Trust Exemplified!

Babies come from a mommy and a daddy! If you were brought up believing Santa Claus or the Stork did the work, you need to understand the truth. :) Babies come from a mommy and a daddy.
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Understanding this obvious truth, you can only imagine what went through Joseph's mind when Mary shared with him that she was pregnant. His most immediate thought had to have been, "You've cheated on me." We're not told this for sure, but I would assume that Mary would have told Joseph about the angel Gabriel appearing to her and explaining the conception of the baby within her. Still, Joseph decides to call off the marriage with Mary. The Bible says he was going to do it quietly because he was a righteous man.
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Joseph must have been pretty shocked when an angel appeared to him as well and explained that the baby within Mary was actually conceived by the Holy Spirit, not another man. The angel told Joseph to take Mary to be his wife and also spoke the name that would be given this baby: Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:22).
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Both Joseph and Mary exemplified (don't you like that word!) trust in the Lord. Telling Joseph the news that she was pregnant with the Son of God must have been a difficult choice to make. After all, she didn't know how Joseph would respond. But her statement to the angel recorded in Luke 1:38 demonstrates her trust in God, "I am the Lord's servant, may it be to me as you have said." And Joseph, likewise, demonstrated trust when he chose to listen to the angel and take Mary as his wife. For him, he knew the truth, but how would others respond? Would they ever believe this miracle or would they reject both he and his new wife? Joseph chose to trust the Lord and accept their calling.
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Joseph and Mary were ordinary people like you and me who chose to trust the Lord. God used them for His purposes. God has purposes for our lives as well and He will fulfill those purposes as we exemplify trust in Him as Joseph and Mary did.

It Is Better to Give Than to Receive

When it comes to serving the homeless, I think people are often not quite sure just how to help. I hear statements like, "Well, if I give a bum some money, he'll just go buy beer." I admit that I too have felt this and probably at one time or another said a statement like this. I certainly don't want to enable someone's addiction. But I am concerned that in having these cautions, many in the church may not be doing anything at all.
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"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" ~Matthew25:40.

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Have you ever heard this verse quoted in relation to the homeless? I've heard it numerous times. And I'll be honest with you, it really bothers me. Why? Because Jesus says "one of these brothers of mine." Should we give to those in need? Yes! But in this verse, Jesus is calling for us to take care of the needs of Christians. When this verse is quoted in relation to homeless ministry by and large, it's taken out of context. That bugs me.

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So then I ask myself, are there any verses that would lead me to remember the needs of homeless? The answer to that questions is yes (and yes, and yes, and yes!). Here are a couple verses to keep in mind.

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"In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" ~ Acts 20:35

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"Don't steel, work! Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need." ~ Ephesians 4:28

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Has God blessed you? If so, you can bless someone else. Think this Christmas of how it is that you might give to those in need. Share a package of socks for the homeless, buy a bag of groceries for a family in need, send some money to a Christian organization you can trust. Look for ways to evidence your care and concern for those who don't have as much as you have remembering Jesus' words, "It is better to give than to receive."

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May you be blessed in a very special (and maybe different way) this Christmas season as you look for ways to give.

Things to Remember in December!

December 2007:

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December 7 - UGM Service & Sock Drive Delievery!

December 8 - Cinnamon Roll & Chili Fundraiser (proceeds go towards Spring Retreat!)

December 16 - Christmas Party: White Elephant Gift Exchange & Caroling (Come see old seniors!)

High School Fall Retreat '07

We're back safe and sound! Are you ready to go again? How about in a few months! I'm so thankful to each of you who came. Everyone got along so well and I believe some good memories were made!

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Friday night, upon arriving, we settled in our rooms and then sat down for some Figaro's pizza, salad, carrots, and soda (you guys eat salad like I've never seen before!). After ou late night dinner we gathered together for worship and a message. Snacks were served and we played some late night games, Extreme Pictionary (3 broken spoons I tell you!) and Toss the Towell (a very fun, active, & humorous game I might add!). Some headed for bed while others talked (I'm still having dreams about Sponge Bob Square Pants for some reason!).

