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Thursday, May 26, 2011
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
MS Retreat!!
MS Retreat – Fri Nov. 13th – Sun Nov. 15th
Where? Skycroft Resort on Appalachian Trail
What? Fun, Games, Friends, Seminars, Worship!
Cost? $159. Partial Scholarships available if needed.
Deadline: Mon. Oct 25 or Sunday Oct. 31st
Applications are in the Folder Box of the Youth Bulletin Board & at youth group
OR Right copy and paste this link into your web browser:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2372651/Retreats/Middle%20School%20MtnFest.Info.Application-%202010.doc
Where? Skycroft Resort on Appalachian Trail
What? Fun, Games, Friends, Seminars, Worship!
Cost? $159. Partial Scholarships available if needed.
Deadline: Mon. Oct 25 or Sunday Oct. 31st
Applications are in the Folder Box of the Youth Bulletin Board & at youth group
OR Right copy and paste this link into your web browser:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2372651/Retreats/Middle%20School%20MtnFest.Info.Application-%202010.doc
Friday, July 16, 2010
VBS was a BLAST!! Now onto Youth Group!
VBS Week was great!!
We had 26 kids and the theme of the week was "HEROES IN SERVICE" We learned that God uses people of all ages, traits, personalities, to others and Him!
Please ask your student how they can be heroes who serve.
Picture of the week! Katheryn has a little bit of shaving cream on her face.
The next Middle Youth event is the Welcome back to Youth Group party on Sunday August 15th at the Woodens Farm. Pay more attention for more details to follow.
Then our weekly middle school youth group starts up on Monday August 23rd at 6:30pm at Covenant of Grace Presbyterian Church.
We had 26 kids and the theme of the week was "HEROES IN SERVICE" We learned that God uses people of all ages, traits, personalities, to others and Him!
Please ask your student how they can be heroes who serve.
Picture of the week! Katheryn has a little bit of shaving cream on her face.
The next Middle Youth event is the Welcome back to Youth Group party on Sunday August 15th at the Woodens Farm. Pay more attention for more details to follow.
Then our weekly middle school youth group starts up on Monday August 23rd at 6:30pm at Covenant of Grace Presbyterian Church.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Dreaming for your kids.
Dreaming For Your Kids
And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
Joel 2:28
We hear Joel 2:28 in church and think about how revival needs to come to the younger generation. But, instead of concentrating on that part of Joel 2:28, I want to draw your attention to the "old men will dream dreams" phrase.
I used to overlook that part of the verse most of the time, because I was so excited about the young people part. I thought, "I'm not going to be old for a long time yet, so I'm not going to talk or think much about the old men dreaming dreams." But it is the older people in our society who dream dreams for the younger generation; and so it must be the parents who dream dreams for their children.
They Didn't Ask for This Garbage
Looking at the culture barrage hammering our teens, whether it's the things being sold to them, what is being written to them--movies and music--or the point-and-click pornography that's available to them, there is one thing we can all agree on: Our children are not the ones who invented these things.
Just about every one of these social influences, whether it's media entertainment, technological inventions or opportunities on the Web that is destroying kids, have been dreamed up by the older generation. In many ways, these older dreamers prey on young people because they have plenty of money to spend. They appeal to young people's most corrupt desires to get them to empty their pockets. But the fact is, the kids didn't ask for this garbage; they were sold this garbage by people trying to take advantage of them to make a lot of money without any thought to moral consequences. Of course they will tell us, "If people didn't buy it, we wouldn't make it" as if it's a moral obligation to sell people things that will destroy them just because they will buy them.
As a result, kids think, "I want my MTV." Is it really "their MTV" or is it somebody else's MTV that they are told to find their identity in? Young people say, "I want those pants. I want that music. I want that new CD." Somebody else has made them feel important by making it seem like the company is doing something "just for them." As a result, teens absorb and digest lyrics, values, and a lifestyle that totally and completely destroys them.
Here's the question for us: Are we not dreamers? Cannot we, the people who love God, dream a dream for the young people in our churches? Can we not dream a dream for the young people in our communities? Is it only the secular culture that has a dream for our children?
You can protect your kids from the disaster of being shaped by a confused generation of adults selling media, but it will take deliberation. It will take sweat. It will require emotional and mental engagement with your kids, starting when they are at a very young age.
Dream for Your Kids
Dream a dream for your kids. Do you want them to be entertainment oriented or service-to-others oriented? Ask for an entertainment-oriented person, and you'll get someone who is constantly appeasing the flesh and desiring the next thing to engage and tantalize them. Where are the servant-oriented people--those men and women who lay down their lives as a sacrifice for others? It is our choice as parents to determine what kind of young people we want and what it will take to produce them. As you dream for your kids teach them how to think critically and pursue growth in their relationship with the Lord. Dreaming for them does not mean dictating their lives and living vicariously through your son or daughter. Let them know you are behind them 100% when they make godly decisions. If you dream a dream and roll up your sleeves and go for it, I'm confident that you will raise the kind of child you will be proud of for many years. If you sacrifice now, you'll reap a blessing for the rest of your life; and the world will never be the same.
