I received this in an email from Youth Leaders Doug Fields and Matt McGill. I really liked it and wanted to share it with you this week.
For those of us in America, this is the week where we will devour massive amounts of food in the name of thankfulness. It’s easy to get caught up and distracted by planning, house cleaning, stressful travel, football games, overeating, avoiding certain family members, and shopping--all while pretending to enjoy Aunt Gurdy’s plumb-custard-quiche-ala-nasty. We’re going to explore EIGHT WAYS thankfulness and gratitude can transform our heart from the inside out.
THANKFULNESS RE-FOCUSES MY PERSPECTIVE
It’s easy to complain and point out problems, no one ever grumbles their way into a better attitude. Fortunately thankfulness can shift our focus to the blessings we’ve received from God. No matter how bad things get, in Jesus there is always reason to be thankful. It’s our responsibility to receive God’s gift and thank him.
THANKFULNESS INCREASES MY HUMILITY
Every blessing in our lives is a gift from God and not something we could have created or earned on our own. Everything belongs to God, and the only way we “have” something is because of his generosity. Because of the numerous blessings received, it’s easy for a feeling of entitlement to slowly creep into our lives and darken our hearts. Thankfulness turns on the light and recognizes God as the provider for our needs.
THANKFULNESS BUILDS MY FAITH
Gratitude recognizes the past work of God in our lives. When we remember God’s faithfulness, we position our hearts to trust him to provide for our future. God has given us everything we’ve needed, and he will continue to give us what we need. Developing the habit of being thankful also creates the capacity to trust God during the lean times.
THANKFULNESS CHANGES DISPAIR INTO JOY
There’s a lot of pain in this world and sometimes the ugliness is overwhelming and overpowering. Thankfulness doesn’t deny the evil, but it does open the door for joy to enter the scene. Lasting joy is a promise the world makes but can’t deliver, but when we remain in Christ, his joy is a gift for every believer.
THANKFULNESS RE-ORDERS MY PRIORITIES
It doesn’t take a busy holiday season for our priorities to get out of whack. As youth workers, most us have so much going on that it becomes really easy to major on the minors (issues) and slip into a selfish mode of living. A grateful heart is more open and aware of God’s work in our lives. Being thankful helps us understand what’s REALLY important in the grand scheme of things and moves us beyond the busyness of the moment.
THANKFULNESS CHALLENGES OUR WANTS
For both of us, the closer we grow to Jesus, the more we realize many of our “needs” are really about our “wants.” No, we’re not too excited to admit this, but this is a reality that we’ve become aware of in our spiritual journey. Thankfulness can turn our hearts into a fertile soil for contentment to grow into full bloom. Learning to be content in every situation is a measure of spiritual maturity. The power of “I WANT” is weakened in the light of “I’M THANKFUL.”
THANKFULNESS BREAKS THE SHACKLE OF ENVY
When our desires run wild and unchecked (and aren’t satisfied), the result is envy. Few things can rob one of peace like envy. When it gets really bad, envy also destroys community by morphing into jealousy. This happens when we lose our capacity to be excited for others. This is a particularly deep and dark pit of selfishness. When we’re trapped by envy and jealousy, the only way out is thankfulness for what we do have, and for what others have, too.
THANKFULNESS ENHANCES OUR COMPASSION
We have a lot, not just materially, but also spiritually. When we are thankful for the spiritual gifts we have in Christ, we can’t help but to have greater compassion for those who aren’t in God’s family.
For us, it’s abundantly clear that thankfulness is an essential habit for becoming more like Jesus. What about you? What does thankfulness create in your own heart?
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
Look at all this stuff to do!
I know you've got tons to do for school, sports, and other afterschool activities. Teens have busy lives! Don't forget to set a priority to spending time with God. Growing in your faith is important.
Have you checked out the list of events on the side of this page? There's a lot! Here's the rundown of the opportunities for you to sign up for:
Sunday, November 21 - Wallyball! we'll eat lunch after the 11:00 service and head on over to BodyRocks in Livonia. Wear comfy clothes and gym shoes (or bring them). Cost is $5 per person (plus the cost of lunch.)
Tuesday, November 23 - Presbytery meeting for the Youth Mission Blast participants (and anyone else who wants to come and support us!) leaving Geneva around 3:30, returning back around 8:30.
