CrossTrainers

Make-up: January 15, 2012

2012-01-18T06:51:00.000-08:00

TheWilderness Temptations

On January 15th, we studied the wilderness temptations. We ask you to take a look at the lesson, read the scriptures and watch the video clip and then comment. You may comment as anonymous and then just put your first name or initials in the box. In the comment section, give a few sentences on the lesson.

Bible Text:

Luke 4:1–15; Matthew 4:1–11; Mark 1:12–13

Lesson Focus:

Jesus used scripture to resist the devil'stemptations.

Big Question:

How can I resist temptations if I can't quotescripture?

Key Words:

TEMPTATION, SCRIPTURE, HOLY SPIRIT, SATAN

Definition of Key Words

TEMPTATION: anything that controls us and leads us away fromGod or threatens our relationship with God.

SCRIPTURE: God's word in the Bible and the words that Jesusused against Satan.

The HOLY SPIRIT: the third person of the Trinity (with Godand Jesus) and the one who guides us in our decision-making.

SATAN: the one who tempts us in order to draw us away fromGod. Satan is also known as the "accuser."

Quick Overview

Jesus was tempted—really tempted—but did not succumb tousing his God-given powers for any cheap thrills, fantastic duels with Satan,or evil misuse.

In all three gospels, the temptation scene comes towardthe beginning of Jesus' story and—in some fashion—inaugurates his ministry.

Some have suggested that the point of the mysterioustemptation scene is that Jesus was fully human and was fully tempted. Otherssay that we are to glean, as any first century Jew would, that Jesus was amodel Jew. Still others maintain that this scene shows up-front the conflictbetween God's reign and the reign of Satan, setting up the thematicundercurrent that all of Jesus' ministry is an attack on Satan's work.

Jesus stymies the devil finally because he knows whose heis—He is God's Son.

Movie Connection: 3:10 to Yuma

MainIdea: A Person Of Integrity Does The Right Thing EvenWhen No One Is Watching

SceneSet Up: Dan Evans has made it all the way to the small townof Contention where he is being paid $200 to deliver outlaw Ben Wade to the3:10 train. Wade’s outlaw gang has been trailing them and Dan’s son William hassnuck along and is now caught up in the deadly adventure. Dan desperately needsthe $200 to save his ranch, and he wants the respect of his son who thinks heis a weak, boring, religious nobody. As they wait for the local sheriff and hisdeputies to show up Ben takes another opportunity to try to tempt Dan intoletting him go.

Application:

Your character reveals itself when you face a moralissue and nobody is around to catch you. Daniel is facing an integrity issue.Ben Wade knows Dan is a strong Christian, but his experience is that everybodyhas a price, and most people of faith live differently from the foundationalteachings of the bible in their private lives. So Ben expects Dan to be likethe other Christians he has met…saying one thing and doing whatever it takes toget ahead.

Dan has become a man of integrity. A man ofintegrity is a man who keeps his word. A person of integrity is a person whodoes what he says even when temptation hits. A person of integrity is the sameperson in every part of his life. When the chips are down you can count on aperson of integrity to be sturdy and solid, like an oak of righteousness.

We begin the journey of integrity when we live inthe presence of one who truly sees us as we are, and longs for us not to beimpressive, not to be inconsistent, but to be people who live whole andcomplete lives. We live as people of integrity when we have a solid center. Thiscenter comes from knowing we were bought with a price and are now the ones whorepresent Jesus. It is Him who lives at our core, and that center will groundyou to make choices that line up with the Word which will set you free. Whenyou are the same in private as you are in public that is a good start. When youare pursuing righteousness regardless of who is watching that is an even bettermeasure of your integrity

Make Up: January 8, 2012

2012-01-18T06:21:00.000-08:00

TheMagi

For your make up, we simply ask you to read through the lesson out line and then in the comment section (choose anonymous), write a sentence or two regarding the lesson or scripture and answer the big question.

Bible Text:

Matthew 2:1–23

Lesson Focus:

Jesus is revealed as king of all—whether thepeople recognize him or not.

Big Question:

Jesus was a poor baby. Why am I supposed toworship him like a king?

Key Words:

EPIPHANY, GENTILES, HEROD THE GREAT, MAGI, HOMAGE

Definition of Key Words

EPIPHANY: the church's celebration on January 6 of the visitof the magi to the infant Jesus. Epiphany means "revelation" andrecognizes that Jesus is "revealed" as king for all people by thisvisit of the magi.

GENTILES: people who weren't Jewish.

HEROD THE GREAT: a corrupt Jewish king who served asgovernor of Galilee and was backed by Roman power. Threatened by the birth ofJesus, the true king, he sent the magi to Bethlehem to find Jesus so that hecould have the child killed.

MAGI: stargazers or astrologers from Persia. They recognizedJesus as a great king, chosen by God, even though they were Gentiles.

HOMAGE: a ceremony by which people acknowledge themselves asservants of a master or lord

Quick Overview

The Christmas story in Matthew bears no resemblance to theone in Luke.

Matthew 1 shows that Jesus is the fulfillment of promisesmade to Israel. Matthew 2 introduces the idea that Jesus fulfills Gentile hopesfor salvation as well.

The primary message of Matthew's Christmas story is thatJesus is revealed by God as Lord and king for the entire world.

The magi were probably astrologers or magicians of apriestly clan of Persians. They were exotic pagans—Gentiles in the extreme.

It was a widely held belief that a new star rose in thesky at the birth of a great leader.

The story of the magi shows us that Jesus is God's gift tothe entire world.

Baptismal Connection

In the Rite of Affirmation of Baptism, a five-part questionaddresses each confirmand's intent to continue in the covenant God made withthem in Holy Baptism. Here We Stand resources help students—with support fromparents, leaders, and the entire congregation—prepare to answer this questionas they continue in their lifelong faith journey.

Today's lesson focused on the clause "to proclaim thegood news of God in Christ through word and deed."

The visit of the magi revealed to all the world that Jesusis God's chosen king—the Messiah. The magi offered physical gifts and alsooffered themselves as they worshiped him. Likewise, our words and deeds revealwho Jesus is in our lives. The magi put forth a great deal of effort to payhomage to the new king. Do we show the same determination to honor Jesus as ourking? Help the youth use this lesson to grow in their understanding of howtheir words and deeds reveal what they think and feel about Jesus. Herod wasafraid that he would lose his position as king of the Jews. The magi weredetermined to honor Jesus, regardless of the cost to themselves. Do our wordsand deeds show that we want to preserve our own status in our community? Or dothey show that Jesus is our king and that we are willing to pay homage to our kingregardless of the cost?

meet ME under the bridge

2011-12-20T13:10:00.000-08:00

On December 18th, Christ The Savior helped with meet ME under the bridge. We have been partnering with them for 14 months now. During confirmation small group, we had the 7th grade groups help in the kitchen. They prepared the take home bags and the Christmas packages. Then we had 3 of the confirmation students join up with 11 other individuals to serve in downtown Indianapolis. Here are a few of the pictures:

their banner

making sandwiches in the kitchen

making the Christmas packages

confirmation group: serious pose

confirmation group: the moose look

city view from the parking lot

the warehouse that we served from

serving desserts

This past month, we at Christ The Savior, had 20 families bring in food. We had 24 students and 4 adults working in the church and then we had 14 going down and serving including 4 parent/child. We had a smaller turnout this past month but we still had the opportunity to serve 65+ individuals.

Thank-you for serving !

Make-Up: December 18th, 2011

2011-12-19T13:54:00.000-08:00

On December 18th, our lesson was on the Birth Of Jesus. Below is the outline of what we did in Big Group. We ask you to read through the blog post and then you can answer the big question. All you have to do is click the comment, choose anonymous and after you give your answer, place your initials down so we can give you the credit for make-up.

The Outline of Big Group

Countdown

Welcome & Announcements

Opening Song: O Little Town Of Bethlehem

Opening Prayer

Drama Time

Affirmation of Baptism: What’s The Connection?

Key Words

Scripture Reading

Message

Depart For Small Groups

Bible Text
Luke 2:1–20

Lesson FocusGod's son Jesus came to save all people, focusing on the outcasts first.

Big Question
I've heard this story many times. What else can I learn from it?

Key Words
INCARNATION, BETHLEHEM, MESSIAH/CHRIST, OUTCAST

Definition of Key Words

INCARNATION: God taking on human life (flesh) in Jesus.

BETHLEHEM: the town where Jesus was born. Joseph wasdescended from King David, who was also born in Bethlehem.

MESSIAH/CHRIST: the one promised by God who would come tosave God's people. Messiah is Hebrew, Christ is Greek, but both words translateinto English as "the anointed one." Jesus, son of Mary, is theMessiah.

OUTCAST: a person or class of people who are disdained byothers in society. They often are forced to live apart from others and areshunned by the community.

Lesson Highlights

The writer of Luke sets the birth of the Messiah within world history.

Augustus was the honorary name for Gaius Octavius, Roman emperor from 31 B.C. to 14 A.D. He was known as the "bringer of peace," and biblical scholars speculate that the writer of Luke makes a connection between Jesus' birth and Augustus's reign to show that Jesus, not Augustus, is the true bringer of peace.

Palestine had been under Roman control for about a century and under foreign occupation for nearly 600 years when Jesus was born.

There were many hopes and expectations with regard to the leader whom God would send to bring justice and peace. Some were expecting a military hero—who would conquer the Romans, rally God's people, and usher in an era of peace and prosperity for the faithful who had been oppressed.

The idea that shepherds were the first to receive the news of the Messiah's birth would have been surprising and offensive to the original hearers and readers of this story.

Baptismal Connection

Today'slesson focuses on the clause "to strive for justice and peace in all theearth"

Make Up: December 11th, 2011

2011-12-12T14:05:00.000-08:00

On December 11th, we had a lesson on the wilderness to land (the wandering in the wilderness). Please take time to read the scripture, highlights and the video and in the comment section; answer the big question.

Wilderness to Land

Bible Text:

Exodus 16:1–15

Joshua 24:14–18

Deuteronomy 6:4–9

Lesson Focus:
We should focus our lives on God.

Big Question:
I have so many important things in my life; why should I focus on God?

Key Words:
PROVIDE, OBEDIENCE, FAITHFULNESS, PROMISE

Definition of Key Words

PROVIDE: to supply or give what is needed to meet or sustain one's needs.

OBEDIENCE: complying with the guidelines that have been given to you.

FAITHFULNESS: allegiance and loyalty, especially to God, family, and friends.

PROMISE: a pledge or declaration that one will do what is declared.

Highlight

Once out of Egypt, the people begin to grumble; God provides food for them.

The people worship the golden calf and so must wander in the wilderness for 40 years. During that time the Lord provides for them.

Moses is not allowed to enter the promised land, and Joshua becomes the new leader of the people.

The faithfulness of God in spite of the erratic behavior of God's people is a prominent theme in these stories.

Moses' audience for many of his sermons is a new generation of Israelites. Moses is concerned that they know the history of their ancestors and the history of God's direct involvement in their lives.

Moses preaches with the backdrop of the Exodus and his sight set forward to the fulfillment of the promise of a marvelous land for God's chosen people.

Moses, and later Joshua, expands and clarifies the law throughout the people's journey, always emphasizing the grace of the law that leads to the fulfilled life that God intends for the chosen people.

Deuteronomy 6:4–9, especially verses 4–5 (called the Shema), is foundational for Jews in a very profound way to this day. All obedience, it claims, flows out of a sense of love toward God and dependence on God.

Connecting

This week, we watched two videos. One was a music connection and one was a movie connection. Here is the music video and some background:

Home By Daughtry

In this lesson, we learn that the Israelites are on a long journey to the promised land. Through Moses's many speeches, the people learn that their special relationship with God is based on love. The Israelites feel that the promised land is to be their home. Chris Daughtry sings about a journey home: a place where love is. Even though he is not always the best man, the love that abides at home is always there.

Debrief the movie clip with these questions:

• How does it feel to go home after a long journey?
• What do you consider "home"?

Make Up: December 4th, 2011

2011-12-12T13:37:00.000-08:00

On December 4th, we had our lesson on Exhile and Return. We ask you to read the scriptures and take a look at the lesson focus, key words and the highlights. Then, click on the comment section and answer the big question. For comments, you can choose annonymous and oplace first or last name or initials and we will record it; thanks.

Exile and Return

Bible Text:
Ezekiel 5:5–8; 36:22–32; Zechariah 1:1–6

Lesson Focus:
Even when we feel separated, God always welcomes us back.

Big Question:
How can I be sure that God is really with me?

Key Words:
EXILE, BABYLON, JERUSALEM, FAITHFULNESS, PROPHET

Definitions of Key Words

EXILE: removal from one's homeland for an extended period of time. God's people were in exile for more than 50 years.

BABYLON: a city in the area now known as Iraq, between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. King Nebuchadnezzar exiled several thousand of God's people from their homes in Jerusalem to Babylon from 597 to 539 B.C.E.

JERUSALEM: the home of God's people and the city where they returned after the Exile.

FAITHFULNESS: the demonstration of loyalty or allegiance. God remained faithful to God's people, even while they were exiled in Babylon. God's people also demonstrated their faithfulness to God during this time.

PROPHET: a person who is called by God to preach and speak fearlessly for God.

Quick Overview

The Babylonian exile of the Jews from their homeland was a turning point in the life of God's people, reshaping them for new life with God. This forced exile happened over several years and lasted for about 60 years.

The prophets who served during the exile and the return emphasized God's presence and purpose among the people and in all events—even painful and tragic ones. Ezekiel recalled the people to a life dedicated to Yahweh.

The release from exile came in stages, beginning with the edict of Persian King Cyrus in 538 B.C.E. that allowed exiles to return and reestablish their worship of God.

Ezra and Nehemiah were concerned with religious reform, organizing the returning community around Torah, and rebuilding the temple. Both Ezra (a priest) and Nehemiah (a political leader) had a strong sense of God's working in history and God's ability to use whomever God wills.

The prophets of the post-exilic period (including Ezekiel and Zechariah) laid the basis in language and imagery for the development of biblical apocalyptic writing. Unlike much popular apocalyptic literature today, biblical apocalyptic literature was written to reassure oppressed people of God's power and abiding presence and mercy.

Make Up: November 20th, 2011

2011-11-22T09:40:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, November 20th, our small group lesson was King David. Here is the lesson highlights below. We ask you to take a look at the scriptures, read the material and comment below on what it means to you. Thanks.

King David

Bible Text:
1 Samuel 16–17; 18:10–16; 2 Samuel 2:1–7; 5:1–10; 7:1–17; Isaiah 9:6–7

Lesson Focus:
God uses imperfect people to do amazing things.

Big Question:
Do we have to have David-like courage and trust to be useful to God?

