Am I Busy or Afraid? 11/02/2011
 Do you ever feel like you have too many things to do? I sure do, at least over the past few weeks. Here’s a glimpse into my life lately: I’ve been busy finishing one class at NTS while trying to maintain the workload of another which doesn’t end until December—both heavy reading classes and I’m a, well let’s just say not-so-fast-reader. I’ve been preparing for two weddings, officiating for my cousin in November and best man for my older brother (he wants me to sing and play the guitar—I can’t say I didn’t warn him!). I’ve been finishing our basement, working at least a few hours each week in framing, plumbing, and electrical work. And that’s just 3 things… It doesn’t even tap into the youth ministry side of it. Here’s the thing. The work never ends. I was reading a friend’s blog this week and he asked the question: Why am I so busy? Am I busy because of fear—fear that I’ll fail, won’t provide, or be needed? Here’s what he said, “What if the real truth behind our busyness is FEAR? Everyday you and I have a choice: to boldly enter into the distractions of our growing to-do lists for fear that we won’t get it all done… or, to quietly sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to what he taught.” We’ve got a choice to get busy or to be concerned with the things that really matter. What really matters? My to-do list is NOT what really matters. Lately God’s been teaching me that busyness is not what is important. So let’s all slow down and focus on something greater—becoming more like Christ. 2 Comments Pulse In Review: Volume 5 11/02/2011
 Title: Guys and Girls: Are You Datable? Are They? (week 7) Lesson in a Sentence: God places standards on the people we can date. Understandable Message: This week we want students to understand the standards by which God wants us to select our future significant others/spouses. Following the story of Isaac and Rebecca, Abraham had 4 requirements of his future daughter-in-law which we can follow yet today: 1) They must be follower of God; 2) God reveals the right person to us; 3) They must demonstrate their faith and trust in God; 4) They must have a servant's spirit and live out selfless love. Scripture: Genesis 24 – Story of Isaac & Rebbecca Humor/Fun Element: This week Jared led a game involving a relay with everyone’s shoes. Needless to say the room smelled like smelly feet (think typical Junior High boy…). We also showed a video of what it would look like if Superman started dating. Favorite Moment: This week we tried something new without the music portion of our normal service. I don’t think anyone even noticed. We’re in the process of developing a new youth led worship band and team. In lieu of the extra time I was able to spend a little more in the development of the story of Isaac and Rebecca. This entire series I’ve been limited to 10 minutes to preach. This week I got to spend about 20 minutes—a slight change of pace—to which everyone was really engaged and following along. It was exciting to also spend time after the service to really talk to a few students about some of these things. God is at work! Pulse Insider (10/18/2011) 10/19/2011
 The Youth Scoop:
 Why do the Famine? The 30 Hour Famine is an unforgettable experience that will change the world and make an incredible difference around the globe! Our youth group is partnering with 5 other Nazarene churches in the area to make a greater impact for world hunger and homelessness. Students will learn about hunger and homelessness and fundraise to help feed and care for children living in poverty. On Famine weekend, students get a crash course in global hunger by going 30 hours without food. We have loads of activities to help make this a totally fun, educational, and life-changing experience. Why do we fast? Hunger kills a child every 10 seconds, but we can do something about it. The funds we raise by doing the Famine will help feed and care for hungry children around the world. One reason many people do the Famine is to experience hunger for themselves. But if you’ve got any concerns about fasting or if there’s a medical reason you shouldn’t go without food for 30 hours, don’t worry. Fasting is only part of the event. We offer a whole list of fasting alternatives such as media, sweets, internet, games, and more. To prepare for the fast, we encourage students to eat well balanced meals before the fast. Be sure to eat plenty of carbs, fruits and vegetables as this will help you with energy and the needed vitamins and minerals to sustain yourself. It is also important to stay hydrated and drink plenty of water. During the fast, juice and water will be available. Students will begin fasting at 12:00 AM (midnight) on Friday morning, skipping breakfast, lunch and dinner on Friday. The fast ends with breakfast on Saturday morning at 6:00 AM. What exactly are we going to be doing? Here’s a basic timeline of the event: 12:00 AM Friday Begin fasting meals or alternative fast Friday Skip breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Stay hydrated! 7:00 PM Friday Arrive at Central Church of the Nazarene for evening program (12600 West 87th Street Parkway, Lenexa, Kansas 66215) Games, lessons, speakers, Something To Eat, and experiences of poverty & homelessness throughout the night 11:00 PM Friday Worship Service 12:00 AM Saturday Lights Out – Sleep outdoors in cardboard boxes 6:00 AM Saturday Wake up Communion Break-fast!!! (breakfast meal provided) 7:00 AM Saturday GO HOME (pick up students from Central Church of the Nazarene) What do I need to bring? A friend! Also bring a cardboard box to sleep in and a blanket to help stay warm (no pillows!!!) All media devices and cell phones will be collected, so you may choose to leave them at home. How are we raising funds? Each youth group is raising funds on their own. Our goal is to raise $360 as a group. This will provide enough to support a family for an entire year! If every student brought $10, we could easily raise this. How do I sign up? Click here to register for the 30 Hour Famine! If you have any more questions contact Pastor Michael.
