S.W.A.T.

Super Party on Sunday (02/05/2012)

2012-01-25T21:26:00.001-06:00

We will be having a party with the Senior High on Sunday, February 5, 2012 starting around 5 PM at Chatham Bible Church. There will be food, games, Wii, probably some other game consoles, and the “big game”. Please bring a snack to share.

B.R.I.C.K. Homework from 01/24/2012

2012-01-25T21:20:00.001-06:00

Read Chapter 10 of “By This Name”
Complete Prophet Report

B.R.I.C.K. Homework from 01/17/2012

2012-01-25T21:17:00.001-06:00

Read Chapter 9 of “By This Name”
Complete Judge Report

Learn the last 5 of the 10 Commandments:

No other gods
No idols
Do not use God's name in vain
Keep the Sabbath holy
Honor your father and mother
Do not murder
Do not commit adultery
Do not steal
Do not give false testimony
Do not covet

B.R.I.C.K. Homework from 01/10/2012

2012-01-15T13:56:00.001-06:00

Read Chapter 8 of “By This Name”

Learn the first 5 of the 10 Commandments:

No other gods
No idols
Do not use God's name in vain
Keep the Sabbath holy
Honor your father and mother
Do not murder
Do not commit adultery
Do not steal
Do not give false testimony
Do not covet

No Youth Group Next 2 Weeks

2011-12-21T18:29:00.001-06:00

There will be no Youth Group for the next 2 weeks (12/27/2011 and 01/03/2012). We will resume meeting on Tuesday, January 10, 2012. Have a great Christmas and New Years Holiday!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-21T18:24:00.001-06:00

Click on the image below to see photos from the SWAT Christmas Party.

JR High Christmas Party

2011-12-11T20:47:00.001-06:00

We will have our annual Christmas Party on Tuesday, December 20, 2011 from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM at the Heironimus’ house. Please bring a “White Elephant” gift for the gift exchange and a holiday snack to share.

B.R.I.C.K. Homework from 12/06/2011

2011-12-11T19:36:00.001-06:00

Read Chapter 7 of “By This Name”

Memory Verse: Exodus 12:12-13

On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn—both men and animals—and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.
(NIV)

Any translation is OK.

B.R.I.C.K. Homework from 11/29/2011

2011-12-02T20:51:00.001-06:00

Read Chapter 6 of “By This Name”

Memory Verse: Hebrews 11:6

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
(NIV)

Any translation is OK.

Journey to Bethlehem

2011-11-26T15:43:00.001-06:00

On Wednesday, December 7, 2011 we will go with the High School students to Harvester Christian Church’s Journey To Bethlehem. Please be at Chatham Bible Church by 6:30 PM so we can be there by 7 PM.

SPAM Night 2011 Photos

2011-11-18T21:19:00.001-06:00

Here are a few highlights.

Click here to see the rest.

No Youth Group on 11/22/2011

2011-11-18T21:12:00.001-06:00

No Youth Group on 11/22/2011. See you all on 11/29/2011.

Happy Thanksgiving!

SPAM Night

2011-11-13T11:23:00.001-06:00

This Tuesday (11/15/2011) is SPAM Night! Be sure to bring a can of SPAM or two for this evening of culinary adventures.

B.R.I.C.K. Homework from 11/08/2011

2011-11-13T11:15:00.001-06:00

Read Chapter 5 of “By This Name”

Memory Verse: Hebrews 9:27

Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment
(NIV)

Any translation is OK.

B.R.I.C.K. Homework from 11/01/2011

2011-11-06T14:14:00.001-06:00

Read Chapter 4 of “By This Name”

Memory Verse: Genesis 2:16-17

And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”
(NIV)

Any translation is OK.

B.R.I.C.K. Homework from 10/18/2011

2011-10-21T20:47:00.001-05:00

Read Chapter 3 of “By This Name”
Do Bible Reading Highlights for six days (i.e. one side of the handout).

Fall Fun Night – 10/25/2011

2011-10-15T08:38:00.001-05:00

On Tuesday, October 25, 2011 (7:00 pm – 8:30 pm) we will have a “fun night”. Games will be played, candy will be eaten, costumes will be worn (if you want to dress up), and fun will be had by all.

B.R.I.C.K. Homework from 10/11/2011

2011-10-14T20:41:00.001-05:00

Read Chapter 2 of “By This Name”
Memory Verse: Books of the New Testament

Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation

B.R.I.C.K. Homework from 10/04/2011

2011-10-06T17:19:00.001-05:00

Read Chapter 1 of “By This Name”
Memory Verse: Books of the Old Testament

Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalms
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi

Katy Trail Bike Ride

2011-09-28T18:20:00.000-05:00

Saturday, October 1, 2011 – 1 PM to 3:45 PM
Bike and Helmet Required
You should also bring a water bottle.
Parents are welcome to come along.
Directions:
Exit I-70 at 5th Street and go North. Turn right onto Boonslick Road. Go all the way down Boonslick Road until you get to the Katy Trail parking lot (just past the Trailhead Brewery).

B.R.I.C.K. Homework from 09/27/2011

2011-09-28T18:00:00.001-05:00

Memory Verse: Revelation 4:11

“You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being.”
(NIV)

Feel free to memorize this in any translation you like.

B.R.I.C.K. Homework from 09/20/2011

2011-09-21T21:15:00.001-05:00

Memory Verse: 2 Timothy 3:16-17

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
(NIV)

You can memorize this in any translation you like.

PAINTBALL PAINTBALL PAINTBALL!

2011-09-20T13:28:00.008-05:00

Set your calendar for October 22! We are going to be going to Gateway Paintball in Earth City. Here are the details…
COST: $27.50

500 rounds of paint
gun
goggles
air
3 hours play time

TIME: We will meet up at Chatham at High Noon. Our time on the field will be from 1-4 p.m. we should be back around 4:30 p.m.

Everyone needs to have a signed waiver to play. If you are under 18 you need to have your parents signature.

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Student Newsletter

2011-09-13T13:08:00.001-05:00

"You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, gain understanding. Listen, for I have worthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right. My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness. All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse." (Proverbs 8:5-8)
We're walking through Proverbs 8 together this week, and Wisdom has been standing at a high-traffic spot in town calling out to get our attention as we rush through our busy lives. She seems convinced she has something we need, if we'll just slow down and listen for a minute.
Her message, she says, can change our lives forever. If we'll pay attention, she can help simple, foolish people like us who normally get used by the world to become prudent. She can help us understand all the most important things.
She knows. She knows. We've heard these pitches before. We've seen all the infomercials for diets and face creams and exercise machines and get-rich schemes. That's not her bag. She insists: "What I'm going to tell you is worth your time. It's right. I don't lie; I hate lies. I don't want to cheat anyone. I'm not asking for your money."
Think: Do you ever pay less attention to wisdom because it seems like she promises too much? Are we too cynical these days to believe in anything that promises to "make us wise"?
Pray: Ask God to help you trust Him to give you real life-changing wisdom.
Do: Read Proverbs 2.

Get more daily devotions just like this one at PlanetWisdom.com
Surf Report Contagion [Christianity Today]
Warrior [Plugged In]
Uh, That's Funny?:
Why did the cookie go to the doctor?
… Because he felt crummy.
Video Of The Week

B.R.I.C.K. Coming Soon…

2011-09-11T20:51:00.001-05:00

Parents – You should have received a letter from me (Matthew Heironimus) in your Chatham folders today. If you did not or need another copy, please let me know.

This school year our lessons will be from a book called By This Name by John Cross. This is an updated version of the book The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus. This book presents an overview of the Bible and provides a good foundation for the Biblical teaching the students will receive in both the Middle School and High School Youth Groups at Chatham Bible Church.

Those students who would like to go deeper will have the option of participating in the B.R.I.C.K. (Built Right In Christ’s Kingdom) program, which we usually offer to the Middle School students every third year. In addition to the lessons on Tuesday nights, students who choose to participate will do the following over the course of the school year:

Assigned reading from By This Name
Read their Bible regularly and keep a journal of what they are reading
Bible memory
Write a few short reports on various topics (e.g. a prophet, a missionary, etc.)
Read and report on a book

This is optional and students will be able to enjoy and attend Youth Group even if they choose not to participate in B.R.I.C.K., but I encourage all students to seriously consider participating. I think this provides a great foundation for their life in Christ Jesus. Please let me know by Sunday, September 25, 2011 if your child will be participating in B.R.I.C.K., so we can order their book.

Let me know if you have any questions,

Matthew Heironimus

STUDENT NEWSLETTER

2011-09-06T16:47:00.001-05:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
Wisdom Says: Wisdom Doesn’t Hide

"Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand; beside the gates leading into the city, at the entrances, she cries aloud: 'To you, O men, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind.' " (Proverbs 8:1-4)

For the next week or two, we're going to listen to Wisdom. Yes, I capitalized that "W" on purpose. That's because Proverbs 8 quotes Wisdom herself, calling out to us. Yes, I wrote "us," even though Proverbs 8 was written thousands of years ago. Wisdom wants to talk to you this week.
Notice this first: Wisdom is not hiding. She's not a secret available only to those of us rich enough or smart enough or spiritual enough to find her. She's not a prize awarded to the most popular or most attractive or most polite. She wants to be found. She wants you to find her.
That's why she's standing there at the top of the hill, at the gate to the city, and the one spot that everyone must pass by sooner or later. And she's not whispering. She's yelling, calling out, looking you in the eye. She wants to be heard. She wants you to pay attention.
Think: Do you ever think of wisdom as being secretive and mysterious instead of obvious and available to all? Why or why not?
Pray: Ask God for the boldness and courage to listen to Wisdom this next week. Ask Him to help you slow down long enough not to miss what she wants to tell you.
Do: Read Proverbs 1.

Get more daily devotions just like this one at PlanetWisdom.com

Surf Report
The Debt [Christianity Today]
Apollo18 [Plugged In]

Uh, That's Funny?:
Sign behind an Amish carriage:
"Energy efficient vehicle. Runs on grass and oats. CAUTION: Avoid exhaust!"

Video of the week

Kids Quest 2011

2011-08-17T11:51:00.001-05:00

BASEBALL AND ICE CREAM!

2011-06-09T09:55:00.000-05:00

Tuesday, June 14
We will be meeting up at the FAAA fields in Florissant. We will watch the Atom 1 – Tigers (yeah) take on the Phantoms! Pastor Al coaches the Tigers, and his son Jake plays. Please get a ride to the fields, and arrange for a ride home from the fields too. (See the map on the back). After the game we will enjoy some ice cream treats. Bring some extra money if you would like something from the concession stand!