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Saturday morning we had an awesome breakfast (Pancakes, eggs, sausage, fruit, juice, milk - the whole 9 yards!). We gathered again for worship and heard from Alan (thanks for being honest with us Alan - Jesus has changed you!). We also spent some time making gifts for the homeless - we'll deliever those December 7th (and there still is time to continue our sock drive). Lunch was great and the afternoon enjoyable (ice skating at Lloyd Center and shopping - good ole Americans!). Dinner ended up being a little later than normal, but it was all worth the wait for homemade lasagna! Again, we gathered for worship followed by a second lesson. In the evening we had watched video footage of our weekend, a powerpoint of pictures, and extra old video footage from 2003 (I have not laughed so hard in a LONG TIME!!). I love my job!

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Sunday morning we had another awesome breakfast (and as tradition has it, Seniors are served first - sorry freshmen, but you day is a 'comin). We spent one last time in worship followed by lesson numero three! Then it was time to clean up and head home.

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Wow! It was good. God is very good. I hope you all can see how good He is to us. I'm thankful for safety, good attitudes from everyone, and lessons learned from God's Word. He answered our prayers! So, it's another retreat come and gone. I trust great memories were made and I trust you put into practice anything truth you may have gleaned from our time together.

Let Your Light So Shine!

"Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." ~ Matthew 5:16

October Upcoming Activities...

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Oct. 5th - Fifth Quarter Party @ Nate & Kelsey's

Oct. 12th - Project 2ROWN (& Brunch @ Youth Center!)

Oct. 28th - Harvest Party

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NOTE: High School Fall Retreat is quickly approaching! Sign-ups will start soon!

November 9-11, 2007 ~ Son Lodge

We're Raising Money for a Good Cause!

Our youth group is giving financially to help Iglesia Evangelica build a church for them to meet in. Currently, they are using the school auditorium as their meeting place. Our goal is to raise $250. Will you help contribute to this need?

Doing Life Together!

Sometimes life feels chaotic...

But it's always better when you're surrounded by friends!

Settin' Sight's on September!

Upcoming Events...

Labor Day Youth Group (house party!) ~ September 2nd

High School Kickoff ~ September 9th

See You at the Pole ~ September 26th

Back from Avenal

Our trip was amazing. I don't know how I can summarize it up for you. I'll just start in the beginning:
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Our ride down was mostly uneventful - it took 16 1/2 hours to make a trip that could have been made in 15, but with 17 HS youth drinking too much pop and three little kids on the trip, it took a while longer to get there.

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We stayed at an Assembly of God church because the church we were working with does not have their own building. The church was small - three separate mobile home buildings. But it was clean, had AC and it was free. The people there were kind to let us use their facility.

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Sunday we attended Iglesia Evangelica de Avenal. It was an amazing service. They meet in the HS auditorium and are outgrowing their space. They are raising funds to build a "templo" of their own. The music was loud and was so fun! Lots of clapping and joy filled the room during worship. The offering son was a dance beat with words something like, "Get your body on the dance floor...if you want to dance..." Pastor Raul preached a sermon (it was translated for us) about loving our brothers and sisters and not letting conflict come between us. It was clear and challenging! The service lasted 2 hours, but went by really fast. Everyone was beyond kind and welcoming to our group.

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VBS clubs were held at the park, Monday-Thursday. We had about 50 kids each time, all were Hispanic except for two boys that came. Most of the kids spoke English, though some of the young ones, who were not in school yet, did not. We had four groups lead by our HS youth. The children were separated by age and rotated each day to a new group. I think everyone had a blast! The biggest group was the 11-12 year olds, which surprised me. Usually that age is "too cool" to come to a Bible club, but they really seemed to respect and connect with our youth. There were quite a few children who accepted Jesus and many who confirmed a faith in Jesus. It was wonderful to watch our HS youth pray with individual children to accept Jesus.