 Wednesday Night Highlights: Here is a review of last week: Title: Parent Panel (week 5) Lesson in a Sentence: Real-life parents answer your real-life questions. Song(s): Reign in Us, Christ is Risen Humor/Fun Element: We played a game called Poison that really got the group into the evening. I was impressed with the fact that a parent made it really far into the round as teenage guys were trying hard to get everyone out by pushing and pulling each other into the poison ball. Favorite Moment: We tried something totally new with a panel of expert parents. The students collected several questions to ask parents. The parents did a great job trying to explain why kids need to keep their room clean, helping to understand their take on young dating relationships, and more. Unfortunately we didn't get through very many questions, so we might try this again soon. It's always tough to say good-bye. Wednesday night we had to say good-bye to a great youth sponsor, Paul. Paul has been serving as a leader through worship and songs and has occasionally given the lesson. He ended the night by singing a song he put together as our closing benediction. It was a great moment and chance to say good-bye to a great friend and mentor. Next Wednesday (10/19): Title: Guys and Girls: Being a Good Friend Lesson in a Sentence: What does it take to be good friend? Understandable Message: This week we’ll take a look at the differences between guys and girls which makes it so difficult to relate to each other. We want students to see the qualities and characteristics of what it takes to be a good friend with someone of the opposite sex. Ultimately we’re setting ourselves up to ask the question, am I dateable? And similarly, are they? Song(s): No songs this week. Instead it will be a practice week. We’re trying something new by adding a class on leading worship. Any students interested in joining the Teen Praise Band should come at 5:30 PM to practice or learn a new song/instrument. A Note from Pastor Michael: Please check out the information listed above regarding the 30 Hour Famine. I think this is a great event and a significant opportunity for students to learn about an ongoing problem with an opportunity to actually do something about it. Be sure to register online. Like always, if you have any question feel free to contact me. Grace and Peace, Pastor Michael and the Pulse Team Post Title. 10/14/2011
 The Youth Scoop:
 Why do the Famine? The 30 Hour Famine is an unforgettable experience that will change the world and make an incredible difference around the globe! Our youth group is partnering with 5 other Nazarene churches in the area to make a greater impact for world hunger and homelessness. Students will learn about hunger and homelessness and fundraise to help feed and care for children living in poverty. On Famine weekend, students get a crash course in global hunger by going 30 hours without food. We have loads of activities to help make this a totally fun, educational, and life-changing experience. Why do we fast? Hunger kills a child every 10 seconds, but we can do something about it. The funds we raise by doing the Famine will help feed and care for hungry children around the world. One reason many people do the Famine is to experience hunger for themselves. But if you’ve got any concerns about fasting or if there’s a medical reason you shouldn’t go without food for 30 hours, don’t worry. Fasting is only part of the event. We offer a whole list of fasting alternatives such as media, sweets, internet, games, and more. To prepare for the fast, we encourage students to eat well balanced meals before the fast. Be sure to eat plenty of carbs, fruits and vegetables as this will help you with energy and the needed vitamins and minerals to sustain yourself. It is also important to stay hydrated and drink plenty of water. During the fast, juice and water will be available. Students will begin fasting at mid-night on Thursday, skipping breakfast, lunch and dinner on Friday. The fast ends with breakfast on Saturday morning at 6:00 AM. What exactly are we going to be doing? Here’s a basic timeline of the event: 12:00 AM Friday Begin fasting meal or alternative fast Friday Skip breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Stay hydrated! 7:00 PM Friday Arrive at Central Church of the Nazarene for evening program Games, lessons, speakers, Something To Eat, and experiences of poverty & homelessness throughout the night 11:00 PM Friday Worship Service 12:00 AM Saturday Lights Out – Sleep outdoors in cardboard boxes 6:00 AM Saturday Wake up Communion Break-fast!!! (breakfast meal provided) 7:00 AM Saturday GO HOME (pick up students from Central Church of the Nazarene) What do I need to bring? A friend! Also bring a cardboard box to sleep in and a blanket to help stay warm (no pillows!!!) All media devices and cell phones will be collected, so you may choose to leave them at home. How are we raising funds? Each youth group is raising funds on their own. Our goal is to raise $360 as a group. This will provide enough to support a family for an entire year! If every student brought $10, we could easily raise this. We will also be looking into a fundraising “Change for Change” Well to set up in the foyer to include others in our congregation to help meet our goal as well for a few weeks following the event. How do I sign up? Click here to register! If you have any more questions contact Pastor Michael.