Key Words:
CHOSEN, HUMBLE, TRUST

Definition of Key Words

CHOSEN: a person or group of people selected for a special purpose. David was chosen by God to be a leader and to be the ancestor of Jesus.

HUMBLE: not arrogant, haughty, or overly assertive. A low, unpretentious ranking. David was a humble shepherd when God called him to do great things.

TRUST: to rely on someone or something; to place confidence and dependence in someone. Because David trusted in God's word, guidance, and strength, he was blessed with the ability to lead the nation of Israel.

Quick Bullet Highlights

The Bible has two versions of King David's life, one in 1 Samuel 16–31; 2 Samuel; and 1 Kings 1–2; and one in 1 Chronicles.

Even after being chosen by God to be king, David had to overcome several obstacles before being recognized as king of Israel.

A brilliant strategist and mediator, King David united the nation, centralized power, and established a national capital at Jerusalem.

In David and his descendants we see that God chooses and uses whom God will—raising up a lowly shepherd to be king and using a deeply flawed human being for God's purposes.

David reigned as king approximately from 1000 to 961 B.C.

Jesus is descended from David.

Our leaders are flawed human beings just like us. It's important not to idealize leaders. It's also important to consider what attributes are truly important in leaders.

Going Deep

The Bible portrays David as a brilliant strategist and mediator. We have two versions of King David's life. One (1 Chronicles), likely composed in the fifth century B.C., celebrates David's leadership in uniting north and south, establishing the national capital and spiritual center at Jerusalem, centralizing power, and focusing the people on praising God. An earlier version (1 Samuel 16–31; 2 Samuel; 1 Kings 1–2), likely composed during the exile in the sixth century B.C., is a more complex story of personal and political intrigue. David's association with many of the psalms reflects his concern for worship of Yahweh (2 Samuel 23:1).

The New Testament attests that Jesus is descended from David. Almost invariably those who cry to Jesus for mercy do so calling him "Son of David" (see Matthew 9:27; 15:22; 17:15; 20:30–21; Mark 10:47–48; Luke 17:13; 18:38–39). Old Testament prophecies reiterate the promise of Christ coming from the family of David (Isaiah 9:6–7).

Like many important biblical figures, David was of humble origins, the youngest son of "a Bethlehem farmer" (1 Samuel 16). With God's help and David's trust in God, David became Israel's most powerful king and accomplished great things while yet a human being who made some terrible mistakes. David, through sin, crime, and repentance, still trusted and believed in God, and God repeatedly forgave him and remained with him.

In David and his descendants we see that God chooses and uses whom God will. David, like other important biblical figures, such as Mary and Joseph, was a lowly person raised up by God to become a person of great importance. God made a shepherd the patriarch of a dynasty.

David was the preeminent king among all ancient Israel's kings and was chosen by God (1 Samuel 16:1–13), but he was nonetheless a deeply flawed human being. Having won King Saul's affection, David subsequently became Saul's rival, married Saul's daughter, and established a separate power base from which David rose to become king following Saul's death. David was a brilliant and trusted leader, for example, gathering to himself "everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented" and becoming "captain over them" (1 Samuel 22:2). But David was also abusive (2 Samuel 11–12), and his legacy of abuse was the terrible inheritance of his children (2 Samuel 13).

David's reign is estimated to have been approximately from 1000 to 961 B.C. David's kingship contrasts with that of Saul, who was the first king of ancient Israel, beginning a generation earlier. David's reign transformed the feuding tribal confederacy under Saul into a more coherent—though not completely united—nation. Elapsed time and the change in political environment, notably the Philistine threat, helped make possible David's consolidation and centralization of power (2 Samuel 21:15–22; 23:8–39). David was anointed twice, first as king of Judah (2 Samuel 2:4) in the south and then as king of Israel (2 Samuel 5:3) in the north. As a sign to unite the nation, David brought the Ark of the Covenant to the newly established capital of Jerusalem, located between north and south. David used the Ark—a sign of God's sole sovereignty—to consolidate his own power as king over the nation.

What do we expect of our leaders? We fall into a trap when we think our leaders are not flawed human beings just like ourselves. Setting leaders on a pedestal can dangerously lead to unquestioning loyalty. At the same time, a leader must be a model to others. What is reasonable to expect of leaders? They must possess attributes that enable them to lead effectively. They must have the ability to listen, a character and personality that can hold people's trust and respect, vision, the ability to see the big picture, organizational skills, and integrity. Is it important that a leader have a sense of humor about herself or himself? Is compassion important? Is physical health important? Or the ability to say no? What is the relationship between a leader's public life and personal life? In what ways is a person's personal life relevant or irrelevant to the person's capacity to lead in society or in the church?

Make Up: November 13th, 2011

2011-11-16T14:56:00.000-08:00

We want to encourage you to read through the format that Carrie's class followed. When you are done, please take a moment and comment in the comment box. Please remember to sign your name or initials; so you can get credit.

Small Group: Prophets of Judah 11/13/11 Week 9

Our Lesson

Bible Text:
Isaiah 5:1-7; 9:2-7; 10:1-2; 1:16-20; Jeremiah 31: 31-34; 7:1-15, 23-26

Lesson Focus:
Though the people were not always faithful to God, God was always faithful to them.

Big Question:
Who will I always be able to count on?

Key Words:
JUSTICE, HOPE, CONFESSION

High Level View of Judah and the books of Isaiah & Jeremiah

Assyria was asserting itself against Judah & Israel. We learned last week that Israel fell to Assyria and Judah narrowly avoided being similarly swallowed up. Judah, the Southern Kingdom, led also with kings, mostly who failed to be faithful to Yahweh. Its primary prophets during this period were Isaiah & Micah, however Jeremiah’s prophecy was the most extensive.

Two kings represent the ends of the spectrum. At one extreme, Manasseh was regarded as the most brutal & faithless king Judah had ever known. At the other extreme, Josiah was regarded as the best king next to King David. Josiah instituted religious reforms but was not adept in international relations.

So why was Judah so sinful? (Bad King = Bad People)

King Manasseh’s reign began when he was 12 yrs old and lasted several decades from 687 to 642 B.C.E He spat on covenants, built altars and a temple to other gods and was murderous, even sacrificing his son to an Assyrian deity. He was unjust and had faithless leadership, causing Judah’s sinfulness, destruction and subsequent exile.

Opening Prayer

LEADER: Lord, we have failed to worship you and recognize the grace that you have freely given to us. Help us look to you for guidance, love and acceptance. Help us see your grace and mercy in all that we do and say. Lead us out of temptation and into your loving arms.
ALL: Amen

Prophet-Isaiah

In a vision, Isaiah saw God enthroned in the temple and surrounded by angels. God was seeking a rep, but Isaiah was acutely aware of his sinfulness & the sinfulness of his people. An angel took a live coal from an altar & touched it to Isaiah’s lips explaining that “your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for”.
Isaiah is a good model for how to remain part of the community of faith while at the same time acknowledging and dealing with its faults.

He used the image of the people as God’s vineyard to call the nation to repentance. He also articulated a vision of a king (Josiah) who would be faithful and compassionate and would lead the people in their understanding of the sole sovereignty of Yahweh.

And saving the best for last…he predicted the Messiah’s coming! He saw a vision of the Messiah’s (Jesus) virgin birth, his character and his crucifixion.

Read- Bible Text: Isaiah 9:2-7

In a time of great darkness, God promised to send a light that would shine on everyone living in the shadow of death. This message of hope was fulfilled in the birth of Christ and the establishment of his eternal kingdom. He came to deliver all people from their slavery to sin.

Prophet- Jeremiah

He had both a deep understanding of human sin and a deep trust in God’s constancy and determination to do whatever was needed to renew and sustain relationship with the people.

God’s message through Jeremiah was that his once-devoted people were no longer faithful. Like Isaiah, Jeremiah proclaimed the promise of a new king who would be righteous and compassionate, a leader who would fulfill God’s purpose. (Jeremiah 23: 1-8)

Definitions of Key Words

JUSTICE: the principal of right action and fairness as related to treating people fairly and honestly.

HOPE: trust in or reliance on someone or something.

CONFESSION: the act of admitting your wrongdoing or sins.

The Big Question:

Who will I always be able to count on?

The people of Judah were not faithful to God, yet God remained faithful to them. God could have abandoned the people, let them suffer the result of their sin, yet God did not do that. God is the model of faithfulness for us.

Baptismal Connection

Today’s lesson focuses on the clause “to strive for justice and peace in all the earth”. Working for justice and peace is central to the call to follow God. Prophets like Isaiah & Jeremiah made it clear that what God wants from His people is for them to work in this world on behalf of those who are in need. Working for peace & justice is one of the most important ways we can share God’s love with the world.

Best/Worst (hi’s / low’s) from your week?

Closing Prayer

LEADER: Lord, even though your people turned their back on you,
GROUP: You were faithful.
LEADER: Even though we were in sin,
GROUP: You sent your Son to die for us.
LEADER: Even though we don’t deserve it,
GROUP: You give us your grace.
LEADER: Be with us as we tell others of what you have done in our lives.
GROUP: Thank you, Lord
ALL: Amen.

Make Up: November 6th, 2011

2011-11-07T07:21:00.000-08:00

Carrie Lucas created a student sheet for her class. We wanted to share it with you for the class make up time. We ask you to read the material and then comment in the section below so we can know that you did the make-up. Thanks.
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Our Lesson

Bible Text:
1 Kings 11:1-13, Amos 1:1; 5:21-24; 8:1-18; Hosea 1:1-9; 4:1-3; Jeremiah 11:18-23; 15:15-21

Lesson Focus:
When the rulers of Israel ignored God’s prophets, Israel was lost.

Big Question:
What would a prophet say to us today?

Key Words:
PROPHET, JUDGEMENT, JUSTICE

High Level View of the Book of 1 KINGS, AMOS, HOSEA, & JEREMIAH:

The once great nation of Israel turned into a land divided, not only physically, but spiritually. God had warned Israel that kings would cause more problems than they solve. Evil kings led the nation deeper into idolatry and destruction.
During this period, there were 2 kingdoms. Israel was the Northern Kingdom & Judah was the Southern Kingdom. We’ll be focusing on the Northern Kingdom. Throughout history, the people of Israel had disobeyed God. They rejected the prophets and didn’t take care of those who were poor and powerless. They were mistreating the poor and worshipping other gods, such as money and power, instead of God. They enjoyed luxury while the poor suffered. Because they rejected God and the prophets and didn’t take care of those who were poor, Israel was abandoned by God and became exiled. During the exile, the Israelites wondered why, since they were God’s chosen people, they felt so abandoned. Remembering the words of God’s prophets, like Amos & Hosea, helped.

The prophets whose voices carry throughout these stories in the bible are the real meat & potatoes of the story, not the kings, for it’s the prophets who call the people of the Northern Kingdom back to faithfulness to the God who still loves them.

Read- Bible Text: 1 Kings 11:1-13
After David died, Solomon (the wisest king in the history of Israel), became King. Solomon was wealthy and wise, but disobeyed God in a number of ways. The kings and leaders of God’s people were to help the people stay faithful to God. Under the influence of his many wives, Solomon began to worship other gods, thereby, leading the people to do the same thing.

Important to note: Solomon was led to idolatry.
We, as Christians, may have strong faith, but we also have areas of weakness. Those areas are usually where temptation strikes. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link—so strengthen & protect yourselves where you are weak.

Opening Prayer LEADER: Lord, you spoke through your prophets of old.
GROUP: Now you speak through us.
LEADER: You call for peace where there is war.
GROUP: Make us instruments of your peace.
LEADER: You call for justice where there is despair.
GROUP: Make us instruments of your justice.
ALL: Amen

Definitions of Key Words

PROPHET: a messenger for God who speaks out about acts of injustice.

JUDGMENT: an accusation about a person’s actions. The prophets pronounced judgment on the king and people because of their poor actions.

JUSTICE: living in relationships of love and caring & upholding the powerless, goes beyond obeying the law.

Prophets

Amos – He was a man of God and spoke with brutal frankness in denouncing sin. He was just a humble Shepard, who God gave a vision of the future to. The vision was that Israel would be conquered by Assyria and the rich would become slaves, themselves. Amos pronounced God’s judgment upon Israel, the northern kingdom, for its complacency, idolatry, and oppression to the poor. He collided with the false religious leaders of his day and was not intimidated by a priest or a king. He continued to speak his message boldly.

Hosea (means “salvation”)- The book of Hosea is a love story – real, tragic and true. God told Hosea to wind a wife (Gomer) and revealed to him ahead of time that she would be unfaithful to him. This book tells of God’s love for his people and the response of His “bride”. A covenant had been made, and God had been faithful. But Israel, like Gomer, was adulterous and unfaithful, turning to false gods. Hosea warned that unless they repented of their sin and turned back to God, they were headed for destruction.

Jeremiah – The basic theme was “repent and turn to God”. Jeremiah was God’s spokesman, but nobody listened. He was rejected by his neighbors, his family, false priests, friends…everyone. He often felt he stood alone as he predicted the destruction of Jerusalem. He predicted that after the destruction of the nation, God would send a new Shepard, the Messiah (JESUS). Jesus would lead them into a new future, a new covenant, and a new day of hope…and he would accomplish this by changing their sinful hearts into hearts of love for God.

Prophets of Today

God sent prophets to warn the people of Israel. The teachings of these prophets in the biblical tradition help us to understand & listen to the voices of present-day prophets. Prophets today provide us with guiding lights. People like Martin Luther King Jr., John Paul II, and others are recent prophets who have spread God’s message of peace, love, and justice.

Baptismal Connection
Today’s lesson focuses on the clause “to strive for justice and peace in all the earth”. Working for justice and peace is central to the call to follow God. Prophets like Amos made it clear that what God wants from His people is for them to work in this world on behalf of those who are in need. Working for peace & justice is one of the most important ways we can share God’s love with the world.

Best/Worst (hi’s / low’s) from your week?

Closing Prayer

LEADER: Lord, you sent your prophets to speak up for the poor.
GROUP: Help us to speak up for the poor.
LEADER: You sent your prophets to speak to government leaders.
GROUP: Help us to guide all world leaders to do what is right.
LEADER: You sent your prophets to remind your people to put you first in their lives.
GROUP: Help us to put you first in our lives.
LEADER: For all you do for us, we thank you.
GROUP: Thank you, Lord
ALL: Amen.

Make Up: October 23rd - Moses & Pharaoh

2011-10-31T09:27:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, October 23rd, our lesson was on Moses and Pharaoh. Below, you will see the outline of the lesson in small group. We ask you to read through it and then comment on what stood out to you. By commenting, we will know that you have read through the material and interacted with the lesson. You can comment as "anonymous" and list your initials and we will know who it is; thank you.