Friday or Saturday, November 26/26 - Bell Ringing for the Salvation Army. I haven't set a date or time yet. Please let me know what DOESN'T work for you...
Saturday, November 27 - Movie night at Geneva. Bring a friend! We'll have popcorn and drinks and stuff and watch a movie at 8:00. Please let me know if you are coming to this ASAP, so I can reschedule if there won't be enough people.
Sunday, November 28 - Singing "Thankful" at the 11:00 service.
Sunday, December 5 - Mission Trip meeting for parents and youth after 11:00 service. This is a mandatory meeting for all youth and parents who will be going on the summer mission trip to Grand Rapids 6/19-6/24 (well be back Friday night). If you cannot attend this meeting, you need to let me know in advance.
Sunday, December 5 -(after the mission trip meeting)- We'll have lunch and watch old Christmas TV shows (Rudolph, The Year Without a Santa Claus, Charlie Brown... we'll see how many we can watch!) while we make Christmas Cards for senior citizens.
Saturday, December 11 - Our first youth group fundraiser of the year! We'll babysit for any Geneva members while they go shopping. From 10-4:00 at Geneva. We'll play games, and hang out and eat pizza with the little ones. I will have a sign up sheet posted to schedule times. You don't need to spend the whole time there, but you're encouraged to!
Wednesday, December 15- instead of LifeStream we'll be participating in a special Christmas celebration at church with dinner, and crafts and entertainment by the youth!
Sunday, December 19 - Christmas Party at Geneva! We'll have food and fun and fellowship together at 5:00 PM.
Sunday, December 26 - Boxing Night... start gathering your boxes and blankets to raise homelessness awareness, and gather clothing and blankets for Fort Street. We spend the night outside the church!
Tuesday, December 28 - Man 2 Man - guys only! Meet at Pastor Bryan's house to do "guy things" and talk about issues that you can relate to. Bring a friend!
Sunday, January 2 - GirlTalk - girls only! Meet at Nancy's house to do "girl things" and talk about issues that girls your age are dealing with or will need to deal with. Bring a friend!
Have you checked out the list of events on the side of this page? There's a lot! Here's the rundown of the opportunities for you to sign up for:
Sunday, November 21 - Wallyball! we'll eat lunch after the 11:00 service and head on over to BodyRocks in Livonia. Wear comfy clothes and gym shoes (or bring them). Cost is $5 per person (plus the cost of lunch.)
Tuesday, November 23 - Presbytery meeting for the Youth Mission Blast participants (and anyone else who wants to come and support us!) leaving Geneva around 3:30, returning back around 8:30.
Friday or Saturday, November 26/26 - Bell Ringing for the Salvation Army. I haven't set a date or time yet. Please let me know what DOESN'T work for you...
Saturday, November 27 - Movie night at Geneva. Bring a friend! We'll have popcorn and drinks and stuff and watch a movie at 8:00. Please let me know if you are coming to this ASAP, so I can reschedule if there won't be enough people.
Sunday, November 28 - Singing "Thankful" at the 11:00 service.
Sunday, December 5 - Mission Trip meeting for parents and youth after 11:00 service. This is a mandatory meeting for all youth and parents who will be going on the summer mission trip to Grand Rapids 6/19-6/24 (well be back Friday night). If you cannot attend this meeting, you need to let me know in advance.
Sunday, December 5 -(after the mission trip meeting)- We'll have lunch and watch old Christmas TV shows (Rudolph, The Year Without a Santa Claus, Charlie Brown... we'll see how many we can watch!) while we make Christmas Cards for senior citizens.
Saturday, December 11 - Our first youth group fundraiser of the year! We'll babysit for any Geneva members while they go shopping. From 10-4:00 at Geneva. We'll play games, and hang out and eat pizza with the little ones. I will have a sign up sheet posted to schedule times. You don't need to spend the whole time there, but you're encouraged to!
Wednesday, December 15- instead of LifeStream we'll be participating in a special Christmas celebration at church with dinner, and crafts and entertainment by the youth!
Sunday, December 19 - Christmas Party at Geneva! We'll have food and fun and fellowship together at 5:00 PM.
Sunday, December 26 - Boxing Night... start gathering your boxes and blankets to raise homelessness awareness, and gather clothing and blankets for Fort Street. We spend the night outside the church!
