Calling all youth!!
Due to a death in the family, we will be traveling out of town on Wednesday, so we’ll not be having youth group this week. We’ll be postponing our holiday party til JANUARY 9th. Please call your friends as I don’t have very many emails…
Thanks.
Mark
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Movie Night (The Nativity Story)
Hello and Merry Christmas! (May Christ be born in you!!)We had our first official "Movie Night" at JOURNEY this week. We viewed "The Nativity Story" on the big screen. Hopefully, everyone had a good time and enjoyed the movie and the popcorn.
The movie taught the youth several things about the Christmas story - a few were that Zechariah (John the Baptist's preacher dad) who got struck mute for not believing a word from God. That Mary could have legally been stoned to death for getting pregnant without being married (like, so not fair!!) and the terror of the Bethlehem baby massacre by Herod in an attempt to kill the new Messiah.
Mary and Joe were a couple of special people that God chose specifically for one special purpose. To care for Jesus. God in the flesh. God with us. Immanuel.
We also mentioned that Kate's grandma (Abbey & Rachel's great-grandma) is probably not going to live much longer. She's 96 years old and has lived a long and good life. But what is most special about her is that she has been totally faithful to God and has been a shining example to our family of how to prepare and present yourself to be used by God for his special purposes. Her name, fittingly, is Mary. (We love you Grandma!)Mark
Saturday, December 8, 2007
If you don't have something nice to say...
It's Christmas time! Snow is on the ground, the tree is up. looking forward to Christmas break! This week, in the spirit of Christmas we had a dramatic reading of;
A Soldier's Silent Night (Silent Night playing in the background)
TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.
I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.
I LOOKED ALL ABOUT, A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS, NOT EVEN A TREE.
NO STOCKING BY MANTLE, JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.
WITH MEDALS AND BADGES, AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT CAME THROUGH MY MIND.
FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT, IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER, ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.
THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING, SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.
THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE, THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.
WAS THIS THE HERO OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, THE FLOOR FOR A BED?
I REALIZED THE FAMILIES THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.
SOON ROUND THE WORLD, THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.
THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS, LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.
I COULDN'T HELP WONDER HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.
THE VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND STARTED TO CRY;
THE SOLDIER AWAKENED AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
"SANTA DON'T CRY, THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;
I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD, MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."
THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT, I CONTINUED TO WEEP.
I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS, SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.
I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR SO WILLING TO FIGHT.
THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER, WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA, IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."
ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH, AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."
We took a moment to remember the soldiers who will be spending this Christmas season away from home and to remember all the families who will be without their loved one. We are blessed to have our family together this Christmas.
Next we shared a short reading about a monk who, instead of "Merry Christmas" would say "May Christ be born in you". We challenged the youth to try that with a few people this season.
Finally, we discussed the issue of gossip and how dangerous and damaging it is for everyone involved and how to prevent it, avoid it, deal with it and even turn it around for good. We've all heard the saying "if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all." That's some good advice. I would add to that. Before you say something about someone else, think to yourself, is what I am going to say going to build up that person, or tear them down? If it will build them up, then say it. Tear down? then don't.
We played the "telephone" game to demonstrate the point.
Next week 12 Dec; MOVIE NIGHT!
Dec 19th, CHRISTMAS PARTY! Bring an item from home, don't purchase anything. wrap it up and we'll pick numbers. it'll be fun. We'll go caroling if the weather's not too bad.
Merry Christmas! May Christ be born in you!!
A Soldier's Silent Night (Silent Night playing in the background)
TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.
I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.
I LOOKED ALL ABOUT, A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS, NOT EVEN A TREE.
NO STOCKING BY MANTLE, JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.
WITH MEDALS AND BADGES, AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT CAME THROUGH MY MIND.
FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT, IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER, ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.
THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING, SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.
THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE, THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.
WAS THIS THE HERO OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, THE FLOOR FOR A BED?
I REALIZED THE FAMILIES THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.
SOON ROUND THE WORLD, THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.
THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS, LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.
I COULDN'T HELP WONDER HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.
THE VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND STARTED TO CRY;
THE SOLDIER AWAKENED AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
"SANTA DON'T CRY, THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;
I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD, MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."
THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT, I CONTINUED TO WEEP.
I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS, SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.
I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR SO WILLING TO FIGHT.
THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER, WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA, IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."
ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH, AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."
We took a moment to remember the soldiers who will be spending this Christmas season away from home and to remember all the families who will be without their loved one. We are blessed to have our family together this Christmas.
Next we shared a short reading about a monk who, instead of "Merry Christmas" would say "May Christ be born in you". We challenged the youth to try that with a few people this season.
Finally, we discussed the issue of gossip and how dangerous and damaging it is for everyone involved and how to prevent it, avoid it, deal with it and even turn it around for good. We've all heard the saying "if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all." That's some good advice. I would add to that. Before you say something about someone else, think to yourself, is what I am going to say going to build up that person, or tear them down? If it will build them up, then say it. Tear down? then don't.
We played the "telephone" game to demonstrate the point.
Next week 12 Dec; MOVIE NIGHT!
Dec 19th, CHRISTMAS PARTY! Bring an item from home, don't purchase anything. wrap it up and we'll pick numbers. it'll be fun. We'll go caroling if the weather's not too bad.
Merry Christmas! May Christ be born in you!!
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