View Larger Map

Student Newsletter

2011-04-19T14:26:00.001-05:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
"I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." (John 3:12-15)

What's the point of Jesus' one-sided conversation with the bewildered Nicodemus? It's all about who gets into heaven, who gets to be with God. The path is spiritual rebirth, but the destination is a very real place. Jesus had been there and was going back.
Nicodemus would have heard (and maybe taught) often of the story from Numbers 21:4-9. God sent poisonous snakes among the people as a punishment for their sin of speaking against Him. To save them, God had Moses lift up a bronze snake on a pole. Those who looked at it lived.
What a beautiful prediction hides in Jesus words. He -- the man from heaven, the Son of Man -- would be lifted up on the cross. Those who look to Him in faith will be given the gift of heaven, eternal life with God.
Think: How great would it be to meet someone who had actually been to heaven and could tell us all about it? Do you think of Jesus in that way?
Pray: Thank God for the clear words of Jesus that everyone who believes in Him will live forever. If you're a Christian, thank God for your home in heaven with Him.
Do: If you haven't yet, read Numbers 21:4-9.

Get more daily devotions just like this one at PlanetWisdom.com

SURF REPORT
A Surfer with Soul [Christianity Today]
Movie review of The Conspirator [Christianity Today]

FORGETTABLE FACT
More people have a phobia of frogs than rats.

POTENT QUOTABLES
But then, shall I never get any older than I am now? That'll be a comfort, one way -- never to be an old woman -- but then -- always to have lessons to learn!
~ Alice from Alice in Wonderland

Earth's saddest day and gladdest day were just three days apart!
~ Susan Coolidge

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
How do dinosaurs pay their bills?

With Tyrannosaurus checks.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Adventure Camp 2011

2011-04-06T10:01:00.002-05:00

Here are the documents for camp...

Remember to get your deposits in by April 17!

* Camp Brochure

* Packing List

* Medical/Liability Form

* Rafting Wavier

Student Newsletter

2011-03-22T17:13:00.001-05:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
"As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. . . . 'Come, follow me,' Jesus said, 'and I will make you fishers of men.' At once they left their nets and followed him." (Matthew 4:18-20)

For the next week or two, we're going to be talking about what it really means to follow Jesus. We start with this key moment where Jesus called two of the men He would end up using to change the world forever through their leadership in spreading the news about Him.
Notice two things: One, Peter and Andrew were in the middle of something else when Jesus called them. They weren't out looking for some spiritual experience; it was just another day at work in the family business. He dialed their number.
Two, they had to stop what they were doing to follow Him. It's not that being a fisherman is bad; it's just that they wouldn't have time for that and following Jesus, too. Nobody can do everything else life offers or demands and follow the Savior. Walking after Him means leaving some good things behind.
Think: What is the difference between just "being a Christian" and really following Jesus with your whole life? Which best describes you?
Pray: Ask God to help you to understand what it means to really follow Jesus with your whole life.
Do: Make a quick list of things you've had to give up to do something else. For example, maybe you had to drop one class or sport or activity in order to do another.

Get more daily devotions just like this one at PlanetWisdom.com

SURF REPORT
Top 5 Movies Inspired by Bible Stories [Christianity Today]
Why this 'Secret Millionaire' went public [Christianity Today]

FORGETTABLE FACT
A group of kangaroos is called a mob.

POTENT QUOTABLES
Love is like pi: natural, irrational, and very important.
~ Lisa Hoffman

The Bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Bible.
~ D. L. Moody

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
Why was Cinderella thrown off the basketball team?
She ran away from the ball.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Student Newsletter

2011-03-01T11:44:00.001-06:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.' " (John 14:6)

So what was Jesus' answer to the disciples' very logical question? Thomas asked: "What are you talking about? How could we possibly know the way to where you're going when we still don't know where you're going?"
Jesus said, "You know the way because you know me. I'm going home to be with my Father, and I'm the only path to get there."
The secret to all of life and history comes down to this verse, this answer. People spend decades hoping to find the key to happiness, to knowing God, to their idea of heaven.
They're looking for the right path to get them there, the right set of circumstances, the right combination of choices. But the path is a person, and He's an exclusive entrance to eternity. He's the only door, the only hope, the only way that's not a dead end.
Think: Why do you think the absolutism of Jesus' statement in this verse bothers so many people? Does it bother you? Does it seem unfair that God would not allow any other path to Himself — or does it seem generous that He would offer any path to Himself, at all?
Pray: Take a few minutes today to really express to God your gratitude for offering a home with Him as your Father through Jesus. Thank Him for sending His Son to be the way, the truth, and the life.
Do: If you've never done so — or just need a refresher — spend some time memorizing this verse this week.

Get more daily devotions just like this one at PlanetWisdom.com

SURF REPORT
Movie Review: The King's Speech [Joel Mayward]
Movie Review: The Grace Card [Christianity Today]

FORGETTABLE FACT
Jimmy Carter is the first U.S. President to have been born in a hospital.

POTENT QUOTABLES
Without knowing what I am and why I am here, life is impossible.
~ Leo Tolstoy

The earth has music for those who listen.
~ William Shakespeare

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
What's round and bad-tempered?
A vicious circle.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Student Newsletter

2011-02-22T16:51:00.002-06:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART

"If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer."(Proverbs 9:12) "Penalties are prepared for mockers, and beatings for the backs of fools." (Proverbs 19:29)

Mocking might not make you popular, but at least it always hurts in the end. I mean, living to tear people and ideas down is terribly unfulfilling, but one day you'll regret every moment of it. Okay, that's not coming out right.
Bottom line: Mocking doesn't pay. It might feel good to us in the moment to take joy in scoffing, ridiculing, or belittling God or other people, but you'll be shocked to learn nobody likes to be mocked. Eventually, society finds a way to punish those who make a lifestyle out of finding new ways to make everyone feel stupid.
Wisdom, on the other hand, gives out prizes to those who follow her. Life becomes easier, more meaningful, and more joyful for those who live it according to God's wise design.
Think: Have you ever seen anyone suffer a painful consequence for mocking God or others? Have you ever seen anyone benefit from making a wise choice?
Pray: Ask God to help you to live wise and reap the benefits of that. Also ask him to help you to get a bad taste in your mouth any time you're tempted to join the mockers.
Do: Any ideas about some specific ways or reasons that mockers might suffer alone?

Get more daily devotions just like this one at PlanetWisdom.com

SURF REPORT
Movie Review: The King's Speech [Joel Mayward]
Movie Review: Gnomeo and Juliet [Christianity Today]

FORGETTABLE FACT
Mel Blanc, the voice of Bugs Bunny, was allergic to carrots.

POTENT QUOTABLES
Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.
~ Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

The best way to become boring is to say everything.
~ Voltaire

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
The prospective son-in-law was asked by his girlfriend's father, 'Son, are you able to support a family?'

'Well, no, sir,' he replied. 'I was just planning to support your daughter. The rest of you will have to fend for yourselves.'

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

NO YOUTH GROUP TONIGHT - February 1

2011-02-01T12:48:00.000-06:00

Greetings everyone, and happy snow day! Due to the weather S.W.A.T. is cancelled for tonight. We will see everyone next week. Also remember that the Super Bowl party is this Sunday at church at 5:00 p.m., please bring a dish to share. Enjoy the day, and stay warm!

Student Newsletter

2011-01-18T16:51:00.001-06:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
"You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus." (Ephesians 4:20-21)

In the last two devo's, we saw Paul describe "normal" for human beings who live apart from God. They harden their hearts toward Him which leads toward foolish thinking in every area of life. Next, they make pleasure the point of life, seeking truth through what they can experience with their bodies.
But nobody finds the Truth that way. Nobody comes to Jesus through experimenting with pleasure. God is not against pleasure; He created it for our enjoyment and gave boundaries for how to experience it for our good. But God doesn't reveal Himself through human ecstasy; He reveals Himself through the teaching of His Word. That's God's plan. He doesn't hide truth from us; He gives it away.
Those who receive it from Him by trusting Jesus are changed forever -- from the inside out. That should show up in how we live every day.
Think: Do you think its good to be a seeker in life? What do you think about seekers who never find what they're looking for?
Pray: If you're a Christian, thank God that you came to know Jesus through the teaching of God's Word.
Do: Think about writing a quick thank you note to the person that taught you the truth about Jesus that led you to trust in Christ for your salvation.

Get more daily devotions just like this one at PlanetWisdom.com

SURF REPORT
Movie review of The Green Hornet [Christianity Today]
Movie review of The Dilemma [Christianity Today]

FORGETTABLE FACT
Kilts are not native to Scotland. They originated in France.

POTENT QUOTABLES
Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes.
~ Walt Whitman

A nation or civilization that continues to produce soft-minded men purchases its own spiritual death on the installment plan.
~ Martin Luther King, JR

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
Q: What's round and bad-tempered?
A: A vicious circle.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

No Youth Group Tonight

2011-01-11T14:47:00.000-06:00

**SNOW ALERT**

Hey all, due to the snow we won't meet up at church tonight, and we don't want to risk sledding as it's going to get waaay too cold. Unless it snows even more, we'll see you next week.

White Elephant Christmas Party!

2010-12-13T15:19:00.000-06:00

Hey Everyone! Remember that the Christmas Party on Tuesday, December 14 is at Ben and Jan Allen's house, and not at Chatham. If you need directions check the map. Also please remember to bring a wrap White Elephant gift to share, and remember there is a sock deocrating contest, and homemade cookie contest. See you there!

View Larger Map

Student Newsletter

2010-12-13T15:13:00.001-06:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
"If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still. The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields." (Ecclesiastes 5:8-9)

King Solomon of Israel may have been the richest man who ever lived. He was also the wisest. In Ecclesiastes 5, he combines those two to describe all the ways in which money fails to truly satisfy anyone.
He starts with the problems of injustice and taxes. During this campaign season, you'll hear candidates and political ads saying all kinds of things about poor people and taxes. No matter who wins, one thing won't change: Making more money always means paying more taxes — even in countries where it leaves the people starving.
Money fails to satisfy because every level of government takes a bite — city, county, state, national. The intent in many countries is to use that money for the common good, but lots of it gets wasted along the way and people get hurt. No matter the century or the form of government, the more you make the more they take.
Think: Taxes aren't always evil; they're just one of the burdens that come with having money. What are some of the others?
Pray: Thank God that He provides for all of our needs, including the need to pay the taxes we owe.
Do: Ask your parents what they think about paying taxes.

Get more daily devotions just like this one at PlanetWisdom.com

SURF REPORT
Movie Review of The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader [The Source 4 YM]
Movie Review of The Fighter [Christianity Today]

FORGETTABLE FACT
Whale oil was used in automobile transmissions as late as 1973.

POTENT QUOTABLES
Were it not for the shepherds, there would have been no reception. And were it not for a group of stargazers, there would have been no gifts.
~ Max Lucado

Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall.
~ Larry Wilde

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
Q: What do reindeer hang on their Christmas trees?
A: Horn-aments!

