by Pastor Nick
9-1-1. September 11. Numbers & Dates that for Americans say over the age of 14 are awfully meaningful and horrific all in one. A date that changed the pace of American life. I was a new Pastor about 1 month into leading a small church in the mountains of Virginia. I was newly married. I was in Seminary. That was 8 years ago. The events of that day shook the core of our freedom and we said we 'learned' lessons & vowed we'd change our priorities.
But instead I wonder if we've just inconvenienced ourselves into more rules trying to protect the very life we aren't garunteed another breath of?
What I mean is exactly what I taught students this past Sunday in HSM. Sometimes life is just so much fun we don't stop and think of God, want to pause and realize we are really dependent creatures, or even admit we are vulnerable. There are days we live like this. But then another look a life, a closer look reveals more to life than fun. I unpacked this from the 4th chapter of James:
1. Life is Hard
2. Life is Unpredictable
3. Life is Short
So in light of those realities we discover a total dependancy on God who "does not change" - Malahai 3:16. So Nick, how do you propose we should live? Well, I think God answered in James 4:15, "Instead you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.'"
I'm asking myself to revisit the pain of September 11th from an innocent bystandard's perspective and draw more lessons that airport security from it. Maybe we could all do well to look at a full reality of life and admit our need for help...help that only comes in the LORD Jesus Christ!
Friday, September 11, 2009
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Small Groups!
by Ben Framstad
Small Groups just started for High School and Middle School ministries. To promote it last week and get the most students to come out, we created this video of classic disney movie clips...with one twist. Take a look.
Small Groups just started for High School and Middle School ministries. To promote it last week and get the most students to come out, we created this video of classic disney movie clips...with one twist. Take a look.
Small Groups from Wooster Grace Students on Vimeo.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
The Gift of a Friend
by Rachelle Graber
I got home one evening after a hard day of work and just wanted to lay around and do basically nothing. So I flopped myself down in front of the little black box called the television. Not seeing something that interested me at first glance I began flipping through the channels. Passing from commercials to news to more shows that were of no interest to me, I kept flipping through. I came to a channel with a music video on it. It was Disney channel. Yes, I'm a dork and sometimes watch The Disney channel (admit it, you all do it sometimes), but the thing that attracted me to it at that moment was the song that they were playing. The song was called "Gift of a Friend" sung by Demi Lovato.
Now let me tell you that this kind of hit me in the face a little bit. Not even realizing it, Disney channel and Demi Lovato hit me with a lesson in my faith. Let me explain. The chorus of the song is "The world comes to life, and everything's bright, From beginning to end, when you have a friend by your side, the helps you to find, the beauty you are, when you open your heart and believe in the gift of a friend." Now through the past couple years of my teenage life I've always felt like I never really fit with anyone. Girls in particular. I don't have the kind of friendship that would be there forever. The friendships I have are just aquaintances. I don't feel like my friends are friends that I could talk to about anything. And the closer friends I have, have their own "best" friends already.
Now, "how in the world does this song teach a lesson of faith?" you ask.
The song, especially the chorus, made me realize that I do have a best friend. I have the greatest best friend of all. I have Jesus. No matter what I do he will always be my best friend. He gave his life so that He could be my best friend and so I could tell Him anything. Not only that, He sees me as the beautiful girl I am instead of the way of the world, which makes me feel inferior. He gave me the gift of HIS friendship. His eternal, wonderful, powerful friendship. And so, Disney channel taught me that I have the Gift of the greatest friend I could possibly have. I have the Lord Jesus Christ as me eternal best friend.
And that's how Disney channel taught me a lesson about my faith.
Tata for now, and maybe I'll have the privilege to write here again soon!
Rachelle :)
I got home one evening after a hard day of work and just wanted to lay around and do basically nothing. So I flopped myself down in front of the little black box called the television. Not seeing something that interested me at first glance I began flipping through the channels. Passing from commercials to news to more shows that were of no interest to me, I kept flipping through. I came to a channel with a music video on it. It was Disney channel. Yes, I'm a dork and sometimes watch The Disney channel (admit it, you all do it sometimes), but the thing that attracted me to it at that moment was the song that they were playing. The song was called "Gift of a Friend" sung by Demi Lovato.