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Moses and Pharaoh

Bible Text:
Exodus 2:23–24; 5:1–9; 6:1–9; 7:14–12:32; 12:33–42; 14:21–31

Lesson Focus:
God delivers the people from suffering.

Big Question:
Why doesn't God fix all the injustice in the world?

Key Words:
PLAGUE, PASSOVER, DELIVERANCE

Definition of Key Words

PLAGUE: any large-scale calamity.

PASSOVER: a Jewish festival commemorating the deliverance of their people from slavery in Egypt.

DELIVERANCE: the act of releasing or rescuing.

The Highlights

Moses serves as God's mediator and the Hebrew people's enfleshed liberator and leader.

The fantastic plague narrative shows that the God of the Israelites is sovereign not only over the Hebrew people, but over the Egyptians (i.e., the world) as well.

Yahweh is a God who rescues, makes relationships, and establishes covenants.

Yahweh is powerful, and divine power is shown not in domination, as exercised by Pharaoh, but through deliverance.

God's purposes continue to be achieved through people—reluctant ones, even!

God is involved in the sociopolitical world in profound ways.

The story of the Exodus undergirds everything that comes after it in scripture. From now on, God is known as the creating, redeeming, and sustaining God.

DEEP THOUGHTS

The setting of the Exodus undergirds everything that comes after it in scripture. God's action in this world to save his people from bondage to slavery becomes the story. God becomes known as the creating, redeeming, and sustaining God. And Moses becomes God's flesh-and-blood liberator, leader, and lawgiver.

God has already called Moses in the famous scene of the burning bush. His "call narrative" is wonderful on many levels, not the least of which is that he argues and argues and argues with God. And God listens. God responds. There is discussion. The plan is modified somewhat. Finally God says, "Go!" And Moses goes. The divine trait of listening to the people is highlighted throughout this story. It is not only Moses God listens to, but the people in general. "Out of the slavery their cry for help rose up to God. God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God looked upon the Israelites, and God took notice of them" (Exodus 2:23–25). God is identified as the God who entered into the covenant with their ancestors. This is our clue that the promise of blessing will be furthered yet again.

The plague narrative is always interesting. It is so fantastic and surreal! The point of it is not found in Bible notes or late-night TV documentaries insisting that scientific evidence of natural disasters around this time in history exists. The point is that it is fantastic. This God of the Israelites is sovereign not only over the Hebrew people, but over the Egyptians (i.e., the world) as well. These are not magic tricks Moses brings on in the name of the Lord—Pharaoh's magicians cannot match them when the ante is upped. This is the power of the one true God. From this story comes the tradition of Passover, with its obvious links in the New Testament. This is the historical background of the celebratory feast that takes place each spring in the homes of our Jewish friends and neighbors. And it is our story too.

God shines from the pages of scripture in this story. As the people begin their wilderness wanderings after their miraculous crossing of the sea, Moses begins to talk with them more about the God who saved them. The themes are unmistakable, and they will continue to be spelled out again and again through the wilderness wanderings. Yahweh is a God who rescues, makes relationships, and establishes covenants. Yahweh is powerful, and divine power is shown not in domination, as exercised by Pharaoh, but through deliverance. God's purposes continue to be achieved through people—reluctant ones, even! God is involved in the sociopolitical world in profound ways. These are the claims of a rescued people. Though the chosen people do not always confess it—rather, they complain much of the time—the setting of the Exodus undergirds everything that comes after it in scripture. From now on, God is known as the creating, redeeming, and sustaining God.

Make-Up: October 16th, 2011 - Joseph

2011-10-20T04:52:00.000-07:00

On Sunday in small group, we took a look at Joseph. It is a long story (14 chapters). One of the groups had a great discussion on favortism and if/how parents show it to their children. At least how the students in the group felt there is favortism shown to their siblings. We asked you to familiarize with the story, read the descriptions below and comment on what/how the story means/relates to you.

Bible Text:
Genesis 37–50

Lesson Focus:
Joseph trusted God, in the good and bad times.

Big Question:
Why should I trust God?

Key Words:
DREAMS, SLAVERY, FORGIVENESS

DEFINITION OF KEY WORDS

DREAMS: thoughts, visions, or mental images that occur during sleep and can relay a message. Joseph interpreted his dreams and the dreams of others.

SLAVERY: a condition of bondage when a person is in servitude to another; drudgery, toil. Joseph was sold as a slave by his own brothers.

FORGIVENESS: relief from a debt or a weakness; pardon; wiping the slate clean. Joseph forgave his brothers when they thought that would never happen.

DEEP THOUGHTS ON JOSEPH

The story of Joseph is a masterpiece of Hebrew and world literature. With a fabulous plot, intrigue, and suspense, it is a story suitable for reading on a lovely or rainy (confirmation) afternoon! Children love it, composers of music love it, artists love it, and clearly, the biblical writers found it to be a rich source of teaching about God and humanity. In terms of the biblical story line, it provides a bit of a bridge between the books of Genesis and Exodus, beginning with the ever-increasing chosen family in Canaan and ending with the family-turned-nation residing in the best part of Egypt.

Again, we find the familiar themes of deception, favoritism, and the pain of family relations rearing their ugly heads. But in this story, God retreats a bit (not in the sense of vanishing from the story)—God's actions are more providentially inclined rather than interventionally inclined. There are no extraordinary theophanies or dramatic revelations in this story—no visits from angels, no long talks with the Divine, no mysterious wrestling in the dead of night. Instead, God appears indirectly in the claims made about Joseph and in the divine communication Joseph has via his dreams. Joseph is considered to be wise, and that indicates that God is with him, we are told. He also has both the gift of having dreams filled with portents of the future and divine communication and the gift of dream interpretation. The meaning of this is ambiguous in the text. Clearly God is working with Joseph in these more hidden ways.

Just as Jacob loved Rachel to the disappointment of Leah, he now loves Joseph, Rachel's son, to the pain of Joseph's siblings. Joseph is given a special robe and special favors, and his brothers hate him for it. They come up with a plan to rid themselves of their pesky little brother who was always telling them of the dreams he had of his own greatness and their lack. Once Joseph is gone, however, their father is never the same, and Joseph's fate turns out far differently than they supposed. Again, providentially so.

Joseph is sold into slavery, but his intelligence and rather charmed life gets him out of that quickly. He is favored by others and enjoys quick success. His only setback is a time in prison, falsely accused of behaving improperly with Potiphar's wife. But even in prison, God is with Joseph, and Joseph remains faithful to God. He waits patiently for things to be righted; and they are, in rather dramatic fashion. Joseph rises to second place in the land of Egypt, a position of amazing power, gained because of his gift at dream interpretation (i.e., because God is with him).

The story is long. In the end, Joseph preserves the lives of the Egyptians (and therefore the world) and his family, God's chosen ones, with his economic plan designed to keep everyone eating during a long famine. God's promise for goodness doesn't happen off in a corner, but plays itself out in the world at large. Throughout the story, the narrator is careful to have us know that it is not Joseph himself who works these wonders, but rather God working through Joseph.

To what degree is God involved in personal, familial, or national history? The story of Joseph makes its claims. All of us have stories as well. The Bible's claim is that God is at work in the ugly places of jealousy and heartaches and breaks. God works with our neighbors' and our own shortcomings and sins. Most importantly, this story emphasizes that divine intent is always for good, as Joseph says at the end, even when our intent is not.

The stage is set for Exodus. The chosen family-nation is in Egypt. They are enjoying the best and most fruitful land. There has been some degree of reconciliation. There are 12 sons and probably many wives and nearly countless children. God's promise to Abraham continues to be realized. Soon Old Abraham will have as many descendants as the stars and grains of sand. What will this mean for the world? What does it mean for us today?

Make-Up: October 9, 2011 - The Flood

2011-10-10T08:09:00.001-07:00

This week for the makeup; we have put up the study guide that Carrie Lucas' group used in class. We asked you to read through her portion; my additional comments and then you can click on the comment section and give us a paragraph on what new insights that you gained and what they mean to you.

Our Lesson

Big Question: What does an old covenant have to do with me?

The Noah story is one of realism and promise. It’s a story of redemption, as God wills to save, not destroy.

Noah “walked with God” before the flood. However, God was very displeased with the wickedness of the rest of humankind. He found Noah’s family to be the only righteous people left in creation. God instructed Noah and his family to build an ark and take 2 of every animal with them. Noah’s family were saved from the waters of the flood and became partners with God in the first universal covenant.

The flood allows a new beginning. The sign of the covenant, a rainbow, is a reminder to God, not humanity, of the promise to never flood creation again.

Read- Bible Text: Genesis 6-9

Opening Prayer

Creator God, thank you for making the promise with Noah and with everyone who comes after him—the promise where we were washed clean and go to start over again. Thank you for the new chances we get every day when we sin and you forgive us. Let us feel the goodness that comes with your promises. Help us reflect your image in which we were created, even though we sin and have many flaws and limitations. Amen.

Definitions of Key Words

WALK WITH GOD: remaining faithful to God even when others around you are not; trusting and believing in God.

COVENANT: a promise or binding agreement between two parties. When God makes a covenant, it is very one-sided, with the people of God getting the full benefit.

RESTORATION: bringing something back to its former condition; reinstatement. Through the flood, God restored an understanding of the rules and boundaries we live by. It was a new beginning, living in the grace and forgiveness of God.

Didjaknow?

• The ark was built of cypress wood, per God’s instructions.

• It rained for 40 days and 40 nights.

• There were a total of 8 people on the ark.

• Speaking of “promises” and “covenants”…When children are baptized, their parents bring them to the font and make important promises to bring the child up in the Christian faith. Your parents are keeping their promise…because you are here today! When you see your parents next, be sure to thank them for “walking with God”. 

• WATER is the earthly element in baptism. God uses it to was away sin and drown the “old Adam” or “old Eve” in the baptized person. Water in itself cannot do it—baptism is water connected to the power of God’s word, and it is received by God’s gift of faith.

The FLOOD

As humans who sin and have already fallen, we count on God’s supernatural strength to save us from floods of many kinds, including those we bring on ourselves by our sin.

• What are the “floods” in your life?
• Do you bring those concerns to God?

Prayer (Big Sis mention their Lil Sis name and visa versa)

Amazing God, thank you for bringing us to this safe place. Thank you for (my big sis’ name or my lil sis’ name). Help us realize that your promise of salvation is real and is for us today and every day. We pray all this in your name. Amen.

Student Sheet-Read bullet points aloud.

• What is the most surprising information to you on this list?
• What is the most reassuring information?
• How is God’s covenant with Noah also a covenant with you?

Best/Worst (hi’s / low’s) from your week?

Closing Prayer – light candles & think of a person you know whose life seems to be overwhelmed by a “flood”.

God of life, we thank you for forming a covenant with us. Extend that unconditional love to the ones we hold up in prayer today. Help us learn how to be a blessing to them in order to help them get out of a mess and start over with a new beginning. Amen.

MAY YOU ALWAYS WALK WITH GOD AND EXPERIENCE GOD’S COVENANT PROMISE OF UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AND FORGIVENESS. HAVE A BLESSED WEEK!

Make-Up: October 2, 2011 - Abraham

2011-10-10T07:59:00.000-07:00

Sarah, Hagar, and Abraham

Bible Text:
Genesis 12:1–4a, 10–20; 15:1–6; 16–18; 21:1–21

Lesson Focus:
We can trust God to follow through on promises, even when we don't keep ours.

Big Question:
Can I really trust God?

Key Words:
TRUST, COVENANT, DESCENDANT, RIGHTEOUS

Definition of Key Words

TRUST: believing in and relying on others.

COVENANT: a contract or an agreement of promises between two parties.

DESCENDANT: someone whose family relationship can be traced to a particular individual or group.

RIGHTEOUS: justified and good. Righteousness comes from faith, and faith comes from God. Righteousness does not come from human works or merit.

Highlights

God makes a covenant with Abraham and Sarah. The promise of descendants and land and blessing first introduced in chapter 12 is reiterated, and the sign of the covenant (male circumcision) is instituted.

God hears Abraham and Hagar's pleas for Ishmael and promises to make of him a great nation, as well. Ishmael is the family line that more than one billion Muslims claim.

God "opens Sarah's womb," Abraham provides the "seed," and Sarah carries the baby and gives birth. Isaac is born of this against-all-odds partnership.

God remains faithful to the promise even when the human part of the partnership does not.

People do not somehow achieve perfection before God works with them, nor does God magically perfect them before calling on them. The "heroes" of the Bible are very real people.

DEEP Thoughts

By Genesis 13, Abram is very rich and well on the journey God commanded him to undertake. Blessings are becoming a reality for him—but still he has no heir. Along the way God continued to repeat the promise of descendants so numerous they will be like the dust of the earth and the stars in the sky, but Sarai remained barren far past childbearing years. The promise seemed to be an impossibility. Abraham questioned it, but in the end, he believed God without any proof or evidence—God's word created the faith he needed to continue on the journey. God's faith-creating word, not Abraham's merit or goodness, is the source of Abraham's "righteousness" (15:6).

Another covenant is made in Genesis 17. The promise of descendants and land and blessing first introduced in chapter 12 is reiterated, and the sign of the covenant (male circumcision) is instituted. Just because a covenant has been made does not mean things unfold seamlessly, however. When Abraham was afraid of Pharaoh, he claimed Sarai was his sister. Sarai herself also becomes more of a player in these chapters. Hagar served as a surrogate mother for Sarai at Sarai's request, and Ishmael was born. The birth of Ishmael does not fulfill the promise that God made, however. God renames Sarai as Sarah ("princess [of a nation]") and Abram as Abraham ("ancestor of a multitude") and promises them that they will have a baby together in their old age.

"Your wife Sarah shall bear you a son," God promises (Genesis 17:19). And we learn that God will establish a covenant with Abraham and Sarah's child—a nation will be built from this child of promise they will have.

Ishmael fades but is not dropped from the biblical storyline. God hears Abraham's plea for Ishmael and promises to make of him a great nation as well. And indeed, Ishmael is the family line that more than one billion Muslims claim. God hears Hagar's cries in the wilderness and opens her eyes to see a well—life-sustaining water for her and Ishmael. God is faithful to Hagar and Ishmael but gently redirects Abraham. "But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this season next year" (Genesis 17:21). It is such a ludicrous idea, Sarah laughs, but the promise holds and the miracle gift of the child of promise comes to be when Abraham is 100 and Sarah is 90. God "opens Sarah's womb," Abraham provides the "seed," and Sarah carries the baby and gives birth. When Isaac ("laughing boy" or "laughter is born") is born of this against-all-odds partnership, the cynical laughter of doubt turns to the laughter of joy.

