WHAT TO EXPECT
On Wednesday nights, all 7th-12th grade students are invited to join us!
- We will have dinner available each week starting at 6:45pm (and hold some back to make sure the students showing up late after practice get some too)!
- Doors will open at 7pm for an amazing worship experience.
- We will then split into junior high and high school groups for games, fellowship, and small groups.
Our small groups are based on grade and gender. They are a led by amazing leaders who are highly relational and committed to creating lasting relationships with the students in their group. These small groups meet after the teaching moment on Wednesdays to discuss the message, laugh together, cry together, encourage each other, and pray for each other.
This Sprinter (spring/winter) season we will be in a series Pastor Ed wrote called JESUS-ISMS. Pastor Ed has noticed that our kids are very drawn to the gospels. There is something about the "other-worldly", counter cultural sayings of Jesus that is so inspiring and refreshing. Jesus teaches things like; if you want rest, you need to run to Him (Matthew 11:25); if you want to live, you must first die (Luke 9:23) and if you want to be first, you need to be last (Matthew 20:20). A few other "JESUS-ISMS" we will be looking at are; Weakness is Strength, Give to Receive, Quiet is Loud, Childishness is Maturity, Sick is Healthy, Peace is Chaos, Far is Close and Less is More.
New to Grace Bible Church? We’re glad you’re here! We encourage you to fill out our New Family Information Form prior to dropping your student off.
Do you love Jesus and love working with students? We encourage you to fill out our Confidential Volunteer Application to start the conversation!
It’s just a phase…so don’t miss it!
Each phase of a kid’s life provides specific challenges and opportunities we want to engage together — to meet you and your kids right where you are. We want to make sure we’re asking the most significant questions for kids according to their age and stage, and challenge them to trust Jesus into their futures with all their heart, soul, and strength. We deeply want to help you win at home the rest of the week as well, providing simple and effective parenting cues on a consistent basis.
seventh grade
The phase when nothing you do is cool, what they feel right now matters most, and one suddenly social kid wants to know, “Who’s going?”
eighth grade
The phase when it’s cool to have choices, it’s not cool to answer questions, and one smart kid will remind you, “Yeah…I know.”
ninth grade
The phase when friendships shift, grades count, and interests change so often your teenager has to explain, “This is me now.”
tenth grade
The phase when everybody else can…nobody else has to…and your resolute teen will push you to answer, “Why not?”
eleventh grade
The phase when there’s less drama, more stress, and your very busy teenage answers all your questions with, “Just trust me.”
twelfth grade
The phase when your emerging adult pulls away, gets closer, does things for the last time, and you both start asking, “What’s next?”
JUNIOR HIGH
We will step alongside you as you promote discovery so your 7th-8th graders will own their own faith and value a faith community. As a parent of a 7th-8th grader, your role is to affirm their personal journey. It’s just a phase…so don’t miss it!
HIGH SCHOOL
We will step alongside you as you fuel your student’s passion so that they will keep pursuing authentic faith and discover a personal mission. As a parent of a high school student, your role is to mobilize their potential. Every phase is a timeframe in a kid’s life when you can leverage distinctive opportunities to influence their future. It’s just a phase…don’t miss it!
ALASKA 2024
June 14 - 23
WHAT WE ARE DOING
We will be working directly with unchurched children, youth, and adults in local public parks – feeding meals to the hungry, playing games, doing crafts, teaching them about Jesus. A typical day at the park will look much like VBS, without the structure of a church setting. We feed the children lunch, have a Bible story time, memory verse, crafts, recreation, games, music, and an object lesson, with the Bible story being the most important part of our day. In the evenings we will also help host neighborhood park parties – helping to build relationships in the community. At the end of each day we will explore the beauty of Anchorage, debriefing our time in the parks, laughing together, making memories together as a team, with Saturday being a day devoted to sightseeing! Alaska is the least church attending state in the US. Yes, it is a tourist destination, but there is a giant need for GBC to empower a movement of students to live and love like Jesus there!