Now let me tell you that this kind of hit me in the face a little bit. Not even realizing it, Disney channel and Demi Lovato hit me with a lesson in my faith. Let me explain. The chorus of the song is "The world comes to life, and everything's bright, From beginning to end, when you have a friend by your side, the helps you to find, the beauty you are, when you open your heart and believe in the gift of a friend." Now through the past couple years of my teenage life I've always felt like I never really fit with anyone. Girls in particular. I don't have the kind of friendship that would be there forever. The friendships I have are just aquaintances. I don't feel like my friends are friends that I could talk to about anything. And the closer friends I have, have their own "best" friends already.
Now, "how in the world does this song teach a lesson of faith?" you ask.
The song, especially the chorus, made me realize that I do have a best friend. I have the greatest best friend of all. I have Jesus. No matter what I do he will always be my best friend. He gave his life so that He could be my best friend and so I could tell Him anything. Not only that, He sees me as the beautiful girl I am instead of the way of the world, which makes me feel inferior. He gave me the gift of HIS friendship. His eternal, wonderful, powerful friendship. And so, Disney channel taught me that I have the Gift of the greatest friend I could possibly have. I have the Lord Jesus Christ as me eternal best friend.
And that's how Disney channel taught me a lesson about my faith.
Tata for now, and maybe I'll have the privilege to write here again soon!
Rachelle :)
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
This is Home
by Pastor Nick
This past weekend we kicked off our 2009-10 school year in student ministries by hosting a family worship service. With over 350 middle school students, high school students, and parents the morning was an overwhelming success.
We tried to crystalize who we are for students and families. Casting vision for the year and what God can do this school year. Last year we moved into a new facility and there was so much buzz about the building...but I enjoyed this year's kickoff more. It was more about people and lives changed. It was about reaching more students, it's about celebrating God's presence, it's about growing together, & about acting for Jesus in other's lives. We boil our ministry down to these 4 blocks that we build our 'home' on...building off the foundational mission of Jesus to develop fully devoted followers of Christ:
BLOCK 1: RELATIONSHIP EVANGELISM - it's our desire to equip and empower students to reach their friends through genuine and authentic relationships.
BLOCK 2: STUDENT WORSHIP - weekly gathering of students to celebrate God's presence in our lives and learn what God says about our daily lives in the Word.
BLOCK 3: SMALL GROUPS - is the backbone to who we are. Students grow where they are connected and these groups foster a commitment to the life together.
BLOCK 4: STUDENT LEADERSHIP - focusing on Jesus' model of 'servant leadership' we see leadership development both as a program and an initiative.
There are more 'things' we do that supplement & support these blocks, but once a student is around these blocks they have a sense of belonging and a place to make spiritual memories...that's a spiritual home. That's Wooster Grace Student Ministries.
Sunday after all the people left, cards were collected, lights turned off I read one student's response to the morning. From a single parent home, without much spiritual influence in life he wrote, "This is my spiritual home, thanks!" I guess for him the vision is a reality...this is HOME!
This past weekend we kicked off our 2009-10 school year in student ministries by hosting a family worship service. With over 350 middle school students, high school students, and parents the morning was an overwhelming success.
We tried to crystalize who we are for students and families. Casting vision for the year and what God can do this school year. Last year we moved into a new facility and there was so much buzz about the building...but I enjoyed this year's kickoff more. It was more about people and lives changed. It was about reaching more students, it's about celebrating God's presence, it's about growing together, & about acting for Jesus in other's lives. We boil our ministry down to these 4 blocks that we build our 'home' on...building off the foundational mission of Jesus to develop fully devoted followers of Christ:
BLOCK 1: RELATIONSHIP EVANGELISM - it's our desire to equip and empower students to reach their friends through genuine and authentic relationships.
BLOCK 2: STUDENT WORSHIP - weekly gathering of students to celebrate God's presence in our lives and learn what God says about our daily lives in the Word.
BLOCK 3: SMALL GROUPS - is the backbone to who we are. Students grow where they are connected and these groups foster a commitment to the life together.
BLOCK 4: STUDENT LEADERSHIP - focusing on Jesus' model of 'servant leadership' we see leadership development both as a program and an initiative.
There are more 'things' we do that supplement & support these blocks, but once a student is around these blocks they have a sense of belonging and a place to make spiritual memories...that's a spiritual home. That's Wooster Grace Student Ministries.
Sunday after all the people left, cards were collected, lights turned off I read one student's response to the morning. From a single parent home, without much spiritual influence in life he wrote, "This is my spiritual home, thanks!" I guess for him the vision is a reality...this is HOME!
