CEFC Student Ministries

Serving at the Victory Center

2011-12-06T14:06:00.001-06:00

Calling All Students! Come help us serve a meal at the Victory Center. We need your help in the meal prep--so those who can, come to the church around 3 PM and help us prepare and package the meal. Everyone else who can serve, meet at the church around 4:15 PM. We must be at the Victory Center set up and ready to serve at 5 PM. We will see you on Monday, December 12th.

2011-08-16T17:13:00.003-05:00

Storm High School students will kick off the fall with a 9 week study entitled Experiencing God. This epic study will teach you to know God’s will and do it. This study will literally transform your relationship with God. This study will be taught in small-group format, led by small group leaders. Invite your friends to join you in this study. All the fun begins Wednesday evening, August 24th at 7 PM.

Middle School Fall Retreat

2011-08-16T11:32:00.002-05:00

Middle School Fall Retreat: Attention all 6th through 8th graders! Our annual 628 retreat is right around the corner--Septemeber 9-11 at Camp Shalom. Cost is $42 per student. See Pastor John for more details. Be sure to come and invite a friend!

Baptisms in the Mississippi

2011-08-16T11:06:00.001-05:00

Moving Up Family Cook-Out and Baptism

2011-07-29T11:33:00.003-05:00

We would like to invite the entire church body to come out and celebrate the Summer Wrap-up. On Wednesday, August 10th from 6 to 9 PM we will have our annual “Moving-Up” Family Cook-Out. This year we will all meet at Lynn and Laurie Wiese’s home on the Mississippi River (15161 Vans Road, Albany, IL). At this time, we will officially promote our students to the next grade level. All students and their families are invited. Also, we will have something special this year: Baptisms in the Mississippi River. Three of our youth and three adults (so far) are scheduled to be baptized that evening. If you have not yet been baptized and desire to do so, contact Pastor John or Pastor Tom as soon as possible. We will provide burgers and hot dogs, chips, and drinks. We ask that each family bring a dish to share with everyone. There will be plenty of games and fun for the youth and their families. Mark your calendar now and come out and join the fun and fellowship! Please RSVP the office by Sunday, August 7th with your name and number of family members attending in order that we have enough food for everyone.

Joplin Relief Mission Trip

2011-06-30T10:40:00.002-05:00

In lieu of our previously selected Denver Trip; we feel the greater need is in Joplin, MO which was devastated by an F5 tornado. We are sending a team of adults and several youth to Joplin to aid in the relief effort. Our team is full at this present time. Hopefully, if there is interest after this trip, we may send another team in August. We will be staying at The Mystery Church in the heart of Joplin. Our team will depart on Monday, July 18 and return on Saturday, July 23. We are planning several training sessions prior to our departure. See Pastor John, or Mike Ketelsen for more information.

Here is the audio of our team reporting to our church about our Joplin experience: http://clinton-efree.org/sermons/?sermon_id=32

Joplin Article--Click to Enlarge

2011-06-30T10:32:00.002-05:00

Click to Enlarge

2011-06-30T10:31:00.001-05:00

SOUL SURFER MOVIE

2011-04-07T15:57:00.003-05:00

We would like to go see this as a youth group--possibly on a Wednesday evening. Who's in?

2011-03-31T21:27:00.002-05:00

Girls Only Conference

2011-03-25T11:05:00.002-05:00

The Third Annual Girls Only Conference will soon be here! On Saturday, April 9th, from 9am to 3pm in our church fellowship hall we will once again, host our Girls Only Conference. Ten churches have been invited to come and we want all of our girls to invite their friends to this event. We have a fantastic guest speaker scheduled to come and share with us. Ashley Romig currently works for a Taylor's Closet, a non-profit organization in Fort Lauderdale, FL. However, she and her husband, Scott, are preparing to move to the Middle East full time. Ashley says that her relationship with God exploded when she was 14 years old and she has never been the same. She has traveled around the globe to share God’s love with others. Recently, she spent a year in North Africa and she is eagerly anticipating her return to the Muslim world. Our theme for the conference is “Heart throb: What does your heart beat for?” It is designed for you to understand God’s call on your life, and to challenge you in your relationship with Christ. All girls in grades 6 to grades 12 are encouraged to attend this event. The cost is $15 per student. You will be served a great lunch that includes a Garden Salad and Bread, your choice of Angel-hair pasta (either Meat Marina or Chicken Broccoli Alfredo), a dessert, and a drink. There will be teaching, praise songs, some games, and some wonderful door prizes. Won’t you and your friends join us for this extraordinary event? Please sign up with Pastor John before Friday, April 5th.

