The Update

We need to stop the panic. I know some of you are terrified and worried about the impending Armageddon, certain the the world is finally drawing to a close and all hope is lost. What other reason could there be for the Song of the Week and Video Update not arriving and their normal days? Surely, this is the end.

But have no fear, they are not gone but simply delayed. With the Memorial Day weekend everything has been pushed back one day. So this Tuesday you will have a new Song of the Week and Wednesday (tomorrow) you will have a new episode of the Video Update.

Next week we’ll be back to our regularly scheduled programming. You may now go about your lives.

Hey NSL, just a quick note to let you know that you should be prepared to be outside this Sunday for youth group. We will be outside rain or shine, so be dressed accordingly!

Hey everyone, just a reminder that there will be no Video Update today because Luke is on vacation. We’ll catch you next Tuesday for a brand new episode.

In the meanwhile you can check out past episodes here.

Hey all, two things to clear up really quickly.

1) Due to technical difficulties we didn’t get the Video Update up today. But have no fear, we’ll have this week’s episode up for you tomorrow.

2) Youth Group Will Meet As Usual this Wednesday Night, April 8. Apparently there is a rumor going around that there is no youth group, which is weird because we never ever said that. And you’re not calling us a liar… are you?

So Junior High students should plan to be there… and since it’s Spring Break for many of you and your friends are sitting at home and bored… you should bring them too!

That’s all we got. Catch ya tomorrow!

It’s no secret that the economy has been unhealthy lately, and that the ripple effect is felt far and wide. Northwood Church is no different, the significant drop in giving has meant greater difficulty in funding the programs and ministries that make Northwood great. While we have made deep cuts to try and balance the budget, we just finished the first quarter of 2009 and we’re still not there.

For this reason we are introducing a new tiered structure to NSL. Starting next month there will be a new tiered pricing plan for  Northwood Student Life events and programs. This is similar to most other extra-curricular that teenagers participate in. We feel this will not only help in the continued funding of NSL programs, but will also increase participation. Students are more likely to attend when they have a financial stake in doing so.

Beginning May 1st, students can choose between Annual, Monthly, and Pay-As-You-Go plans. Here is how they break down.

Monthly Plans
These plans can be changed at the beginning of each month. Calculating is simple, just total the Cost Per Month for each of the programs a student will participate in. For instance, a student that plans to attend Sunday Mornings and Midweeks, but no events, would pay a monthly fee of $25. For the diehard participant, the All-Inclusive rate saves them $20 a month.

Program Involvement	Cost per Month
Sunday Mornings	$10
Midweek (Table/Gathering)	$15
Small Events (Hidden Hangout, FMSC, etc.)	$20
Large Events (Becker, Blitz, SonShine)	$50
All-Inclusive	$85 (save $20/month)

Annual Plans
These plans offer the greatest savings. By signing up for an entire year of NSL programs at once students guarantee their ability to participate all year regardless of changes in their financial situation.

Program Involvement	Cost per Year
Sunday Mornings	$96 (save $24 vs. Monthly Plan)
Midweek (Table/Gathering)	$144 (save $36 vs. Monthly Plan)
Small Events (Hidden Hangout, FMSC, etc.)	$192 (save $48 vs. Monthly Plan)
Large Events (Becker, Blitz, SonShine)	$480 (save $120 vs. Monthly Plan)
All-Inclusive	$815 (save $205 vs. Monthly Plan)

Pay-As-You-Go
Sometimes it works best to just pay per program or event. This a la carte option is best suited for that.

Program Involvement	Cost to attend
Sunday Mornings	$3
Midweek (Table/Gathering)	$4
Small Events (Hidden Hangout, FMSC, etc.)	Priced per event
Large Events (Becker, Blitz, SonShine)	Priced per event

Add-Ons
There are also some supplemental options for the Monthly and Annual plans. These are similar to hiring a tutor or personal trainer.