Tuesday, December 28 - Man 2 Man - guys only! Meet at Pastor Bryan's house to do "guy things" and talk about issues that you can relate to. Bring a friend!
Sunday, January 2 - GirlTalk - girls only! Meet at Nancy's house to do "girl things" and talk about issues that girls your age are dealing with or will need to deal with. Bring a friend!
Monday, November 1, 2010
Summer MIssion Trip 2011
Mission work can bring life change to youth, a community and the Church. Within a relatively short period of time, your own life and a stranger’s life can be powerfully changed through the desire to give to a community. Your presence during a mission trip speaks more than a thousand words through your simple love and willingness to serve.
While there are countless physical and spiritual needs in communities everywhere from across the country, from big cities to small towns and even close to home, we’ve chose to go to Grand Rapids, Michigan for our high school mission trip this year. No matter how far you travel, week-long mission trips are a means to visualize needs in other communities and bring that recognition back to serve in your own home. Whether this is your first or your 6th mission trip, after a week spent in service, you will leave transformed from the love, strength and resilience you find in those you meet. Mission trips are often more life changing and impacting for participants than those you came to serve!
Please consider joining me this summer, as we work together to show Christ’s love in this Michigan community.
If you haven't yet told me your preference of dates for the trip, please do so ASAP!
While there are countless physical and spiritual needs in communities everywhere from across the country, from big cities to small towns and even close to home, we’ve chose to go to Grand Rapids, Michigan for our high school mission trip this year. No matter how far you travel, week-long mission trips are a means to visualize needs in other communities and bring that recognition back to serve in your own home. Whether this is your first or your 6th mission trip, after a week spent in service, you will leave transformed from the love, strength and resilience you find in those you meet. Mission trips are often more life changing and impacting for participants than those you came to serve!
Please consider joining me this summer, as we work together to show Christ’s love in this Michigan community.
If you haven't yet told me your preference of dates for the trip, please do so ASAP!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Mission Trip 2011
Mission trip 2011 destination will be announced at LifeStream tonight!
Parents will be getting a letter by the end of the week with more details.
Parents will be getting a letter by the end of the week with more details.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Crop Walk
Church World Service works with partners to eradicate hunger and poverty and to promote peace and justice around the world. Together we reach out to neighbors in need near and far--not with a hand out, but a hand up. So, if you’re looking to help build a better world—a world where there’s enough for all—you can do it!
Around the world, Church World Service supports sustainable grassroots development, disaster relief, and refugee assistance, and we educate and advocate on hunger-related issues. In the U.S., they help communities respond to disasters, resettle refugees, promote fair national and international policies, and provide educational resources.
I invite you to join me and other Geneva Youth on Sunday, October 17 for the Plymouth-Canton Crop Walk. I have created a Geneva Youth Team at the Church World Services site. You can sign up to walk and ask people for donations. Sign up here: Crop Walk Search for Geneva Church Youth
I hope you can walk with me!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
October Events and Activities
I've got a packed October planned for you all! I hope you can add these to your calendar. Here are the ongoing opportunities for you to come to church and strengthen your relationship with Jesus Christ:
Sundays we meet for Food for Thought (every week!) from 9:45 to 10:45. For the next 3 weeks Glenn Edgerton will continue to lead the group in understanding God's purpose for your lives. Yummy food and relevant discussion takes place during this time.
Wednesdays, beginning September 29, we will have LIfeStream. For the first 6 weeks, we will be using Nooma videos, by Rob Bell to facilitate our discussions. Nooma is a series of short films that explore our world from a perspective of Jesus. I hope you can join us on Wednesdays to search, question, and join the discussion. We will also be using time on Wednesdays to plan and prepare for our youth-led worship services.
Speaking of Youth-led worship... every 2nd Sunday (starting October 10) the youth will lead worship at 11:00 in the lighthouse area. You are invited to participate, or just come to this age-appropriate worship. Youth will be leading worship with song, prayer, dramas, puppets, messages, and scripture reading.
Fellowship activities are perfect opportunities to bring a friend:
Sunday, October 3 - right after the 11:00 service we'll walk to McDonalds and then over to the SuperBowl to go bowling.
Saturday, October 9 - 7:00 CORN MAZE! Meet at Geneva @7:00. We'll head out to Belleville and have fun in the corn maze. Bring a flashlight if you want.
