St.A.Y.

St.A.Y. Up

2012-02-09T13:02:00.001-05:00

Everyone,

This is a bit late, but I wanted you all to know what's going on over the next few weeks.

Our High School Winter Weekend fell apart because of confusion over the age groups involved at the event. Certain mixed High School/Middle School groups were welcome, depending on percentages of each group. Ours didn't meet an appropriate percentage, so we couldn't attend (Thus, why you never heard much about the weekend).

We will be having High School Group this Sunday night instead of having the retreat over the weekend, so keep those calendars open, high schoolers!
***********
Feb. 16 - Confirmation
Feb. 19 - Middle School Group
Feb. 22 - Ash Wednesday
Feb. 29 - High School Group
***********
The youth ministries is going to partner with the outreach committee to market an upcoming shoe drive for Christ's Home. The drive will be announced soon, and will begin later this month. New shoes will be collected and donated for the children at Christ's home who are in regular need of shoes. Their supplies are running low, so the youth will be asked to market this drive both inside and outside the church. Please consider buying an inexpensive, new pair of shoes for a child in need. Boys and girls shoes of all sizes are needed, but younger children's shoes are the priority. See Linda Vataha on the Outreach Committee for more details.

Sunday School and Worship

2012-01-30T11:05:00.001-05:00

For a few years now, the youth group has joined the adults for the singing portion of Sunday morning worship. We tried to include the youth in Communion as well, but it became very difficult to get the timing right.

In an effort to integrate the youth people of the church - youth and children - Pastor Wendy and the Sunday School teachers will be finding ways to help the youth people experience and understand what worship - and the worship service - is all about. A big first step is happening this Sunday, as Pastor Wendy will be celebrating Communion with the youth and children while the singing portion of the 9:15 is taking place. This will become our (St.A.Y.) first-Sunday-of-the-month routine for the time being.

It is important to remember that the youth - our 6-12 graders - will be looked to as leaders in this. The children will be following their behavior. The youth will have to lead the way in participating in the Communion liturgy, being reverent and respectful, and helping the little ones understand what's going on.

Please talk to your youth about this responsibility. As always, no one is forced to take Communion, but we do ask that if your youth will be joining our group during this time that you stress their role as examples, no matter what choice they make about taking Communion.

If you have any questions, shoot me an email. Thanks!

St.A.Y. Up - Love

2012-01-30T10:53:00.002-05:00

Everyone,

**Please note the change to Middle School Group this week**

Gotta love it when we're all together at youth group! Our High Schoolers and Middle Schoolers played a few classic youth group games, and then had a really incredible discussion about the love of Jesus.

We had a movie night on Saturday, and during the movie, there was an obvious awkward moment when the Jesus character told the people around him that he loved them. A number of our youth even laughed, overcome slightly by the strangeness of the scene.

So last night, we dug a little deeper, discussing what made it so strange to be told by someone like Jesus, "I love you."

When someone we're close to seems to know everything about us, we're not surprised. But when someone who we barely know seems to know everything about us, it can be strange. If we don't know Jesus very well, we might not want him knowing everything about us. Or we might not believe that he actually does. Then we might wonder if since he's so powerful and all-knowing, why did it seem like he wasn't there with us when we were going through our darkest, saddest times?

But that's what was so great about this movie: it pointed out that it's us, not Jesus, who are setting up barriers. Someone knows everything about us, even our most horrible sides, and he loves us unconditionally! And our response? When things are good, we tell Jesus "Leave me alone!" When things are bad, we say "You weren't there for me!" Jesus is there all the time, loving us so, so much, no matter what the circumstances are.
*****************
Upcoming

Confirmation Group this Thursday, Feb 2 from 7-8pm

Middle School Group this Friday, Feb 3 from 7-8:30pm. Because turnout looks like it will be low on Sunday (because of something on TV that night), we're making youth group available on Friday. I've never done this before, as I don't want to encourage changing our schedule for the sake of sports, but since so many youth have indicated they won't be attending Sunday night, we want to at least make something available for our Middle Schoolers this week. This means that there will be no group meeting on Sunday night.

St.A.Y. Up - Idolatry

2012-01-23T11:35:00.001-05:00

Everyone,

High school group was fun last night, but we're definitely missing the friends we lost after our middle school/high school split in September. Continually encouraging your youth to set time aside for his or her relationship with God is so important. If that doesn't happen at youth group, it becomes extra important for that to happen at home. (Of course, my hope is that our young ones are taking the time to strengthen their spiritual muscles at home anyway, but you get my point.)

Last night, we talked about idolatry. It's such an important part of the biblical story, as over and over again God's people fall into it. We don't have idol statues the way they did in the Bible, but that doesn't mean we're not guilty of idolatry. We are constantly putting things before God - especially ourselves. We put our interests, concerns, and priorities before God, ultimately worshiping ourselves in a way.

What tends to happen when we make idols out of things other than God is that our priorities get all messed up, and we stop seeing the world the way God sees it. We stop seeing people as valued, as God's beloved children. We start putting ourselves first, rather than doing what Jesus did: "The first shall be last, and the last shall be first."

Can you identify the idols in your life? Maybe as a church family we can listen to God's commandment: "You shall have no other gods before me." After all, God does know best.

**************

Movie Night this Saturday, 1/28 at 5pm. We will be meeting at Pastor Wendy's house and watching The Encounter. Make sure to bring warm clothes in case we can do a fire pit outside.

Combined Youth Group this Sunday, 1/29 at 7pm.

February Newsletter

2012-01-16T12:23:00.003-05:00

I’m writing this newsletter themorning after youth group. Last night’s youth group was a combined groupmeeting: high school and middle school students met together. It was a largegroup, and it was really special having us all together.

It made me miss the days whencombined group meetings were normal, when we all met together. We’ve beenmeeting separately for awhile now, but this is a change that takes some gettingused to. Maybe the youth don’t realize it, but we adults are experiencing a lotof the same frustration and sadness over our youth ministry changes that theyouth themselves are experiencing.

When we split the Sunday nightmeetings into high school and middle school groups, we did it because webelieved it was the right thing to do. The needs of students at differentdevelopmental stages demanded that we take action, that we provide experiencesthat are better designed for the groups we’re ministering to. It’s working, butit takes time, and it takes a lot of hurt as we go through change.

We as St. Andrew’s church membersneed to feel the pain of the youth ministry. We need to hurt with them, pray forthem, and show them what it means to be a church that works together andperseveres through change.

We also need to take a seriouslook at our own Sunday morning experiences. Are we committed to doing what’sright for young people? Are we committed to go through some hurt and change onour end so that they can grow and learn as well?

If I can be a little bold here…what if I include myself in this category of “young people”? Try not to thinkof me, Joshua, but think of youngadults: young singles and married couples, college students, first-career andfirst-child people. There are actually quite a bunch of us at St. Andrew’s,most of whom are not in leadership, whom are only marginally connected.