We learn a lot about both God and humanity in the narrative of Abraham, Hagar, and Sarah. God is a vulnerable and suffering God at times. God sees and responds to human need. God takes human action, thought, and partnership seriously. Most importantly, God remains faithful to the promise even when the human part of the partnership does not. For their part, humans actually help shape the future in many instances. People do not somehow achieve perfection before God works with them, nor does God magically perfect them before calling on them. The "heroes" of the Bible are very real people. God works for life and goodness and blessing for all, with—and in spite of—the chosen ones. Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar provide many complications and difficulties, but they remain God's vehicle for blessing the world.

Confirmation Retreat

2011-09-30T12:41:00.000-07:00

On September 23-25, we went to Lutheran Hills for a Fall Retreat. Here are just a few pictures for your viewing:

The Theme: You Are More

One Of The Cabins

Our Group: Outside of Cabin

Mega Box Wars

Our Group (Minus One) Inside

Make Up: September 18th, 2011 - Human Condition

2011-09-30T12:30:00.000-07:00

On September 18th in Confirmation Small Group, you studied the Human Condition from the Old Testament. Since you missed class, we ask you to take time to read the scripture, the key words and the highlights of the session. We then want you to click on the comment button and place a comment down there for our communication and record keeping. Thank-you.

Bible Text:
Genesis 3–4

Lesson Focus:
We rebel against God when we sin, but God consistently comes to us with mercy and forgiveness.

Big Question:

Am I a bad person when I make a poor choice or break a rule (even if I think it's not a good rule)?

Key Words:
SIN, JUDGMENT, SEPARATION, MERCY

Definition of Key Words

SIN: An action that causes a breakdown of relationships—human relationships, divine-human relationships, or relationships with creation. Sin leads to separation and alienation in our lives.

JUDGMENT: the act of deciding what action or punishment results when someone rebels and does something wrong.

SEPARATION: division, end of a relationship, and the consequence of one's actions. Separation is distancing oneself from another person.

MERCY: compassionate treatment and lovingkindness. God's mercy is evident in the forgiveness we receive daily.

Six Major Points

• Sin is not mentioned by name in these stories, but we recognize it in the breakdown of relationships and the complexities that follow.

• The serpent suggests that Adam and Eve can rise above their status as dependent creatures and become autonomous. They can be like God and in charge of themselves!

• Adam and Eve are banished from paradise (judgment and separation), but God goes with them (mercy). The rest of the Bible is about God's activity in the outside-of-paradise world.

• The story of Cain and Abel shows that the deepest ties do not prevent hatred and violence.

• Our choices and our deeds have consequences. God did not create puppets.

• God consistently comes to us in our sin and does not leave us in the ensuing disasters of our own making.

National Gathering: Returning to NOLA

2011-09-07T10:27:00.000-07:00

Here is the National Gathering (2009) through the eyes of the teenagers. As you can see, they told the story of NOLA mostly through serving.

National Gathering: Recap

2011-09-07T09:14:00.000-07:00

We are headed to the National Gathering in July. Below is a quick highlight from the 2009 National Gathering just to give you a very small taste. In 2012, we will be going back to the city of New Orleans (July 16 - 23). Those students who have finished 8th grade when the Gathring occurs can join us.

Mission Trip: Denver, Colorado

2011-09-07T06:12:00.001-07:00

We are headed to Denver, Colorado for our Summer 2012 mission trip. All students who are in grades 7-12 during the 2011-2012 school year are invited to attend this mission trip. We are partnering with a church called The Refuge in northwest Denver. Kathy Escobar (one of the co-pastors) share a little about herself, the church and the ministry that we will be doing while we are out there. The trip is June 15-23. The deadline to register is Sunday, October 23, 2011.

down we go indy mission team adventure 9.6.11 from kathy escobar on Vimeo.

Aug. 28th: Small Group (Creation)

2011-09-02T05:12:00.000-07:00

Creation

Bible Text:
Genesis 1–2

Lesson Focus:
God has created us to reflect God's image as we actively participate in creation today.

Big Question:
What can I really do to make a difference in caring for creation?

Key Words:
CREATE, CHAOS, ORDER, STEWARDSHIP

Definition of Key Words

CREATE/CREATION: to bring into being; the environment or surroundings; a creature or a living being.

CHAOS: a state of utter confusion; the confused unorganized state of matter before the creation of distinct forms.

ORDER: the arrangement or sequence of objects or of events in time; to arrange by putting persons or things in relation to each other.

STEWARDSHIP: the careful and responsible management of the resources that have been entrusted to our care.

QUICK HIGHLIGHTS

God is our creator and we are part of God's good creation.

The two biblical versions of the creation story help us explain who we are and whose we are; they are not meant to be read as scientific or historical fact.

God gave human beings a special place in creation that puts a heavy responsibility on them.

We are called to live in faithfulness to God the creator, in whose image we were created.

Big Group: Doubt

2011-09-02T05:07:00.000-07:00

We have had two confirmation classes thus far. We are in our new format and our "big group" time for the first two weeks was on "doubt".

We finished our series on Doubt. Here is a highlight from the series:

Everyone has moments of doubt. We doubt if we are heading in the right direction when going someplace new. We doubt if that low-fat snack that tastes really good is really as healthy as it claims to be. We doubt if sometimes the people in our lives really care about us, despite the evidence that they do. And sometimes our doubts are about God. Can we really trust Him? Does He have our best in mind? What does that Bible verse really mean?

When questions arise, they can be a little unsettling, especially questions about our faith. But what if God was big enough to handle the questions? He is. What if He was secure enough to handle our uncertainty? He is. And what if doubt actually paved the way to a deeper belief, a stronger relationship with Christ? It can.

August 21st: Honest Questions
Bottom Line: Doubt paves the way to belief.

August 28th: Gray Matters Bottom Line: Faith grows when you learn how to view doubt through both what you know and what you've been through.

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Beginning Sept. 18th, we will have updates on big group time and small group time. Big Group time is where we look at wonder / discovery / passion. Small group time is when we look at our confirmation material.

Confirmation Begins on August 21st

2011-08-15T06:54:00.001-07:00

Confirmation is here. We are looking forward to another year of confirmation.

This year, we will be taking a look at "bible stories". We will be looking at stories from the Old Testament and the New Testament. Here is a link to our confirmation webpage with the schedule:

CTS Confirmation Page

Please remember that this year, we are making a few changes. The first change is that we are meeting at 9:30 in the ARC not 10:45. Next, our big group time this year will include worship, scripture and a message that ties in with our themes of wonder, passion and discovery. We will then break up into small groups for our confirmation time.

Confirmation time is a time for us to CONNECT. We have the opportunity to connect with one another, with God and with our world through service.

See you on Sunday !!

The Gathering: Practice Justice

2011-07-09T08:35:00.000-07:00

What is the "Practice Justice" day?

Practice Justice is one of three days at the ELCA Youth Gathering (Thursday, Friday, Saturday) to which congregational groups will be assigned. On each of those days, a third of the community will practice discipleship, a third will practice peacemaking and a third will practice justice. In this month’s gNews we are focusing on the Practice Justice day. Subsequent issues of gNews will explain more thoroughly the Practice Peacemaking and Practice Discipleship days. All three of the days are designed to help young people make real the covenant God made with them in Holy Baptism to:

• Live among God’s faithful people,
• Hear the word of God and share in the Lord’s supper,
• Proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed,
• Serve all people, following the example of Jesus,
• Strive for justice and peace in all the earth (ELW pg. 236).

The ELCA Youth Gathering is a witness to Jesus' invitation to hit the streets, to follow one's convictions with actions, and to join in the work God is doing in the world. Even though we know such action isn't about us -- it is all about what God is up to -- many have asked what youth will do in New Orleans in 2012.

On the Practice Justice day, the clean and predictable lives of many of us will get messed up a bit by learning about the ongoing struggles in New Orleans. New Orleanians want us to know about their struggles, they want us to see the truth of their lives because after the initial rush of public interest following Katrina, people have steadily stopped paying attention. Now, six years after Katrina, New Orleans still needs our attention.

On the Practice Justice day, youth and adults will come together in the Superdome to learn about how we make the connection between God’s justice, God’s shalom, God’s intention for the world, and our desire to serve. We will be reminded about how God’s presence made a difference in the everyday lives of those living in New Orleans in 2009 through our service. Then, groups will walk justice as they enter into a multi-sensory experience to help them understand how the catastrophe of Katrina changed the course of history for New Orleanians. Next, groups depart by bus or by foot to practice justice in the midst of the fragile realities of recovery evident in the public education system, in housing and in the shrinking wetlands. At the end of the day, each group will reflect on their Practice Justice experience by debriefing with trained young adults who will help connect their experiences with their own sense of call to live out their baptismal identity in the communities to which they return.

The Gathering deadline is coming soon (September 1). We hope that you will join us in New Orleans July 16-23. This event will only be for the 8th grade students of Crosstrainers.

Big Stuf

2011-07-09T08:08:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow morning, we have two separate groups who are headed out to learn and serve. At Christ The Savior, our mission is the following: Reaching people to know, love and serve Christ. The serve group will be our high school students and our "know" group will be a mixed-age group of junior high and high school students.

Thus, we have a group of students going to Florida to "know" Christ at Big Stuf Camp. While there, they are going to experience eight different worship times and be challenged to grow in their faith. The camp is held in Panama City Beach, Florida and in-between those eight worship services, we will have ample time to play on the beach (weather permitted). We will also have the opportunity to grow during our daily devotions and church group time.

The Gathering

2011-06-21T06:27:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow, Wednesday - June 22nd, we are having an informational meeting regarding the Gathering. 39,000 individuals will gather in New Orleans next summer. We must be registered by early September. There will be a lot of prep going into this trip. We would love to take a great representation from CTS - will you join us?

The Dates:
July 16 - 23, 2012

Who Can Go?
If you are going to be in grades 8-12 for the 2011-2 school year, you can go.

Milwaukee

2011-06-19T06:15:00.001-07:00

Here is our "fun" group picture on the church steps of Unity Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 18 youth and 4 adults converged on the city to team up with YouthWorks and 2 more churches.

More pictures and stories to come.

Milwaukee, Wisonsin

2011-06-09T07:17:00.000-07:00

In three days, we are headed to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We will have 18 students and 4 adults making the trip up to Milwaukee. Once again, we will be teaming up with Youthworks and serving with them. Here are some of the mission sites and evening activities:

Ministry Sites:

There are a ton of great ministries that we partner with in Milwaukee. You will definitely have a chance to see a couple different volunteer organizations throughout the week as you serve in Milwaukee. Most of the ministries you will encounter are either faith based organization or non profit organizations that have said they need our help to facilitate their summer programs. Overall, I can’t wait for you and your youth to experience the ministries that Milwaukee has to offer. Below are some but definitely not ALL of them:

The Gathering: This is a local soup kitchen that offers both morning and evening meals at several locations across the Milwaukee area. We will help serve both in the morning and evening throughout the week.

Gingerbread Land: This is a community of houses that a woman has acquired and is fixing up to help create a sense of close community for people to go if they need something. We will do mostly work on homes that she has right now and interact with Sister Clara, the woman who runs Gingerbread Land.

Scott Christian: We partner with this community center to serve meals as well as clean, distribute food and help maintain and fix things around the center. It’s an incredible place to see God’s hand at work in the lives of the workers and the homeless in Milwaukee.

Village at Manor Park: This is a nursing home that we have worked with for years. We help them serve drinks to the residents, walk them around and play games with them when they have time.

Milwaukee Rescue Mission: We work with this ministry to sort out clothes, clean and paint buildings and help them to do the work that they couldn’t do without us.

Evening Activities:

M: Bradford Beach—we will head to the beach to hang out and just enjoy the evening swimming and spending time together.

T: Life Changers—we will be headed to a community center to hear stories about community members who have experienced gang life and how they came to know Jesus. It’s an incredible opportunity to hear and ask questions about their stories.

W: Soup Kitchen—we will be volunteering at two local soup kitchens in Milwaukee to understand more about what it’s like to eat there and prepare a meal for others less fortunate than ourselves. Some of your students will be doing this in the morning during the week and others in the evening as part of the activity. You will find out more about this once you get onsite.

Th: We will have a community prayer service at Scott Christian, one of our ministries. We will have the chance to pray for the ministries that we’ve been working with during the week. Afterwards, we will head to Leon’s which is a local custard place to eat custard together.

Confirmation Sunday

2011-05-24T06:05:00.001-07:00

On May 22nd at the 10:45 service, we had confirmation. Above is a picture of the students who participoated in the service.

I want to thank all 29 students for a great year. I want to give a huge shout out to the 6 adult leaders who invested two years with them and the 15 high school peer guides who helped them out along their journey.

I look forward to seeing what God has in stored for you.

Make Up: May 1st, Stewardshop: Money

2011-05-06T09:09:00.000-07:00

Make-Up: April 17, 2011: Stewardship

2011-04-18T09:43:00.000-07:00

Make-Up: March 20th - Christian Denominations

2011-03-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

Make-Up: March 13: World Religions

2011-03-17T08:22:00.000-07:00

Make-Up:

We ask you to read the material below. The material will include "deep thought", our key words (definition), scripture (link - please read) and some general thoughts and video(s). We ask you to read all material and then comment in the comments section. Share one key thought or concept that came to you and how it will make a difference.

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On March 13th, we began a 3-week series on Faith and Religion. Our first lesson (13th) was on World Religions. We took time to look at five of the main world religions.

Lesson Highlights

Bible Text:
Genesis 17:1–7; 21:1–21; Isaiah 11:1–10; Matthew 15:21–28; Acts 10:1–35

Lesson Focus:
Christians who are knowledgeable and confident about their own faith can communicate and collaborate respectfully with people of other faiths.

Big Question:
How are Christians supposed to interact with people of other faiths?

Key Words:

JUDAISM, HINDUISM, BUDDHISM, ISLAM, MUSLIM

Definition of Key Words

JUDAISM: a monotheistic faith founded on a covenant made by God with Abraham and Sarah. They were "blessed to be a blessing" to the world.

HINDUISM: a faith that sees this world as an illusion and seeks to help people become one with a divine being that is understood through many forms.

BUDDHISM: a faith that is founded on the teachings of Gautama Buddha and seeks to help people become enlightened or achieve Nirvana.

ISLAM: a monotheistic faith founded on the revelation of Allah to the prophet Muhammad that guides how people should live so that they will enjoy paradise after their death.

MUSLIM: a person who follows the teachings of Islam.

Below is more of a thorough understanding of the religion and the main teaching.

Modern Judaism

Modern Jews trace their heritage to Abraham and Sarah through their son, Isaac. The faith practices of the "Children of Abraham" that we see in our Christian scriptures and the people we often refer to as "Jews" are very different from the people of modern Judaism. We must be careful not to apply information from our scriptures to modern people in ways that they don't accept for themselves. We also must keep in mind that a deep animosity developed between Christians and Jews during the time between Jesus' death and the mid-1600s. At some point during history, Jews were expelled from every Christian country in Europe except Holland and the Scandinavian countries. The Holocaust and the establishment of the modern State of Israel have also changed the identity of the Jewish people in fundamental ways.

