Christmas Eve & a message

Christmas Eve Service.

8pm.

At the church.

Bring your family & friends!

Come prepared to participate in our responsive reading (which we've rehearsed once. eek!)

It is the youth group's gift to the congregation!
I hope you will all help out!!

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Contents

1. Something for Your Heart

2. Surf Report

3. Forgettable Fact

4. Potent Quotables

5. Uh, That's Funny?

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1. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART

Wild Night: Light in the Dark

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified." (Luke 2:8-9)

I think most of us tend to root for the shepherds in the Christmas story. They represent us. No matter what role you played as a kid in your church Christmas pageant, none of us are angels. And though we're all learning to have faith like Mary, none of us will ever have her experience exactly.

No, we're the shepherds -- just living our everyday lives and suddenly terrified to realize that God has noticed us and overwhelmed to understand that the message He is delivering is Good News. For us. And it's happening right now.

Like the shepherds working the night shift, we live in the dark. And like the shepherds, God's light broke through the darkness of our fallen world with a spectacular opportunity: Believe in Jesus and live in great joy.

Don't be afraid the light. It's a good thing.

Think: Have you ever tried to imagine what that night was like for the shepherds out in the dark? Why do you think the shining "glory of the Lord" was so terrifying?

Pray: Thank God for making sure you heard the story of the shepherds and the angels so you could understand Jesus better.

Do: Think about reading Luke 2:1-7 to get caught up with the story again.

A Daily Devotional from PlanetWisdom.com, copyright 2009 Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission.

2. SURF REPORT

~ Movie Review of Avatar

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/movies/reviews/2009/avatar.html

~ Book Review of "Marked"

http://www.planetwisdom.com/books/review/marked/

3. FORGETTABLE FACT

A snail can sleep for three years.

4. POTENT QUOTABLES

Those who wish to sing, always find a song.

~ Swedish Proverb

5. UH, THAT'S FUNNY?

Q: What goes up and down without moving?

A: Stairs.

Girls Only Event!

Attention girls!

You won't want to miss this great opportunity!

Lighthouse Church in Toledo is hosting a one day event focused on all the topics only girls face.

There will be worship time, breakout sessions and great women there to mentor and encourage all of us.

The cost is just $20 (and includes lunch.)

Check out this website for some more information!

And be ready to let me know if you and your girlfriends are interested in attending.

We might even be able to work out a sleepover at my place following the event. :)

"Signature Girls Conference brings girls, junior high through college aged, together to worship God and experience relevant truth. The Signature Conference stirs the girls to action and acceptance of who they were created to be in Christ. Through dynamic worship, mentoring groups, breakout sessions, and powerful teachings, girls will be encouraged, inspired and changed to be more like Christ."

I would LOVE for ALL of my girls to attend!!

Christmas Caroling

This Sunday night we will be Christmas Caroling as a ministry to two of our church members who are shut-ins. We will meet at the regular time (5:30) and hopefully have enough time after caroling to have our regular gathering discussion time and small groups. We will finish at 7:30 as usual.

Dare2Share 2010::details

If you or your friends haven't yet signed up for Dare2Share: Blaze conference there's still time! Be sure to check out the website for tons more information on what it is, where it is, and more!

The cost of registration is currently $54 and hotel cost is $15. In addition there will be a need for approximately 2-3 fast food meals and any souvenir money you wish to spend. More information will be sent your way soon, but I wanted to make sure everyone knows about this opportunity.

So make sure your parents have read this letter especially for them. You can read it too for more info. :)

and check out this promo video.

Free Youth Ministry Resources Evangelism Training

YS Newsletter::on song

Contents

1. Something for Your Heart

2. Surf Report

3. Forgettable Fact

4. Potent Quotables

5. Uh, That's Funny?

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1. SOMETHING FOR YOUR HEART

Thanks For What: Just Sing Already!

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God." (Colossians 3:16)

Do you like to sing? I don't always dig it. For one thing, I'm not very good. I don't really enjoy the sound of my own warbling. I'd much rather listen to you (unless you're just as awful as me).

Also, after mumbling my way through a bunch of songs in every worship service since they let me out of the nursery, I suddenly wondered one day, "Why in the world do we do this? What a weird thing, now that I think about it. Couldn't we do something else for 20 minutes?" Then I read this verse.

Oh.

And in the process of trying to get over myself (and trying to sing right out loud without caring what you think), I discovered that saying thanks in a song really helped me to express to God how thankful I felt in a way that words by themselves can't quite accomplish. Apparently, that's exactly what God wants me to do.

Think: Do you like singing, in general? Do you like singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs together with other Christians? Does singing like that help you to feel more grateful to God?

Pray: Ask God to help you to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your heart to Him?

Do: Remember this verse the next time you have a chance to participate in singing with a group of fellow Christians.

A Daily Devotional from PlanetWisdom.com, copyright 2009 Youth Specialties/Zondervan. Used by permission.

2. SURF REPORT

Movie Review: Surrogates

Music Review of Fireflies from Owl City

3. FORGETTABLE FACT

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

4. POTENT QUOTABLES

Give me a stock clerk with a goal and I'll give you a man who will make history. Give me a man with no goals and I'll give you a stock clerk.

-- J. C. Penney

God gives us dreams a size too big so that we can grow in them.

-- Anonymous

5. UH, THAT'S FUNNY?

Q: How do you get a kleenex to dance?

A: Put a little boogey in it!