competition. -- Chuck Schraub

Convention was pretty fun. Being a counselor is pretty cool because you get to pretend that the kids have to listen to you. We had a trip to the mall (in our free time) and it was a good opportunity to spend money on toys and things. It's a good experience. I recommend it. -- Matthew Morrison

ISYC 2007 was AWESOME! To see 800+ youth worship was awesome. And, to see lives changed is a blessing to see as a counselor. Can't wait until '08! -- Todd Hopper

ISYC 2007 was amazing in more ways than one! The worship was awesome, as always. And Peter Eide's message spoke to a lot of people, including me! I'll never forget that weekend...oh, and Marty the Elephant! -- Michelle Booker

ISYC 2007 was a lot of fun! The speaker was so funny, but also very serious. I can't wait to go back next year! The band was awesome! I can't wait to see who does it next year and hope that it will be like it next year. -- Lauren Miller

I enjoy going to Convention because I feel very welcomed. I see all my good friends. I see a lot of new things about God, like at the worship conference I learned a lot about church and the way we are. -- Michelle Miller

ISYC 2007 was amazing. One of the most impactful things was being reminded that you can go to your Abba Father God just the way you are. You don't have to be perfect when you come. Another was the big wooden cross that you could pray at which reminds us there is room at the cross. Seeing friends is always a blast, too. -- Jessica Schoon

ISYC 2007 was an exciting, moving, fun, and spiritual experience. -- Cole Bernhardt

Through Youth Convention, I was reminded to "Let it Reign" and to accept God's plans and callings for me. I have definitely struggled with this, especially in music, but I think I'm getting better through God and the encouragement of others. It was a great reminder and a great time. -- Vernon Shelton

I had fun at ISYC 2007 because I had never felt so comfortable being myself. I really hadn't been that close with God in a long time. Also, that weekend helped me to realize a lot of things about myself. I found out that God will take me AS IS! -- Morgan Blanch

ISYC 2007 was the best. It was moving and brought me closer to God and understanding more of what He wants me to do to live for Him. -- Emily Cooney

Convention was amazing! God showed me so much and helped me break though a lot of walls. I had an awesome time! -- Laura Williams

God pounded it into my head, yet again, that He always looks at me with love and sees the good in me and my full potential. I know it is best to trust God with my life because He will work things out for the good of those who love Him. I know God will get me through anything and everything. -- Emily Shelton 

The thing that I loved the most was the rockin' worship. The kids were having a huge celebration jumping up and down and just having an awesome time worshipping God. -- Sherri Ernst

My heart has been so heavy for the youth this year--I've been praying to God to show me what He wants me to do and at the convention during Saturday night worship, He showed me "this is where you belong". I know in my heart that I need to be working with the youth. Peter Eide was so phenomenal and I sure hope we get to experience his worship again very soon! Affirmation of working with the youth came to me all weekend long; at the conferences, watching our kids Quiz, and just being around our terrific youth and again during worship. God is so awesome!! -- Deb Eagan

What a joy to see the lives of our youth changed because they've heard from God. And an even greater joy is knowing that I've been used by Him to eternally influence someone else's life choices. Lives were changed and souls were saved this weekend. God was in our midst! Thanks to all who financially supported the youth so this opportunity could be possible for each of them. -- Kim Bacon

Integrity first. Service before self. Excellence in all we do. This is the motto of the National Air Force of the United States. A maxim well worth repeating, it defines not only the source of our respect for those who serve, but also provides a prime example of the servant heart God requires in today's Christians. In 1 Timothy 6:15 God is called "…the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords"(NIV).  More than a General commanding his troops, God is all powerful, all knowing, and penetrates every part of human life. Certainly, God could handle even our most immeasurable difficulties, if only we would let him.

  In John 16:33 Jesus proclaims, "…In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world"(NIV). Contrary to popular belief, Christianity is not easy. If God is to reign in our lives, we have to understand that life is not all about us. In fact, we are asked to die to ourselves and be raised in new life for Christ. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV). Just as Christ suffered and sacrificed on the cross, we too can be part of God's work by enduring hardship and transforming every difficulty into an opportunity.

  The final things we have to remember if we are going to let God reign are these: God is a God of grace and God is bigger than our unbelief. If we refuse to let God be a part of our lives, he is not going to force a relationship with us. We decide what parts of our lives we will give him. God remains the same even if we do not believe or acknowledge his power.

   Like a soldier, we must be willing to die daily for something greater than ourselves. Discipline and a lot of hard work are required to keep moving forward in our passion for Christ. We have to know God wants the best for us and he is always powerful enough to direct our lives. God wants to let his wisdom and blessings reign. So don’t hold on to bitterness or get hung up on stubborn pride. God can give you purpose and an amazing joy you could never even begin to dream of when he sits on the throne of your life. Still, he leaves the choice up to each of us. You have the right to remain powerless.  

 Katy Booker    

Here is a list of all the Pekin 1st Church of God Youth who won an award at State Convention this year:

Senior Division Instrumental:  First Place to Emily Shelton
(perfect scores from all judges!!)
Junior Division Instrumental:  First Place to Laura Williams
(perfect scores from all judges!!)

Senior Scripture Reading:  First Place to Emily Shelton
Junior Scripture Reading:  First Place to Laura Williams

Knight Awards in Quizzing:  Alisha Nixon, Katy Booker, Cole Bernhardt, Leah Jo Shelton, and Alison Hoyle
Squire Awards in Quizzing:  Emily Shelton, Vernon Shelton, Joe Bacon, Laura Williams, Lauren Miller
Page Awards in Quizzing:  Josh Nixon and Mikel Ernst

Quiz Team Championship Match:  First Place to the Pekin 1st Church of God Team!

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!!

We have photos from the convention that you can see now. Go to the link above titled, "Our Downloads" and you can click on the photo titles to share our experiences!