 Wednesday Night Highlights: We are continuing our series called Sweet Relationships. The last two weeks (10/5 & 10/12) we talked about "How to Raise Your Parents: Expectations" and then we had the Parent Panel. Here is a review: Title: How to Raise Your Parents: Expectations (week 4) Lesson in a Sentence: Your relationship with your parents is up to you. Understandable Message: This week we want students to see that they control much of their relationship with their parents; particularly if they respected and honored their parents, it would take them far. Song(s): Divine and Holy, Love Came Down (Forever Yours) Humor/Fun Element: We had another great bumper video to help lighten the mood as we talked about parents. This week we really hit home about when we treat our parents with honor and respect, we are actually treating Christ with honor and respect. In the same way, when we treat our parents with disrespect, we do the same to Christ. In that light, we talked about what Paul has to say in Ephesians 4 when he talks about making room for people's mistakes and imperfections because of our love for Christ and for each other. Good stuff. The night ended with a challenge that the first thing students say to their parents was thank-you. Title: Parent Panel (week 5) Lesson in a Sentence: Real-life parents answer your real-life questions. Song(s): Reign in Us, Christ is Risen Humor/Fun Element: We played a game called Poison that really got the group into the evening. I was impressed with the fact that a parent made it really far into the round as teenage guys were trying hard to get everyone out by pushing and pulling each other into the poison ball. Favorite Moment: We tried something totally new with a panel of expert parents. The students collected several questions to ask parents. The parents did a great job trying to explain why kids need to keep their room clean, helping to understand their take on young dating relationships, and more. Unfortunately we didn't get through very many questions, so we might try this again soon. It's always tough to say good-bye. Wednesday night we had to say good-bye to a great youth sponsor, Paul. Paul has been serving as a leader through worship and songs and has occasionally given the lesson. He ended the night by singing a song he put together as our closing benediction. It was a great moment and chance to say good-bye to a great friend and mentor. Next Wednesday (10/19): Title: Guys and Girls: Being a Good Friend Lesson in a Sentence: What does it take to be good friend? Understandable Message: This week we’ll take a look at the qualities and characteristics of what it takes to be a good friend. Ultimately we’re setting ourselves up to ask the question, am I dateable? And similarly, are they? Song(s): This week will be a practice week. We’re trying something new by adding a class on leading worship. Any students interested in joining the Teen Praise Band should come at 5:30 PM to practice or learn a new song/instrument. A Note from Pastor Michael: Please check out the information listed above regarding the 30 Hour Famine. I think this is a great event and a significant opportunity for students to learn about an ongoing problem with an opportunity to actually do something about it. A huge thanks to our parents who served on our panel this past week. The response was great and since we only made it through a few of the questions, we will be looking into doing this again in the future. Finally if you haven’t had an opportunity to say thanks to Paul DeAngulo for his leadership, I would encourage you to do so. Paul served as a sponsor to NYC, has lead worship on Wednesday nights, substituted as a Sunday School teacher, and has given several Wednesday lessons as well. He has made a significant impact for several of our students. But OP Naz has always been a church that prepares people for ministry and sends them out to serve God and His church. Paul will be the new Youth Pastor at Blue Springs Church of the Nazarene. While we’re sad to see Paul go, we are excited for his new ministry. Please talk to your son or daughter about this and help them to see this not as “there goes another one” but as part of God’s plan for His people to serve His church. Like always, if you have any question feel free to contact me. Grace and Peace, Pastor Michael and the Pulse Team The Pulse Insider 10/04/2011
 The Youth Scoop:
 Wednesday Night Highlights: We are continuing our series called Sweet Relationships. Last week (9/28) we talked about "How to Raise Your Parents: Trust Busters." Here is a review of last week: Title: How to Raise Your Parents: Trust Busters (week 3 of Sweet Relationships) Lesson in a Sentence: A good relationship between parent and teenager is built on trust: trust for your parents and trust from your parents. Understandable Message: This week we wanted to introduce the topic of trust as foundation for a healthy relationship between teenagers and their parents. The goal was to have students walk away with a clear understanding of how important trust is and how to build it between them and their parents. Song(s): Hosanna (Praise Is Rising), Our God Humor/Fun Element: We had a goofy game