At the core of modern Judaism are three basic concepts: God, Torah, and Israel. As Judaism explains who God is, there are several key points to keep in mind. God is the creator of the universe. God is the redeemer who freed the people from slavery in Egypt and will provide the final redemption. God is the revealer of the teachings and laws that constitute the Torah. God created human beings and entered a covenant relationship with the Jewish people through Abraham. The people continue the covenant relationship with God within a community through observance of the mitzvot or "commandments." Hebrew scripture has 613 mitzvot, which are interpreted over the ages by the rabbis.

The Torah is also a complex concept in modern Judaism. The Torah is first and foremost the five books of Moses (which we know as Genesis through Deuteronomy) as "revealed" on Mount Sinai. Torah also includes a long history and tradition of rabbinic interpretation of these Books. Torah is continually growing and changing as the body of interpretations of rituals, theology, and ethics is added to over the years.

Islam

As a beginning, a few words must be clarified. Islam is the name of the religion or faith. It means "peace" or "submission" in Arabic. Muslim is the person who practices this faith. Qur'an(sometimes spelled Koran) is the name of their holy book, which contains the revelations given to the prophet Muhammad by Allah (God) through the angel Gabriel. Allah means "the one, the only"—and is one of the names of God. Muslim people write the name in all caps as a way of honoring God. Jihad is best understood as the spiritual challenge to achieve piety, submission, and obedience to Allah (the common interpretation of jihad as merely "holy war" is misleading). Muslim people do not consider Islam to be a religion, in the sense of being separate from the rest of life. Islam is the entirety of life—no part of life is separate from it.

Like Judaism and Christianity, Islam is monotheistic and traces its heritage back to Abraham. Abraham's first child, Ishmael, is the ancestor of the Muslim people.

Islam identifies seven "Principles of Faith" that are comparable to the Christian creeds: Belief in Allah, Belief in his angels, Belief in his books, Belief in his messengers (including many "prophets" from the Bible, such as Moses and Jesus; Muhammad is believed to be the final messenger), Belief in the Day of Judgment, Belief in life after death, Belief in divine preordainment

There are also "Four Pillars" that summarize the practice of Islam:

Salah or prayer—performed at least five times each day
Zakah or charity—setting aside money for those in need
Sawm or fasting—during the month of Ramadan
Hajj or pilgrimage—requiring all who are able to travel to Mecca once in their life

Hinduism (Vedanta)

Hinduism encompasses many different sects unified by their common holy texts—the Vedas. Veda means "knowledge" in Sanskrit. The primary interpretation of the Vedas is Vedanta, which means "the culmination of the Vedas." The focus of Vedanta philosophy is to address the relationship between God, humankind, and nature. Brahman is the name of God—the ultimate reality. Brahman is not a personal God, as Christianity would describe God. Brahman is infinite, undivided, unchanging reality.

Hinduism also holds that all religious paths lead to the same God. The goal is to "wake up" to your true nature. Hinduism recognizes several spiritual practices (yogas) for realizing your true nature:

Karma Yoga —taking the path of selfless action
Jnana Yoga —affirming your true nature
Bhakti Yoga —developing a loving relationship with a personal aspect of God
Raja Yoga —gaining control over the mind

Buddhism

The term Buddha is a title that means "one who has been awakened" or "the Enlightened One." Any person has the potential to become a Buddha, although the title generally refers to Gautama Buddha, who was born into wealth as "Siddhartha," but upon seeing the suffering of others renounced that wealth and resolved to share the enlightenment he had gained about how one can deal with suffering (dukkah).

The core beliefs of Buddhism are the enlightened teachings (dharma) of Gautama Buddha, known as the "Four Noble Truths":

Life is suffering.
There is a reason for this suffering (namely desire and attachment).
There is a way to end suffering.
The way to end suffering is the "Eightfold Path."

The practice of Buddhism follows this "Eightfold Path," which can be divided into three parts:

Wisdom

Right views—understanding Buddha's teachings and truth/reality
Right aspirations—having high and noble aims

Morality

Right speech—speaking kind words and truth; not lying, gossiping, or being verbally abusive
Right conduct—practicing good, moral, compassionate behavior
Right livelihood—having an honest living that does not cause suffering to others

Concentration

Right effort—persevering in goodness and clearing the mind
Right mindfulness—being attentive to reality and the present moment
Right meditation—concentrating on Buddha and the dharma (teachings), using meditation as an instrument to attain enlightenment

Make-Up: February 27: God Gives & Forgives

2011-03-01T07:55:00.001-08:00

Make Up: February 13th

2011-02-16T16:07:00.000-08:00

Theology of the Cross and Theology of Glory

We began a new three week series on Theology. The Cross is the first in the series.

Make-Up:

We ask you to read the material below. The material will include "deep thought", our key words (definition), scripture (link - please read) and some general thoughts and video(s). We ask you to read all material and then comment in the comments section. Share one key thought or concept that came to you and how it will make a difference.

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Lesson Highlights

Bible Text:
1 Corinthians 2:1–13

Lesson Focus:
God overturns human expectations.

Big Question:
What's so great about the cross?

Key Words:
THEOLOGY, THEOLOGY OF GLORY, THEOLOGY OF THE CROSS, EGOTISM, GRACE

Definitions of Key Words

THEOLOGY: thinking about God.

THEOLOGY OF GLORY: thinking about God that emphasizes human effort and conforms to cultural expectations of God and believers.

THEOLOGY OF THE CROSS: thinking about God that emphasizes God's work—rather than human work—and overturns cultural expectations of God and believers.

EGOTISM: the excessive use of "I."

GRACE: unearned love and acceptance.

The Message
In 1 Corinthians 2, Paul speaks of his personal weakness (and even his fear and trembling!) as he preaches about the mighty work of God accomplished through Jesus Christ and his death on the cross. Paul makes it clear that his preaching is not about him and any thoughts of personal glory, but it is all about Jesus Christ and what he did for humanity by dying on the cross. Paul also says that God's wisdom is "secret and hidden" and that it is the Spirit alone who reveals God's intentions for humanity. The bottom line is that Paul is preaching from a theology of the cross. He isn't seeking to glorify himself in any way. In fact, he fully acknowledges his weakness here and in his other writings. He realizes that his preaching should focus solely on the cross of Christ, and it does. He knows that it is not about him and what he can do. It's all about what Christ did for us in his death. Christ alone can reconcile us with God.

Our contemporary culture is steeped in a theology of glory in which the individual is celebrated as the master of his or her own fate. Worldly success and riches are elevated and seen as "proof" of God's favor. Just watch TV and see how frequently sports and movie stars are the focus of news stories. In our culture, suffering, of any kind, is viewed as a grave weakness. Phrases like "If you really believed in Jesus, you wouldn't have gotten sick" or "Have you found Jesus and welcomed him into your heart as your personal savior?" are not uncommon among Christians whose focus is a theology of glory. They put the emphasis not on Jesus' saving death on the cross but on the actions of the believer. Judgments are often made whether or not others are acceptable to be in God's presence or in the company of believers, as if any human could make that decision.

Luther and his followers addressed this type of thinking that was present in his day, too. The Augsburg Confession states "our works cannot reconcile God or merit grace and forgiveness of sins, but we obtain this only by faith when we believe that we are received into grace on account of Christ, who alone has been appointed mediator and atoning sacrifice through whom the Father is reconciled" ("The Augsburg Confession," Latin, Article XX, Faith, 55.9 from The Book of Concord edited by Robert Kolb and Timothy J. Wengert).

This may be a difficult concept for you to comprehend. You have the drive to achieve, which is thrust on you at an early age in school and through the media. Our culture is based on a theology of glory. It's everywhere we look. The theology of the cross acknowledges that God alone is in charge of our salvation and we rely on God's grace. Our culture expects God to conform to societal expectations of power and authority; instead, we find God in a manger, eating with outcasts, and suffering on a cross?in the last places humans would reasonably expect to find a deity. Theology of the cross is inherently counter-cultural.

No Crosstrainers on Feb. 20

2011-02-14T11:46:00.000-08:00

Remember, we do not have Crosstrainers on Sunday, February 20th. However, I hope to see many (if not all) of you at church (in the worship service).

Help Needed: MMUTB

2011-02-11T07:30:00.000-08:00

Hashbrown and Ham Casserole (We need at least 15 of these)

2 lbs. frozen hash browns, Southern style (thawed)
1 stick melted butter
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 pt. sour cream
1/2 c. chopped onions
10 oz. pkg. shredded cheddar cheese
2 packages of cubed (not diced) ham

Mix all ingredients. Pour into 9 X 13 disposable aluminum pan. DO NOT BAKE…we will bake at the church.

Please bring to kitchen on Sunday, February 20th prior to the beginning of the 10:45 am service.

Please email Stacey Greathouse @ thesogmom@yahoo.com, if you will be bringing one.

Food Items

Six HUGE cans of green beans
Six HUGE bags of corn
150 rolls
Two big tubs of country crock

If you can bring the items, please email Stacey @ thesogmom@yahoo.com

Last month, we served 130 individuals. Our event is now held in a garage. We do not go out to them, they now come to us. However, many of them do live under the bridges of Indianapolis.

Make-Up: February 6: Ten Commandments: Pt. 4

2011-02-07T06:07:00.000-08:00

Make-Up:

We ask you to read the material below. The material will include "deep thought", our key words (definition), scripture (link - please read) and some general thoughts and video(s). We ask you to read all material and then comment in the comments section. Share one key thought or concept that came to you and how it will make a difference.

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On Sunday, February 6th, we looked at the 9th and 10th Commandments. This was our final lesson in our confirmation series. Below, you will see the overarching theme, a movie clip that we watched (with background information) and my message.

Bible Text:
Matthew 6:19–21

Lesson Focus:
We honor God when we are content with what we have and help others keep what they have.

Big Question:
Other people have so much more; how am I supposed to be grateful for what I have?

Key Words:
CONTENTMENT, COOPERATION, ALTRUISM, BENEVOLENCE

Definition of Key Words

CONTENTMENT: an inner sense of calm and peace. This is not to be confused with everything being perfect.

COOPERATION: working together toward a common aim.

ALTRUISM: doing something for the good of the other without regard to recognition or gain.

BENEVOLENCE: an act of kindness or generosity.

Movie Clip (Based on Scripture)

Scene Setup:

Tangled is a Disney remake of the children's story, Rapunzel--about a princess who is locked away in a tower by an evil woman posing as her mother, who kept her hidden from society and unaware of her true identity. On her 18th birthday, Rapunzel wants to escape the tower to pursue a lifelong dream. She accomplishes this with the help of a thief, Flynn Rider.

In this scene Flynn has yet to meet Rapunzel. He has stolen a jeweled crown from the palace and is now being pursued by palace guards—one riding the proud horse, Maximus. In the pursuit, Flynn knocks the guard off Maximus and tries to escape on the horse. Maximus is unwilling to help the thief and attempts to retrieve the stolen crown. Flynn however, will not relent.

Application:

Each of the two characters in this scene are pursuing something they want. Maximus wants to gain back the crown for the king, while Flynn selfishly wants the stolen crown for himself. One motive is noble while the other is a criminal offense.

When the pair reaches the cliff, the prize they both seek becomes precariously
perched in a dangerous situation. Neither Flynn nor Maximus weigh out the consequences of pursuing the prize. They both just go after it until it is too late and the branch breaks, plunging them to the depths below.Was it worth the price of a crown to potentially lose their lives?

We often chase after things in our own lives that are similar. There are times that our goals—the prize we chase—seem worthwhile, and valuable, and we won't let anything stop us from reaching it. Other times our goals are less noble, and may be purely selfish ambitions. Either way, pursuing something "no matter what the cost" may prove unwise.

Selfish ambitions often end in regrettable situations, as can noble pursuits. Decisions may seem wise at the time, only to leave us out on a limb in the end. There is only one crown in life that we want to pursue no matter what: The crown of life and being a disciple of Christ. Even then, Jesus tells us to count the cost.

The Message

In the First Commandment we encountered a demand from God that reveals our sin as not fearing, loving, and trusting God above everything else. In the Commandments that follow, God puts limits on our sinful actions and calls us into a life in which we love the Lord and our neighbors. If we think we've escaped God's judgment because we haven't broken the other Commandments, the Ninth and Tenth Commandments focus on those who typically think they're pretty good people.

In these last two Commandments, as with the others, God deals with our sinful will. While many traditions speak about free will, Lutherans have argued instead that, as sinful creatures, human beings have a bound will. This means that, while God gives us a will, in our sinfulness we're unable to find or heed the boundaries God establishes. We have an unbounded desire that doesn't recognize God's limits and that keeps putting ourselves at the center of all things. Luther called it a bound will because we just can't help it.

In the Large Catechism, Luther writes that when we think too highly of ourselves, we tend to let loose of our desires and will so that they get out of hand. If we can't see God in front of us, we begin to look for other powers we can trust. That usually comes down to us. So we make ourselves the center of our own universe, and we think our will and desires are the most important.

When we think the world revolves around us, we think of others in terms of what use they can be for us. How can someone else serve me? Why do others who deserve it less have what I should have? Mine! It should all be mine! Thus, while the First Commandment defines sin, the Ninth and Tenth Commandments show how our sinful actions develop out of our basic inability and unwillingness to trust God.

Wherever our sin gets loose in the world, our neighbor stands a good chance of being hurt. That's because by keeping ourselves at the center of things, we see others as less, as tools for us to use to get ahead. Envy creeps in. Keeping up with others becomes our goal. If we insist upon keeping ourselves at the center of our attention, we simply won't care about what our desires mean for others.

So in these Commandments God demands that we regard our neighbors as valuable fellow creatures whose relationships, bodies, lives, safety, reputation, and possessions are equally important to God.

Those who obey the Ninth and Tenth Commandments will keep in check their own desires for others' possessions, relationships, and status. That means they don't scheme and plot ways to get what others have, whether it's clothes, vehicles, the latest electronic gadget, or even their good name. Consequently, they begin to put the needs of their neighbors first.

Beyond this, God calls us to go the extra mile. Jesus tells his followers that if someone wants their coat, they should give that person their shirt too. We should do good even to our enemies and pray for those who want to hurt us (Luke 6:29). We are to watch out for others' needs: feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and visiting the imprisoned. And in all of life and with all people, we are called to help others keep what's theirs.

That's hard to do when the devil, the world, and our sinful selves are telling us things like, "First come, first served" and "Take care of yourself." The only way to do it is by realizing how little you really deserve from God, which is a very hard word to hear in today's culture.

