August 31, 2010

• Pastor Joe's Tuesday Thought: "Aaaaaahhhh!"
• New Youth Gatherings!
• First night of youth group - September 12
• High School Girls' Small Group
• Video of the Week: God Bless You, Chick-fil-A (a new song from Tim Hawkins)
• UNIFY: October 16
• Prayers

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Quote of the Week:

Aaaaaahhhh!

According to an article in Group Magazine, one of the top things that youth who attended a Group Workcamps trip (hey, that's a whole bunch of us!) said they needed help with is stress. I'm thinking there are more than a few of you who are nodding as you read this. You were assigned a research project, a book to read, a science fair display to put together, some vocabulary to memorize, a playbook to learn, song parts to rehearse, a boyfriend/girlfriend that takes up some of your time, new hallways to navigate, family issues, and aaaaaaaahhhhh! School didn't start all that long ago and already there are days when you wonder how you are going to get everything done in the measly little 24 hours God gives us every day. I mean, who has time to sleep?

So what do you do with your stress? What do you do when there is so much to do and so little time? How do you keep from lashing out in anger at someone, punching a wall, or screaming into your pillow? Can I share with you a couple of things I try to remember when I'm feeling that way? - And yes, adults go there too, and we don't always handle it well either.

1. Prioritize - You might not be able to move the whole mountain, but you can move one rock at a time. In other words ask yourself, "What really needs to get done right now?" Then do that thing. Then the next. Tearing that mountain of stuff to do into manageable tasks can really make it go a lot easier. Also, finishing something makes you feel good, and then you are ready to take on the next thing. Sometimes a bunch of little tasks can look enormous, but one at at time, they aren't so bad.
2. Clear your head - What often happens to me is that when I need to get my sermon written late in the week, I'll have this great idea for Tuesday Thoughts that I just can't stop thinking about.What I do then is write a really quick draft of the Tuesday Thoughts idea, just to get that out of my head. When I trust its on my flash drive, I can then concentrate on what needs to get done more easily. Try that if you are thinking about that creative writing assignment when you should be working on your math. Maybe even put out a second notebook to jot down the ideas for the "wrong" project, while you work on the urgent one.
3. Give yourself a break - Have you taken on too much? Do you really have more to do than is humanly possible? I know that's difficult to do, but there are times when we have to make choices about where we really want to spend our time. Maybe you can't do the Chipotle club this fall (I just made that up because I don't want to be accused of telling anyone to quit something real - although if there was a Chipotle club, I might try and be the sponsor).
4. Pray, worship, read your Bible - You knew I would get to this one, didn't you? I'm not saying you should pray for God to do your homework for you and you will wake up the next morning with all the right answers, or some miraculous knowledge of the subject matter for tomorrow's test. Or to worship and read your Bible so that God is pleased with you and makes your life easier. I'm pretty sure life doesn't work like that. What I have noticed though, is that when my spiritual life is in order, I seem to have more patience and peace - meaning that I don't 'freak out' quite as quickly as I would at other times.
5. Have fun - I've written before about the rhythms of life that God built into us - times for work and times for rest. Read Genesis 1 and you'll find out that even God took a break from his work every night. He didn't spend all afternoon watching Spongebob and playing X-box, then had to stay up far too late to finish, but he did break at appropriate times. You should follow his lead.
6. Clue someone in on what you're feeling - I think one of the things that we all have been taught throughout our lives is to always appear to have it all together even when we don't. I don't think that helps. Of course there are appropriate and inappropriate ways of doing that. Telling your chemistry teacher that you didn't do your homework because you don't think chemistry is very important because you're going to be a rock star when you graduate high school, is probably not appropriate. Talking to a parent, pastor, youth leader, friend, etc., and letting them know your struggles can be very helpful though.