DENVER SUMMER MISSION TRIP

2011-03-22T11:28:00.001-05:00

CLICK HERE for all the Summer Mission Trip to Denver info!

BROOMBALL! Chic-fil-A ! TONIGHT

2011-03-21T11:36:00.000-05:00

CLICK for the info! IT's TONIGHT! Friday, March 25!

Wisdom & Safety Night Video

2011-03-20T11:20:00.001-05:00

Wisdom & Safety Night

2011-02-17T15:03:00.000-06:00

Ever had a question for a cop but was afraid to ask? Do you know when to call 911? What do you know about "sexting"? Did you know "sexting" is a criminal offense? What about under-aged drinking? What about curfew?

Every student in Grades 6 to 12 and their parents are encouraged to come out on Wednesday evening, March 9th at 7 PM for the "Wisdom & Safety Night". Two officers from the Clinton Police Department will be here to do several K-9 demonstrations, explore a Patrol Car, inform you on current safety issues, and answer your questions. We will meet in the Fellowship Hall and finish up around 9 PM. Be sure to invite your friends!

BROOMBALL! Chic-fil-A !

2011-02-17T13:24:00.001-06:00

High School Students: On Friday, March 25 at 7 PM--we are meeting in the parking lot to carpool to Chic-fil-A in Davenport to eat. Bring your money to eat at Chic-fil-A (around $9). Then we will go to The River's Edge (700 W. River Drive) in Davenport to play Broomball with other QCA youth groups. Cost for Broomball is only $5. If you would like to ice skate--skate rental is an additional $2. We will return back to the church parking lot around Midnight. INVITE YOUR FRIENDS!!

MOVIE NIGHT

2010-12-17T15:44:00.001-06:00

Storm Movie Night: Friday, January 14th. 7 PM to 10 PM. GIRLS bring the munchie snacks, BOYS bring the drinks!

High School Winter Retreat

2010-12-17T15:02:00.000-06:00

High School Winter Retreat is Coming! Sign Up Now! Price is only $65 if you act NOW! Dates are Friday, January 28 through Sunday, January 30. You DON'T want to miss this!

Youth Christmas Caroling 2010

2010-12-17T14:27:00.000-06:00

FOOD DRIVE !

2010-10-22T14:08:00.000-05:00

Steak Dinner Fundraiser !

2010-10-22T13:48:00.002-05:00

HAYRACK RIDES

2010-10-06T12:02:00.002-05:00

628 will meet in the Church Parking Lot this Sunday,

October 10th at 4:30 PM to go to the Shaff Farm for their Hayrack Ride and Bonfire. Bring your own drink!

STORM High School Youth Group will have their Hayrack Ride on Wednesday, October 13th. Meet in our Parking Lot at 5:30 PM. We will be heading out to the Rus Farm in Albany, IL. Bring your favorite drink.

EVERYONE INVITE A FRIEND. Hot Dogs and S'mores will be provided.

SYATP 2010

2010-09-14T11:02:00.003-05:00

CANOE TRIP

2010-08-24T15:16:00.000-05:00

Depending on river conditions, we plan to take our annual Canoe Trip on the Maquoketa River on Saturday, September 4. As soon as more details become available, they will be posted here. Save the Date: Saturday, September 4th.

*The river has flooded and is experiencing sediment issues. Will update ASAP.

"To Save A LIfe" Screening

2010-08-24T14:55:00.000-05:00

If you missed the original screening of "To Save A Life" or you want to watch it again (and invite a friend), we will be attending a FREE showing of this movie at First Free Church in Moline on Saturday, September 11th.

*FREE but please bring some money so we can all enjoy a meal together at a local restaurant in Davenport. (Qdoba or Pancheros or Chic-fil-A).

We will depart the Church Parking Lot at 5 PM on that Saturday, in order to grab a bite to eat before the film.