to lead the night, dealing with trust. Each student was paired up—one was blindfolded, the other served as a guide. The guides had to lead their partner through a maze of other students and obstacles to one side of the room and back. It was more difficult than we thought. We also had a great illustration regarding trust. It showed how we gain trust and too easily lose it. It was a powerful and humorous moment. We learned a valuable lesson on trust… and to never use yellow colored water for object lessons—ask your son or daughter about! This week (10/5): Title: How to Raise Your Parents: Expectations Lesson in a Sentence: Your relationship with your parents is up to you. Understandable Message: This week we want students to see that they control much of their relationship with their parents; particularly if they respected and honored their parents, it would take them far. Song(s): Divine and Holy, Love Came Down (Forever Yours) A Note from Pastor Michael: This week as I had the opportunity to meet with a few of the guys from our youth group, I asked the question, “Are you coachable?” Usually when we see the poor performance of a football team the person who receives the harshest criticism is the coach. Or it seems like the coach is the one who gets fired for a poor performing team and it is rarely the players’ fault. I wonder if the critics ever consider another question: Are the players listening to the coach? In other words, is the player coachable? It’s a tough question to ask ourselves—are we coachable? The easy answer is yes, but an honest, hard look at yourself can you really say you’ve been listening the coach? I know that for me, I think that I know the best play to make in this game of life. The coach has it wrong and we need to do this instead. So I make the call. Or everyone around me is yelling so load that it is difficult to hear what the coach is calling me to do and since I wasn’t listening the coach, focusing on his call, we fail to move forward. The best thing we can do for our lives is listen to our coach. In every play, every decision, every game of life he always knows the best move to make. He’s the best coach for the game—he created the game! So how about you? Are you coachable? Have you been listening or ignoring the coach? Make it a priority today to listen. Don’t forget that Sunday School, Connect Groups, and Pulse Worship are very important parts of our on-going discipleship program. We passionately want to help your son or daughter grow to be more and more like Christ in every way. We hope that you would strongly encourage your son or daughter to make these a priority for their week. Like always, if you have any question feel free to contact me. Grace and Peace, Pastor Michael and the Pulse Team The Pulse Insider 09/27/2011
  The Youth Scoop:
 Wednesday Night Highlights: We are continuing our series called Sweet Relationships. This series begins with two lessons on our identity found in Christ. Last week (9/21) we talked about "Buying the Lie: I Am What I Own & Do." Here is a review of last week: Title: Buying the Lie: I Am What I Own & Do (week 2 of Sweet Relationships) Lesson in a Sentence: Many times we buy the lie that we are what we do or own, but God reminds us that our value and worth are not based on what the world tells us, but on who he is and what he says about us. Understandable Message: This week we want students to explore some of the lies that we are what we do or that we are what we own. We're told to dress a certain way, to act a certain way in order to be cool. After believing those lies long enough, we identify ourselves by those things. But when we're faced with the truth that comes from God, reminding us of who we are--that we are unique and special to him, that we forever his, and that we’ve too often taken our focus off of him and pursued trivial things like looks, clothes, sports, etc.--we are able to see past the lies of the world and truly live for God. Song(s): Love Came Down (Forever Yours); Foreverandever Etc. Humor/Fun Element: We played a game before hand letting students try on different outfits and costumes as a relay. They were to find all the objects/articles of clothing in a tub to make the outfit complete. Once an adult noted it was complete, they could remove the costume and move on to the next person. In a struggle to go as fast as possible, the highlight moment came when an adult leader had to shout out, “Nope! Your pants are on backwards!” Favorite Moment: This week after the message, students had the opportunity to write out the things that have taken their attention and focus off of God. Those are the things that are often times the things that begin to define us, so by identifying them, students were given the opportunity to release them. After that they were given a chance to place their thumbprint on a cross as a way of reminding them that they are special and forever God’s. This week (9/28): Title: How to Raise Your Parents: Trust Busters Lesson in a Sentence: A good relationship between parent and teenager is built on trust: trust for your parents and trust from your parents. Understandable Message: This week we want to introduce the topic of trust