Sermons from Paul Washer

SUNDAY MORNING PREGAME

It has been too too long since we've updated.

I wanted to let you guys know of something we've been doing on Sunday mornings. Recently we started our Sunday Morning Pregame. Sunday mornings at 9AM we are gathering together to discuss the sermon. That's right- we meet to talk about what we are going to hear about. What better way to be prepared than to hear the sermon ahead of time!

This month we've been going through the book of Mark. Currently we are in Mark 1. Last week we had a great discussion about Jesus' first demon encounter in the synagogue.

Please join us as we continue this exciting new opportunity.

WE'RE BAAAAAAACK

It certainly has been a while since we have posted something new on the blog here. We have returned and we are back in action as we have many things to look forward to in the days ahead.

TONIGHT-

We Kick off our fall season beginning tonight! Our theme this fall is

"Practicing Congruency: What you say is who you are"

SHOCK (6-8th grade) starts up again back in Elementary #2! Our study will be "the Bible tells me so". We will be looking through truth from the Bible in order to build foundations that last.

CONNECTION (9th-12th grade) will wrestle with truth- what it is and what the Scripture says it is.

THIS THURSDAY (TOMORROW- SEPT. 10) FROM 6-7PM

we will be holding a prayer walk at MTHS. Every 2nd Thursday of the month students will have the privilege of joining there parents and other peers on a prayer walk at a different school each month. What's a prayer walk? Well...you walk...and you pray...at the same time! Prayer is a significant part of the Christian's life and if we want to see change in our hearts, in our schools, and in the people around us than God has to be the One at work- the way to get Him involved is to invite Him and that is our purpose for the Power Hour every 2nd Thursday. This is also a great opportunity to see the faith of adults and students in action.

Some photos from Connection's Christmas Eve

Some decorations.

Marshmallow ferries danced over their heads

Classic photo of Dave.

A little Marshbagging

Coming up...

Wednesday August 5th- Shock will be enjoying some mini-golf at Harbor Light Golf in Wildwood, NJ. The time this night will be changed from 6-8pm to 4-6pm.

Sunday August 9th- Connection will be holding its first ever Banana Party. More details to come. Admission will be One Banana and you must wear yellow. 6:30-8:30PM @ The BanAnnex

Some topics to come in August:

Repentance

Sin

God's Glory

Holly Jolly Summer Christmas

Connection had a holly jolly Christmas this July. Sunday we enjoyed building Frosty the Marshman (we used marshmallows because sadly there was no snow to be found in the area), played Christmas Carol Charades, had a lovely rendition of Partridge in a pair tree and so much more.

The Christmas spirit was truly evident this July. Too often we can miss the importance of Christmas when it's surrounded by all of the Holiday hooplah. It was awesome for us to take the time to celebrate God's interaction with mankind at a not-so-normal time of the year.

Our lesson centered on faith and the fact that it is by faith that we are justified. Faith is not something to be based off of emotions or the crowds but it is something that should be based on the proven trustworthiness of God which can be found in the scriptures.

We then had an amazing prayer time to close in which we lifted our lives and the lives of others to the Lord.

Heads Up

American Christianity which has sadly crept into the Christianity of churches is one that is very man-centered and selfish. This is nothing new which is why Jesus warns believers and people against who they listen to in Matthew 7:15. False prophets are not always easy to recognize for they are wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing- they have the appearance of being faithful churchgoers and studiers of the Word but they are far from the truth. One of my frustrations with Christian retreats most recently has been the drive for Pastors and speakers to wish to be exciting rather than truthful. The truth isn’t always going to guarantee the best crowd response which is why many retreat speakers make Christianity and Salvation out to be more like six flags than the narrow road that Jesus speaks of in Matthew 7.

Creating a me-centered gospel is simply more comfortable. Just think of the last time you’ve heard the Gospel presented. How many times was the word “you” used? God loves you. God wants you. Jesus died for you. God wants to be your friend…etc. You get the picture. We build the person up so much that they think they’re doing God a favor by “being saved”. God is presented as desperate for friends and we approach others like mothers who push their kids to befriend the not-so-popular kid, “Just give God a chance. He really loves you and wants to be your friend.” This is the all-mighty, powerful, holy God we are talking about; The One who holds the universe and our very existence in His hands. The way we present the gospel leaves those aspects out. It also makes salvation more like recruitment; instead of “being saved” people are “being recruited” to befriend a very false God and be involved in a very false Christianity.