ALL Students AND Parents are welcome to join us.

SEE YOU AT THE POLE

2010-08-24T14:47:00.004-05:00

The annual See You At The Pole will take place on your school campus (around the Flag Pole) about 45-30 minutes prior to your school day starting. The day is Wednesday, September 22. This will be a time of prayer for your school, your friends, and your teachers. This is a powerful statement of your faith to your friends and teachers--and you may be surprised to find your other friends there too.

There will be an After Rally at Heritage Church in Rock Island. We will be departing from the Church Parking Lot at 5:30 PM that Wednesday evening. Plan to bring some money to eat out at Red Robin in Davenport on our way back.

628 Fall Retreat

2010-08-24T14:36:00.000-05:00

628 Fall Retreat at Camp Shalom in Maquoketa begins Friday, September 24 and ends Sunday, September 26. Cost is $48 per student. This will be a great weekend of team-building and a fantastic way to kick-off the Fall. Meet at the Church Parking Lot that Friday at 5:30 PM to load up and head out! See Pastor John for more details.

"MOVING UP" Family Cook-Out

2010-07-27T10:03:00.000-05:00

Our Annual "Moving Up" Family Cook-Out will be held on Friday, August 6 from 6PM to 8PM. ALL families of students entering Sixth Grade to Twelfth Grade this fall are invited to come out to this event. Please RSVP Pastor John or the Church Office a number of how many are planning to attend. Please RSVP by Wednesday, August 4.

SIX FLAGS GREAT AMERICA

2010-07-01T11:06:00.011-05:00

PRICE CUT! Now $60
We are planning a trip to Six Flags Great America in Chicagoland. The trip is planned for Monday, August 2. We will meet in the church parking lot at 6:30 AM and depart as soon as everyone is loaded into the Charter Bus. There are only 30 seats available on the Charter Bus. Bus tickets are $33 dollars each and Park tickets are $33 dollars each = bringing the total to $66 Now $60! dollars per person. This is cheaper than the $70 dollar ticket at the gate! We MUST sell the 30 seats. Sign up and bring your $33 deposit Pastor John by Wednesday, July 21. This trip is open to ANYONE in our church. You can invite your friends and Pastor John may also let area youth groups know about this trip in order to sell the 30 seats. Hurry! Limited Seating! What A Day of Fun!! You will need extra money for your food and drinks. We may even hold a Car Wash Fundraiser to offset some of the cost of the Bus. Total cost can be reduced based on the money earned from the Car Wash.

COSMIC BOWLING

2010-07-01T10:57:00.004-05:00

It's time for Cosmic Bowling. This event is for BOTH 628 and Storm. It will be held on Saturday, July 10th from 9 PM to 11 PM. Bring $11 dollars to be on the safe side. Bring your friends. Let Pastor John know if you are going.

FREE LUNCH FRIDAY

2010-07-01T10:54:00.002-05:00

The next Free Lunch Friday will be held on Friday, July 16th from noon to 2 PM outside the gym. Come on out, bring a friend, and enjoy some burgers and dogs. We will play Sand Volleyball and Ultimate Frisbee. Absolutely FREE Event.

SERVICE PROJECT

2010-07-01T10:46:00.005-05:00

Come on out and lend a hand on Saturday, July 17th from 8 AM to 3 PM. The project house is located at 29th Ave North and North Second Street in Clinton. YOU MUST complete the Volunteer Sign-Up Sheet. See Pastor John for details. Free Lunch is provided.

FREE LumberKings Game

2010-06-03T13:44:00.002-05:00

Attention All Youth: 628 & Storm! Free LumberKings Tickets for Friday, June 11th at 7 PM. See Pastor John for the tickets. Invite a friend. We will meet at the gate at 6:30 PM--bring your ticket that you get from Pastor John.

LIFE HURTS, God Heals...Continues

2010-05-26T12:29:00.002-05:00

Tonight at Storm, as part of our Life Hurts, God Heals study--we will be viewing and discussing this powerful DVD talk by Louie Giglio--"Hope: When Life Hurts Most". What do you cling to or where do you turn when life seems to crumble down around you? Tonight, we will look to the cross.

You do not want to miss this session. Make sure you bring a friend.

