Overview
VIRTUAL NETTA
is here
Massanetta’s Middle School Conference transforms the faith journey of hundreds of middle schoolers from all around the country. Every aspect of this conference is crafted with middle schoolers in mind. We couldn’t meet in person this past summer, but our High School Advocates, Keynote Leaders, and Advocate Coordinators spent their summer days hard at work together to create virtual content for your church and youth group! To the left you will find tabs for June and July - you are welcome to use content from either. They have created a fantastic collection of energizers, games, theme skits, devotionals, and keynotes that you can use for your own Massanetta experience at home. They unpack the original theme below, “In the Potter’s Hands.” Our Music Leaders have also written and recorded a theme song! It’s a different way of doing things, but we guarantee your youth group will have a great time watching these videos and interacting with the Advocates through them. (Oh, and it’s FREE! No registration needed). We hope you take advantage of this opportunity as you plan your fall schedules!
Request Advocates
Our Advocates really missed their small group time with the middlers. If you are having your middle school youth group meetings over zoom right now, you can request a couple Advocates to take over for a night! They would love to drop in virtually and lead a few games and a devotional with your middle schoolers. Advocates are willing to keep doing this through the fall!
Interested? Fill out this form!
This year’s theme is
“The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Come, go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to him. Then the word of the Lord came to me: Can I not do with you, O house of Israel, just as this potter has done? says the Lord. Just like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.”
Jeremiah 18:1-6
This summer (and fall!) we are going to explore what it means to be “in the potter’s hands.” Through this familiar metaphor, God teaches us that God is not done with us yet, and we are not forgotten. We are meant to constantly be remolded and reshaped into our intended purposes. During these hard times, we know that God has us in God’s hands - and God will make something new and GOOD out of the marred clay.
Click HERE for a downloadable version of our Youth Mailer!
Registration will be available ONLINE for our next conferences in 2021
June Virtual Netta
June Virtual Netta
Welcome to all things the June Advocates, June Keynoter, and June Advocate Coordinators have put together. Our Music Leaders even wrote a theme song! You can use this material in any way you’d like. It is sorted into categories below for your convenience. Use everything as part of a weekend-long event or use videos one at a time for youth group meetings. It’s up to you!
LET US KNOW IF YOU USE OUR CONTENT
All content is free for you to use anytime and anywhere! While this is not required, it would be great for us to know if it’s getting used and how. Please take a quick moment to let us know if you are using our content by completing THIS FORM. Thank you so much. We hope you enjoy this little bit of Netta. We miss having groups here and we hope to see you next summer!
INTRO SKITS
A-TEAM
Collin Harris - Lead Advocate
Abbi Barnette
Christian Ann Blue
Emily (Emmy) Creasap
Frances Bragg
Katie Fidler
Kelsey Snider
Madeline (Middy) Gibb
Megan Davis
Olivia (Liv) Webb
Stetson Eliason
Mackenzie Girard - Advocate Coordinator
T-TEAM
Day Steed - Lead Advocate
Abigail (Abbie) Farley
Annabel Strootman
Bella Miller
Caroline Mace
Emily Coll
Kayden Folyles
Lauren Foyles
Liam Matney
Lindsey Gibb
Ryan Catalano
Jonathan Moelker - Advocate Coordinator
ENERGIZERS
KEYNOTE
God calls Jeremiah in a crazy time to speak to Israel to "get it together!" God is calling young people right now even with all our short-comings and failures to get it together, and to be re-worked like clay on the potter's wheel. The good news is that God is the potter. We are the clay! Hallelujah!
Whitney Fauntleroy
Whitney Fauntleroy serves Westminster Presbyterian Church in Alexandria, Virginia. Whitney grew up and Raleigh, NC graduated from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. While she has worked on Franklin St, she is a Duke basketball fan. Whitney is an aspiring tennis player and distance runner. She loves the city of New Orleans, Moana, and karaoke. Whitney attended her first MMSC in 1996 (Mirrored Image).
THEME SKITS
T-Team skits and devotionals below compliment the keynote above, but they also can stand on their own as short lessons.