as foundation for a healthy relationship between teenagers and their parents. The goal is to have students walk away with a clear understanding of how important trust is and how to build it between them and their parents. A Note from Pastor Michael: We’re continuing our relationship series. The past two weeks we’ve been talking about Identity. If you’re interested in reading a great article on Youth Culture and Identity check this out. It’s by a guy named Walt Mueller who is a leading expert on youth culture and the founder of CPYU—The Center for Parent and Youth Understanding. The main thing we stressed during this portion was the central focus God must be in our lives to every other thing that lays claim to who we are. We’ve ended the portion on Identity and will now turn to relationships with parents. We’ll be talking about trust as well as expectations. The last week in this parent mini-series will be a Parent Panel for the students to ask questions in an open forum. This will take place on Wednesday, October 11. It is a night for students to have some questions heard and addressed by a panel of expert parents—real-life questions answered by real-life parents. I will moderate the panel and will keep the discussion moving. This is something new; something we’ve never tried before, so hopefully it will be beneficial to everyone. I’ve got some great questions students have been asking so far. If you are interested in being a part of this panel, please let me know. Just a few things you’ll want to remember: Baptism classes are taking place right now. Talk to your son or daughter about it. Baptism is a vital part of the Christian life in publicizing the work of God’s grace in our lives and committing ourselves to following him every day. I hope you do not miss out on this opportunity to encourage your student in their own spiritual journey. Students on the Student Leadership Team: Be prepared for the meeting on Monday, October 3. We’ve got lots of things to cover and work on. Connect Groups: A very important part of our on-going discipleship program. We hope that you would strongly encourage your son or daughter to make this a priority for their week. Like always, if you have any question feel free to contact me. Grace and Peace, Pastor Michael and the Pulse Team Pulse Worship in Review: Volume 4 09/23/2011
 Teaching Series: Sweet Relationships (week 2) Title: Buying the Lie: I Am What I Own & Do Lesson in a Sentence: Many times we buy the lie that we are what we do or own, but God reminds us that our value and worth are not based on what the world tells us, but on who he is and what he says about us. Understandable Message: This week we want students to explore some of the lies that we are what we do or that we are what we own. We're told to dress a certain way, to act a certain way in order to be cool. After believing those lies long enough, we identify ourselves by those things. But when we're faced with the truth that comes from God, reminding us of who we are--that we are unique and special to him, that we forever his, and that we’ve too often taken our focus off of him and pursued trivial things like looks, clothes, sports, etc.--we are able to see past the lies of the world and truly live for God. Song(s): Love Came Down (Forever Yours); Foreverandever Etc. Humor/Fun Element: We played a game before hand letting students try on different outfits and costumes as a relay. They were to find all the objects/articles of clothing in a tub to make the outfit complete. Once an adult noted it was complete, they could remove the costume and move on to the next person. In a struggle to go as fast as possible, the highlight moment came when an adult leader had to shout out, “Nope! Your pants are on backwards!” Favorite Moment: This week after the message, students had the opportunity to write out the things that have taken their attention and focus off of God. Those are the things that are often times the things that begin to define us, so by identifying them, students were given the opportunity to release them. After that they were given a chance to place their thumbprint on a cross as a way of reminding them that they are special and forever God’s. The Pulse Insider 09/20/2011
 Dear Parents: As promised, here is the new and improved Pulse Insider. It is our goal that this email-newsletter would provide you all the information you need for the events and activities going on in Pulse Student Ministries. We'll also provide articles and other helpful resources from time to time. If you ever have any questions, feel free to contact Pastor Michael.  