Teen Game Night

Saturday, January 21st 6-9pm

Teen Center (Downstairs Church Office)

Bring your favorite board game, a few friends, and a few bucks for pizza! Don’t have a favorite board game, a friend to drag along, or any dollars to spare?  No worries, just bring you! We’ll enjoy a great night of simply hanging out. Carpet ball, air hockey, foose ball, mini pool, assorted board games and pizza- what’s not to love?

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT:

Here is an overview of what we’re talking about. Listed below the summary is a “parent cue” to help you dialog with your child about the session. The question is intended not just to be asked by you, but to be responded to by BOTH of you. Use this opportunity to find out what God is teaching your child, and allow your child to see what God is teaching you as well.

Series Overview

Every one has moments of doubt. We doubt if we are heading in the right direction when going some place new. We doubt if that low-fat snack that tastes really good is really as healthy as it claims to be. We doubt if sometimes the people in our lives really care about us, despite the evidence that they do. And sometimes our doubts are about God. Can we really trust Him? Does He have our best in mind? What does that Bible verse really mean?

When questions arise, they can be a little unsettling, especially questions about our faith. But what if God was big enough to handle the questions? He is. What if He was secure enough to handle our uncertainty? He is. And what if doubt actually paved the way to a deeper belief, a stronger relationship with Christ? It can.

Session One: Honest Questions (Sunday, January 22nd)

You know those nagging questions that seem to linger in the back of your mind? The ones you hesitate to ever speak out loud, admit you have or let anyone else know you think? Questions like: “Does God hear me when I pray?” “Does He have a plan for my life?” “Does God really have everything under control?” Questions and doubts can be unsettling if they are left unsaid. We begin to think we are alone in our doubt, and often our doubts only grow until they paralyze our faith. But when we learn to admit our doubts openly, we learn that we are not the only ones—that everyone deals with questions. And when we learn to live with doubt, doubt can be a tool that strengthens our faith.

Session One Parent Cue: Do you ever have doubts about God? If so, what are they? What do you do with them—vocalize them or keep them to yourself?

Session Two: Gray Matters (Sunday, January 29th)

It’s one thing to recognize that doubt can strengthen faith—but HOW do you get there? How do you handle a doubt that you just can’t seem to move past? One way is to look back. When you look back, you draw on the things you do know to help you live through the things you don’t know or can’t understand. When you remember the things that God has shown you, you remind yourself of a bigger picture that can help you deal with the close-up situation at hand. The ways you have learned about or experienced God in your past are still true in the present, and can be used to pave the way to belief now—in spite of and in the midst of doubt.

Session Two Parent Cue:  What are some things that God has taught you in the past about Himself? How can those things specifically help you with the doubts you now have?

Next Sunday (November 13th), @ Church from 8:45am-10:15am, we are beginning a new 3 week teaching series called “WE”!

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT:

Here is an overview of what we’re talking about. Listed below the summary is a “parent cue” to help you dialog with your child about the session. The question is intended not just to be asked by you, but to be responded to by BOTH of you. Use this opportunity to find out what God is teaching your child, and allow your child to see what God is teaching you as well.

Series Overview

In following Christ, there is one truth that most of us forget—we were never meant to do this alone. We need other people. It’s critical not just because we need friends, but also because in community we understand more about who God is. We see how He is working in other people’s lives. We learn things that God has taught them, and we get an opportunity to love and serve others. The WE series will help us discover the “WHY” behind community—why we need it, why we should pursue it.

Session One: THE OTHERS (Sunday, November 13th)

We need other people. We get that when we feel lonely, don’t we? But the reality is that there are times when the last thing we want is someone around—whether it’s our own grumpiness or because we just don’t want to be hurt again. But God made us in such a way that people fill a very specific need in our lives. And while God does supply all our needs, He created us to need other people, too.
Session One Parent Cue: Where do you have the greatest sense of community in your life? How has this been a good thing? How has it been a difficult thing?  

Session Two: A BEAUTIFUL MESS (Sunday, November 20th)

In session one, we talked about how we need people, and if we’re honest, we all have realized that at some point or another. But there’s a reluctance to take that next step because it’s risky. It’s scary. And most of all, it’s messy. True community costs us something. But if we don’t have it, it will cost us a lot more.
Session Two Parent Cue: Share a time when you were hurt by someone. Then share a time when you felt lonely and really needed other people around. After some time and perspective, which one was worse? Why?

Session Three: UP CLOSE (Sunday, November 27th)

People’s stories are powerful, aren’t they? There’s something about hearing what’s going on in another person’s life that puts things in perspective for us. We may be thinking that God has forgotten us, that He doesn’t care about what’s going in our world, but then we hear someone share how God showed up when they really needed Him. And because of that, we begin to think that maybe, just maybe, He can be there for us, too. That’s the power of community. It’s how we see God at work in our world. It’s how we grow closer to Him. And it’s an important part of growing in our relationship with Him.
Session Three Parent Cue: What have you learned about God from other people in your life? 

We will be finishing our five-week small group study designed to help students understand God’s purposes for their life. The first week, “Reaching Out to Your Friends,” focused on helping students understand that we are created in God’s image and we have the opportunity to share God’s love with the world. Week two, “Making Significant Connections,” focused on understanding the basic need that humans have to be connected with others on a deeper level. Week three, “Growing in Your Faith,” focused on the truth that we were created to know God and grow spiritually by spending time with God.

Week four, “Serving in Ministry,” focused on the truth that God’s unique design provides us with the privilege to serve others. Tonight, our final study is “Honoring God In All That You Do,” and we will be focusing on the truth that God rested on the seventh day to show us the importance of taking time to stop and express our love and worship for God. Using Genesis 2:2-3 and Psalm 46:10, we will see that we were created to honor God.

