This month we feature Bethany Leigh Gildner:

High School: White Bear Lake Area High School

School/Community Activities: Cross country and Nordic skiing, choir, theater, junior class committee, Destination Imagination

Church Activities: Mission Trip 2002 & 2003, St. Paul TEC

Favorite Song: “Hold On”, by Good Charlotte

Proudest moment: Playing the part of Ermengarde in the play “Hello Dolly” at my high school.

Collections: Spoons from around the U.S. and other countries.

Favorite St. John’s Memory: Hauling wood chips on our Mission Trip to Camp Heartland.

Favorite movie: “Little Women”

Last good book you’ve read: “The Nanny Diaries"

Best advice you’ve been given: Not really advice, but something I like to think is true: Everything happens for a reason.

Where you hope to be in 10 years: I would like to be living in a nice apartment or house with an awesome job in structural engineering.  I want to start my own company.

If you could have dinner with any person, whom would you choose? My sister, Ashley!  She is one of my best friends.

How can church become more youth friendly?  We should have activities that the youth and other members of the church do together.  Other members can volunteer to chaperone youth events!

Teens Encounter Christ

Written by Kyle Domin

Teens Encounter Christ, better known as T.E.C., is an amazing religious weekend filled with lots of exciting surprises and great friendships. Senior High Youth from our church go to either the St. Paul T.E.C. weekend or the Great Northern T.E.C. weekend in Northern Minnesota. The weekend is based on a series of talks (speeches) given mostly by teenagers for teenagers.  Some of the talks include things like “Who is God”, “Who is Jesus”, “What is prayer”, “Community”, and many others.  Also at T.E.C. there are great friendships that build, and a great “community” that builds.  T.E.C. isn’t just a place to go to twice a year, it’s a community of awesome people.  I personally hang out with people from T.E.C. at least 2-3 times a month.

For me T.E.C. was so important because I found a deeper knowledge of God, I made a lot of awesome new friends and I had a very exciting weekend.  Before T.E.C. I was one of those kids who, in church would stare at their watch, counting every second as it passed.  I went through my first T.E.C. about 2 years ago, and this spring I will be going through my 7^th and 8^th T.E.C. weekends.  This is one example of how powerful T.E.C. can be.

You may wonder what you can do if you aren’t a youth, and you’re not involved in the T.E.C. program.  Well both programs, Northern and St. Paul, can always use financial donations. These donations help with scholarships and buying other materials needed for the event.  If you would rather not donate money, we can always use food donations as well. Adults are also needed to help on teams, ask Kate and Chris Johnson if they have enjoyed their experience as adult leaders. If you have any questions please talk to either Alison Feigh or one of the following youth who have attend a T.E.C. weekend in the past: Stephen Anthony, Nate Beske, Tiffany Canterbury, Kyle Domin, Rachel Ford, Adam Gadbois, Haley Gilbert, Bethany Gildner, Megan Mahoney, Anne Moertel, Katelynn Pope, Sarah Prochnow, Elizabeth Schmit, Henry Schneider, Jordan Warchol, or Jean Watson.

“T.E.C. is a unique experience with results that will last a lifetime.”

                                -Anne Moertel.

Forms are now available in Alison’s office for Northern TEC in Duluth (March 19-21) or St. Paul TEC (April 16-18).

A group of Junior High youth will be going on the Diocesan ski trip to Giant's Ridge from March 5th through March 7th. Jeanie Long will be chaperoning the event. We'll pray that our youth have a fun, injury-free weekend.

Three of our youth have made the decision to be Confirmed when Bishop Jelinek visits our congregation this month. Please join us on Sunday, March 7th at 10:30 am as we honor the decision that that these youth have made. We honor Rachel Ford, Muriel Gilbert, and Anne Moertel for the work they have put into this decision and for the spiritual growth they have experienced these last years.

The Junior High Youth Group schedule will remain the same throughout the Lenten season. We will attend the 7:00 pm prayer service together and then head up to the youth room for a shortened community discussion and game time. We hope you will join us in worship during the Lenten season.

Northern TEC is held the weekend of March 19th-21st. The youth working on the weekend should plan to meet at church at 4:30 pm on Thursday, March 18th so we can head up to Duluth early to set up for the weekend.  If you are planning on participating in this weekend, or the St. Paul TEC in April, please tell Alison so she can coordinate rides and other details for those attending.