3dyc recap

Man that was an intense weekend/ first of the week.

Our students had so much fun, and so little sleep. I hope all your students got home yesterday and just crashed. This Sunday I am pretty sure we are going to do a recap and a slide show to show you all the fun things that we got to do. It was pretty awesome. I hope that all of you enjoyed the daily updates, and the pics, and I really hope the cheat sheets helped you when you student got home.

This update is going to be a little short, because I am really tired and have other things we have to get finished around the office before we ring in the new year!

Have a great rest of the day!

P.A.

The very last update :)

Junior high students are crazy! I love them though and they had a great last session last night. It is amazing to see when Junior Highers really connect with God!

We simply have amazing students at both levels.

Here is the junior high cheat sheet.
1. Ask your students if they liked the worship team?
2. See if they can tell ya the story about the orca whale?
3. Ask them if they wrote anything on the papers in the room and if they did what did they write. If they didn't ask them why they didn't?
4. Ask them again about the story with Mabel in it. This was a powerful story that I don't want you guys to miss.
5. Ask them about if they heard from God and maybe what God was telling them this week.

Please take some time to connect with your students after this event. I am praying that you guys as parents will connect with your students on a different level. Please again take time with your students after this and ask them specific questions. Don't ask yes or no questions, ask open ended questions so when you listen to them you can form more questions from their answers!

Thank you for your prayers, please be in prayer as we head back today! We should be home at like 2:00 - 2:30! Please be there by 2, and if you have to wait just a little bit I am sorry but we have lots of tired leaders that need to get home to see their families.

Thank you for all your support!

P.A.

Last update

So today is the day, 3dyc is coming to a close here in about 2 hours. We will start the process of heading home. We will hopefully be heading home by 11:30. I do not think we will be stopping on the way home but we might stop. My goal is to be home by 2:00 - 2:30. So if you could please be there by 2 I know there are a lot of really tired, and need to go home.

Please be in prayer for us as we travel and get all these things done and ready today. It has been an amazing trip and the students have had a great time! Thank you for keep us in your prayers these last 2 days.

Ok here is a cheat sheet from yesterday.

Senior high, The speaker brought up some amazing points of why God is the "I am".

I am the God that is next to you,
I am the God that is loving you
I am the God that wants the best for you!

Those statements still ring true today, and they will forever.

Here is your cheat sheet:
1. How did you like the song bombs and bridges?
2. How many hours did you sleep?
3. Did you join in the techno party?
4. When they were talking about I am what does that mean to you? Here is what it means to me.
5. What did you feel God was telling ya this weekend?

A great thing to do when they get home, is tell them you were praying for them and that you cant wait to sit and talk with them about it. Maybe take them out to starbucks tomorrow, or take them for some Taco Bell and just talk about what they have learned! Please take time to connect with your students from this I promise you it will blow you away if you take the time to ask the right questions.

Hope this helps.

I will have the Junior high cheat sheet in just a little bit. I have to go prep for the final service.

P.A.

Update

So we just got done with the Junior high session and now we are getting ready for the Senior high session so please keep us in your prayers. Here are some cool pics from just a little bit ago.

Junior high session was amazing! Students hearing God for the first time in their lives. Its amazing. Please keep praying our senior high students to hear the voice of God.

Also tonight we are going to be having youth group time we are going to be having pizza and talking about what God has been doing in our lives. Thank you.

P.A.

Tonight

Hey there parents I dont know how many of you are actually looking at this blog, but I hope some are!

If you guys could be in prayer tonight for our students tonight, Tonight is normally the night that we push the students alot in their faith. So please be in prayer for our students so that our students will hear God as he speaks.

I believe that God is always trying to speak to us, but it is up to us to place our self in a place to listen to His still small voice. So please pray that our students place their self in a way to hear God.

The music has started and we are getting ready to go so for the next hour and half the junior high students will be in their sessions. Then at 8:30 - 10:00 will be the Senior high so please be in prayer! Thank you.

I hope that this has been helpful for you all. I will update later tonight, about different questions to ask your students when they get home tomorrow at 2:30 please dont forget!

See you tomorrow

P.A.

Update

So I have some time before the dodgeball tournament starts so I wanted to drop some pics on here and let you know that all the talents were awesome, Jessica Baylis and Lizzie Woodworth did an amazing Job on their duet. Emily Mann brought the house down when she sang her solo, and then Jessica Baylis wowed everyone in the room with her piano playing abilities! It was awesome.

Also from yesterday our Jr. High Volleyball team got 3rd out of like 20 teams, and then our high school guys basketball team lost in the first round but took the team into over time and the other team went deep into the tourny. It has been an amazing time so far here, its been flying by and we are all excited for tonights sessions and pizza party. We hope things are going well back in middlebury we will be back tomorrow at 2:30! See you all later.

P.A.

3dyc update

Alright parents!

