Weekly Announcements 2/22/09

- Please turn in your information and deposit in to day if you are planning on going on one of our Spring Break Mission Trips!!
- Saturday, March 7th there will be Winter Jam (a one night Christian music festival) @ Rupp Arena starting at 5 p.m. The cost is only $10 (at the door) and will feature Hawk Nelson, Tobymac, Newsong, Francesca Battistelli, Brandon Heath, Stephanie Smith, and Pure NRG. We will meet at the arena at a designated place and go in together if you want to sit with us!!
- We will once again be doing 30 Hour Famine on May 1-2. Please mark this date on your calendars and plan on attending.
- We will be going to CIY Move (High School) at Milligan College in Tennessee from June 22-26. Please mark this date on your calendars and plan on attending.
- FUSION tonight at normal time!!

HS & MS Mission Trips (Updated 1/30/09)

Upcoming Events

Special Events & More Coming Up Soon:

• Dec. 22nd – Catholic Action Center Service Project

                  – 7:15 a.m. till 12:30 p.m. including food and drink at Cici’s Pizza.  Bring $5 if possible.

• Dec. 31^st – New Year’s Party (cancelled)

 

              Due to problematic situations we will NOT be having the New Year’s Eve Party.   I am VERY SORRY for any inconveniences caused.

•  January 4^th – Fusion Resumes

·         January 7^th – Vertical Challenge Resumes

·         January 11^th – Youth serve downtown

          – Immediately following 2nd service until 2:30 p.m.

·         January 23^rd- 24^th – Revolve Tour

• February 20-21 – CIY Believe

HS FALL BREAKAWAY!!

Be adventurous and join us for the High School Fall Breakaway on Friday-Saturday, November 21-22nd (provided that you’re a high schooler!)  We will be leaving the church at 5:00 pm on Friday to go to Cedarmore Cabins in Bagdad, Kentucky and will be returning to the church at 5:30 pm on Saturday.

If you are interested in going on this trip, you need to turn in a signed parental permission (they are located in the youth room) form and your $30 to me (Cody) by November 16th.  Also, if you have not previously filled out a medical release form for the church for the 2008 year, then you need to fill one of those out as well (you can get those from Cody). 

What to bring?   Bible, notebook, pen, sleeping bag, comfortable athletic shoes, casual clothes, water bottle, bug spray, bathroom materials and a towel, and a good attitude!!

BE ADVENTUROUS!!  COME ON THE HS FALL BREAKAWAY!!

BE ADVENTUROUS!!

Be adventurous and join us for the Middle School Fall Breakaway on Friday-Saturday, October 17-18th (provided that you’re a middle schooler!)  We will be adventurous in all ways; camping outside, learning survival tips, and seeking God’s direction on being adventurous in our journey with Him.  We will be leaving the church at 5:00 pm on Friday, October 17th and will be returning at 5:30 pm on October 18th.

If you are interested in going on this trip, you need to turn in a signed parental permission (they are located in the youth room) form and your $25 to me (Cody) by October 12th.  Also, if you have not previously filled out a medical release form for the church for the 2008 year, then you need to fill one of those out as well (you can get those from Cody). 

What to bring?   Bible, notebook, pen, Camping gear (optional), sleeping bag, comfortable athletic shoes (for hiking), casual clothes, water bottle, bug spray, bathroom materials and a towel (there is a shower there) and a good attitude!!

BE ADVENTUROUS!!

FUSION CHANGES!!

On Sunday, October 5th we will be starting some new changes for Fusion.  High School and Middle School will be starting the evening off in two separate areas.  The High School group will be meeting in the chapel upstairs while the Middle School will be meeting in the youth room.  For the Middle School this time will be more focused on fun activities to connect them with each other.  For the High School this time will be more focused on organized social interaction to connect them with each other.

After this time they will combine in the downstairs kitchen for snacks, which will be followed by praise and worship and a lesson.  At the end of the evening will be breakout groups where the Middle School group will get together to discuss the lesson and the High School will get together to discuss the lesson.  Parents can then pick up their youth (both High School and Middle School) at the door next to the youth room.

