Hello hello dear readers!!!! Happy (freezing) Thanksgiving Eve!!!!!
Today we have but few announcements, so the bulk of today’s email will be my (Kelsey’s) personal updates, opinions, and commentaries that typically serve as the “entertaining” bookends and buffers for the real news.
To honor your time AND my need to send my creative genius into the dark abyss of cyber-space, the bare-boned vital information is in…
BOLD RED.
The good stuff is everything else.
🌼🌸🌷🌸🌼
No CAYG this Sunday, November 28!
Alex will be busy recovering from his first turkey-induced stupor as an American, all our other volunteers will be in similar states of post-Thanksgiving lethargy, and I will be flexing my no-longer-broken fingers by finally writing those grad school papers. (For those who are dying to know, I’ve still got 3 papers, 1 class presentation, 6 book/chapter reviews, and a homily on Philippians. How many days? I don’t want to think about it. But the answer is 17.)
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5 Days Until Wreath Deadline! Nov. 28! Order via THIS LINK.
Alex: “I have a cute idea! What if you took our wreath image and placed 5 turkeys around it to symbolize 5 days until wreath forms are due? Can you do something with that?”
Me: “Oh yeah…”
*Ten minutes later:*
Me: “Which do you like best? I’m partial to the one on the left, for obvious reasons.”
Alex: “You and your macabre sense of humor.”
(Which I’m pretty sure is ex-British for “You are a joy to work with, and my life is all the richer for the light and creativity you exhibit every day.”)
In a Show? Let Us Know!
This week I had the joy of watching a high school production that featured about 4 of our CAYG youth, and did so with fellow-volunteer Natalie! Alex was also there with his oldest daughter. My point: If you or your CAYG youth are in a show, a big game, the hospital, or anything else that allows for appreciated external support, WE WANT TO KNOW! Shoot us an email, text, or send them to CAYG with posters!
Thank You Volunteers!
If there’s ANYONE less likely to read the newsletter, it’s YOU GUYS! But see what you’re missing out on?? A paragraph where I say Alex told me to communicate on his behalf that he’s grateful for your hard work and dedication this season!
But seriously… in the midst of yours jobs, engagements, weddings, pregnancy, having a baby, parenting, moving, grad-school, hospital visits, internships, creative endeavors, (and whatever else it is we do, sleep I guess?) your dedication to serving and loving the youth on Sundays and throughout the week is SO appreciated. And you even chose to brave a summer thunder storm downpour for our team training (see photo at bottom).
Rest well, eat pie, and enjoy having this Sunday off, because when December hits, we continue!
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Where was the Name?
And finally, my dear readers, I must address last week:
SEVERAL people came to me saying they read and reread the newsletter multiple times in search of my new last name, hidden somewhere in the body of the email, but it was Augustine, Anastasia, and Magdalene who alone answered correctly! Specifically, they figured out the 3 reasons I DIDN’T actually hide my name but said I did!
1. Last week was the longest announcement blog we’ve had in awhile, and I personally routinely zone out after announcement #2. And yet, this Sunday even the youth knew 6th-7th graders weren’t allowed to stay overnight at our December Lock-In… And they knew the ski trip was in January… And Alex was sworn in as an American citizen…
2. By the time they gave up the search, my last name “Nienna” was properly memorized by all.
3. To mess with people.
The 3 McD sherlocks were amply rewarded with KitKats and rice crispy bars.
And with that, my dear readers, I sign off! Much papers to write and food to prepare! I am thankful for YOU!
Much love,
Kelsey Nienna
Church of the Ascension Youth Group 