I am sorry that this is late and not from yesterday but I got up early today to get on here and update ya!

So far we are having tons of fun. All the students are having a blast and everything is going well. The sessions are awesome. The high school session have been focusing on the renew aspect alot and is talking about what does it mean to make God your everything, and how God uses even people that aren't "perfect". So here is a cheat sheet for your high school student after day 1:

1. How was the band at 3dyc?
2. What was your favorite funny video they did?
3. When the speaker and the video talked about Moses what did you think?
4. Do you think that God still uses people today like he used Lazarus?
5. How do you think God can use us in other people's lives!

There are some questions for ya so you can get more then a "fine" when you ask how was 3dyc!

Junior high parents!

The Junior high have been listening to some really funny stories and some great challenges from the speaker Jason Raitz. Its been really amazing to see our junior high worship and be challenged from this guy.

Here is a little cheat sheet for you parents who have Junior high students.

1. What was your favorite funny video?
2. What has been your favorite story from the speaker?
3. What was your favorite time of worship?
4. What is this I hear about a huge hole with a goat?
5. Did you catch anything when they were throwing things out?

If you use those questions or something of that nature you also will avoid the dreaded "fine" answer. Hope everyone back at home is doing well. We are having an amazing time here.

Sorry I do not have any photo's or video yet. The connection here is really slow and I dont have alot of time to load video's and pics here. Maybe later today I will get some more time too!

Keep praying for us here for God to move and for God to open up ears and hearts to hear His word!

Thanks!

P.A.

3dyc Agenda

Hey there everyone!

We are leaving at 8am on Sunday morning, but you need to be there at 7:30 so we can check in go over rules, and then take off for the best time ever. Also we need to pick up our T-shirts to wear this year, I must say they are pretty awesome!

We will be back around 2 - 2:30 on Tuesday afternoon so please make sure your parents know, and parents if you are reading this please make sure you are there to pick up your child because everyone will be sleepie including the leaders so please be considerate to us we dont mind staying another hour with you student but we also wouldnt mind an hour at home on our beds :)

Please no IPods, or MP3 players. You can bring Cell phones but if you have music on your cell phone please do not listen to it! Also Texting will be monitored all the time! So if we see you texting all the time then we will text you to bring us your phone!

We are excited to go and its going to so much fun!

One last thing, please bring some extra money if you want to get pizza one night with your roomates, and also bring some breakfast food if you want. Because breakfast is not served there. They only provide Lunch and Dinner!

See you all on Sunday! I cant wait!

P.A.

All I want for Christmas

So I was thinking about all of the traditions at my house and how we do things at my house and its gonna be cool this year making all new traditions with my wife this year! Its gonna be fantabulous!

Do you guys have any cool traditions that maybe esther and I could steal from ya :). Let me know I hope everyone has great Christmas.

Please remember that we are leaving at 8am on Sunday morning for 3dyc, please be here at 7:30 so we can leave on time and get up there with plenty of time to have fun and hang out before all the festivities start.

Also if you want to bring like snacks for up there do it because you will need some breakfast food with ya! Talk with you all later!

P.A.

Really funny

Hey there everyone I know you are all at home and bored so I decided to post some funny video's for ya'll to watch!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0_Sa-cw_Aw <------ click or copy this! Its hilarious!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEiEBEadZFI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXiMs65ZAeU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-DAFkXRhkk

Here ya go guys! I hope things are going well for ya at home!

If you want to do something really productive take some time and pray for 3dyc! Also take some time and prayer for your leaders at 3dyc!

-P.A

The final countdown!

Hey there everyone this is a little reminder that 3dyc is this Sunday!!!!!

I know I can't believe it! Its going to be amazing!

Just remember we are leaving at 8am on Sunday morning, so you need to be at the church at 7:30am! Do not be late.

I hope everything is going well for everyone this week!

4 day weekend whoot whoot!

I hope everyone has great Christmas!

Christmas Party!

Man last night was fun!

Good job everyone bringing gifts that were wrapped. It was an awesome night!

Sorry we dont have any pics we are still in need of someone to come in and take pics!

We had 78 students come to our christmas party last night and it was so much fun.

So keep up the amazing work at bringing students.

Make sure everyone remembers that we are leaving at 8am on the 28th for 3dyc! YOU HAVE TO BE THERE AT 7:30am! DO NOT BE LATE!

We will need to take off so we can get up there before the 1st session and give you enough time to get to your rooms and hang out for a little bit. So make sure you are all there by 7:30 so we can go over rules and what we are going to be doing!

Hope to see you all Sunday!

Talk with ya'll later!

P.A.

Tonight is the Night!

Dirty Bingo is here~!

So make sure that you are come with a Wrapped Gift under 5 bucks!

Also if you want to bring a snack to share with people you are more then welcome too!

We will have food here, but again please remember that its not going to be a huge meal just snack stuff so please do not snarf everything down! When you get here :)

But you have to remember to bring a gift that is wrapped!