WHY ALASKA & WHO WE ARE PARTNERING WITH
People think of Alaska as a Tourist Destination – and it is certainly one of the most beautiful places in the world. But it is also spiritually DARK. It is primarily a non-religious culture. GraceWorks Alaska has been serving in Alaska since 2007 and has hosted more than 10,000 visiting volunteer missionaries (about 50-60 church groups each summer) in Alaska. GraceWorks uses the resource of volunteer teams from the lower 48 to strategically and intentionally help people find and follow Jesus, working with local churches and church planters to insure follow up and discipleship. They create opportunities for church teams and volunteers to inspire faith transformation and spiritual growth throughout communities in Alaska. GraceWorks’s desire is for the teams who come and serve to lay the foundation for their long-term missionaries to connect people to local churches. The teams are provided excellent accommodations – GraceWorks is well organized, provides excellent meals and clean housing accommodations. The teams are welcomed into the GraceWorks community serving alongside other teams, working and worshiping together daily. For more information on GraceWorks Alaska, please visit their website at graceworksak.com.
TEAM MEMBER RESPONSIBILITIES
This year our team will be split up into three groups working at three different local public parks in Anchorage. While we have adult leaders from our team present at each park, it is our intent that the students are leading activities (the GBC adult leaders are there to ensure our team’s safety and to be of assistance / offer guidance where needed). Each park group will consist of students responsible for one of four areas. Prior to the trip, each team will work together to research, study, prepare and pray for their contribution to the time in the parks.
Student Led Park Group Teams (each student will be placed on a team):
Student Led Park Group Teams (each student will be placed on a team):
- Teaching Team –responsible for presenting each day’s lesson in a fun and engaging way
- Worship Team –responsible for having the kids excited to worship God each day, choosing songs that relate to each day’s lesson or theme
- Craft Team –responsible for coming up with a tangible take home item that relates to each day’s lesson or theme
- Recreation / Games Team –responsible for having recreation games that the park as a whole will have fun doing together
TEAM SELECTION PROCESS
The mission of Grace Bible Church is to empower a movement of people to live and love like Jesus. Grace Bible Church believes this mission happens through being a part of youth group, attending Sunday worship services, and serving others. We only have 30 spots available on our team. The team will consist of a combination of adult leaders and high school students. It is our desire that the team consist of people who embody the mission and values of Grace Bible Church. The team will be notified of selection by December 6, 2023. Submittal of application does not guarantee you are on the team.
COSTS
$2,000.00 is the anticipated cost for the whole trip and a $50 deposit is due with submittal of this application. The rest of the trip should be funded through support from families and friends. Support letters will be discussed at the first training meeting. It is suggested that an additional $200 in spending money be brought with you to Alaska (we will have the opportunity to go tourist shopping).
TRAINING MEETINGS
In order to be prepared as a team, we will have mandatory team meetings. These meetings will generally be held on Sunday mornings at 9am at GBC.
APPLICATION PROCESS
If interested in being a member of the Alaska Students Short Term Mission Team for 2024, the following must be submitted to the Student Ministry Administrative Assistant by November 29, 2023. See above for the team selection process. Submittal of application does not guarantee you are on the team.
1) Alaska Students Short Term Missions Team Application (click here) - This application must be submitted except for the Confidential Reference Form.
2) Confidential Reference Form - to be submitted by the person providing the reference directly to the Student Ministry Administrative Assistant.
3) $50 Deposit (cash or check made out to GBC - put Alaska and applicant's name in memo). If you are not selected to be a member of the Alaska Students Short Term Mission Team for the 2024 school year, your deposit will be returned to you.
1) Alaska Students Short Term Missions Team Application (click here) - This application must be submitted except for the Confidential Reference Form.
2) Confidential Reference Form - to be submitted by the person providing the reference directly to the Student Ministry Administrative Assistant.