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Student Newsletter

2010-12-03T10:42:00.001-06:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
"When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. Jesus called them together and said, 'You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you.' " (Mark 10:41-43)

The brothers James and John made a risky play for power. They tried to manipulate Jesus into promising them the number 2 and 3 spots in His kingdom over the other 10 guys in their management training program. They picked a moment when Jesus was away from the other guys; they must have known the move would tick off their friends. It did.
Earlier in Mark, Jesus stepped in when the group was arguing about which of them was the greatest. From our side of history — knowing all about the crucifixion and Jesus' humility on the cross — their attitude just seems so wrong. But in the moment, it made a kind of sense. They really believed God would give Jesus the power to take over the world. As His followers, they wanted to stake their spot in His administration.
Jesus said they were acting like they belonged to some kind of secular (Gentile, non-Jewish) kingdom or corporation where a top dog runs the show and the guys under him jockey their way up the power ladder. In that world, if you outrank someone, you act like it. You boss him around. You better use your power or lose it. Jesus' kingdom doesn't work that way.
Think: How competitive are you? If you're better than someone else in a sport or academics or Bible knowledge, do you expect that person to give you the respect you deserve? How hungry are you to win and for others to know you beat them?
Pray: Ask God to help you understand how Jesus' power rankings are different than the kind of competitive rankings we're used to.
Do: Make a quick list of the top five and bottom five most popular or powerful or influential people in your class or group right now. Don't show it to anyone, but hold on to your list for tomorrow's devo.
Get more daily devotions just like this one at PlanetWisdom.com

SURF REPORT
Movie review of Harry Potter and the Deadly Hallows, Part 1 [Christianity Today]
Movie review of Tangled [Christianity Today]

FORGETTABLE FACT
There are 92 known cases of nuclear bombs lost at sea.

POTENT QUOTABLES
Tis not enough to help the feeble up, but to support them after.
~ William Shakespeare

I pointed out to you the stars and all you saw was the tip of my finger.
~ African Proverb

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
What would the country be called if everyone in it lived in their cars?
An in-car-nation.

VIDEOS
This is crazy and cool at the same time. Enjoy!

The SPAM Shake

2010-11-21T19:21:00.001-06:00

SPAM NIGHT!!

2010-11-21T19:05:00.001-06:00

Halloween part 2

2010-11-14T17:13:00.001-06:00

Halloween Party Pt 1

2010-11-14T16:33:00.001-06:00

Student Newsletter

2010-11-01T16:26:00.001-05:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
". . . bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience . . ." (Colossians 1:10-1

Today, we continue Paul's quick list of ways that we — as puny, single human beings in a world of 7 billion people — can bring pleasure to God. It's the list of ways Paul prayed that these Christians would continue growing.
Bearing fruit in every good work: Growing Christians do good works that make a difference in the lives of others.
Growing in the knowledge of God: Growing Christians keep finding our more and more about God.
Being strengthened by God's power: Growing Christians get stronger, which makes them more patient and able to trust God with less effort.
Think: Have you seen evidence of these three areas of growth in your own life? If so (or not), why do you think that is?
Pray: Ask God to help you to bear fruit for Him in every good work; to grow in your knowledge of Him; and to get stronger with His power so it's easier for you to trust Him longer.
Do: Make a list of the names of three Christians, one each that you've noticed growing in these ways during the last year or two.

Get more daily devotions just like this one at PlanetWisdom.com

SURF REPORT
Movie review of Tough Love [Christianity Today]
Movie review of Secretariat [Christianity Today]
3. FORGETTABLE FACT

The first TV commercial: a Bulova watch ticking onscreen for exactly 60 seconds

POTENT QUOTABLES
The first requisite for success is the ability to apply your physical and mental energies to one problem incessantly without growing weary.
~ Thomas Edison

Tact is the ability to describe others as they see themselves.
~ Abraham Lincoln

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
Why was Cinderella thrown off the basketball team?
She ran away from the ball

VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Still makes me laugh

Chatham Student Newsletter

2010-10-26T16:15:00.001-05:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
"But while Joseph was there in the prison, the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there . . . because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did." (Genesis 39:20-23)

Some of us do carry around that unspoken contract with God in our back pockets, the one mentioned in yesterday's devo: "If I follow God, God is obligated to make sure nothing rotten happens to me."
The problem with that contract is that God never made any promises about keeping hard things from coming our way. What did He promise? To be with us. To never leave or forsake us. And to use up our willing lives accomplishing His good plan for the universe.
God's best use of Joseph's life involved allowing him to be stuck for years in an Egyptian prison. But did you notice that God went there with him? That God was kind to Joseph in prison? That He gave Joseph success there?
Sometimes God wants a loyal servant in a hard place for a very specific purpose. Joseph was willing to be that person (though he wanted out). Are we willing?
Think: When hard things come into your life, do you resent God or do you thank Him for sticking with you and being kind to you even in the roughest moments?
Pray: Ask God to help you have accurate expectations of Him and to be enormously grateful that He is with you even when the worst happens.
Do: Make a quick list of five bad things that happened in your life this year. Put a check mark next to each one God walked through with you.

Get more daily devotions just like this one at PlanetWisdom.com

FORGETTABLE FACT
Why do puppies lick your face? Theyre instinctively looking for scraps of food.

POTENT QUOTABLES
Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.
~ Mother Teresa

Nothing takes the taste out of peanut butter quite like unrequited love.
~ Charlie Brown

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
It cost 7 million dollars to build the Titanic, and 200 million to make a film about it.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Slugs and Bugs are coming to Chatham! November 20, don’t miss out!
http://www.youtube.com/slugsbugslullabies#p/u/8/Fr2Ib3c3ujc

Student Newsletter

2010-10-18T17:00:00.001-05:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
"Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there. The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master." (Genesis 39:1-2)

"A good and powerful God would never have let such a terrible thing happen in my life!" Ever hear anyone say that? Maybe it was the divorce of her parents or some other personal betrayal. Maybe it was a physical attack, an illness, or a death. Maybe it didn't even happen to that person, but to someone she loved.
We understand the feeling. What's the good of belonging to the most powerful being in the universe if He won't act to keep tragedy from falling on our heads? Joseph could have asked that question. He'd just been attacked, robbed, and then sold to slave traders with little hope of ever seeing his dad and little brother again — and all of this by his 10 older brothers!
Instead of deciding that the God who would allow such a thing wasn't worth following, Joseph seems to have made a choice to believe the truth — that God was still with Him. He made a choice to continue to serve God. We're not told about any of his feelings, but God blessed Joseph — and kept blessing him — even though God chose not to keep Joseph from experiencing terrible circumstances.
Think: Do you judge God's goodness or power by your own personal circumstances? What's wrong with that idea?
Pray: Ask God for the courage to keep trusting Him even when hard things come into your life.
Do: Read Genesis 37:12-36 to find out exactly what Joseph's brothers did to him.

Get more daily devotions just like this one at PlanetWisdom.com

SURF REPORT
Movie review of Red [Christianity Today]
Movie review of Letters to Father Jacob [Christianity Today]

FORGETTABLE FACT
Hummingbirds can't walk.

POTENT QUOTABLES
Man's schemes are inferior to those made by heaven.
~ Chinese Proverb

If we only have the will to walk, then God is pleased with our stumbles.
~ C.S. Lewis

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
What did the mother broom say to the baby broom?
It's time to go to sweep.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Bet your pumpkin does not do this!

Pumpkin Motor Boat Racing

Diagonal View | Myspace Video

Student Newsletter

2010-10-11T12:07:00.001-05:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" (Romans 6:1-2)

We join this letter immediately after the writer — Paul — has made an earth-shattering statement: "Where sin increased, grace increased all the more." Astounding! God's grace is so enormous, so elastic, that it wraps all the way around our sin like an unbreakable balloon. The more we sin, the bigger God's grace gets to cover our sin (through faith in Jesus' death in our place on the cross).
You can never, ever sin so much God's grace isn't big enough to cover your sin. What a great God! The more we sin, the more impressive His forgiveness looks. So let's make Him look really impressive by collecting sins like they were Facebook friends, right?
Paul answers that. Depending on your translation, he says: "No!" "By no means!" "God forbid." "May it never be!" "Certainly not!" Why? Because God's impressive grace doesn't stop at covering your giant pile of sin; it also flipped off the shock collar that kept you from breaking free of sin in the first place. (More on that idea tomorrow.)
Think: Is it a weird idea that God's grace is limitless -- that we can never out-sin His ability to forgive? Or is it so normal an idea that we take it for granted?
Pray: Thank God for His impossibly impressive grace and forgiveness for your sin (if you've trusted in Jesus' death in your place on the cross).
Do: To get a clearer picture, read Romans 5.

Get more daily devotions just like this one at PlanetWisdom.com

SURF REPORT
Movie review of The Social Network [Joel Mayward]
Movie review of Secretariat [Christianity Today]

FORGETTABLE FACT
Kilts are not native to Scotland. They originated in France.

POTENT QUOTABLES
Reflect upon your blessings, of which every man has plenty, not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.
~ Charles Dickens

Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.
~ Albert Einstein

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
Knock, knock.
Who’s there?
Reed.
Reed who?
Reed between the lines.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK
It amuses me when Sesame Street has become funnier than SNL!

Party with Tori

2010-09-28T20:50:00.000-05:00

View Larger Map

Kentucky Tori is coming back to town, and we are having a get together at Bonnie's from 7-10 p.m. this Friday.

Chatham Student Newsletter

2010-09-27T15:24:00.001-05:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
"After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: 'Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites.' " (Joshua 1:1-2)

This week, we're going to read about Joshua and talk about what it means to be a leader. It's hard to imagine a more intimidating job than his. How do you "take over" for Moses? God handpicked Moses to lead His people out of captivity in Egypt. God showed Himself to Moses and delivered to him the Ten Commandments and the Law. God inspired Moses to write the first five books of the Bible. Moses had been the top guy in Israel for 40 years!
If I'd been Joshua — about to lead Israel into the Promised Land after Moses' death — I would have been scared. For 40 years, the people of Israel had been waiting for this very day. And now their leader Moses was gone. How was Joshua going to pull this off?
God's first words to him: "Get ready to go." Joshua is about to learn that even when God is the one taking care of everything, good leaders must prepare to do what God tells us. We can't just wait for all the details to fall into place on their own. Part of obeying God is getting ourselves (and those under our influence) ready to obey God.
Think: How do you prepare to obey God's instructions to you? What do you do to get yourself ready to honor your parents, to remain sexually pure, to keep yourself from telling lies? Is anyone following your example?
Pray: Ask God for new insight from Joshua's life about how you can get yourself ready to obey whatever He asks you to do.
Do: Make a short list of a few people in your life under your influence, anyone who might follow your example one way or another.

Get more daily devotions just like this one at PlanetWisdom.com

SURF REPORT
Before you die!
http://www.readthisbeforeyoudie.com/

FORGETTABLE FACT
Pumpkin rule of thumb: the darker the shell, the longer the pumpkin lasts.

POTENT QUOTABLES
Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there.
~ Will Rogers
Failure is the opportunity to begin again, more intelligently.
~ Henry Ford

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
Why were the teacher's eyes crossed?
She couldn't control her pupils.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Don’t mess with the panda!