This is Home from Wooster Grace Students on Vimeo.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Do I really need to know that??
by: Rachel Snyder
I'm sure all of you come across the facebook messages, notes and wall post SURVEYS that ask you embarrassing questions and/or annoying questions about yourself that NOBODY really needs to know about you (and the ones that would be interesting you leave blank....I know, I do it too.) But, hey, maybe that's the point.....maybe it's interesting b/c we feel like nobody else knows what we're reading about you (even though we have 20 tagged friends in view as we read the post on the right side panel in the note). Dispite my doubts and since everybody I talk to seems to enjoy these notes sooo much....I want you to know 3 things you probably don't know about me, Rachel Snyder, HSM Ministry Assistant.
1. I say a few words a bit differently than EVERYBODY else...I guess.
For instance...... you say "orange juice" --- I say, "ornch-juice"
Or....................... you say "milk" ---------- I say, "melk"
Last one............ you say "down stairs" --- I say, "downt stairs"
So what? I think YOU say words "funny" too.
2. I love eating frosted flakes on my ice cream. Try it. It's incredible.
Last but not least...
3. I ashamedly admit that when I'm in the car by myself ... I listen to Delilah....you know "love someone...requests and dedications. I'm really not one for the mushy-gushy stuff of life...I'm not really one for soft-rock either. But there's something about her that MAKES me listen. Yeah, I bet you never would have guessed that one.
I'm sure all of you come across the facebook messages, notes and wall post SURVEYS that ask you embarrassing questions and/or annoying questions about yourself that NOBODY really needs to know about you (and the ones that would be interesting you leave blank....I know, I do it too.) But, hey, maybe that's the point.....maybe it's interesting b/c we feel like nobody else knows what we're reading about you (even though we have 20 tagged friends in view as we read the post on the right side panel in the note). Dispite my doubts and since everybody I talk to seems to enjoy these notes sooo much....I want you to know 3 things you probably don't know about me, Rachel Snyder, HSM Ministry Assistant.
1. I say a few words a bit differently than EVERYBODY else...I guess.
For instance...... you say "orange juice" --- I say, "ornch-juice"
Or....................... you say "milk" ---------- I say, "melk"
Last one............ you say "down stairs" --- I say, "downt stairs"
So what? I think YOU say words "funny" too.
2. I love eating frosted flakes on my ice cream. Try it. It's incredible.
Last but not least...
3. I ashamedly admit that when I'm in the car by myself ... I listen to Delilah....you know "love someone...requests and dedications. I'm really not one for the mushy-gushy stuff of life...I'm not really one for soft-rock either. But there's something about her that MAKES me listen. Yeah, I bet you never would have guessed that one.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
What a day for a Baptism
There's just something about it. I can't explain it. I've tried to a couple people, but I come up short and I usually end up sputtering out cliche phrases and rhetoric that doesn't even come CLOSE to what my heart is trying to say. But as much as I can, I will recap our church baptism service in a bulleted list (which will hopefully help with readability).
- I got the chance to baptize my wife. Two words: Uh-Mazing. For me, it was such a blessing to baptize her because of the heart of the woman in the water. In addition to her declaring in front of our church that she is a dedicated follower of Jesus, she was telling them that she is committed to the church that has believed in me to lead the 7th and 8th graders. She was saying to me and them that she believes in me and even though she tells me that A LOT, it was an amazing feeling to see her do it in this way. I love you, Amber.
- I also had the opportunity to baptize my two cousins (both of which are in 8th grade and in my ministry). Watching them grow up and having them use me as a jungle gym when they were younger, this also has a special place in my heart. Having a unique perspective on their stories because I've had a front-row seat for most of it, it was hard for me to hold it together as one of them broke reading the other's testimony. It has been an awesome experience so far having them in my ministry. Whether it's chats at Sam's, Kalahari, Beyond, Echoing Hills, I'm SO proud of them and am looking forward to seeing where God leads them in the years to come.
- During the summer, we had talked about The Church on Sunday morning and one of the application points was identifying with the Head of the Church (Jesus) through baptism. And that day I challenged the 7th and 8th graders to lead the church and show up in a big way by having at least 10 students get baptized at the upcoming service (which was 3 days ago). We had some good interest, but I wasn't sure what that would translate into as far as people actually getting in the water. I was BLOWN AWAY at how the students took the challenge. And overall, with students either as a family, with a sibling, or by themselves, there were 11 7th and 8th graders who got in the water and declared publicly that Jesus was their savior and they wanted to live for Him. Way to go, students!