When we split the youth group, ithurt, but it was the right thing to do. If we re-focus on young people, onmaking sure that our core values arecommunicated to them, it might mean painful changes for us. It might meanhanding over authority, or investing time in someone who is brand new to aministry.

Maybe you’re not even a ministryleader, but you can still invite some young people out to (or over for) lunch.Be bold and courageous.

Thursday, February 2

7-8:00pm – Confirmation Group

Sunday, February 5

7-8:30 – Middle School Group

Friday – Sunday, February 10-12

High School Group Winter Weekend

Thursday, February 16

7-8:00pm – Confirmation Group

Sunday, February 19

7-8:30 pm – Middle School Group

Wednesday, February 22

Ash Wednesday Service

Sunday, February 26

7-8:30pm – High School Group

St.A.Y. Up - Cyberbullying

2012-01-16T10:14:00.001-05:00

Everyone,

We had a really special youth group last night. After playing a couple rounds of manhunt, we got to listen to a guest speaker.

Her name is Kayla, and she's a senior at Hatboro Horsham High School. She brought attention to the realities of bullying - especially cyberbullying. Bullying over social networking sites, through texts and voicemails, and even through things like online gaming has really gotten out of control. And when someone gets bullied, it doesn't just affect that person at that moment. Kayla shared how it can affect your health, how it makes people scared to leave their homes, and how it even leads to young people taking their own lives.

Very importantly, Kayla shared the message that if you have been the bully, then simply saying your sorry can be a life-changing experience. It can seem hard, but it really is a very simple thing to do: saying your sorry can not only help the person you've bullied, but it really can change your heart.

Thank you, Kayla! And thank you, youth group, for being very respectful and attentive.
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Confirmation this Thursday, 1/19
High School Group this Sunday, 1/22. If you would like to host this, please let me know.
SPECIAL EVENT on Saturday, 1/28 at 5pm. Pizza and a movie here at St. Andrew's. Bring warm clothes in case we're able to roast some marshmallows afterwards.
Combined Group on Sunday, 1/29. Fifth Sundays are always combined groups, so make sure to come out and see your friends in Middle and High School!

St.A.Y. UP

2012-01-09T12:27:00.001-05:00

Everyone,

High School Group was fun last night, doing skits and playing games. We also had an interesting conversation about our "typical day."

Sometimes it's good to reflect on our morning routines, to think about who we talk to and what we talk about. It's also very important to invite Jesus to go with us throughout the day, to be present with us in our conversations, and to be our friend and helper - as well as our lord whom we serve and honor - in all that we do.

We do need host families for high school group, so if you would like to invite our high schoolers over - whether just once or on a regular basis - please let me know. All that is required is an open room where approximately 10 people can gather.
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Upcoming Events

Combined Group with Guest Speaker, Kayla Armstrong - Sunday, 1/15
Confirmation - Thursday, 1/19
High School Group - Sunday, 1/22
Combined Group - Sunday, 1/29

Josh

Master Event Permission Form 2011-2012

2011-09-13T13:59:00.002-04:00

Master Event Permission Form 2011-2012

Individual Event Permission Form

2011-09-13T13:58:00.002-04:00

Individual Event Permission Form

Parent/Guardian and Youth Critical Information Form

2011-09-06T16:20:00.000-04:00

Parent/Guardian and Youth Critical Information Form

Media Liability Release Form

2011-09-06T16:19:00.000-04:00

Media Liability Release Form

2011-2012 Calendar

2011-09-06T15:45:00.000-04:00

St.A.Y. 2011-2012 Calendar

Here We Go!

2011-09-06T15:29:00.002-04:00

Welcome back to another exciting year of St. Andrew's Youth Ministries.

Our schedule is significantly different this year, and we know that change can be hard...

But we believe that the changes to this year's program are part of an important mission to reach the youth of our community!

Middle School (6-8) and High School (9-12) groups will meet on alternating Sunday nights. Middle School Group (MSG) will meet on the 1'st and 3'rd Sundays of the month, and High School Group will meet on the 2'nd and 4'th. On those special and rare 5'th Sundays, both groups will join for fun-filled nights activity nights!

(Our first meeting on September 11'th will be a combined meeting of High School and Middle School Groups.)

On the 1'st and 3'rd Wednesday of the month, our Youth Cabinet will meet from 7-8:30 pm (Starting September 21'st). This group is partly about leadership development and planning youth initiatives and partly about deeper relationship building and spiritual growth. It's open to all of youth from grades 8-12. Youth Cabinet representatives - those youth holding one of the 4 cabinet offices - are asked to attend at least one of the two monthly meetings... But I think you'll want to be there for all of them!

Confirmation Group will be every other Thursday from 7-8pm, starting on September 22'nd. It's not too late to join in! Confirmation is open to students in grades 7 and up, and is runs from September - May.

Sunday School will begin the year as a single class, and will split into Middle and High School Groups during the school year.

The team and I are all very excited about this year! I am especially excited to partner with the parents of our incredible youth! Thank you for everything you parents do for this ministry, this church, and these amazing young people!

Here We Go!

-Joshua

Disciple Academy - The Open Book: Bible 101

2011-08-02T11:15:00.002-04:00

"Volunteer" the Profile of Liam McFeely

2011-06-01T10:29:00.002-04:00

Martial Arts Demonstration by Mikayla Lawler Thomsen

2011-06-01T10:28:00.002-04:00

St. Andrew's Talent Show Video

2011-06-01T10:27:00.000-04:00

Egg Hunt Help!

2011-04-13T11:29:00.001-04:00

Please be here at St. Andy's at 9AM this Saturday, April 16th, so we can help set up for the children's Easter Egg hunt. We need your help!!

Thanks!

-Joshua

Tubing Trip!

2011-02-14T12:06:00.000-05:00

Snow Tubing at Blue Mountain!!!

This Sunday - February 20th!

Be here at St. Andrew's between 1:45-1:50 so we can leave by 2pm.

Bring a bagged meal. We'll keep it cool.

Bring $20 and your release form. If you didn't get a release form, make sure a parent signs it when you get dropped off.

Pick up at 11pm (parents, don't worry, it's not a school night!)

Bringing It Back

2011-02-09T10:26:00.000-05:00

Everyone,

The blog has been inactive for quite awhile, and it was pretty inactive before then too.

Now that we've got a couple youth officers who will be SPECIFICALLY focused on internet issues, we'll be putting a lot more emphasis on keeping up to date with this blogsite. Who knows - we may even have a full-fledged website by the end of the year. I'm very confident in our new leaders!

This message also applies to our facebook St.A.Y. page. It will soon become what it was always meant to be: a source of group information, activities, expression, and social networking on the world's most popular social networking site.

Make sure to check in here regularly for updates.