We have all the bingo stuff ready for you when you get here so please be here right at 6:30 because we want to have enough time to hang out, have fun, and play some DIRTY BINGO!!!!

See you all tonight!

P.A.

Updates to the Blog!

Hey there everyone make sure you guys play some Dodgeball here on the blog spot! There will be more games to come soon!

Also for the parents we are looking at up loading all messages in 09''! So you will be able to hear what your students are hearing from their youth pastor. Also Hopefully we will be able to record worship too.

I hope you will be able to use this as a great resource!

P.A.

Everyone better get excited for Tomorrow because we are going to have extreme's amounts of fun!

Please remember to WRAP your gift that you bring tomorrow! It wont be fun if its not wrapped! I promise you will not want to miss this night!

So bring a friend and a snack (if you want) and come and hang out with all of us at THEE CVMC youth group!

Hope to see all tomorrow at 6:30! Please be there early so we can start on time!

P.A.

Monday morning tiredness

So my friends I am really happy right now because!

THE COWBOYS WON!

Sorry I had to get that off my chest! Go Boys!

We are now officially in the final countdown! (Que Final countdown music)

This Wednesday we are having the 2nd annual dirty Bingo Christmas Party this Wednesday which means that everyone one who is coming needs to bring a gift that is wrapped, and under 5 bucks!
The gift can be funny, neat, awesome and CLEAN! No inappropriate gifts because we will throw them away. Please Please Please do not forget to bring a gift because we would like everyone to leave with a gift!

Also if you want to bring a snack to share with everyone you are more then welcome too! We are going to be having lots of people here and we are going to have so much fun! So bring a friend and tell your friend to bring gift so we can all hang out!

I cant wait to see ya all on Wednesday!

We start at 6:30 and we are going to start right now time this week so please be here early! Talk with you on Wednesday!

P.A.

The new the fun the Hectic!

Hey there my fellow readers. I am sorry I did not update yesterday my wife left me yesterday for the Bahamas for 8 days so I was trying to see her in between work, counseling appts, heading to South Bend for a meeting, and bowling league. I didn't get to update from yesterday!

Update for today is a couple things.

1. Please remember that this coming Wednesday we are going to be having our Christmas Party! Which means everyone needs to bring a gift that is under 5 bucks and WRAPPED! Do not forget that! The present needs to be wrapped and under 5 bucks! So come ready to hang out and eat some snacks!
2. If you want to bring a snack to share with the group that is more then acceptable if you want to bring a snack for just your small group that's cool too! We will have snacks here, please remember that they are snacks not a full meal, not dinner, this will be snacks so dont come ready to snarf everything down. Eat dinner before you come because this will and should not substitute dinner for ya!
3. Packing list for 3dyc. Please pick one up so you know what to bring, and What NOT to bring!
4. We do not have Youth group Christmas Eve or New Years eve! Spend time with your family over the holiday break!
5. Go sledding this break! Sledding is awesome!

I hope everyone is having an awesome day! If you know of any families in need please send to the church we have the Pass it forward sale going on now! Its a free garage sale for families in need! We have so much stuff so send anyone that you know in need this way!

Have a great weekend everyone!
Hope to see ya Sunday!

P.A.

Running towards God!

All the students are in small groups right now, and I am going to give you a couple things you can talk with your students about tonight when they get home or when you read this.

Tonight we talked about running to God and how do we do that?

Some good questions to ask your student as they come home:
1. How were the games tonight at youth group? - I heard something about a human Christmas tree!
2. The I'm a fire song what are the motions to that song?
3. What do you think the Shepperd's were saying as they ran toward Jesus?
4. How can we run towards Jesus together. Give them a time when you felt close to God and were running after Him.
5. Ask them if they think its hard to run after God?

Hopefully Parents those will help you connect more with your students!

P.A.

Tonight

Hey there everyone!

Tonight + Everyone coming + God + worship + Doug Edlund = Tons of Fun!

So lets make the equation happen tonight!

Come tonight and lets have a great time hanging out playing some games and chat'n about God!

Just a little reminder Next Wednesday we are having our Christmas Party! So please bring a WRAPPED gift for 5 bucks or under. And if you want to bring a snack to share with people awesome! If not thats cool come and enjoy the food and the fellowship. Please if you are bringing a friend next week they need to bring a gift WRAPPED! Because we wont have enough if they don't. So invite your friends to come and share in this awesome time!

Hope everyone has a good day. Also if you read this and tell me you did I will have something for you tonight! Have a great night!

** If anyone wants to come and take pics tonight contact me so we can have some pics up here for people to see! Have a great night everyone!

See you later

P.A.

Sorry

I'm sorry I haven't updated this in a little while but I am sitting meetings and I didnt have time but I wanted to say that I am so excited for tomorrow so make sure you are there!