Salvation should lead to a realization of our desperate need for God. There is no part of the gospel experience that should leave you feeling good about yourself. The truth is that we have been born completely wicked and in sin. There is absolutely no way for us to gain salvation on our own. Every act is an act of God’s sovereign grace. To put the final decision in man’s hands is to take ultimate authority away from God.

Matthew 7:13-29 describes two roads, two trees, and two house foundations. Jesus tells us that we have two choices there is only ONE right choice though. You can either walk the narrow road or the broad road. You can either be a good tree or a bad tree. You can build your house on the rock or on sand. Jesus tells us that very few walk the narrow road which is completely true as evidenced in today’s “Christian” society. Many people are convinced that as long as you’ve said the prayer at one point in your life than you’re saved and good to go. Yes, profession is a part of the salvation experience but I’m here today to say that merely saying a prayer is not evidence of your salvation. That would be like saying that conversion is like a flu-shot, “I got the shot now I’m good to go. I don’t need to worry about the way I live from here on out.” Genuine conversion is an experience that leads to transformation and as I said before a realization of your desperate need for God. To say the prayer is enough goes along with the me-centered gospel which gives man the authority to claim whether he/she has salvation or not.

Jesus says, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My father who is in heaven will enter" (Matt. 7:21). Ultimately it is up to God. How do you know then if you are saved? “You will know them by their fruits” (Matt. 7:20). So often we find rest in simply saying a prayer at one point or calling ourselves Christians when we live lives completely against God and His word. When there is a genuine encounter with the Lord there will be fruit in your life and evidence from that encounter. It doesn’t matter if you know who Jesus is, what matters is if He knows you (1 John 2:4-5).

Christmas in July!

Yestarday could not have been any hotter-

but that didn't keep us from celebrating Christmas!

Yes, Christmas.

Shock had its first ever Christmas in July celebration. Christmas music filled the air, the halls were decked, and we participated in some out of the ordinary Christmas games.

We also ended the night with popsicles, which is something that is a little out of the ordinary for a Christmas celebration- but it's July!

We certainly are looking forward to Connection's celebration on Sunday.

Christmas is coming early this year...

Shock Pool Party!

Shock had their first party of the summer and it was a splash!

We met at the Pattison's house for some food, pool, fun, and also some time in God's Word. It was great to see everyone there that showed up- and if you weren't there- well then you missed out.

Julian Price was the first to venture in the pool and everyone followed in after his lead. There was volleyball, some kickball, and even a game involving a sweatshirt exchange inside the pool. The Pattison's also provided hot dogs and desert for everyone to enjoy.

Our topic for this week in Connection and Shock was Praise- it was also good to discuss a little about praise and what it means to live lives dedicated to praise to the Lord.

Friday Flick #2 Is Just Around The Corner!

This Month's Friday Flick is:

I AM LEGEND

Following last month's Friday Flick I could not wait for the next one to take place. The movie may be a little scary but I cannot wait for the conversation and discussion that it will be sure to spark.

Remember, yes this is a night to watch a movie but that is only half of it- the night's main focus and goal is to learn how to process through and discuss what was just viewed. So if you're gonna show up- be ready to interact with all of those that are there!

Look forward to seeing you there and talking with you!

The Friday Flick is this Friday, July 17. 6:30-9PM

Ultimate Spoons Tournament

Spoons Everywhere!

From beautifully decorated spoons to a sparkling silver spoon walkway to wonderful spoon trees (a.k.a. Christmas Trees decorated with spoons)-

The first Ultimate Spoons Tournament was accomplished!

The teams involved:

M.A.D. Spoons

Valkrie

Uhhh

Just give us a team name

5-4-3-2-1

Yes, some interesting names but each team had some serious spoons players involved. They certainly put their blood, sweat, and tears into the night as each team pressed on through 3 rounds of increasing difficulty to gain the grand prizes- edible treats that of course have to be eaten with a spoon.

Our 1st place winners of the evening was M.A.D. Spoons. This team came ready to play as they frequently ended in 1st place throughout the rounds. Congratulations to M.A.D. spoons for their work and effort!

This night surely was a blast and I know that we are each looking forward to the next Ultimate Spoons Tournament.

The world renowned producer, director and artist, Mike Krieg volunteered for no money to make a commercial for the event- check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd4sriPDdi8

OddBall Olympics

The Olympic games are completed...

Both our groups, Connection and Shock, competed and competed well for the honor of olympic pride...oddball olympic pride that is.

Connection's olympics took place on Sunday night and last night Shock's olympics went underway.