Joshua

High School Group - THIS FRIDAY

2010-08-23T00:49:00.000-04:00

Please join us Friday, August 27 from 7-9pm for the last high school group of the summer. Contact Joshua if you will be able to make it. More information to come soon!

High School Group

2010-01-24T20:40:00.000-05:00

High School Group Movie Nite!! 5:30 PM on Saturday January 30th @ St.Andrews

February 2010 Newsletter

2010-01-18T12:32:00.001-05:00

At the end of February is a special Christian holiday called Ash Wednesday. Now, we Christians do some strange things. We pour just a little bit of water on babies, we eat a small piece of bread, and we voluntarily wake up early on Sundays. On top of all that, once a year we decide to smear some ashes on our foreheads.

You’ve had a while to get to know me, so I doubt you’ll be surprised to find out that I absolutely love Ash Wednesday. After Easter and Christmas, Ash Wednesday is my absolute favorite day of the year (followed very closely by St. Patrick’s Day).

St. Paul says that the world won’t be able to understand why we Christians decide to be followers of a man who died on a cross. In fact, Paul says that the world will think we’re fools.

In a world where we do our absolute best not to stand out, where no one wants to be an outsider, and where we do everything we can not to be strange, we Christians have decided to give ourselves a day to celebrate being fools for Jesus. Of course, there is a lot more to Ash Wednesday than looking silly with ashes on our heads, but I think we should remember that the world will think we’re strange, and we shouldn’t be afraid of that. No, we should celebrate it!

Ash Wednesday also means that Lent is here. There are few Christian traditions that go as far back as the “Great Fast” of Lent. A fast doesn’t always have to be a fast from food, though. A fast just means giving up something for God. So maybe this February as Lent approaches you can prepare for Ash Wednesday and Lent by thinking about what you could give up for God. Oh, and by all means, be completely foolish about it!

**We are still looking for your participation on Sunday nights! Come tell us your story, become a part of our lives, and be a blessing to the youth of St. Andrew’s!**

Wednesday, February 3rd
7:00pm – Small Groups

Sunday, February 7th
7:00pm – StAY: What does a Church do? (Part II)

Sunday, February 14th
7:00pm – StAY: What does a Church do (Part III)

Tuesday, February 16th
7:00 – Reasonably-Sized Tuesday Party

Wednesday, February 17th
6:30pm – Ash Wednesday Service

Sunday, February 21st
7:00pm – StAY: What does a Church believe? (Part I)

Sunday, February 28th
7:00pm – StAY: What does a Church believe? (Part II)

Pizza Party!!!

2009-11-09T16:27:00.000-05:00

Don't miss the pizza party this Wednesday night from 7-8:30! We will be making Thanksgiving gifts for the residents of the Masonic Village. Our friends over at the Village don't usually get to celebrate with family or friends over the holidays, and so these special treats will remind them that we and Jesus love them!

HSG

2009-09-21T11:55:00.000-04:00

Some of the high schoolers answer the question, "What would you say to the upcoming freshman as they enter high school?

Any Given Sunday

2009-09-21T11:14:00.000-04:00

Reunion Party

2009-09-21T11:10:00.000-04:00

Reunion Party!

Sunday, September 27th

12:00-4:00pm

Members of St. Andrew’s Youth Ministries from twenty years ago will be coming to St. Andrew’s to hear Dave Woolverton, their former youth pastor, give the morning sermon.

As part of their reunion, we will be having a picnic, playing games with them, learning from them, and telling them about us and what we do at St.A.Y.

PLEASE BRING YOUR WHOLE FAMILY!!

No rain date. If it rains, we’ll move inside.

St.A.Y.News

2009-08-14T11:48:00.000-04:00

Fall Happenings

September 13-December 20

* All programs begin Sep. 13th unless otherwise noted
- St.A.Y. and High School Group (HSG) meetings will resume at their normal times (Sun/Fri 7-8:30pm), and will meet every week.
- Sunday School will resume during the first service (9:15-10:15), but will continue to meet in Memorial Hall for the opening songs of the early service.
- Confirmation Classes will meet every other Tuesday night from 5:30-6:30 (subject to change)
- INTRODUCING: Young Men’s and Young Women’s Small Groups! Women’s group will be led by Tara Lorah and Erinn Waganer, Men’s group will be led by Joshua Bean and another male leader. These groups will meet every other Wednesday night from 7-8:30 (begin’s Sep. 23rd).
- St.A.Y. master calendar for Sep-Dec 2009 and tentative master calendar for Jan-Aug 2010 are available upon request.

Adults: If you have an interest in volunteering in ANY capacity for these programs (teaching, chaperoning, driving, etc.), contact Joshua.

Students: If you would like to join the St.A.Y. media team, contact Joshua. This team involves photos and video of events, blogging and web-design, updating the group facebook account, etc.

September Newsletter

2009-08-12T11:16:00.000-04:00

There’s something we all need to realize about today’s youth. Growing up in the 80’s and 90’s, I was one of the first generations of humans to never experience life without the presence of a personal computer. Cd’s came out when I was very young. I was a teenager when whole families started buying cell phones.

Communication today is instant. Information is at your fingertips. And never has there been more pressure to keep up than there is right now.

Your children, the youth in today’s schools (public and private), probably wouldn’t recognize a tube screen TV, an analog clock, or a vhs.

Here’s my point…

Adults tend to point out and criticize the results, the new ends of the younger generations. It’s easy to make the link from lightning-fast internet connections to instant access to pornography to teen sexual promiscuity. It’s easy to make the link from the privacy of a personal telephone to secret messages between friends to mischievous, rebellious behavior. It’s easy to point out how television programming has produced a culture of vulgarity, a total loss of everything sacred, and celebration of mediocrity, apathy, and trendiness.

It’s time for the adults to realize that this is life for today’s youth. The remedy is not church – they can’t be dropped off at youth group and expected to come home acting like an angel. The remedy is Jesus – and people don’t talk about Jesus at school. People don’t think about their behavior, their choices, their hopes and fears. People don’t think about forgiveness and justice and mercy and love. These are rare issues for today’s students, if they ever come up at all. That’s why youth group isn’t about just hanging out; but youth group also isn’t about fixing up the results either. Youth group is about a fundamental change, a shift in thinking, a healing of the heart. Youth group is about bringing Jesus into a world that has left him behind.

St.A.Y. and HSG meetings will resume this month (7-8:30pm). Confirmation and small groups will also begin this month. If you are interested in being a part of our leadership team, email Joshua.

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Sunday, September 6th
St.A.Y. – I AM the Resurrection and the Life (last day of summer schedule; 7-9pm)

Friday, September 11th
HSG – Faith, Science, Life: The Scientific Worldview

Saturday, September 12th
8:00am–2:00pm – Tubing Trip!

Sunday, September 13th
St.A.Y. – Miracle #1: Water to Wine

Friday, September 18th
HSG – Faith, Science, Life: Science and Truth – is there a difference?