Also if you have read this come up and tell me and I will have something for ya!

6:30 - 8:30!

Reminder next week is our Christmas Party!

Bring a gift wrapped, and under 5 bucks!

MAKE SURE ITS WRAPPED! <----------------- Next week! Not Tomorrow!

-Adam

Whoa.

So this last Wednesday night was awesome! The problem is we dont have anyone taking pictures yet!

We have all these students and all these fun games going on but no one to take pictures. All of my staff are busy getting things around, and helping students we just dont have time to take pictures!

So if anyone out there would want to come on Wednesday nights and take pictures, contact me at the church.

So this last Wednesday was so fun we played Strobe light Techno Clothes Pin Tag, and Christmas Jeopardy! It was sweet. Then we worshiped God by screaming we are a revolution and doing some pretty sweet motions. Then we learned about becoming God bearers to others like Mary was in the Christmas story. Also we talked about how it must have been hard for Mary to tell her parents that she was still a virgin but pregnant. This last Wednesday was rocking awesome.

I can't wait for next Wednesday to come and sing and shout and Praise God. So Get ready for next week because its gonna be awesome!

Also please be in prayer for 3dyc because we want God to work and move so students, and parents please be in prayer for this trip! It can be life altering in many different ways.

Hope everyone has a great week!

Dont forget the Christmas party on the 17th, bring a gift WRAPPED, and under 5 bucks. We are going to be playing dirty bingo. Where if you get a bingo you can get a new present or steal someone else's! It's gonna be awesome!

P.A.

Mary......wow

So tonight is the night where we come together for some awesome times and some sweet worship!

I can't wait for tonight. We find out what to bring for 3dyc, we see who is rooming with us, we get to learn about the Christmas story its gonna be good!

Come tonight and bring a friend. We are going to be digging deep into luke 1:26 - 36. Talking about Mary and how it must have felt at a 15 year old to be having a baby. Jesus none the less. And how does that story effect us today!

Hope to see you tonight!

I should be posting pics tomorrow and hopefully some video! See you all tonight

P.A.

2 hour delay!

So this morning I wake up and get dressed and walked out to my living room and there stands Morgan. So I immediately thought she was skipping school. Because it didn't snow that much, and it wasn't even snowing this morning, so I asked Morgan if she was skipping if she could start the fires :). Then she informed me that she wasn't skipping and they had a 2 hour delay. I was flabbergasted but hey its all good to have 2 hour delays. Hope everyone had a good time sleeping in!

So tomorrow is the kickoff of the countdown till 3dyc! And I am excited, tomorrow when you walk in the door you will need 2 find things. One the packing list for 3dyc, and second the room assignments you can see who you are rooming with and who is your leader. Get excited!

Also if you come up to me tomorrow and said I read the blogspot I will give you a piece of candy! Because we need to have more people start reading this because this is where all the announcements and information will be doled out. Also I will be doing lessons, and follow ups from the sermon on here. Hope you all have a great day!

P.A.

Welcome Back Welcome Back Welcome Back!

Hey there everyone!

Hope everyone had a great thanksgiving with lots of fun with families and friends. But the thanksgiving season is over and it now Christmas season! I am so pumped for these next 3 weeks of Youth Group!

This Wednesday we are going to be talking about Luke chapter 1:26 - 37. We are going to be disusing how mary might of felt when she found out she was pregnant and was going to have a baby. There are so many really cool things that God has placed in this amazing story about Jesus being born. So we are going to read through it and talk about it, and I am pumped.

Also I will have the packing list for 3dyc for you on Wednesday, and also who everyone is rooming with. So make sure you are all here so we can hang out and talk and play some really cool games!

Alright this next part is for the parents, during 3dyc I am going to (hopefully) be updating this blog twice a day with video's, pictures, and questions that you can ask your students when they get home. This will be a huge resource to you if you make it one. So please check this often and I will be posting more and more information on here because it is coming straight from my desk to yours. So please check this often I try to update this every day!

Have a great week everyone talk with you later!

-P.A.

Rockage!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7A0sjIh6_YQ

I was looking at some really cool video's today on Youtube, and I found this one so go there and check it out! Its pretty cool.

Also please mark your Calendars on December 28th that we will be leaving the church at 8am. Which means you all need to be at the church at 7:30 am! Do not be late we have lots of things we will be going over. And we will be gathering here at the church and going over room assignments and all that fun stuff. So make sure that you are not late! We should be returning at like 1:30 - 2:00pm on Tuesday so please make sure your parents know, and also parents reading this know that!

I hope you guys are having a good week, please keep me up to date with things that are going on make sure I get basketball schedules, and soccer schedules from ya because I wanna come and yell for ya and take pics and put them up on here. Keep me posted people!

Peace out Kats!

P.A.

