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May '25
Student Ministry – May 2025
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May '25
This May is setting up to be a first for me. For the last 20+ years I have celebrated graduating Seniors. Over the years I have honored and acknowledged some graduates I knew extremely well, and some I knew only marginally.
A few years ago, I had a shift in mindset and started to truly find ways to celebrate and honor the families. I wanted what we do as a church to be a blessing for them and, unfortunately, I hadn’t always taken that mindset.
This year, for the first time in my life, I’m celebrating a group of graduates that includes one who lives in my own house.
We have a great group of kids we are going to recognize and celebrate on May 18th, and I hope you’ll join us! We have 17 graduates on our list this year. Some have been with us for the long haul, and some are relatively new faces. But all of them are deeply loved and I’m excited to get to recognize them.
Will you join me in praying for these kids and their families this month? I’m going to be praying for the following things:
- Pray for the celebrations and finishing of a chapter – to celebrate well, and to finish well.
- Pray for decisions about next steps. Not every student knows for sure what comes next, and that’s okay.
- Pray for families. Pray parents, siblings, and extended family can make the most of the time they have.
- Pray for rest. A senior year can be hectic, over-scheduled, and tiring.
- Pray for a continued commitment to Christ. Above all else, pray our seniors stay committed and on track with their faith in the years to come.
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Apr '25
Horizon Youth Camp 2025
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Apr '25
by Lauren Tripp
The countdown to Horizon Youth Camp is on! From July 7-11, our students who have completed 6th-12th grade will have the opportunity to step away from their everyday lives and dive deeper into their faith. Here’s a glimpse of what students can expect:
Growing Your Relationship with God—The most exciting aspect of camp is the opportunity to grow closer to God away from the distractions of everyday life. Collective worship will include large group sessions, coming together to praise God with music, prayer and powerful messages. We’ll meet in small groups for Bible study, allowing more intimate times to dig into Scripture and learn from peers and leaders.
Fun and Recreation—Whether you love sports, team games, or just hanging out, camp has something for everyone. There will be intramural recreation activities to get your competitive spirit going, as well as free time to relax, unwind and just enjoy the beautiful setting of Lake Brownwood Christian Retreat, our new venue.
Fellowship with Others—Students have the chance to strengthen their relationships with students in our youth ministry from different schools, backgrounds and life experiences–coming together to build lasting friendships. Camp also brings together students from other churches, giving students the chance to fellowship with kids from different places and
create lasting connections and relationships.
As we prepare for camp, please pray that students’ hearts will be open to God’s work in their lives. Pray that leaders will have wisdom and energy to guide students spiritually. Pray that Horizon Youth Camp will be a place where students encounter God in a powerful way, and that we leave camp with a renewed sense of purpose and a stronger connection to our Creator.
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Mar '25
Student Ministry – March 2025
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Mar '25
by Wes Henson
Can you think of some of the “mountaintop experiences” in your spiritual life? These are times where you experience God in a new or fresh way. Maybe camp was a big one for you growing up. Maybe it was a retreat, or a revival. One of mine, strangely enough, was a puppet show when I was in 6th grade. Okay, that’s really strange. But it’s true.
For many of our students, Disciple Now was a mountaintop experience. God spoke to them and they left the weekend feeling closer to God than when they started. But we all know life happens. And we are now a few weeks removed from the weekend.
Will you pray for our students as they explore what it looks like to live as disciples of Christ? God is doing some amazing things through our students and the adults who serve them.
Finally, I want to close today by saying thank you to everyone who helped with Disciple Now in February. Whether you hosted, co-hosted, transported, cooked, served, prayed, or sponsored, thank you for all you do. Trinity is a wonderful and giving church. Thank you is not enough.
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01
Feb '25
Disciple Now 2025
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Feb '25
by Wes Henson & Students
As we get ready for Disciple Now, I asked some of the students that will be attending what they are most looking forward to. Here are some of the responses:
Charis Henson, 8th Grader: What I’m looking forward to most about Disciple Now is the way that it encourages our relationship with God to grow. Another thing that I’m looking forward to is that it’s a place that brings joy and comfort and it’s where I’ve made some of my long-lasting friendships.
Luke Bowers, Freshman: I am excited for Disciple Now because I am going to get to grow in my relationship with God and I’m able to get to know people on a deeper level.
Aidan Hawkins, 8th Grader: I’m looking forward to spending time with friends and having fellowship at the host house and church.
Ben Watkins, 7th Grader: Hanging out with friends
Ben Watkins, 7th Grader: Hanging out with friends
Anna Henson, Senior: I am looking forward to building relationships with the younger high school girls since it’s my last year in the youth group.
Kendall Boles, Freshman: I’m excited because I get to spend a weekend away from everything else and spend time working on my relationship with God and connecting with my friends and seeing their growth in their relationship with Christ.