INCREDIBLE PIZZA

2010-05-19T14:03:00.005-05:00

Attention all 628 & Storm Students:

We will meet in the Church Parking Lot at 4:30 PM on this Sunday, May 23 to head down to Davenport to Incredible Pizza! We will return between 8 and 8:30 PM to our Church Parking Lot.

The cost is $15 for All-You-Can-Eat Buffet and a $10 game card. We can play Laser Tag, Mini-Bowling, Mini-Golf, or Bumper Cars plus a plethora of video arcade games! You can Invite Your Friends, because everyone wants to be invited somewhere and what a great event to invite them to. Let Pastor John know if you are attending.

Congrats Grads!!

2010-05-13T11:13:00.003-05:00

Congratulations to the Class of 2010! Good Luck and Study Hard to our Grads:
Sherry N. * Matt J. * John H. * John M. * Natalie B. * Wendy VP. *
Graduation Sunday is Sunday, May 23.

Gorilla !!

2010-04-30T10:21:00.002-05:00

A random Gorilla at the UNITE Retreat.

MOVIE NIGHT for 628 & Storm

2010-04-30T09:58:00.002-05:00

Friday Evening, May 14th from 7pm to 9pm come on out to the Youth Room for Hot Dogs with all the fixin's, chips, and drinks as we watch the movie the "Blind Side". Bring a friend--even if you've seen the movie, it's worth seeing again.

Life Hurts, God Heals

2010-04-30T09:39:00.003-05:00

Storm will begin a new study starting in June on Wednesday nights 7pm to 9pm. When life crumbles around you, where do you turn? When you've been wounded by a broken relationship, how do you handle it? This study will give you life tools to help you heal those hurts and help you as you struggle through this thing called "life". From May 12 to May 26, we will be walking through 3 weeks of lessons entitled "Scarred" in order to prepare us for "Life Hurts, God Heals". Make sure you and your friends come out to learn from these life lessons.

628 Fun Night

2010-03-21T17:41:00.003-05:00

Come out and join us for a Middle School Fun Night. We plan on sharing this fun night with First United Methodist Church (Jeremy Penn's Group). This will be held Friday Evening, April 16th from 7 PM to 9 PM. Be sure to invite a friend!!

Passion 2011 Live Link

2010-03-04T09:57:00.003-06:00

Passion 2011 Live Link. March 8. 7 PM to 9:30 PM at the McClungs' House. Hot Wings & Snacks.

The Passion 2011 Live Link will unite the 268 Generation around the world through the power of the internet. In addition to singing some of the new songs from Passion: Awakening, we’ll be praying together and talking about plans for Passion 2011.

All you need to be a part of the Passion 2011 Live Link is a internet connection! [A high speed connection will help.] You might be joining us all alone from your dorm, with a group of friends at your church or with your whole ministry group at an on-campus location. We have already heard from students who are planning to link in from their spring break mission project in Guatemala. So wherever/however you link with us, the whole idea is that you not miss this night!

Taco Bar Luncheon Fundraiser

2010-02-23T13:30:00.002-06:00

Our students will be selling 10 tickets each to our Taco Bar Luncheon. The proceeds will assist our students in attending the Unite 2010 Retreat in April. The luncheon will be held at noon on Sunday, March 14th. Adults $6
Children aged 8 and under $3
Open to All. Please join us.

2010-02-23T13:24:00.002-06:00

Winter Jam 2010 -- iWireless Center--Friday, March 12--$10--Doors Open at 6PM
We will be leaving the Church Parking Lot at 5:15 PM on that Friday.
You Don't Want to Miss This Concert! NewsBoys, Third Day, Tenth Avenue North, Fireflight, and more!

The Truth Project -- Storm High School Students

2010-02-02T10:37:00.005-06:00

Storm High School Youth are about to embark on a challenging study--The Truth Project. What is Truth and how do you know that it's correct?

Focus on the Family says this about The Truth Project:

"In a recent study, the Barna Research Group revealed a stunning statistic that continues to reverberate throughout the evangelical world. Only 9 percent of professing Christians have a biblical worldview.