Thanksgiving

Man I can't believe it is almost thanksgiving! Wow this year has been going by so fast. I was talking to Esther today over lunch and how much has changed since last thanksgiving. Its amazing how fast time goes, I always remember my parents talking to me about that stuff, but its true. I remember last year and how us as a youth group were getting ready for 3dyc, and how we couldn't
wait to get up to the New Grand Rapids site! We have gone through overnighters, white water rafting trips, camp, purity ceremonies, Hay stack dinner/talent show/ auction!

We have done so many really cool things this year! You guys are awesome, and I can't wait to see what this next year holds. I am pumped for when we come back we are going to finish up the identity series with some comments from you guys and then start in on the awesome story of Jesus birth. I am going to be showing you guys some really cool things that maybe you guys have never scene before in the story.

Also we are going to be having our Dirty Bingo Christmas Party on December 17th, so make sure you wrap and bring a present that is under 5 bucks! Its going to be awesome!

Please remember that there is no youth this Wednesday, spend some awesome time with your family and help them get ready for thanksgiving, and then watch the Cowboys, and eat lots of food :).

Have a great rest of the week guys!

P.A.

Sorry for the delay!

Sorry for the delay for the past couple of days but it has been crazy busy with some counseling stuff and some cleaning things, and some other personal things trying to get things squared away so sorry that I didn't update for a little.

So I am so pumped from this last Wednesday. I got some pics but I dont know when I will get them up on the blog because its with an odd camera because I didn't have mine. I am so proud of all you students who took this time serious and wanted to really dive into what God has for you. You got creative with your walk with God and made it your own there were some really amazing things that are going on.

So I told you I would post a question on here saying

"What does it mean to give your all to Christ, and how does that look for you?"

Comment on that and I wanna see what you all are thinking and we are going to discuss this in December.

Please remember there is no youth group this coming Wednesday because of thanksgiving. Go and enjoy some awesome time with your family and some good eats!

I really hope you all enjoyed Wednesday night because I know I did and the leaders had a great time reading and looking over what you all had to say!

Comment me on the question!

See you on Sunday!

P.A.

Things to remember

Hey there everyone!

Just another reminder that tomorrow night we are going to starting at 7pm, and also we are going to be doing an encounter service.

For those of you who do not know what an encounter service is. It is an experience time where we will encounter God in a new way. We will be doing worship the entire night, we will have different stations for you guys to go to. We will have a prayer, playdough, candle, confession box, clay, sticky note, journaling, and worship stations for you guys to enjoy God with.

Because I know that some of us in the youth group really dont like singing or like doing things like that, but some of you are writers or sculptors, or psalmists...you like to do walk and pray....you like to dance....you like to other things then the regular worship time we have. I want you to express yourself in so many different ways to God.

Please be in prayer for tomorrow night and come with an open heart to see what God wants to do in you. I am so excited to hear some stories that God is going to be doing in your lives.

See you tomorrow night!

7PM - 8:30pm! <------------------

Do Not Forget!

P.A.

This Wednesday

I am so pumped about this Wednesday and that we get to spend alot of time in worship and prayer. We also get to experience God in some pretty sweet ways!

Please remember that youth group this week starts at 7pm!

Make sure that you tell your parents that. We are going from 7 - 8:30pm!

We are stopping at the regular time but starting late!

Come ready to worship God and to experience God in a new way. I am so excited to see how God is going to move through our youth group!

See you guys on Wednesday!

P.A.

TGIF

So right now I am sitting in a district meeting right now discussing stuff for 3dyc, youth pastor dinner for tonight, and lots of other fun important things :) lol

I cant wait to see you guys on Sunday!

Remember that this sunday the youth worship Band is leading worship for big church so come and worship with us!

P.A.

Last night!

Man last night was awesome everyone! I am so happy all of you came and got to worship with us and play dodgeball with us!

Sorry we didnt have any photo's this time but we are still working on getting a camera here and someone to take some awesome pics!

Please remember what we talked about last night.

Stepping into your identity and really taking your SHAPE around God. Remember to choose to experience God in a new way with your choices. Choosing to follow God down the right path and choosing to Experience God every day will help you step into that identity that God wants for you!

Remember the song we sang last night where it says "So I'll stand with arms high and heart ABANDONED!" That's what God wants! He wants your heart abandoned to Him. Giving Him your EVERYTHING!

I can't wait to hear some awesome stories from just saying God I want more of you and I want to choose to experience you everyday!

I cant wait till next week!

WE START AT 7PM NEXT WEEK! DO NOT FORGET!

We are going to be doing our encounter service!

See you then!

P.A.

Ohh man!

So Tonight I am pumped to get hang out with everyone again!

Tonight though if you could do me a favor and come ready to just get hit in the face by God that would be awesome! I am so excited to see what God is going to be doing in some of your lives! God has an amazing plan for so many of you but you have to decide to step into that plan. I cant wait to worship with you all tonight!