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Each day, after VBS, the women of Iglesia Evangelica served us an anazing meal! We had the yummiest taco's and burritos, and the fresh fruit was excellent! "Generous" is not a big enough word to describe them!

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An unexpected blessing was being able to take showers in the evenings at the homes of the people that attended the church. We went to an apartment complex and split up among four different homes. Each day the different groups would gather back at the vans with stories of generousity beyond anything they had experienced before. Food, treats, family photos, stories, video games, TV... anything the host family had, they were willing to share or give away.

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We were also able to meet a few times with the "jovenes" (JH/HS youth) of the church for youth meetings. Nathan shared a message one evening and we played games together. There were about four HS youth who really connected with our youth. They came to "hang out" and were a lot of fun to be with. The youth leader, Lupe, is considering a mission trip to Oregon!

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The last day of our trip was spent at Six Flags Marine World. It was a fun, hot day to relax and celebrate the end of a successful week. We left early Saturday morning to drive home and got back at about 9:30pm.

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That you to all who prayed for our youth group as we were in southern California. God is truly amazing!

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(Written by Kelsey Ensz)

Congratulations Class of 2007

Our youth group has six consitent seniors. Congratulations to each one of you guys! What an awesome accomplishment. And what a great time we had together celebrating.
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Monday morning we headed to Newport, Oregon and stayed in a nice second story home overlooking the ocean. Thanks to Caleb for hooking us up! The first day we spent eating, resting, skim boarding, sand climbing, site seeing, and playing a three hour game of Settlers! I (Nate) fell asleep for the last 45 minutes of the game - sorry! Oh, and Matt, you did an excellent job explaing the rules to us!
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Tuesday, after eating a big breakfast, we all headed south for Spinreel and had an awesome time on quads. Way to go Jenna! Once you got the hang of it, you really rocked! On the way home, we stopped in Florence for a bite to eat at Mo's. Caleb, nice job getting Trenton to like Salmon! You still owe him that dollar don't you. : ) Later that evening we lounged in our vacation rental and watched a couple of episodes of The Office.

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Wednesday morning provided my highlight. Corey Jones accepted Jesus as His Lord and Savior. Welcome to the family of God, Corey! We are proud of you and excited to have you as a bro' in Christ! We spent some time at the Bay, ate at Taco Bell (thanks Matt and Caleb for loading my Chalupa with three packets of FIRE sauce!) hit the outlet malls, ate some Cold Stone Creamery, and then arrived home in the evening.

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What a memorable three days together. Kelsey and I had a blast. We hope you did too! You guys are awesome and we are so proud of you.

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To our other, much loved seniors, we missed you so much. But we are equally proud of you and so excited to see all that God will do in your life!

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Much love to the class of '07!

Come Join Us!

Upcoming Events...

* Youth Service & Senior Recognition ~ May 20

* Youth Group @ Nate & Kelsey's for Memorial Day Weekend ~ May 27

* Senior Baccalaureatte ~ June 8

* Graduation Day ~ June 9

* Senior Retreat ~ June 11-13

Grieving Over Tragedy

What a week this has been. Why, you ask? Let me tell you.

April 24, 2007 Sabrina Harustak went home to be with the Lord. This last Tuesday I attended her "celebration of life" service. Wow! What a testimony she left! And really, even a legacy. It seems you have to be at least 80 years old to leave a legacy, but I'd say Sabrina is leaving a legacy some 80 year olds don't even leave. The lives she has touched is incredible.

Thursday morning I heard about an aquaintance drowning in a lake in Eastern, Oregon. Apparently, he was out in his boat. They found his boat. They didn't find him until a day later.

Just a week ago, a teenager walked into a store at the outlet malls in Lincoln City and shot someone. This occured a half of an hour after a few people from our church and youth group were there at the same outlet malls!

Three weeks ago, 33 college people died at Virginia Tech. Ocationally, I think about the hundreds of family members this has impacted as well as millions of others.

Why the tragedy? How can such things happen? Why does life seem so unfair at times?

To those who grieve the lose of a loved one, my answer is "I don't fully know."