Chatham Student Newsletter

2010-09-20T10:58:00.001-05:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21)

Jesus said these words in what we usually call His "Sermon on the Mount" because He preached to the crowd while sitting on the side of a mountain. He's talking about money here, but He makes a bigger point about this life: It's not the one we're built for.
I know you know that. And you know I know that. But neither of us really gets it, I don't think. We can't quite talk our hearts out of the idea that a "good life" is all about getting what we want and not having bad things happen to us. That's why we pull out those three little words whenever an evil person gets away with murder or a good person's house gets flooded: "That's not fair."
Jesus' teaching says, "You've got the wrong score card. Nothing in this life could be good enough to make up for living with all this pain. Nothing here could be bad enough to compare to the mind-shocking glory of the next life. Don't play to win this sin-shortened existence; play for the one that matters."
Think: What treasure matters most to you — what you might get in this life or what you could experience in heaven forever? Why do you think that is?
Pray: Ask God to help you to begin to care more about the riches of heaven than the dreams of earth.
Do: Make a short list of some of the earthly treasures (stuff, experiences, relationships, etc.) that your heart loves to hope for.

Get more daily devotions just like this one at PlanetWisdom.com

SURF REPORT
Movie review of The Town [Christianity Today]
Movie review of Jack Goes Boating [Christianity Today]

FORGETTABLE FACT
There are 92 known cases of nuclear bombs lost at sea.

POTENT QUOTABLES
I know God will not give me anything I cannot handle. I just wish He didn't trust me so much.
~ Mother Theresa

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
How can you get four suits for a dollar?
Buy a deck of cards.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Happy Birthday Julia!

Chatham Student Newsletter

2010-08-31T14:21:00.001-05:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
"Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble." (1 Peter 3:8)

Peter is a writing here to a group of Christians, some of whom are being (or about to be) mistreated because they follow Jesus. He's about to give them some guidelines for how Christians can live in an honorable way even when we're going through hard times.
He starts with this: Treat each other right. No, that doesn't go far enough. He really says, "Treat each other as close family." It's easy when you're living through a painful season to excuse meanness. It's easy to say to yourself, "Everyone will just have to understand how much I'm hurting; I don't have the energy to be nice."
What Peter will tell us this week is that's exactly backwards. God can make our suffering count for something, especially if we'll live like we're His in the middle of it. So keep getting together with believers. Look for ways to show sympathy to others (not just yourself). Be compassionate and humble. Give them "family access" to your heart (and visa versa).
Think: Do you live in harmony with other Christians? When you're hurting, do you get closer or pull away from your Christian family? Why?
Pray: Ask God to help you to treat the believers in your church the way this verse describes.
Do: Look up the word "harmony" in an online dictionary and write down the definition.

Get more daily devotions just like this one at PlanetWisdom.com

SURF REPORT
Movie review of Flipped [Christianity Today]
More teens becoming "fake" Christians [CNN.com]

FORGETTABLE FACT
The Pacific island of Naurus economy is almost entirely based on bird droppings.

POTENT QUOTABLES
The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital.
~ Joe Paterno
There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, learning from failure.
~ Colin Powell

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
What do you call a calf after it's six months old?
Seven months old.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Student Newsletter

2010-08-24T11:01:00.001-05:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
"For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers." (Ephesians 1:15-16)

How should you pray for your friends, your parents, your siblings, anyone you really care about? This week, Paul will show us some essential things to pray for other Christians -- and for ourselves -- by telling us exactly what he prayed for his friends in a town called Ephesus.
Notice first that he is praying for believers -- people who have trusted Jesus and who love other Christians. These prayers are not intended -- and would not make sense, mostly -- for unbelievers. For them, the most earnest prayer should always be that they would come into the family of God through faith in Jesus.
But the first thing Paul says to God about these brothers and sisters in Jesus is "thank you." Then he says it again. Then he says it again. In fact, he says he never stops saying it. To give thanks for others, to remember them to God, is a way of admitting that when God created and saved them, He did a good thing. Their lives matter because they matter to Him. Also, of course, we thank God because they matter to us.
Think: How often do you thank God for the Christians in your life? Your parents? Your friends? Why don't we think to do that more often?
Pray: Ask God to help you to be grateful for other believers and to express that thankfulness to Him.
Do: Make a list of five Christians in your life you can pray for this week using Paul's words in Ephesians. Include at least one person you don't always get along with. Add yourself to the list at #6. Start today by thanking God for everyone on the list.
Get more daily devotions just like this one at PlanetWisdom.com

SURF REPORT
Movie Review of Nanny McPhee Returns [Christianity Today]
Movie Review of What If... [Christianity Today]

FORGETTABLE FACT
Bluebirds cannot see the color blue.

POTENT QUOTABLES
Arise, and be not afraid.
~ Jesus (Matthew 17:7)

Prejudices, it is well known, are most difficult to eradicate from the heart whose soil has never been loosened or fertilised by education: they grow there, firm as weeds among stones.
~ Charlotte Bronte in Jane Eyre

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
Why did the doughnut shop close?
The owner got tired of the (w)hole business!

VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Ladies love guys that jump out of the way when they are about to get hit with a foul ball!

Welcome 6th Graders

2010-08-22T07:26:00.001-05:00

Here are some of the "Welcome 6th Graders" photos taken at S.W.A.T. on 8/17/2010. Go to http://cid-a037bbecc111cb19.photos.live.com/play.aspx/SWAT/2010-08-17%20Welcome%206th%20Graders%20Party?ref=1 to see them all.

Don't forget to go to http://cid-a037bbecc111cb19.photos.live.com/play.aspx/SWAT/2010-08-17%20Welcome%206th%20Graders%20Party?ref=1 to see the rest.

Student Newsletter

2010-08-16T17:15:00.001-05:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." (Colossians 3:1-2)

It's heaven week on the PW daily devo. This week, we're going to ask, "What's so great about heaven, anyway?" We start in Colossians with a couple of the most overlooked commands in the New Testament. These are powerful commands because they tell us huge things about God and about ourselves.
First, we learn that God does not just care what we do; He cares what we feel and think about. Second, we learn that we have the power to "set" our emotions and thoughts on whatever we choose. You can control your feelings instead of being run over by them. You can choose where your mind lingers.
Think of yourself as a cowboy and your thoughts and emotions as hundreds of cattle. Where should you be driving those little doggies? Toward "things above," the verse says. Think about -- feel about -- what goes on above your daily life on earth. Round up all those stray thoughts and surging emotions and drive them in the direction of "heaven stuff."
Why? Tune in tomorrow.
Think: Estimate about what percentage of your waking hours you spend with your heart and mind set on "things above."
Pray: Ask God to make you hungrier for heaven this week.
Do: Make a little list of the top 5 "earthly things" you tend to think and feel about most.

Get more daily devotions just like this one at PlanetWisdom.com

SURF REPORT
Movie Review of Despicable Me [Youth Specialties]

FORGETTABLE FACT
Pearls melt in vinegar.

POTENT QUOTABLES
Motivation is simple. You eliminate those who are not motivated.
~ Lou Holtz
Behind every able man, there are always other able men.
~ Chinese Proverb

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
A ' jiffy' is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK
It is state fair time! YIKES!

2010-08-16T16:32:00.001-05:00

Sky Zone Photos

2010-08-13T07:14:00.001-05:00

Here is a sample of the photos taken at Sky Zone on 8/10/2010. Go to http://cid-a037bbecc111cb19.photos.live.com/play.aspx/SWAT/2010-08-10%20Sky%20Zone?ref=1 to see them all.

Don't forget to go to http://cid-a037bbecc111cb19.photos.live.com/play.aspx/SWAT/2010-08-10%20Sky%20Zone?ref=1 to see the rest.

SKYZONE TONIGHT!

2010-08-10T14:03:00.000-05:00

Don't forget that tonight is Skyzone! Remember that you need a Skyzone waiver, and $8 to get in! Also remember that we want to leave church by 6:30 p.m. so please get to church on time or miss the bus.

Student Newsletter

2010-08-10T13:54:00.001-05:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
"He who does these things will never be shaken." (Psalm 15:5)

Old West gunfighters. Mafia and kung fu guys on TV. Marines. All these guy's guys are said to live their lives by a code. They don't always do good things -- and sometimes they do evil things -- but they're famous for honoring some kind of code for what's okay and what's not.
In Psalm 15, King David of Israel describes a code to live by. It's not the Ten Commandments; it's not the Law. In 5 short verses, he describes a life code to live by that accomplishes two things: First and most important, it's the life God wants to see in His people. The second result of following the code pops up in the last sentence, today's verse: "He who does these things will never be shaken."
The boring word I'm trying not to use here is "character." A person of character lives by a code of right and wrong, doing things that please God and skipping those that don't. Even in the worst moments of life, that code tells him or her how to live in a way that is not worthless.
John Holt put it this way: "The true test of character is not how much we know how to do, but how we behave when we don't know what to do." Stay tuned this week to learn David's code for an unshakable life.
Think: Is it necessarily noble to live by a code if it's the wrong code? How do we know a good code from a worthless one?
Pray: Ask God to help you want to be a person of character. Ask Him to help you live in a way that pleases Him.
Do: Write down one or two Do's and Don'ts you would include if you were building your own code for life.
Get more daily devotions just like this one at PlanetWisdom.com

SURF REPORT
Movie Review of The Other Guys [Christianity Today]
Movie Review of The Concert [Christianity Today]

FORGETTABLE FACT
Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing.

POTENT QUOTABLES
We all have ability. The difference is how we use it.
~ Stevie Wonder

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
What did the rug say to the floor?
Don't move, I've got you covered.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Looking good Finland!

Swimming Party Photos

2010-08-06T07:43:00.001-05:00

Here is a small sample of the photos taken at the swimming party on 8/3/2010. Go to http://cid-a037bbecc111cb19.photos.live.com/play.aspx/SWAT/2010-08-03%20Swim%20Party?ref=1 to see them all.

Don't forget to go to http://cid-a037bbecc111cb19.photos.live.com/play.aspx/SWAT/2010-08-03%20Swim%20Party?ref=1 to see the rest.

Student Newsletter

2010-07-19T16:41:00.001-05:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
"Now bands from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman's wife. She said to her mistress, 'If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.' " (2 Kings 5:2-3)

We don't hear much from this "young girl" after this paragraph, but in a lot of ways she's the real hero of Naaman's story. In contrast to Naaman's life, hers was truly awful.
He was a military hero, a self-made man, a genuine success story. Her nation had been conquered. Her family may very well have been killed by the raiding party mentioned here. She had been made a slave, hauled off to Aram to serve Naaman's wife with very little hope of ever going back home.
Instead of speaking up about a prophet in Samaria who could heal Naaman, she could have kept that news to herself. She could have prayed for his death. Instead, she selflessly made a choice to point her dying "enemy" to the source of hope and life -- the prophet of the God of her people.
Think: Do you need to let go of any resentment or anger to make yourself more available to point hurting people to our God of hope through Jesus?
Pray: Ask God to use your whole life as a giant arrow pointing to Jesus.
Do: Make yourself a giant arrow costume to wear around the neighborhood this week. (Okay, don't do that. That's just silly.)