3) $50 Deposit (cash or check made out to GBC - put Alaska and applicant's name in memo). If you are not selected to be a member of the Alaska Students Short Term Mission Team for the 2024 school year, your deposit will be returned to you.
If selected to be an Alaska Student Short Term Missions Team 2024 member, a packet will be provided to you with the following forms, which will be due by January 24, 2024.
Airline Ticket Commitment - In order to get the best possible price on plane tickets, we need to purchase them well in advance of the trip, for example this trip is scheduled in June so the tickets will be purchased probably as early as March. This means that non-refundable tickets may be purchased by the church before the participants have begun raising funds for the trip, which could create a financial burden if a team member later needs to withdraw. By signing this form, the team member (or parent/guardian if team member is a minor) commits to paying the price of the plane ticket or cancellation fee if that is permitted by the airline, if he or she withdraws or is asked to withdraw from the trip before raising the necessary funds to cover those costs.
2024 Grace Bible Church Medical and Release of Liability Form - Every time people participate in a church-sponsored trip, we ask them to sign a liability release form. For insurance reasons, we need a document that indicates that team members understand the risks involved in this type of ministry and voluntarily accept those risks. If the team member is a minor, the form requires a parent or legal guardian’s signature.
GraceWorks Forms - Our ministry partner also has medical and liability release forms and commitment forms. These forms must be completely filled out and submitted.
Background Check - Grace Bible Church takes its responsibility to practice due diligence very seriously, especially in the area of safety for minors. If you will be 18 years or older BEFORE we leave for the trip, you will need to have a Livescan and current background check on file with Grace Bible Church, and have completed child abuse prevention training in accordance with AB506 prior to leaving for the trip. The Student Ministry Administrative Assistant will contact you regarding this if this pertains to you.
Authorization to Leave the Country and Emergency Medical Care for Minors - Parents/Legal Guardians MUST give permission for their child to leave the country. Please note that this form MUST be notarized and that cost is not included in the cost of the trip. This form is only due if we have a layover in Canada, please DO NOT submit until AFTER you have been accepted as a team member and the flights have been booked. If we do not have a layover in Canada, we will not need this form.
Airline Ticket Commitment - In order to get the best possible price on plane tickets, we need to purchase them well in advance of the trip, for example this trip is scheduled in June so the tickets will be purchased probably as early as March. This means that non-refundable tickets may be purchased by the church before the participants have begun raising funds for the trip, which could create a financial burden if a team member later needs to withdraw. By signing this form, the team member (or parent/guardian if team member is a minor) commits to paying the price of the plane ticket or cancellation fee if that is permitted by the airline, if he or she withdraws or is asked to withdraw from the trip before raising the necessary funds to cover those costs.
2024 Grace Bible Church Medical and Release of Liability Form - Every time people participate in a church-sponsored trip, we ask them to sign a liability release form. For insurance reasons, we need a document that indicates that team members understand the risks involved in this type of ministry and voluntarily accept those risks. If the team member is a minor, the form requires a parent or legal guardian’s signature.
GraceWorks Forms - Our ministry partner also has medical and liability release forms and commitment forms. These forms must be completely filled out and submitted.
Background Check - Grace Bible Church takes its responsibility to practice due diligence very seriously, especially in the area of safety for minors. If you will be 18 years or older BEFORE we leave for the trip, you will need to have a Livescan and current background check on file with Grace Bible Church, and have completed child abuse prevention training in accordance with AB506 prior to leaving for the trip. The Student Ministry Administrative Assistant will contact you regarding this if this pertains to you.
Authorization to Leave the Country and Emergency Medical Care for Minors - Parents/Legal Guardians MUST give permission for their child to leave the country. Please note that this form MUST be notarized and that cost is not included in the cost of the trip. This form is only due if we have a layover in Canada, please DO NOT submit until AFTER you have been accepted as a team member and the flights have been booked. If we do not have a layover in Canada, we will not need this form.