- What a day for a baptism. What a day for Student Ministries. What a day for our church. If you've got any stories or anything, please feel free to leave them in the comments section.
- I got the chance to baptize my wife. Two words: Uh-Mazing. For me, it was such a blessing to baptize her because of the heart of the woman in the water. In addition to her declaring in front of our church that she is a dedicated follower of Jesus, she was telling them that she is committed to the church that has believed in me to lead the 7th and 8th graders. She was saying to me and them that she believes in me and even though she tells me that A LOT, it was an amazing feeling to see her do it in this way. I love you, Amber.
- I also had the opportunity to baptize my two cousins (both of which are in 8th grade and in my ministry). Watching them grow up and having them use me as a jungle gym when they were younger, this also has a special place in my heart. Having a unique perspective on their stories because I've had a front-row seat for most of it, it was hard for me to hold it together as one of them broke reading the other's testimony. It has been an awesome experience so far having them in my ministry. Whether it's chats at Sam's, Kalahari, Beyond, Echoing Hills, I'm SO proud of them and am looking forward to seeing where God leads them in the years to come.
- During the summer, we had talked about The Church on Sunday morning and one of the application points was identifying with the Head of the Church (Jesus) through baptism. And that day I challenged the 7th and 8th graders to lead the church and show up in a big way by having at least 10 students get baptized at the upcoming service (which was 3 days ago). We had some good interest, but I wasn't sure what that would translate into as far as people actually getting in the water. I was BLOWN AWAY at how the students took the challenge. And overall, with students either as a family, with a sibling, or by themselves, there were 11 7th and 8th graders who got in the water and declared publicly that Jesus was their savior and they wanted to live for Him. Way to go, students!
- What a day for a baptism. What a day for Student Ministries. What a day for our church. If you've got any stories or anything, please feel free to leave them in the comments section.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
HSM Retreat 2/2
by Ben Framstad
The Retreat went SO well. On Saturday night, the whole group boarded the bus with little idea of what they were going to do. We drove up north to Norwayne High School and then we gave instructions. We were stopping at some select high schools that night and at every high school, every student who attended the school we stopped at would get out and pray in front of their school. The rest of the students would stay on the bus and pray for those students, that they'd make an eternal impact at their school. This part of the night was so powerful.
We stopped at Norwayne, Career Center (representing other schools of students on our trip), Smithville, Triway, and Wooster. By the end we were all thinking "on mission" ready to live for Jesus this coming school year and love our friends so much that they see Jesus in us.
In the morning, our group had a wonderful breakfast followed by communion. We talked about how forgetting what God has done can lead us to sin. The nation of Israel stumbled and fell when they failed to remember. So we broke bread together and remembered God's goodness to us through the cross of Jesus Christ. Students were then sent out to do a prayer walk around the church, lifting up every ministry and service toward God, submitting to His will for the morning.
HSM that morning included a special guest worship leader, Richard Jordan. You can hear him by visiting his myspace. He led music and did a great job. Nick delivered a knock out sermon on sharing Jesus with our friends.
Now, we wait and see what God will do this school year: through us...and in us.
The Retreat went SO well. On Saturday night, the whole group boarded the bus with little idea of what they were going to do. We drove up north to Norwayne High School and then we gave instructions. We were stopping at some select high schools that night and at every high school, every student who attended the school we stopped at would get out and pray in front of their school. The rest of the students would stay on the bus and pray for those students, that they'd make an eternal impact at their school. This part of the night was so powerful.
We stopped at Norwayne, Career Center (representing other schools of students on our trip), Smithville, Triway, and Wooster. By the end we were all thinking "on mission" ready to live for Jesus this coming school year and love our friends so much that they see Jesus in us.
In the morning, our group had a wonderful breakfast followed by communion. We talked about how forgetting what God has done can lead us to sin. The nation of Israel stumbled and fell when they failed to remember. So we broke bread together and remembered God's goodness to us through the cross of Jesus Christ. Students were then sent out to do a prayer walk around the church, lifting up every ministry and service toward God, submitting to His will for the morning.
HSM that morning included a special guest worship leader, Richard Jordan. You can hear him by visiting his myspace. He led music and did a great job. Nick delivered a knock out sermon on sharing Jesus with our friends.
Now, we wait and see what God will do this school year: through us...and in us.
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