After Martin Luther died in 1546, his friends found a scrap of paper in his pocket on which he had scribbled a few words: "We are beggars. This is true." He meant that even though God brings our daily bread to us in so many ways each day, we know that sinners like us don't deserve a bit of it. In truth, deserving has nothing to do with it. Certainly we don't deserve God becoming human in Jesus and then dying for our salvation.

But when we learn how much Christ does for us, it creates what Psalm 51 calls "a clean heart." We can relinquish our hold on the center of the universe. Our unbounded desires will focus on faithfulness in an unbounded service to our neighbor and an undying praise of God. When the fullness of God's mercy hits beggars head-on, even they have something to share.

Make-Up: January 30: Ten Commandments Pt. 3

2011-01-31T10:58:00.001-08:00

Make-Up: January 23: Ten Commandments Pt. 2

2011-01-26T07:56:00.000-08:00

Make-Up:

We ask you to read the material below. The material will include "deep thought", our key words (definition), scripture (link - please read) and some general thoughts and video(s). We ask you to read all material and then comment in the comments section. Share one key thought or concept that came to you and how it will make a difference.

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Bible Text:

John 2:1–12; Matthew 5:17–48; 2 Samuel 11:1–27

Lesson Focus:

God wants us to honor, respect, protect, and nurture all living things.

Big Question:

Honor, respect, protect, and nurture. . . how am I supposed to do all that?

Key Words:

RESPECT, NURTURE, INTERRELATEDNESS, HUMAN SEXUALITY

Definitions of Key Words

RESPECT: to show consideration and thoughtfulness to somebody or something.

NURTURE: to care for and/or provide for the needs of somebody or something.

INTERRELATEDNESS: every person is connected to the whole of the universe.

HUMAN SEXUALITY: the physical and emotional elements of how God created us as loving beings.

Doubt Movie Clip (Gossip)

Here is a clip from Doubt and it has a powerful message on "gossip". Gossip may be one of the aspects of life that can/does destroy middle school students. It ties in great with respect and interrelatedness.

Going Very Deep

In the first three Commandments, the focus is on our relationship with God. Beginning with the Fourth Commandment, we learn how keeping the First Commandment also pertains to how we regard the neighbors God gives. Since they live "next" to us for much of our lives, we may consider (as God does) our parents to be our "neighbors."

We often take for granted all the things our parents do for us. They have to manage a household. They try to make sure we have all the basics for daily life, such as food and clothing and shelter. God has given them the task of providing safety and security. They're called to make sure you are welcomed into each day with love and to bring you back to what's good and proper when you do wrong.

It's not easy being a mom or a dad. A huge revelation comes when you hold a child in your arms and know you have complete responsibility for the well-being of that little one. God knows what a big job it is too, so God expects children to honor those who have been given the job.

Honoring your parents is easier said than done. It means obeying them. It means respecting them. It means contributing to the well-being of the household they're in charge of. It means taking care of them when they are too old to care for themselves.

It's important to note the calling to be a father or mother is not a license to do anything you want to your children. When parents neglect or endanger their children, they need to be called to account for their sinful actions, and the children need to be protected. In these situations, parents' actions don't show care for their children. God provides for trusted authorities and other adults whose job it is to care for children in those situations.

Most people know their parents. But for some, their birth parents needed to hand their calling from God over to someone else: adoptive parents, grandparents, stepparents, or foster parents. They assumed the role of parents and have all the same responsibilities, and the commandment to honor applies to them because the job has been transferred to them.

In his explanation of this commandment, Luther speaks of "others in authority." God passes on some parental authority and responsibility to other people around you. They look out for your safety and protection when you are not directly under your parents' care. These are people such as teachers and principals, police officers and judges, camp counselors and coaches. While parents can do a lot for their children, they can't do everything. So these people add to what parents can do and, thus, as extensions of our parents, they also should be given the honor and respect the Fourth Commandment demands.

Matthew 5:17–48

God gives the Fifth Commandment in order to protect life. Even though we have life through our parents and they care for us, we don't spend all our time tucked away in the safety of home. We have to go out and about. We have to deal with people outside our families. The Fifth Commandment seeks to assure us of safety and security out in the world.

Sometimes we want to get even with our enemies by hurting them or taking their lives. In times of anger or resentment, violence or other kinds of retribution are too easy. But the damage is sometimes impossible to undo. So God speaks this commandment to protect others from you and you from your enemies.

There are some good reasons God wants to stop the trouble before it gets out of hand: so that we can approach our problems with others with a cool head and a warm heart, so that we can see our neighbors' actions in the best light, and so that we can begin to see our neighbors as a gift and be of service to them in return.

It's pretty obvious from the words of the Fifth Commandment what kind of behavior God seeks to prevent. The commandment demands that we refrain from hurting anyone physically. No injuring. No hitting. And certainly no killing. But there are ways to hurt, maim, and kill other than injuring another person physically. When our anger, fear, or jealousy works on us and we can't injure someone physically, we sometimes look for new weapons. Instead of fists, we'll try manipulation; instead of guns, we'll shoot nasty words. So this commandment also restrains us when we want to hurt others by shaking their sense of security, pushing them into doubt about their own gifts, or bringing them into despair over whether our God of life truly cares for them.

God created us to be God's working hands in the world. We were created to care for our neighbors, to help and support them. When we don't live out that care, we break the Fifth Commandment.

2 Samuel 11:1–27

The media is filled with highly sexualized images that promote a kind of "get what you can" attitude that's only distinguished from greed by the need it seeks to fill. By the time kids get to middle school, they've been barraged by advertising telling them that when they've fulfilled themselves in that way, or at least compiled an adequate list of experiences, they'll have it made.

But in the Sixth Commandment, God offers another view of sexuality. This Commandment claims that God, who creates life and demands honor for those who bring it into existence, doesn't see your sexuality as just another toy. God regards sex as so crucial yet so dangerous that it requires the protection of a commandment.

There's no doubt that sex carries some risk, emotional as well as physical. When intimate with another person, you let down your guard, opening up countless ways to get hurt (and not just by catching an STD).

Because God thinks sex can be a good and joyful gift for us and wants to keep people from getting hurt by it, God wants sex to happen in the safest possible place. God builds a safe zone for sex.

When someone promises you publicly, "I'm going to stick with you until death parts us," and follows through on the promise, you don't have to suffer the worries sex can create. You are free to give yourself to your spouse completely, knowing that at least that part of your future is certain. To those for whom marriage is a calling in life, this is a great comfort.

This safety zone also involves loving and honoring your spouse by keeping your promise. If you give yourself completely to your spouse, you can't hold part of you in reserve. And you can't take a piece of yourself to give to another person. If you're not true to your own promise, you damage the safety zone and damage your relationship. And when that happens, it undermines the stability that your marriage contributes to God's creation.

The Sixth Commandment isn't just about the sexual act, though. It also focuses on your attitude about sex. If God takes it seriously enough to give a specific commandment, you should take it seriously too. So the Catechism says we are to "lead pure and decent lives in word and deed." That means treating matters of sex with great honor. We ought to watch the language we use to talk about sex and make sure we speak of it respectfully.

God isn't just a giver of demands, of course. That's something to keep in mind when dealing with sex. All human beings make mistakes in this area, but in Christ God grants forgiveness to sinners.

Make-Up: January 16: Ten Commandments: Pt. 1

2011-01-19T11:12:00.001-08:00

Make-up: January 9: The Commandments Intro

2011-01-10T10:44:00.001-08:00

Summer Trips

2011-01-07T10:55:00.000-08:00

Our Wisconsin mission trip is filled. However, there are plenty of spaces available for Big Stuf and for the Kentucky mission trip (if you are an 8th grader). Here are two videos to give you a "taste" of what you might experience.

Big Stuf Promo

Kentucky Heartland Outreach

Ten Commandments

2011-01-04T06:33:00.001-08:00

This Sunday, January 9th, we begin a 5-week study on the Ten Commandments.

Series # 4 – Ten Commandments ( 5 weeks )

January 9th – Introduction to the Commandments
January 16th – Commandments Part 1
January 23rd – Commandments Part 2
January 30th – Commandments Part 3
February 6th – Commandments Part 4

X-Site Pics

2010-12-29T07:59:00.000-08:00

On December 7th, we went to X-Site for some Laser Tag Fun. We had the upstairs reserved for pizza and pop and in-between the games of laser tag, the students had fun playing the video games in the lobby. It was a fun and relaxing night. Here are five pictures to give you a quick feel of the evening. Photos in the Laser Tag room did not come out (too dark).

Make-Up: December 12th – Luther on Being a Saint & Sinner

2010-12-15T14:13:00.001-08:00

Make-Up: December 5th – Martin Luther and the Reformation

2010-12-15T14:12:00.000-08:00

Make-Up:

We ask you to read the material below. The material will include "deep thought", our key words (definition), scripture (link - please read) and some general thoughts. We ask you to read all material and then comment in the comments section. Share one key thought or concept that came to you and how it will make a difference.

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On December 5th, we begin a two-week series on Martin Luther and the Reformation. This week, we focused on that aspect and on the 12th, we will take a look at one of the big theological views from Martin Luther: Saint & Sinner.

Bible Text:

Matthew 16:13–20; Luke 4:18–19; Romans 3:21–26; Ephesians 2:8–9

Lesson Focus:

Christians continually reform the church to spread the good news to every generation and culture.

Big Question:

Who is Martin Luther and what does it mean to be a Lutheran?

Key Words:

MARTIN LUTHER, REFORMATION, CATHOLIC, THESIS, RECANT

Definitions of Key Words

MARTIN LUTHER: a German monk and priest who worked to make changes in the church during the 16th century. He became known (not by his choice) as the founder of a new movement that became the Lutheran Church.

REFORMATION: time period in the 16th century when church leaders attempted to change the way the Roman Catholic Church functioned.

CATHOLIC: with a capital C, refers to the Roman Catholic Church, or the traditions of the Western European church before the Reformation. With a lowercase c, refers to all Christians in the universal Christian church; this is the "catholic" we speak of in the Christian creeds.

THESIS: a statement made to provoke an argument or discussion. Luther posted "95 Theses" (plural) on the door of Wittenberg Church in hopes of engaging church leaders in a conversation about his concerns.

RECANT: To withdraw a statement or belief. Luther was asked to recant what he stated at the Diet of Worms in 1521. He did not recant.

Going Deep

A View of Reformation History

Europe had seen some devastating events during the medieval era. Life in the 15th century included some startling realities—the average life expectancy was about 40 years. Childbirth often resulted in the death of the baby or the mother or both. A simple infection or virus often caused death; the bubonic plague killed more than one-third of Europe's population. There was no public education. Democracy as we know it did not exist anywhere. Most people lived in absolute poverty and had no means to work their way out of their miserable situation.

During this time, people could not even choose their own faith. The religion of the ruler determined the religion of the region where he ruled. The Latin phrase cujus regio, jus religio is used to refer to this fact of life. Anyone who rejected the power and authority of the ruler in this matter suffered terribly at the hands of that ruler. For those who lived in territory ruled by a Christian, there was only one Christian church—the Roman Catholic Church. Political leaders were in many ways religious leaders, because they determined what would and would not be taught in their territories. The Bible existed in its original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek versions and had only been translated once—into Latin. This meant only the priests could read it. Because manuscripts had to be copied by hand, there were not a lot of copies to go around, either. The people had to depend on their priests to tell them what the Bible said. Worship was the same. It was conducted in Latin, so most believers could not fully understand what was being said—and many did not understand it at all!

In the midst of these conditions, Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press. For the first time in history, manuscripts did not need to be copied by hand. This made it possible for information to be reproduced quickly and to spread widely for a relatively small cost. It also opened the door for ordinary people to acquire printed materials, which in turn increased the need for education for all people so that they could read these printed materials.

Martin Luther was born on the heels of the medieval era. As a young man, he planned to be a lawyer and began to study toward that goal. In the midst of a nasty storm, as he dodged lightning bolts, he bargained with God. He promised that if God would save him, he would become a monk. He survived the storm and began studying to become a priest. He spent part of his life as a monk—living in a community with others who had the sole purpose of worshipping and praising God with their lives.

Throughout Luther's ministry, he struggled with what it meant for someone to be "right with God." His main question was, "What does it take to please God and attain righteousness in God's eyes?" While studying the Letter to the Romans, he was smacked over the head with the realization that no one can do enough to be right with God AND that God has already solved the problem by making us righteous through Jesus Christ. This idea led to other new insights and the recognition that the Roman Catholic Church needed to change. Luther began to point out practices that he felt went against what the Bible said about God, and he called on the church leaders to make changes. Making use of the newly invented printing press, he circulated pamphlets featuring his ideas and eventually posted "95 Theses" for debate on the door of the church in Wittenberg.

News of these Theses reached the highest leaders of the Roman Catholic Church, resulting in debates and hearings and even trials. These trials, or diets as they were called at the time, pitted Luther against other leaders. At a diet that took place in Worms in 1521, Luther was asked to recant—to take back what he had been saying. Luther refused. His famous words, "Unless therefore I am convinced by the testimony of Scripture or by the clearest reasoning, unless I am persuaded by means of the passages I have quoted, and unless they thus render my conscience bound by the word of God, I cannot and I will not retract, for it is unsafe for a Christian to speak against his conscience. Here I stand, I can do no other; may God help me. Amen," were spoken at this trial. The church/political leaders responded to Luther's continued refusal to change his words and his ways by excommunicating him and putting a price on his head. Once labeled a criminal, Luther went into hiding, where he spent much of his time translating the Bible into German.

reformation theology

Central Theological Points of the Reformation

1. God's love is unconditional. Luther taught that God loves and forgives us because of Jesus Christ, NOT because of anything we do. The righteousness of God is what God gives to us for the sake of Christ, not something that we do in order to be right with God. The Roman Catholic Church had many teachings about what people needed to DO in order for their sins to be forgiven and for them to be right with God—the purchasing of indulgences was the most notorious of those teachings.

2. Sin is VERY real. Luther taught that we are simultaneously saint and sinner (simul iustis et peccator). Our sinful self needs daily drowning, in the context of God's love and forgiveness given through our baptism. There is not an immediate and total transformation of a person from sinful to sinless, godless to godly, etc. Luther spoke about "both/and" situations. We are both forgiven by God, made right in God's eyes, totally saints—AND sinners, to be judged by God, worthy only of condemnation. It is a paradox, and we struggle against the power of sin in our lives every day. It is only through God's grace that we can trust in God's promise that we have been saved.