We had a wonderful time- but once again I did not have my camera to document the precious moments that were experienced. The events included: the discus throw, the hammer throw, high jump, the javelin throw, and the full team relay.

Each team formed together to create a country and flag. Some of the teams included: Mars, Sparta, Australia, Battlestar Gallactica, The Sun, and many more.

Giving up to God

The following is a recent testimony from a student in our group of the amazing work of God and how incredible it is to have Him take hold and control of tough situations in life. The hardest step in the toughest of times is to give up control and hand the situation over to God but like this student describes the results are incredible.

OK, to be honest I haven’t been myself lately. In fact, I’ve been totally depressed and I’m sure that everyone whose been around me has noticed that. There were many reasons for this, but its still no excuse for all of my apathy. God has put me through a very very huge gigantic mammoth sized test in the past month and at first i felt like I’ve failed him. I let myself slip into a stage that i really hated and regret. However, thanks to many of my trustworthy friends, and the counseling I've had with them, I’ve been able to understand how to overcome this dark time. Like many others, this test for me has been difficult and I should have right away reached out for God instead of letting myself drift away. Because I let all these heavy burdens get to me it has ruined some of my recent retreats and activities. But as of now, July 6, 2009 I have overcome this challenge and have begun to restore my flame for God. I realized that I needed to give it all up to him, and even though i constantly told him, I guess it wasn't enough. Today, every possible thing that I planned went wrong, and a lot of stress engulfed me. but I spent about an hour and a half on the roof just talking to God, and it started out by seeing the worst possible situation. then I began to see that I don't want it to turn out like that, and if really am the leader that I thought I was, I have to get over this and start to make things right again. And it wasn't easy to come to this resolution, but the first thing I did was fix the screwed up relationship I made with my brothers. I went to them and humbled myself before them and God, and apologized. I apologized for all the wrong things I’ve done and all the things that seemed wrong to them. Lucky for me that they let me turn off the TV and listened. And I thought I was going to get shut down, it’s amazing what the Holy Spirit can do. Anyway, for twenty minutes I had a conversation with them and it was great, I think I finally made things right between me and my brothers, and it feels good. At the end of it we hugged (which is an extremely rare thing) and made up for all the bad things that happened in the past. And now, I finally feel relieved from my constant stress and pain, and its all thanks to God. During that hour and a half prayer, I gave it all up to him, and it feels like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders, and face (that’s another story). But I just wanted to let everyone know that I’m back and I feel wonderful. I don’t know who’s going to read this, or even if they give a care, but if you do could you pray for me, I really could use it. And if anyone else is going through a tough time, and I know there is, allow me to let you in on a little secret. GIVE IT UP! If you really want to get rid of this pain give it up to God. I’m not saying the problems are just going to go away like magic, but God will lift the weight and help you carry it. Anyway, that’s all I want to say, and maybe many many things can come from this hard time I just went through. Maybe it can inspire somebody to come to God and Jesus Christ, maybe it can help some of you get through a tough time you’ve been going through, maybe I’ll use this twenty years from now as I’m preaching at a small youth group or a big music festival and have many people led to Christ. There are infinite possibilities, but even if it only helps one person, just one person. I’m glad I went through the pain to help that one person.

APATHY PARTY!

Apathy:

1.absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement.

2.lack of interest in or concern for things that others find moving or exciting.

Rules:

NOT ALLOWED:

Laughing

*(giggling, chuckling, etc.)

Crying

Smiling

*(Full teeth, grinning)

Frowning

*(Scowling)

Loud Voices

*(neither happy nor angry)

Fast Movements

Wide Eyes

Enthusiastic gestures

*(hugging, high-fiving)

Applause

Interesting Conversations

Exclamations

*(wow, oh boy, whoo hoo)

ALLOWED:

Yawning

Bored looks

*(glazed, rolling eyes)

Slow Movements

Tapping fingers

Twiddling thumbs

Monotone voice

Boring Conversations

Staring into space

Sleep

These are to ensure the most boring experience.

Needless to say we had a rather interesting evening. Students put on their best apathetic spirits and had a real ho-hum time as we took a deeper look at Apathy and just what it can do to an environment.

Our Night included:

a dramatic reading- in which a prize was given away for the most apathetic reader. We read excerpts from a book of Nursery Rhymes and also the award winning book, "40 Common Errors in Bowling and How to Correct Them"

A deathstare contest

We also took some time to watch some riveting videos on Youtube- "Watching Grass Grow" and "Watching Paint Dry"

A relay race. I didn't have time nor did I care to get the proper equipment for this race so what the students did was balance air on a spoon from one side of the room to the other.