Sometime this week, generate some discussion with your teenager about honoring God:

• What are some traits of a healthy attitude toward worship?
• As a family do we honor the Sabbath as a day of rest, or does it look just like every other day of the week?
• What are some great ways to prepare yourself to worship God when you come to church?

Thanks for your love for God and your love for your teenager. Have a blessed day!

Below are two videos.  The first one is of Jacob trying out the rope swing at Jess’ parents home.  The second, is of Kevin climbing out of a very small cave at Purgatory Chasm!

We are entering week four today in our five-week small group study designed to help students understand God’s purposes for their lives. This week’s lesson, called “Serving in Ministry,” focuses on the truth that God’s unique design provides us with the privilege to serve others. Our hope is that students will realize they are gifted to serve and will begin serving others today!

Sometime this week, ask some questions to generate discussion with your teenager about serving others in ministry. Here are some possible questions to ask:

• Share with your teenager how you believe God has gifted you to serve others. What are some ways that you serve others individually?
• As a family, how much do we value the importance of serving? What are some ways that we as a family could serve others in our neighborhood, in our church, and in our community?
• How does serving others in ministry help us grow in our faith?

Have an incredible week!

Our 7th grade girls group will be on week four of the series on God’s Big Story. In this final lesson, students will examine what it means to experience the new life God has for them-both a meaningful life here on earth and eternal life someday in heaven. Our conversation will be built around the key words of NEW and GROW.

Following Jesus isn’t just about getting into heaven-it’s also about having the satisfying life that Jesus promises. This understanding gives us purpose for our lives today, not just a hope for eternity.

It’s also important that our students recognize the necessity for ongoing growth. Becoming a Christian today doesn’t mean you become perfect or complete. You still need to develop habits and patterns and disciplines that keep you growing.

Here are some questions you might want to ask your teenager to get conversation flowing about this week’s lesson.

• What are some changes you might expect to see in the life of someone who becomes a follower of Jesus-changes on the outside AND on the inside?

• What are some good habits that can help you continue to grow spiritually-in other words, continue to become more like Jesus?

• What is your role as a Christ-follower in telling other people about the new life God wants to give them?

As always, thanks for your prayers for our small groups! Have a great week!

Next Sunday (October 16th), @ Church from 8:45am-10:15am, we are beginning a new 3 week teaching series called “Storm Watch”!

Here is an overview of what we’re talking about. Listed below the summary is a “parent cue” to help you dialog with your child about the session. The question is intended not just to be asked by you, but to be responded to by BOTH of you. Use this opportunity to find out what God is teaching your child, and allow your child to see what God is teaching you as well.

STORM WATCH:

Series Overview

Have you ever woken up to thunder so loud you thought the sky really was falling? Or maybe you have listened to the wind scream as it ripped through trees and knocked over fences? Storms can be scary. In the middle of a storm, we know that we are unbelievably out of control. But while physical storms may threaten and terrify us, there are other kinds of storms in life as well. There are storms that rip apart friendships and families. Storms that meet us in a hospital room on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Storms that creep up on so subtly we never saw them coming. Storms like these often leave us asking “Why God?” For the next three weeks we will be talking with your teen about the inevitable storms of life and how we handle them.

Session One (Sunday, October 16th)

The first week we are going to set up the series talking about the characteristics of physical storms and showing how they describe those moments in life when things go unexplainably out of control. We will look at the disciples who were afraid when their small boat was out on the water at night in the middle of a tremendous storm, and see how Jesus was never afraid because He knew the One who was in control. Students will be challenged to see that God is in control—even in the middle of the storm.
Session One Parent Cue: What are some storms you are going through right now—or someone close to you is going through?

Session Two (Sunday, October 23rd)

“Why, God?” If you have ever said a prayer, it has probably been this one. “Why God” is a natural response when we are hurting. This week, students will learn that God is okay when we need to ask this question. While there may not be a very clear and rational answer, sometimes God uses the struggle to show us something about ourselves, about Himself, or to draw us into a closer relationship with Him.
Session Two Parent Cue: Storms can either draw us closer to God and farther away. How have you experienced this in your life?  

Session Three (Sunday, October 30th)

Have you ever noticed how tabloids and mainstream magazines always seem to capitalize on the difficult trials celebrities face. If a celebrity wanted more publicity, it seems like all they need is a good trip to rehab or a divorce or a custody battle. When people go through storms, the world pays attention. Something in us wants to see how other people handle the troubles life throws at them. This week we are going to look at the potential for influence that we all have when a storm hits, whether we want it or not.
Session Three Parent Cue: How can we help someone we know who is going through a storm now? 

It is no surprise to any of us that we live in turbulent times. Parenting in the midst of these times can certainly be a challenge. We also recognize that in our complex world, a crisis of one type or the other never seems to be far away – if not in our kids’ lives, in the lives of their friends. With that in mind, Gordon College is pleased to invite parents from across New England to gather for their Parents’ Symposium on Saturday morning, October 29, to look at the topic“Keeping an Even Keel: Steady Parenting in Turbulent Times.”  Their guest speaker is Rich Van Pelt of Denver, Colorado. Rich is the author of the book A Parent’s Guide to Helping Teenagers in Crisis.

The symposium will take place in the Chairman’s Room of the Ken Olsen Science Center on the Gordon College campus in Wenham, Massachusetts. Reserved parking will be available for participants in the Chapel parking lot. The doors will open at 8:30 a.m. for registration and check-in. The symposium will begin promptly at 9 a.m. and conclude at noon.

The symposium is offered free of charge as their way of thanking you for all you do as a parent!

For more information and/or to register: www.gordon.edu/parentssymposium2011