BETHEL YOUTH
events for 2021-2022
we are a Christian youth ministry and all youth are welcome at the table!
Welcome to Summer at Bethel!
Introducing our three programs for this summer:
The PLOT:
Welcome to the PLOT, Bethel’s summer youth program. Short for “Parking Lot,” this program invites youth entering grades 7 to 12 to join us on Tuesday evenings from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Church Parking Lot. We’ll be enjoying a variety of activities, including tie-dying, water games, making some silly movies, and more! Each night will include a snack for all participants, and a devotional to end the evening. All events, unless otherwise stated, will run from 7 pm to 9:30pm, and be a drop in events. In the event of poor weather, we’ll move into the church and either adapt our plans to work indoors or pull out one of our rainy day ideas, but you can count on meeting every night.
Youth Camps:
Two youth camps will be run this summer, the first an Active/Sports Themed camp, the other an Arts Themed camp. Each day will feature two sessions, one from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., the other from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Depending on the day, there will be 1-2 unique activities.
Youth Camps are available to any students entering grades 6 to 12 this coming September.
Both camps will feature a variety of activities, a snack for all participants, and a devotional time.
Day Trips:
We're planning two day trips this summer; one on July 23rd to Calaway Park, and the second on August 20th to Sylvan Lake. Registration for Calaway Park is available, and has its fees set. The Sylvan Lake trip isn't available for registration at this time, and the fee for the trip has not been determined. We're working on it though! We'll have the necessary information for Sylvan Lake determined ASAP.
All information on summer events (more than just what's here) is available on discoverbethel.com/summer.
I highly recommend taking a look at that website as well.
PLOT - Games Night
Tuesday, July 5th
7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
No Cost.
Welcome to the PLOT! Tonight is our kick off night, so we'll have a focus on getting to know each other through a variety of games. Some will be challenging, some will be less so, and some may involve adventures with pool noodles.
While there is no official registration for most PLOT events, there will be a sign in sheet every day to keep track of attendance and any possible allergies. Registration may be a little slower today as every attendee will be new and will need to provide basic information.
YOUTH CAMP 1 - Active Camp
Two Sessions Daily, from July 11th to 15th
Morning Sessions: 10-12 p.m.
Afternoon Sessions: 1-3 p.m.
Costs Vary
Welcome to our Active Camp! We have an impressive list of activities ready for attendees this week. A few classics, such as Basketball, Volleyball, and Soccer, alongside a few more unique events, like Orienteering, Dodgeball, and 9 square. Come on out for an exciting week as we dive into plenty of fun sports or activities, spend time getting to know each other, and go through daily devotionals.
Most sign ups are free, though Orienteering comes with a small cost for your very own compass. Snacks will be provided in all sessions.
For adults over 20 years old, we have space for volunteers still! Please consider filling out the Volunteer registration link if you're willing to help run an activity or two.
PLOT - Wet and Wacky Wednesday (But Still on a Tuesday)
Tuesday, July 12th
7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
No Cost.
Tonight is all about water games! We have quite a few water activities planned, including Drip, Drip, Drop (Duck, Duck, Goose with a cup of water), Relay races, Water Dodgeball, and a full on water fight! Please make sure to bring towels and a change of clothes for yourself to dry off after the activities end.
PLOT - Reverse Escape Room
Tuesday, July 19th
7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
No Cost.
Whoops, some inexperienced youth intern accidentally locked the snacks for tonight in the sports shed! And when he got to the church to prepare for this evening, a bizarre array of obstacles had been set up! How strange. Well, the only thing to do is solve the puzzles, find the code to the shed, and recover the missing snacks. Tonight is similar in concept to an escape room, but instead of getting out of a locked room, we’re trying to get into a locked building!
