Weekly Update: October 5

God’s blessing to you on this October day!  We can barely believe fall is already upon us.  In the weeks since we’ve written last we’ve spent time physically recuperating from a busy and wonderful summer of camps, watched our baby boy, Caleb, learn how to smile and giggle, spent a lot of time planning for the upcoming year of ministry, and have already taken a number of trips around the diocese to visit various parishes. 

In fact, in September, Father Tyler visited the youth of St. Stephens Schuylerville, Trinity Church Plattsburg, and St. Christopher’s Cobleskill and the whole St Lawrence Deanery at an awesome cookout in Canton.  Please feel free to contact us if you’d like to set up a visit for sometime in the Winter or Spring.

Our bi-weekly bible studies are also up and running again for the fall.  Last week, we had a wonderful time with the youth of Ballston Spa at Father Roy’s home.  This Thursday, we will restart our dinner and bible study with the youth of Christ Church Schenectady as well.  

We also have a number of exciting retreats coming up at the Spiritual Life Center which we hope you will encourage your youth to take advantage of. 

This weekend is the annual Beaver Cross Reunion!  Starting at 7pm on Friday night (Oct 7) grades 6-12 are invited to gather at the Spiritual Life Center for a weekend of fun and fellowship with all the friends and counselors they met this past summer.  Our desire is that in the midst of new school schedules and fall sports seasons, that this weekend would stoke the fire of faith they received this past summer.  The weekend will end at 10am on Monday morning leaving enough time for any lingering homework! 

Nov. 4-6 is our annual Fall Confirmation Retreat.  The confirmation retreat is an intensive weekend in which confirmands have the opportunity to seek answers to all of the questions they have about their faith, and prepare themselves for the lifelong commitment that they are getting ready to make of consecrating their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ.  It is highly recommended that all those on the road to confirmation in the diocese would participate in this retreat or its twin in the Spring.  

We are also excited to share with you that in the fall of 2012 we will be starting a new Youth Ministry Internship program at CtK.  The program is open to high school graduates who are feeling the call of the Lord Jesus on their lives to deeper discipleship and to being trained as a Youth Minister.  The interns will come to live at CtK for an intensive 6 month to 1 year program during which they will learn how to minister to young people in a hands on way as they follow Fr. Tyler and Audrey in their ministry around the diocese.  If you or someone you know might be interested in a program such as this please contact Fr. Tyler by phone at 518-692-9550 or via email at tslade@ctkcenter.org. 

As always, thank you for all your prayers and loving support. 

Thanks for reading and may Christ be with you!

Father Tyler Slade (Youth Director, Diocese of Albany) and Audrey Slade (Youth Coordinator, Diocese of Albany)