Sunday, October 24 - Pizza and games @ Geneva after the 11:00 service. Bring a friend, bring your favorite game!
Help to be the hands and feet of Jesus at these mission activities:
Sunday, October 17 - Crop Walk in Plymouth. Sign up and get a few pledges to help Church World Services hunger programs. We can go out to lunch before the walk, then all walk together.
Saturday, October 23 - Wayne Family Center dinner. Remember when we helped at the Wayne Family Center this summer? This is a family homeless shelter. They don't have any food provided on the weekends, so we're going to bring dinner and fellowship with the residents.
Saturday October 30 (around 4:00?) - Trick or Trunk (Trunk or Treat?) - Technically, this is a mission activity but you're going to have fun! The children of Geneva are invited to come to church for "trick or treating" from the trunks of members cars who are parked in the parking lot. We (though youth groups) will plan and provide games and activities for the children to do before they go trick or treating. After the kids trick or treat, you can, too!
I hope that I see you at these events. Don't forget to bring a friend!
The entire October calendar is on the bulletin board at church. Let me know if you want a copy in calendar form.
Blessings,
Nancy
Sundays we meet for Food for Thought (every week!) from 9:45 to 10:45. For the next 3 weeks Glenn Edgerton will continue to lead the group in understanding God's purpose for your lives. Yummy food and relevant discussion takes place during this time.
Wednesdays, beginning September 29, we will have LIfeStream. For the first 6 weeks, we will be using Nooma videos, by Rob Bell to facilitate our discussions. Nooma is a series of short films that explore our world from a perspective of Jesus. I hope you can join us on Wednesdays to search, question, and join the discussion. We will also be using time on Wednesdays to plan and prepare for our youth-led worship services.
Speaking of Youth-led worship... every 2nd Sunday (starting October 10) the youth will lead worship at 11:00 in the lighthouse area. You are invited to participate, or just come to this age-appropriate worship. Youth will be leading worship with song, prayer, dramas, puppets, messages, and scripture reading.
Fellowship activities are perfect opportunities to bring a friend:
Sunday, October 3 - right after the 11:00 service we'll walk to McDonalds and then over to the SuperBowl to go bowling.
Saturday, October 9 - 7:00 CORN MAZE! Meet at Geneva @7:00. We'll head out to Belleville and have fun in the corn maze. Bring a flashlight if you want.
Sunday, October 24 - Pizza and games @ Geneva after the 11:00 service. Bring a friend, bring your favorite game!
Help to be the hands and feet of Jesus at these mission activities:
Sunday, October 17 - Crop Walk in Plymouth. Sign up and get a few pledges to help Church World Services hunger programs. We can go out to lunch before the walk, then all walk together.
Saturday, October 23 - Wayne Family Center dinner. Remember when we helped at the Wayne Family Center this summer? This is a family homeless shelter. They don't have any food provided on the weekends, so we're going to bring dinner and fellowship with the residents.
Saturday October 30 (around 4:00?) - Trick or Trunk (Trunk or Treat?) - Technically, this is a mission activity but you're going to have fun! The children of Geneva are invited to come to church for "trick or treating" from the trunks of members cars who are parked in the parking lot. We (though youth groups) will plan and provide games and activities for the children to do before they go trick or treating. After the kids trick or treat, you can, too!
I hope that I see you at these events. Don't forget to bring a friend!
The entire October calendar is on the bulletin board at church. Let me know if you want a copy in calendar form.
Blessings,
Nancy
Monday, August 16, 2010
Hi!
Welcome everyone to the Geneva Senior High Blog!
Here's where I'll post thoughts, information, links, and other useful (or non useful?) stuff relating to our youth group. Got questions you'd like answered? Something on your mind you'd like to get off your chest? Did you stumble upon an interesting website or video on the web you'd like to share a link to? Feel free to comment and start conversations, or suggest postings.
Check back here often to see what's new.
Nancy
Here's where I'll post thoughts, information, links, and other useful (or non useful?) stuff relating to our youth group. Got questions you'd like answered? Something on your mind you'd like to get off your chest? Did you stumble upon an interesting website or video on the web you'd like to share a link to? Feel free to comment and start conversations, or suggest postings.
Check back here often to see what's new.
Nancy
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