The Youth Scoop: Sunday, September 25 - Baptism Classes begin. If your son or daughter is interested in baptism, please see Pastor Michael. Sunday, October 2 - Connect Groups Begin! Connect Groups are a great opportunity for students to get connected with other students and be challenged in their faith. The greatest part about Connect Groups is the discussions that take place. Each adult leader prepares a discussion topic that is rooted in Biblical teaching in order to get students to talk about real life how to live out their faith in practical ways. Exact times and locations will vary for each group. More information about those times and locations will follow soon! October 3 - Student Leadership Team Meeting from 6:30 to 8:00 PM in the Youth Room. October 21-22 - 30-Hour Famine. An event designed to help students understand the problem of world hunger, starvation, poverty, and homelessness through an simulated night of homelessness and fasting. In the meantime, we also raise money to help combat starvation. Join us for an over-nighter with 5 other churches as we will sleep outside in cardboard boxes, go without food for 30 hours, and learn more about what we can do to help. Save the date! **Please note that the Fall Retreat as scheduled for Oct 28-30 in the Parent Handbook Calendar has been cancelled. The SLT has opted to participate in a different event.**  Wednesday Night Highlights: We are continuing our series called Sweet Relationships. This series begins with two lessons on our identity found in Christ. Last week (9/14) we talked about "Buying the Lie: I'm Not Good Enough." Here is a review of last week: Title: Buying the Lie: I'm Not Good Enough (week 1 of Sweet Relationships) Lesson in a Sentence: So many times we buy the lie that we're not good enough, but God reminds us that our value and worth are not based on what the world tells us, but on who he is and what he says about us. Understandable Message: This week we want students to explore some of the lies that we are constantly told by so many people, sometimes event the people we know, love and trust. Those lies are that we are unlovable, that we're too young, too old, too fat, to skinny, to slow, too slow, too ugly--that we're just not good enough. But when we're faced with the truth that comes from God, reminding us of who we are--that we belong to him and our value is based on what HE says about us--we are able to see past the lies of the world and live for God. Song(s): Hosanna (Praise is Rising), Make Us One Humor/Fun Element: My favorite moment was the interactive game before everything started--Cheetos Toss. Students partnered up and designated one person to get their face completely covered in shaving cream. On the command go, the other student threw cheese balls trying to get as many as possible to stick to their partner's face. The winning team received prizes. Needless to say, the floor of the youth room was completely COVERED in cheese puffs. Epic. This week (9/21): Title: Buying the Lie: I Am What I Own & Do (week 2 of Sweet Relationships) Lesson in a Sentence: Many times we buy the lie that we are what we do or own, but God reminds us that our value and worth are not based on what the world tells us, but on who he is and what he says about us. Understandable Message: This week we want students to explore some of the lies that we are what we do or that we are what we own. We're told to dress a certain way, to act a certain way and that is exactly who we are. Or that our possessions define us. But when we're faced with the truth that comes from God, reminding us of who we are--that we belong to him and our identity is found in him--we are able to see past the lies of the world and live for God. A Note from Pastor Michael: If we missed you at the Parent/Teen meeting you'll want to be sure to check out the Parent Handbook which was handed out. In it you'll find information about Sunday School, Connect Groups and Pulse on Wednesday Nights. You can access that handbook here. The key thing we talked about the need to begin conversations at home. This fall we are going through an awesome series called Sweet Relationships. This series comes from a need seen within the youth group to seriously talk about relationships--especially between guys and girls. We want students to know that it is okay to talk about relationships at church, and that this doesn't fall into the category of taboo. So we encourage you to begin those conversations at home. How you do that is totally up to you. I mentioned in the meeting that I wish I had parents who were "parent" enough to actually talk to me about sex and dating. I can remember two specific times my parents talked to me about this. The first was in a one-time "the talk" style conversation, which only left me more confused than ever. The second was after I started dating and only involved one "Are you staying pure?" question. The point being, I want to challenge you to be in an on-going conversation with your son or daughter about these things. "The Talk" couldn't possibly cover everything. How that looks in your family it totally up to you. They're curious (or will be soon) about sex and dating and they're going to try and find the answers. The great thing is, they'll turn to you in trust first. So let's be the ones to give the answers from God's perspective instead of allowing the TV, internet, magazines or their peers to be their source. We want you know that we're here to help. If you have any question, don't hesitate to ask. Grace and Peace, - Pastor Michael and the Pulse Team Pulse Worship in Review: Volume 3 09/15/2011
