St. Regis Teens Learning, Laughing, and Growing  by Linda Bartell, Community Bible Church, St. Regis
The Community Bible Church in St. Regis is seeing a lot more activity this year. Pastor Sid decided to separate our active eighth graders from our more conservative high schoolers. The eighth graders still meet on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30. The high schoolers now meet on Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 8:30. Both groups are still part of the original Live and Learn Youth Group, but each group uses different Bible studies. We also have a third youth group this year. Ernie and Emily Ornelas are leading a group of sixth and seventh graders. They meet at the church on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00. All three groups are learning about Jesus and his teachings, an happily planning activities and outings. The high schoolers will be traveling to Plains this spring for "war games" with the Plains youth group. We are stockpiling ammo (paint shells) and cleaning our rifles in anticipation of this event. The eighth graders haven’t decided on an activity yet, but are leaning toward a trip to the YMCA in Missoula in March for water games. Then they want to do some fund raisers so they can plan a summer trip to the water slides in Columbia Falls. While the groups are learning about the Bible, they also are learning that walking a Christian path doesn’t mean you have to give up fun things, but that as you grow in knowledge of the Lord, your ideas about how to have fun will also grow and mature. If you take the Lord seriously, you’re bound to grow. | 