DAY TRIP 1 - Calaway Park
Saturday, July 23rd
6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Cost: $35
We’re heading out to Calaway Park in Calgary! Come and join us for a day full of excitement and roller coasters. We will be leaving the Bethel parking lot at 7 a.m. so please be sure to arrive no later than 6:30 a.m. The trip to Calaway is expected to take roughly 3.5 hours, so we expect to arrive at the park close to 10:30 a.m. We will leave at 2:30 p.m. and return to Bethel around 6 p.m. Lunch will be provided, but please make sure to bring your own water bottle and any snacks you will want. This event is available to youth entering grades 7 to 12. There will be a $35 fee associated with this trip to cover admission to the park, as well as gas for transportation. Fees are subject to change.
Alternative plans may be announced on short notice in the event of inclement weather.
We want everyone to be able to join us on this trip. If there are any troubles covering the cost of the trip, please contact Melanie at melanie@discoverbethel.com to discuss the Pay What You Can Plan.
YOUTH CAMP 2 - Arts Camp
Two Sessions Daily, from July 25th to 29th
Morning Sessions: 10-12 p.m.
Afternoon Sessions: 1-3 p.m.
Costs Vary
It's time for Youth Camp 2! This time we managed to arrange each day into a theme; Activities will be led by members of our community, or by our summer interns. Our first day is a little scattered, with Creative Writing and Paint Pouring. Day two focuses on arts and crafts, where we'll make Friendship Bracelets and Tie Dye some shirts. Day three we move on to a theatre theme, featuring Improv Games and Simple Scripts. Day four introduces drawing. Youth will learn some of the basics of working with pencil and paper as an art medium, and practice Perspective Drawing with their very own pencil sets and sketchbooks. Finally on Friday, day five, we're making pizzas! Youth will learn about all the necessary steps in making a homemade pizza, everything from preparing the dough and shredding cheese, to washing the dishes. All days will, of course, include a snack for all participants, and devotional time.
For adults over 20 years old, we have space for volunteers still! Please consider filling out the Volunteer registration link if you're willing to help run an activity or two.
PLOT - Tie Dye Night
Tuesday, July 26th
7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Cost: $7
What summer is complete without a tie-dyed shirt? Come by tonight for an evening of arts and crafts, where everybody will get to design their own t-shirt! At a small cost, Bethel will provide plain white cotton shirts for all participants who want one. However, if you'd prefer to bring your own shirt, perhaps with a printed design already on it, you are more than welcome to. Instructions will be provided for taking home the shirts, and caring for them properly.
PLEASE NOTE: This event is an anomaly in the PLOT schedule. It’s the only night that includes both registration and a small fee. Registration will be used to make sure there are shirts available in your size the night of, and the $7 fee will be used to cover the cost of buying shirts and dye. You can also bring your own white t-shirt if you’d prefer not to pay the fee, but you will still be asked to complete the registration prior to July 20th. If you arrive without having registered, and do not have a shirt with you, we cannot guarantee that you'll be able to participate in the activity.
We want everyone to be able to join us for this event. If there are any troubles covering the cost of the shirts, please contact Melanie at melanie@discoverbethel.com to discuss the Pay What You Can Plan.
PLOT - Canadian Mini Golf
Tuesday, August 2nd
7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
No Cost.
Question: If you wanted to host a home-made mini golf course in your parking lot, and make it more Canadian, how do you do it? Well, the answer is simple. Replace the putters with hockey sticks, and use Tim Horton’s cups for the holes! A simple miniature golf course will be setup tonight, and youth will get to travel around the church property playing the course.
PLOT - Make a Movie Night
Tuesday, August 9th
7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
No Cost.
Have you ever wanted to be a movie star? Well, tonight you will be! Participants will be split into groups and given a prompt and theme. From this information, their task will be to create a short 5-10 minute video that fulfills the requirements given to them. Oh, and you’ll also have some whacky props you must include somehow. Spoiler alert; these may include a Carnivale mask, a kid’s electric guitar toy, and a rubber chicken, among many other items. Our video creations will be shown in two weeks’ time, as part of our end of summer party.
PLOT - Absurd Records
Tuesday, August 16th
7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
No Cost.
