Dear parents of incoming middle schoolers,

Summer is around the corner, the weather is (hopefully) turning sunny, school is almost out — and your son or daughter is transitioning into middle school. (Can you believe it?!)

We want to welcome your student as he or she ventures into the unknown land of middle school, and provide some ways to link arms in their spiritual development. You may have already visited the willamettestudents.com website. (There are actually three sites there: one for high school, one for middle school, and one we call The ROAD. More on that in a moment.)
We strive to share core emphases, happenings, and opportunities to partner together.

[download this Letter to Parents of incoming 6th graders as a PDF here]

Sunday Worship for Middle Schoolers

A group of 50+ middle schoolers (grades 6-8) begin Sunday mornings at 11:00am in the Middle School Lounge (upstairs, south end, far right corner room), and generally transition downstairs into the south terrace/multipurpose room. Each week is hardly the same, but we generally follow a flow of four elements:

• hang-out and activity,
• followed by singing and worship,
• followed by teaching God’s Word, and
• then wrap-up in small groups with the devoted adult leaders

Also, as a recap, each week we send out an email to parents called ASK & EXPLORE where we hope to share with you the emphases, happenings and opportunities for Gospel conversations with your student. We have about 1% of their time, and your role as parent and discipler cannot be overstated. We desire this simple tool to foster those Gospel conversations and mutual fascination — parents and students exploring the truths of Jesus and the Bible together! That is our desire in everything we do, connecting the whole Gospel to whole students and deepening the family influence.

• Want to receive these? Signup at willamettestudents.com/MS/parents

When will this transition take place? (aka, when is my student a sixth grader?)

Odds are your student is itching to get to middle school — or at least ‘out’ of fifth grade. We want to first welcome your student to sixth grade, and then into the whole middle school program.

On Sunday, June 13th they will ‘graduate’ from 5th grade (the Edge). Every student will start in the Edge room at 11:00am, and then at 11:20 we’ll come get them. Half of our adult volunteer leaders will be with them to give a preview of what we do in middle school worship, and connect life stories. Next week (June 20th) your son is a middle schooler: come directly to the Middle School Lounge (upstairs, south end, far right corner). As I mentioned before, we finish the morning in small group conversations, scattered in the various spaces in and around the south end of the building.

Parents gathering (sign up for the Ask & Explore emails and we will invite you to a parents gathering later this Summer, before school begins.)

While the middle school program meets together on Sunday mornings at 11:00am, your family is encouraged to meet other families and together seek the spiritual and overall development of your students. Whether it is serving together at The Table & Sunday Market, at a monthly Love Serves project, going on a missions trip, taking a course, conecting in a community group, or meeting up after a sporting activity. Worship happens anywhere and everywhere as we treasure Jesus every day. In the WCC family, everything we do is meant to align with our core mission as a caring community that loves God, loves people, and serves the world.

Welcome to The ROAD

Because middle school is the time for students to renew their commitment to enjoying God and His Word, we’ve created a website — find it at willamettestudents.com/ROAD.

There you will find a daily Bible reading plan, an overview of The Story of God, and practical helps like video overviews of key books. [overview here]

• We know this: the habits and life rhythms students create in their early teen years form the foundation of who they will become as an adult. More than that, what they see their parents doing is what they will do, and who they will become.

• Tip: read the Bible alongside your student; make the same commitments you expect of them. Be a disciple as you make disciples.

When we read, we focus on Jesus — and respond to His greatness, goodness and grace.

Let us know how we can be a resource to you as you teach your children who Jesus is, why He came, and what it means to follow Him together.

Because Jesus is everything,

Jeff Patterson
Associate Pastor

We want to point out the new site we launched last weekend with some helps for enjoying God and His Word: the ROAD.

click through to read more…

FRIDAY | April 23

For any parent who wants to parent well and understand their teen, check out PARENTEEN PORTLAND

• April 23rd, 7:00-9:30pm
• with Dr. Chap Clark
• Learn more

Have you ever wondered how your teenager’s spiritual journey is developing in the midst of this fragmented culture? Do you wonder what role you can play? Keynote speaker Dr. Chap Clark will talk with parents about what biblical discipleship looks like in our homes, and how parents with authentic faith have the best chance of leading their children into a lifetime of commitment to God and His kingdom work. You will come away from this evening with a fresh look at parenting teens and pre-teens.

