Student Life Bible Tour/30 Hour Famine

February 22 & 23

Pledge Packets will be handed out during Sunday School OR you can contact Mrs. M to get one. Start planning who you will ask to help you in your efforts to alleviate world hunger. Did you know that every day 29,000 children die from hunger? It’s time to do something about it, and YOU can help!Check out the bulletin board in the main hall downstairs near the Youth Room…and be sure to sign up, ASAP…we’ve got to buy the tickets! The cost for Tour tickets is $49 and the cost for Olive Garden at the conclusion of the 30 Hour Famine would be at least $10, but…the good news is, we’ve decided to make things a little easier for you! If you act quickly, the total cost of the 2 day event will be $25.

  Introducing… “The Ives”

February 8^th @ 7-10 pm

Youth Room     Cost: $3

Northern California modern rock band, IVES, blends multi-part harmonies with alternate tuning acoustic guitars, electric guitar textures, and ethereal keyboards in a style reminiscent of Leeland, Mae, and Sufjan Stevens. Jason (guitar) Grayson (guitar/background vocals), Caleb (guitar), Owen (keys), Peter (bass and Drew (drums/background vocals) grew up as friends in the town of Auburn, CA near Sacramento. They’re young (all of them are between the ages of 18 and 26) but their music is nuanced and mature in surprising ways. Their brand-new EP, Themes, was released in Summer 2007. Check out their sound at www.fishers.com/ives, then invite all your friends to join us for the evening! As usual there will be snacks, coffee, milkshakes, and soft drinks at very low cost…from .50 to $1.00! So bring a few extra bucks along!

COMING RIGHT AT YOU!!! SOUPER/SUPERBOWL SUNDAY! 

We’ll be collecting $$$$$s following each Service on February 3^rd (so let us know which service you’ll be at that day to help hold a soup pot!) All proceeds go to Northwest Assistance Ministries (NAM)! AND THEN… 

We’ll get together that evening @ 5:30 pm to watch the game together, enjoy burgers and dogs cooked by “4 Men and A Grill,” and play some games! Bring your friends! Be sure to bring a snack/side dish to share…something that goes with burgers/dogs…a six-pack of soft drinks to share…and a white t-shirt to paint to reflect your choice of victor in the SuperBowl!

Can you guys predict what Christmas is going to be like this year? Perhaps there will be a Christmas service at church. Maybe some family will be in town for a short while. There will be that one person that really gets on your nerves, but hey, it is Christmas right? You can handle them for one day. But what is the point of all this fuss? I know what your thinking….It’s the PRESENTS!!! I can imagine you’re going to sneak around the tree trying to figure out what you’re going to be opening Christmas morning. Some of you are going to be able to pick one the night before just to subdue some of your longings to open them all now. Ok, ok, I guess there is a little more to Christmas than that. We are so quick to forget about the real present of Christmas.

The true gift of Christmas wasn’t wrapped in cheap wrapping paper with a bow on top. The true gift of Christmas was wrapped in a linen cloth and laid down to rest in a bed of straw. If you think you are going to be excited when you get your gifts this Christmas, you should have been there to see this gift when it was received. The Angels of God came to deliver the message themselves. Luke writes, “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” Then all of the Heavenly host sang out to praise God for this gift. The Gift of Christ is a gift that will never break, or get old, or even disappoint you. The Gift of Christ daily delivers forgiveness to you. I pray this Christmas you remember the Gift that keeps on giving as you enjoy your holiday traditions. May the gift of Christ satisfy your every need.

In His Service,

Billy

Who Am I Casting Crowns

Jesus Painter

Some Food For Thought:

I am daily confronted with the question, “Billy, are you respectable?” Each of us when we get up in the morning has to look at ourselves in the mirror. Sometimes we look deeper and don’t like the person we see. Billy, you’ve hurt too many people. Billy, you aren’t good enough. Billy, how could you respect yourself with so many imperfections? Most of the time, if I look for the answers within myself, I can’t find anything worth respecting. When I do this, I can’t even begin to show respect for the people around me. I’ve come to know that I can’t respect others if I don’t know how to respect myself as a human being. God has great things to say about our identity! All throughout the New Testament we hear things like; you are a child of God, you are the heir to the throne of God, you are Christ’s friend, you are a new creation, and you are dearly loved!

Despite the feelings we struggle with in our daily lives, we can know that God has made us respectable. When we fail in doing so He steps in and takes those imperfections away. Through Christ, He makes us a new creation that is worthy of the greatest respect in the world. When we know this fact in the depths of our souls we are then able to share that respect with other people. As you look in the mirror, see the respectable person that God sees every single day!

In His Service,
Billy Newell

Some Food For Thought:

I found myself thinking about honoring my father and mother. I couldn’t help but ask, “What if they aren’t honorable?” When I was two my earthly father left and I didn’t see or hear from him until I was 18 yrs. old. I’ve always struggled with how to honor him in a way that would be pleasing to God. I’m not going to begin to tell you that I’ve come up with a perfect answer for my situation, but I can tell you that you and I have a Father that is more honorable than any other being in the world. Your Father in heaven has done the unthinkable because he loves you. He sacrificed His Son for you, and for me! The same God that created the stars in the sky and parted the Red Sea loves you! He is called Abba, Father. In Hebrew this is an extremely intimate word. It’s like saying Daddy. How amazing is is that the God of the universe allows us to call Him Daddy?

As you go about your daily routine take a look around you and witness the power of God. More importantly, know with all of your heart that your Daddy in Heaven loves you like His very own child.

In His Service,
Billy