The story of Jonah from Jonah 1-3 teaches us a lot about how God can mold us through our experiences and how we, as Christians, are called to share God’s love! This video and devotion dive into the topic of what it means to be molded “in the Potter’s hands!”
Does the news seem to be getting crazier and crazier every day? What do you do when nothing seems to be going the way you planned? Watch this video to put things into perspective and learn about our plan vs. God's plan.
In this video, listen to Ryan's devotion about the uniqueness of the different types of pottery vessels. Then follow along as Day completes a connect the dots activity- and invites you to do one, as well! How does connect the dots relate to being in the potter’s hands? Watch to find out!
Listen to 4 Advocates tell some stories from their lives that relate to the theme, "In the Potter's Hands". You may be able to relate to what they went through or learn from their experiences!
In this video, Liam will talk through the theme scripture for this year, Jeremiah 18:1-6 and explore what it really means. Annabel shares a poem and relates it to the theme, In the Potter’s Hands. Caroline talks about prayer and why it is important, then closes in prayer. Watch this video to go more in depth with what it means to be in the Potter’s hands!
Even though T-Team June couldn't come together in person this past summer, they decided to symbolically come together and make a mosaic! Each advocate chose an item that represents themselves and their uniqueness. All of the items were put together to make a symbolic mosaic - watch until the end to see the final product!
MUSIC
Listen to Lindsey sing the song "Beautiful Things" by Gungor and then watch Kayden's devotion about the lyrics of the song. How does this song relate to the theme “In the Potter’s Hands”? How can you relate this song to your life?
Songs and books can help you grow closer to God and encourage you to explore your relationship with God. In this video, Day and Emily share some songs and books that have helped them along their own faith journeys!
Theme Song! Written and recorded by John Fawcett and Chris Vogado.
John Fawcett and Chris Vogado
This musical duo go way back. Here they are as music leaders for Middle School Conference 2014, “Beyond the Manger.” They are excited to contribute to Virtual Netta 2020 by writing and recording a theme song for “In the Potter’s Hands.”
GAMES
Take this classic game to the next level. No need to wait turns, the fastest team wins. Plus, it's easy to modify it to make it social distanced friendly (have team members run from individual spots and mark specific standing points around the tic tac toe grid).
Join our June Advocates in this fun blindfold playdough challenge game! Takes turns on each challenge or do it all together. All you need is playdough and a blindfold!
CLOSING
Music: "As It Is In Heaven" by Michael W. Smith. This has been an Advocate (previously known as Enablers) tradition since 1993. It's Massanetta's oldest Middle School Conference tradition and is a very special part of our closing worship service. We hope you can use this for your own worship, devotional, or time of prayer.
The T-Team June Advocates wanted to create this video so they could personally thank you for watching these videos and share some parting words. We hope you have enjoyed watching these videos as much as we have enjoyed making them!
REQUEST ADVOCATES
Our Advocates really missed their small group time with the middlers. If you are having your middle school youth group meetings over zoom right now, you can request a couple Advocates to take over for a night! They would love to drop in virtually and lead a few games and a devotional with your middle schoolers. Interested? Fill out this form!
July Virtual Netta
July Virtual Netta
Welcome to all things the July Advocates, July Keynoter, and July Advocate Coordinators have put together. Our Music Leaders even wrote a theme song! You can use this material in any way you’d like. It is sorted into categories below for your convenience. Use everything as part of a weekend-long event or use videos one at a time for youth group meetings. It’s up to you!
LET US KNOW IF YOU USE OUR CONTENT
All content is free for you to use anytime and anywhere! While this is not required, it would be great for us to know if it’s getting used and how. Please take a quick moment to let us know if you are using our content by completing THIS FORM. Thank you so much. We hope you enjoy this little bit of Netta. We miss having groups here and we hope to see you next summer!
