Summer Break

The Blog will be on a summer break until we gather again in the fall. We've got a number of events planned for the summer (see the list to the left), so we hope to see you there!

Be sure to check back to the blog in a few months for more updates, pictures, and God-thoughts.

End of Year Picnic

This coming Sunday, June 13th, we'll have our annual end of the year picnic and pool party at the Lennon's place from 1230pm 'til 230pm. We'll provide the hot dogs, hamburgers, and drinks; students are asked to bring a snack to share with the group.

We'll have a great time eating, hanging out, swimming, and doing a few get-to-know-you games with the upcoming 5th graders. This is always a great event, one you won't want to miss. Hope to see you there!

Last "Regular" YG of the Year

Hope to see you all on Sunday night (6/6) for our last regular youth group meeting of the year. Next week (6/13) we'll have our annual end of the year picnic at the Lennon's place, and then take a few weeks off before kicking off our summer schedule. Check back soon for the posting of that summer schedule.

Hope to see lots of you on Sunday night!

No Youth Group This Week

A quick reminder that we won't be having Youth Group this week, as it's Memorial Day weekend. Have a great week and we'll see you next Sunday for our last "regular" youth group of the year!

Weekend in review

We had a great weekend doing our annual 30 Hour Famine. As promised, here's a link to the pictures from the weekend. Enjoy!

Don't forget that we're bowling this weekend with the Young Explorers. We'll meet at Earl Bowl at 545pm. See you there!

God thought - Bible #12

Read
Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. -Matthew 7:24

Reflect
Do you have a little brother, sister, niece, or nephew who likes to play with wooden or Lego blocks? If so, you have probably watched them build a tower or another tall structure. The taller the tower, the more it begins to wobble. If the child is lucky, the tower hangs around long enough to get destroyed by a well-placed flying roundhouse kick. If the child is not lucky, the tower gets so wobbly that it crashes to the floor. If you watch young children build these structures, you'll quickly notice one thing: in most cases, these tall towers have a very shaky foundation. As the kids build higher, the tower simply does not have a base sturdy enough to support its weight.

Read Matthew 7:24-27. Matthew records Jesus teaching about the necessity of having a great foundation. The metaphor of solid rock vs. shifting sand speaks to the idea of faith and obedience. Verse 24 tells us that hearing the Word of the Lord and obeying what it says is a characteristic of a wise man. Those who do not take the Word seriously are called foolish.

This passage is about obedience; it's about doing, not just listening, to God's Word. But it's not just about obedience. It's also about being prepared. We must be prepared for the trials and storms that come into our lives. We as Christians are not promised a smooth life without trouble. We live in a sinful world with consequences. Knowing God's Word and living through obedience to His commands prepares us for trials.

So...how much time do you spend in the Word? How well are you doing at practicing obedience to God's Word?

Respond
1. Compare your faith to Jesus' metaphor. Is your faith "rock solid" or "soft as sand?"

2. How can trials make your faith stronger?

3. Describe how you grew closer to Christ through a tough time in your life.

4. Pray that God would show you where your foundation needs repair. Ask the Spirit to show you any weak areas you need to shore up. Thank God for His Word.

Funny/Amazing/Painful Video Thursday

Hope to see you all at youth group on Sunday night. We'll be meeting at our regular place (QUMC) at the regular time (6-8pm). We'll have a time of worship, an outside game, an inside game, a lesson, snack, and time to hang out with friends. See you there!

A few other quick announcements:

1) Saturday is the church's Spring Cleanup Day, starting at 9am. It'd be great if a few of you could make it, to help out around the church (and possible in the youth room!).

2) In two weekends is the church-wide prayer vigil. Mary Schwer has asked me to specifically talk to the youth about it -- the church really values the youth group as an important part of the church, and they're actively seeking for us to join them in praying for the church. Please think about signing up for a slot (maybe with a parent) at the prayer vigil.

3) The 30 Hour Famine is coming up next weekend! Keep working on getting donations and get ready for a great time at a lock-in with a purpose. If you haven't signed up yet, please do so ASAP. Here is who we have signed up right now: Rachel Lennon, Becca Lennon, Anisha Wilson, Christine Sterner, Jen Sterner, Ally Sterner, Seth Gray, Zach Gray, Spenser Gray, Jake Swearingen, Brian Benes, Nicole Umstead. If your name isn't on this list but you're planning on coming (I hope there are lots of you out there), let me know!

Have a great rest of your week, and we'll see you this weekend! For now, enjoy our video of the week! If you've got some extra time and lots of extra sticky notes, here's how you can use them both... :)