Which reminds me "The youth worship band is leading worship this Sunday"

Come and lets represent the youth group by singing loud jumping and clapping like no other!

Anyways.

Be ready for tonight guys please be in prayer for tonight!

Be here at 6:30! And we will let ya go at 8:30!

See ya tonight!

P.A.

Really Awesome Stuff

Hey there everyone!

tomorrow has the making to be amazing! So just remember to get here early. We are going to start watching some new video's at the beginning of service and they are awesome. So get here early to see them.

Also this Sunday the youth worship band are leading worship for "Big Church" so lets worship like we do on Wednesday nights! I can't wait to see how God is going to rock the socks off of us on Sunday. Come prepared to let the Spirit of God just move through the sanctuary!

Also make sure you are telling your parents and everyone you know about this site because we want this site to be the main source of information for the youth group!

For those who want to be in prayer for Wednesday nights for our youth we are calling all those who want to fast and pray for the youth and for God to move on Wednesday nights to do so every Wednesday! Keep praying for God to do some amazing things!

P.A.

Monday's just a got a little bit more awesome!

So I am leaving here in like 15 minutes to speak to a bunch of high school students, so if you wanna say a little prayer for me that would be super awesome!

2 days till we get to meet again I am so excited!

I am turning all the 3dyc stuff in today!

Yippie!

P.A.

Friday!

It is almost the weekend my brother's and Sisters! I hope everyone had a good week!

I am sick right now, and its probably God's way of telling me to slow down and take a day off every so often! I am going to try to get around and get things done today, but its a slow go because everytime I stand up I feel like I'm going to get sick yippie!

But while I am sitting in Bed I have had some good prayer time for you guys today! Please everyone remember what we talked about on Wednesday night, about finding your SHAPE and stepping into the identity that God has for you! Choose wisely what you are going to do today and this weekend. I know alot of you make alot of choices of the weekend so please make wise ones!

I will see you all on Sunday!

Remember we are building the Tabernacle out of Lego's on Sunday! Get excited!

P.A.

Cool stuff!

Das Drummer
Das Guitar Player


Mitch being Mitch


The Coolest Youth Group

We are exploding with students

The Bouncers!





Last night was pretty fun! We had an awesome Game of Family Fued, some good Math games going on! Well Done Jake Baylis! And some awesome worship time. Keep the awesome job everybody!

On a more serious note, please be in prayer this ministry. It is growing so much and so fast it is awesome but we need prayers for wisdom on what to do and where to take this ministry. God is blessing us so much that we need to change some things so we can better accommodate all the changing needs and everyone in the youth ministry. God is awesome!

We have some really cool stories coming out of the youth ministry and some really neat things are going on! So please be in prayer for us as a staff! Thanks!

P.A.

A Change

Well the election is all over (Thank you Lord) and our new president is elected. Now we have to remember that God is in control of everything. If we are unhappy about the person God has placed in office that's fine, but instead of getting mad and telling all your friends. Why don't you pray? God commands us to pray for those in leadership, so we need to be praying for our new president. Now don't get me wrong, I am a little nervous about what might happen with him in office, but I must take heart that God has a much bigger plan, and that God is way bigger then anything our new president can ever do. So please be in prayer for his leadership of this country.

On to tonight's youth group. We are going to hopefully have pictures to put up tomorrow, and possibly the message from tonight. We are still working on all these things so please give us a chance to work these things out.

Please be in prayer for tonight. We should have another great turn out of students and we want God to move, and for God to show up in a mighty way in their lives. Please pray!

I will hopefully see you all tonight! Please get all 3dyc stuff turned in for me tonight! No later then Friday! We need all this stuff turned in because I have to take a check over there on Monday and all the slips!

See ya later tonight!

P.A.

Youth Group

Tomorrow night we are back to our regular times and places here at the church 6:30 - 8:30!

I am pumped for us to start talking about identity and we as youth group are going to try to help everyone narrow in on what God has gifted them at.

God has massive plans for every single person in our youth group and I am so pumped to see what God is going to be telling each of our students.

So make sure you all get here on time because we don't want to start late because we have so many awesome things we want to do!

See you tomorrow!

P.A.

-Go vote if you can!

This Week is gonna be fun!

Hey there this week we are starting off a new series called Identity. We are going to be basing our teachings out of luke 7. When the women broke the jar of perfume over Jesus feet. She stepped out from the darkness and into the light. She stepped from her old life and into the life that God had for her, and that was a life of forgiveness, of light, of love, of her true identity in Christ.

Please be in prayer this week for our ministry! This is a very busy week for many of our staff and we want to be able to have the strength and the wisdom to pour out into the students.

I leave you all with this Devotional!

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."
Psalm 51:10

God knows the darkness of our own hearts. Only He can cleanse our
hearts. Jesus came to cleanse us from sin and guilt. He re-creates
a clean heart within us. The purity of His love moves us to love,
renewing a right spirit within us!

