Prayer

Tonight our students led a prayer service for the church. We had about 42 people in attendance.

We kicked off our time with a reading and prayer led by Austin Freeman. He reminded us that we are called to be consistent in our prayer time because God cares and wants to hear from us. The Lord's prayer is a great model for us to give praise to the Father, a reminder of his love and forgiveness for us and others, a call to ask God for the things we need.

Take a moment to read the below:

Teaching about Prayer

11 Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

2 Jesus said,“This is how you should pray:[a]

“Father, may your name be kept holy.
    May your Kingdom come soon.
3 Give us each day the food we need,[b]
4 and forgive us our sins,
    as we forgive those who sin against us.
And don’t let us yield to temptation.[c]”

5 Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story:“Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, 6 ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’7 And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ 8 But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.[d]

9 “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

11 “You fathers—if your children ask[e]for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 12 Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not!13 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”

Evan and Lindsey led worship and helped us prepare our hearts and minds to listen to God. We had each participant  go through 4 stations on : Ourselves, Our Community, Our City, and Our World. We encourage you to come out next Wednesday to pray with the church again. If not, take time on your own to pray through these four areas.

MUD RETREAT 2015

 MUD  RETREAT 2015 

This weekend was our annual MUD retreat at Cascades Camp and Conference Center in Yelm, WA. We took 23 leaders and students on our winter retreat. The theme of this year's MUD was "Light". Carlos Devita, North Park University, and our PNW youth pastors/camp led an amazing time of worship, games, prayer stations, group discussions, zombie vs. humans/pig's flying  games, and lots more great opportunities to dive deep into relationships with one another and with God. Every student and leader from our group walked away with a deep sense of God's love and his call to be light to the world. Carlos, the camp speaker challenged our
students that we were not born to seek things that are better in our lives,
but aim for what's bigger. Our goal as a comunity is to seek ways that we can bring honor and build the kingdom of Christ .MUD happened to fall on the same wknd as MLK's bday- MLK's life is a great example of this  goal to be a part of something bigger. He is a greater reminder that we can't be silent and need to seek justice for those around us. This is what it means to have a heart truly after God's!

This was a prayer we recited every day- it came from CHIC several years ago.

Chaplain of NPU, Judy Howard Peterson shared this as a benediction:

May you jump into the arms of Jesus
May He push you out into the world
May you be healed as you participate in the healing of others
Not because you must but because you may
THIS IS WHY YOU WERE BORN.- JHP

This is my prayer for every student and leader who attended MUD!
I believe every students that went to MUD- walked away a new person.
God laid on all of our hearts a deeper conviction about where we are in our faith, where we need to go, and what should  be in place to get there. I hope anyone reading this blog will be encouraged to pray, encouraged themselves to aim towards what's bigger, and get involved in student's lives. May we strive towards what is  Bigger- that which is Christ,  and for Christ!

PROJECT BLUE

Project Blue

Project Blue is a project of CHIC2015. Through Project Blue we will have the chance to do 3 things:

1) Become aware of the need for clean water and sanitation in India and around the world.

2) Become engaged in the issues of injustice that exist in the world due to the lack of clean water and sanitation.

3) Work together to raise funds for the work that Covenant World Relief is doing in India and throughout the world to provide clean water and sanitation for poor, marginalized communities.

Though the need is great, there is so much hope in joining the work that God is doing. It is really two-fold and ties in with the CWR tagline “partners in transformation.” We hope for transformation on both ends of Project Blue. Of course, we are working for transformation in communities that will now have access to clean water. But, we are equally hoping for transformation in each of us. That we would be transformed by new understandings of poverty, injustice, and access to clean water, transformed in seeing “others” as our brothers and sisters and worthy of dignity and respect, and transformed more and more into the likeness of Christ.

On a big picture level, there are several opportunities and hopes:

Clean water saves lives. Bottom line–bringing clean water is a fast way to save lives.
Clean water makes people healthier. By eliminating water borne diseases and promoting better sanitation, people lead healthier lives.
Clean water gives people more time. When people no longer have to walk miles to access water, when they no longer have to spend extra energy on accessing water for household tasks like cooking, cleaning, and washing, they are freed to attend school, enter the workforce, and to better their families and communities.

Clean water betters the economy. As more people are able to enter the workforce and people are healthier, the economy of the country grows.

Clean water promotes equity. Women are disproportionately affected by the lack of clean water–they are the ones who typically spend hours gathering water; they are the ones who spend hours traveling to wash clothing; they are the ones who care for children who are sick because of water-borne illness. But, when they have access to clean water they can spend their time doing other things to better their family and communities. Girls who used to have to spend their days carrying water can now go to school. And, as communities form water committees, women are often the leaders of these committees. When women are seen as having leadership ability and skill, family dynamics and community structures change.

Through Project Blue we, as CHIC2015, will be able to work together to raise money that can help this important work continue through Covenant World Relief. 

SHOW THE LOVE

Show the Love Auction is coming up…..

Why is STL a BIG deal?

1.      It’s helps support and fund student ministry activities- that make a HUGE difference in student/leader’s lives

2.      It’s a FUN night out for Adults in our community to buy awesome things for a cause and enjoy dessert/coffee/entertainment

3.     People gain a greater understanding of student ministries!

                      

How can you help?

1.      Procure Items- It’s our goal to have every student/family in our ministry procure one item for the event ( grab a form/flyer)

2.      Each small group is tasked with creating a basket of items to sell at the auction.

12th Grade  Boys	MOVIE NIGHT
12th Grade  Girls	TEA TIME
11th Grade Boys	MOVIE NIGHT
11th Grade Girls	MOVIE NIGHT
10th Grade Boys	GAME NIGHT
10th Grade Girls	SPA DAY
9th Grade Boys	GAME NIGHT
9th Grade Girls	SPA DAY
8th Grade Boys & Girls	GAME NIGHT
6 & 7th Grade Boys & Girls	COFFEE BASKET

3.      Students and your parents can serve at the event on Feb. 28^th

4.      Communicate! Pray, Advertise and Invite people to come to the event- it's going to be great!!

!