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This Week in Keysis Youth Ministry – Jan. 25
January 26, 2011
Hanging out after our visit to McKinley Court: We had a great time during our visit to McKinley Court Care Centre on Martin Luther King Day. We were greeted by a room full of grandmas and grandpas — so cool! Afterward we we hung out at McDonald’s to tell our stories. Hey we’re planning to visit our new friends again next month on President’s Day, Feb. 21. Why don’t you join us!
This Week in Keysis Youth Ministry
If you’ve been busy and haven’t visited Keysis in a while, we’ve missed you and we’d love to see you! Bring a friend. Meal starts at 6:30 p.m. Keysis runs from 6:30-8:30 p.m. as usual.
Friday, January 28
Night at George’s Skate Center
3710 Greenswitch Road, Decatur. Time: 7 to 9:30 p.m. Sign up on Facebook if you can. Admission and skate rental: $10.
Sunday, January 30
Keysis Family Mass on Sunday Night
Please join us for 5 p.m. Mass at St. Thomas Church. Bring your families for this celebration of Holy Mass. How about inviting another teen to join you and see what Keysis is all about? Our regular Keysis meal and meeting follow after Mass!
Sunday, January 30
Under the Influence – Keysis Life Night
Drugs and alcohol continue to be a major issue in our culture. Drugs and alcohol affect everyone. This Life Night will help us understand how using drugs and alcohol hinders their true freedom found in Christ. We’ll break open the Church’s teaching on drugs and alcohol and how it relates to our lives and people close to us. St. Thomas Church, Angela Hall, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Hope to see you soon!
Isn’t it Strange? #4
January 26, 2011
Isn’t it strange how difficult and boring it is to read one chapter of the Bible, but how easy it is to read 100 pages of a popular novel?
Isn’t it strange how endless an hour seems when we are serving God, but how short it is when we watch a Football game for 60 minutes?
Isn’t it strange how everyone wants a place in heaven, but they don’t want to believe, do, or say anything to get there?
Makes you think.
Isn’t it Strange? #3
January 19, 2011
Isn’t it strange how difficult it is to learn a fact about God to share it with others, but how easy it is to gossip?
Isn’t it strange how we believe everything that magazines and newspapers say, but we question the words in the Bible?
Isn’t it strange how we send jokes in e-mail’s and they are forwarded right away, but when we are going to send messages about God, we think about it twice before we share it with others?
Makes you think.
Belonging to One Another
January 17, 2011
Wow! We had such a fun and rewarding time during our visit to McKinley Court Care Centre. Our ten Keysis teens were greeted by a room full of grandmas and grandpas — so cool!
The residents were so excited to meet with us and asked us to come back really soon. Balloon creations by Tim “Vector”, Natalie, Mary, and Sarah were a source of many smiles. We’ve been promised by our balloon artists that they’ll teach balloon animal making at a Keysis meeting soon. We enjoyed lots of lively discussion and laughter, reading, card playing, storytelling, and sharing of artwork. There were lots of smiles all around today.
For some of our group the visit was something we had never done before. For others, a familiar experience. Each new friend we met was a blessing to us.
Mother Teresa said: “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.”
Belonging to one another means recognizing the needs of others — when they are hungry, not only for food but for something greater. Something harder to satisfy. Compassion. Caring. Love. Peace. Acceptance. What Christ has given us, we are sent forth to share with others. It was a meaningful and memorable challenge for us on this Martin Luther King Day.
Afterward we went to McDonald’s to tell our stories about the morning and the new friends we had made. Hey we’re planning to visit our new friends again next month on President’s Day, Feb. 21. Why don’t you join us!
See more photos from our nursing home visit.
Nursing Home Visit on Monday, Jan. 17
January 12, 2011
Here’s the scoop on plans for the Keysis Nursing Home Visit on Monday, January 17. It’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, so there’s no school. We’re going to visit residents at McKinley Court Care Centre, 500 West McKinley Avenue, Decatur, IL Please arrive at the nursing home a little before 9 a.m. Wear your Keysis T-Shirt so we can be identified by staff at the center.
If you’re planning on joining us, please let us know to expect you by responding to the Facebook invitation or sending Deacon Kevin an email.
We will visit with residents until 11 or so and then go to the McDonald’s for lunch at the corner of North Water Street and Pershing (near St. Teresa). We should be finished by 1 p.m. Parking is very limited at McKinley Court. It’s best to car pool or get dropped off. We’ll shuttle people to McDonald’s after if needed.
A few things to remember about our visit:
- Use common courtesy, e.g. If you visit a resident in his or her room, make sure to knock before entering.
- Some residents may not hear that well. Look at them when you speak, don’ t speak too quickly and don’t mumble.
- A few residents don’t have family members living in the area so your visit will be very meaningful to them. Remember always that your presence brings the compassion and love of Christ to whomever you visit.
- Our contacts at McKinley will be Pam (the activities director) and Chelsea.
Any questions, just ask! Thanks for coming with us, Deacon Kevin
