Head's up!!! We will not be having youth group this Thursday, November 25 because it is Thanksgiving. We do hope to see everyone at the Thanksgiving dinner at 10:00 a.m. to serve our community though!
Starting the next week, December 2, we'll be diving into a new series called 'Tis the Season in which we'll be looking at how Jesus came to bring us Faith, Hope, and Love. These are also a part of our church's mission statement which is to be "A community of Christ followers extending the faith, hope, and love of Jesus Christ."
WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT:
Here is an overview of what we’re talking about. Listed below the summary is a “parent cue” to help you dialog with your child about the session. The question is intended not just to be asked by you, but to be responded to by BOTH of you. Use this opportunity to find out what God is teaching your child, and allow your child to see what God is teaching you as well.
TIS THE SEASON:
Series Overview
This Christmas, probably more than any other in recent years, we are hoping that life will get better. We are hoping that life will look differently next year, even if we’re not sure how. We realize that no one person or institution holds a solution, but we’re expecting something different, even if we’re not sure how that is going to work out. Words like hope, peace and love have a new meaning this year, don’t they? We’re waiting to have hope, peace and love in our lives, in our communities, in our world. Even if we’re not sure how it will all work out. And just like thousands of years ago, Jesus is the one who came to bring hope, peace and love to our lives then . . . and now. Jesus taught us how to find hope, bring peace and initiate love even when our circumstances are less than ideal.
Session One: Hope (12/2)
Christmas is a time filled with great expectations. (Just ask Clark Griswald.) We expect snow to fall on Christmas morning. We expect that Martha Stewart-esque gathering. We expect a gift from that special someone. And for many of us, we expect our lives to look a certain way. But what happens when life doesn’t meet our expectations? How can we have hope in something bigger than what we want or dream? And how can that hope in something bigger really affect our lives—for the better?
Session One Parent Cue: What are some of our family’s expectations around the holidays? Are they usually met or not?
Session Two: Peace (12/9)
Why is it that Christmas is one of the least peaceful times of the year? Whether it’s the long lines at the stores or the stress of even how to make the holidays happen in this economy, Christmas can easily become something we just want to get through and survive. But peace, true peace, has little to do with what is going on around us. In fact, Jesus came to bring peace to our lives in a way that defies logic, and He also invites us to participate with Him in bringing peace to those around us as well.
Session Two Parent Cue: What makes the holidays not peaceful? What can we do to be intentional about creating “peace” in our home?
Session Three: Love (12/16)
Love is a word that we hear a lot. People love Christmas time. People love carols. People love casseroles, cookies and candy canes. But when it comes to loving other people, sometimes we are all talk. The word “love” is easy for us to say, but really hard to back up with action. Sometimes loving other people is hard, whether that person is within our family, or living half way around the world. It’s why we needed an example, a living breathing visual for what love in action looks like—and that’s the heart of the Christmas story.
Session Three Parent Cue: When it comes to loving other people, what is your biggest obstacle? What can be done to remove that obstacle?
ANNOUNCEMENT:
We are planning on going to Winter Camp at Hartland Camps in the Sequoia National Park February 11-13 2011! We need to begin to take sign ups. The Cost will be $150 - all inclusive for the weekend. We'll begin taking sign ups right after Thanksgiving with a $30 deposit needed to lock in your spot.
RESPOND:
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