By the way, I really like that last one. I think that's what Jesus had in mind for all of us (and God at creation for that matter). Jesus had 12 guys, and probably several women, that he was close to. You and I need those friends too. To that end, I'm always ready to listen, so give me a call (you know my cell number, right? - it's in the church directory) or shoot me an email and I'll buy you a Frappacino or a burrito (Is there a theme here? I might be hungry) and we can chat.

In the meantime, I'm already praying for you!

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New Youth Gatherings

New Youth Sunday School Class at 11:00a.m.!

Advent Study - (please take the survey)

First Night of Youth Group
Family Challenge - September 12, 2010

We started the tradition several years ago, and we will continue it this year by beginning our youth group year with our Family Challenge on Sunday, September 12, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. The Family Challenge is a night of games for our youth and their entire families - moms, dads, and sibilings are invited. We'll eat together, then have a couple of short meetings (one for each youth group and one for the families) and then we'll play together! Youth vs. Adults! We have some new games planned. Don't miss out!

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High School Girls' Small Group

Our High School Girls' Small group is meeting throughout the summer. All high school girls, including those entering 9th grade in the fall are invited to join them for some great support and conversation.Contact Pastor Joe for more information.

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Video of the Week: God Bless You, Chick-fil-A

Another ode from Tim Hawkins professing his love for a certain restaurant.

Save the Date, Saturday October 16, for UNIFY

UNIFY - A local day of missions and worship with all of the youth groups in the Tri-Lakes Area.

Emily and JT are our student leaders heading up this special day for us. We are hoping to be helping a Day Care Center in Monument upgrade their playground. It should be a lot of work, but a lot of fun to do together. Then that evening we will worship together with all of the youth groups around celebrating how Jesus is working in us and through us in the Tri-Lakes area! Save the date!

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Prayer Requests

• Friends who are really feeling the stress right now!

Please forward your prayer requests to us to add to this list! We believe in the power of prayer.

August 24, 2010

• Pastor Joe's Tuesday Thought: "Friends and acquaintances"
• On the Ropes
• Video of the Week: Parallel Parking
• Prayers

Friends and acquaintances

The best thing I remember about going back to school was getting to be with my friends. Sure, we had seen each other over the summer from time to time, but when we were in school, we got to see each other every day. There was always plenty to talk about and do together during school as opposed to when we would sometimes talk over the summer saying, "What do you want to do?" "I dunno. What do you want to do?" "I dunno. What do you want to do?" In the midst of the work and busyness of school it was always so great to have people to share my life with on a daily basis, especially when they were people who liked me and accepted me just as I am.

As a youth leader there is probably no problem I have had more conversations with youth about than friendships. Friendships are important. Friendships are fragile. When friendships change, it can make us question how we feel about ourselves.

Throughout our lives our friendships change. Remember when you were in first grade and your mom asked who you wanted to invite to your birthday party? You probably wanted to invite your whole class. Mom would then say, well we can't invite everyone. Let's just invite your friends. More than likely your response was, "But they're all my friends." That's because in first grade a friend is simply everyone we know who is about our age. We haven't shared anything deep with them, but if we've shared a swing or the glue at our table, then we are "friends."

By the time we graduate from elementary school and begin middle school our friendship needs are changing. In middle school we are trying to figure out who we are and who we are going to be. We notice that there are some people we get along with and some we simply don't. Being in a very formative, fragile time of self-discovery means that we tend to travel with a pack of others who act, dress, and talk a lot like we do. This group of friends is typically smaller, it's not our whole class anymore, but we are better friends.

In high school it changes again. In high school we begin to separate ourselves even further as we become more comfortable with who we are. This means again that our friend group gets even smaller, but our friendships grow deeper still. This pattern continues through college when we are looking for a deep friendship with one person. We call that marriage.

