Jr High Ministry Holiday Schedule Update!
I wanted to let you know about the upcoming schedule as we head into the holidays since things can be less than predictable.
11/23- No Elevation due to Fusion Leader’s Retreat to the coast. Fusion will be meeting as usual from 6:30-8:30pm on Sunday night.
11/30- No Elevation or Fusion due to the Thanksgiving holiday.
12/7- Elevation is back and we are starting a new series called, “A Christmas Story”. Fusion small groups will be meeting at various times this weekend due to the Christmas drama at the Church. No regular Fusion this weekend.
12/14- Elevation is meeting. Fusion is meeting at RHCC and will be a meal night schedule. We are planning a special Christmas theme for Fusion that evening!
12/21- No Elevation or Fusion for the Christmas break
12/28- No Elevation or Fusion for the Christmas break
1/4- Elevation is meeting with a new series called, “Attached” about who we get attached to in relationships and finding the right kinds of people to attach to. There will be no Fusion this night.
1/11- Elevation is meeting normally and Fusion returns with a meal night schedule.
As always, refer to the 678live.com website for our schedule and let us know if you have any questions!
Pastor Mark
Just Released Parent Information!
Thanks so much for your support as parents! We love your kids and we want to continue to serve the family as you build faith into your kids. I wanted to take advantage of letting you know what is newly available to you to give you insights and understanding about the world of Junior High ministry.
Last Saturday was the first Bridges 2008 youthworker training event for Portland area youthworkers, both professional, volunteer and student youthworkers in training. We had over 300 plus come and participate in general sessions and breakout seminars and it was a real highlight. Mike Higgs, a veteran youth pastor locally, was our speaker and he gave a timely message on the need for youthworkers today. Take time to listen to it by going to http://www.678live.com and clicking on our podcast link. Download it to your mp3 player, hear the challenge and I believe you won’t regret it!
Our Parent Visit Night at Fusion on October 26th was a great success. For those who couldn’t make it this time, you can find the information content is also on the podcast link referred to above. Check it out, you will find it very helpful.
For those parents who want to keep up with the teaching on Sunday mornings at Elevation, download individual messages from the Chasing Daylight series at the podcast link as well.
Great information, great challenges, and tools to help you on the journey! Let us know what you think.
Pastor Mark
Elevation vs Fusion
During my close to 15 years of ministry at Rolling Hills I’ve come upon numerous parents and students who will ask me a burning question about the Junior High. They want to know, in a day of limited time and availability, which of the two ministry programs is more important to attend. That is a hard question to answer since I believe in the merits of both of them. In fact, it really challenged me to understand what am I doing to help our students become stronger followers of Christ in light of the few programs we provide (which I believe to be a good thing!) So, here it goes…
Elevation is a vital gathering of our students for corporate worship and challenging teaching for life change. I love the way our worship draws students into connection with Jesus and focuses their attention on the Lord. As we give our offerings and promote the many student-led ministry opportunities, our kids learn how this part of God’s family works. Our teaching gives hard hitting messages with a strong Bible connection, always looking to how it impacts the way we live each day for Christ. Finally, we personally worship through various stations to give a hands-on experience.
Fusion on the other hand provides other important and complementary benefits to our kids. They have a much more personal touch with leaders and apprentices who are committed to discipling them in maturity as a follower of Jesus. They get to process the morning message via the small group since our morning talks are connected to our Fusion group discussions. Fusion also gives more opportunities for bringing friends who aren’t connected to church activities. By bringing friends who don’t go to church to a meal night, they get great food, humorous activities, awesome music by our worship band, and a powerful talk that leads to starting a life of faith.
Back to my answer about which is more important? I would say either and both. Ultimately, the life of a disciple of Jesus is meant to be lived in community. Part of any community encompasses the larger gatherings and the smaller gatherings. We need both. This isn’t even bringing in the component of disciplemaking as a function of the family too. We hope that what we provide for ministry programs will help our families feel supported and not be a burdensome stress in terms of schedule. If a person only participates in Fusion, they may miss the regular large group worship experience that glorifies God. On the other hand, if a kid only goes to Elevation, they get their tank filled with worship and learning, but miss out on community living with a smaller gathering of like-minded and similar students. Fusion is where the individual care is going to be the strongest, but Elevation is the place where a person can be more anonymous and take some time to get acclimated to our ministry.
Bottom line, I believe the decision needs to be a family decision. If you are too busy to regularly participate in both, I would encourage you to be regularly building into your kids at home. Elevation or Fusion will never be an adequate substitution for the personal spiritual formation that you can do in your family. You know when your child is feeling isolated and needs to get their spiritual scope expanded. You know best when your student needs to be built into by another influential adult in their life. As you choose based on your experience and knowledge of your child and as God leads you, rest confidently that you are being a spiritually-engaged parent. Way to go!
Pastor Mark
Dependency
I lost my voice this past Sunday morning. I had gotten a cold earlier in the week, and when I get a cough I lose my voice. So when I woke up Sunday morning not much noise was coming out. This was not the day for this to happen.
All I could think was: I needed my voice! I needed a voice to welcome students when they arrived at Elevation, to talk with Moriah over lunch, to run two Fusion leaders meetings, and give a message at Fusion Meal Night. Mark is in Hawaii this week, so Tyler and I were it. Tyler had so many responsibilities that I could not pass on my meetings and message to him. So by midday when my voice was almost nothing, I had to press on.
I am a talker. I love to communicate and ask questions. So this not-talking thing really isn’t my style. But, last night I found myself not relying on my abilities, but God. I did so much praying, and I asked everyone who would have pity on me to pray.
When 7 PM approached my voice started to come back. It didn’t hurt to say words, and I was feeling excited that God was answering my prayers. I got up to speak and apologized that they had to hear my voice. I told the visitors that I normally sound like a girl, but who knows what I sounded like that day. I spoke on Impact – making an impact for Christ.
But, something happened that night that moved me. God not only gave me my voice back, but he moved in my heart. The message I prepared to give to the students suddenly became a lesson God had for me. I felt like I was talking to myself, not a bunch of leaders and jr. high students.
I guess by losing my voice I also understood on a deeper level my dependency on Christ. Which caused me to realize that if I want to impact others for Christ, I must be fully dependent on God. To not trust in my abilities, but to put my trust in Him.
Dependency, it is a beautiful thing!
Jen
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