It's hard as a youth pastor to say those words. I want to give an answer that will some how satisfy the longing people have for answers. But the truth is, sometimes I just don't know why.

But there are some things I do know. I know that God is good. I know God can be trusted. I know that in the midst of tragedy God can be heard - God can be seen. He is there and sometimes we realize God's presense in a greater way during tragedy.

I know that God did not kill 33 college students. I know that God is never the author of evil.

I know that God is grieved by sin. He is grieved when someone opens fire. He is grieved by hatred for one another. God is grieved by my sin, too.

I know that God's heart breaks with those who break. I think of the tears that Jesus shed when Lazarus died. His heart breaks with ours when we loose a loved one.

I know that God's heart is warmed when one of His children is home in heaven. For the Bible says, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints." (Psalm 116:15)

There are some things I simply do not understand. But there are some things I know to be true. As I live this life God has given me, I desire to comfort those who have sorrow and grieve with those who are sad. But I also desire to cling to that which I know to be true, releasing that which I cannot understand into the hands of the One who does - God alone.

Spring Retreat Highlights!

You guys are a GREAT group! What else can I say? Hopefully you can tell by the pictures that we had a great time. If you were unable to make it this year, try for next year. It's well worth it! Here's a few highlights from the weekend...

* Nice lodge with an awesome view overlooking the coastline.

* Great food - how 'bout that Izzy's!

* Faith is to lead you, not rescue you...

* Mini-golf at a little rinky-dink "Put 'n Bat"

* Pool, fuse ball and welts (Yeah Baby!)

* The faith of the Centurion

* Lessons from Jenni, Bethany, Cameron, Caleb and Seth on how to walk on water!!

* Raids from the girls to the guys to the girls to the...

* Beautiful weather!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

* The faith of the Canaanite woman

* Worship

* Honey, if you love me...

* Peach and Blackberry cobbler

* Shopping at the outlet malls

* Hip-charades :)

It was so good having you on the Spring Retreat! I really am proud of each of you and was proud to see you all do so well together. So many of you are thinking about your faith and really wanting to grow in the Lord. Continue with this desire. You may not always see instant change and growth, but know that God is working in your lives. I can tell the difference! ~ Pastor Nate

What Are the Implications?

The older I get, the more I like Easter! When I was younger, there was no doubt in my mind that Christmas was the best holiday. What kid wouldn't like Christmas? To a kid, Christmas equals presents. Easter was cool as a kid, but there were no presents - just a few Easter eggs and chocolates.

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My view on the holiday's is different now. I really appreciate the deeper meaning behind these holidays - and Christmas and Easter have huge implications! Christmas celebrates God sending His Son, Jesus, to us as a baby. Christmas is Emmanuel - meaning, "God with us." Easter celebrates the purpose God had in sending us His Son.

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Easter is "He is risen indeed." It celebrates the biblical and historical fact that Jesus bodily rose from the dead. It celebrates a Jesus who is very much alive and is seated in heaven at God's right hand. It celebrates the fact that we too, will also raise from the dead if we have placed our faith in Jesus Christ.

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"If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead..."

~ 1 Corinthians 15:17-20a

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This Easter enjoy the egg hunt (if you do that), fill your stomach full of potato's, green bean caserole and ham, but most importantly, give thanks to the Lord making salvation a sure thing. Because Jesus lives, we too will live forever!

Tas Philas

"This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another."
~ 1 John 3:11

Hangin' Out Is So Much Fun!

FOR THE LADIES - all the girls had the right ingredients for a good evening together - pretty outfits, good discussion, laughter, bowling, a yummy meal, and of course, each other! Girls Nite '07 was a blast! Oh, the surpise visit from a few kind gentlemen was also a great part of the evening! :)

FOR THE GUYS - the guys, too, had what it takes to make the evening a good one - FOOD, and lots of it; good discussion, some more FOOD (man, we downed the food), some hardcore dodgeball, ice cream from the tub, and a little visit to drop off some, umm, toilet paper at the girls house! :) Guy's Pig Out was one to go in the memory books!