Sunday, September 20th
St.A.Y. – Miracle #2: The Paralyzed Man

Friday, September 25th
HSG – Faith, Science, Life: Science and the Bible – Conflicts and Nonflicts

Sunday, September 27th
Reunion Party – Old vs. New youth group!

Wednesday, September 30th
7-8:30pm – Yom Kippur ceremony (Required for Confirmation Class)

Lock In

2009-07-29T11:53:00.000-04:00

Get
Locked In!

Friday, August 7th
6:00pm - 8:00 AM

Bowling!
Laser Tag!!
Games!!!

Make sure to bring clothes that can get very messy - basically, bring clothes that can get stained, muddy, and/or wet!

BRING YOUR FRIENDS!
BRING A SLEEPING BAG AND PILLOW!
(bring $20!)

We will be having pizza later in the evening, so either eat something light beforehand or bring money to get yourself a snack at Brunswick Zone!

Welcome, Nevaeh!

2009-07-23T10:09:00.000-04:00

Nevaeh Jailene Estrada Clendaniel. She's an absolutely beautiful girl!

When we all found out Gabby was pregnant, we admit we were scared. Gabby was only 15, both her and Memo were still in high school, and they knew as well as us that this was not the ideal time in their lives to be having a baby. They also recognized that they should have waited until they were married, as they believe that the relationship in which they were living was one God designed especially for marriage.

But God doesn't make mistakes, and even when we mess up, God works all things for the good of those who love him! Now is the time for celebrating life, for encouraging the new parents (and grandparents). Now is when Gabby and Memo need more support than ever as they begin their parenting journey.

I am so proud that they are committed to raising Nevaeh in a Christian home where she can grow up learning about Jesus and learning what it means to believe in and follow him. None of us are naive; we know this will be challenging, and at times it will be overwhelming. Sometimes it will push Gabby, Memo, and the rest of the family to their utmost limits. But when we know that God is love, we know that even the toughest situations are for our good!

We love you, Gabby, Memo, and Nevaeh! We love you Clendaniel family! We are praying for you and will be a family to you!

Letters from Fatou

2009-07-20T13:47:00.000-04:00

A couple weeks ago, I received three letters in the mail from Fatou Ndiaye, one of our Senegalese children. The letters are difficult to read, but she references presents, pictures, and letters. She received multiple pictures from some of our St.A.Y.'ers, as well as several letters, and some of the money from our sponsorship went towards a birthday present. The same was done for Ndeme, but I have not heard from him.

Fatou also mentions that her family is Muslim. While I had assumed this already, I had no way of being sure, so this is news... sort of. This is just a further reminder that when we write letters, we make sure to keep in mind that Fatou and Ndeme are in a highly-Muslim country that allows for freedom of religion in the law, but many citizens suffer persecution and social pressure for any activity that could be perceived as anti-Muslim.

They know we are Christians, they know we are praying for them. Let's make sure we are remembering to pray for them, for their families, and for the Muslim people of Senegal.

July-August Newsletter

2009-06-17T10:56:00.001-04:00

I love movies. Every summer, the big production companies roll out their blockbusters, and I watch as many online previews as I can! I usually only end up seeing one or two summer flicks, though. Most of them seem to be a waste of time (and way overpriced!).

Movies play a special role in our lives, don’t they? We pick up so many lessons from movies – lessons about behavior, lessons about values lessons about what it means to love other people. Some movies give us good pictures of behavior, values, and love, but a lot of movies seem to have things really mixed up.

For 100 years now, humans have been watching movies. And movies have made us a very visual culture. We learn a lot, and we remember a lot, when we can see pictures, images, action.

What’s really interesting about this is that pictures and images – these are the ways that the people in the Bible learned too! They didn’t have well-organized doctrines and systems of belief. They had sheep, water, deserts, slavery, lions – pictures, images. Each of these pictures would tell a different story about God and about themselves, and the people in the Bible would be able to remember stories through the different pictures in those stories.

So this summer, when you’re out seeing the big summer blockbusters, challenge yourself with this: find the images in the movies that communicate lessons to you. What does “Transformers” say about good and evil? What does “Up” say about our hopes and dreams? What does “X-Men” say about what it means to be a hero?

Maybe when we ask ourselves these questions about the movies we watch, we’ll be able to ask better questions about the images in the Bible.

No Sunday School in the summer. Listed below are all summer dates. If you are interested in participating in youth ministries in 2009-2010, please email Joshua!

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Thursday, July 9^th

7-9:00PM High School Group

Sunday, July 12^th

7-9:00PM St.A.Y.

Thursday, July 23^rd

7-9:00PM High School Group

Sunday, July 26^th

7-9:00PM St.A.Y.

Thursday, August 6^th

7-9:00PM High School Group

Friday, August 7^th

6:00PM-8:00AM St.A.Y. Lock-In!!

Sunday, August 9^th

7-9:00PM St.A.Y.

Sunday, August 23^rd

7-9:00PM St.A.Y.

Thursday, August 27^th

7-9:00PM High School Group

**************************************************

Summer Activities

Basic Automotive

TBD

Videography and Photography

Wednesday, July 8^th and 22^nd and August 5^th – 1-4:00PM

Web Design and Mastering

Wednesday, July 8^th and 22^nd and August 5^th – 5:30-7:30PM

August 28-30

Almost-Survival Camp

2008-2009 Video Highlights

2009-06-16T09:36:00.000-04:00

June Schedule Change

2009-06-12T16:22:00.000-04:00

HIGH SCHOOLERS

Because of missing High School group on May 29'th and June 5'th...
...
...
.....PIZZA PARTY!!!

Friday, June 19, 2009
7:00-8:30PM

Bring your friends - but let me know if you and your friends are coming!!

Parent's Night

2009-06-12T16:18:00.000-04:00

Parent's Night!!

June 14, 2009
7:00-8:30PM

Here's what we'll be discussing:

1) Summer Schedule - Dates, Format

2) Monthly Refreshment Sign-ups

3) Summer Opportunities - videography, photography, auto care, web-mastering, camp

********
If you cannot make it to the meeting, the most immediate need is signing up for refreshments. If you will miss the meeting, I will email you with info and the sign up sheet asap.
********

Confirmation Video

2009-06-01T09:17:00.000-04:00

The Confirmation class of 2009 was asked how they would like to leave their mark on the life of St. Andrew's. They decided to paint a cross in the youth room. The cross contains liturgical colors, and has the appearance of stained glass. Around the cross are the hand prints of the students, Pastor Wendy, and myself. Above the cross reads "Confirmation Class :-) of 2009."

This class was... wild! We had some very different personalities, a lot of really great thoughts, good discussions, and a lot of fun!

In the video, you will also see the students doing a good bit of running. They completed a photo-scavenger hunt involving things associated with St. Andrew's as well as with what they learned in Confirmation.