—

SUNDAY | April 25

Join other parents and students for Potluck in the Park on Sunday, April 25th, from 1:30-6:00pm.

SIGN-UP HERE

• We will meet at 1:30pm 2:30pm in the WCC parking lot (south end, near the Student Center) on Sunday, April 25th, to carpool together.
• For more info, contact John Sramek via students@willamettechurch.com
• Note updated start time of 1:30pm

—

FRIDAY-SUNDAY | April 30—May 2

Our Spring retreat/conference for middle school students is in downtown Portland, for a weekend of learning, experiencing the truth of Christ, singing, creating, exploring, and enjoying student life with solid, devoted leaders. (Parents are welcome to chaperone, and can indicate that on the sign-up below.)

only $95 for first 25 students to sign up

(goes up to $125 after that)

Conference is April 30-May 1 (Friday-Saturday), and we will stay an extra night as a middle school youth group, coming back for the 11am worship service on Sunday morning, May 2nd.

• REGISTER HERE

Questions? Email students@willamettechurch.com

Last Sunday we launched a new series with your middle schoolers. “My Heart, Christ’s Home” centers around the booklet of the same title by Robert Boyd Munger. The goal is to explore each “room” of our lives to discover if Jesus is welcome there, and how He can take full ownership of our lives. We’ll be exploring through May. Parents: drop by and get a copy of the booklet each student is receiving, and see the front of a house John Sramek built in the Student Center.

Join other parents and students for Potluck in the Park on Sunday, April 25th, from 1:30-6:00pm.

SIGN-UP HERE

• We will meet at 1:30pm 2:30pm in the WCC parking lot (south end, near the Student Center) on Sunday, April 25th, to carpool together.
• For more info, contact John Sramek via students@willamettechurch.com
• Note updated start time of 1:30pm
  

View the discussion questions for week 1

Every week we send out a summary of the Sunday worship experience with students, focusing on the themes and Scriptures from our teaching and response time. We call this “Ask & Explore” simply because what we learn and enjoy each week should be explored together both students with their parents. What better way to explore than by asking questions? It’s a simple tool parents have asked to help connect God’s Word to the parent-student relationship, bringing the message to real-life.

The questions are the same ones we wrestle with in our small group times. Leaders, students, parents, asking the same heart questions, seeing God change our minds and our hearts.

We deeply desire to partner with parents — and that each would feel encouraged, supported, equipped, and involved in God’s process to nurture students’ faith in Jesus. So … Ask. Explore. Let us know how we can help.

(We send these out for high school as well.)

• See a recent “Ask & Explore” for middle school
• Sign up to receive them!

Thank you again for the privilege of investing in your students!

Because Jesus is everything,

Jeff Patterson
Associate Pastor
students@willamettechurch.com

Join other parents and students for Potluck in the Park on Sunday, April 25th, from 1:30-6:00pm.

SIGN-UP HERE

• We will meet at 1:30pm 2:30pm in the WCC parking lot (south end, near the Student Center) on Sunday, April 25th, to carpool together.
• For more info, contact John Sramek via students@willamettechurch.com
• Note updated start time of 1:30pm
  

For any parent who wants to parent well and understand their teen, check out PARENTEEN PORTLAND

• April 23rd, 7:00 to 9:30pm
• with Dr. Chap Clark
• Learn more

Have you ever wondered how your teenager’s spiritual journey is developing in the midst of this fragmented culture? Do you wonder what role you can play? Keynote speaker Dr. Chap Clark will talk with parents about what biblical discipleship looks like in our homes, and how parents with authentic faith have the best chance of leading their children into a lifetime of commitment to God and His kingdom work. You will come away from this evening with a fresh look at parenting teens and pre-teens.

A snapshot:

Join other parents and students for Potluck in the Park on Sunday, March 14th, from 2:30-6:00pm.

UPDATE: We recently received word recently that we must postpone partnering with Potluck in the Park until mid/late April (likely 4/18 or 4/25).

In the meantime, join an all-church serving opportunity on March 13th, Saturday morning (9am-Noon), serving with our hands at Marshall High School in the downtrodden Lents neighborhood of Portland. Details here.

Sorry for the switch on you — we desire to create avenues for people to experience serving as a family.