The NutcrackerSaturday, December 3rd at 2 P.M in the Worship Center. Join us for this special Christmas tradition, our gift to the community. Come early as seats fill quickly. You will be blessed by this performance by Asops Balet out of Washington DC. For more information on this special afternoon performance contact The Lake of the Woods Church at (540)972-9060

JYC (Jesus and Youth Connecting) TrainingWHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY and HOW of understanding Today’s Teenagers.Hey Youth Leaders and Parents and Grandparents of Teens, Check out this upcoming training January 14th and get signed up for it right away. Lunch is included...Opening Devotion: HOW TO BE THE SUPERMAN YOUR TEENS NEEDSession One: WHO ARE THESE TEENAGERS… A. Meet the Post Modern Teenager B. Age Characteristics of Teenagers Session Two: WHAT IS GOD’S PURPOSE FOR TEENAGERS…A. 5 God given Purposes B. What about Closing the Back Door? Session Three: WHERE CAN I EFFECTIVELY INPACT TEENS…A. Be With B. Going Outside the WallsC. Do’s and Don’ts (Protecting the teens and your Integrity)Session Four: WHEN TO ESTABLISH BEHAVIORAL CONTROL…A. Establishing Behavioral StructureB. Reinforcement C. Maintaining Control of Your GroupSession Five: WHY BOTHER WITH TEENS?A. The NeedB. The CallC. The Team (relationship building)

Picture this…The sun is glistening off the freshly packed snow. There is a brisk chill in the air and you are dashing downhill through the snow and the picturesque scenery surrounded with friends. Does this sound like a lot of fun to you? Then plan to join us February 24-26 for REACH Ski Trip in the mountains of West Virginia. This fun filled weekend event included skiing, eating great food, sleeping in a cozy mountain lodge, hanging out with friends, and hearing challenging sermons each evening over hot chocolate and pastries. The cost is low so REACH your unchurched friends by inviting them to this fun filled weekend event. Be sure to sign up soon as spaces WILL fill up quick for this event. This event is open to ALL ministries and groups that work with teens (grades 6 and up) that fall under the Student (Youth) Dept. Please be sure to get your registrations is right away.

IT'S TIME TO GET TO THE MEAT OF MISSIONS…M.E.A.T.M: Missions thatE: Equip andA: ActivateT: TeensHey teenager and college student. What are you doing next summer? Yeah, I know it's early, but still, what are you doing? Working? Hanging out with friends? Playing sports? Going to camp? Vacationing? Saving for College? Cool, all those things are great and important...BUT WHAT ARE YOU DOING THAT WILL MAKE AN ETERNAL DIFFERENCE? If you answered "nothing" or "I don't know" why not consider joining us on one of many mission opportunities.June 17-23 Is Christian Youth In Action Mission Training Camp in Williamsburg, VA. This week will teach you how to live out your faith and how to share it more effectively. Learn how to teach a Bible lesson, tell a missionary story, counsel a child for Salvation, and much more. This is a week that promises to change your life.July 15-21 World Servants Mission trip to Richwood West Virginia. Spend a week doing construction work or serving at a sports clinic for the less fortunate. Christ said "when you do for the least of these (the less fortunate), you do it for me." How bout spending a week doing some amazing things for Jesus? July 29-August 4 Teen Camp. Join other teens for a week of fun and focus. Have a great time participating in Archery, Air Soft, Riding Horses, Swimming, Outdoor Survival Skills, and much more. Get refocused through helping out with projects around the camp and through helping with Backyard Bible Clubs. This is a week that will help you get ready for the new school year. Plan now to attend this awesome week of Camp.There are many opportunities for making an eternal impact this summer. To get signed up or for more information please contact us. We would love to help you see what God wants to do in and through you this summer!