And to top everything off we had some room temperature ice cream and lukewarm snacks at the end of the night plus Flat Sprite Zero to drink.

We did take a break in the night from Apathy- to hear Mike Krieg's testimony of the things God has done in his life and a lesson on apathy from the Scriptures. (this can be seen further in Heads Up)

First Ever "GAP Meeting" Accomplished

Last Wednesday night we had our first ever GAP meeting! This was held at the Lighthouse Church Annex building. We had a great turn-out and a wonderful time learning about the in's and out's of the Lighthouse Church youth ministries. The old way of youth ministry would be to leave families and parents out of the youth ministry altogether- what we are trying to accomplish at the Lighthouse Church is to bridge that GAP and bring the two together again. If you are a parent or one interested in helping with youth and you missed this night there is no need to worry- there are many more GAP meetings on the way.

If you missed this night and would like further information about what took place then feel free to email me at tlcyouth@comcast.net

So Much Going on! Source Begins and GAP is tomorrow!

Jesus is the Source and the one we must stay connected to! (John 15:1-7)

This Tuesday and every Tuesday from tonight on will be beginning our strictly Bible study night labeled- "The Source".

Our first study will be-

"DECONSTRUCTING CHRISTIANEZE"

Taking apart Christian Buzzwords

Our first topic will be- "God's Will"

Since this night is strictly Bible Study we ask for only those ready and seeking to be challenged and convicted to live the life only the Source provides.

ALSO-

Currently I am working through our GAP night information and getting ready and set for what will be taking place tomorrow night.

All parents, guardians, and those wishing to help out with the group are invited and strongly encouraged to come out and here about what's going on.

I forgot my camera!!!

Sunday Night we celebrated our Youth Workers: Mark and Gen with an appreciation night just for them. It was an awesome opportunity to have them out and celebrate their impact and influence on each of our lives by the grace of God. We talked through memories, special moments, and meaningful experiences that we've had with the couple.

We played a game that was a bit out of control- involving peanut butter, t-shirts, and bread. AND I FORGOT MY CAMERA- so you don't get to see any of it. Actually I really am bummed about not being able to document what took place because it certainly was hilarious and messy.

Brandon Price also shared his testimony allowing us to see the story that God has taken him through, including the people that helped point him to the Lord. This is our second week of sharing testimonies and it has been incredible to see the grace that God bestows upon His believers and the journies that our students have been on leading to knowing God and desiring to pursue Him more. Brandon is certainly someone that each of us look up to and it is evident that God is at work in his life. We are sad that he'll be leaving us but excited to see the things that God is going to do through him in the days ahead.

Finally Mark and Gen were able to share a bit of what is taking place in their lives right now, their time with the group, and challenges for the group. If you weren't there than you certainly missed out on a memorable and impactful night. We appreciate Mark and Gen for all they've done here and are thankful to the Lord for allowing their journey to lead to serving here!

Oh and we had some pretty good cake!!

First Friday Flick Finished!

Our First ever Friday Flick night has come and gone. We watched a Chick Flick- but discovered that it was far more than just that. (Even the guys enjoyed it! but keep that on the down low).

We watched the movie- Ever After which depicts a very different version of the Cinderella story. This tale allowed our group to discuss through topics of physical beauty vs. intellectual beauty, chivalry, justice, and also the relationship of the movie with traditional Cinderella stories.

All in all our first discussion based movie night went pretty well. I was happy that we were able to do more than just consume but we are starting to learn what it means to process and engage with the movie and one another.

Our next Friday Flick will be July 17th- I Am Legend.

Friday Flick Night is coming up!

Our First Friday Flick Night is almost upon us!

Get ready, get set, to sit back and watch a flick...but wait...don't get too comfortable. The catch with this movie watching experience is that you have to pay attention and be ready to discuss the movie afterwards.



In describing our culture today so often the word, "consumers" comes into play. We consume clothing, food, and lots and lots of media. We listen to a song and never think about it again, wear something without a second thought, or watch a movie and move to the next one without ever looking back. Thinking is often missing from the equation.

The problem is not in how to watch a movie. There is no question in my mind on whether or not we have that down. The difficulty arises in what to do with what we have just consumed. In order to combat this consuming culture- we are attempting to learn a new skill- and that is the art of processing. In order to fully engage in processing what we must become better at is discussion. There is so much to be thought through and talked about within our movies from today and of old- this is what Friday Flick's are about.