Add-On	Cost
One-on-one time with youth leader	$10/hour
Praying for a student	$7/hour
Attending Events (concerts, games, recitals, etc.)	$12/hour
Rides to/from Events	$1/mile
Postcards and Phone Calls	Free with purchase of any other add-on

Thank you for supporting NSL in this new endeavor, we hope it will let us continue with the level of service we strive to provide. The new NSL tiered pricing structure will begin May 1st. Please use the coming weeks to determine what plan is best for you. Once you’ve made your choice simply fill out this form and we’ll process your order.

Howdy folks,

This is your non-video update for the week. I’m sick, so instead of listening to me hack my way through announcements like a chain-smoker, I though we’d stick to written form. So here’s what you need to know about this week

• The Junior High are going to Feed My Starving Children Wednesday Night
• We will meet at the Maple Grove Community Center (MGCC) @ 5:30pm
• We will finish at the normal time (8:30pm) at the Case’s home (regular Wed. place)
• If you can’t make it to the MGCC at 5:30 feel free to join us at the Case’s, we hope to be back there by 7:30pm.
• Hooray for Becker!
• Thanks to everyone who made the Becker Retreat so successful. Youth Leader Linda Dietz made an awesome video that we will post up here tomorrow morning, be sure to check it out.
• It’s time to Rock!
• The NSL Worship band is leading worship at Northwood this weekend! If you don’t usually make it a point to go to “big church” on Sundays you should (every week) but especially this week to cheer on you’re rockin’ pals as they lead us a worship-throw-down of awesomeness.
• The NSL Jukebox is no more…
• The company that ran the NSL Jukebox for us has gone under, so the Jukebox isn’t online anymore. I’m hoping to find an alternative way to provide great Christian music for your listening enjoyment, I’ll keep you posted.

That’s all for now, I hope you’re all having a great week. You are loved!

Hey movie fans, today is the weekly release date for the Video Update where we tell you all about what’s hip and happening at Northwood Student Life.

This is just a note to let you know that this week’s episode will be delayed until tomorrow. We’ve got big information coming about Becker Retreat, Spring Blitz, and some summer trips. Right now we’re booking hotel rooms and making reservations, so we need 1 more day to make sure we have all the info you need.

So stay tuned, and be sure to watch the Video Update tomorrow for some great information about exciting things that are coming up here at NSL.

I was working to get The Video Update episode out on time today, but after a series of events that I’d rather not talk about at the moment, it is 1 in the morning and I’m not much closer to having it done. So I will awake tomorrow, have some strong coffee, and try and get it published before school is out. In the meanwhile there are a few things to let you know about.

• Tonight is the first night with the new start time for The Gathering. We begin at 7pm and finish at the same time of 8:30pm.
• We are taking a poll to decide what to do for this year’s Nerd Night on January 24 (note date change). [click here to cast your vote]
• This Sunday is Bring Your Buck Sunday… again. (The video will explain)

Like I said, the video should be online tomorrow. Now, I’m going to put on my PJs, climb into bed, and dream of vengeful things I could do to my computer.

Our very own Kathy (Sr. High Leader) is heading to Kenya on Sunday for a 2 week mission trip. She, along with 5 other Northwooders, are going to be doing all sorts of great stuff to learn about the culture near Nairobi and do all they can to be servants to them in the name of Jesus Christ.

It’s a really exciting opportunity, and a first for Northwood Church, please be praying for Kathy and the team while they are gone.

You can also follow their journeys on the Kenya Mission Team blog. Check it out!

Hey everyone, this is just a heads up that I (Luke) will be traveling a lot for the next two weeks. I’ll be on vacation from Friday-Tuesday. Katie and I are heading up the beautiful BWCA.

From there it is off to SonShine with the Senior High students and then starlight up to Splash Camps with a big ol’ group of Junior High students.

Obviously I’ll be out of touch while we’re in the Boundary Waters (which is kind of the whole point), but I’ll be checking in during both youth trips so feel free to call or write with any questions you may have.

We’ll see some of you on next Wednesday, and hopefully the rest of you on Sunday. Peace!