Our hope and prayer is that this will make for meaningful time for students to connect with other youth their age and to connect more deeply to the wonderful Lord we serve.

Below is a more organized look at the evening:
6:00-6:40 pm - MS Activity Time (Youth Room) / HS Social Time (Chapel)
6:40-7:00 pm - MS & HS Snack Time in Downstairs Kitchen
7:00-7:20 pm – Praise & Worship in Youth Room
7:20-7:45 pm – Lesson Time in Youth Room
7:45-8:00 pm – MS Lesson Discussion / HS Lesson Discussion

True Worship: A Summer’s Lesson

How do you know if someone is worshipping?  What do people do when they truly worship?

That question sometimes haunts me.  Why does it haunt me?  Because I know that I don’t always truly give God my full worship.  I know that many times I pay more attention to the ”act” or “art” of worship than I do enjoy the gift of worshipping the Savior.  Sometimes it is something I do out of guilt or fear.  However, it is not a healthy fear where I realize the power of God, but an unhealthy one where I focus on those who are watching me.  Some of you may be confused as to what I am mean.

If I was to ask what the Scriptural definition of worship is, what would you say?

Romans 12:1 – Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.

A great example of this took shape for me this summer which started on the Destination Unknown Mission trip we took at the beginning of the summer (refer to a previous blog to find out more about this trip).  The trip started off with worship as we went to Cane Ridge and sang songs in the old log church built in 1791.  Worship continued as we came back to Lexington and gave out care bags to families in the Intensive Care waiting room at the University of Kentucky Medical Center.   It continued in Ohio as we spent time at a nursing home and as we mowed people’s lawns.  However, it wasn’t until the last night that I was able to fully realized the extent of the gift of worship.  After not being able to find a way to serve that day (the only day it happened) we wearily looked for a place to camp out.  After not finding a place to stay we were worn out and eating a late meal when a stranger gave us $140 to stay at a cabin.  It was then that I realized how fully encompassing worship is, and God set the events of this day up to teach me that.  Worship is not just in songs, it is not just in service, it is not in anything.  It is in everything.  No matter where we are and no matter what we are doing we are witnesses to the glory of God and our worship is how we manifest that in our lives.

When we are walking with Christ, our lives are acts of worship all day every day.  Every single thing we do to honor God is worship.  It is a lifestyle, not just a group of songs.  We are to be “walking worshippers.”  For many of us, this is not a new idea or teaching.  Unfortunately, sometimes, God asks us for worship and all we are able to give him is songs.

When Jesus talked to the Samaritan woman as she came to the well to get water, he told her, “Yet a time is coming and has not come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks” (John 4:23).  You notice here it is not in a song or in a location, but in an attitude and in a faith.  I sure want to be the kind of worshipper the Father seeks, don’t you?  In spirit and truth with a full heart and with integrity in our actions.  Today, the words of praise we sing are too often disconnected from our hearts and our actions.  “Walking worshippers” connect the dots; their words match their actions.

Late Summer OverDrive Locations

·         July 16 – James & Ronda Johnson’s House
               316 Hollyhill Drive, Lexington, KY  40503

·         July 23 – Southland Park

·         July 30 – Audra Cannon
               812 Quarter Horse Ct, Lexington, KY  40503

·         August 6 – Susie Basham
                2172 Palomar Trace Drive, Lexington, KY  40513

 

We look forward to seeing you there!!

Lake Day

We will once again be having a “Lake Day” this summer on Saturday, August 2nd from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.  Please sign-up in the youth room or send an email to Cody at codyshepherd@hillndale.com if you plan on going on this trip!

FUSION THIS SUNDAY NIGHT

Fusion this Sunday Night will be held at the same time but at a different location.  We will be having Fusion at Shillito Park in the wooded area across from the Tennis Courts and near the baseball field.  Look for the HillnDale van for added help in finding our location!!  Be ready for a fun, but worshipful night!!