3. The three solas—sola scriptura (scripture alone), sola fidei (faith alone), sola gratia (grace alone)—are central to Luther's teaching and the Reformation. These are often quoted as "the key" to Luther's teaching. Scripture alone and the plain meaning of scripture attained through clear reasoning constitute the only base that is acceptable for creating doctrine and other teachings of the church. Faith alone, and not works, is what is needed to be forgiven and to receive eternal life. Grace alone is how God gives the gift of faith that results in forgiveness and eternal life.

4. We are saved by grace through faith. Faith means "trust"—that we trust what Jesus said, that we trust God's love, that we trust God's grace, etc. Faith is not something we "do"; it is something we act upon. Luther taught that good works do not bring us into favor with God, nor do they bring us into eternal life. God gives eternal life as a gift because of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. God gives people the Holy Spirit through baptism and the Holy Spirit brings people to have faith in God—to trust God and the promises God has made. Faith is not something we DO. Faith is a gift.

5. We are saved by grace, not works. No amount of good works will earn someone a place in God's house for eternity. That place is a gift. Good works are the result of being saved by grace. Once God has given the gift of eternal life, we respond by doing good works, because we desire to please God, who has been so generous and loving and merciful toward us.

6. All people have the duty to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, not just pastors. This is called the "priesthood of all believers." All useful work serves God, not just what pastors do. All vocations are honored by God. A vocation is a "calling" or something that God has called a believer to do. Luther taught that a person did not need to become a priest in order to do God's work. All believers in all walks of life can, and should, tell others about God's grace. And all believers in all walks of life are serving God with the work they do. Being a priest or a monk does not make a person more blessed than other people in other vocations.

7. The imperfect church continues to be imperfect. Luther taught that the church is a human institution. It makes mistakes and it needs to be continually learning and reforming. When the Christian church is faithful to God, it is continually changing—evaluating what has been done in the past and learning to adapt to new times and cultures.

Blessing

May you, like Martin Luther, boldly proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to a world in need of grace and peace.

Make-Up: November 21st – Article Three

2010-12-15T14:11:00.002-08:00

Make-Up: November 14th – Article Two

2010-12-15T14:11:00.001-08:00

Make-Up: November 7th – Article One

2010-12-15T14:10:00.002-08:00

Make-Up: October 31st – Introduction of the Creed

2010-12-15T14:10:00.001-08:00

Make-Up: October 17th – Take & Eat

2010-12-15T14:08:00.001-08:00

Make-Up: October 10th – Sacrament of Communion

2010-12-15T14:07:00.000-08:00

Make-Up: October 3rd – Word With Water

2010-12-15T14:06:00.000-08:00

Make-Up: September 26 – Sacrament of Baptism

2010-12-15T14:05:00.000-08:00

Make-Up's

2010-12-15T13:56:00.000-08:00

We are going to attempt to do make-up's a little bit differently. For those who have missed September - December dates, I am going to be posting the make-up on the blog. The "make-up" will consist of the scripture, key words and key thoughts of the day and some information from the connect (small group) piece.. After reading them, you will "click" on the comment button and comment about the post and what you read and answer the question: how does this effect my life in junior high ?

PLEASE SIGN YOUR NAME TO IDENTIFY YOURSELF. If you want just to put your last name or your first name and last initial, that is fine. We just want to "credit" your work ;)

Beginning in January, on Monday or Tuesday, the lesson recap plus a small video will be on the blog and you will read and watch and then comment with an overview and how it will make a difference for you.

Reformation Polka

2010-12-10T06:46:00.000-08:00

Here is a "fun" video on the reformation: polka style

Martin Luther & Reformation

2010-12-10T06:33:00.000-08:00

On December 5th, we began a two-week series on
Bible Text:

Matthew 16:13–20; Luke 4:18–19; Romans 3:21–26; Ephesians 2:8–9

Lesson Focus:

Christians continually reform the church to spread the good news to every generation and culture.

Big Question:

Who is Martin Luther and what does it mean to be a Lutheran?

Key Words:

MARTIN LUTHER, REFORMATION, CATHOLIC, THESIS, RECANT

Key Word Definitions

MARTIN LUTHER: a German monk and priest who worked to make changes in the church during the 16th century. He became known (not by his choice) as the founder of a new movement that became the Lutheran Church.

REFORMATION: time period in the 16th century when church leaders attempted to change the way the Roman Catholic Church functioned.

CATHOLIC: with a capital C, refers to the Roman Catholic Church, or the traditions of the Western European church before the Reformation. With a lowercase c, refers to all Christians in the universal Christian church; this is the "catholic" we speak of in the Christian creeds.

THESIS: a statement made to provoke an argument or discussion. Luther posted "95 Theses" (plural) on the door of Wittenberg Church in hopes of engaging church leaders in a conversation about his concerns.

RECANT: To withdraw a statement or belief. Luther was asked to recant what he stated at the Diet of Worms in 1521. He did not recant.

Luther: Right With God

Throughout Luther's ministry, he struggled with what it meant for someone to be "right with God." His main question was, "What does it take to please God and attain righteousness in God's eyes?" While studying the Letter to the Romans, he was smacked over the head with the realization that no one can do enough to be right with God AND that God has already solved the problem by making us righteous through Jesus Christ. This idea led to other new insights and the recognition that the Roman Catholic Church needed to change. Luther began to point out practices that he felt went against what the Bible said about God, and he called on the church leaders to make changes. Making use of the newly invented printing press, he circulated pamphlets featuring his ideas and eventually posted "95 Theses" for debate on the door of the church in Wittenberg.

Some Central Theological Points of the Reformation

1. God's love is unconditional.

2. Sin is VERY real.

3. The three solas—sola scriptura (scripture alone), sola fidei (faith alone), sola gratia (grace alone)—are central to Luther's teaching and the Reformation. These are often quoted as "the key" to Luther's teaching.

4. We are saved by grace through faith.

5. We are saved by grace, not works.

6. All people have the duty to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, not just pastors.

7. The imperfect church continues to be imperfect. Luther taught that the church is a human institution. It makes mistakes and it needs to be continually learning and reforming. When the Christian church is faithful to God, it is continually changing and evaluating what has been done in the past and learning to adapt to new times and cultures.

Summer 2011: Parent Meeting

2010-12-03T07:03:00.000-08:00

Parent's, we will be having a parent meeting at 10am on Sunday to show you two promo videos for our summer trips. The summer trips are the mission trip to Milwaukee and our church camp experience in Panama City Beach, Florida.

We will meet for about 30 minutes. It is a short meeting that will simply be showing the videos, sharing a little about the trip and a time for you to ask questions.

Hope to see you there.

Creed: Article Three

2010-12-01T07:52:00.000-08:00

Exploring Article Three

Bible Text:

John 14:15–17; Acts 2:1–13

Lesson Focus:

The Holy Spirit nurtures us and advocates for us.

Big Question:

The Holy Spirit works in my life every day?

Key Words:

HOLY SPIRIT, COUNSELOR, PENTECOST, CHURCH

The definitions of our key words:

HOLY SPIRIT:
the third person of the Trinity, sometimes called the Paraclete.

COUNSELOR:
an advisor or teacher.

PENTECOST:
the day that comes fifty days after Easter, the coming of the Holy Spirit, and the birthday of the church.

CHURCH:
The community of believers, or the "community of saints."

The Holy Spirit

Jesus promised the Holy Spirit as his continuing presence with believers. Jesus conferred the Holy Spirit in a resurrection appearance to the disciples and more generally on the day of Pentecost.

According to Acts 2, believers receive the Holy Spirit in baptism. The Spirit gathers and empowers the church with the gospel. The Spirit enlightens believers, reminding them of what Jesus said and continues to teach, testifying on Jesus' behalf, and sanctifying believers by guiding them in the truth, which is Jesus.

This is the same Spirit who conceived Jesus, whom Jesus received in baptism, and by whose power Jesus acts. Jesus understood his vocation as an outpouring of the Spirit in fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy.

The Bible refers to God's Spirit with words for breath or wind: in Hebrew rûah, in Greek pneuma, and in Latin spiritus. In creation "a wind from God swept over the face of the waters," and by the breath of God's speaking, God created all that is. God's breath enlivens human beings, and God's Spirit empowers prophets. Prophets anticipated the outpouring of God's Spirit to transform creation, including all people.

The Creed presents the persons of the Trinity separately. The three persons are distinguishable but inseparable. The Spirit is always the Spirit of Christ. The Holy Spirit . . .

• is both identified with Jesus and distinct from Jesus.
• is present with Jesus, comes before Jesus, and comes after Jesus.
• both reminds believers of Jesus' teaching and extends Jesus' teaching.
• both empowers Jesus (Romans 1:4) and is granted and sent by Jesus.
• is both revealed by Jesus and reveals Jesus.
• is both in the church and beyond the church in all creation.

Creed: Article Two

2010-11-18T12:19:00.000-08:00

Bible Text:

Matthew 1:18–25

Lesson Focus:

Jesus came to teach us how to live and free us from sin and death.

Big Question:

Wait, God became human?

Key Words:

CRUCIFIED, RESURRECTION, ASCENDED, LORD, REDEMPTION

Definition of Key Words

CRUCIFIED: executed on a cross.

RESURRECTION: returned to life, raised to life.

ASCENDED: gone up, as in Jesus has gone up to heaven.

LORD: ruler of all.

REDEMPTION: rescue from sin and death

Going Deep

The Apostles' Creed was formed primarily to articulate the reality of Jesus Christ in relation to God. Addressing the concerns from which the Creed arose, the second article focuses on Jesus' relationship in the triune God and on Jesus' incarnation. Jesus' life in flesh attests that Jesus is fully human. Jesus was born a human being of a human being (Matthew 1:18–25; Luke 2:1–20). Jesus suffered, was executed by crucifixion, and was buried (Matthew 27:26–50, 57–61; Mark 15:16–47; Luke 23:26–56). Family, friends, and followers knew Jesus as a human being. Yet Jesus' contemporaries—friends and enemies—did not fully understand who he was (Matthew 13:54–58; Mark 2:1–12; Luke 5:27–6:5).

The resurrection shed more light on the reality of Jesus. Jesus is fully divine. The Gospel authors wrote of Jesus' human life from the perspective of the resurrection. Jesus rose from the dead (Matthew 27:53, 28; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:5, 13–49). Jesus ascended into heaven (Luke 24:51; Acts 1:2, 9–11, 22). Jesus is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty (Matthew 28:18; Mark 16:19; Acts 7:55; Hebrews 1:3), maker of heaven and earth.

The second article is the longest of the Creed's articles. There are two inseparable themes: Jesus' divinity and Jesus' humanity. Jesus' being fully human and fully divine is crucial to the work of redemption. God is willing to go to any length, even human suffering and death, to redeem creation, including humanity. God does this out of love for creation, including us.

Creed: Article One

2010-11-08T08:41:00.000-08:00

Bible Text:
Genesis 1:1—2:25

Lesson Focus:
God's creative work in the world is ongoing.

Big Question:
How do we know God is still creating stuff today?

Key Words:
CREATE, CREATION, SUSTAIN, EX NIHILO, STEWARDSHIP

Key Word Definitions

CREATE: to make from nothing.

CREATION: all that exists; all that God has made.

SUSTAIN: to keep, preserve, and maintain.

EX NIHILO: Latin for "out of nothing."

STEWARDSHIP: responsibility for care and proper use.

Going Deep

Genesis records two accounts (1:1–2:4a and 2:4b–25) of God creating the heavens and the earth and their creatures. The first account focuses on God's speaking—God's word forming an orderly creation from chaos. God separates, for example, light from darkness, to create. The second, older account focuses more specifically on human beings and their relationship to the rest of creation. Human beings are formed from the dust of creation and are intended to care for creation. God is creator of all that is. The visible creation helps human beings understand the invisible, including God's "eternal power and divine nature" (Romans 1:20).

God's creation is fallen (Genesis 3). The entire sweep of history is moving to a final reconciliation of God and creation (Romans 8:19–25) in a new creation. This new creation is the aim of God's relationship with us and our relationship with God. God's creative power was not only in the beginning but continues (2 Corinthians 5:17). Finally, God's creative power will make all things new, a new heaven and a new earth (Isaiah 65:17; 66:22; Revelation 21:1–4).

Our Prayer

Leader: Creator God,
Group: You created me and all I have.
Leader: Creator God,
Group: You provide me daily with all I need for life.
Leader: Creator God,
Group: You made us all stewards of your creation.
Leader: Creator God,
Group: Help make us better stewards
Leader: So that where there is hunger, homelessness, and despair,
Group: There may be food and shelter and hope.
All: Amen.

ACTS

2010-11-04T11:12:00.000-07:00

Here is the "philosophy" of ministry that we will be using within our student ministry at Christ The Savior. The philosophy of ministry is "our tool" to help us (as a student ministry) reach the mission of our church: Reaching people to know, love and serve Christ.

If you have a ministry thought or suggestion that we can do in each one of these areas, please let us know.

No Make-Up Class

2010-11-03T11:38:00.001-07:00

Initially, we had a make-up class for series one scheduled for this Sunday (November 7th). We will not have the make-up class. We will, however, still have confirmation on Sunday at our normal time which is at 10:45.

We will continue our "creed" series and will take a look at Article One. Hope to see you there.

Creed: Week One

2010-11-01T10:39:00.000-07:00

Bible Text:

Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:28–34

Lesson Focus:

The Apostles' Creed states our shared beliefs as a community of faith.

Big Question:

What do I believe?

Key Words:

CREED, BELIEF, CHURCH, MONOTHEISM, TRINITY

Definitions of the Key Words

CREED: a statement of belief.

BELIEF: an affirmed or accepted truth.

CHURCH: the community of faith, known in the Apostles' Creed as the "communion of saints."

MONOTHEISM: the belief in one God.

TRINITY: God as three persons in one being.

Focus on Monotheism ....

Ask students to turn to Mark 12:28–34, and ask another volunteer to read the verses aloud. Asked which commandment is greatest, Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:4. Explain to students that the people of Israel were the only people in the time of Moses, and later, the time of Jesus, who believed in the concept of monotheism: that there is one God, not many. Other people, who believed in many gods, thought that either the God of Israel was not one of the gods, or that the God Israel worshipped was another god like theirs. The belief in only one God was radical and caused Israel a lot of problems. But without that belief, they would no longer have been Israel. If you have time at this point, you may want to have the students consider if this idea of there being only one God continues to be a radical one today.

Apostles' Creed

2010-10-31T04:39:00.000-07:00

This morning, we will begin a 4-week study on the Apostles' Creed. We will take a look at it from an introduction viewpoint today and then over the next three weeks, we will take a look at each one of the articles. Here is the "apostles' creed" in a little different format:

ACTS: What Does It Mean ?

2010-10-28T13:50:00.000-07:00

In the future, you will be hearing about ACTS. We are not trying to be "sacrilegious" but we will be using it (ACTS) as an acronym to describe a philosophy of ministry. We recognize that each student is at a different spot in their Christian walk and we want to gear ministry to each one of them. Here is a brief summary:

Attract

We want to attract students to Christ and to the ministry of Christ The Savior.

