Happy New Year and a couple of Grove City tournament reminders

[Heather Murch]

Happy New Year, SNOW Club! 

I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Christmas celebration with loved ones and are looking forward to what God has in store for us in 2023.  I know there are a lot of mixed emotions (and nerves!) about the start of tournament season, but rest assured, this is where the fun begins!  You have worked hard and stretched yourselves, and now it’s time to “run the marathon”!  You have much to be proud of and  the leaders and I know that you are going to be amazed at what you are able to learn and accomplish as you put your developing skills, speeches and debates into competition.  You will be challenged, sharpened, and blessed.  You will become better instruments for God’s glory.  And parents, I’m not just talking about the students!  You will become better judges with every ballot and therefore, better coaches.  You will also be stretched and blessed beyond your wildest imagination, and you will be encouraged as you see students stretching themselves and as you come into fellowship with like-minded parents.  This is a wonderful shared activity like no other, in my humble opinion, and it is our prayer that you will also grow in your family relationships.  

Some important reminders:

1) PLEASE read the “Final Details” email from our Region 10 Director, Brenda Storz.  If you did not receive it, please email me at hmm...@icloud.com.  

2) Tournament check-in and Script Submission both end at 3:00 Monday afternoon. These are both required if you are competing in Speech—Debaters are required only to complete check-in.  PLEASE do not wait until 2:00 to complete these.  If you encounter any difficulties (not unusual for the first tournament of the year), you will not have given yourself much time to clear things up.  The earlier, the better (it’s been open since last week!).

3) When you head to the facility, put “Hall of Arts and Letters” into your GPS.  If you put Grove City College, it will not take you to the right building.  There will however, be signs to direct you, so don’t worry. ;)

4) Attached to this email are suggested Tournament Packing Lists—one for girls and one for boys.  A few things may be outdated (related to events we no longer have), but you’ll get the idea.  Feel free to email me if you have any questions.  I will be checking email all day Monday. (See attachments below Scripture.)

5) Pray, pray, pray!  You have a nice, long car ride to spend some time lifting up your nerves, the judges, tournament staff, your fellow competitors, our families, the people at Grove City College, the weather….you get the idea?

Philippians 4:6 says: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. 

It is our prayer that 2023 will be a year when you rediscover your love for our Heavenly Father and His precious Son, Jesus, Whose coming we just celebrated.  Join us in lifting up our hearts in praise and may His name, and His alone, be glorified.

~Mrs/Heather Murch for all the SNOW Club leaders

I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever;
    with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
2 For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever;
    in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.”
3 You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
    I have sworn to David my servant:
4 ‘I will establish your offspring forever,
    and build your throne for all generations.’” Selah

5 Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord,
    your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!
6 For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord?
    Who among the heavenly beings[b] is like the Lord,
7 a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones,
    and awesome above all who are around him?
8 O Lord God of hosts,
    who is mighty as you are, O Lord,
    with your faithfulness all around you?
9 You rule the raging of the sea;
    when its waves rise, you still them.
10 You crushed Rahab like a carcass;
    you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
11 The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours;
    the world and all that is in it, you have founded them.
12 The north and the south, you have created them;
    Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name.
13 You have a mighty arm;
    strong is your hand, high your right hand.
14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
    steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
15 Blessed are the people who know the festal shout,
    who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face,
16 who exult in your name all the day
    and in your righteousness are exalted.
17 For you are the glory of their strength;
    by your favor our horn is exalted.
18 For our shield belongs to the Lord,
    our king to the Holy One of Israel.       Psalm 89:1-17