Allegiance2014

Every February, a special event rolls around that warms the hearts of young and old alike. No, it’s not the Super Bowl – it’s the Jr. High Retreat! On February 7-9th, our Jr. Highs will be joining with hundreds of other Jr Highs from across the province to experience God’s love and whole lot of fun. We’re excited to say that the Registrations Forms for Jr. High Retreat are here and we’re looking forward to another great weekend together.

One exciting new change this year is that this year’s retreat will be held in Niagara Falls at the Skyline Inn and Fallsview Resort Complex. The resort is an awesome place to begin with but we’re most excited about the 3 acre indoor waterpark! For just $145 ($135 to register for the event plus $10 for transportation) you get a three day weekend retreat with great sessions, music, breakfast and supper every day and two hours at the waterpark on Saturday afternoon. How awesome is that?

A couple of quick notes – because of the change in location, this year’s retreat is being held a week earlier than last year. It’s no longer on the Family Day long weekend, therefore allowing you to travel if your family does so. Also, the change means we’ll be eating lunch on our own dime this year. In order to pay for that as well as other onsite expenses, we suggest sending $20 in cash with your son or daughter. 

For more information about guests and this year’s theme, read the quote from the organizers below:

“As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.” Matthew 10:7-8
When many people first heard Jesus’ message, what He was saying to them was so different than what they were used to, they weren’t sure what to think of it. Others felt like He was calling the very natue of their world into question. Jesus was speaking not just of reinterpreting their world, He was speaking of a whole new reality that God was forming. He called this the kingdom of God. and so the question that everyone was asked when they heard Jesus speak was – where is your allegiance? Where are you a citizen? What does it mean to live in your world now that you know how God is at work?
We’re hoping that this year, students will take hold of this key idea: that with Jesus, a whole new world is being formed and we get to be a part of it. We’re excited to have Keith Miller as our speaker for all four sessions this year. Keith is a brilliant communicator who, along with his wife Bethany, is starting missional communities throughout Newark, Delaware as part of LifePath church. Keith joined us in 2008 and has easily been one of our most well-loved speakers. Joining us again to lead us in worship is Instead of Silver, who have become crowd favourites.