Notice the pattern of development. Our friendships tend to get fewer but better as time goes on. Don't let Facebook fool you. Your "friend" list may be growing, but they aren't really your friends (oh how I wish they used a different word than friend). I like the Bible's description of a friend: "Friends come and friends go, / but a true friend sticks by you like family" (Proverbs 18:24, Msg). A true friend sticks by you and doesn't abandon you when you stop meeting their needs. A true friend doesn't ask you to become something you are not to keep being a friend, but accepts you as you are. A true friend doesn't abandon you when things are tough, but sticks by you through the good times and bad.

Maybe as you start school you are wondering why you don't seem to have as many friends as you did before, or why you don't seem as close to some of your friends as you did at the end of school last year, or why none of your old friends seem to fit anymore and you are making friends with a whole new group of people. All of that is normal. You are just paring down your friendship group and getting ready for much better, deeper friend relationships.

I'm praying you find those true friendships and that you are that friend to someone else.

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Quote of the Week:

On the Ropes

On Sunday our high school youth went on the Ropes course at the Ponderosa! They chose to rock climb a wall or climb a cargo net on the tower, or climb a rope ladder and then walk a tight-rope across to the tower. Then everyone got to zip-line down. Some climbed once and others did it over and over again. Some of our youth even paired up to work together to cross the tightrope - a great team-building exercise. It was a great day of fun and adventure. Here are some pictures:

Video of the Week: Parallel parking

For all of you worried about parallel parking for your driving test, look how easy this is.

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Prayer Requests

• Those struggling with friendships.
• For all of those in new schools - middle school, high school, moved, college.

Please forward your prayer requests to us to add to this list! We believe in the power of prayer.

August 17, 2010

• Pastor Joe's Tuesday Thought: "What's new with you?"
• Video of the Week: Mommy Rhapsody
• Prayers

Quote of the Week:

What’s new with you?

Most of us like to complain about the start of the new school year, but there are plenty of positives that come along with the start of it. Sure it means the beginning of lots of work – books to read, papers to write, tests to take, animals to dissect, and all of that. It also might mean bad food in the cafeteria, missing that soap opera you were watching all summer, and having to put up with people you don’t particularly like. But there are also daily interactions with people you do like, old friends and new. There are fun things that we learn alongside the geometry we are pretty sure we will never use in “real” life. And then, at the beginning of a new year, everything is new and fresh. You are wearing new clothes, new shoes, carrying a new notebook in a new backpack, maybe going to a new school but definitely to some new classrooms. While some of that might fill us with a little anxiety, it also comes with a sense of excitement.

New starts are filled with possibilities. As you start the school year, you aren’t behind on your homework yet and you aren’t yet striving for a grade that will make up for that pop-quiz you bombed. Like the beginning of the football season when every team is undefeated, at the beginning of the school year, we all have 4.0’s. This might be the year you decide to be less introverted, or maybe a little quieter. This may be the year you decide to not procrastinate and start work on the projects the whole time and not just the last weekend. This may be the year you decide to stand up for your friends, or yourself, and do the things you really want to do rather than everything your friends want to do. This may be the year you decide to get up on your own, not battle your parents over what to wear, or some other difficulty you have had in the past. New beginnings are filled with new possibilities.

This thought is at the core of the Christian message. Jesus tells us that when we choose to follow him and his ways, we can have new life lived “to the full” (John 10:10). He’s not just talking about life after death. He is talking about life today. And he’s not just talking about the “spiritual” side of life – the Sunday School, church, youth group life; he’s also talking about life at home, at school, and with your friends.

So, what’s new with you? What’s going to change this year? How are you going to lean on Jesus to make a difference in you life – to live life to the full?

Video of the Week: Mommy Rhapsody

Mom's turn (we had a dad video last week).

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Prayer Requests

• Prayers for all our youth as you begin school.
• Prayers for our recent grads who are beginning college.

Please forward your prayer requests to us to add to this list! We believe in the power of prayer.

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August 10, 2010

In this week's edition:

• Pastor Joe's Tuesday Thought: I Can Be...
• Places to Serve (for parents and other interested adults)
• Video of the Week: Dad Life

Quote of the Week:

"For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength." -Philippians 4:13, New Living Translation

I Can Be...