They are not designed just to be another movie night but instead a night where we fully engage with the film and then engage in conversation with one another to work through what we have just seen.



There is also alot of God to be seen within our culture today. You can easily discover a need and longing for a Creator if you would only take the time to process and truly look at the film that is being seen.



Don't be scared- if you come I'm sure you will enjoy your time. There is no pressure surrounding this night- I know that we have all had many thoughts after watching a movie- this is an opportunity to toss those thoughts around and in the end hopefully learn something.



Our first movie will be Ever After- This Friday June 19- 6:30-9:00PM





Email: tlcyouth@comcast.net for further info.

From air hockey (literally) to taking action (spiritually)

Abbie sharing her testimony and a little game of "down, down, down"

"down, down, down" round 2 and "air Hockey!"

Thankfully no one passed out.

The night started with an assortment of interesting games including- "air hockey" in which players had to blow their way to goals, "Down, Down, Down" an unusual game of catch that could end with you on the floor, a game of getting from one side of the room to the other with only paper, and finally round two of "Down, Down, Down".

We enjoy having fun but we also were able to hear one of our graduating seniors, Abbie share her heart and the things that God has done in her life over the past few years and where He is taking her in the year to come. This is something new that the group is trying out- listening to what God is doing and has done in the lives of our peers.

It is cool that even though are stories are not exactly the same- you can still see similarities in the ways that God shines through and molds each story. I know that I was touched by Abbie's story.

We were also challenged to process, struggle, and wrestle through our salvation. 2 Corinthians 13:5 tells believers to examine themselves to see whether or not they are in the faith. So often we come to church events, listen to the sermon, sit in our small groups but very rarely to we seek to apply the things we've been learning- Action is a major part of Christianity and salvation. Salvation is never merely based off of words. It is a work of the grace of God and ways that you can see evidence of that work is through your actions-

We've all seen a version of these words from Jesus during our sing-along times in Sunday school but I truly believe that we have failed to recognize the importance of what these words mean:

Luke 6:46-49:
"Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? "Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. "But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great."

My personal hope is that we not only hear the words of Jesus Christ but that we seek to live those words out from Monday through Saturday. It is one thing to label yourself as a Christian within the walls of a Church Annex building for an hour on Sunday night- it is completely another thing to do as Jesus instructs in Luke 9:23-

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me."

Learning is a daily process- it takes application- and in order to apply the things that are being taught we must learn to examine ourselves and process.

Last night we had a good time of quiet reflection before the Lord- we asked ourselves tough questions: such as "How can I take everything that God has given to me and give those things back to Him", "How can I honor Him with my lifestyle?", and "How can I repent of the lifestyle I've chosen to live- denying God instead of myself?"

True Christianity requires repentance- it requires a heart change- and it requires action. If we are truly going to know God- and learn to love Him because HE IS EVERYTHING not just because of everything He gives than we must seek Him daily.

Heads Up Parents June 10

"Heads Up Parents" is something we use to clue those in at home on what we've been studying this week in Connection and Shock. This is in order for learning and processing not to be a one time- one hour deal but a continual study that can take place daily.

Here's what we went through last night at Shock:
You can believe it or not but there is life beyond self!
Galatians 2:20 reads,
“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”

Christ gave Himself up- for ME! Christ embodied selflessness and what it means to live life that is beyond your self. He took an others-minded approach at living and people were impacted in eternal ways.

Romans 6:6 tells us that our old selves have been done away with. They were crucified with Christ. Our old self was the self that was controlled and lead by sin. We have a major choice to make in this life- are we going to be full of ourselves or full of Christ?

If “full of Christ” was the answer than to be full of Christ means this- Galatians 5:24, “Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Those passions and desires that are focused just on you have been put to death. The things of God matter now- which put plainly is to seek and know Him first and to love your neighbor as yourself.

Some Scripture to look into:
Romans 6:6
Galatians 2:20
Galatians 4:17-32
Galatians 5:24

Something Crafty to do:
Create a noticeable sign to serve as a reminder that there is life beyond self.

Interaction with your student:
Read Ephesians 4:17-32 together and think on whether your family reflects this manner of walking.

Read Ephesians 4:28- Think of some ways as a family that you can be prepared to meet the needs of others. Make it a point to help someone in need this week.

In what ways is your family centered on self?

