Let me just take a moment to celebrate the accomplishments of our 2009 graduates. We are so very proud of all that they have done and the many great things they will soon be heading off to do. They have put in a ton of work (and their parents have too, plus a lot of money ha ha), over the years to arrive at the end of their Senior Year in High School. Countless late nights doing homework, numerous cramming sessions for tests, and hours upon hours of classroom time have all finally added up to them getting to turn their tassel. Please be sure over the next few weeks to congratulate them yourselves and let them know how proud we are of them. Please also encourage them in this next stage of their lives. Challenge them to keep the faith, to grow spiritually, and to continue the race set before them. It can be a very difficult transition.
Let me also let you know what we will be doing to honor our grads. On May 31st we will be having a special recognition breakfast just for our HS grads and their parents. It will be a wonderful time to celebrate this moment, thank their parents, and look forward to the next stage of their life. The following week June 7th, we will spend some time in the Gathering Place showing a video that will show highlights from the special breakfast the week before and honor our graduates (HS and College). We will also spend some time honoring our HS grads as well as our College Grads by praying for them as a church. Both the breakfast on May 31st and the elements in the service on June 7th will be very special for our students. Please be sure to be here on June 7th to recognize our students and celebrate what they have done. Please also begin praying for them and their parents (this is a very busy time for them). Pray also that they would continue to grow into men and women who are passionate about God and His Kingdom. Pray that they would be fishers of men.
Congrats Grads!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
Rel Community: House Prayers
Last night at Rel Community in our Student Ministry we had a worship experience that included a cool prayer element. We had the layout of a house taped to the floor. It included all your basic rooms you would find in your house. The challenge was to spend time praying and asking God to be involved in all aspects of your life.
We focused on the story of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42), and talked about how Mary chose what was best. Martha was doing something that was good, but she was missing out on being with Jesus. We were all challenged at the begining our worship time to choose what was best, and bring Jesus with us into all the rooms of our house. The rooms stood for different things for different people. For some people the Living Room stood for time they spent with family, while others it represented what they watched on TV. The closet for some people represeneted things they kept hidden, while for some they used it to signify the things they chose to wear.
In each of the rooms we included some paper on the floor for people to write their thoughts out and also write their prayers to God. Our Students and Group Leaders wrote some pretty incredible and challenging things. Take a second this week to read Luke 10:38-42, and then look over these pictures or maybe even walk through your own house and ask Jesus to be involved in all aspects of your life.
We focused on the story of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42), and talked about how Mary chose what was best. Martha was doing something that was good, but she was missing out on being with Jesus. We were all challenged at the begining our worship time to choose what was best, and bring Jesus with us into all the rooms of our house. The rooms stood for different things for different people. For some people the Living Room stood for time they spent with family, while others it represented what they watched on TV. The closet for some people represeneted things they kept hidden, while for some they used it to signify the things they chose to wear.
In each of the rooms we included some paper on the floor for people to write their thoughts out and also write their prayers to God. Our Students and Group Leaders wrote some pretty incredible and challenging things. Take a second this week to read Luke 10:38-42, and then look over these pictures or maybe even walk through your own house and ask Jesus to be involved in all aspects of your life.
Living Room
Hallway
Bedroom
Bathroom
Closet
Game Room
Dining Room
Kitchen
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Our God is Near, Our God is Here
Every person who believes in a personal God (myself included) goes through times when they do not feel like God is close to them, or vice-versa. For whatever reason we just don't recognize His presence, or we don't see His fingerprints around us. These times can be really disheartening, and discouraging. But it is always an incredible feeling when you realize that God has not gone anywhere, and that He has been present the whole time.
This morning in Staff Meeting, Paula our preschool minister was praying for us. She is such an encouraging and thoughtful person. As she was praying, you could just see God's character in her words, and she really blessed us all by her prayer. We talk about the church being the body of Christ, but this means even more to me thinking about Paula's prayer. To think that we get to be God's hands and feet to each other means so much when we think about it this way. God has made our hearts, His home. To grow closer to God, all we need to do is grow closer to each other.
That thought just floors me! Dinner with my wife last night, was actually breaking bread with Jesus. I just had a staff meeting with God my Father, and this morning when I had breakfast with Aaron, the Holy Spirit was working on both of us. Colossians 1:17 says, "He (Jesus) is before all things, and in him all things hold together. " Our God is near. In fact, our God is here and he is holding us together.
This morning in Staff Meeting, Paula our preschool minister was praying for us. She is such an encouraging and thoughtful person. As she was praying, you could just see God's character in her words, and she really blessed us all by her prayer. We talk about the church being the body of Christ, but this means even more to me thinking about Paula's prayer. To think that we get to be God's hands and feet to each other means so much when we think about it this way. God has made our hearts, His home. To grow closer to God, all we need to do is grow closer to each other.
That thought just floors me! Dinner with my wife last night, was actually breaking bread with Jesus. I just had a staff meeting with God my Father, and this morning when I had breakfast with Aaron, the Holy Spirit was working on both of us. Colossians 1:17 says, "He (Jesus) is before all things, and in him all things hold together. " Our God is near. In fact, our God is here and he is holding us together.
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