WINTERFEST 2016 OurtriptoWinterfestissuchanencouragingtripeveryyearforthestudentsandadultsthatattend.Thisyearisentitled“WALK”,thefourthconferenceinafour-yearseriesentitled“TheWay”.WhatkeepsuswalkingonTHEWAY?Whatifwestumble,whatifwefall?Howdowegetupandkeepwalking?Whowalkswithus?Howdowedothiswalkatschool?Howdowedothiswalkatwork?WhatdoIgetoutofthisifIkeepwalking?Let’sgoagainthisyearwiththeexpectationtolearnandtobeencouraged,andthencomehomerefreshedandexcitedtowalkhandinhandwithJesuseveryday.Herearesomeimportantdetailsforthisyear’sWinterfesttripforyoutokeepinmindasyoupackandplan.IfyouhaveanyquestionsfeelfreetocontactthechurchofficeorLeeLangdon.Forms&DeadlinesEverystudentwhogoesonourtriptoWinterfestmustturnintoouroffice1)afilled-outandparent-signed2016RegistrationFormand2)asigned2016MedicalReleaseForm.Youcandownloadthesetwoformshere:http://www.alamedacofc.org/#/youth-ministry/resources*Pleasetakespecialnoteoftheinstructionsonthebackofthe2016MedicalReleaseFormpertainingtobehaviorexpectationsandconsequencesofstudentswhoattendallofourevents.Students,yourwillingnesstocooperatewithadultsandhavegoodbehaviorwillbecrucialforthesuccessofourWinterfesttrip.Yoursignaturesontheforminitiateyourcooperation.

“Berespectfulandobedient.Wetrulydocareaboutyouandwantthebestforyou.Whenapersonofauthority(i.e.tripsponsor)asksyoutodosomethingpleasefollowtheirinstructionsinarespectfulandobedientmanner.Yourrespectfulandobedientbehaviorwillshowyourmaturityanddesiretodowhatisright.”

Ican’tstresstheimportanceofrespectandobedienceonthistrip.Ireallydon’twanttohavetomakeanyphonecallstoparentstellingthemtocometoArlingtontopickuptheirchildren!DuetoworshipleadingresponsibilitiesthatI(Lee)haveatWinterfestagainthisyear,myfamilywillleaveearlyonFriday,longbeforetherestofourgroup.Knowingthiswouldbethecaseagainthisyear,IhaveaskedBryanandReneHursttobeinchargeofgettingourSummitgroupdowntoWinterfest,aswellastobeinchargeatWinterfestoftheSummitgroup,especiallywhenIcannotbetherewithourgroup.IaskourstudentstofollowtheinstructionsMr.andMrs.Hurstgivewithouthesitation,justastheywouldfollowmyinstructions.

Whenareweleaving?Pleasemakeplanstobeinthechurchparkinglotascloseto3:30pmaspossibleonFriday,January15thtopackyourstuffinthevans.YOUMUSTEATBEFOREYOUCOMEORBRINGITWITHYOUONTHEVAN.WEWILLNOTSTOPFORDINNER.OurSummitgroupwillleavesharplyat4:00pminordertomakeitontimetoWinterfest.WARNING:WEWILLLEAVEWITHOUTYOUIFYOUARENOTTHEREAT4:00PM.WewillplantostopontheTexasborderatareststopforaveryquickbathroombreak.Iknowthisisatoughmeetingtimeforsomefamilies,butweknowalreadywewillarriverightontimeoralittlelateevenwiththisleavetime.WhatshouldIbring?• Eatbeforeyoucome,orbringasackdinnertoeatonthevan.Wewillnotstopforameal

onthewaytoWinterfest,onlyforaquickbathroombreak.• Overnightthings(clothing,toiletries,etc.)• Abibleandapen• Money.

o PlantoeatoutforlunchonSaturdayonly.! Breakfastwillbeprovidedbythehoteleachmorning.! WewillprovidepizzafordinneronSaturdayevening.! YourlunchatTacoCasaonthewayhomewillbeprovidedbyJeffWest.

o $10forourSaturdaygroupexcursion.o Therearealwaysopportunitiestospendmoneyonconcessions/snacks/vendors

whilewearethereifyoudesire.(ATTENTION:Membersofourgrouparenotpermittedtobringorpurchaseanykindofenergydrinkonthistrip.)

o YoucanalsoplantobringsomemoneyforaspecialcollectionthatwillbetakenonSundayduringworship.Usuallythiscollectionisgiventoadesignatedministry.

Wherearewestaying?HyattPlaceGrandPrairie1542N.highway360GrandPrairie,Texas75050(972)988-6800Thishotelislocatedafewminutesawayfromtheconventioncenter.Wewilltravelbackandfortheachdayfromthehoteltotheconventioncenter.Itmightbeagoodideatobringasmallbackpackorbagtototeyourpersonalbelongings(i.e.bible)aroundduringtheday.

