Reserve the date.  Start saving your money.  Start thinking about what friends you are going to invite.  Registration form can be downloaded here.  First Deposit due Wendesday, December 17th.  winter-retreat-brochure.    

Recently we talked about how to handle the cell phone issue and some other behavior issues in our leadership meeting.  This is what my friend Tim has to say on his blog timschmoyer.com

We’ve all had them — students who cause trouble, play on their cell phones all night, are disrespectful, and generally seem mad at the world. Although we love these teenagers as much as we love the others, sometimes it feels like we’re constantly sacrificing the quality of the ministry to all the other kids for the sake of that one (or three or whatever).

When I had my first encounter with this kind of situation, my sr. pastor at the time gave me this advice and I’ve followed it ever since: “Never sacrifice the ministry to all the kids for the sake of one or even a couple.” If, because of one or a couple disruptive students, other kids in the group are not receiving the attention they crave, the spiritual input they seek, and the time to focus on God that they need, then a course of action is needed. read the rest here

• This Sunday’s leaf day has been cancelled.  No one requested our services & most of the leaves have blown away.   
• ChillsPort- December 5th in the Gym.  
• December 12th- Christmas Dinner Theater.  We need 15-20 students volunteer to help serve food for this outreach event.   Please let Jeremy know if you are available.    
• Winter Retreat Sign-up starts December 17th.   You dont want to miss this great time.    

Can you tell me what this picture is?

I think often this is how we present the Christian life to students.  We give them a bunch of dots and basically tell them to figure it out.  All the great Bible stories that they learn as a kid in Sunday school are dots.  They are great stories, but unless we help connect the dots to the big picture they are missing out.  Watch what happens to the picture when you connect the dots.   

DO you see it.  You connected the dots and now you are able to see the whole picture.   I believe our job as parents and leaders is to help connect the dots for the youth.   Help them understand how the stories in Genesis connects to us.   Help them understand how the 10 commandments connects to us. 

It is easy to teach and have people learn about the individual dots, but it takes hard work to connect the dots.  And ultimately, because God is the designer,  the one who created the drawing, He is the only one who can make the picture clear to us.  But lets do our part and help connect the dots.