You might not have noticed, and I'll bet there are a significant number who don't really care, but a Denver Bronco was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend. Floyd Little, running back for the Broncos from 1967-1975 is now a "Hall-of-Fame Player." I don't remember him as a football player, but the speech he gave at his induction ceremony is worth knowing about.

During the speech he recounted some difficult years he had as a youth, and how some of his choices got him kicked out of school. He then reflected on how that moment brought him to a crossroads where he had to decide how he was to live the rest of his life. In that moment he decided to turn his life around and to be a role model and example. Then he said:

Because of those that encouraged me in those early years, I am here today. So I want to encourage you, every student, every athlete, every person who will hear my voice, don't listen to the naysayer. I had plenty of those. Don't listen to those that will judge you for your rough edges. Don't focus on your weakness so you won't become a victim. Find the goodness in you that says, Yes, I can be a good student. Yes, I can be a good son and daughter. Yes, I can be a positive role model. Yes, I can, because the good in you is better than the worst in most. The choice is yours. Be the best that you can be.

I truly believe that none of us is anything until the least of us is something. The great writer James Baldwin said, ["]Naked I came into this world and naked I shall leave.["] We are bound to leave everything we accomplished in this lifetime behind, passing it on. So leave a legacy that you and your family can be proud.

... I thank God for His favor today, and may God bless us all. Thank you so much.

(from the text of Floyd Little’s Pro Football Hall of Fame induction speech as posted here: http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.aspx?PlayerId=292&tab=Speech, bold added for emphasis. Or you can watch the entire speech here: http://www.profootballhof.com/multimedia/inductions/2010/8/7/floyd-littles-enshrinement-speech/)

It is so easy to focus on what we can't do. We tend to dwell on what we hear from the naysayers - those who criticize us, point out our faults, and put us down. Sometimes we can get so focused on the negative that we can get quite down on ourselves. Sometimes we might even find ourselves saying, "I can't do anything right." Little reminds us not to focus there. He's not saying we won't make mistakes. He's not even saying that we're not right sometimes when we notice there are things that we cannot do. What he is saying is that we have the choice to put our focus someplace else - on what we CAN do. There is something about that change in outlook that can truly change our lives.

As you start a new school year, which some of you are doing this week, I hope you will do exactly this. "Find the goodness in you" and focus on that. Focus on what you can do as a student, as a child, as a friend, and as a role model to someone else. Make up your mind to "Be the best that you can be." Oh, that won't mean that you will be perfect, but you will be proud - proud of who you are, what you are accomplishing, and what you are leaving behind. What can you do differently this year?

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First Night of Youth Group
Family Challenge
September 12, 2010

We started the tradition several years ago, and we will continue it this year by beginning our youth group year with our Family Challenge on Sunday, September 12, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. The Family Challenge is a night of games for our youth and their entire families - moms, dads, and sibilings are invited. We'll eat together, then have a couple of short meetings (one for each youth group and one for the families) and then we'll play together! Youth vs. Adults! We have some new games planned. Don't miss out!

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High School Girls' Small Group

Our High School Girls' Small group is meeting throughout the summer. All high school girls, including those entering 9th grade in the fall are invited to join them for some great support and conversation. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.

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Service Opportunities for Adults in Our Youth Ministries

One of the goals for our youth ministry this year is to include more adults in our ministry to youth. To that end, we have many places for you to serve the youth ministry. Some have high contact with youth and some have little to no contact with youth. Some take people skills while others are highly administrative. If you would like to get involved in any of these areas, please This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Table Discussion Leaders

We are looking for adults to come on Sunday nights and participate in the opening of youth group - where the theme is introduced, and then to facilitate a conversation among a small group of our high school youth. You will receive a guide to help get and keep the conversation going. There is little to no preparation needed to accomplish this task well. This is a great opportunity to build relationships with youth and share your faith journey with them. Parents: We will not put your child in your group.
Low prep: All year: High contact with youth