Because of this, today's believers live very similarly to non-believers. A personal sense of significance is rarely experienced, we spend our money and time on things that fail to satisfy and we begin to wonder what life's ultimate purpose really is. We are, in short, losing our bearings as a people and a nation.

To counter this slide within the body of Christ, we are launching one of the most ambitious and powerful projects in the history of our ministry—Focus on the Family's The Truth Project.

The Truth Project is a DVD-based small group curriculum comprised of 12 one-hour lessons taught by Dr. Del Tackett. This study is the starting point for looking at life from a biblical perspective. Each lesson discusses in great detail the relevance and importance of living the Christian worldview in daily life.

We believe this one project represents the possibility for exponential change within the body of Christ, as we expect that thousands will be transformed by this curriculum. As it has been throughout history, God continues to call ordinary people to make an eternal difference in our world."

Come out to Storm Youth Group, every Wednesday beginning at 7 PM. You won't want to miss out on this study! Bring your friends!

Annual Valentines Banquet

2010-02-02T10:22:00.005-06:00

We need your help! All High School Youth--help us out for the Annual Valentines Banquet. We need you to serve tables and a two girls for child care. Servers need to wear a white top and khaki pants (a bit different this year). You will need to report to the church kitchen at 5:15 PM on Friday, February 12. This is a great way to serve our folks at the church! See you there!

Planet Wisdom

2010-02-02T10:05:00.005-06:00

You do NOT want to miss this opportunity! We will
be attending Planet Wisdom, Live Via Satellite
on Friday, February 19 and Saturday, February 20. We will be heading down to First Free Church in Moline for this exciting event: The Last 14 Hours of Christ's Life.
We will be departing our church parking lot at 4:45 PM on Friday evening--we will be having a Pizza Party there & it starts at 5:30 PM--the actual conference starts at 7 PM (so, if you need to come late--no problem). On Saturday morning we will depart our parking lot at 7 AM to get down there by 8:30 AM. The cost is $15 per student to cover all of your food. This is for Middle School & High School students. Let Pastor John know before Friday, February 12 if you will be going.

TO SAVE A LIFE Movie

2010-01-26T09:53:00.005-06:00

The movie grossed 1.5 million dollars this opening weekend (and it was shown only in 441 theaters--so you do the math). The theater in Moline had more ticket sales than the theater in Chicago!! The Moline theater has agreed to extend the showings through this upcoming weekend--So you can invite your friends out to see the movie--especially if they haven't seen it yet.

Don't know the warning signs of Suicide? Click Here

Did you know that suicide is the third leading cause of death among students aged 10 to 19?

BIG YOUTH WEEKEND AHEAD

2010-01-20T10:26:00.002-06:00

This Saturday @ 7 PM: Pizza, Dodge Ball, & Rod Handley *FREE*
Invite your friends

This Sunday: "To Save A Life" Movie. Departing from church parking lot at 2:45 to go to Moline to catch the 4:15 PM showing. Tickets are $7 and Pastor John has advance ordered tickets.

PARENTS: Important New Study Released

2010-01-20T10:23:00.002-06:00

Important new study released by the Kaiser Family Foundation on Media and Teens.

Click Here

2010-01-12T10:14:00.003-06:00

4:15 PM showing in Moline on Sunday, January 24.
See Pastor John for details and read post below.

2010-01-08T16:07:00.004-06:00

Our next big youth event is scheduled for Saturday, January 23 @ 7 PM. Nationally known author and speaker, Rod Handley, will be here to challenge our youth on Character, Integrity, and Accountability. We will be playing DodgeBall and eating Pizza beforehand. Invite a friend out to this event! This event is for Middle & High School Students!

TO SAVE A LIFE Movie

2010-01-08T15:54:00.006-06:00

We will be buying tickets soon. We will be attending the 4:15 showing of this movie on Sunday, January 24, 2010. Meet in the Church Parking Lot at 2:45 PM in order to carpool to Moline. The movie will be playing at Great Escape Movie Theater in Moline (John Deere Exit). This movie is rated PG-13 for content. Middle School parents are encouraged to view this movie with their students. Parents of Middle School students--please see Pastor John regarding the content of this movie. Parents are encouraged to view this movie with their Middle School students. For more information, contact Pastor John.

