Stay Connected

This week we have added tatango.com texting groups for both the PIRATES (leadership group) and REBELS (larger high school ministry).  If you want to stay connected with what it taking place in our high school ministry sign up for the REBELS group or if you are a PIRATE sign up for both.

PIRATE Group

REBELS Group

Interesting in a leadership role in our REBELS youth group?  Now is your chance, apply to be a PIRATE for the 2009-2010 ministry year.  PIRATES serve by caring for youth group members and guests, lead games, plan events, advise adult leaders on needs, and represent the REBELS to the congregation.  Applications are due on April 12 (yes that is Easter).  Interviews will be scheduled on April 19 and conducted on April 26.  To apply download the application here.

In just 16 months we will be getting on a plane and heading off the New Orleans for the National Youth Gathering.  It might seem like 16 months is a long time, but when it comes to getting ready for an experience like the NYG, 16 months can shoot right on by you in the blink of an eye.

We have already begun fund-raising and continue to do so, but I wanted to first encourage all youth in 7th to 10th  grade (as well as those who will be under 21 in July 2010) to considere participation and then let you know about the up-coming fund-raisers that will help pay for the trip.  The NYG is a life changing and faith strengthening experience like none other.  I went as a youth in 1992 to New Orleans and was so moved that my near decision to become a DCE was completely solidified.  I have seem teens move from semi-faithful to on fire for Christ thanks to the ministry of the NYG.  Seeing thousands of your peers worshiping together with one voice is a picture of heaven that is just not be missed.

So how can you afford the NYG?  Fund-raising, fund-raising, fund-raising.  We already have a good amount done, but much, much, more to go in order to reach our goal of having all SOTH youth who desire to attend able to afford to do so.  Thus we have the following fund-raisers going on in the coming months.

1) Pancake Breakfast – March 29 – Just days from now we will serve breakfast in Chapel West to our congregation.  The breakfast starts at 8:30, so we need help by 8:00.  We need people to cook, to prepare sausage, to set up tables and place settings, to serve the food, etc.   We will be done serving by 11:30 and will then need to clean up and set up for Joyful Mission’s worship serivce.  Confirmation students and current high schoolers who can help are asked to connect with Barb via e-mail to sign up.

2) Lent Supper – April 1 – The final Lent Supper will be hosted by our youth and all funds raised that night will support the NYG fund.  Meet at church at 5:00 to set up and serve until 7:00.  After serving we will head out for dessert.  Confirmation students who help with the dinner are invited to join us for dessert as well (think of it as a REBEL preview).  If you have questions about the dinner you can e-mail Phil.

3) Granny’s Attic Sale April 25 – We will need help with prep work on April 23 & 24 (Thursday and Friday) as well as help with the sale itself on the 25th.  Donation drop offs begin on April 19.  Confirmation students and current high schoolers who can help are asked to connect with Barb via e-mail to sign up.

Registration for the NYG takes place this fall, so keep your eyes and ears open for further up-dates and deadlines.  If you have questions please let me know.

On April 1 the High School group will be heading out on the road for our next outing.  The PIRATES are meeting this Sunday, March 22, were they will plan this event.  If you have input or suggestions, please talk to your favorite PIRATE.

Just a reminder that this Sunday, March 15 is the deadline to sign up for Night of Champions at APU.  The cost for NoC is just $10.  For more info see the previous post here.

If you are a junior or senior and giving any serious thought to your future you may have started to wonder how college might turn out to be different educationally from what you are used to in high school.  Now do get me wrong, I am not foolish enough to assume that high school does not present its fair share of challenges to ones faith, but college can be a whole other story.

Derek Melleby and Don Opitz authored the book The Outrageous Idea of Academic Faithfullness to help students develop a holistic approach to their studies in higher education.  They seek to answer the question of how a Christian can remain true to his/her faith and take seriously the task of academic study. Regardless of the field of study you hope to pursue, the questions wrestled with by Melleby and Opitz are questions every thinking Christian should themselves wrestle with.

Today marks be beginning of Lent with Ash Wednesday.  Lent is one of the oldest Christian practices, dating back to 325 and the Council of Nicea.   The practice of Lent has historically focused on fasting.  Today we make use of the notion of giving something up for Lent.  Many times people give up things like caffeine, cookies, or other treats.  A few years ago I gave up fast food, in foolish attempt to combine dieting with piety.  Naturally it backfired and I gained rather than lost weight.

The purpose of giving something up for Lent, like the purpose for fasting, is to focus the believer on the blessings of God and on God Himself through the realization of those blessing being absent from life.  The challenge is the when you give up something that you otherwise enjoy, perhaps even in excess, in its absence temptation sets in and you desire it all the more.  When you are hooked on something, whether that something is legal or not, it gets into your head.

Next week we begin our new series, “Hooked”, at ICTHUS, where we will be dealing with the nature of temptation and how God, the author of our desires, has provided us with support to deal with those temptations which are not quite as innocent as hitting In-N-Out when you give up fast food for Lent.

Tonight we talked through the balance of Song of Songs.  Part of the presentation included a list of 7 ways to divorce-proof you marriage.  Some of you asked for the list so here you go:

1. Don’t deprive each other of PHYSICAL satisfaction (5:2-7)

2. Keep issues private; BUILD each other up in public (5:8-6:3)

3. Don’t base love on PERFORMANCE (6:4-10)

4. Avoid ruts in your PHYSICAL relationship (6:11-7:9)

5. Always try to meet your SPOUSES desires; make time alone (7:10-8:3)

6. Keep God’s love at the center (8:4-7)

7. Seek to be a model relationship (8:8-14)

What has its hook in you?  We all have our own struggles and temptations that we wrestle with.  Money. Sex. Pride. Drugs. Glory. The lure of temptation is strong, and all it takes is one bite to get hooked—sometimes for life. Temptation is everywhere! Even if you’re not experiencing temptation at this moment, it will be knocking at your door in no time.

Beginning on March 4, ICTHUS will be working through Hooked.  Hooked is our new teaching series for Wednesday’s from 8:00-9:00 p.m. (special late start time due to Lent worship).  This series will deal with how we can deal with temptation.

This four-week series covers:

• Identifying and dealing with temptation
• The importance of positive friendships
• God’s plan to help us break the cycle of temptation
• How Jesus is the model for us to follow

Next week is Ash Wednesday and the high school youth group has volunteered to serve by putting on the soup and salad dinner.  Please be at church by 5:00 p.m. and bring a dessert to share.  We will go to church together at 7:00 p.m. and then conclude the evening with ICTHUS at 8:00 p.m.