Lastly, you'll notice the students working/sitting in the sanctuary. They each wrote a letter to a specific person. In the letter, they told that person everything he or she needed to know about Jesus. The responses were really interesting and cool!

Pastor Wendy and I are both very proud of this class and of these students as individuals. God loves each of them very much, and we pray that they will continue to follow Jesus by the grace of the Holy Spirit!

June Newsletter

2009-06-01T09:16:00.000-04:00

So are you ready for a break? Here’s the thing about taking a break – if God thinks it’s OK, than so do I! You know what I’m talking about, right? In the story of Creation, God creates the world in six days, but on the seventh day God rests!

In the Bible, there’s a really big theme of “resting,” of taking a break. It’s part of our nature to work hard, work hard, work hard – but if we don’t stop to rest and recover our strength, we’ll end up crashing and burning, and then we won’t be able to work at all.

Can you imagine having school all day for the whole year? In some countries the students have school all year, but they have the afternoons off, or they have three day weekends. Here in the US, we have long school days but a nice, big summer break! But imagine that school went all day, and that there was no summer break… how exhausted would you be?! I know I would hardly be able to get out of bed.

Resting is important; it’s a part of who we are. Resting is a time for us to spend with ourselves, our families, and our God. When God rested on the seventh day, he set a standard for us to remember to dedicate our time of resting to him. The commandment says “Remember the Sabbath day, and keep it holy.”

But what does that mean? What are we supposed to do to remember our time of rest and keep it holy? The first thing we have to do is remember that when Jesus died for us, he offered us a new kind of rest – he gives us rest from our lives of sorrow and sin. His whole world is a world of rest for us.

So when it comes to our physical rest, when we actually get to take a break, it’s important to remember that we’re already resting in Jesus. Our time of rest is a time for us to share Jesus’ love with those who desperately need a break. This summer, keep an eye out for people who are suffering, people who are struggling with sin and guilt and sadness. Make sure to tell them about how they can rest in Jesus.

Our summer schedule begins on June 15th. Parents, please make every effort to attend our June 14th meeting. Sunday School will end for the summer after our June 14th session.

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Friday, June 5th
7:00pm High School Group – Revelation Re-Thought, Part II

Sunday, June 7th
7:00pm St.A.Y. – Our Sabbath Rest

Friday, June 12th
7:00pm High School Group – Where do we go from here?

Sunday, June 14th
7:00pm St.A.Y. - Parent’s Night!!

Friday, June 26th
7:00pm High School Group

Sunday, June 28th
1:00pm St.A.Y. – Summer Chill-Out BBQ!

May Newsletter

2009-04-14T12:23:00.000-04:00

Winter is a time where leaves die, the sky turns grey, and the world around us chills to the bone. Spring comes along and wakes us up, brings new life and energy to our hearts, and warms our shivering souls. Easter, perfectly timed for the beginning of spring, reminds us of the new life we have in Christ and the new world he brings to us with his resurrection.

So what now? Easter’s gone, spring is here… is there anything left to celebrate?

The period of time after Jesus came back from the dead must have been so weird for the disciples. They obviously didn’t understand what Jesus was all about before he rose from the dead, so now they must be really confused! Can this man be killed, they must have wondered? Is he going to start a revolution and overthrow the Roman Empire?

I bet the disciples had a lot of their questions answered by Jesus. I bet he explained himself to them so that they could understand, at least better than they had understood before. But I also bet that they were still pretty confused. I bet that Jesus was too mysterious to be captured by anything they could put into words.

During these last days before Jesus left his disciples and went back to his Father in heaven, he gave the disciples some important instructions. He told them that they had to spread the news of Jesus throughout the whole world! He wasn’t satisfied that the rest of the world was living in darkness while only a few of his followers knew that he had defeated death and was our savior!

No, Jesus wasn’t going to let the world live in spiritual winter anymore. It was spring time, and the disciples were going to bring that spring time to the whole world.

Just like the disciples, we have the responsibility to bring the good news of Jesus to the whole world. The celebration doesn’t stop. It just takes a new form. Now it’s our turn to defeat death; now it’s our turn to love like Jesus.

Sunday school, youth group, high- school group, and Confirmation classes will continue to meet at regular times throughout May. If you have any interest in becoming involved in the youth or inviting the youth to participate in your ministry, please contact Joshua!

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Friday, May 1^st

7:00PM High School Group – Didn’t We Just Do This?(Revelation 15-18)

Sunday, May 3^rd

7:00PM St.A.Y. – You Want Me to Eat WHAT? (John 6)

Friday, May 8^th

7:00PM High School Group – So… There are Horses… (Rev. 18-19)

Saturday, May 9^th

11:00AM Confirmation Camp

Sunday, May 10^th

No Youth Group – Mother’s Day

Friday, May 15^th

7:00PM High School Group - …C’mon…(Rev. 20)

Saturday, May 16^th

10:00AM Car Wash!

Sunday, May 17^th

7:00PM St.A.Y. – Check This Out (John 8)

Friday, May 22^nd

7:00PM High School Group – “Behold, I make all things new.”(Rev. 21-22)

Sunday, May 24^th

7:00PM St.A.Y. – Let’s Say “Prison Door” (John 10)

Friday, May 29^th

7:00PM – Revelation Re-thought

Sunday, May 31^st

7:00PM – St.A.Y. - Can you resurrect before you even die? (John 11)

Ecce Homo: Part II

2009-04-12T00:56:00.000-04:00

Behold the man!

When the Apostle John tells the story of Jesus' resurrection, he says that on Easter morning, Mary was by the tomb of Jesus, weeping because she thought someone had taken the body of her Lord. When she turned around, she saw... a gardener....

We read in Genesis that when God created everything, he put man and woman in a place called Eden, and in Eden God made a garden... God made man and woman to be gardeners! He made them to be caretakers of his world and of everything in it that God made very good. So when Jesus comes up from the grave and looks like a gardener... John is telling us something.

He's telling us that the old world is GONE! And that with Jesus there is a new world, a new creation! What Jesus does is re-make the world, and he is the new Adam, the new man! Adam, the first man, sinned and brought death into the world, but Jesus conquers death! He defeats death in his resurrection, and he begins the process of re-making the whole universe - God's first Temple.

Behold the man!

And after Jesus conquers death, he goes to his disciples. Remember how God made Adam, the first man? He formed him out of the dust of the ground, and then he breathed life into him. Well, John tells us that when Jesus meets his disciples after his resurrection... he breathes on them. He says to them that they are the new people in his new world, and that the old heavens and earth are passing away! He re-makes humanity, and he re-forms us as fully human.

What Jesus is calling us to do is to be fully human, to be what God intended us to be - caretakers of his house. Every Easter, we should be reminded of our mission to bring the message of Jesus to the whole world, that by his rising from the dead, Jesus has conquered death, saved us from death, and we are now alive!

Behold the man! The risen man, the new man, the new Adam, who has broken the curse of death and given us a new world!