Are You a Survivor?Have you experienced the JOY of Redemption? Has the Lord Jesus Christ, changed your life? This years Student Ministries Missions Conference asks the simple question, “What’s Your Story”. We ALL have a story to tell, and there are millions that need to hear that story, millions that have NEVER heard that Jesus is the Way. What’s your story? Is it a story of a changed life? Is it a story of God’s keeping power? Revelation 12:11 tells us that we will triumph over the enemy “by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of “our” testimony (or story).” This years missions conference will feature missionaries from many different walks of life and from many different mission boards (Child Evangelism Fellowship, Children’s Bible Ministries, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, World Servants, Jewels for God, and others). Our key note speaker Tim Zello has served as a missionary all over the world and his sermons promise to keep you engaged and challenge you to find your story.This years conference will be held January 20-22 at Eastover Retreat Center in Williamsburg Virginia. Fun games, awesome prizes, good food and fellowship a wait! If you are planning on being involved in missions with the Student Ministries Dept. this summer YOU HAVE TO ATTEND THIS CONFERENCE. Mark your calendar now and sign up right away to attend. Spaces are limited. Satuer

Pancake Breakfast Sit back to a plate full of fluffy joy covered in gooey goodness…YES you have just entered the Pancake Zone! Hey Teens…get the word out to your friends, family, and everyone else you can think of for our annual PANCAKE BREAKFAST Sunday January 15 in the Friendship Hall. The Breakfast begins at 8:00am and ends at 1:00pm. Please plan to come out and help with this deliciously awesome event. All proceeds benefit our Student Mission Trips and Camps this summer!

Thanks For checking out our website and opening video. As you can see we have an active program for students here at The Lake of the Woods Church. Teens are a priority to us and it is with our passion for teens and our direction from God that we create our ministry. We seek to see God at the very center of our ministry and at the center of your life. We invite you to stop in and check us out at The Lake of the Woods Church. When you do, stop by and introduce yourself to me. I am looking forward to meeting you. Don't hesitate to contact us with questions. We will do our best to respond as soon as we are able. May God bless you and may you sense His presence in your life today! Till Every Student Knows CHRIST,Pastor Adam Colson

Here is the Current Sermon Series we are Studying In Higher Grounds This Fall... Sensing God (Knowing God Through Your 5 Senses) 9/18: (SIGHT) Seeing God Changes Your Appearance- Moses Sees God and His Face Glows- Exodus 34 9/25: (HEAR) Hearing God Changes Your Future- Elijah and the Still Small Voice- 1 Kings 19 10/2 (TOUCH) Touching God Changes Your Physical Well Being- A Sick Woman Touches Jesus’ Clothes-Mark 5:24-34 10/9 (Smell) The Sweet Aroma of Jesus will Changes Your Emotions- Mary Washes Jesus’ Feet- John 12:1-7 10/16 (Taste) Taste and See that the Lord is Good...Tasting God will Change Your Spirit- The Disciples at the Last Supper- Matthew 26:17-30 The Boo’s of the Bible 10/23 SKELETONS: God Always Provides- Ezekiel and the Valley of Dry Bones- Ezekiel 37 10/30 WITCHES: The Enemy Always Destroys-Saul and the Witch of Endor-1 Samuel 28:3-25 11/6 GHOSTS: God WILL Prevail- The Departed Saints Rise and Enter Jerusalem- Matthew 27:45-56

Christian camp is a total unique experience for teens. For many of you, it will be a life-changing event that impacts your future lifestyle and decision-making process. For others, it will be the first opportunity you will have to lead another teen to Christ. This year"s Teen Camp "Amazing Grace" will give you that experience. Join other teens for over the top crazy fun games. Take part in awesome team building activities. Sign up for sports events that will challenge your athleticism. Take part in awesome worship, lead morning chapels, serve as a peer counselor and enjoy evening Chapels geared towards teenagers. Teen Camp will be both refreshing and missional. You will be spiritual re-charged yourself while spiritually building others up! Take part in Backyard Bible Clubs or building projects at the camp and in the community. Sign up today for Teen Camp. Teen Camp will be a Camp Red Arrow this year July 31-August 6. Grab an un-churched friend and join us!

