Newcomers

I had something I wanted to discuss - a problem in our youth group. Gary and I have discussed this, and I thought it was something I should bring up, even though I will be the first to admit that I'm guilty of it myself.

The problem is in how we welcome guests to our youth group. This is especially important now as we begin a new semester. With all the changes going on in our youth group, it is likely (and hopeful) that we will be getting lots of visitors. But who's talking to these guests? Who's learning their names or making them feel welcome. Sure, friends who were invited find a place pretty quickly. They can just stick with the people who invited them. But what about someone who just showed up out of curiosity. Does anyway notice them?

Let's take this even further: Have we made the best effort possible to make the neighborhood kids who come on Wednesdays feel welcome? Sure, they've been coming for a while, so they're not exactly "visitors". But in all the time they have been coming, I keep wondering why. What makes them come back? 'Cause let's face it, we don't even know all of their names! I don't, at least.

I think that the problem goes beyond just knowing how to make people feel welcome. The problem is in how we relate to everyone - even each other. Our youth group is lacking something when it comes to relationships. We're scattered and divided. We lack a common bond. We fail to recognize that Christ is our common bond and that this should make all the difference in the world. If we can't even come to truly love each other, how can we ever expect to grow?

We saw a glimpse of this at church camp this summer, but it was baby steps. And we've already started to forget them. It's time to recover that.

But how? What are we doing wrong? We've tried, right? What are we not getting? I can't answer that. But I can say this - it is not something that is just going to happen. We have to make it happen. We have to seek it. And the first step in seeking the solution is recognizing the problem. So pay attention next time we're together. Pay attention to how we relate to each other. Pay attention to your thoughts as you interact with your fellow members. Do you like them more than the others? Do they annoy you? Would you rather them not be there? Is your attitude the right one?

I hope this will be an ongoing discussion. It is something we have to take seriously if we want things to change. It might even be the key to getting our youth group to that point we all know it should be at.

BACK TO SKOOL BASH!

I cant wait till the after school bash on Saturday!I mean its food and swimming and...AH! Oh and about Brazil,I'm not goin to just skate,God is directing me there and I will get there.We need to get some digital cameras so we can show the whole church pictures of the b2sb.We need to gang up on j.d and throw him in the pool!Whos with me?I think that we are goin to have a blast.Everyone check out my xanga:www.xanga.com/flyin_angel_of_light7 . Well thats all I got so AH!

Story Behind The Song

Ever wonderd how a song got its name? Well this song was first name was "Crusifiction to the World by the Cross of Christ" by Isacc Watts. It was one of the best in Watts time. It was even said the lines cerainly must have pointed the eighteeth century Christian to a view of the dying of the Savior in a vivid and memorabal way that led them to a deeper worship experiance, even as it does for us today. The name of the song was later changed to:

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of Glory died, m6y richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, save in the deth of Christ, my God; all the vian things that charm me most-I sacrifice them to His blood.

See, from His head, His hands, His feet, sorrow and love flow mignled down; did e'er such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole relm of nature mine, that were apresent far to small; love so amazing, so devine, demands my soul, my life, my all.

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This is the song that inspired the song:

The Wonderful Cross
by Jesse Reeves, Chris Tomlin & J.D. Walt

When I survey the wondrous cross, on which the Prince of Glory, My rechest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride.

Chorus:
Oh, the wonderful cross, bids me come and die, and find that I may truly live.

See from His head, His hands, His feet, sorrow and love flow mingled down, did e'er such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown.

Chorus:
Oh, the wonderful cross, Oh, the wonderful cross, bids me come and die, and find that I may truly live, Oh, the wonderful cross, Oh, the wonderful cross, all who gathet here, by grace draw near and bless Your name.

Love so amazing, so devine, demands my soul, my life, my all.


P.S. If there is a song you would like to know the story behind the song (has to be a christian song) let me know.

The.... Whatever

Hello everyone out there reading this or not reading it.I will be going to Brazil next year.I alredy have a full proof plan on how to get the 2,000 dollars.Will I tell you?NO!But i will go.I will need a camera though...To capture all the other things that go on that we don't know about!I'm going to make a skating video with these people that you all don't know and It's going to be cool!I will ask if I can show it at the Church but it has to have a christian message behind it...DARN!We already have the video and the people in it can skate real good....Of course I'm in it!!!But I might show it if you all want me to!Well gotta go.

Welcome Back

Hey guys! If you're here in response to the e-mail I sent, then thank you for reading it and responding. Welcome back to all those who have been away for a while. Hope it's not too hard for ya to get back into the swing of things.

It's time to bring this old blog to life again - even more so than it was before. Even more? Yeah, sure! Why not? God's got some awesome things in store for our group - we've got an awesome new leader, we've seen a lot of spiritual growth over the summer, we've grown closer together, etc. So why shouldn't this awesomeness carry over onto our blog?

Let's start thinking of this blog as our online-version youth group. Sure, many of us (myself included) have a Xanga or a MySpace or something along those lines. Those are awesome ways to keep up with each others' personal lives. But those are for personal use. This blog is for all of us, and it's the most powerful online ministry we have as a group. So let's start thinking of it that way. Think of it as our virtual youth house: You come in, see your fellow youth groupians, get to know newcomers, welcome guests, share stories, share thoughts and ideas, share talents, worship, hear a lesson - just like we do in our real-world youth group. And just like in the real world, how we present ourselves says much about what God is doing in us. So let's show the world how we've been blessed. Pray for the wisdom to do that.

Looking forward to seeing things get moving on here again. With all the great things I believe will happen this fall, we should have an awesome witness on here.