Not only must we be the dreamers, but we must also teach our kids to be the dreamers for their own generation. Note this passage of Scripture: "Your young men will see visions" (Joel 2:28). Our young people need to have a vision of how God could use them to change their generation and make a difference in the world. Yet, every time we allow our kids to watch, see, feel, touch and embrace this culture, they become a part of a dream belonging to someone else. The fact is, we must either be the dreamers or we will be a part of somebody else's dream.
Merely giving birth does not make you a parent. Sacrificing while your children are small, laying down your "deserved" freedoms and deeply thinking about how you're shaping your children will ensure their lifelong freedom from the chains of slavery to our culture. It's work, and it's called loving your children. It's called being a parent.
This article was adapted from Ron's book, Re-Create: Building a Culture in Our Homes That Is Stronger Than the Culture Deceiving Our Kids. Look for it at your nearest bookstore, or visit www.battlecry.com for more information.
Ron Luce is the president and founder of Teen Mania Ministries, a Christian organization reaching millions of young people worldwide. He passionately declares the Gospel through Acquire the Fire TV broadcasts, youth events, camps and media resources, challenging teens to take a stand for Christ. www.teenmania.org
And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
Joel 2:28
We hear Joel 2:28 in church and think about how revival needs to come to the younger generation. But, instead of concentrating on that part of Joel 2:28, I want to draw your attention to the "old men will dream dreams" phrase.
I used to overlook that part of the verse most of the time, because I was so excited about the young people part. I thought, "I'm not going to be old for a long time yet, so I'm not going to talk or think much about the old men dreaming dreams." But it is the older people in our society who dream dreams for the younger generation; and so it must be the parents who dream dreams for their children.
They Didn't Ask for This Garbage
Looking at the culture barrage hammering our teens, whether it's the things being sold to them, what is being written to them--movies and music--or the point-and-click pornography that's available to them, there is one thing we can all agree on: Our children are not the ones who invented these things.
Just about every one of these social influences, whether it's media entertainment, technological inventions or opportunities on the Web that is destroying kids, have been dreamed up by the older generation. In many ways, these older dreamers prey on young people because they have plenty of money to spend. They appeal to young people's most corrupt desires to get them to empty their pockets. But the fact is, the kids didn't ask for this garbage; they were sold this garbage by people trying to take advantage of them to make a lot of money without any thought to moral consequences. Of course they will tell us, "If people didn't buy it, we wouldn't make it" as if it's a moral obligation to sell people things that will destroy them just because they will buy them.
As a result, kids think, "I want my MTV." Is it really "their MTV" or is it somebody else's MTV that they are told to find their identity in? Young people say, "I want those pants. I want that music. I want that new CD." Somebody else has made them feel important by making it seem like the company is doing something "just for them." As a result, teens absorb and digest lyrics, values, and a lifestyle that totally and completely destroys them.
Here's the question for us: Are we not dreamers? Cannot we, the people who love God, dream a dream for the young people in our churches? Can we not dream a dream for the young people in our communities? Is it only the secular culture that has a dream for our children?
You can protect your kids from the disaster of being shaped by a confused generation of adults selling media, but it will take deliberation. It will take sweat. It will require emotional and mental engagement with your kids, starting when they are at a very young age.
Dream for Your Kids
Dream a dream for your kids. Do you want them to be entertainment oriented or service-to-others oriented? Ask for an entertainment-oriented person, and you'll get someone who is constantly appeasing the flesh and desiring the next thing to engage and tantalize them. Where are the servant-oriented people--those men and women who lay down their lives as a sacrifice for others? It is our choice as parents to determine what kind of young people we want and what it will take to produce them. As you dream for your kids teach them how to think critically and pursue growth in their relationship with the Lord. Dreaming for them does not mean dictating their lives and living vicariously through your son or daughter. Let them know you are behind them 100% when they make godly decisions. If you dream a dream and roll up your sleeves and go for it, I'm confident that you will raise the kind of child you will be proud of for many years. If you sacrifice now, you'll reap a blessing for the rest of your life; and the world will never be the same.
Not only must we be the dreamers, but we must also teach our kids to be the dreamers for their own generation. Note this passage of Scripture: "Your young men will see visions" (Joel 2:28). Our young people need to have a vision of how God could use them to change their generation and make a difference in the world. Yet, every time we allow our kids to watch, see, feel, touch and embrace this culture, they become a part of a dream belonging to someone else. The fact is, we must either be the dreamers or we will be a part of somebody else's dream.