If you’re familiar with the series "Overtime" from the YouTube channel "Dude Perfect," then the term “Absurd Recurds” should sound familiar. We’ll be trying to accomplish some of our own absurd records as well, both inspired by the show, and some homebrewed record ideas! Including ridiculous records such as doughnut stacking, most ping pong balls caught on the head with shaving cream, and the pea blow. We’ll even be creating some awards for the best performers to take home next week!
DAY TRIP 2 - Sylvan Lake
Saturday, August 20th
Times to be announced.
Cost to be announced.
Come join us for a trip to Sylvan Lake! The main highlight of the trip will be visiting the Sylvan Lake Aqua Splash centre. As per the park’s recommendation, we will spend 1 hour at the centre itself, though times are being planned to allow for relaxing time at the beach as well. There will be some snacks and water bottles provided, but it's recommended that you bring your own water bottle for the trip. This event is available to youth entering grades 7 to 12. There will be a small fee associated with the trip, to be announced soon. Please wear modest swimsuits.
Alternative plans may be announced on short notice in the event of inclement weather.
We want everyone to be able to join us on this trip. If there are any troubles covering the cost of the trip, please contact Melanie at melanie@discoverbethel.com to discuss the Pay What You Can Plan.
PLOT - Year End Party
Tuesday, August 23rd
7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
No Cost.
And so the summer ends! Thanks to everyone who came out to volunteer or participated in the activities this summer. Tonight is an evening to celebrate! We’ll be ordering pizzas, handing out awards from our Absurd Record night, and watching an actual proper movie, one that used a budget greater than $12. Popcorn may be included. ;)
Youth are encouraged to bring their tie dyed shirts from July 26th if possible. Please bring a lawn chair if you have one.
That's all, folks!
Thank you for taking a look at our summer programming for 2022.
This is all we have scheduled at the moment, though we are considering adding a couple extra events during the coming summer. Make sure to check back regularly for updates.
If you have any questions at all about this summer,
please don't hesitate to email me at ryan@discoverbethel.com.
I'll be happy to answer any questions you have to the best of my ability.
Below, you can find a record of what Bethel Youth has been up to this past year. At the very bottom of the page is additional contact information and calendar of the summer featuring everything above, as well as a couple additional events at Bethel, if you'd like to take a look.
Registration for the Year
We kindly ask that parents register all youth prior to joining us in-person. Youth from the same household can be registered under one form submission. Thank you!
2022
Rundle Park IceWay
Friday, January 14
7:00 'ish pm - 9:30 pm
Cost = Free!
The forecast is looking relatively balmy for the 14th of January! Meet at the Rundle Park Family Centre, (where the IceWay begins/ends) at 7:00 'ish pm and bring your skates for about 2 km of ice trails that wind its way through the trees! There is a separate pond for Shinny, so bring your hockey stick too (if you like). The church has some hockey pucks, so I can bring those along. The Family Centre is a good spot to put on/take off your skates. A mask is required in the building, but not for the IceWay (or anywhere outdoors). I'll bring some hot chocolate along as well. Bring a friend!
Catalyst # 6 - Justice for All | Part 1 of 2
Friday, January 21
7:00 pm - 9:30 pm
Our 2022 bible discussion study kicks off with the next topic of our Catalyst series. Today, we talk about justice from a biblical perspective. We will be going over the story of Joseph in Genesis.
References: Genesis 37:1-36; I Corinthians 13:1-7; Psalm 138:7-8
Millennium Place
Friday, January 28
7:03 pm - 9:32 pm
Cost = Free!
This week, Bethel Youth is planning to go to Millennium Place in Sherwood Park. Meet at 7:00 pm to 7:10 pm for their drop-in schedule for using their gym (equipment provided for a variety of sports including volleyball, badminton, basketball, and floor hockey), or you can use their pool, or their skating rink. The choice is yours, so bring clothing that matches what you want to do. Also, bring a combination lock or share a locker with a friend. There is no cost, so just show up!
The facility is part of the REP program, so please bring your proof of vaccine (QR code) or medical exemption letter.
No ID is required.
