In all of our education opportunities, for all age groups, our purpose is to nurture full, responsible personhood in the image of Jesus Christ. We offer Christian Education classes for all ages (preschool through adult on Sunday mornings from 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.)

We have one service of worship on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Our Sunday School program, for ages Pre-K through 5th grade, dismisses after the Children's Sermon during worship.

We also offer many other weekly opportunities for Christian enrichment with programs such as Worry-Free Wednesday, Adult and Young Bible Studies, Milestone Classes for 3 year olds - 8th Grade, Men's Prayer Breakfast, New Members' Classes, etc.

For more info, please call 313-383-0100, Ext. 0 or by email at appc@appc.us

Pastor: Douglas H. Blaikie - doug@appc.us
Director of Christian Education - Carolyn Marengere
Youth Director of Youth Ministries - Mike Hoffman

Youth News for February 2011

By Mike Hoffman, CLP and Director of Student Ministries
313.562.5961 (H) & 313.383.0100, ext. 16 – mike@appc.us

Eclectic(Senior High Education Hour – Sundays: 9:00-10:15)
We are continuing to discuss current teen topics while using the mediums of art, music, video, creative writing, and other multiple intelligences. This is a great time to get to know each other better and to share current concerns. Consider getting to church early on Sundays to be a part of this great group!

Middle School and Senior High Worry-Free Wednesdays – Wednesdays: 7:00-8:00 PM
We are doing a 9 week class called Crazy Love with videos by Francis Chan (this is the new "Nooma" type series). We are discovering an authentic faith that calls us to a passionate love relationship with God, and then equips us to address the problems of the world with tangible, even radical solutions. This class is a must for those who are tired of working harder at a list of do's and don'ts, and failing most of the time. Ready to break free of the status quo? Come join us!

Middle School and High School Youth Connection – Sundays in the Afternoon or Evening (check weekly on facebook: Youth Connection Youth Groups)
We have completely revamped how we used to do Youth Connection in the recent past, and it is awesome! First, each group (MSYC and SHYC) independently brainstormed gazillion ideas of activities, discussions and missions under the following categories: Evangelism (sharing our faith stories), Worship (honoring God), Discipleship (teaching/learning), Local Mission (serving community), Fellowship (recreation), and Urban Ministry (serving beyond). We then prioritized our ideas from "must do!" down to "maybe do". I then set up and mailed a calendar tri-fold for both groups (available in the rack outside of the church office). Each week a different set of advisors and youth are responsible to set up the next event, along with a little help and guidance from me. I am really proud of the initiative that the youth took on this task and will continue to report how we are doing as the year goes by. This type of "student-led" youth group will build reliable and capable advisors to guide our next crop of teens and will not make the program completely dependent on parents or myself. Change is not easy but it will build character in us all!

Winter Camp Wakanda Retreats

SHYC – February 11-13
MSYC – February 18-20

Cost is $80 per camper. The deadline to sign up for SHYC is Sunday, Jan 30th and the deadline for MSYC is Sunday, February 6th. Advisors must sign-up as well and will be chosen based on a state-mandated student to adult ratio.

Acquire the Fire – April 29th and 30th
This teen event is being held at the Bresden Center on the campus of MSU in Lansing. The cost is $60 and includes ticket, transportation, and hotel costs. Bring extra money for meals (4) and t-shirts/CDs available at this Christian Festival of rock music, skits, and speakers can be as little as $20 extra. I have tickets for myself and two advisors, as well as the first 12 Middle School teens that sign up in the church office and have a check made out to APPC for $60. We will leave at 4:30 PM on Friday and return Saturday evening between 7 -11 PM (depending on when the majority of the group decides). I have personally taken youth to this event for 12 years now and next year I can guarantee that 30 teens will want to go! Check it out on the web by punching in Acquire the Fire and see what this year's event is all about. ConnectionPeru! '11 – We are 15 members strong with a few more deciding ASAP!

ConnectionPeru! '11 – We are 15 members strong with a few more deciding ASAP!
Thanks to the congregation for supporting our Peru Mission Trip Fundraisers. Each family that has a member on the team has personally already paid $650 toward their child's cost of the trip ($1700) with some families paying as much as 2-4 times that much, depending on how many members of their family are going. While the fundraisers are doing well, remember that our profits are divided up by 15 members, which usually means that each person only adds $30 or so towards their cost of the trip. Team members have asked family members and friends to send or give money in place of Christmas or birthday gifts and are funneling their baby-sitting, paper route, and job money all towards this mission trip. Please consider making outright additional contributions to ConnectionPeru! '11. Checks can be made out to APPC with Peru Mission Trip in the memo line of the check and give to me or placed in my mailbox in the church office. Look in the church hallway to see our Mission Trip Thermometer to see where we are on collecting funds to represent APPC and Christ's love to the rescued "street boys" of Peru.