Vertical Fest pictures! :)

Hey guys!

Sorry about not posting the V.F. pictures sooner!
These pictures didn't turn out very well (In other words, they look bad :P), I admit I was not putting much effort into the photo taking. But I'll still post them anyway for you guys! I'll try taking better pictures next time! :)






So what did you guys think about the trip? Who were your favorite bands? :)
Kutless was great, I had a lot of fun during that part of the concert. But Seventh Day Slumber had an amazing testimony to share, it was very touching. :)

What is the purpose of our youth group?

This & That

Have you checked the gust book out lately? We have had a new visitor!!!!!!

Well who is ready to cook pancakes for the fundraiser Sunday? I'm going to be do some flippen & hopefuly no burning.

How are thing going on Wednesday night? AWANA is going good I have 5 Kindergarden Sparks in my class!!!!!!!

Who is ready to go to Planet Wisdom In November? I can't wait.

See ya'll Sunday.

I love skateboarding - rodney mullen

Faith Like That

Hey guys. Check out these lyrics from the song "Faith Like That" by a band called Jonah33:

I Have Heard about the Days of old
About the men who followed You
And how they saw the Supernatural
And became the chosen few

So I come before You now
Tearing off my earthly crowns
for this one thing I have Found

I want Faith Like That
To see the dead rise
or to see You pass by
Oh I, I want Faith Like That
Whatever the cost
I'll suffer the loss, Oh I
I want Faith Like That

I'm not Looking for a miracle
Signs and Wonders are things thereof
I caught a glimps of what You want from me
and what I have is not enough

I read the story one more time
of Those who gave to You Their lives
With no fear or compromise

I want Faith Like That
To see the dead rise
or to see You pass by
Oh I, I want Faith Like That
Whatever the cost
I'll suffer the loss, Oh I
I want the Faith That can move any mountain
and send them to the sea
I want the Faith that can break every stronghold
That keeps you, keeps you from me

I want Faith Like That
To see the dead rise
or to see You pass by
Oh I, I want Faith Like That

I want Faith Like That
To see the dead rise
or to see You pass by
Oh I, I want Faith Like That
Whatever the cost
I'll suffer the loss, Oh I
I want Faith Like That, a Faith like that

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Ever think about this? We read about all these miracles in the Bible - do we ever wonder why we don't see them happening today? Do we even realize the possibilities that would open up if we sought God this intensly? If so, why aren't we there?

Just some thoughts...speaking of music, I hope to get some pics from Vertical Fest up soon. Check back for those later.

New Story behind the song

I wonted to put this on before my family went camping but did not get a to so here it is.

This song is one of my most favorite songs 'cause it reminds me where I go camping, especially the 1st & 2nd verse.

How Great thou Art

O Lord My God, when I in awesome wonder consider all the worlds Thy hands have made, I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy pow'r thruout the universe displayed!

Chorus: Thin sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee; how great Thou art, how great Thou art! Then Sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee; how great Thou art, how great Thou art!

When thru the woods and forest glades I wonder and hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees, when I look down from lofty mountain grandeur and hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze.

Chorus

And when I think that God, His Son not sparing, sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in - that on the cross, my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin!

Chorus

When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation and take me home, what joy shall fill my heart! Then I shall bow in humble adoration and there proclaim, my God, how great Thou art!

Chorus

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HOW TO USE THE BLOG

WELCOME ALL CALVARY YOUTH!

NOTE: Yes, I realize that this is a long post, but if you haven't been active on here in a while, or if you've never been active on it at all, please take some time to look over it.

This blog is a very special opportunity for all of our members. It is a chance for us to have fun reflecting on past events and, maybe more importantly, it is a chance for all to share thoughts and ideas about where God might be leading our youth group. Everybody is encouraged to participate. Whether you are new in our youth group or have been a member for several years, whether you're one of our "main characters" or if you just sit in the back and keep to yourself, whether you think you have something worth contributing or not - whoever you are, if you're a member of our youth group, we want to hear from you! If you haven't been very active on here, now is the time to start. If you don't know how, this post will tell you...


HOW TO GET HERE

Well, if you're reading this post, you obviously know how to get here, but just in case you don't, it's real simple - just go to http://calvaryyouthofhope.blogspot.com. If possible, go ahead and save this on your favorites list so that you can access it easily. I would encourage you to come straight here every time you decide to get on the blog rather than going straight to the Blogger main page and logging in from there. This way you have a chance to see the blog before making any posts - see what's been posted since you last got on. Also, getting to the actual blog directly from the Blogger main page can be kinda tricky. So just remember the address and come directly to it. It's much easier that way.


READING POSTS

Okay, so what now? What do I do now that I'm on the blog? That's simple. Read it! How do I know that a post applies to me? Easy - if it's on this blog, IT APPLIES TO YOU!!! Remember, this blog is for all of us, so whatever is posted on here, including comments, should be read and considered by all members. Be sure to read all posts, not just the one that is most current. Discussions on a post should go on for as long as there are things to be said concerning the topic, even if that post has been pushed down to the very bottom of the page. So scroll down and make sure you see everything.

