We are just two weeks away… be ready! September 12 at 6:00. BE THERE! If you are not on the email and text lists, contact Paul at either paul@eypcyf.org.

For your planning purposes… there is no YF on Easter Sunday.  Celebrate our Risen Lord as a family!

Thanks to all who helped with the Catacombs service this weekend.  It was a great success!  I have heard LOTS of great feedback from folks about the quality of the service.  NICE JOB!

Here are some coming events to be aware of:

Sunday 2/28 – normal YF at YPC.  6:00.

Sunday 3/7 – normal YF at YPC.  6:00.

SATURDAY 3/13 (into 3/14) – LOCK IN at YPC.  8:00 PM – 10:00 AM.  More info on specific lock-in activities to come.

Also, we have two more weeks before we have to finalize our work trip numbers.  If you have a friend who might still be interested, ask them!  We still have van space for a few more!

Any Q’s, let me know.

No YF Sunday February 7.  Special Valentine’s YF on the 14th.  Extra special Catacombs weekend Saturday and Sunday 2/20-2/21.  “All games” YF Sunday 2/28.  Read more to get more details about the Catacombs weekend!

For the past several years, YF has hosted the Catacombs vespers service on a Saturday or Sunday night.  This moving event has been well received by attendees… but relatively under-attended.  So, this year the service will be held on Sunday morning as part of YPC’s normal worship schedule!

We have already started planning for this event, and the content of the service is fairly wel developed.  Youth will be leading the service from start to end, and we will be conducting the service at both YPC service times (9:00 and 11:15).  Parts will be assigned at YF on 2/14, with some fill-ins also assigned on 2/20.

Youth will be gathering that Saturday night (2/20) at 5:00 to set up and decorate Fellowship Hall.  Dinner will be provided.  We will also run through the service once or twice.  I expect that we will be done around 8:30, but no promises.

We will then re-gather Sunday morning at 8:30 to make final preparations.  Youth should plan to attend both services that weekend, if possible.

Any questions, let me know…

Last year was a successful first year of this event… and it’s almost here again! Here are some more details…

Schedule

4:00 pm – Setup Activities at YPC

6:00ish – Bus leaves for Rally

6:30 pm – Rally at Bridge Communities in Glen Ellyn

9:00 pm – Back at YPC

7:00 am – Breakfast at YPC

9:00 am – Come-as-we-are Worship at YPC

What to Bring
Warm clothes – NO FLIP FLOPS
Sleeping bag, tent, boxes… whatever you need to make your home

What NOT to Bring – no exceptions
Cell phones (adults will have them if there is an emergency)
iPods
Money
Food or liquid of any kind

If you bring the above and we see it, we’ll take it away and given back Sunday morning.  Cell phones will be checked in and locked inside the church once we return from the rally until Sunday morning.  Yes, you will survive.

Things You Are Probably Wondering About

Are you really going to sleep outside?
Yes. As will groups at more than 50 other locations in DuPage County… just as they have for the past several years.

What if it’s really cold? Like Chicago in the winter cold?
Then we’ll come inside. The definition of “really cold” is a bit loose. But be assured: if it’s not safe, we won’t do it. We will use the church as a warming house even if we do sleep outside.  But plan to be outside.  All night.

Is it safe?
At least one adult will be awake and on watch at all times. The Elmhurst police department and the DuPage County Sherriff are aware of the event as well.

Will we be having dinner?
Maybe, maybe not. Homeless people in DuPage county don’t always know when their next meal will come, and neither will you.  Yes, there will be breakfast Sunday morning.  If you have special circumstances that require you to eat when the rest of us aren’t, that’s fine.

Can I come for just part of the event?
Yes, but we need to know about it in advance. Participation in the set-up (at 4:00) is an important part of the event to make sure there is a place for everyone to sleep. No youth will be allowed to leave without a parent picking them up, even if they drove themselves to the church. Call Paul to discuss logistics.

If you have other questions… let me know.