SURF REPORT
Dream Big for Jesus [Christianity Today]
Movie review of Predators [Christianity Today]

FORGETTABLE FACT
When you walk down a steep hill, the pressure on your knees is equal to three times your body weight.

POTENT QUOTABLES
The way to love anything is to realize that it might be lost.
G.K. Chesterton
A good conscience is a soft pillow.
~ English Proverb

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
The first rule of holes: If you are in one, stop digging

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Student Newsletter

2010-06-28T13:54:00.001-05:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge." (Psalm 19:1-2)

Ever have to fill out a job application or hand over a résumé to someone? You work hard to list all of your best accomplishments, your education, your experience. You hope the person sees from a summary of credits that you've got what it takes to do that job. Your work and academic history -- and your references -- speak for you.
In Psalm 19, David makes the case that God doesn't need to carry any kind of résumé with Him. He should not have to convince anyone that He exists, that He is real, or that He is powerful. He can just say, "Look up." "The heavens" should be all the PR He needs. The sun and moon and stars shout down to the earth, "Look what God did. Look how powerful He is, how creative, how artistic, how precise."
What a silly thought that the God who created all that beauty and function and light would have to prove Himself to anyone.
Think: If the heavens speak of God day and night, what are some of the things they say about Him? What are some concrete things we can know about God from His creation?
Pray: Ask God to help you see His fingerprint in what He has made. Thank Him for giving you the ability to notice.
Do: Look up! (Works best if you're outside.)

SURF REPORT
Movie review of Sold [Christianity Today]
Movie review of Grown Ups [Christianity Today]

FORGETTABLE FACT
Leonardo da Vinci was dyslexic, and he often wrote backwards.

POTENT QUOTABLES
When I became a man I put away childish things including the fear of childishness & the desire to be very grown up
~ C.S. Lewis
>You have to have confidence in your ability, and then be tough enough to follow through.
~ Rosalynn Carter

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
If a long dress is evening wear, what is a suit of armor?
Silverware.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Pretty cool magic trick!

Student Newsletter

2010-06-22T10:33:00.001-05:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient." (Ephesians 2:1-2)

Did you hear about that team of dead guys who climbed Mount Everest? No? That's because dead guys don't climb mountains. Dead guys don't do anything. Dead guys who are all the way dead just sit there decomposing. You can poke them with a stick. Nothing.
What would it take to be good enough to be with God in heaven forever? It would take a lot more than being able to climb Mount Everest. Some people have done that, right? But none of them were dead.
Paul wrote that we all start out with a big problem. Spiritually speaking, we're dead -- born that way because we were born sinful. Poke-us-with-a-stick dead. All the way dead. And spiritually dead people can't take even one step toward God. So we lived spiritually dead lives, just like Satan wanted us to.
Powerless. Lifeless. Dead.
Think: If we start out as spiritual dead, how much of heaven can we ever hope to earn by doing spiritually good stuff?
Pray: Ask God to help you understand more clearly what He did to bring you salvation.
Do: Find something dead and poke it with a stick. No? Okay, find someone spiritually dead and poke him with a stick. Then read Ephesians 2:1-10 to him.

SURF REPORT
Movie review of Saving the Children [Christianity Today]
Movie review of Winter's Bone [Christianity Today]

FORGETTABLE FACT
Luciano Pavarotti received 165 curtain calls on February 24, 1988, after singing in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore in Berlin.

POTENT QUOTABLES
Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.
~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
What's the difference between chopped beef and pea soup?
Everyone can chop beef, but not everyone can pea soup!

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Student Newsletter

2010-06-08T09:31:00.001-05:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
"But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." (Matthew 6:6)

We're all about prayer this week. More specifically, we're all about Jesus' Matthew 6 teaching on how we should do this thing called "prayer."
First step: Pray for God's ears, not other people's. Praying in public makes some people nervous. I don't really blame them for saying silly things to God in those moments, but you can sometimes tell they're worried about "sounding right" to the people around them. They work in a few churchy phrases because they've heard everyone else do it. Jesus told his listeners to do their praying behind closed doors -- in secret.
Why? For one thing, it weeds out all the wrong motives. The Jewish religious leaders gave each other spiritual browning points for style and form in their public prayers, but they were missing the point of talking to God. When you're alone, you know you're not impressing anyone with your prayer-talk. You're more likely to talk to Him straight out of your own life, not out of someone else's prayer fashion handbook.
Of course, you're not going to pray in secret unless you're convinced God is listening. Prayer in secret is an act of greater faith in the God who cares so deeply about you. Jesus promised that our invisible Father listens and rewards those prayers. You don't need to step up to the microphone for Him to hear and answer you.
Think: If you ever pray in front of people, do you pray any differently than you do when you're alone? Are you ever tempted to try to impress people with your prayers? How likely are you to pray when nobody is looking?
Pray: Ask God to help you talk to Him more often when nobody else is around.
Do: Is a closet handy? Try praying in it today. No, you don't really need to pray in a closet for God to hear you, but trying it once or twice might make you more aware of how you're talking to God.

SURF REPORT
Movie Review of Splice[Christianity Today]
Movie Review of Robin Hood [Christianity Today]

FORGETTABLE FACT
When your face blushes, the lining of your stomach turns red, too.

POTENT QUOTABLES
I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it's not the answer.
~ Jim Carrey
In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.
~ Robert Frost

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
How do you prevent a Summer cold?

Catch it in the Winter!

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Student Newsletter

2010-06-01T11:18:00.001-05:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
Today, we wrap up our week-long list of all the benefits that come with trusting in Jesus for our salvation from sin and into a new, eternal life in God's family. And this last one is huge.
Have you ever heard the story of a father and his son, estranged and distant for years and years because of some disagreement, who come back together on the father's deathbed and make peace with each other. They forgive each other and embrace (and probably cry). They have been reconciled.
We were estranged from God, because of our sin. We needed to be forgiven, and that's what Jesus did for us on the cross. It was over His empty deathbed that we were embraced by our Father in heaven. The relationship is fixed for all time. Jesus is alive again and we have been reconciled to Him.
We are saved, and we will be saved, this verse tells us. Once God has reconciled us to Himself, we will not become unreconciled. We will be walking with Him forever.
Think: What did you have to do to convince God to "take you back" or reconcile you to Himself? Why do you think He took action to make reconciliation with Him possible before we even cared about it?
Pray: If you have trusted in Jesus for salvation, thank God for reconciling your relationship with Him through Jesus' death for us on the cross. Thank Him that you are saved and will walk with Him forever.
Do: Finish your list from this week with one last item: 10) We are reconciled to God forever! Then put the list up somewhere where you will bump into it for a few weeks to be reminded of who you are right now, today, as a Christian.

SURF REPORT
PlanetWisdom Tour: Coming to a City Near You
http://www.planetwisdom.com/tour

Movie Review of Prince of Persia [Christianity Today]

FORGETTABLE FACT
The average French citizen eats 500 snails a year.

POTENT QUOTABLES
I like nonsense; it wakes up the brain cells.
~ Dr. Suess

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
What clothes does a house wear?
Address.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Student Newsletter

2010-05-25T12:30:00.001-05:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
The gospel is analog. It can't be automated. It will never be digitally delivered. Even if someone hears it on the radio or reads it on a Web page, the message itself is written down or spoken by a living, breathing human being who heard it from another one -- going all the way back to the biblical writers themselves.

That's one reason we are convinced that the good news of Jesus is true. We can see with our eyes how it has changed the lives of the people who have taught us about God from His Word. We can see it at work in them. Their lives are evidence that this powerful message is real.
Don't look at the Christian leaders you admire who are really living as they teach and say, "That works for them and not for me." Look at them and say, "This works for them! Look how God works in them!" Then, we're told, imitate their faith. Copy them. Follow their example.
It's the same Christ in you that is alive and active in them. Don't give up.
Think: Who are the people who have spoken the Word of God to you? How has their relationship with God changed their lives over time? How could you imitate their faith?
Pray: Ask God to help you to imitate the faith of the trustworthy Christian leaders in your life who have definitely been changed by Him. Thank Him that the same Jesus is at work in your heart.
Do: Pick one or two people you would consider Chirstian role models in your life and ask them how they trust God and how their faith in Christ has changed them over time.

SURF REPORT
Movie review of Shrek Forever After [Christianity Today]
Movie review of Racing Dreams [Christianity Today]

FORGETTABLE FACT
Mel Blanc, the voice of Bugs Bunny, was allergic to carrots.

POTENT QUOTABLES
In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
~ Proverbs 16:9

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
Q: What do you call a dinosaur that wears a cowboy hat and boots?
A: Tyrannosaurus Tex

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

"Sunday's Coming" Movie Trailer from North Point Media on Vimeo.

Adventure Camp Forms

2010-05-12T12:13:00.002-05:00

Here are all the forms that you need for camp...

Basic Info
Health History Form
Rafting Wavier

Packing List

Personal List1. Rain Gear – it will rain! Please do not feel like you need top of line gear, but do not go with the cheapest either. You can also find windbreakers that are waterproof.

2. Sleeping Bag – You will need a sleeping bag rated for at least 50 degrees, and no more than 3 lbs. Most bags come with a stuff sack, if it does not consider getting a compression sack, that makes the bag smaller. Do not purchase an expense bag, and before you purchase ask around to see if someone has one that you could borrow.
3. Stuff Sacks - help with packing the backpacks
4. Hiking Boots/shoes – please make sure that if you buy new that the boots are properly broken in before the trip. Also if using shoes, make sure that they can stand the rigors of hiking.
5. Water Shoes/Strap in Sandals – FLIP FLOPS DO NOT COUNT!
6. Gloves – cotton stretch (it can get cold)
7. Soap – personal use
8. Insulated Jacket/Fleece – it could be cold
9. Warm socks – one pair at least
10.Swimming suit – modest please!
11. Underwear – is fun to wear!
12. Long Sleeve shirt – you will receive one as part of your camp experience
13. Short sleeve shirts
14. Long Pants and a couple pairs of shorts15. Socks – hiking socks are nice but not necessary
16. 2 Nalgenes – heavy duty water bottles. You can go with a cheaper brand, though please make sure that they are 32 oz. bottles.
17. Utensils – Fork/Knife/Spoon. You can purchase a combo, please note that stainless steel works
18. Sierra Cup – this is a cup that can be used for food, or for drink. Stainless steel or plastic will work.
19. Journal
20. Pen
21. Bible 22. Headlamp or small flashlight
22. Toothbrush/paste/toiletries
23. Towel24. Bike Helmet
25. Bike – the trails that we will be on are for mountain bikes or a hybrid type (looks like mountain but has smaller tires. If you don’t have a bike or if you do not plan on riding, please do not feel like you have to purchase one for this trip) 26. Sun block – think smaller travel size

Optional1. Camera – If you bring a nicer one please consider a dry case to store it
2. Hat – ball caps help, but the best to keep the sun off your face/ears/neck are boonie hats. (brim all around)
3. Sunglasses
4. Pocket Knife – if you abuse it you lose it J

5. Fishing rod and tackle

What is allowed on the bus ride? Please understand that have of the fun is the journey there. Also know that these things will be collected once we get to North Carolina. Please advise friends and family that leaders will have cell phones in case of emergencies.1. Cell phones
2. Mp3/Ipods

3. Handheld games

What not to bring?1. Fireworks
2. Illegal drugs
3. Guns and ammo
4. Your mom
5. Bad attitudes
6. Possums

Stores to check for gear
Rei
Cabella’s
Bass Pro Shop
Wal-Mart
Target (limited selection)
K-Mart (limited selection)

Websites to check for gear
rei.com (will ship to the store for free)
campmor.com
sierratradingpost.com
llbean.com
amazon.com

*Special notes about packing…
*Use only soft sided duffel bags. Medium would be best.
* Please bring a regular back pack (school type)

Student Newsletter

2010-05-10T13:38:00.001-05:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART

"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody." (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12)

This isn't the way I usually think of ambition. If I'm feeling ambitious to live for God, at all, I want to do BIG things: Witness to every person at school. Build an orphanage with my bare hands. Memorize the New Testament . . . in Greek.