Millennium Place
2000 Premier Way {take the Broadmoor Blvd exit off the Henday/Yellowhead interchange, then left at the 7-11}
Sherwood Park, AB
Catalyst # 7 - Justice for All | Part 2 of 2
Friday, February 4
7:00 pm - 9:30 pm
Our Catalyst series of justice continues with the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis starting in chapter 39. Today's focus is on integrity that can withstand injustice and God's justice restores what it broken.
References: Genesis 39:1-23; Genesis 45:1-8; Genesis 50:14-21; Psalm 1:1-3; Luke 6:27-38; I Peter 3:15-17; Romans 12:17-21
Make Your Own Pizza Night
Friday, February 11
7:00 pm - 9:30 pm
This week we will be making our own pizzas here at the church! All the ingredients and kitchen supplies will be provided. There will also be games and a short devo (devotional) as well. Bring a friend (who likes pizza)!
LaunchPad
Friday, February 25
7:00 pm - 9:15 pm
Cost = Free!
This week for Bethel Youth, we are planning to meet at LaunchPad Trampoline Park on the South-side. There is no cost, so just show up. However, the place does require a parent or guardian to fill out an e-waiver on their website prior to the event. Please bring proper clothing and a mask (when not participating in an activity). See you there!
http://launchpadtrampoline.com
LaunchPad Trampoline Park
6142 50 Street
Edmonton, AB
Volleyball Tournament
Trinity CRC Gymnasium
Cost = Free!
Thursday, March 3
11:00 am - 2:00 pm (approximate ending time)
It's Teacher's Convention, so Trinity CRC is hosting a Volleyball Tournament for grades 7-12 at their gymnasium. Youth are welcome to join with some ideas for their team selection. Youth who prefer not to play are still welcome to attend and enjoy time with friends. The leaders will honor that as best they can; however, we still may switch youth around to make teams fair. We encourage youth who want to play to invite their friends from school, et cetra. Note: It's a Thursday and not the normal Friday! Updated note: Although snacks & beverages (including water) will be provided at no charge, it would not equal that of a proper lunch. You may wish to consider bringing lunch-like food and/or a water bottle.
Trinity CRC
13427 57 Street
Edmonton, AB
Catalyst # 9 - Let's Get Real - Open Session
Friday, March 11
7:00 pm - 9:30 pm
Tonight will be different. We will be having an open session! I plan to talk less and listen more. Do you have any questions on Christianity? Let the group know. Do you have questions on what's going on in the world (or your own world)? Let's talk about it together. We may not have all the answers, but we can have a safe space to talk about what's on your mind. There will be an opportunity to address questions anonymously as well. We can take comfort that God is in control no matter the circumstances! Snacks (of course) will be available while we are discussing!
Serve Night - Mustard Seed Poverty Simulation
Trinity CRC
Friday, March 18
7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Cost = Free (although it may involve an optional donation)
We are joining several of the Edmonton CRC Youth groups participating in a poverty simulation with the Mustard Seed of Edmonton at Trinity CRC in their gymnasium. The Mustard Seed has an event where they organize the youth into real life situations and they experience what it may be like to live in poverty. They will also lead a "thrift walk" - we will have to wait and see what that is exactly. See you there!
Trinity CRC
13427 57 Street
Edmonton, AB
Bethel Youth Spring Retreat
Camp Nakamun
Friday, March 25 @ 5:30 pm {Bus leaves Bethel parking lot}
to Sunday, March 27 @ 3:30 pm {Estimated arrival time at Bethel parking lot}
Cost = $ 55 {includes 5 meals provided by the camp}
I am excited to announce Bethel Youth is going forward with our Spring Retreat! (I know it's been postponed twice now and I apologize for that). This is an opportunity in one weekend for a whole bunch of youth groups to be together in community and to gather together to celebrate Jesus. There will be a speaker, Pastor Kiara from Sherwood Park Alliance Church, and a band throughout the weekend. There will be time to connect with the youth group to reflect and chat about the sessions. Also, there will be lots of fun late winter / early spring activities including skating (bring your skates/hockey stick) and a campfire with hot chocolate, plus there's an indoor pool, gymnasium, games area, as well as using the lodge for board game time. The camp also makes some great food! As this is a multi-church event, space is limited, so please take 3 minutes to sign up! A detailed schedule will be emailed to all who registered in mid-March as well as a waiver from the camp.