INTRO SKITS
A-TEAM
Carter Griffin - Lead Advocate
Ashlyn Riley
Ella Coxe
Garrett Gass
Grace Strickland
Jacob Majure
Mary Elizabeth Shoop
Olivia Powell
Parker Stiles
Sarah Grace Stanley
Will Banfield
Rachel Penmore - Advocate Coordinator
T-TEAM
Casey Singley - Lead Advocate
Emily Rosario - Lead Advocate
Abby Peebles
Aidan McKinnon
Alexandra MacKeown
Annabelle Brown
Campbell Wood
Helen Haslet
Lily Neusaenger
Ragan Clamme
Zachary Niles
Peyton Jenkins - Advocate Coordinator
ENERGIZERS
KEYNOTES and WORSHIP
One of the things about movies or a smartphone or a house, is that they are finished products. We’re actually seeing the end of the process. Same with a fired pot or bowl or cup, we’re seeing the end, not the beginning. And when looking at ourselves, looking at anyone, we are not seeing the end, we’re seeing God’s starting place for changing the world. It begins with God creating us. First keynote of 3.
When we think about who we are, how often do we include God's perspective, God's plans? And what gets in the way of us seeing and hearing God's intent for us? ? It takes God shaping us.
If you’ve ever seen a pot being thrown (or made), it is a MESSY process. When we feel broken, it can be easy to forget the original manufacturer. It can even feel like we’re beyond God’s reach. But the truth is we never left God’s hands. God commits, spends the energy, takes the time.
Whatever we might want to think, we are made on purpose. God doesn’t just want us on display or behind the glass of a museum case. God wants us serving food, pouring drink, holding wash water.
David Ealy
David Ealy is the proud father of two girls and husband to a marvelous wife. Even as Pastor at Hawfields Presbyterian in Mebane, NC, he still loves working with youth and the things they continue to teach him. Chocolate, Sci Fi, and music all add to a life he hopes honors God. He believes the Church ought to be a place for youth now, not just in the future.
THEME SKITS
Watch each skit below before each corresponding keynote above!
MUSIC
Theme Song! Written and recorded by John Fawcett and Chris Vogado.
John Fawcett and Chris Vogado
This musical duo go way back. Here they are as music leaders for Middle School Conference 2014, “Beyond the Manger.” They are excited to contribute to Virtual Netta 2020 by writing and recording a theme song for “In the Potter’s Hands.”
CLOSING
Music: "As It Is In Heaven" by Michael W. Smith. This has been an Advocate (previously known as Enablers) tradition since 1993. It's Massanetta's oldest Middle School Conference tradition and is a very special part of our closing worship service. We hope you can use this for your own worship, devotional, or time of prayer.
REQUEST ADVOCATES
Our Advocates really missed their small group time with the middlers. If you are having your middle school youth group meetings over zoom right now, you can request a couple Advocates to take over for a night! They would love to drop in virtually and lead a few games and a devotional with your middle schoolers. Interested? Fill out this form!
Advocate Program
Building Leaders who Love God, the Church, and the World
Each year Massanetta Springs invites 44 ministry-minded high school youth, called “Advocates” (formally called “Enablers”) to serve and lead within the Middle School Conferences. This dynamic leadership program provides a place where youth can lead alongside adults as mentors, facilitators, encouragers, older siblings, and faith friends.
Heralded as one of the strongest and most significant leadership tracks in the Church today, the Massanetta Springs Advocate Program changes the lives of younger youth who attend, empowers the faith of the older youth who serve, and creates for the Church a powerful witness to the work and faith of young people in the 21st century.
The Advocates are woven into the flow of every aspect of the conferences, unpacking the scripture in keynotes, organizing large group recreation activities, leading in worship, and building the conference community as they ARE the small group leaders.
The Advocate Program is entering its 29th year! It is with joy and thanksgiving that we acknowledge the hundreds of young adults who have been impacted by this program. Many continue in full time Christian ministry and a majority continue to worship, serve, and fellowship in faith communities around the nation.
Applications will be posted below (October 15, 2020) and will be due by January 11, 2021.
Dates of commitment for the June conferences are June 14-26, 2021.
Dates of commitment for the July conferences are July 5-17, 2021.
** Applications are GOOGLE DOCS. To edit, please save a copy of the google doc or download as a Microsoft word document. **