But Paul wants us to think of a long-term strategy to help unbelievers to notice Christ in the way we live every day -- not just in the BIG things we do to "change the world."

Lead a well-rested life (not a silent one). Pay more attention to how you're living than how everyone else is living. Get a job and do good work so you can be a giver and not a taker.

Doing the opposite may lead people to think following Jesus leaves us exhausted, judgmental, lazy, foolish, and broke.

Think: What's your plan for your life? Will it help you to lead a restful, wise, and working life that will be respectable to those who don't know Jesus?

Pray: Ask God to help you to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your hands in a way that earns Him the respect of outsiders

Do: Make a quick list of 3-4 Christians you respect. Notice how these qualities do (or don't) fit into their lives.

SURF REPORT
Movie Review of Iron Man 2 [Christianity Today]
Movie Review of Babies [Christianity Today]

FORGETTABLE FACT
Take your height and divide by eight. Thats how tall your head is.

POTENT QUOTABLES
We cannot truly face life until we face the fact that it will be taken away from us.
~ Billy Graham
We shall draw from the heart of suffering itself the means of inspiration and survival.
~ Winston Churchill

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
The prospective son-in-law was asked by his girl friend's father, 'Son, are you able to support a family?'
'Well, no, sir,' he replied. 'I was just planning to support your daughter. The rest of you will have to fend for yourselves.'

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Student Newsletter

2010-05-04T10:04:00.001-05:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART

"All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God." (2 Corinthians 4:15)

What are you living for? If everyone's life on this side of eternity gets spent, gets used up until they die, what will you spend yours accomplish? What is worth sweating and bleeding and suffering for?

You're not an apostle -- and might not even be thinking of going into "full-time ministry" -- but you couldn't do much better than to borrow Paul's purpose statement from today's verse for why he was willing to use up his days doing such hard things.

You might be able to hear it better if we reverse engineer the verse: "So that God will get glory from overflowing thanksgiving from all the people His grace is reaching, I am willing to suffer whatever it takes (in God's power and knowing I will be resurrected to perfect and painless life in eternity)."

So what are you willing to live, work, suffer, and die for before you get to heaven?

Think: Which is bigger in your life today -- the goal to avoid hard things for your comfort or the goal to do hard things for God's glory?

Pray: Ask God to help you to feel so motivated by bringing Him glory that you're willing to use your life up serving people who will thank Him for His grace.

Do: Look for an opportunity to serve someone this week in way that's not necessarily easy or comfortable for you.

A Daily Devotional from PlanetWisdom.com, copyright 2010 Youth Specialties. Used by permission.

SURF REPORT
Movie review of Hubble 3D [Christianity Today]
Movie review of A Shine of Rainbows [Christianity Today]

FORGETTABLE FACT
Americans will spend more on cat food this year than baby food.

POTENT QUOTABLES
You and I were long friends: you are now my enemy, and I am yours.
~ Benjamin Franklin
Hold a true friend with both your hands.
~ Nigerian Proverb

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
How do you prevent a Summer cold?
Catch it in the Winter!

VIDEO OF THE WEEK
This guy is good!

Student Newsletter

2010-04-13T12:07:00.001-05:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART

" 'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.' The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah" (Psalm 46:10-11)

I often try to take the words of this verse personally, to be still before God and remember -- know more fully -- that He is God. I try to quiet down my mind and trust God on a deeper level. I think that's a good thing.

But that's not really the gist of what this verse is saying. Instead, God is warning the nations -- the ones in an uproar, the ones making war -- not to resist Him when He comes to put an end to war, not to think they will ever succeed without Him. He is the God of the nations, as well as the God of our hearts. He will win.

We can come up with plenty of things to be afraid of on this side of heaven, but God is our fortress, our refuge, our strength, our help right now. He is with us here. And in the end, every last king and citizen and spirit will surrender to Him. (See Philippians 2:9-11.)

If that is our God and He is for us, what do we have to be afraid of?

Think: Do you think we struggle with fear because we don't truly understand how powerful our God is? Or how much He loves us? Or how temporary the life before eternal life really is?

Pray: Thank God that He is with you because you have placed your faith in Jesus. Thank Him that He is your fortress.

Do: Maybe read Romans 8:31-39 one more time.

A Daily Devotional from PlanetWisdom.com, copyright 2010 Youth Specialties. Used by permission.

SURF REPORT
Everyone Needs Forgiveness [Christianity Today]
Free Book [John MacArthur]

FORGETTABLE FACT
Got gas? 40% of all indigestion remedies sold in the world are bought by Americans.

POTENT QUOTABLES
Tell me who your friends are, so I can tell you who you are.
~ Bulgarian proverb
Happiness is a butterfly, which, when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.
~ Nathaniel Hawthorne

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
There are 293 ways to make change for a dollar.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Student Newsletter

2010-04-05T11:59:00.001-05:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART

"He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 'Men of Galilee,' they said, 'why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.' " (Acts 1:9-11)

I don't think countforward is a real word, but we're not counting down any more. The countdown was finished when Jesus walked out of His tomb alive and more powerful than ever. Now the clock is moving forward toward the day He will return.

In the verses right before these, Jesus said we don't get to know how long. Nobody knows the hour or the day -- but there is a specific hour, a day on the calendar, coming. He will be back. The Father knows exactly when.

In the meantime, we have a job to do, you and me and all those who believe all of these things we've been talking about all week. We have a job to use real power -- the same power of God that raised Jesus from the dead at work in us -- to be witnesses of what we've seen that power accomplish.

It's a job that matters. And the clock is ticking. That's the message of Acts 1.

Think: Are you looking forward to the return of Christ? What difference does His return make in your life? How seriously do you take the call to be His witness in your world?

Pray: Ask God to help you to make the best use of the power and time He gives to you to accomplish whatever He asks of you in this life.

Do: Read Acts 1 all the way through.

A Daily Devotional from PlanetWisdom.com, copyright 2010 Youth Specialties. Used by permission.

SURF REPORT
Movie review of Clash of the Titans ~ Christianity Today
Movie review of The Secret of the Kells ~ Christianity Today

FORGETTABLE FACT
Bluebirds cannot see the color blue.

POTENT QUOTABLES
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I... I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.
~ Robert Frost
Reflect upon your blessings, of which every man has plenty, not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.
~ Charles Dickens

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
Lead me not into temptation (I can find the way myself).

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Chatham Student Newsletter

2010-03-30T10:48:00.001-05:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:21)

Defeat evil. Check. Okay, we're done. We've spent two weeks looking at a list of bullet-point commands that describe what Christians do, what it means -- specifically -- to walk after Jesus.

This last one, though, sounds like something Uncle Ben would say to Peter Parker. It's a heroic statement. After all these commands about setting ourselves aside for the good of others, about not getting even, about giving the bad guys drinks of water -- we find out that the point is to defeat evil.

We're not just following the selfless Son of God who died on the cross for our sin; we're also following the powerful Son of God who defeated death. We're following the King who will rule the universe forever.

Christians don't let evil beat them by joining in the evil to win a false victory; they overwhelm evil by refusing to stop doing good, no matter what it costs. Thats' how Jesus walked.

Think: Have you ever seen someone overcome evil by doing good? What might that look like in real life?

Pray: Ask God to help you not to be overcome by evil, but to overcome evil with good.

Do: Read Romans 13 to learn more about walking like Jesus.

A Daily Devotional from PlanetWisdom.com, copyright 2010 Youth Specialties. Used by permission.

SURF REPORT
Movie Review of How to Train Your Dragon - Christianity Today

Baseball season is back!! - Major League Baseball

FORGETTABLE FACT
Napoleon constructed his battle plans in a sandbox.

POTENT QUOTABLES
My job isn't to tell your kids how to act or how not to act, because I'm still figuring that out for myself, So to take that away from me is a bit selfish. Your kids are going to make mistakes whether I do or not. That's just life.
~ Miley Cyrus
If we only have the will to walk, then God is pleased with our stumbles.
~ C.S. Lewis

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
The words 'racecar', ' kayak' and 'level' are palindromes. They read the same whether you read them left to right or right to left.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Student Newsletter

2010-03-22T13:10:00.001-05:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART

"Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse." (Romans 12:14)

Did you just feel the degree of difficulty go up a notch on this list of things Jesus-followers do?

Until this one, everything we've covered has been nice things, easy to agree with even if you don't necessarily plan on doing them. Just imagining yourself doing them makes you feel pretty good.

But this one is personal. This one, I imagine myself feeling bad about if I really did it. Blessing would be exactly last on my instinctive list of things to do if someone persecuted me. It would come after "ducking," "persecuting back," "leaving town for the good of my family," "explaining what the persecutor obviously doesn't understand," and "hiding in a hole."

Following Jesus is hard. His path led through betrayal, torture, and a public, brutal death on a cross -- where He forgave those who were persecuting Him. This is what Christians do.

Think: Over the centuries, some people have read this verse while in the middle of violent persecution for their faith in Jesus. Do you think being in that place would make it harder or easier to imagine imitating Jesus and obeying this command?

Pray: Ask God to help you to bless those who persecute you, to bless and not to curse.

Do: Read Matthew 5 and notice everything Jesus says about people who are persecuted.

A Daily Devotional from PlanetWisdom.com, copyright 2010 Youth Specialties. Used by permission.

SURF REPORT
Will "The Dawn Treader" Float? - Christianity Today

FORGETTABLE FACT
A coffee tree yields about one pound of coffee in a year.

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
The sentence: 'The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog' uses every letter of the alphabet.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Student Newsletter

2010-03-15T15:55:00.001-05:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART

"Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did." (1 John 2:6)

Here's something that would be weird: A 28-year-old guy who never, ever walked in his whole life even though he was perfectly healthy. He just never felt like it. He never got around to it. Maybe someday when he's older.