You have heard of the "Amazing Race"...Well get ready for the Amazing Grace this summer!Spend the week of DATE TBD racing with your team from place to place sharing the Amazing Grace of God. Feed the homeless; Help the Elderly in a Nursing Home, Participate in a Building Project, Teach children in a backyard Bible Club, Help out Shut-ins and much more. Each evening retire back to the camp where you will get a chance to share around the campfire what God did in and through you during the day. This is a week YOU ARE NOT GOING TO WANT TO MISS!!! But just in case you are looking for reasons not to go, we helped you out by attaching some below. DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE AMAZING GRACE WEEK BECAUSE... 1. It will distort your perception of the world! Your eyes will be opened to the need and poverty in your local community and help you see that there is a mission in your back yard.2. It will make you harder to live with! The way you view life and even your likes and dislikes are liable to change. Your friends and family probably won’t understand or appreciate your sudden changes.3. Afterwards you will feel awkward at some of the jokes and comments you currently enjoy. They will not seem as funny when you have seen life from the other side.4. You will experience sadness you haven’t felt before. After you see real suffering, you won’t pay much attention to your complaining about how hard you’ve got it. 5. You might lead someone to the Lord. I know that is a laudable goal, but it tends to cause excitement and further interest in Christian Service.6. You could feel a pull toward being involved in missions again—for the adventure, of course. The problem is that you could slowly, subtly get sucked into thinking about being a missionary!

How are you spending your summer? As relaxing as it may be to chill at the pool or hang out with friends, what if you chose instead to make an eternal impact in the lives of kids right where you live?! High school and college students from around Virginia, Maryland and DC are coming together to reach the boys and girls in their communities – and YOU can be a part of this team! Christian Youth in Action (CYIA™) is a program designed to train you and a team of other young people in effective and engaging ways to teach children about God. You will attend a one week training school with teens from The Lake of the Woods Church where you will learn to present the Gospel clearly on a child’s level, counsel a child for salvation and lead a dynamic club ministry for kids. Components of this club include teaching a Bible lesson, a real-life missionary story and a Bible verse as well as leading songs, games and a fun review time. After this training, you will return to our local community and teach clubs at various locations with a team of other young people from our church during "The Amazing Grace Week". These clubs take place out in the communities surrounding the Lake of the Woods. You will be able to take the light of the gospel to them in their apartment complexes, daycare centers, neighborhoods, schools and other community locations. If you have a heart for ministry and want to team up with other young people to reach the children in your community, then CYIA is for you! CYIA will be held this year at Camp Eastover in Surry Virginia, June 19-25. Sign up today!

CAMP RED ARROW SATURDAY MAY 14Getting a Camp ready for 100"s of children is a BIG job. This year The Lake of the Woods Church is working with Camp Red Arrow (a ministry of CBM; one of our ministry partners) to open the camp up and get it ready to welcome boys and girls this summer. Our Student Ministries Dept. will be working with the Adult Short Term Missions Team May 14 and we need your help! Volunteer for this one day ministry outreach that will help make an eternal difference in the lives of boys and girls this summer. Please contact Pastor Adam or Mr. Mike if you are able to help out at Camp Red Arrow. Thanks for doing your part to spread the love of God around the corner and around the world.

What are you tuning in to? In a recent pole we did among our teenagers in Wednesday Night Student Groups toping the list of what teens are tuning in to is Jersey Shore, followed by Glee, and Teen and Pregnant finished out the top three list. How about you? This year at REACH 2011 we will be looking at "Tuning In to God". Activities, music, and the sermons will focus around this theme. This is a great oppertunity to bring your un-churched friends as the sermons will be evangelistic in nature. Join us at REACH 2011, Friday, March 25-Sunday March 27 at Eastover Retreat Center in Surry County Virginia. Tune in and Stay Connected.

Honor or Remember a SoldierBeginning October 16, Flags will be on Sale in the Gathering Place in honor or memory of a soldier. These flags will then line Church Lane and Exodus Way Sunday, November 13. Stop by the table in the gathering place on Sunday or drop off your form and check at the church office. All proceeds go towards Youth Missions 2012. Thank you

Children fo All Ages will enjoy this years annual Winter Carnival at the Lake of the Woods Church Saturday, February 26, from 10:00-2:00. Fun activities like a Moon Bounce, Games, Dunk Tank, Jail Break, Sponge Throw, prize table; Great food like Hotdogs, Chili, Popcorn, Candy, Cotton Candy; and GREAT EXHIBITS like the petting zoo, and the Reptile Show. This year's carnival is going to be a blast! Bring the family and come join us February 26. All proceeds benefit Youth Missions.

