We have some sweet weekend events throughout the year.  Usually we'll try to come up with some new events, but these are the ones we've been doing recently.  We feel our events are great because we can bring our non-Christian friends to hear about Christ. They can hear the Bible and have a fun time. We also like these events because it's a time to build closer relationships with our friends.

Winter Retreat
Each Winter, Cell groups plan, and put on a Winter Retreat. Often two or three cells work together and have a combined Winter Retreat. The Cell Leaders will work up the teachings, pick a location, collect money, buy the food, spend the weekend with the students—do it all. The biggest benefit to the smaller groups (instead of having 330 students invade a State Park) is that everything, from the teachings, to the activities, to the food can be targeted to your group.

In the past we invaded State Parks, rented most of their cabins. While we miss the excitement and energy of the large groups everyone seems to be pleased with the upside of the smaller groups. More pictures.

Eat, Bowl and Shoot
As late autumn become cold and damp, hearts warm in anticipation of Eat, Bowl and Shoot. On a Saturday afternoon 70 or 80 students and two dozen adults meet, eat subs or hot dogs, go bowling and then each car load makes a video (based on a given theme) that requires no editing. Everyone gets back together and watches the silly and short videos.

Christmas Party
Each year the theme changes and each year, we push our freedom to the limit!  Once again we did "Pillage" (a scavenger hunt with the Jr Hi volunteers taking carloads of students scouring the Northeast corner of Columbus seeking the listed treasures. Last year it was "The Man Hunt and the year before was "Once upon a Mexican Christmas" (This one included a living human piñata hanging from the rafters!) " Every year we make this a big outreach event and get a great turnout.  Follow this link for more on Christmas Parties.

A Super Bowl of Chili
On Super Bowl Sunday, at Blow Out we host a chili contest. Most of the Cell Groups sign up for "Best Tasting Chili" or "Most Creative Chili." This has proven to be a fun and successful night. The students enjoyed getting together and cooking the chile, competing and eating it all. I would not have thought that Apple-cinnamon chile would be so good.

Although many students want to watch the football game, after the kickoff, most students will do what they normally do—that is until the food is served. This meeting includes a regular Bible teaching.