NOTE: After you've read this post, scroll down and check out what else is going on. There are some important discussions about some things God is trying to do with us - such as how we relate to guests and to each other in the post titled "Newcomers" and about making sure we're excited and spreading the word about our group in the post titled "Bring a Friend!". Be sure to check them out.


COMMENTS

What do I do after I have read a post? Read the comments. Just click on "COMMENTS" at the bottom of the post. What is the response to the post? What are the thoughts and feelings of your fellow youth members? To tell the truth, the comments are where the real action takes place. Comments are meant to be used for discussion, so it's important that you read them carefully and consider what they say.

It is also important that you yourself engage in the discussion. Please don't brush this off. If you have anything to say, anything at all, say it. Everyone's got something to say on something. We should get many more comments on here than we have been. Please don't be afraid to jump in. Leaving a comment is simple: in the right column of the comments page, you will see a little box with the words "Leave your comment" above it. Just write up your comment in there, then click "Publish your comment" just below the box. If you have not signed in yet, it will prompt you to do so. Just type in your username and password. Don't know your username or password? No problem. I can give you your username. Just ask me for it. I do not know your password, but that's not a problem. Just type in your username and click enter. When it tells you there has been an error, it should give you the option of telling them that you have forgotten your password. Check that and Blogger will take care of you from there. I don't honestly know how they handle it because I've never had this problem myself, but I imagine it's pretty straightforward. Most likely they will e-mail it to you or something. Just be sure to follow their instructions.

So that's pretty simple, right? Remember, these are discussions. Discussions are meant to be a back and forth exercise. Simply leaving a comment and forgetting about it is not enough. You should check back later to see if anyone has said anything after you. You might want to leave another comment to comment on any comments left after your first one. Do it. Like I said, discussions should go on for as long as there are things to be discussed. There are no limits to how many comments you can make on a single post.

NOTE: If this is your first time to use the blog, or if we haven't heard from you in a while, try leaving a comment on this post to let us know you're there and that you know how to use it.


MAKING A POST

What about making a post? Okay, you should already be on the blog. Remember, go straight there through the addresss. Don't try to log in directly from the Blogger main page. You should see the blog before trying to make a post of your own. Once you are at the blog, look at the top. You should see a blue toolbar. To the far left, you should see a little icon that says "Blogger". Click that. There is also another icon at the bottom of the sidebar (that's to the right - where our picture is). Scroll down ‘till you see an icon that says "I Power Blogger". Both of these icons will direct you to the same place. Doesn't matter which one you click on.

If you have made a comment, then you have already signed in and will be immediately directed to what they call your "dashboard". If not, you will be directed to the Blogger main page. At the top right of the screen, you should see the options "Sign in to Blogger" and "Sign in to Blogger in Beta". Choose "Sign in to Blogger". You will be asked for your username and password. Again, if you don't remember you username, ask me and I will give it to you. If you know that much, you should be able to find out your password fairly easily.

Once you have signed in, you will be taken to your dashboard. From here, you can make a post. Click on the little green plus sign that says "New Post" and there you go. Write up your post and publish it. Not too complicated. Again, like with the comments, it's not enough just to post. You have to treat it like a discussion. Come back later to see what the response is. If in a few days time you haven't had any response, welcome to my world! Spread the word. Let people know that you're posting and that they should be too.


YOUR PROFILE

There's also another aspect of the blog that tends to get overlooked - your profile. You want a good thorough profile that helps us get to know you better. To edit your profile, go to your dashboard (you remember how to get there, right?). To the right, you should see an option to edit your profile. Click on that. Fill it out. Give us a picture of yourself - preferably a real pic of yourself as opposed to some avatar or something. Also, if you have a Xanga or MySpace, you can give us a link to it so that we can all be connected. Be yourself, but try to take it seriously. Don't just put silly stuff - let us really know something about you.

NOTE: If you haven't done much with your profile, try doing that now. It'd be good first step in getting active.

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Well, that's pretty much it. If you've read this, you should be able to get active on here now. Please do. It'll be great to start reading some posts and comments from more of you - like Stephen, Shaun, Blake, Brad, Tim, Amelia, JD, Naomi, Mackinzie...everyone on that contributors list...and hopefully some new members, as soon as they get on here.

If you're not a member and want to be, let me know. You have to be invited via e-mail, so just give me your e-mail address and I'll send you an invitation. Not sure if you're eligible? Have you ever sat your butt down in one of our fine-quality metal chairs on a Wednesday or Sunday? If so, then you are eligible and we want you on here!

Blog Shutdown

NOTE: This is a very long post, but if you're actually here, I want you to please take some time to read it.

When I first got involved in this youth group last December, my main concern was helping Gary rebuild this youth group after everything that had gone on, or hadn't gone on, before. I wanted to find a way to show you all what a youth group should be - bonded, united, purpose-driven. I realized that I needed to show you guys that being a part of a youth group extended beyond our Wednesday and Sunday meetings. We were to be a single unit standing strong together - even when we were apart. I needed to devise some kind of tool that would keep this youth group operating 24/7.