Kendall Boles, Freshman: I’m excited because I get to spend a weekend away from everything else and spend time working on my relationship with God and connecting with my friends and seeing their growth in their relationship with Christ.
Please be praying for the weekend and all that God is going to do in the lives of our students to help them grow in their relationship with God and with others!
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01
Jan '25
Student Ministry – January 2025
01
Jan '25
It’s funny to me how the little daily decisions we make have the potential to end up impacting us greatly down the road. As I have lost weight, I feel the “weight” of poor eating decisions. I can often overcome one or two poor decisions, but one or two poor decisions each day for a week add up.
But the same is true of the good decisions. Making one or two good decisions each day adds up as well. Slowly, over time, making the right choice over and over reaps rewards.
Working with teenagers, I see this played out, both ways. Someone makes a couple of poor decisions, over and over, and they often find themselves facing consequences. At the same time, when they make wise decisions, the results can be just as obvious.
The truth is, for all of us, the right decisions make a difference. So, what “right” decisions are you going to make this year? I hope you joined with us on the Trinity Bible reading plan in 2024. You may not have been perfect at it, but hopefully you make the decision to read time and again. If so, yay! If not, then now’s a great time to start.
One other good decision: pray for the student ministry. Pray for students to live out their faith. Pray for our adult volunteers and that relationships will grow and gospel conversation will be abundant. Pray for our seniors who will graduate in May and their parents (of which I am one!). Pray for our 6th graders as they navigate a new phase of Middle School. Pray for Disciple Now coming up in February.
I cannot wait to see what God has in store for 2025!
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Dec '24
Meet our New Student Ministry Assistant
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Dec '24
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 in finance. 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.”
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12
Nov '24
Student Ministry – November 2024
12
Nov '24
by Melissa Morris
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.
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Mar '24
Disciple Now
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Mar '24
by Becky Watkins
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!
Thank you to each and every one of you that prayed, baked cookies, bought snacks, drove a vehicle full of students, and many other responsibilities that were taken on by our servant leaders.
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01
Feb '24
How to Pray for Disciple Now
01
Feb '24
by Lauren Tripp
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:
Our Students
- 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…”
Leaders and Volunteers
- Willingness to be used as instruments for God’s purpose
- Engagement in interactions with student groups
- Energy and adaptability
- Clear communication, patience and empathy
Thank you to the planning team and the many volunteers offering their homes, vehicles, time and talents to help lead our students closer to the understanding that “God Loves You and Desires a Relationship with You” (GLY&DARWY).
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01
Jan '24
Student Ministry – January 2024
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Jan '24
2023 was a phenomenal year. We saw several highlights through the year. We continue to see numerical growth. We have more and more adults who are volunteering to invest in the lives of students. We had several students make decisions at camp, and are seeing fruit from many others.
And the best is yet to come.
I’m constantly amazed by the newness of God’s working in our lives. No matter how often we think we’ve seen Him do something we couldn’t imagine, he moves in an “only God” kind of way again. And, for that, I am perpetually grateful.
I’m looking forward to what 2024 has to offer as we host a Disciple Now weekend, take an even larger group to the Dominican Republic, celebrate a great group of Seniors (again!), continue to build relationships and get to know new faces, and watch as God works in a way only He can work. It’s going to be a great year!
As we kickoff the New Year, join me in praying for God to continue to move, and for our students to learn what it means to respond to God’s working in our lives. Pray for our adults as they seek to build relationships that point students to Christ.
Thank You, Trinity family, for all of your support in 2023 and the coming support of 2024.
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01
Dec '23
Student Ministry – December 2023
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Dec '23
by Wes Henson
December may be one of my favorite seasons around TSM. For the Christmas season we intentionally shift gears, aiming to help build connections.
Our Circles have gone great so far this semester, but during December they take a break and we get to gather everyone together for a few weeks.
This year we have our 3rd Annual Christma-lympics on Wednesday, December 13, and it’s going to be even better than the first two! Plus, it will be our first Christmas Party in the Refinery
!I’m excited to announce we have scheduled a Disciple Now for February 9-11, 2024. For those who may not know, Disciple Now is a local weekend retreat. I’m excited for the opportunity to include members of the church in the weekend through hosting, feeding, and praying. If you’re an adult and interested in serving, let me know.
To help kick-off Disciple Now registration, we are having a Special Edition of TSM Live on Wednesday, December 6. On this night, we will have a very special guest, and you will not want to miss out!
Finally, I cannot give enough thanks to all of our wonderful adults who have jumped in to help lead a Circle, to sub, to invest in students in the Forge, to bring donuts, to go to camp, to serve, to love, to laugh and to give. We couldn’t do what we do without all of you!
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Nov '23
Fall Retreat
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Nov '23
by Anna Henson
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!
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