Quick Updates

I promise to post some more about our great Silver Birch retreat, but I've been so busy with other things in the life of our ministry. I'm feeling on such a God high lately as I have conversations with students, staff, church members, and parents. It seems God is really working in a lot of people in huge ways right now, and nothing could excite me more. We continue to have record numbers of students attending our middle school ministry, and have added some great new regulars recently. We're talking about some things I feel are very relevant to teen life, and I keep praying God uses as much of what we're doing as possible. I also just have to say I have such a great job: I get to love and hang with students all the time, and I can't imagine anything better.

Our middle schoolers just finished up a series called Exposed: The Naked Truth About Sex. In a way it was an easy series to teach because the Bible lays out such a specific plan for sex and marriage, and is quite forthright on the lies the world trys to tell us (its amazing how little has changed on this topic in human culture over 2000 years). In another respect it was quite a challenge to make sure we did'nt create tons of awkward tension or weird middle school girly giggling. Our students did a great job taking it seriously and I pray they got a clear vision of what God's intent and plan is and that they are committed to waiting. It was also really fun getting to cover two of our students in make-up this week (currently I feel nice and am not posting pictures, but I have a feeling they will soon start leaking on Facebook).

Our High Schoolers just started a series entitled HABITS, and we're looking at ways to make meaningful connections with God regularly. We started by talking about the benefits of connecting with God, and this week we're going to talk about how important it is to have people in your life that can help hold you accountable as you live your life with and for God.

Silver Birch X: Part 1

This is the first installment on our 20X retreat to Silver Birch Ranch, January 8th-10th.

On Friday night at 5:00pm dozens of students and their human sized luggage began arriving at Hingham Reformed Church. By 5:30 two buses were filled to absolute capacity and on their way to Silver Birch Ranch, a huge and fantastic camp on Sawyer Lake in the north woods of Wisconsin. Once we arrived students were able to take advantage of late night broomball, tubing, and hanging out in the great canteen/snack bar/coffee bar area. Students also got checked into their cabins (which were really nice this year I might add).

We kicked off our first worship session with Coldplay's Viva la Vida then launched into a couple of games based on our theme, How NOT to Get Caught. Our leaders came out arms a blazing with dodgeballs as students tried Not to Get Caught and earn themselves $20 to Target. Of course enough cheated that we could not claim a winner. We then gave away $25 in canteen money to the small group who did best in our Famous Faces: Getting Caught edition game (we put up pictures of celebs getting caught in bad situations).

Here is the list of worship songs for our first worship time.
Take it All (Hillsong United)
Dancing Generation (Brandon Grissom)
Automatic (Stellar Kart)
The Stand (Hillsong United)
With Everything (Hillsong United)

Our first message focused on how not fun it is to get caught doing something wrong. I talked about some of the pranks I've been involved in or witnessed (including letting chicken loose in our high school) and while they are fun to pull, getting caught doing them can be bad. That's where the problem of temptation is. Temptation is doing something wrong in order to get something we want. It may be cheating on a test in order to get a good grade without studying, drinking to impress our friends, or causing trouble just to get a laugh. In any case we do what we know is wrong to get something we want. While we may get what we want we go against God to do it. The result is that far too many of us tend to disappear from following God because we are so caught up in temptation.

In modern folklore we have the Bermuda Triangle/Devil's Triangle. This is an area of the ocean where planes and boats seem to disappear without a trace at a way higher then average level. Theories abound for why that is (including alien spaceships hovering overhead kidnapping people), but the point is seemingly good people vanish without a trace. In the Bible there is a passage that outlines it's own Devil's Triangle: 1 John 2:15-17 (The Message)
Don't love the world's ways. Don't love the world's goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.
So often the world's three monster temptations, what the world offers, what the world does, and what the world thinks. We seem to want all of these things, and they tempt us so much that we tend to far too often go against God to get them. That leads to a big question: whose opinion really matters more to you: God's or your friends? God's or a celeb on TV? God or the popular kids in school? If we are to avoid getting caught up in negative situations we need to remember to trust God with all our heart, soul, and mind. With our WHOLE life.

Ok, mega long post. I'll fill you into some of our Saturday adventures later.

Awesome weekend and pictures are here

Well, I can honestly say that was an amazing weekend. We had a ton of fun as a group, and I feel we also grew closer to God in the process. I intend to write a lot more about the weekend over the next few days, but did want to let you know we have put over 130 pictures on this website already. You can find them to the right. Click on it to bring up the whole gallery and to see bigger pictures. Checkout just some of the awesome experiences our students had this weekend, and stay tuned for more stories about our experience.

Also, I have a personal aversion to Microsoft products and made this page not using them, but instead a great template found online. I was surprised to find when I use Explorer the page does not look nearly as cool. If you have the ability to use Firefox, Chrome, or Safari they will show the site better. I'm going to see what I can do to maximize it to MS Explorer this week.

Are you ready???

We're just hours away from over 70 of us taking of for Silver Birch Ranch and one amazing weekend. NOTHING has changed for us departure wise despite the weather. This system did not hit up north and the roads in our area are already getting pretty cleared and should be quite good by tonight. We still meet at 5:00, with plans to pull out at 5:15. See you tonight!!!

Silver Birch X is almost here!!!

The countdown to Silver Birch X is almost down to zero, and I know many of you are excited for it. The snow conditions at Silver Birch Ranch are the best they have been in years, so expect some great runs for tubing, powertubing, and cross country skiing. I've stocked up on Advil, Bengay, and have my post-Silver Birch chiropractic appointments all made, so I think I'm ready for the broomball courts. I'm also really excited for all the things are team has cooked up for our worship sessions. They really look like they will be fun AND help everyone wrestle with the topic of temptation as we focus on our theme How Not to Get Caught.

Below are all the instructions you should need for the trip, taken directly from our newsletter. If you have any other questions about the retreat please don't hesitate to ask. See you on Friday!

What to Bring
It will be cold and we will be outside A LOT. Please bring plenty of warm clothes (layering is always a good idea), a good winter coat, boots, snowpants, stocking cap, gloves, and whatever you need to be outside. Normal overnight items such as a pillow, sleeping bag, bath towel, toothbrush/paste, deodorant, and shampoo are good. If you have medications you need to take please have them in the original prescription container and check them in with a leader before we leave. Limit yourself to ONE suitcase and ONE bus carry-on. No drink allowed on the bus in anyway, shape, or form. Water, coffee, and hot chocolate are always available at SBR free of charge. If you must bring snacks please bring enough to share with your whole cabin and be responsible for any garbage or mess you create. Other snacks and drinks are available for purchase at the canteen. The only money you NEED is for one fast food meal on our return trip.

Departure and return
Please arrive at HRC on Friday, January 8th at 5:00pm. Please eat BEFORE you come as food is not allowed on the bus and we will not be stopping. We want to leave as close to 5:15pm as possible. Please check your luggage in at the northeast door (parking lot side). Please avoid the main entryway as there is a wedding rehearsal that night. After checking in head to the youth room for final instructions. At this point the traveling forecast is great, but if that changes check the youth website (http://hinghamyouth.blogspot.com) for updates. We will return to HRC at 3:00pm on Sunday.