Join us For Open Mic Night Friday, February 18, from 7:00-11:00 in the Youth Wing at the Lake of the Woods Church. Step up to the Mic in Higher Grounds to sing, read poetry, do spoken word or whatever other creative thing you can think of, or simply sit and listen to others perform. Gather around one of the tables in Koinonia Kafe to drink coffee and enjoy pastries with your friends, or grab a board game and play with your friends in the Kafe. For the more electronically focused, go up against others on one of Wii's or playstations in the 6th Grade Lounge. It is going to be a fun night you're not going to want to miss. Cost is $5 to get in and coffee and concessions will be on sale in Koinonia Kafe all night. See you there!

In addition to Wednesday Night Student Groups and Sunday Morning Higher Grounds Worship Experience we offer small groups for teens throughout the week and/or year. Y.W.O.H. (Young Women of Hope) is a small group for teenage girls that deals with issues girls face day in and day out. This group meets in the home of Lisa Medas on Tuesday evenings. Titus Journey is a small group ministry for guys. Throughout the year Titus Journey under the leadership of Mark Ford take hiking, mountain climbing, canoeing, camping and outdoor adventure trips. It gives the guys a chance to enjoy God's creation together and have some core Bible studies around the fire at night where they discuss issues teenage guys face in today's society. A great deal of time is spent reading the letters Paul wrote to Timothy and Titus. Girls Night In meets periodically throughout the year as a time for young ladies to enjoy manicures, facials, spa treatments and to talk about the inner beauty that God has placed in each young lady. Time is also spent talking about modesty and purity. Holy Word in Hollywood is a group we are seeking to start for young men to come together monthly to discuss issues pertaining to temptation, purity, integrity and wholesome living. We will explore Hollywood's false view of success and happiness.

Serving is a large part of Student Ministries at the Lake of the Woods Church. Our desire is to see teenagers serving God by serving others. With this in mind we have created many ministry teams that teens can serve on. Higher Power Performance team allows teens to Worship God though dance, drama, and music. They practice every Sunday afternoon throughout the season and have 2 Recitals (One at Christmas and the other in the Spring). Savin' Sunday Youth Praise Band leads the youth in Worship Sunday morning's during Higher Grounds as well as Wednesday nights at Student Groups, during retreats and in the Contemporary Service throughout the year. This group practices on Tuesday evenings. Good News Club is held every Thursday at Locust Grove Elementary School after school and is led and taught by a team of teenagers. This group rotates teaching, song leading, games, and missionary story. Adult advisors help oversee the group but the group is led entirely by teenagers. Timothy Project is the Student Leadership team that helps plan retreats, the Winter Carnival and other activities throughout the year. It is made up of teenagers that show leadership potential in ministry.

It’s Tuesday Night and you’re hungry. You’re a college student which generally means cash is tight. You want to hang out, have a good time with friends, and get a bite to eat! What do you do? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Join other young adults at our college and career group in Koinonia Kafe Tuesday Nights at 7:00. Come for dinner and stay for the discussion. Bible studies cover a range of topics from current events to theological hurdles to end time prophecy. This is a group that will feed your stomach, your intellect and your spirit. Come join us this Tuesday. You will be glad you did. This group is for young adults who have completed High School and are either in college or in the early stages of their career.

THE LAKE OF THE WOODS CHURCH IS THE PLACE TO BE ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT!!! Come out and join the many other students for Student Bible Study Groups. The evening begins with sports and activities in the gym, or just enjoy hanging out in the gym and catching up with your friends. We then move downstairs for Worship and before breaking into different groups. The High School group meets in Higher Grounds Worship Room . Junior High meets in Koinonia Kafe, while 6th grade enjoys their study in the 6th grade lounge. R.A.K. (Random Acts of Kindness) is an elective group that meets in the Worship Arts Suite. Wednesday night begins at 6:30 and ends at 8:30. Come out and connect with your friends while you enjoy digging into God’s Word!