The world says, "work on yourself." God says, "Turn to Me." The
Psalmist has it right, praying to God for this blessing. God wills to
provide the same healing for you. He waits even now for you to turn to
Him and ask Him!

O Lord God, I ask you for a clean heart today. Forgive me and fill me
with Your love. Only You can renew me. Give me these gifts, a clean
heart and a strong spirit, through Jesus Christ our Savior, Amen.

P.A.

Sunday

Hey there everyone sitting in my office on Sunday night with my wife wrapping things up from this week. This coming month is going to be awesome, so please be in prayer because I know when God is doing things in the Youth group that God takes it toll on my personal life and Esther's also.

Also if you have any more 3dyc things please give them to me as soon as possible this week I am setting up all the room information and also the sports teams so if you have anything else for me please make sure I get it by this week! Call, email, or whatever I just want as many students to have the chance to go to this event as possible.

Tonight I leave you with a short Devo! Start out your week with a devotional time!

"For a man's ways are in full view of the Lord, and He examines all his paths."
Prov. 5:21

Initially, this is a terrifying thought! You can't hide your actions, words, or even thoughts from God! What must He think of us!

But this means that God also sees you "trembling at His Word." He sees your repentance - your fear of His wrath, your sorrow for your sin, your thirst for His forgiveness, your eagerness to change!

With joy, God sees you receiving His forgiveness and mercy and love! With joy He sees you believe His Word of pardon! With joy He sees you fellowship with Him in communion! With deepest parental love He embraces you, and yearns for the embrace of faith!

Dear Lord, remind me that you forgive my sins, cleanse me from all unrighteousness, and do not remember my sins! Help me to see Jesus, my Savior, as clearly as You see me! So help me to cling humbly and trustingly to Your great love, for Jesus' sake, Amen.

P.A.

The dog days of October?

This month was straight up craziness! We had 3 large events and then 3 regular Wednesday nights. Wow I can't believe we made it! We have had a great month with the Hay stack dinner, to the all nighter, to this Wednesday's Harvest Party! God is good, and we are so thankful for everyone who stuck with us this month and gave and gave and gave! Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart! The Youth staff to the Parents and to the youth for going on this Awesome Ride with us!

In November we are going to be having regular youth Wednesday nights for 3 weeks and then the last week of November we are not having youth group so we can all be with our families that night for Thanksgiving! MMMMMMM turkey!

Thank you everyone so much for everything you have given!

Please be in prayer for our youth. They are on the battlefield every single day in their schools, work, and sometimes even at home. Please Please Please be in prayer for our youth. Also if you could be praying for the youth staff we have a lot on our plates with so many students coming we want to have strength and wisdom to help and understand some of the students that join our ministry! Thank you again!

P.A.

The Harvest Party!

Last night was amazing guys! It was so cool to see everyone there having tons of fun. We had over 80 students that came last night. God is doing some amazing things in this youth group.

We don't have any pictures from last night and that was my fault but we are soon to be getting more and more pics.

Last night we got there and we started with the look at you game, a game where everyone puts their heads down and when I count down from 3 they look and if you and another person make eye contact you are out. It was really fun and competitive. Then we sat down and Kate Schultz prayed for us and then we went and ate potato soup, Hot dogs, Chips, and some Hot apple Cider. The students loved it. Then we started with the hay maze and let me tell you the Smuckers run a great hay maze you need to check it out if you can! So we started with Seniors and Juniors heading in first and worked down the grades from there. Then we all gathered together for some Worship lead by Nate Hickox and Robbie Rasbaugh (sorry if I spelled it wrong Robbie). Worship time went great. Then I got up and talked about choices. God was pressing on my heart to call out students who were making choices to live 2 lives, one at school, and one at church. God started working on kids and we had a great time of prayer at the end. We gave a time of response at the end to accept Jesus for the first time, and there were 6 students who accepted Jesus for the first time last night! PRAISE GOD!

God is doing some amazing things here. Please keep praying for this youth group!

Just a friendly reminder that all 3dyc stuff needs to be turned in as soon as possible!

God is Rocking!

P.A.

Tonight its going down!

Hey there everyone this is just a little friendly reminder that tonight is the Hay Maze Harvest Party!

We will be leaving at 6pm and getting back at 9pm so Please make sure your parents know so they aren't waiting around for a long time!

Dress warm, bring a flashlight, and every single friend you have because we want to have as many people as we can go out to this thing tonight!

I am excited to be talking tonight over Luke 14 so make sure you read over that tonight before you come and if you want to bring your Bible thats awesome! Cant wait to see you tonight!

-Adam

Luke 14:25

I am going to be teaching out of Luke 14 this Wednesday and I think its one of the coolest stories ever!