Girls' Tribe Time
Batman Movie + Treats at BP's Afterwards
Tuesday, March 29
5:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Cost = Free!
Hilary and Elena (our super awesome girls' leaders) are planning to take the tribe to a movie plus some post movie treats to follow! Meet at the Cineplex Cinemas movie theatre at Manning Town Centre at 5:15pm in the main lobby for the 5:30pm start time for 'Batman'. Treat afterwards at the Boston Pizza right next door to the theatre! See you there!
Cineplex Cinemas (Manning Town Centre)
15531 37 Street
Edmonton, AB
Guys' Tribe Time
Boston Pizza (Clareview)
Thursday, March 31
6:45 pm - 8:15 pm
Cost = Free!
Since it's Spring Break, this week we are just connecting with everyone in the guys' tribe over some pizza! Meet at the Boston Pizza in Clareview for some food & fellowship! See you there!
Boston Pizza (Clareview)
13803 42 Street
Edmonton, AB
Catalyst # 10 - Faith
Friday, April 8
7:00 pm - 9:30 pm
This week we are going to look more closely at faith. What is it and what does it mean to have faith? We will take a look at God's faithfulness as well! Snacks to follow. Hope all is well with you!
References: Hebrews 11:1-40; Hebrews 12:1-3; Ephesians 2:8-10; Matthew 17:20b; Romans 1:16
No Youth
Good Friday!
Friday, April 15
Start Time for Good Friday Service = 6:30 pm
Due to being Good Friday, there will be no youth event this week.
If you have a home church outside of Bethel, then I encourage you to attend a Good Friday service there.
Otherwise, we would love to see you at Bethel to celebrate Easter on Good Friday at 6:30pm and Easter Sunday at 9:00am or 11:00am! Happy Easter!
Mall Hunt / Mall Crawl
West Edmonton Mall
Friday, April 22
6:45 pm - 9:00 pm
Cost = Free!
It's our annual (okay, we missed last year) Mall Hunt / Mall Crawl! All the CRC churches in the Edmonton area are meeting at West Edmonton Mall for this fan favorite event! Meet in-between entrances #32 and #40 on the lower level beside the Dollar store (also in-between Winners and 'The Whale') at 6:45pm. See the picture below! The theme this year is 'Characters' where we need to hunt for certain individuals within our CRC domination that will be dressed up in various characters and you need to find them before time runs out. The winning group will receive a prize! If you wanted to spend the majority of your time just chilling with your friends and eating in the food court, you won't win the prize, but we would like you to join us anyway so us leaders can have a chance to connect with you. See you there!
Catalyst # 11 - What is your story?
Rundle Park - Meet at the Family Centre
Friday, April 29
6:45 pm - 9:15 pm
Meet the Family Centre at Rundle Park for Catalyst this week. When we were required to be outside during the pandemic, that was the only way we can meet back then. Even if we don't have to this anymore, I thought we can change it up and we can enjoy some fresh air anyway. If you arrive late, look for us out in the field near the beach volleyball courts and I'm sure you'll find us! I moved the start and end times slightly back to allow a bit more time in the sun (it gets a bit dark after 9pm).
Partly due to the popularity of the open sessions back on March 11, this will be another open session! Just like back then, I plan to talk less and listen more. Where do you (and I) fit in God's story? If you're open to sharing, what is your story? What is your testimony? Where do we find ourselves within God's narrative? Let's talk about it together. There will be time to throw a ball around, chill with friends, and snacks will be a plenty too!
The Rec Room
West Edmonton Mall
Friday, May 6
7:05 pm - 9:30 pm
Cost = Free!
