WINTERFEST | AM.YOUTH

The sign-up deadline has passed for Winterfest, but if you would like to go, talk to Monty. We will do our best to take everyone who wants to go.

Well, here we are...2023 is here! We made it through 2022...actually we made it through a lot of years before 2022 too, but that's beside the point. By now you've probably figured out how this whole calendar thing works: after one year ends, another begins. It's fairly repetitive. And if you're not careful, you can miss the excitement of it all.

As you have sat and pondered the significance of another year, you may have thought to yourself: "Hmmm, how can I start this year off in a really awesome way that I will never forget?" An all-you-can-eat donut party? A trip to Home Depot to buy materials for stilts and then walk on them every day at school?

Well, those are ideas. But we think we have a better one. We're not saying your ideas are bad. But this one really is great. Here it is: Winterfest. Yep, 3 days, tons of great experiences, worship, and practical ways to live out your faith. It's going to be amazing.

It's January 13-15. It's in Arlington. Students from Texas and all surrounding states will be joining us for a great weekend of spiritual growth, worship, and fun. It's even worth changing any other plans you have because it is that awesome. We hope you'll come.

Winterfest 2023

Winterfest will have great speakers, times of worship, friends, faith, time to focus on what's really important, and a lot more. The speakers will use real-life stories, drama, music, and scripture to help us better understand God's will for our lives. We really hope you will come. Come and learn. Come and worship. Come and grow in faith.

Here are the main details about Winterfest:

Who: High School Students

When: January 13-15. We'll leave as early as we can on Friday and return around 3:00pm on Sunday. (See more details about Friday below)

Cost: The cost for Winterfest is $50. plus money for two fast-food meals. (The money for our fast-food meals will likely be for supper on Saturday and lunch on Sunday. Just bring that money with you when you come to Winterfest.) Don't miss Winterfest for financial reasons. Financial help is available.

Sign-Up Deadline: The sign-up deadline is Sunday, January 8. Sign-up soon. But don't sign-up late. Yes, that's right, do not sign-up late. We know it seems like fun to sign-up late, and since we're nice people we always try to find a spot for late sign-ups...and we always will...but signing up late does cause three things: 1) it causes half of the traffic lights in town to start leaking chocolate milk... which causes the second thing: 2) it causes homeless cats and dogs to come and drink the chocolate milk that is leaking from the traffic lights, and 3) then the dogs get sick because dogs do not do well with chocolate. But if you sign-up on time, none of these things will happen. Yay! (Oh, and it also makes things a lot easier on us regarding transportation and logistics.)

Okay, now that the big details are out of the way, here

are some more things you might want to know:

-Departing on Friday, January 13:

In order to help us get to Winterfest as early as possible on the evening it

starts, we will try to meet immediately after school is out and get on the

road as soon as possible. In previous years we have brought buses to high

schools or met at a central location. Depending on everyone's ability to get

to the church or a central location, or how many people are at your school,

we will plan to do something similar this year. Let us know where you

could leave from when you sign up.

-Overnight Housing:

We'll be staying at a church in Arlington. You'll need a sleeping bag, and if you

want a sleeping pad or air mattress, you can bring one. We suggest it.

-Extra Money:

All of your meals, except two fast-foot meals, are covered with your registration fee.

For those who do not like fast-food, we will have some packages of snails available

in the bus. (think about that one for a moment, if you need to.) Also, you're welcome to bring extra money if you

want to buy books, shirts, etc., during the weekend. Sometimes they have some vendors at Winterfest.

-Cell phone info:

Cell phones will need to be checked in when we depart for Winterfest. We may distribute them a few times during the weekend. Earbuds, video games, laptops, tablets, kindles/nooks, etc., should not be brought on this trip. As always, you can borrow a phone anytime you need to in order to call your parents. Your parents can also call you anytime on Monty or Heather's phones. This is not a "no phone" trip in order to keep you from your parents, but rather to help all of us be engaged with the weekend and with those around us.

-Expectations:

This is a trip intended to help us grow closer to God. Please know this

before you sign-up. If you are planning to bring anything illegal or anything

you shouldn't bring, please wait for another trip.

-Friends or guests:

Friends are always welcome to come to Winterfest. If you have a friend

you would like to invite, just have them fill out the sign-up form as well. If

we need to talk to their parents about any of the details or answer any

questions for them, let us know.

-Financial Difficulties:

Don't miss Winterfest for financial reasons. If you need a full or partial scholarship in order to go to Winterfest, just let us know in the "questions or comments" area of the sign-up form.

-Packing List and Travel Info:

On the Monday before we leave, we'll send you travel info and a packing list. If you have any questions before then, let us know.

-You Might Not Be Aware:

Police found two local kids yesterday playing with a battery and some

fireworks. They charged one and let the other one off.