2009 is behind us. 2010 is before us. 2009 was a tough year for our country, for the world, and for this group in particular.

- Kyleigh was injured at our bowling overnighter in January.
- Friends who were dating broke up.
- Friends who were close are no longer close.
- Friends and their families left our church.
- I had a surgery after the snow trip that left me somewhat incapacitated for a few weeks.
- Our Future of Forestry concert was a bit of a flop.
- We didn’t place in the dodgeball tournament.
- And so many more sorrows (some private) that I can’t begin to retell them here.

BUT… We had so many joys!

- Kyleigh feels better.
- Karl won a bunch of awards and we celebrated with him.
- We had a fantastic bowling overnighter in which most of the guys stayed up well beyond the sunrise.
- We went to a snow trip that snowed like crazy!
- We went to 8 Day at the Beach (DABs) and 2 Day and Night at the Beach (DAB/NABS).
- Some of our friends went through confirmation and they showed publicly that they chose our church.
- We had a holiness class in which we learned what it means to be a methodist in terms of morality.
- We joined the rest of the church in the fifth Sunday fellowship. We saw the girls go down the water slide that day four at a time!
- Some of us went to SSP and felt a change in our hearts toward service.
- Many of us went to camp and met new friends from all over the county (and country in some cases).
- We went to the haunted trail and got scared out of our wits!

It has been quite a year both bad and good!

But there is no denying that times are tough.

Journalist and blogger, Francesca Gaucho, wrote on Thanksgiving this year, “When times get tough, it is time to start giving.”

That is why I propose that this year is the year we give:
-without asking for donations.
-without asking what is in it for us.
-without complaining.

Philippians 2:14 -15 says: “14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people” (NLT).

I want to see this group, in 2010, to be a light to the world. I want to see us

Things I want to see happen:

1) I want a signup for people to call everyone before youth group (on Saturdays) and remind them to be there!
2) I want us to celebrate birthdays. I want to elect a people person outside of the entirety of our youth council who will be responsible to collect our birth dates and send cards and remind me to sing and to celebrate.
3) I want 7 of us sign up to go to Sierra Service Project.
4) I want us to clean the Challenge Center.
5) I want us to help on church cleanup days.
6) I want us to prepare a meal for the Interfaith Shelter.
7) I want us to help at the rescue mission in any way we are able. I want us to collect socks for homeless teens.
9) I want us to be as close as brothers and sisters.
10) I want us to be a group that loves and takes care of each other as well as those outside of these walls.

We can do this!