He is risen indeed! Take a few minutes and sing this song of praise to the risen King!

Ecce Homo: Part I

2009-04-10T17:07:00.000-04:00

"Behold the man!" - Pontius Pilate

We come from a long line of Christians who have believed, as one body since the 4'th century AD, that Jesus, the Son of God, is God himself - that Jesus, the Father, and the Spirit make up the Trinity, our one God in three persons.

When the Apostle John tells the story of Jesus' life, he gives us big hints as to Jesus' identity as God-in-flesh. He remembers Jesus as saying things like "Before Abraham was, I AM" ("I AM" is how God introduced himself to Moses in the book of Exodus!). John also says that Jesus was with God and was God!

It's pretty ironic, isn't it, that just before Jesus is crucified - just before he dies and I AM becomes I AM NOT - John remembers Pontius Pilate, the governor who sentenced Jesus to death, as saying "Behold the man!"

We have lots of Latin phrases that have made it into our English vocabulary: carpe diem, ipso facto, veni vidi vici, et cetera (etc.), magnum opus, Anno Domini (AD), habeus corpus. There's another Latin phrase that has inspired art and music, and is central to the story of Good Friday: Ecce Homo - behold the man.

Ecce Homo... this phrase haunts the crucifixion scene in John's story. If Jesus is God, then there's nothing to worry about, and Pilate must be wrong. He must be mistaken, and what he should have said was Ecce Deus - Behold God! The problem isn't that Pilate is wrong, the problem is that Pilate is right: Ecce Homo is exactly what Pilate needed to say...

"Behold the man!"

After Pilate says this, I AM is led away and killed. Jesus, our God, dies. He dies because he is a man. He suffers what every man must suffer, and I don't mean man as opposed to woman, I mean man as in mankind. Every man must die, there is nothing more certain in life.

But isn't there something different about Jesus? If he is God, how can he die? See, I think that's one of the questions John wants us to ask. He wants us to behold the man, the only one who is truly human. Throughout John's story we're looking at Jesus expecting him to be God, learning about how he is God, and then John turns the whole story on its head and says behold the man! Jesus is everything God created mankind to be, and the whole idea behind Jesus' message is that we're supposed to turn around and become what he is - truly human. The message of Jesus is a message of transformation for mankind. It's not really a message of "going to heaven where you're not really human anymore."

But the one thing God did not create man to do was die... and yet death is what is more certain for humanity than anything else. So when Jesus, the man, dies, we're left with two options: We can either assume that Jesus failed in his mission to be fully human the way God intended mankind to be, or we can wait and see if something happens. Jesus told us that he is the way, the truth, and the life... can we trust this man? Will you trust that I AM, who dies today and is now I AM NOT? Will you trust "the life," the man? Or is he just this man...

Wait with me.

Holy Week

2009-04-06T18:41:00.001-04:00

Holy Week... the week that's holier than any other week. The period of seven days when Jesus enters Jerusalem, cleanses the Temple, is betrayed by Judas, abandoned by Peter, crucified, and resurrected. This is a week dominated by bad things.

When we think about the Creation story, we tend to think of all the beautiful things God made, all the things he made "good." What we don't think about is the chaos that God had to conquer to make the world good. Genesis 1.2 says that the earth was "formless and void"... but a better translation is "wild and waste." The earth was covered in stormy seas, tidal waves the size of mountains, whirlpools as wide as the grand canyon, cyclones that could rip the air itself. At the beginning, the very beginning, of God's creating the heavens and the earth, things were not very good.

And what is it that God does? He separates the water from the land. The writer of Genesis understood that what God was doing was violent, it was painful, it was a battle, a war between the calm earth and the wild sea. God attacks this chaotic sea, reaches down into it and pulls up the land! The very first thing that God does before he makes this world... is defeat the old one, the one where the wild waters rule. And over the next seven days, God continues this separating, this dividing-battle of sky from earth, day from night, animal from man.

When Jesus enters Jerusalem, he begins his own seven-day battle. But Jesus is separating the sheep from the goats. He's starting his new world, and he's defeating the old one. When he cleanses the Temple, he is saying that God's house is going to be God's again! When he outsmarts the religious leaders, he's proving that in his new world, the old wisdom is useless - the new Wisdom is Jesus. When he breaks the bread, he's showing us that in this new world we will all be one family - Jesus' family!

And on the seventh day, God rested, and God saw that everything he made was very good.

And on Jesus' seventh day, he woke up, for he had defeated the old world once and for all. Now death itself couldn't even stop his new world from coming to be.

Jesus resurrected on that seventh day of Holy Week, and he calls us to celebrate that resurrection by joining him in his new world. We join him by being poor in spirit, by caring for the sick, by loving each other. We join him by dealing kindly with people, by not putting each other down, by being merciful to those on the outside of our group of friends. We join him by hundering and thirsting for the bread of life, the King - our King - our daily bread, Jesus. And when we're persecuted for the sake of justice, when we're made fun of, laughed at, ditched for doing what's right and following Jesus... well, Jesus says that when that happens, we're building his new world right here and now.

What a week...

EMERGENCY PIZZA PARTY (PART II)!!!

2009-03-30T13:53:00.000-04:00

The youth have been asked to make bookmarks for the residents of the Masonic Village!

We will be meeting...
Tuesday, April 7th
7:00-8:30 PM

Plenty of Fun, Community, and PIZZA!

These bookmarks will be a special surprise for our neighbors! Please bring your friends!

An interesting take on the Gospel

2009-03-25T22:37:00.000-04:00

We watched this video back in December when we looked at the parable of the prodigal son. See how sin and temptation takes us further from Jesus and the beautiful life he has for us. Watch Jesus as he pulls the girl back to him. Look how desperate he is to be with his children whom he loves so much!

For the fellas...

2009-03-25T22:30:00.000-04:00

If
by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

Mark 2.1-3.6

2009-03-22T03:02:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite quotations from the Bible is “Behold, I am making all things new.”

Does it ever seem like God just totally blew it? Like maybe things are just so screwy, so messed up that God couldn’t possibly have wanted things this way? When I see whole groups of people being starved to death by warlords who use those starving people as slaves, I wonder if God messed up. When lazy people get promoted faster than hardworking people, I wonder if God messed up. When kids bring guns to school and kill their classmates, I wonder if God messed up.

In the book of Genesis, there’s a story about God’s first special son – Adam. Adam, whose father is God, is supposed to take care of God’s precious garden; he’s supposed to make sure the animals are fed, that the plants are growing, that everything is in order. But Adam fails his job; he sins, and God punishes him – and the whole world – with death. Everything God had made was “very good,” but now it is very dead and dying.

“Behold, I am making all things new.”

