Save the Date(s)!!

Hello parents!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!

I know you have already been made aware of the fact that Brett Ullman is coming to speak at Bethel in a couple of weeks and I'm just writing this to encourage you to make it a priority for both you and your teens to go. 

Brett is a very talented communicator who speaks across North America to teens, parents, youth workers, teachers, and others.  Andrew and I have had the pleasure of hearing him speak at both a youth conference and a youth leaders conference and each time we have walked away challenged and with a greater depth of knowledge concerning issues teens deal with today. Brett speaks very powerfully and straightforwardly and packs a TON of information into his 1-2 hour sessions.

We are very excited that Brett will be coming to Bethel on Friday, October 21st and Saturday, October 22nd in order that we can have two sessions - one geared towards teens, and one for parents.

Friday night, Brett will be speaking to youth from 7-9pm.  This presentation is entitled, "Your Story: The Wounded Embrace," and addresses depression and self-injury - issues that are absolutely rampant with today`s youth.  This issue has already hit our youth room on a number of occassions and a poll done in youth at the beginning of the year showed that at least 90% of our students know someone who is self-injuring.  This presentation will equip our teens with tools on how to help their friends who are struggling through some of these issues. The talk will hopefully open up discussion - with friends, youth leaders, and parents - and educate students who may be confused about why a friend self-injures.

Below is a clip giving a taste of what Brett will address in his presentation to the youth on Friday night.

Saturday, October 22 from 9 - 11 am, Brett will be addressing parents with a talk entitled "Media.Faith.Culture." This talk is geared specifically towards parents and addresses sensitive topics today's young people face - including cutting, suicide, substance abuse, sex and violence.  Here are a few quotes from parents and youth workers who have seen this presentation: (*taken from http://www.brettullman.com/)

This is a conversation that needs to take place. Too often as parents, we say we are understanding of what our kids are being exposed to. But a lot of what the media has to offer remains "out of sight" and "out of mind" because we may be too busy to truly know what is out there. Brett's parent talk encourages us as parents to "dig deeper", to truly understand the message and effects of media as it relates to our faith. We would encourage every parent to equip themselves with what Brett has to offer.

~Chris and Tayna Jobe
Beacon Bible Camp - Parents

We recently had Brett Ullman give his media.faith.culture talk at our Sunday morning service and the talk was hard-hitting and difficult to hear at points, yet the response was overwhelmingly positive.  People of all ages were both challenged and encouraged to be the disciples of Jesus that we are all called to be.  Rarely have I heard such a clear call to be the people who God has created us to be, from both a cultural and Biblical perspective.  For anyone who wants to be both challenged and encouraged in what it means to be a follower of Jesus as a parent, grandparent or young person, I recommend that you to find a place to hear Brett speak.

~ Pastor Jeff Vandermeer

Immanuel Christian reformed Church - Simcoe

Again, we urge you to make these sessions a priority for your family!  Encourage your teens to go and to bring friends and please come out Saturday morning and learn from the parents session.  We look forward to addressing these serious issues and seeing how God will work through the sessions with Brett. 

Take care!

- Laura