This blog was developed with that goal in mind. It was not the only tool for meeting this goal, but I figured it would be a good tool - and considering I felt the Lord leading me to do it, I was pretty certain there was a purpose in it.

Unlike Xanga, MySpace, or Facebook, which unite select friends through personal journals, this blog would be a group effort, meant to bring us all together for blogging which extended beyond just our own selves and cliques. It would be a blog with a larger and deeper purpose - the purpose of uniting and growing our youth group and sharing with the world what God is doing for us and with us.

I searched around to see what the possibilities were. Blogger was the only provider that I found that could really do what I was wanting. No other blog providers that I know of offered group blogging. Now, Blogger is in no way the coolest blog provider there is. It's a little too formal and complicated and not very popular among teenagers, but it allowed for the kind of group effort blog that I felt would make for a good online version of our youth group, and that was the important thing.

Efforts to get people started on here were slow. People weren't accepting their invites, or they were making mistakes in accepting them and were giving up without even asking me for a new one. Once people started getting on here, things started moving a little, but not much. I tried everything I could think of to get people to start sharing. For the most part, as many of you know, it just wasn't happening. It could be very aggravating when I would try to encourage people to get involved only to be responded with absolute refusal. Responses like that were rude and disrespectful and very discouraging to me as I was trying to find my place as a leader.

Over time, a select few started using it. I wasn't getting the kind of revolutionary discussions I was hoping for, but I was starting to see people grow and communicate. It was through the blog that I was able to really get to know what an awesome person Melody was, and reading the thoughts of certain members could be a real blessing, especially when we had the opportunity to see something insightful from members whom we never heard much from. There was even a period near the beginning of the summer when this blog was really alive. Seems like every time I logged on, there was new post - Ryan's desire for more ministry opportunities in our youth group, Ben's expression of his relationship with God through poetry, Melody's pictures of us on one of our crazy adventures, etc. Things got moving so fast that I actually had to make a post suggesting that we move slower so as to give posts a chance to be read.

Then things just kinda stopped. I figured that things would slow down during the summer, but I didn't expect them to slow down as much as they did. There were excuses, of course - several people, like Ben, lost access to the Internet, and with much happening in our youth group, such as the blessing of a new leader, there just wasn't much thought about our little online youth group extension. But I still felt that the blog was a great ministry opportunity, and I thought it should be maintained.

Many of us began putting more effort into our personal blogs. A community began developing there. Communication was happening. This was great, but the communication happening on our personal blogs is just that - personal. On my Xanga, I talk about me and my life. That's a great thing to do. But the purpose of this blog was specifically to grow and develop our youth group. It was a place to share and discuss anything and everything God was laying on our hearts concerning our ministry. An opportunity like this should not be substituted by our own personal journals.

I tried to keep encouraging usage, but I didn't get much response. In fact, it seemed as though some members were starting to resent me for it. Some felt I was being too pushy about it. I've apologized for any misunderstandings in my tone of asking, but even after that, I felt like no one wanted to have anything to do with this blog. I started to think that people just don't think of me as a leader in this youth group - that my ministry efforts don't really have to be respected or taken seriously. If this is the case, I can accept the blame for not asserting myself enough. But I can't help but feel like that wouldn't be enough. Even were I to be more respected as a leader, I still don't think the blog would come to life in the way that I had wanted it to.

The advantage of having this blog setup in this way is that, ideally, were every member to be truly active and to truly understand and respect its purpose, then anytime God laid something on a member's heart, they could share it here and rest assured that it would be seen and responded to by all members. Maybe God wants to use someone in this youth group - use them to lead out a specific ministry - but they don't have any opportunity to get started. If the blog were being used to its full purpose, this person would be able to start here by telling the rest of us. But if the blog is only being used by a handful of people, it's not really meeting its purpose, is it? Someone posts a thought, no one sees it, no one responds, nothing happens. It's just a waste of everyone's time.

For this reason, I have come to a point where I'm ready to shut this blog down. Rather than wasting my efforts any longer on something that isn't working, I should just accept this failure and move on. Do I really feel the Lord leading me to do this? No. I feel the Lord leading me to consider it, to post about it, and see what the response is. I will pray about it. Will you?

Bring a Friend!

I want to challenge everyone to start making an effort to get the word out about what's going in our youth group. Start inviting your friends. No excuses - I know you guys know people you can invite. And everyone is welcome. Don't assume someone doesn't belong at our church. Ridding ourselves of that attitude is one of the keys to building our youth group into what God wants it to be.

Now, just to be clear - this is not about numbers. It's about getting excited about what God is doing and wanting to share it with others. For things to really start taking off, we have to get excited. If our friends don't know how much this youth group means to us, we're not exited enough. If people aren't taking notice of us, we're not excited enough.

Most of you don't remember when Jon McClure was the youth pastor. When I was a freshman, believe it or not, we had the biggest, most talked-about youth group in town. People talked about what was going on in our group with their friends at school. We can have that again. In fact, we can have something more - we can have a youth group that is playing a huge part in an awesome youth revival. But it's going to be up to you guys to make sure that happens. So start praying about what God will have you do towards this.

And keep up the discussion on the "Newcomers" post. There's still some important issues to be discussed there.