PARENTS: Controversial New Study Claims Spanking Your Child Leads to Better Adulthood

2010-01-08T15:29:00.002-06:00

I was spanked often!
Click Here for the Article

PARENT ADVICE: Help Your Teens Drive Safely

2010-01-08T15:25:00.000-06:00

Click Here for Article

POSSIBLE SEVERE WEATHER

2010-01-06T10:01:00.005-06:00

Storm Youth Group will go on as planned. Be Careful while you travel.

IMPACT Video

2010-01-05T18:02:00.007-06:00

IMPACT 2010

IMPACT Update #3

2010-01-04T22:58:00.008-06:00

We had a good weekend and a great speaker who challenged us to live for God and swim against the stream of our culture (Live the Backward Life).

We served at a local Women and Children's shelter. We sorted through donated items and tried to tidy up a bit. We also stuffed ourselves at Spaghetti Works.
And the girls went wild over the Jeremy Sanoski Band.

IMPACT Update #2

2010-01-01T22:08:00.005-06:00

This is the morning session of Day 2 of IMPACT. We had some awesome challenges put before us from Romans 12:1-2. The basic topic was purity. Offering ourselves and our bodies as living sacrifices in order to glorify God. The discussion questions were very relevant and thought-provoking. We had bagged lunches full of ham & swiss sandwiches, chips, & cookies. Next up--we go to a couple Break Out sessions of varying topics. This afternoon, we will do our service project and we are all looking forward to dinner this evening at Spaghetti Works! I plan on posting some video this evening of our day...stay tuned.

IMPACT Update #1

2010-01-01T22:08:00.004-06:00

We made it to IMPACT a bit late. Sherry's new Tom Tom tried to take us to Minnesota--but we made it to our correct destination. We entered the fist session just as the Jeremy Sanoski Band was wrapping up the opening worship songs. Our speaker, Jarrod Jones, spoke from the passage Romans 8:14-16. We are adopted as God's children and we can have an initmate relationship with Him--one so close that we can refer to Him as "Abba, Daddy". We can be released from our chains of sin. We then got in our small groups to discuss our questions...and then we hung out talking and playing cards....Tomorrow is a full day...stay tuned!

NEXT STOP...

2009-12-31T09:35:00.004-06:00

We will be heading to Des Moines this weekend to attend the annual EFCA Central District Winter Conference. The challenge for this year is living the "Backward Life". We will also be involved in doing a service project. Stay tuned to this blog as we update it occasionally all weekend...

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2009-12-29T17:07:00.003-06:00

Here's wishing you a blessed new year.We have many exciting upcoming events for the first quarter of the new year!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

2009-12-24T11:18:00.004-06:00

"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11

"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12

Hope to see everyone come out to the Christmas Eve Service starting at 7 PM.

Symphony of Lights

2009-12-15T15:39:00.004-06:00

Help us with our fundraiser! Students and Crafters: Please meet at Eagle Point Park on Wednesday, December 23 at 5PM to set up for the evening. The gates open to the public from 6PM to 9PM. We need ALL Storm Students there to help. Dress Warm!

2009-12-15T15:31:00.002-06:00

On Friday, January 1 please meet at the church parking lot at 2:30 PM in order to pack up and head out by 3 PM. We will be going to Des Moines, for the annual Central District Winter Conference. This booking is now closed. The students that are attending are Matt, Mel, Jenna, Jordan, Sherry, and Ashley.

Don't fret if you can not attend this retreat--Another one is planned for February--UNITE 2010. DON'T MISS IT (for Middle and High School).

PARENTS: Guide to Keeping Your Kids Safe Online

2009-12-10T10:01:00.001-06:00

Hey Parents: Here is an online guide about keeping your kids safe while they use the internet. It's really worth the read.

Click Here

NO STORM YOUTH GROUP DUE TO WEATHER

2009-12-08T22:17:00.003-06:00

Storm will not be held Wednesday Evening due to poor weather conditions.

Inclemate Weather Conditions

2009-12-07T18:39:00.004-06:00

If SCHOOLS are closed due to bad weather, then Storm will also be canceled.

Reminder!

2009-11-24T09:42:00.004-06:00

NO Storm or 628 this week! (Storm canceled Wed Nov 25) (628 canceled Sun Nov 29).