 Title: Buying the Lie: I'm Not Good Enough (week 1 of Sweet Relationships) Lesson in a Sentence: So many times we buy the lie that we're not good enough, but God reminds us that our value and worth are not based on what the world tells us, but on who he is and what he says about us. Understandable Message: This week we want students to explore some of the lies that we are constantly told by so many people, sometimes event the people we know, love and trust. Those lies are that we are unlovable, that we're too young, too old, too fat, to skinny, to slow, too slow, too ugly--that we're just not good enough. But when we're faced with the truth that comes from God, reminding us of who we are--that we belong to him and our value is based on what HE says about us--we are able to see past the lies of the world and live for God. Song(s): Hosanna (Praise is Rising), Make Us One Humor/Fun Element: My favorite moment was the interactive game before everything started--Cheeto Toss. Students partnered up and designated one person to get their face completely covered in shaving cream. On the command go, the other student threw cheese balls trying to get as many as possible to stick to their partner's face. The winning team received prizes. Needless to say, the youth room was completely COVERED in cheese puffs. Epic. Up Next: Buying the Lie: I Am What I Do (week 2) ARE YOU CONNECTED TO A CONNECT GROUP? They are in full-swing! We have two different Connect groups that meet Sunday nights—one for guys and one for girls. This is a great time for student to connect with others their age. It is one of the best ways we make our large group small with Bible Study, discussion, and prayer. We’d love to have one of our leaders call and invite your son/daughter to a Connect Group. Please call and let us know if we can help. MOMENTUM/MAX: On Saturday, March 5 students from across Kansas City will gather in Olathe at MNU to participate in our annual district-wide talent competition called Momentum. There are a number of activities for students to participate in: sports (basketball, flag football, bowling, table tennis, volleyball), performing arts (vocal, instrumental, drama, rap, etc.), visual arts (drawing, sculpting, web design, writing, poetry, etc.), and so much more. The top performers go on to compete at the regional competition, MAX, which draws students from Iowa, Nebraska, North & South Dakota, Minnesota, Kansas, and Missouri. Those top performers will also get a free ticket to Worlds of Fun. MAX is April 14-16 and includes Nazarene Night at Worlds of Fun on April 15. CONTRARY TO WHAT THE REGISTRATION FORM SAYS: Cost for Momentum is $25 if registered by March 1, and $40 at the door. Cost for MAX will be coming soon. Momentum registration form here. GROUP WORKCAMP MISSION TRIP 2011: Last year nine of us participated in our first ever Group Workcamp. Our lives were forever changed—which is exactly what happens when students get out of their comfort zone to help those in need. We painted houses, built wheel-chair ramps, cleaned, put on new roofs, and so much more. This year our trip is June 24-July 3. Our bus is FULL! If your son or daughter was not able to sign up and still wishes to go, they can be placed on our waiting list. Payment schedules are as follows: $200 due March 27; $200 due May 1; $150 due June 5. PARENT & STUDENT MEETING: A Parent and Student meeting will be on Sunday, March 27 following the morning worship service from 12:30 to 2:00 PM. This meeting a Q&A for Group Workcamp, NYC and the Rummage Sale. Group Workcamp participants will also complete and sign forms. Please bring a main dish and side dish to share. Drinks and dessert will be provided. NAZARENE YOUTH CONFERENCE (NYC): July 4-11. There is a mandatory meeting for participants and parents on Saturday, April 9. Please plan now to be in attendance. STUDENT LEADERSHIP TEAM: Our next meeting will be Monday, March 7 from 6:30 to 8:00 PM. Also, don’t forget about the Team Training Day on Saturday, March 19 from 11:00 to 2:00 PM. WHAT’S GOING ON?: Is your son or daughter involved in extra-curricular activities such as sports, band, choir, orchestra? We’d love to know about it! One of the things we love to do is see students at their greatest and “on their turf.” If your son or daughter has something going on, drop us a note and let us know. We’ll do our best to try and be there to help yell and cheer for them on (or applaud—whichever is most appropriate). CHECK THE NEW WEBSITE and THE PULSE INSIDER: We’ve recently redesigned our website and The Pulse Insider—our newsletter for parents and students. Check them out by going to www.opnazarene.org and click on ‘youth.’ VALUE INPUT: I know you are swamped, but I would love you to share any input you have with our youth ministry staff. I want to hear family success stories and how we can better serve your family. Anything you put in writing can be shared with our volunteer staff and become an on-going encouragement to everyone. We’d really like to hear from you! MEMORIZED IT YET?: Pulse Student Ministries exists to REACH new students and their families, CONNECT them with other Christians, to help them GROW in their faith; and challenge the growing to DISCOVER their ministry and HONOR God with their life. | ArchivesNovember 2011 CategoriesAll |
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