Higher Grounds is an open forum multimedia Worship Experience Sunday Mornings at 9:30 for teenagers infused with Praise, Connecting and Caffeine. It begins across the hall in Koinonia Kafe where teens can enjoy coffee, pastries, breakfast sandwiches, cocoa, juice and much more. The time continues with Teen led Worship and a life changing youth oriented sermon using popular music, movies, magazines, comedy, and T.V. found in the teen culture. This Sunday come out and join us and get your feet planted at Higher Grounds. We look forward to seeing you there!

The Mission of The Lake of the Woods Church is to worship God; witness to God’s saving love in JesusChrist; teach and preach the Gospel to all ages effectively; be a ministering community through Christreconciling man to God and men to each other in all the world, and especially in Lake of the Woods and thesurrounding communities. The vision and purpose of The Lake of the Woods Church is to teach and preach the Gospel and equip every member and all who come to our church, to become mature, ministering, and worshiping disciples of Christ.CORE VALUES1. Keeping the main things the main thing:Our focus is on the person, work, and message of Jesus Christ. We take seriously that He is our life andbinds us together. We pursue unity. We do not rely upon uniformity to accomplish this, but upon theHoly Spirit. We are a church for all believers and focus on those powerful essentials that all believersembrace.2. Every member in ministry:We are a congregation of ministers. The ministry belongs to the laity. We are saved to serve. Truespiritual maturity cannot be attained unless we are channels of God's love. God has gifted each memberof the body to serve. As each one serves the church it is empowered to achieve its mission. People willhave a sense of belonging and ownership.3. Need-oriented ministry:A need-driven ministry program takes seriously the needs of people in the church and community anddevelops ministries to address them. We seek to be sensitive to the needs of people across the life span.The needs may be physical, spiritual, emotional, or relational. Needs are not merely preferences orwants, but rather usually involve such things as struggles, questions, or hungers. We seek to meet theneeds of the healthy and the unhealthy alike.4. Mission minded:Christ was a missionary who was sent out to a world He loved. We too are sent by God to impact Lakeof the Woods, the surrounding communities, and the uttermost parts of the earth. We see the world asour field and the local areas as our focus. Our church has a calling to impact the world and win thecommunity to Christ. Youth and children are a key to accomplishing both of these callings. We realizemost of our youth will live most of their Christian life somewhere else. Through them we embrace theworld with the Gospel.5. Worship driven:It is our role as a church to offer glory, praise, honor, and worship to God. We seek to give manyopportunities for our people to worship. All service to God is founded on a vital worship of God. Weaffirm various styles of worship.6. The professional staff is to equip others:Pastors/ministers are to equip others for the work of the ministry. Program staff are not to take workfrom the laity, but give work to them. The following styles are encouraged: delegating, mentoring,training and teaching, recruiting encouraging, giving responsibility and authority while asking foraccountability, and team building.7. Leadership:Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church, the Chief Shepherd, the Lord of the Church. Under Hisleadership we are elder ruled, laity run and pastor led.

Our youth ministry exists to RESCUE young people. We seek to do this as we Reach non-believing students with the Gospel, begin to develop a desire in them to Exalt God with their life and to challenge the growing to Serve God by serving others. We seek to Connect the teens with other Christians, and to Upsurge them in their faith. By this they will be an Example thus fulfilling 1Timothy 4:12.

Welcome to The Lake!Thanks for checking out The Lake of the Woods Church Youth web site. I hope it helps you discover who we are, what ministries are available for you, and how you can get plugged in.God is doing a great work at The Lake of the Woods Church and my prayer is that “He will bring it to completion” (Phil 1:1) as we strive to lead Students into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.Browse the website, watch the video, follow us on Facebook, and most importantly, join us for Worship and Small Groups on Sundays, Wednesdays and throughout the week. There is a lot going on with Students here, come join us!Till Every Student Knows CHRIST,Pastor Adam Lam.2:19

"Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity." 1 Timothy 4:12