WhatistheconferenceschedulefortheArlingtonWinterfest?(Pleasegotowww.winterfest.orgformuchmoreinformationregardingconferencedetails.)Friday,January15,20161:00PMRegistrationopens7:30PMBobSmiley8:30PMPraiseandWorship8:55PMPhilBrookman9:40PMPraiseandWorship10:00PMDoneforthenightSaturday,January16,20169:00AMGoodMorningHossRidgeway9:30AMPraiseandWorship10:30AMDavidSkidmore12:00PMClose(Lunch&FreeTimeonyourown)

• 12:00PM Bring$15forlunchatChili’s• 1:30PMBring$10forourgroupexcursion

4:00PMSummerSingers,O'Chanceyandmore!!!!6:00PMSupperonyourown

• Ourgroupwillheadbacktoourhotelat5pmforaquickpizzadinnerinourrooms(providedbytheSummit).Thiswillalsobeachancetofreshen-upfortheevening.

7:00PMBeanandBailey8:00PMPraiseandWorship8:30PMJeffWalling9:30PMPraiseandWorship10:00PMPracticesomespiritualdisciplinesSunday,January17,20158:00AMPraiseandWorshipandCommunion8:50AMJeffWalling10:00AMGoHome--THEWAY--WALKWhenwillwereturntoAlameda?WewillstopinGainesville,TexasandeatattheTacoCasaonthewayhome.JeffWest,theco-owneroftheTacoCasahereinNorman,hasonceagainofferedtopayforourmealonthewayhomefromWinterfest.Helovestodothisforuseachyearandwhatablessing!WeplantoreturntotheAlamedabuildingbetween2:30and3:00pmonSunday,January17th.Ifwearerunninglateforsomereasonwewillhavestudentscallhomeforaheadsup.Let’sdecidetomakethisthegreatestWinterfestever!

(Parentsandstudents,pleasereviewonceagaintheSummittripexpectationsandconsequencesthatarelistedbelow,takenfromthesignedmedicalreleaseform.Wedon’tanticipatehavinganyissues,butit’sgoodtobepreparedifwedo.)

YouthGroupExpectations

StudentscometoyouthgroupenvironmentstoconnectmorewithGodandwitheachother.Itisimportantthatourbehaviorwhenwecometogetherencouragesandmaximizesthesesignificantconnections.Therefore,thefollowingexpectationshavebeenestablishedtopromotesafeandhealthyyouthgroupenvironmentstoencourageconnections.Students,pleasereadandunderstandtheseexpectationsbeforeyousignyournamebelow.

1.Berespectfulandobedient.Wetrulydocareaboutyouandwantthebestforyou.Whenapersonofauthority(i.e.tripsponsor)asksyoutodosomethingpleasefollowtheirinstructionsinarespectfulandobedientmanner.Yourrespectfulandobedientbehaviorwillshowyourmaturityanddesiretodowhatisright.

2.Staywiththegroup.Foryoursafetyandbecauseoftheresponsibilitiesplacedonthechurchtotakecareofyouwhileyouareonayouthgroupevent,itisimportantthatyouremainwiththegroupatalltimes.Ifforanyreasonyoufeellikeyouneedtoseparatefromthegroup(aloneorwithsomeoneelse),evenforjustashortwhile,pleasefindatripsponsorandaskforpermission.Theywillusetheirbestjudgmentandhelpyoumeetyourneeds.

3.Speakandactwithlove.Ourmaster,Jesus,put“loveGod”and“loveeachother”atthetopoftheprioritylistofdailythingstodo.Asamatteroffact,inEVERYTHINGwedoweshouldshowlove.So,pleasemakeeveryefforttospeakandactwithothersinalovingway,inawayyouwouldwantotherstospeakandactwithyou.

4.Useelectronicdevicesonlywhenneeded.Youareencouragedtoputyourelectronicdevicesawayasmuchaspossiblewhenonyouthgroupeventstohelppromoteconnectionswitheachother.Ourpersonaldevicesaregreat,butsometimesit’sgoodtotakeabreakfromthemforthebenefitoftheentiregroup.Ifatripsponsorencouragesyoutoputsomethingawayforawhile,pleaseberespectfulandcomply.

5.Dresswithmodesty.Pleaseconsiderhowyourappearancewillaffectothers,especiallythoseoftheoppositegender.Toavoidoffendingothers,duringsummereventspleaseplantowearat-shirtwhenyouswimwithpeopleoftheoppositegender.

ConsequencesforDisobedience

Itisourgoaltohandleproblemsimmediately,consistentlyandinaspiritofloveandgentleness.Failuretofollowandhonorourexpectationswillresultinthestudentexperiencingoneofthefollowingconsequences:·Correctionfromyouthsponsororstaff.Sothatwedonothumiliateastudent,thiswill

happenprivatelyandwillbecarriedoutbytwoormorestaffpersons(foraccountability).Wheneverpossible,oneofthestaffwillbethesamegenderasthestudent.

·Dismissalfromtheevent(aparentwillbecontactedforimmediatepick-up)orsuspensionfromafutureyouthgroupevent.Itisourdesireforyouthtobeateveryevent,butwhenastudentdoesnothonorourexpectations,theyinterferewithotherstudents'opportunitytoconnectmorewithGodandwitheachother.ItwouldnotbefairorlovingforustoallowastudenttointerferewithGod’sworkinthelivesofotherstudents,sowewillremovethemfromthegroupforatimeifnecessary.Itisourprayerthattheywouldusethistimeforself-reflectionandreturntothegroupwitharightattitudeandwillingnesstoobey.

Anytimeoneofthesemeasuresistaken,theyouthsponsororstaffwillnotifytheparentinpersonorbyphonewithin1weekoftheoffense.