Connect

We want to connect students to God to to fellow students already connected to Christ The Savior.

Transform

We want students lives to transform into the likeness of Jesus Christ our Savior.

Send

We want to send students out to be the hands and feet of Christ so we can influence our community and impact our world.

No Crosstrainers: Oct. 24

2010-10-20T10:37:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder that we will not be having Crosstrainers on Oct. 24. We will resume on the 31st. Have a nice Fall Break.

Sacrament: Lesson Four

2010-10-20T10:16:00.000-07:00

Here is a brief synopsis of the lesson overview in Big Group Time

Take and Eat

Bible Text:
John 6:48–51
Lesson Focus:
Jesus feeds us with his body and blood so that we can feed others.
Big Question:
I take communion every week at church, but what am I supposed to do about it?
Key Words:
BREAD AND WINE, BODY AND BLOOD, SACRAMENT

Key Word Definitions

BREAD AND WINE: the earthly elements that, in the Lord's Supper, are Jesus' body and blood. When combined with God's word, they bring forgiveness, salvation, and life.

BODY AND BLOOD: the physical presence of Jesus Christ that he gives us in the Lord's Supper. The Lord's Supper is also known as holy communion.

SACRAMENT: something that 1) Jesus Christ commands us to do; 2) involves an earthly element, like water or bread and wine; and 3) combines with God's spoken word to bring salvation, forgiveness of sins, and the promise of everlasting life.

Going Deeper

Jesus is the bread of life. "Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh" (John 6:51). Jesus gave himself in life and death. The bread and wine we receive are Christ's body and blood. As we are baptized into the body of Christ, so in holy communion we are sustained and nourished as one body. "Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread" (1 Corinthians 10:17).

Jesus' meals inform our understanding of the Lord's Supper and all our meals. With Jesus, there is always enough for all. Holy communion is a foretaste of the Messianic banquet to which all will be invited.

Lutherans teach that the bread and wine of the eucharist become, by God's word, the body and blood of Christ and are at the same time ordinary bread and wine. The Lutheran Reformation rejected transubstantiation, which they understood to mean that the sacramental elements were essentially changed from bread and wine into Christ's body and blood. "Just as in Christ two distinct, unaltered natures are inseparably united, so in the Holy Supper two essences, the natural bread and the true natural body of Christ, are present together here on earth in the action of the sacrament, as it was instituted" (Kolb/Wengert, Formula of Concord Solid Declaration, Article VII 599.35–39). This teaching is an example of the idea that the finite is capable of bearing the infinite—finitum capax infiniti. The human Jesus is God's Word, the bread and wine are body and blood, AND the ordinary water is the water of baptism.

Hayride

2010-10-15T13:14:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from the hayride; we had a blast.

Sacrament: Lesson Three

2010-10-11T11:02:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, October 10th, we had our 3rd lesson in the sacraments. In this class we switched over to the sacrament of Communion.

Going Deep

Jesus' family went to Jerusalem every year for the Passover festival. Jesus instituted Holy Communion at a Passover supper. Jesus said that the bread is his body and the wine his blood poured out for the forgiveness of sins. At his last supper, Jesus "took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to [the Twelve], saying, 'This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.' And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood'" (Luke 22:19–20). His blood, he said, "is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Matthew 26:28). As in baptism, here is a sacrament—ordinary bread and wine together with the word, a command ("Do this") and a promise ("for the forgiveness of sins"). God's forgiveness of sins in Holy Communion reconciles believers to God and to one another so that we are one body.

KEY WORDS

PASSOVER: the Jewish celebration of the night God passed over Egypt, killing the firstborn in every Egyptian household. God spared the Hebrews, who were protected by the blood of the lamb.

LAST SUPPER: the Passover celebration Jesus shared with his best friends on the night he was betrayed.

EUCHARIST: the communion meal Christians share that remembers Jesus' Last Supper, bestowing on them Jesus' forgiveness and grace.

COMMUNION: the Lord's Supper. Also refers to what happens when followers of Jesus Christ come together to worship, learn, or pray.

Key Components

Bible Text:
Exodus 12:1–36; Matthew 26:17–29; Luke 22:19–20
Lesson Focus:
Word, wine, and bread together give us salvation, forgiveness, and new life.
Big Question:
What really happens during communion?

Sacrament: Lesson Two

2010-10-06T08:36:00.000-07:00

On October 3rd, we had the second session in our sacrament series and we had our second lesson on baptism. Here are some of the key scriptures and concepts:

Bible Text: Matthew 28:16–20; Genesis 6–9; 2 Kings 5:1–14; Romans 6:3–11
Lesson Focus: With water and word, we are washed in God's loving grace.
Big Question: How does baptism work?
Key Words: WATER, WORD, PROMISE, SACRAMENT

WATER: ordinary H2O through and with which God does amazing things.

WORD: Jesus Christ, the Living Word of God made flesh. Also, spoken and written words that point us to the Living Word.

PROMISE: A commitment that is dependable and reliable.

SACRAMENT: God's word joined with an earthly element through which God promises to work. The Lutheran Church teaches that there are two sacraments—holy communion and holy baptism.

Sacraments: Lesson 1

2010-09-27T12:10:00.000-07:00

Sacrament of Baptism

Our lesson was on the Sacrament of Baptism. Here is some of the highlights and information regarding what we covered in "big group"

Bible Text:
Matthew 3:1–17; Mark 16:15–16; Matthew 28:19–20; Colossians 3:1–14

Lesson Focus:
In baptism we join the family of faith and receive God's promises of forgiveness, salvation, and new life.

Big Question:
What really happens during baptism?

Key Words:
BORN AGAIN, INFANT BAPTISM, DAILY REPENTANCE, BODY OF CHRIST

Here are the definitions of the key words:

BORN AGAIN:
having received in baptism salvation, forgiveness of sins, and the promise of everlasting life with God.

INFANT BAPTISM:
occurs when a baby receives the sacrament and becomes a full member of the body of Christ. The infant becomes a member not by his or her own decision, but by the undeniable grace of God.

DAILY REPENTANCE:
the realization every day that you are a sinner, but through your baptism into Jesus Christ you are redeemed and forgiven.

BODY OF CHRIST:
the entire company of saints, including everyone on earth—past, present, and future—who lives in the promise of salvation in Jesus Christ for eternity.

The Adolescence Connection

What really happens during baptism?

The metaphor of God's cleansing through the practice of remembering your baptism can be lived out through daily washing. Youth wash their hands to eat (sometimes) and bathe to remain acceptable to their peers. Establishing the connection between daily washing and being washed in God's grace through baptism helps youth to remember that God's grace cleanses them and makes them new in God's eyes, just as bathing helps them to remain clean and ward off disease and unpleasantness.

Baptism has become a powerful part of our communal life. It is through this sacrament that people are initiated into the community of faith. Belonging is important to youth. Their need to be part of a group helps them to bond together and feel the strength of numbers. Episcopal priest and author John Westerhoff refers to one of the stages of faith as "affiliative." By this term he means "belonging" to a certain denomination or church and claiming the name of that church. Belonging is an important step on the journey of faith. Remembering their baptism and reviewing the symbolic inclusion will give youth a sense of being a part of a larger community. It is in this community that youth begin to discover what it means to say, "I am a Christian. I am a member of the Lutheran Church." This belonging becomes part of their identity.

Confirmation Retreat 2010

2010-09-27T10:27:00.000-07:00

On September 17-19, we had 49 youth and 12 adults who went to Spring Hill for our Confirmation Retreat. The retreat was our "kick-off" for the 2010-2011 year. We had a great time. Below is a picture/song/video highlight of the week.

Series One: Sacraments

2010-09-22T08:38:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, september 26th, we will begin a 4-week series on the Sacraments. We will spend two weeks on baptism and two weeks on communion. Below is a video message (1 minute) on what the highlights of the teaching time will be. Below the video will be the schedule for the series.

September 26: The Sacrament of Baptism

October 3: Word With Water

October 10: The Sacrament of Communion

October 17: Take and Eat

We hope to see you out for all four weeks as we take a look at the Sacraments and what they mean for us as a church body.

Spring Hill 2010

2010-09-20T07:28:00.001-07:00

This past weekend, our numbers dropped a little with illness and other commitments that came up. However, we still took a large group and we had an amazing time. The above picture is our group picture. Listed below will be a few individual pictures to give a feel for the weekend.

Paint Ball

Climbing Wall

Z-Ball

Dinner

Theme

One: God / Faith / Life

What are you going to do with the one life that God has given you to live ?

Big Stuf

2010-09-17T11:51:00.000-07:00

Over the next few weeks, we will be putting up many different promotions about Big Stuf. These will be official promo's from them and from other churches that have gone. Big Stuf camps and the ReThink Group is a great organization and they put on a top-notch camp. Check out the promo below. Benbeath the promotion, there is some more information about the camp.

The camp is located on the beach in Panama City Beach, Florida. The great thing about this location for Big Stiuf is that the hotel, meals and worship times are in the same location. Also, Big Stuf rents out the whole hotel. So, it is a secure site. While on the beach, we are out in front of the hotel and with students and adults from the camp there; there are eyes and ears all around.

The beach also has lifeguards and uses the flag system. So, if the waters are choppy, we will know. They will have the flags out and individuals will be checking the area to make sure everyone is following the rules.

We are looking at a great trip. We hope that many students will go on the trip and they can ask those outside CTS to go on the trip. The morning and evening services will uplift them and challenge them and their souls will be filled.

Also, for your information, one of the reasons that I have chosen Big Stuf is that they are the organization that we do our sunday night curriculum from. Also, if you have seen the 7-Checkpoints around the ARC (which have been very important in the lives of the students the last few years), they come from Big Stuf / ReThink. We as a church are connected with them and I (Jeff) have done 5 Big Stuf trips in the past and they are a great group of individuals.

More Later.

Spring Hill: Here We Come !!

2010-09-17T11:24:00.000-07:00

In two hours, we will be packing up the buses and headed off to Spring Hill in Seymour, Indiana. We will be taking 60 folks up with us. A few of our students and adults had to "back down" because of some illnesses. We will be praying for you as you are back here resting. This should be a great weekend. The theme is ONE. Next week, we will have many pictures, stories and recaps from the weekend up on the blog and then next week (Sept. 26), we will begin our first series.

Off & Running

2010-09-13T11:17:00.000-07:00

Crosstrainers kicked off on Sunday morning and it was a great experience. It was wonderful to see the 110+ folks in there from confirmation students, peer guides, and adult leaders.

We introduced the class, what we were studying and showed promo videos for Jr High Believe and Big Stuf Camp. We then showed a video song that the students and adults enjoyed. Afterwards, we broke them up into their 13 small groups and gave them time to get to know one another.

There are many great things to look forward to this year and one of them is coming up just around the corner ----- FALL RETREAT.

Over the next week, we will be giving you information on the schedule and what we learned. The next two items on the calendar are the following:

- spring hill: sept. 17 - 19 ( be at the church by 4:45)
- sept. 26 at 10:45 - series one: sacraments begins

I look forward to the journey.

CT Adult Meeting

2010-09-02T10:34:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday night, we had a great meeting. We, as adults, discussed many things. Here is a brief agenda of what was covered:

- Welcome & Introductions
- Small Group Assignments
- Spring Hill Retreat: This Year & Next
- Big Stuf Camp 2011
- Cross Trainers Survey Results
- Web Blog Update and Groups Contributing to it
- Flow of Class: Tweaks in Scheduling

the discussion flowed well and we are anticipating a great year which will kick off on September 12th. September 12th will be a time to get to know each other and then we will have our retreat on Sept. 17-19 and we will be off and running on Sept. 26th with class.

One Girl

2010-08-27T11:06:00.000-07:00

On September 8th, a new study opportunity for girls will occur. This is open to all 7th and 8th grade girls. Thus, bring your friends. We repeat, this is NOT just for confirmation students; it is open to all girls in 7th and 8th grade:

"One Girl can change the World" Bible study Wed 6:45-7:45 for 7-8th grade girls, all are invited bring a friend, meet weekly at CTS. In One girl can change the world you will discover that God has a particular place for you in his kingdom. If you hold on to him, he will lead you to change yourself, your school, your town your country..even the WORLD!!

Discover your leadership style, use your passions for a purpose, find good mentors and be one, carry out your mission with confidence

More info Jennifer McCloskey 440-0487 email zoocrewind@msn.com

Survey: Confirmation Times

2010-08-26T08:12:00.000-07:00

Parents, last Sunday during the confirmation meeting, we had a survey on confirmation times. We are exploring different options with various feedback that we have received over the last few weeks. If you did not do a survey, we ask you to please do it. If you can do the survey (on line - via email or comment section here) by Wednesday, the 1st; that would be great. This is just an "informational survey" so we can have a better understanding of where families are at while we discuss the purpose of confirmation and the best way that we can partner with parents and students to make confirmation the best experience as possible.

What time would be the best time for your family to have confirmation (CrossTrainers) ?

______ Sunday Morning at 9:30

______ Sunday Morning at 10:45

______ Sunday Night at 6:00 pm

______ Weeknight

Please list them in preference ( 1 - 4 ) with 1 being the best and 4 being the worst.

Thank-You

2010-08-24T08:06:00.000-07:00

Parents, I just wanted to say thank-you for coming out to the CrossTrainers parents meeting. We had a good turnout. Hopefully, the meeting was helpful for you to see what we were doing and to have an opportunity to meet a few individuals and here a little about the ministry and catch a glimpse of Spring Hill and get some of the forms in. Remember, it all starts September 12th !!

The Schedule

2010-08-20T06:33:00.000-07:00

We have made a few small tweaks in the confirmation program this year. We have not done anything that is earth-shattering but we hope that these small changes will help us in the flow of lessons and to help us be more impactful in what we teach and the students learn. Thus, this year, we have switched to 7-series for confirmation. Here they are and the order that we will be teaching them:

Series 1: Sacraments (4 weeks)
Series 2: The Creed (4 weeks)
Series 3: Martin Luther (2 weeks)
Series 4: Ten Commandments (5 weeks)
Series 5: Theology (3 weeks)
Series 6: Faith & Religion (3 weeks)
Series 7: Stewardship (2 weeks)

We look forward to diving into these series through large group, small group and more importantly the discussions in the homes.

Parents Meeting

2010-08-13T06:32:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, August 22nd at 10am, we will be having a parent meeting for those parents who have students in Cross Trainers. At this meeting, we will go over the schedule for the year. We will also give you insight on what Sunday mornings will look like for your child. We will also use this time to show you a Spring Hill video (confirmation retreat) and have time for questions and answers. We hope to see you there.