When Jesus heals a man who was paralyzed, he not only makes him walk, he makes him clean from the inside out too! Jesus forgives him of his sins, and then fixes his broken body. Jesus reverses what Adam did. Jesus, whose father is God, begins the cleaning of God’s messy house by getting rid of the junk (sin) and fixing what’s broken. Jesus is Adam all over again, but this time the caretaker won’t fail. This time the caretaker meets temptation and defeats it. This time, the world will be made new, and Jesus will do it with one word: Love.

Check out this video, pay close attention to the words...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qahF83maIo

"Forever washed white..." - made clean, totally clean, by Jesus' love.

Some of the religious leaders in Jesus’ day, men who were full of themselves and forced people to follow their traditions, decided to put Jesus in his place for not acting the way they wanted him to act. Jesus says, “No one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins--and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins." This is a weird thing for Jesus to say, and it’s especially weird because… what the heck is a wineskin? We know what wine is. A wineskin is what was used in ancient culture to carry smaller amounts of wine (rather than in a barrel). The skin would stretch when wine was added to it, and then it would harden. If another batch of wine was added to it, it wouldn’t be able to stretch again, but would break. Do you catch Jesus’ metaphor now?

“Behold, I am making all things new.”

Jesus, this new Adam, the new caretaker of God’s house, isn’t going to put up with things the way they’ve always been done, the way the religious leaders say they should be done. He’s not going to let the world and humankind rot in the death that Adam earned for them. No, Jesus is going to make all things new. He’s got new wine, and he’s going to put it in new wineskins. He’s done watching the world tear itself to pieces! He’s done watching children being stolen from their families and being forced into gangs of soldiers! He’s done watching young girls be made into prostitutes! He’s done with the lying, the cheating, the pride, the disrespect, the anger! Jesus loves us too much to let us keep on dying in sin and brokeness! Jesus is making all things new!

So if there’s something you’re holding onto, some old wineskins that you know just won’t hold Jesus’ new wine, get rid of ‘em! If you’re holding onto anger, give it to Jesus, and he’ll give you peace. If you’re holding onto fear of people at school or in your family, give it to Jesus, and he’ll give you courage. If you’re holding onto a mask – if you’re hiding who you really are – give it to Jesus, and he’ll make you new from the inside you. If you’re ashamed of something, if there’s secrets about you that you don’t even want God to know, give it to Jesus. You get the idea.

There’s a whole world that’s being remade by this new Adam, and it’s time for us to be remade with it. Like the paralyzed man, we have to be made clean inside and out. And this new Adam, Jesus, wants nothing more than to do it for us.

“Behold, I am making all things new.”

The Greatest Day of the Year!

2009-03-17T00:59:00.000-04:00

If you know anything about anything, you know what St. Patrick’s Day is all about… Drinking! You take the one thing everyone knows about Ireland (that the Irish love their whiskey and beer), and you celebrate “Irish culture” by combining alcohol with American excesses – that’s St. Patty’s. Apparently, Ireland has nothing else to offer besides rivers of beer and party castles!

This bugs me on multiple levels. First of all, I’m Irish, very Irish, and I completely resent the idea that Ireland should be celebrated by getting trashed like it’s some sort of ritual. There is a whole history of Irish art, music, dance, theater, and culture that is missed completely on St. Patty’s by people who just get wasted at the closest bar.

Or how about the history of the Irish people themselves? The Irish aren’t responsible for any major innovations in technology or medicine. They’re not world-changers the way other Europeans have been. No, the Irish people are a quiet bunch, suffering through years of persecution, fighting off foreign invaders and protecting their beautiful homeland. The Irish avoided the unending wars that raged in Europe, content to let that fussy continent destroy itself over bits of land and resources. The Irish may have their bar-brawls, but all out wars? C’mon, that’s just silly! You don’t hear about that history on St. Patty’s.

But more importantly, what’s missed is the whole history of the man – St. Patrick – and what he did for the Emerald Isle. This monk sailed across the sea to a land of pagans, a foreign land lost in the darkness of sin and barbarianism. And St. Patty picked a clover. He pointed to each leaf and said that God is like the clover. God is one, like the clover is one – but God is three, like the clover is three. What St. Patrick did was give freedom, true freedom, to a people that would live in oppression for the next thousand years. He created an island of people full of life, spirit, and music. He gave them such a fire for Jesus that thousands of monks sprang up all over the country and preserved some of the most important documents of all time, including some of the oldest copies of the Bible we have. St. Patrick showed the Irish what it means to be free from sin and despair, and they haven't forgotten.

Let's celebrate our freedom the right way. After all, how can it be the greatest day of the year unless we're truly free?

"I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth with his baptism,
Through the strength of his crucifixion with his burial,
Through the strength of his resurrection with his ascension,
Through the strength of his descent for the Judgment Day." - From a prayer of St. Patrick, Enlightener of Ireland

April Newsletter

2009-03-09T19:29:00.000-04:00

Can you imagine what you would be thinking if you were there, watching Jesus ride into Jerusalem on a donkey? Or what if you saw him wreak havoc on the Temple merchants, cleaning out the house of God? How would you feel watching Jesus get condemned instead of Barabbas, a murderer? Would you have stayed by his side at the cross? Would you have waited for him to rise again?

It’s impossible to know what we would have done during that last week before Jesus was crucified. I sometimes think I would do better than the disciples, that I would have said, “No, don’t you understand? Jesus has to die, but he’ll be back!” But something that Lent teaches me every year is that I’m no better than the disciples. I am just as weak, just as broken, just as full of sin as everyone else. Lent reminds me of what controls me, and Holy Week reminds me of how unholy I am.

But then, something happens during the night between Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday. Something new takes hold, and something old gets burned out. Easter morning: there’s nothing like it. God’s plan for his whole creation is to “make all things new,” and Easter is the great symbol of that part of God’s plan. Remember how Adam and Eve were cursed to die? And you know how Jesus’ Resurrection defeats death itself? “Behold,” says God, “I make all things new!”

Remember how sacrifices had to be made to keep the Israelites clean? Remember how those sacrifices had to be made every year? And you know how Jesus’ sacrifice was so perfect that he only had to make it once, and he actually came back from the dead? “Behold,” says God, “I make all things new!”

Remember how we were all doomed to be separated from God forever, how our sin kept us from being with God? Remember how our sin condemned us to death and failure and guilt and suffering? And you know how Jesus came to take our sin as far from us as it could possibly go, how Jesus’ broke the powers of death and hell, how he took all our failure and guilt and suffering on himself, how he died, and how none of it could hold him back? “Behold,” says God, “I make all things new!”