Crazy Love...Chapter 6

2009-11-19T09:38:00.006-06:00

The question from last night: "So, how many facebook friends do you have?" Some of you have up towards 400 friends. The next question was, "How many of your facebook friends know you love Jesus?"...even harder: "How many of your facebook friends love Jesus too?"

Now, there is a difference between saying that you love God and actually loving God. Sometimes we just get caught up in the concept of loving God, instead of having an actual love relationship with the Person, God. That's the crux between intimacy vs. reverence. Most of us understand that we are to love God, but it gets lost in that concept. We are called to be in a love relationship with God. That's what makes Christianity distinct from "religion". Christianity is a living, breathing love-relationship with our Creator and Savior and NOT a list of "do's" and "don't's" in order to manipulate or "buy" God's love. That actually insults God.

So, how do we move from the idea of loving God to actually doing it? Francis Chan paints a great picture regarding this application. He says that it is not about trying harder. Instead, he wants us to view it as a cycle. Chan says, "It is a remarkable cycle: Our prayers for more love result in love, which naturally causes us to pray more, which results in more love...you have to stop loving and pursing Christ in order to sin. When you are pursuing love, running toward Christ, you don't have the opportunity to wonder, Am I doing this right? or Did I serve enough this week? When you are running toward Christ, you are freed up to serve, love, and give thanks without guilt, worry, or fear. As long as you are running, you are safe." (p. 104)

So, it's time to move from the concept of reverence toward real intimacy with God. If you are not feeling it, get on your knees and pray. Ask God to give you His love in order to love Him back and others along with Him. Chase after Him. As long as you run toward Him, you won't have time to be distracted by sin. Let Him change you. Ask Him to change you.

Galatians 5:13-14

UPCOMING RETREATS:

2009-11-18T10:31:00.004-06:00

The first retreat is for High School Storm. It's the annual E-Free Retreat held in Des Moines. This upcoming one will be held January 1st to the 3rd, 2010. Cost is $119 per student. Bring extra money for activity and eating out.

The second retreat is for both Middle School 628 and High School Storm. It's called "UNITE 2010". It will be held at Grand Harbor Water Park Resort in Dubuque on February 5th, 6th, and 7th, 2010. Cost will be $120 per student.

CANCELLATIONS:

2009-11-17T11:19:00.001-06:00

NO 628 this Sunday, November 22 (due to Thanksgiving Meal at Church) and

NO 628 on Sunday, November 29.

NO STORM on Wednesday, November 25 (due to Thanksgiving Holiday).

See you after these dates.

Operation Christmas Child 2009

2009-11-17T09:45:00.004-06:00

628 Hockey Night

2009-11-16T15:50:00.007-06:00

Free e-Book for Parents Dealing with Difficult Teens

2009-11-16T13:43:00.002-06:00

Click Here to Download

Study Finds that Parents still infuence Teens

2009-11-13T14:44:00.000-06:00

Click Here to read the article...

Natalie's Baptism

2009-11-13T11:16:00.000-06:00

Natalie's baptism from this past week (Nov. 8, 2009).
Acts 2:38

November Birthdays

2009-11-13T09:08:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday Shout Outs to these peeps:

Matt H on the 4th (College Student)
Andrew L & Eden L on the 19th
Faith L on the 20th
Paige R on the 24th
Eli S on the 26th

Happy Birthday to All of You!

Fun At B-Dubs

2009-11-12T18:31:00.001-06:00

This is one of the best places to take our youth group!

Teen Saved by Facebook Status

2009-11-12T17:38:00.000-06:00

Amazing, but true...
Always Update Your Facebook Status

Crazy Love: Chapters 4 & 5

2009-11-12T17:24:00.001-06:00

Probably the toughest two chapters in the book, but they led to some honest discussion. God demands the very best from us. Anything less is insulting to Him. We must turn from our lukewarm ways, repent from our half-heartedness. We must stop making excuses about being too busy for Him. Ask God to help you love Him and others. That is what God measures us by--our love. We must love God with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strength. For without love, we are nothing. Do you get it?
Stop giving God your leftovers.

1 Corinthians 13

Philly Mission Trip

2009-11-12T15:51:00.001-06:00