Hello! I’m Alycia Apostolides. I am the wife of John. We have been married for 34 years this month. John is a retired Lt. Colonel and serves as the commander of Tivy’s JROTC program. We have three grown daughters. Our oldest, Audra lives in Montana with her husband and two young children. Our middle daughter, Sophia, is an officer in the Air Force and is currently stationed in Japan. Our youngest daughter, Adahlyn, prefers to go by Lynie. She is working in manufacturing at James Avery. Her goal is to build houses for underprivileged families on mission around the world.

 

My husband and I started attending Trinity three months ago. We are blessed to be a part of the Bridge class on Sunday mornings, and usually attend the 11:00am service. We love it here and look forward to getting to know everyone better in the coming years. I am so happy to be a part of the ministerial assistance staff here at Trinity. I love helping people and learning new things.

 

In my spare time, I enjoy scrapbooking, reading, and working on whatever craft is interesting to me at the current time. My husband and I enjoy traveling so much that I plan trips for friends and family. After 34 years of moving all over the country with the Air Force, we are so happy to be able to call Kerrville home.

 

God has been so faithful to me over the course of my life. He has shown himself to be the most trustworthy and solid rock to stand on. My life verse is Galatians 2:20; “For I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me; the life that I now life in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

 

 

A busy refinery can be a noisy place. Hammering, grinding, sizzling, roaring fires, along with the shouting above all those noises, are some of the sounds of the work happening inside. The sounds at The Refinery, the youth space at Trinity, might be different, (though I would argue that the decibel level can be higher than an actual refinery!), but those sounds are also evidence of the important work happening inside.

 

In my role as High School Circles (small groups) Coordinator, I arrive early on Wednesday nights to help set up and I hear ping pong balls bouncing, foosball handles spinning, cheers, and a few friendly taunts as students start to arrive and play games before the main event starts. There are also huddled conversations, laughing, occasional tears, and shouts across the room as friends gather and catch up on life. Adult Circle Leaders also start showing up at this time, some leaving work early, to get a few extra minutes to build relationships with their students.

 

When everyone gathers in The Forge, what we call the big room, the sounds become those of worship, with adults and youth using their musical gifts in the band and students singing praise to the Lord. After a few songs and prayer, the sounds change dramatically to those of the Impossible Shot, where students and their visitors get to try to get a Nerf arrow through a tiny target across the room to win a prize. On the very rare occasion that someone makes it, the cheers are electric!

 

After that, the high schoolers split off into their small groups in classrooms while the middle schoolers stay in The Forge for teaching and discussion. I get to overhear solid Biblical teaching from Wes, Brian Bowers, and Stacie Foster that is tailored just for those preteen and young teenagers, along with their discussion and reflection on that message. I love hearing the students’ responses of how they interpret Scripture passages and what is going to stick with them. Meanwhile the high schoolers are diving into their curriculum and discussing that week’s lesson. There are occasional bursts of laughter along with periods of quiet when someone shares a struggle and their friends and leaders offer advice and prayer.

 

Wednesday night ends sounding much like it started with ping pong and foosball balls, a student leadership team huddle, and loud group conversations. There is a lot of activity and noise in The Refinery, but the most important thing that is heard each and every Wednesday night by every student is that God loves them and desires a relationship with them. The best sound of them all.

 

 

What do you get when you have 47 teens, 35 adults, 10+ vehicles,  a 20 foot sub sandwich, countless snacks, dozens upon dozens of cookies, 3 days and 2 nights, and Bible Studies & Worship? AN AWESOME DISCIPLE NOW!   

 

It was a blessing to be a part of Disciple Now 2024 here at TBC. What an absolute honor and privilege to serve alongside our TBC family for the good of our youth. The bonding, relationship building, and forming of new friendships, among both the youth and adults, will be life changing and we will reap the benefits from our time together. The teamwork it took to make D-Now successful, seemed at times, overwhelming, but our church family stepped up and SHOWED OUT!

 

 

On February 9-11, TSM is hosting our first Disciple Now weekend for this group of students. The agenda for the local weekend retreat includes large group worship, small group Bible studies, service projects and lots of fun with peers in host homes across Kerrville and the   surrounding area. The weekend’s goal is to help students grow in their relationship with God and with each other, learning to see God clearly and to live authentically.

 

Leading up to Disciple Now, please be in prayer for the preparations taking place to help facilitate spiritual growth in a fun and safe environment. Over the weekend, please take time to stop and pray for our students, Bible study leaders, host families and the team working behind the scenes. Here is how to pray for Disciple Now:

 

• Open hearts and open ears to hear God’s message
• Engagement within the group the students are placed in for the weekend
• Learn to see God clearly, getting rid of the things that distort their view of who God

    truly is

• Ephesians 1:18 – “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that
  you may know the hope to which he has called you…”

 

• Willingness to be used as instruments for God’s purpose
• Engagement in interactions with student groups 
• Energy and adaptability
• Clear communication, patience and empathy

 

 

 

My name is Anna and I am a junior at Tivy High School. I am looking forward to our Fall Retreat this year. 

 

Last year I had the opportunity to build relationships with some of the students in the youth group, older and younger. When I attended as a sophomore, I was in a room with four middle school girls with whom I spent a lot of time and I am so grateful to have those connections today. 

 

One of those connections happened during our meals where we would all sit at a table, talk, and eat some amazing food. We had so much fun participating in so many activities such as s’mores around the campfire, sliding down a wooden coaster, and making our way through an underground bunker. Of course, we also had time for devotionals and we had the opportunity to grow in our relationship with God, as well as the Christ-Centered youth and adults around us. 

 

I can point back on Fall Retreat as a time of spiritual growth as a leader and as a Christ follower. This year I am looking forward to connecting with more of the newer members of our youth group through fellowship, fun and good food.  And, I also hope to build on the connections I have with those who are  already in our youth group. I am so excited to see what God has in store for me at Fall Retreat this year!