Wow… I love Easter…

Sunday school, youth group, high- school group, and Confirmation classes will continue to meet at regular times throughout April. If you have any interest in becoming involved in the youth or inviting the youth to participate in your ministry, please contact Joshua!
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Friday, April 3rd
7:00PM High School Group – Topic: Dungeons and Dragons (Rev. 12)

Sunday, April 5th
7:00PM Youth Group – Topic: Great is Your Reward (Matt. 5.11-12)

Friday, April 10th
No High-School Group – Good Friday

Saturday, April 11th
7:00PM Easter Vigil

Sunday, April 12th
No Youth Group – Easter Sunday

Friday, April 17th
7:00PM High School Group – Topic: Not Someone You Want to Meet in a Dark Alley (Rev. 13)

Sunday, April 19th
7:00PM Youth Group – Topic: You want me to eat WHAT?? (John 6)

Friday, April 24th
7:00PM High-School Group – Topic: Is it really that simple? (Rev. 14)

Sunday, April 26th
7:00PM Youth Group – Topic: Check this out… (John 8)

Mark 1.1-3

2009-02-18T13:45:00.000-05:00

Mark’s compilation of stories about Jesus is one of the most unique pieces of literature in history. The casual reader of the New Testament will think Mark is just an abridged (and poorly edited) version of Matthew, but the careful reader of the whole Bible will see in Mark the fulfillment of the Israelite story. Since St. Andrew’s is in Mark this year, I thought it would be helpful to discuss some of this crazy Gospel, but in order to do that we’ll need to do some review work.

Remember what happened after the Israelites crossed the sea and headed towards the Promised Land? Moses was leading them out of slavery in Egypt, and they had witnessed miracles unlike anything God had done since Creation. But just because they were safely out of Egypt didn’t mean they were safe. Now they were in the wilderness where all sorts of troubles could fall on them at any time. And on top of that, how were they to eat and drink in this barren wasteland? It is this long journey from Egypt to Israel that defines the Israelites as a people. It is on this journey that they are given the Law, including the Ten Commandments; it is on this journey that they are given manna, and water from the stone. Under Mt. Sinai they make and worship the golden calf; at Kadesh-Barnea they lack faith that God will bring them victory over their enemies. Just as, if not more, important than all of these incidents is the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night – the presence of God guiding them in the wilderness. The pillars would guide them, and with the pillars came the angel of the Lord: “Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared” (Exodus 23.20). For the first time since the Garden of Eden, God would dwell with people; he even had a special tent made for him, called the Tabernacle.

After their long journey and the conquest of Israel under Joshua’s leadership, the Israelites settle into wicked ways under the foolish judges. Then they call for a king, whom they think will provide them some sort of stability and unity. King Saul, their tall, imposing leader, turns out to be a cowardly loser in the face of the taller, more imposing Goliath. Instead, David the shepherd boy comes to the rescue, kills Goliath, and (eventually) is made king over all Israel. David, the central figure of the Old Testament, begins Israel’s “Golden Age,” a period that lasts less than 80 years. David’s reign is filled with wars as he fights off foreign enemies, quells rebellions and unifies the Israelite tribes. For some reason, David finds God’s highest favor, and God promises David the throne of Israel for all time. “I will be to [you] a father, and [you] shall be to me a son… Your throne shall be established forever” (2 Samuel 7.14, 16) When David’s son, Solomon, takes the throne after his father’s death, it seems that God’s kingdom has finally been brought to earth: Israel is united and at peace, there is a king from David’s line, everyone comes to this king seeking wisdom, and God, no longer in a tent, has a house, a Temple to live in. This is the image of God’s kingdom that the Israelites would forever try to bring back to life, but it all ended with Solomon. Eventually the people and their kings became so wicked that God brought upon them his just punishment: exile in the land of Babylon.

After the death of Solomon and the dividing of Israel into the kingdoms of Judah and Israel, God began sending prophets to the people, warning them to repent, signaling that God would be faithful to the covenant he made with their forefathers: nearly 1000 years before, Moses had said to the people, “But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you” (Deuteronomy 28.15). The prophets of God came, but they were not listened to. Their sermons and poems were collected later, and one of these collections is known to us as the book of Isaiah. Isaiah’s prophecies are heavy on both Jews and Gentiles, as God has righteous wrath coming for all! But someday, after a time of hardship and service, God will rescue his people and bring them back to their promised land. “‘Comfort, comfort, O my people,’ says your God. ‘Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins.’ A voice cries: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God’” (Isaiah 40.1-3). Another prophet, Malachi, speaks to the Jews after their exile. He looks back on what God has done, and realizes that what happened to Israel in Babylon was a repeat of what happened in Egypt! God preserved them in captivity, and in their time of trouble they called out to the Lord, and their hearts returned to him. Then God heard their cries, and brought them a “messiah,” which means one who has been anointed by God for a special purpose. This messiah released the Israelites back into the wilderness so that they could return to their promised land. Malachi, seeing the connection to the first exodus from Egypt, says concerning this second exodus from Babylon: “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple…” (Malachi 3.1).

Let’s go back and read those passages again:

“Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared” (Exodus 23.20).

“‘Comfort, comfort, O my people,’ says your God. ‘Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins.’ A voice cries: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God’” (Isaiah 40.1-3).

“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple…” (Malachi 3.1).

These different verses give us a picture of the Israelites as they move from captivity to the Promised Land. They are traversing through the wilderness, waiting for God’s messenger to lead them back to the kingdom of David, the son of God. They need David’s heir, they need the angel of the Lord, they need God to dwell among them!

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The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the son of God.

As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,

“Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way,

the voice of one crying in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord,

make his paths straight.’”

(Mark 1.1-3)

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Mark seems to be giving us a pretty big hint as to what to expect from this Jesus, the son of God. Maybe we should be expecting one more exodus, one more angel of the Lord, and one more son of David….

The Group

2009-02-18T13:28:00.000-05:00

(Absent from photo: Mikayla Thomson, Doug Bloemker, David Clendaniel, Ana and Minzo Kim, Penny Hausher, Kelly Bauer, and several guests and leaders)

This is St.A.Y.

Come hang out with us, tell us your story, and we'll tell you ours.

St.A.Y. is open to anyone from 6-12'th grade. We meet on Sunday nights at St. Andrew's from 7:00pm - 8:30pm. If you'd like more info, feel free to call Joshua Bean at (215)675-3748 x38.

St.A.Y.

2009-01-11T13:08:00.000-05:00

St.A.Y. - St. Andrew's Youth

This blog is for keeping the youth up to date on what's happening at St.A.Y., ways for guests to get involved with this ministry (or ways for us to get involved with your ministry), and as a commentary on what we're learning as a church body.

St.A.Y. is the next generation of St. Andrew's United Methodist Church in Warminster, PA. We're a community of about 20 individuals with all sorts of talents and interests from sports to architecture to music. We spend our time together learning about Jesus and how our faith in him shapes our lives - and how it causes us to love others. We do our best to exercise true religion by caring for those in need, and by being the hands of Jesus in our community.

We also have a ton of fun playing games, having parties, and asking tough questions about church, priorities, truth, and life in general. Please feel free to St.A.Y. with us every Sunday night from 7-8:30 at St. Andrew's.