Event Organizer

We are looking for several people to organize a Sunday evening fun event, like laser tag, bowling, game night, etc. We would like you to serve as our point-of-contact with the event site (if there is one), organize permission slip distribution and collection, handling of all money collection & payments, and basically make the thing happy with the assistance of Pastor Joe and our youth leaders.
High prep: Short term: Mostly administrative

Sunday Evening Childcare

Some of our dedicated youth leaders have younger children who are not yet able to come to youth group. We provide them with childcare from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. on Sunday nights.
Some prep: All year (shared among several): High contact with children

Party Planner

If you are one who throws good parties, we need you! We have several parties planned - Christmas, Halloween, etc. and we would love the assistance of someone who is gifted in creating a great party!
Moderate prep: Short-term: Administrative: Hosting youth one evening

Games Expert

If you were one who loved the games when you were in youth group, scouts, or any of those youth gatherings, and would like to teach us games you know and ones you could research, we need you! Help us find those games for a variety of events so that we can have a game time each Sunday, and several game nights throughout the year!
Moderate prep: Periodic thru year: Leading games with youth

Mission Trip Organizers

We are looking for a group of people to take on the role of coordinating our mission trips (I don't think one person would want this job). This is a highly administrative task that would be attractive to organized individuals. We need you to keep track of paperwork (like permission slips and insurance card copies), communicate with Group Workcamps, track payments, coordinate travel needs, and assist in all aspects of making our mission trips successful.
High prep: Year-long: Highly administrative

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Costume Party Hosts Needed

Due to some poor scheduling on somebody's part - October 31 is a Sunday. Our congregation is planning to have its Fall Festival on Saturday, October 30, complete with the youth group's Haunted Basement. On the following night, Halloween Night, we would like to offer a couple of Halloween Costume Parties - one for our middle school group, and one for the high school. We would like to have them offsite at someone's home.

If you would like to host either a high school or middle school Costume Party contact Pastor Joe.

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Video of the Week: The Dad Life

It's not thug life - it's dad life!

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Prayer Requests

Please forward your prayer requests to us to add to this list! We believe in the power of prayer.

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July 27, 2010
Summer Edition

Table of Contents:

• Pastor Joe's Tuesday Thought: Rest - It's God's Idea
• Video Clip about Hunger
• 2010-11 Youth Calendar (tentative)

Quote for the Day

“West and wewaxation at wast!" - Elmer Fudd

Rest - It's God's Idea

When you read the story of Creation from Genesis 1, you notice a rhythm. The rhythm is so pronounced that there are those who refer to that chapter of the Bible as "poetry." I don't read Hebrew, but I don't think it's poetry in the strictest sense - with meter, rhyming scheme, or any of that. But that rhythm is unmistakable. At the end of every day, after telling us what was created, the author concludes with a chorus - "It was evening, it was morning - Day One (or Two through Six)" (The Message). That rhythm isn't just a literary device, it is a message within the message. There's a time for work, and a time for rest, and the rest part is important.

Even God, as He was creating all that there is, visible and invisible, took time to rest. He worked during the day, and rested at night. Then on day 7 the Bible tells us,

By the seventh day God had finished his work.
On the seventh day he rested from all his work.
God blessed the seventh day. He made it a Holy Day
Because on that day he rested from his work, all the creating God had done. (Genesis 2:2-4 Msg).

I think we are at our best as the people we were created to be, when we place ourselves within that rhythm - work and rest. Finding the time to do the things that need to be done, but not becoming so consumed with them that we do not pause at appropriate intervals and rest.

Have you noticed that our word recreation is actually re - creation? We don't say it that way, but that's how it started. Recreation is a way of renewing ourselves by doing things we enjoy.