Christ is walking down the road with a bunch of people with him and He knows that some of their hearts are far away from Him and that they really are only there because He is doing miracles. So He calls them out (I love when Jesus calls people out, because its normally always straight to the heart) and tells them that if they don't hate their family and give everything up that they should pretty much go home because He only wants sold out Christians!

My jaw dropped! I loved it. It pretty much kicked me in my junk because man I need to live sold out for Christ Everyday! I need to be making choices in my life to be sold out for God.

He then goes on and tells us in story form for some of us who need stories to learn from (ME!)

He then talks about how back in the day they used to make towers in their vineyards so that they could look over and make sure no one is seeing them steal their harvest. So Jesus takes their culture and their stuff and tells them an amazing stuff using that. He says don't you laugh at the dude who builds like half a tower because he didn't plan first and count the cost?

He hits them again and says if a king would go into battle with out planning it out first He would get destroyed and we would look at that king and say " King.......Your a moron!"

Christ is telling us to count the cost when we make the decision to follow Him! He wants us to be sold out for Him. He wants us to be committed so 1) We can spend the rest of eternity with Him, and 2) He knows that we will look stupid to people if we start following Him, and then decide not to follow Him, then decide to follow, then fall away. People will start telling other people that we can't make up our minds and are stupid!

Jesus is giving us a swift kick to our face here, more powerful then then the mighty Chuck Norris.

Lets choose to be sold out for God today! Lets choose to count the cost of our commitment to Christ. God wants our all, and if isn't going to get our all. Then man He tells us that is a very Dangerous place to be!

Lets make the right decisions here!

The coolest harvest party ever

The harvest party is this coming Wednesday!

Do not forget that we are leaving at 6pm and getting back at 9pm. Please make sure you tell your parents. Get there early we are going to be leaving at 6pm. I do not want to leave you at the church.

Things to bring:
A flashlight! It will get dark out there so please bring that
A friend! We are going to be giving away some cool things!
Prayer! We are going to be talking about choices and giving an invitation to accept Christ so please be in prayer. We need to emerse this night in tons of prayer so please be in prayer!

Cant wait to see ya on Wednesday!

-Adam

Life or Death

So this is a call to all prayer warriors. God has pressed on my heart to really push some of our students in some area's of their lives that might be hard to let go or even talk about!

In Duet 30, it talks about how God gives us a choice to choose life or death in our decisions.

There have so many people in our youth ministry that has been choosing death, and I can't do that!
We have to care about choosing life every day! I can't tell you how amazing it is when we do choose life, I know I don't do it all the time, but I want to seek after life in Christ, I want to seek after God with everything I have. That might mean I give up things "I" want and do things that "God" wants.

If you don't care about whats going on you slip into the "Who cares" attitude. YOU HAVE LOST! GAME OVER! Satan has won, and you will fall on your face. You need to listen to truth, and if you hear truth and don't do anything with. Paul says when you fall on your face you will look stupid to everyone! (Well that is my paraphrase of it). I am telling you right now when you come on Wednesday nights and you hear the word of God being spoke into and over your life and you still choose to not care and live your life without the direction of God. Then you are a fool Paul says.

I am letting you know guys I am tired of hearing about our students doing things that shouldn't be! This choosing God encompasses all area's of life. Texting, talking to your friends, myspace, facebook, the way you do homework, worship, relaxing, EVERYTHING! We can't let Satan get a foothold in our lives, and in our youth group.

Choose life today!

One of the coolest books

I am reading a book right now called "Growing Souls" By Mark Yaconelli and it is changing the way I am looking at Youth Ministry. I know that we as a youth group have tons of fun, but I believe that we need to focus in on what is our identity?

Who are we in Christ?

Do we claim what God tells us is true? We are sons and daughters of the most High! We have to claim that. Everyday we are faced with stepping into our identity by choosing what is right with our marriages, relationships with the opposite sex, our relationship with God, our worship, our words, our everything!

We need to awaken our desire for God. We need to arise to challenge to claim that in every single day.

I wanna challenge you guys every hour be aware of your identity in Christ. Please do not step out of that identity and into the one you think you wanna have.

Desire God More! Love God more! Love others more through that identity!

Don't Forget

Hey tomorrow we are going to be helping with the childrens ministry by running different games, and really helping them with all the students that will be there! So please come around 6 and get a game and we will go from there. Esther and I will be there and most of the other leaders will be too so come and hang with us and help out for the night! I promise there will be tons of candy and things for you to eat. So be there.

Remember we are inverting ourselves to think of others.

Pastor Adam

The new and Improved

Hey there everyone we are going to be doing alot more blogging on here because we know as a staff that we need to be more involved in the lives of our students! I am so pumped to start doing this more, we are going to work on posting things on here so make sure you put this as your favorite and check it often.

Also comment as much as you want and I will check to see if you have questions and I will put up notes and outlines from that nights service and we will hopefully put up funny, series, awesome, and orignal videos from the youth group.

Keep up the awesome job at being you guys!

Pastor Adam!