HERE I AM

Here i am at the main office pondering why we so called "Christians" do the things we do. It makes me curious to see why our actions don't match our titles, and we never even begin to Walk the Walk we should be Walking until we build so many regrets we must go into a depression before we start doing what we should be doing. Ephesians 4:29 says do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth. However most of us today after many years of coming to Christ, still continue to curse, gossip, and put down other people for whatever stupid excuses we can come up with. In my opinion (and in the eyes of many others) what comes out of your mouth is a huge part of defining who you are. If you've been given salvation through Christ and still continue to do these things, what is that saying about you. How many people really know you're a christian when more fouls come out of your mouths than my cousin playing baseball. ITS A BIG DEAL PEOPLE! And guess what, it effects other people too. Words can hurt a person even if your not saying anything bad about anyone, but still use foul language to describe what you're feeling (Get a dictionary if you need to). I know everytime someone close to me curses and i just find out, it feels like someone stabbed me in the heart. And when they know they're doing something wrong AGAINST the big G (God) and continue to do it like its a walk in the park, that makes it even worse. Now think to yourselves, if you're really a follower of Christ, do you want to be hurting you, yourself and most importantly GOD? I don't think so. And yes, it may be hard to quit for a little while, i know it was for me, but your tongue is like a rudder on a ship, a small part of you leading you the direction of your voyage called life, do you want to make it one you'll regret.

--- The Black Cross
(From the heart of a student in our youth ministry)

Last Night in Elementary #2

Tonight will be our last night in Elementary#2-

Shock (Junior High) will then take a two week break until we start our summer session on July 1st.

Currently I am working on the games/activities for tonight- a couple I am already excited to see the reactions to. This should be a fun night to watch.

I am also excited to be bringing the message of "Life beyond self" to our Shock group.

One of our scripture references for tonight-
Galatians 5:24, "Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires."

Get ready to be shocked!

mmm...spaghetti.

We just finished our graduating senior spaghetti dinner and what a great time it was for seniors to get together and be...well...kind of wierd.

but seriously- our time was good- and so was the food!

We had a wonderful meal of Mrs. Sheptock's famous spaghetti and meatballs with a side of wonderful garlic bread. I'm stuffed- and for desert- PUPPY CHOW!

The puppy chow was when things got a bit out of hand. Dan decided to mix powdered sugar and lemonade- which surprisingly to him was not a bad concoction. Each of the seniors then wanted to have their own fun with the sugar. Who would have known there could be so much entertainment in powdered sugar?

Our conversation consisted of milking rice, exploding bulls, peanut shells, elephants coming up over mountains, and also favorite school years and what is next. All in all is was a great time to spend with the seniors and thank them for their time with us at the Lighthouse Church.

Whatever is next I pray for the absolute best for our seniors. I pray that they would not seek the favor of men but that they would pursue their passions and use their gifts to honor and glorify the Lord.

"The point of this life is to point to Him"- Francis Chan.

SENIOR GRADUATION DINNER

OUR SENIOR GRADUATION DINNER IS TONIGHT 7-8PM.

Only Seniors are invited- this is just a special, semi-formal, dinner to congratulate you on your accomplishment and also to pray for the time ahead.

Shoot me an email if you plan on attending-

tlcyouth@comcast.net

The Very First One

This is our very first blog entry for Connection and Shock!

I'm pretty excited about yet another way to keep you posted on the happenings of our different groups. Today I did my best to figure out how these sites exactly work- needless to say I'm a blogging rookie but I'm hoping that despite that this site will still serve it's main purpose-
to keep you connected with Connection and Shock.

First off here's a little description of who we are:
Connection is the name of The Lighthouse Church's Senior High group. Senior High ranges from 9-12th grade so if you find yourself in that age range, or if you are a parent/guardian of a student in that group than Connection events are what you want to be connected with.

Shock is our Junior High group. Junior High ranges from 6th-8th grade. Likewise if you are a student in that range or if you are a parent/guardian of a student in their than Shock events are the events you want to look out for.


This Summer:

June 28th will kick off our summer session for Connection

Starting June 28th- every Sunday night will be known as our PLUG-IN nights.
Sunday nights will now be our outreach night! This is a night to invite friends or students you know that may or may not have been to church before in order to expose them to church and youth group. Get connected and PLUG-IN on Sunday nights 6:30-8 p.m.
Afterglow (hangout) will be until 9. Students MUST be picked up by 9 p.m.


July 1st will kick off our summer session for Shock

Starting July 1st every Wednesday night will be known as our SHOCK nights. The forecast for this summer looks like pool parties with a high percentage of study in God's Word. Stay tuned for further info regarding these nights.

There's plenty more information to come- so stay connected to what's ahead.
If you want further information Check out our Church Website:
http://www.tlccma.org/