This week at Bethel Youth for Outlet, meet at The Rec Room at West Edmonton Mall! Meet at the front entrance (if arriving at the mall entrance, then walk through at meet on the other side) at 7pm. Bethel will provide the first 120 credits for you to use on a wide range of games. Anything beyond that will be up to you though. There are plenty of tv's there, so yes, you can catch some of the Oilers game too. See you there!
Inspire: Compassion!
Ebenezer CRC
Sunday, May 15
1:15 pm - 8:45 pm
Cost = Free!
Ebenezer CRC in Leduc County is hosting an Inspire: Compassion youth event for churches within Classis Alberta. Youth from across Alberta are invited to a youth-led worship & praise service, a speaker session, time for some games (either out in the field or at Covenant Christian School next door), plus a free dinner is included in the event. If you want to sing or play an instrument with the band, please let me know! Note: It's a Sunday and not a Friday. Transportation will be by school bus from Bethel to Ebenezer and then back again when the event ends. The event runs from 2pm to 8pm (with 45 minutes being added for transportation each direction). The event is free, but registration is required due to parental permission.
In summary: The bus leaves Bethel on 1:15pm and is expected to return at about 8:45pm. Dinner is provided!
Ebenezer CRC
49245 Range Road 250
Leduc County, AB
Games - Hot Dogs - Chill!
Rundle Park - Site # 6
Friday, May 27
7:03 pm - 9:32 pm
Cost = Free!
The CRC youth groups in the greater Edmonton area are meeting at Rundle Park at Site # 6 (near the Family Centre and the volleyball courts) for some games, some food, and some chilling with your friends around the park. We will provide the hot dogs and all the fixings by the campfire, but Youth are encouraged to bring snacks to share as well. There's a field to play some games and a beach volleyball court as well. Bethel will bring its nerf football and a volleyball and the other churches will bring other items to share. Bring a friend and see you there!
24/7 Prayer Night
Friday, June 3
6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Bethel Youth is participating in a prayer session in conjunction with the 24/7 Prayer Week leading up to Pentecost Sunday. We are devoting at least one hour for prayer. Senior High's to pray from 7:00pm sharp to 8:00pm and Junior High's from 8:00pm 9:00pm. When the other group is praying, we can have some discussion time and check in and see how everyone is doing.
It will be warm and sunny, so show up early at 6:30pm for some hoops in the parking lot before the prayer event!
Also, afterwards we can have some snacks outside, chill with friends, and more hoops from 9:00pm to 9:30pm.
There's no Oilers game today... so, hope to see you there!
Girls' Tribe Time
Melanie's Place
Friday, June 10
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Cost = Free!
Melanie, our Youth Director soon returning from maternity leave, would like to host the girls’ tribe at her place to watch a movie, paint nails, and get to know each of you better! Snack type food will be provided! She lives on residence at The King's University in Edmonton, so meet at the front entrance that faces 50th Street at 7:00pm. Grace, one of our summer interns, will also be attending. They hope to see you all there!
Melanie's Place
@ The King's University
Suite #401 - 9125 50 Street
Edmonton, AB
Guys' Tribe Time
Boston Pizza (Sherwood Park - Broadmoor & Broadway)
Friday, June 10
7:15 pm - 8:45 pm *Updated Time*
Cost = Free!
This Friday we are just connecting with everyone in the guys' tribe over some pizza... again! So dinner will be provided! Meet at the Boston Pizza in Sherwood Park on the corner of Broadmoor & Broadway (just north of Baseline Road) for some food & fellowship! See you there!
Boston Pizza
11 Broadway Boulevard
Sherwood Park, AB
Year End Season Finalé!
Friday, June 17
6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
It's our year end Gala! We plan making it a relaxed like celebration this year which includes honoring the grade 9's and grade 12's as they graduate! There will be a devotional or "devo" as well. A sundae station will be in place plus an array of other snacks. In addition, there will be a 40 foot obstacle course and, of course, some hoops in the parking lot! See you there for the season finalé!