Guess what? That never happens. Human babies who can walk always do eventually. If they don't, they're not healthy. Something is wrong that needs fixing.

But I know some Christians who think it's perfectly normal not to walk in the way of Jesus. They seem to think you can be a healthy Christian without ever moving your spiritual legs, without ever getting up and following after Jesus. Guess what? Healthy Christians always walk -- unless there's something seriously wrong. (We might fall down a lot, but that's because we're walking in the first place.)

We're going to talk for the next week or two about what we should expect to see our spiritual legs doing as we grow up in Christ. Where should these wobbly new legs be taking us? What should be different about us than if we were not Christians, at all? Come back tomorrow.

Think: What does the idea of walking as Jesus did mean to you? Do you expect to see yourself walking more and more like Him as you grow as a Christian?

Pray: Ask God to help you to understand what it means to walk as Jesus did -- and then ask Him to help you to continue to do that.

Do: If you want to read ahead, check out Romans 12:9-21 to see what kind of hiking we'll be talking about for the next two weeks.

A Daily Devotional from PlanetWisdom.com, copyright 2010 Youth Specialties. Used by permission.

SURF REPORT
Movie Review of Alice in Wonderland - Christianity Today

FORGETTABLE FACT
Surgeons who listen to music during operations perform better than those who don't .

POTENT QUOTABLES
We all have ability. The difference is how we use it.
~ Stevie Wonder
To change and to change for the better are two different things.
~ German Proverb

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
What do you get if you cross an insect with the Easter rabbit?
Bugs Bunny.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Student Newsletter

2010-03-12T16:12:00.001-06:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART

"The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made." (Psalm 145:15-17)

Without God, nobody eats. Without God, nobody sleeps, breathes, has sex, or comes home to their kids at the end of the day. Without God, we have nothing.

Truthfully, we take God for granted because He meets our needs and grants our desires for sustenance (and so much more) so consistently that we mostly don't even think to ask HIm for those things -- until we're running dangerously low.

But every meal, every pleasant moment, every good thing is a gift from Him to us, because He is "loving toward all He has made." Do we always get exactly what we want all the time? No. What tyrants we would be! But every good thing we get that we do want is something He has given to us.

Will you praise the God who gives you everything today?

Think: Why do you think we so often forget that every good thing we have and enjoy in our lives is a gift from God? And when we do remember, why do you think we forget that He gives them to us because He loves us?

Pray: Praise God that He is righteous in all His ways and loving toward all He has made.

Do: Another potential memory verse for your list: James 1:17.

A Daily Devotional from PlanetWisdom.com, copyright 2010 Youth Specialties. Used by permission.

SURF REPORT
The 10 Most Redeeming Films of 2009
Review of Wisdom On... Making Good Decisions by Mark Matlock

FORGETTABLE FACT
Only female bees work

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
What do you get if you cross an elephant and a kangaroo?
Big holes all over Australia!

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

CAMP DATES!

2010-03-01T17:15:00.001-06:00

You want it? You got it! Adventure Camp dates are June 13-19 this year. Stay tuned the location will be announced next week, as well as the details!

Chatham Student Newsletter

2010-03-01T17:09:00.001-06:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART

"They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 'Men of Galilee,' they said, 'why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.' " (Acts 1:10-11)

You almost feel bad for the disciples. They're always playing catch-up to whatever Jesus is talking about or doing, right up to the very end. He tells them not to leave Jerusalem. He says the Holy Spirit will come on them and give them power. He says they will be His witnesses everywhere.

Then He flies up into a cloud! Then some angels show up and say, "Why are you looking at that cloud?" Because Jesus just disappeared into it, that's why!

But Jesus knew they needed more answers: So He sent these two angels to fill in the gaps. To let them know He was gone to heaven. And to let them know He's coming back in the same way someday. To let them know the story isn't over, yet.

What now? Use the power of the Holy Spirit to be Jesus' witness in this world. And keep watching the sky, getting prepared, waiting for Him to come back and make everything right once and for all.

Think: Do you have an expectation that Jesus could come back "in the same way" at any moment? If you did, how would that change the way you live today?

Pray: Thank God that Jesus is coming back someday. Ask Him to help you to live like it could be today.

Do: Read on in Acts for the wild, amazing story of the early days of the Christian church.

A Daily Devotional from PlanetWisdom.com, copyright 2010 Youth Specialties. Used by permission.

SURF REPORT
Book Review: Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris
http://www.youthspecialties.com/articles/review-do-hard-things-by-alex-and-brett-harris/

Music Review: Revelation by Third Day
http://www.youthspecialties.com/articles/review-revelation-by-third-day/

FORGETTABLE FACT
Women blink nearly twice as much as men.

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
What do you call a song sung in an automobile?
A cartoon.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Student Newsletter

2010-02-23T11:16:00.001-06:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART

"And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory." (Ephesians 1:13-14)

Today's verses are the story of how a person comes to be in the family of God. And how you can know for sure that you're still in God's family.

Remember from the 12 verses before this: God did all the work. He made the plan to adopt you (because He wanted to and because it made Him happy). He executed the plan by sending His Son to be executed in your place, for your sin. Then He published the good news that you were welcome through faith in Jesus.

Then A) you heard the truth and B) you believed and C) you were given the Holy Spirit as a guarantee that your place in God's family is secure (even though you're not home, yet).

Of course, there is no C) without B). That is, there is no place for anyone in the family of God who has not trusted in Jesus for their salvation.

Think: Have you believed the "word of truth, the gospel of your salvation"? How have your expressed your faith in Jesus? Are you convinced that God is strong enough to forgive and to guarantee you a place in His family?

Pray: As a Christian, thank God for including you in Christ when you heard and believed. Thank Him for marking you with the seal of the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of your place in His family.

Do: Read the rest of Ephesians 1 (or the whole book) to see how Paul builds on these huge ideas.

A Daily Devotional from PlanetWisdom.com, copyright 2010 Youth Specialties. Used by permission.

SURF REPORT
Movie review of Youth in Revolt
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/movies/reviews/2010/youthinrevolt.html

Music review of Tonight by Toby Mac
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/music/reviews/2010/tonight-mini.html

FORGETTABLE FACT
All polar bears are left-handed.

POTENT QUOTABLES
During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.
~ George Orwell

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
What bird can lift the most?
-- A crane.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Chatham Student Newsletter

2010-02-15T11:56:00.001-06:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

Happy Week After Valentine's Week. Or Happy Making Fun of Valentine's Week Week. Some people just can't stand the hype leading up to the biggest greeting card day of the year. Others can't wait to get some candy love!

Either way, the PW Daily Devo is here for you. Call this week's devotionals our valentine to you -- or the ultimate anti-Valentine. We're cool both ways, as long as you're cool digging into some verses about God's giant, expensive, expressive, impressive love for His children.

For starters, we're absolutely convinced that God has proved His love for us way before we could do anything to make ourselves lovable. As today's verse points out, He gave His Son to make it possible for us to live with Him forever. Do you need more evidence?

Think: Do you ever wonder if God really loves you? Are you convinced that His gift of the life of Jesus in your place is a demonstration of His forever love for you? Why or why not?

Pray: Thank God that He demonstrated His own love for us by sending Christ to die for us when we were still sinners.

Read: See how huge this idea really is when you read Romans 5:1-11.

A Daily Devotional from PlanetWisdom.com, copyright 2010 Youth Specialties. Used by permission.

SURF REPORT
Review of Lovely Bones
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/movies/reviews/2009/lovelybones.html
Review of Do Hard Things
http://www.youthspecialties.com/articles/review-do-hard-things-by-alex-and-brett-harris/

FORGETTABLE FACT
Right-handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people. (that is due to all the grief the right handed society gives to us lefties)

POTENT QUOTABLES
Nothing takes the taste out of peanut butter quite like unrequited love.
~ Charlie Brown
It's easy to make a buck. It's a lot tougher to make a difference.
~ Tom Brokaw

BIRTHDAYS
None

PICTURE OF THE WEEK
coming soon…

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
Q: How do you make a hot dog stand?
A: Steal its chair.

Youth Group Tonight!

2010-02-09T14:29:00.001-06:00

Hey everyone, tonight we are going to have youth group. But we are going to be going sledding at Truman Park this evening. You know we have to enjoy the snow while we got it. We will meet up at Chatham and take the bus over by the park. We will be sledding for about an hour so please dress warmly, and bring your sled!

The Super Bowl Contest Winners

2010-02-08T15:49:00.002-06:00

First Place – Daniel Balint
Second Place – Josh Balint
Third Place – Abby Menke

February 9 - Youth Group

2010-02-03T17:23:00.003-06:00

Hey, don't forget your hats for Youth Group on February 9! We are going to do a game with them, so make sure that you bring them. Well maybe not this one. Also remember we will have a special guest to speak to us.

Student Newsletter

2010-02-01T12:04:00.001-06:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21)

We've spent this last week listening in on Paul's prayer for the Ephesian Christians, a huge prayer for huge power so they could understand and live in the reality of a huge idea -- that the God of the universe loves them and will never, ever stop.

To understand that truth about God's commitment to us in Jesus changes a person. In fact, it changes everything. Ultimately, if the all-powerful God is for you -- and will be always -- how could you future be any better?

In these final verses, Paul responds in the only way that makes sense: worship. "To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!"

Amen.

Think: Are you convinced that God is all-powerful and that He loves you unconditionally in Jesus -- and that He will love you forever? If so, how does believing that change the way you live? How does it motivate you to respond to God in worship?
Pray: Say to God, "To you be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!"
Do: Make a point this next week to remember God's love for you in Christ and to worship Him for it.

A Daily Devotional from PlanetWisdom.com, copyright 2010 Youth Specialties. Used by permission.

SURF REPORT
Suffering Well – An intro to the life of Matt Chandler and the trials he faces.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100131/ap_on_re/us_rel_the_pastor_s_cancer_1

Super Bowl – Everything that you need to know about the Super Bowl to impress your friends or bore them, depending on your friends.
http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/history

FORGETTABLE FACT
Even Antarctica has an area code. Its 672.

POTENT QUOTABLES
Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.
~ Dr. Suess
Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.
~ Booker T. Washington

PRAYER
Super Bowl Party – This is a very informal event, and we have encouraged everyone to invite your friends, family. It is a great intro to Chatham, and to the people there.
Haiti – Continue to pray for the relief efforts to this country. Also pray for the churches, orphanages, and organizations that continue to share the good news of the Gospel to the people of Haiti.

BIRTHDAYS
Check the Calendar – Happy Birthday David! Happy Birthday Olivia! Today :)

PICTURE OF THE WEEK (from the Honeyrock Camp blog)

This month we want to highlight Wheaton College student and former HoneyRocker Nancy Swider-Peltz Jr. who just made the 2010 US Olympic Speed Skating Team! Nancy Jr. (pictured below) will be skating at the Olympics in Vancouver in February. Nancy Jr. is not the first in her family to skate in the Olympics. Her mother is Nancy Swider-Peltz, a four-time Olympic speed skater and speed skating coach. If you want to keep an eye on Nancy Jr. and follow Team USA, click here.