I hope you are using your summer well. Having the time for re-creation. Sure there is that summer reading list that needs to be completed, chores to do, practices to go to, and maybe even a summer job, but I also hope you are finding time to just disconnect and rest (that goes for all of the adults reading this too!). That's the rhythm that God intended for us - six days of work with nights of rest, and a full day of rest every 7th day.

Happy summer vacation. We'll see you soon!

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Video of the Week

A Serious Clip about Hunger

Stay with this clip. It starts very slowly, but then it helps us understand just how thankful we should be for the food that we have, and calls me to want to help serve those who are hungry in our world.

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2010-11 Youth Calendar (tentative)

September

Sunday, Sept 12 FAMILY CHALLENGE: Opening Night of Youth Group
Saturday, Sept 19 Bless the Community Day – TLUMC service projects in Monument
Sunday, Sept 19 Regular meeting – 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, Sept 26 Regular meeting – 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept 28 Quantum Lunch Preparation Fundraiser (delivery the next morning)
Wednesday, Sept 29 Quantum Lunch Preparation Fundraiser (delivery the next morning)

October

Sunday, Oct 3 Regular meeting – 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, Oct 10 YOUTH GROUP EVENT (Haunted Mines?)
Saturday, Oct 16 UNIFY –Mission and Worship event for Tri-Lakes area youth
Sunday, Oct 17 Regular meeting – 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, Oct 24 Regular meeting – 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, Oct 30 TLUMC Fall Festival – MS Youth assist and HS youth host “Haunted Basement”
Sunday, Oct 31 COSTUME PARTIES

November

Sunday, Nov 7 Regular meeting – 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, Nov 14 GAME NIGHT – 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the church
Sunday, Nov 21 YOUTH GROUP EVENT
Sunday, Nov 28 NO YOUTH GROUP – TLUMC Advent event at church

December

Sunday, Dec 5 NO YOUTH GROUP – TLUMC Advent event at church
Sunday, Dec 12 NO YOUTH GROUP – TLUMC Advent event at church
Sunday, Dec 19 NO YOUTH GROUP – TLUMC Advent event at church
Tuesday, Dec 21 FUN OFFSITE EVENT
Sunday, Dec 26 NO YOUTH GROUP – Christmas Break
Tuesday, Dec 28 High School Youth Group Reunion
Wednesday, Dec 29 Quantum Lunch Preparation Fundraiser (delivery the next morning)
Thursday, Dec 30 Quantum Lunch Preparation Fundraiser (delivery the next morning)

January 2011

Sunday Jan 2 NO YOUTH GROUP – Christmas Break
Sunday, Jan 9 Regular meeting – 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, Jan 16 YOUTH GROUP EVENT
Sunday, Jan 23 Regular meeting – 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, Jan 30 Regular meeting – 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

February

Sunday, Feb 6 SUPER BOWL PARTIES
Sunday, Feb 13 Regular meeting – 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, Feb 20 YOUTH GROUP EVENT
Sunday, Feb 27 Regular meeting – 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

March

Sunday, Mar 6 Regular meeting – 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, Mar 13 Regular meeting – 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, Mar 20 MIDDLE SCHOOL EVENT
Sun-Tues, Mar 20-22 HIGH SCHOOL RETREAT (tentative)
Sunday, Mar 27 Regular meeting – 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday, Mar 29 Quantum Lunch Preparation Fundraiser (delivery the next morning)
Wednesday, Mar 30 Quantum Lunch Preparation Fundraiser (delivery the next morning)
To Be Determined CHILI COOKOFF, TALENT SHOW, & BAKED GOODS AUCTION

April

Sunday, Apr 3 Regular meeting – 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, Apr 10 Regular meeting – 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, Apr 17 Regular meeting – 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, Apr 24 NO YOUTH GROUP – Easter Sunday

May

Sunday, May 1 Regular meeting – 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 8 NO YOUTH GROUP – Mothers Day
Sunday, May 15 Regular meeting – 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 22 YOUTH GROUP CLOSING PARTIES!

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