Merely giving birth does not make you a parent. Sacrificing while your children are small, laying down your "deserved" freedoms and deeply thinking about how you're shaping your children will ensure their lifelong freedom from the chains of slavery to our culture. It's work, and it's called loving your children. It's called being a parent.
This article was adapted from Ron's book, Re-Create: Building a Culture in Our Homes That Is Stronger Than the Culture Deceiving Our Kids. Look for it at your nearest bookstore, or visit www.battlecry.com for more information.
Ron Luce is the president and founder of Teen Mania Ministries, a Christian organization reaching millions of young people worldwide. He passionately declares the Gospel through Acquire the Fire TV broadcasts, youth events, camps and media resources, challenging teens to take a stand for Christ. www.teenmania.org
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Prayer
Everything requires fuel. Some are more powerful and more
combustible than others. Serious damage can result from
using the wrong type of fuel. So the key is to use the right
fuel with the right tool.
James 5:16b - "The earnest prayer of a righteous person
has great power and wonderful results."
Prayer is a high octane fuel of the Spirit led life. Ask the
class to share some of the results of their prayers.
Prayer brings the power of the Almighty against
the problems of mankind.
That’s the kind of fuel we need to feed our lives. We need
God’s power flowing through us. The way to connect with
that power is through prayer.
This is the kind of prayer we talked about in our lesson on Monday. If you would like to review the lesson and go over some of the points with your students then please use the below link.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2372651/MS.Lessons/FaithfulLiving.James.5.Prayer.doc
combustible than others. Serious damage can result from
using the wrong type of fuel. So the key is to use the right
fuel with the right tool.
James 5:16b - "The earnest prayer of a righteous person
has great power and wonderful results."
Prayer is a high octane fuel of the Spirit led life. Ask the
class to share some of the results of their prayers.
Prayer brings the power of the Almighty against
the problems of mankind.
That’s the kind of fuel we need to feed our lives. We need
God’s power flowing through us. The way to connect with
that power is through prayer.
This is the kind of prayer we talked about in our lesson on Monday. If you would like to review the lesson and go over some of the points with your students then please use the below link.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2372651/MS.Lessons/FaithfulLiving.James.5.Prayer.doc
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Philly Missions Trip
The Philly Missions trip was tons of fun and a great spiritual encouragement to us and a great help to the homeless who we served. Here are some pics from the trip.
This is us with the city in the background.
On our Prayer Tour through the city.
Our group with Roy in the middle. Roy is a Christian homeless man who chooses to be homeless because God has called him to homeless ministry. He had some great lessons to teach us and greatly encouraged us.
The guys chilling outside the Kenningston Ministry site.
Singing at the Red Door Ministry.
Sorting clothes to be handed out at the Red Door Ministry.
If you have facebook then you can see al 71 pictures on our group page. Just search for Covenant of Grace Youth Ministry and join!
This is us with the city in the background.
On our Prayer Tour through the city.
Our group with Roy in the middle. Roy is a Christian homeless man who chooses to be homeless because God has called him to homeless ministry. He had some great lessons to teach us and greatly encouraged us.
The guys chilling outside the Kenningston Ministry site.
Singing at the Red Door Ministry.
Sorting clothes to be handed out at the Red Door Ministry.
If you have facebook then you can see al 71 pictures on our group page. Just search for Covenant of Grace Youth Ministry and join!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Lesson on Patience
So last night we did a lesson on Patience from the book of James.
It was very ironic because our blessed Middle School students were not as patient during the lesson when it came to talking! ha ha. It was eerily similar to our "Quick to Listen" lesson. Very funny stuff. : )
Patience. First a funny story about patience:
---------------------------------------------------
Gladys and Rhonda walked along the sidewalk after church. They were on their way home, thinking about meals planned for later that afternoon and casually discussing the morning service.
"That was a great sermon on patience," remarked Rhonda.
Gladys replied, "Yeah, but he went five minutes long."
---------------------------------------------------
Please take this opportunity to browse over this supplemental material we have for you to continue on the talk of patience at home this week.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2372651/FaithfulLiving.Patience.HO.doc
It was very ironic because our blessed Middle School students were not as patient during the lesson when it came to talking! ha ha. It was eerily similar to our "Quick to Listen" lesson. Very funny stuff. : )
Patience. First a funny story about patience:
---------------------------------------------------
Gladys and Rhonda walked along the sidewalk after church. They were on their way home, thinking about meals planned for later that afternoon and casually discussing the morning service.
"That was a great sermon on patience," remarked Rhonda.
Gladys replied, "Yeah, but he went five minutes long."
---------------------------------------------------
Please take this opportunity to browse over this supplemental material we have for you to continue on the talk of patience at home this week.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2372651/FaithfulLiving.Patience.HO.doc
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