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
Q. What do you call a song sung in an automobile?
A. A cartoon.

Student Newsletter

2010-01-26T12:27:00.001-06:00

SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
"My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, 'Where is your God?' Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." (Psalm 42:10-11)

Have you ever been so sick or injured or sad that you thought you were going to die -- or felt like maybe you wanted to? The writer of Psalm 42 seems to be describing severe physical pain on top of all of his emotional suffering -- on top of being mocked along with his God.

Once more, though, he refuses to give up. After asking God the hard "why" questions in the previous verse, he turns the questions on himself again: "Why am I so downcast? This is not the end. My hope is in the God who saves -- I will not stop praising Him."

Job made a similar declaration when in physical and emotional agony -- at no fault of his own. He said about the God He was convinced could end His suffering, "Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him." (See Job 13:15.)

For those who trust in God, life's worst days call for the best kind of stubbornness to keep hoping in the God who saves, to keep trusting and praising the God who comforts and rescues and will one day bring us home.

Think: How much harder is it to trust and hope in God when you are hurting physically as well as emotionally? How much difference does it make to know that God is for us and that Christ understands our physical and emotional pain after what He experienced on the cross?

Pray: Ask God to help you to be stubborn even when your sad, to keep praising, trusting and hoping in Him even on your hardest days.

Do: If you know a Christian who lives with ongoing physical pain and still seems to trust God and live joyfully, think about asking how they do that.

SURF REPORT
Dude Perfect – These videos are pretty cool. http://www.dudeperfect.com/

Flame 314 – check this local artists site, it is more than music and videos. http://www.flame314.com/

FORGETTABLE FACT
About twenty-five percent of the population sneeze when they are exposed to light.

POTENT QUOTABLES
"When a man begins to reason, he ceases to feel."
~ French Proverb
"Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish."
~ John Quincy Adams

WHAT IS GOING ON

Tuesday	S.W.A.T.	Columbia VOM Video
Wednesday	Upper Room	Romans 9
Sunday	L.E.A.D.	Chapter 9 Surprised by Joy
February 7	Super Bowl Party	5:00 p.m. Please sign up to bring a dish to pass

PRAYER (youthal@sbcglobal.net)
Haiti – Continue to pray for aid and medical help to reach the people of Haiti affected by the earthquake. Another very large aftershock occurred today, and it is yet unknown how much more damage was caused. Many with injuries have not been reached in time to save limbs, and there are now scores of amputees. There are many places relief workers have not reached or cannot access. Pray for aid workers already there and those on the way. Pray for the many orphanages there as they must take in so many more children.

In the midst of all this, praise God for those saved after being trapped for days, and for the sheer number of people trying to help and/or sending money or supplies to support relief. Pray for God’s glory through ministry by believers and those called to Christ through this disaster.
Summer Plans – Pray for the events of this summer as we plan and coordinate what they might look like.

PICTURE OF THE WEEK (ok so it is a video this week)

UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
Q: What do you call a dinosaur that smashes everything in its path?
A: Tyrannosaurus wrecks.

2010-01-20T14:35:00.002-06:00

Chatham Student Newsletter

1. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART
How often do you feel sad? Sadness can be a fleeting feeling in the middle of a busy day, or it can overwhelm us for weeks and months. We're going to talk about sadness (or depression or "feeling down") this week -- but we're not going to talk about how to fix it. Psalm 42 is a song about sadness apparently intended to be sung in public. The writer admits to being deeply "downcast," but he responds to his sadness in a weird way. More on that later in the week. He starts the song with the picture of a thirsty deer looking for a stream. It might be easier for us to imagine a dog coming in from a long walk and making a bee line for it's water dish. The writer's point is that he was thirsty for God like that -- needy, eager, desperate. Think: Do you ever feel so lonely for God that it feels like a thirst, like you're desperate? Would it be weird to feel sad because you can't be with God? Pray: Ask God to help you to increase your thirstiness for Him. Do: Think about being needy for God in your soul next time you feel physically thirsty. A Daily Devotional from PlanetWisdom.com, copyright 2009 Youth Specialties. Used by permission.

2. SURF REPORT
Samaritans Purse - check out what is being done in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

Hands and Feet Project - This is a program that was started by some of the guys from the band Audio Adrenaline. They have orphanages in Haiti and El Salvador. Mark Stuart (Lead Singer) and his wife were in Haiti when the earthquake hit.

3. FORGETTABLE FACT
It takes about a week to make a jelly bean.

4. POTENT QUOTABLES
If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there. ~ Lewis Carroll

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

5. WHAT IS HAPPENING?
Please check the google calendar on this page to find out the latest youth group news

6. PRAYER (youthal@sbcglobal.net)
Haiti – The island nation of Haiti was struck by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake on Tuesday, Jan. 12. Weak building structures and almost 40 large aftershocks so far have caused many buildings to collapse. Thousands are presumed dead and many are missing. Survivors are sleeping in the open away from buildings. Please pray for survivors in this country, aid workers already there and those on the way. Ask the Lord’s mercy in additional aftershocks and that tsunamis and serious landslides are averted. Pray God is glorified through ministry by believers and those called to Christ through this disaster.

Junia W. - My grandad had an MRI, and we got the results last Thursday (btw, we found out Sunday afternoon that there's no cancer, it's all infection). Not only have the previous spots on his brain gotten bigger, but there are two new spots. Evidently the antibiotics aren't helping enough. Now, all that's left to do, is to decide where it's best to put him, for him to be comfortable for the little while he has left.

Allyson H. - Pray for her as she starts GED classes, and works towards getting that. Also continue to pray for the pain that she continues to have, that it would cease, or that God would give her the strength to deal with it.

Pastor Al - We are still up in the air about the house we are trying to purchase. The end of this week there should be some closure to this, continue to pray that we would be content in all things. Also pray as I work through summer plans for 2010 and what that is going to look like.

Ramon H. I'm writing to let you know that on Monday, January 18, just before midnight, 8 adults and one child from a village in Chiapas, were released from prison. They had been two days and nights without food or water, and, upon release, they were kicked out of the village. They spent the night at the sanctuary of a local Pastor, sleeping on cardboard boxes. This group was allowed to leave prison, but they cannot return to their town. They have been exiled for their faith in Jesus. The Indian leaders in their town are furious with them, and have said they can never come back. However, their wives and children remain in the village

Recently there was a meeting of several evangelical pastors from Chiapas, to make plans for how to care for these dislocated families. In several neighboring villages there are Christians who are doing a combination fast-hunger strike in prayer and also protest before the government's religious intolerance and attacks on evangelicals. In the capital of the State of Chiapas, there was a march of 400 evangelicals protesting against the Indian chiefs and the Catholic bishop who are behind the persecution. Please continue to pray.

7. BIRTHDAYS
Marcy L. - Thursday

8. PICTURE OF THE WEEK

Continue to Pray for Haiti!
Young children are seen at an orphanage following the earthquake that hit Port au Prince on January 12. More than 50 Haitian orphans landed in the United States on Tuesday and were immediately taken for medical check-ups, hospital officials said. (AFP/Julien Tack)

9. UH, THAT'S FUNNY?
Q: What do cows do for entertainment? A: They rent moovies!

Junior High Elves?

2009-12-07T14:31:00.001-06:00

2009-12-02T11:49:00.001-06:00

December 5 – Basketball and Volleyball
We are getting together with another local youth group and playing some games at Chatham’s gym. This is for Junior High and Senior High. The time is 3 p.m. till 6 p.m. You are welcome to come and hang out if you prefer not to play.

December 8 – Christmas Caroling
We will be going to an Assisted Living place to sing carols
to the residents. Please be on time, we will leave at 7:15 p.m.
The place is in Florissant, so we will be back by 8:30 p.m.

December 15 – White Elephant Christmas Party
Please bring a “white elephant” gift (something that is no longer needed in your home, i.e. an old lamp, a board game, a movie, ugly sweater) Please do not bring trash! Start looking for your gifts now, and be sure to get Mom’s approval before giving away something (like the cat or your brother). Also please bring a plate of cookies to share.

December 22, 29 – NO YOUTH GROUP
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Remember to follow the website for spontaneous sledding parties, and for youth group cancellations due to weather.

Happy Thanksgiving - NO YOUTH GROUP THIS TUESDAY!

2009-11-23T10:23:00.002-06:00

This is a reminder that there is no Junior High youth group this Tuesday. We will see you next week (December 1). Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

SPAM Night is November 17!

2009-11-12T15:04:00.001-06:00

To get everyone in the mood for "SPAM Night", here are some classic SPAM advertisements:

Costume Night 10/27/2009 – New Link

2009-11-06T09:05:00.001-06:00

If you are having problems with the original Costume Night (10/27/2009) Photo Album link shown in the posting below, try this instead: http://cid-a037bbecc111cb19.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/SWAT/2009-10-27%20Costume%20Night.

Costume Night 10/27/2009

2009-10-27T23:09:00.001-05:00

All of the photos from this year’s costume night can be found at http://cid-a037bbecc111cb19.skydrive.live.com/play.aspx/SWAT/2009-10-27%20Costume%20Night?ref=1. The following are just a few samples.

Slime Night 6/30/2009

2009-10-12T19:31:00.001-05:00

Abby asked me to publish the Slime Night pictures from this past summer. You can find them all at http://cid-a037bbecc111cb19.skydrive.live.com/play.aspx/SWAT/2009-06-30%20Slime%20Night?ref=1. The following is a brief sample:

City Museum – 9/25/2009

2009-10-04T22:16:00.001-05:00

Some photos from the City Museum.

You can view them all at http://cid-a037bbecc111cb19.skydrive.live.com/play.aspx/SWAT/2009-09-25%20City%20Museum?ref=1.

See You At The Pole - September 23

2009-09-02T15:15:00.001-05:00

Adventure Camp Pics

2009-08-04T11:02:00.001-05:00

2009-07-15T11:02:00.002-05:00

Rock the River is August 2! Lecrae will be there

Fruitcake and Ice Cream

2009-03-17T22:00:00.002-05:00

Fruitcake and Ice Cream
Louie Giglio

Here is a link to the video we watched tonight: http://www.northpointministries.org/player/player.jsp?occurrenceID=3109.

D2S March 27-28

2009-03-10T17:19:00.000-05:00

Free Youth Ministry Resources

Compassion Child

2009-02-25T13:16:00.002-06:00

Please do not forget to write a letter to our Compassion child, Jhon from Columbia. Bring your letter this coming Sunday to church, or next Tuesday to youth group. If you were not there last night, I can give you the basic form. Thanks.

Zoo Scavenger Hunt

2009-02-08T19:43:00.005-06:00

Here are some pictures from our zoo scavenger hunt.

Click here to see them all.

2009-02-03T17:17:00.002-06:00