Most of our HS students had their first experience today paintballing.

But by far, the highlight of Day #2 for the Senior High campers is Fight Night.  Fight Night is just a chaotic time of crazy games and screaming.   It is absolute mayhem and absolute fun.

Oh, and as you can tell, Kevin has gotten in on the fun as well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tonight, we at Grace Point Community Church are hosting a National Day of Prayer service.  Here are the details:

What:  National Day of Prayer Service

When:  May 7th, 6:30-8:30 pm

Where:  Grace Point Community Church (2393 Peachblow Road, Lewis Center, OH  43035)

You can read some thoughts on prayer from our Discipleship Pastor, Tom Houser.

Join us as we gather to pray for our country, community, schools, families, and individuals.

1. Rent-A-Teen.  This past Sunday we are kicked off our Rent-a-Teen fundraiser.  This is an opportunity for the church to help toward camp and for you to raise money.  We will have a sign-up list for church attenders to place their names, phone numbers, work they need done and the date they are needing it.  You then can walk by the list at any time and check to see if you are available for any of those dates.  If you are, mark off their name and give them a call.  The money you make for that job will go toward your camp account.  We will try to have the adults pay directly to the church.  If the church attender hands you a check, have them make it out to Grace Point Community Church with your name on the memo line.   Adults can also call the church office and the names of the students we have on our list will get a call to see if they are available.

Here are a couple of opportunities. If you are interested, please call the church office or e-mail Ryan at ryan@gracepoint.cc with the one you can do AND then CALL the contact on the sheet to make arrangements with them.

· Mathis Life Group (John or Christy Mathis), 740.972.3124. looking for High School student to help with childcare on May 22^nd and/or May 29^th at the church.

· Sabrina Reno, 740.549.0212. Looking for High School student to help with childcare on May 2^nd.

· Steve Ogle, 740.548.7718. Looking for MS or HS student to help with childcare on April 27^th (6:16-8:15 pm)

1. Harbor Point Garage Sale.  On April 25^th, THIS SATURDAY!!!!, we will have tent set up at the Harbor Point (Galena) Garage Sale.  We are looking to sale food items.  If you are available anytime between 7 am and 5 pm we could use your help.  You can also help by DONATING the following items:

• Bottled water (200) –we have 2 cases donated
• cans of pop(100)
• candy bars (150)
• small bags of chips (100)—we have 50 bags
• cookies/baked goods (individually wrapped)—have some people, but need more
• hot dogs (150)
• buns (150)

This Friday we need help at 6:00 to help set up for the garage sale. We will be meeting at the VanPelt’s house (5266 Harbor Point Dr, Galena, 43021). If you could help just that day we would appreciate it.

1. Childcare.  The National Day of Prayer is on May 7^th this year.  We are excited about having a service this evening devout to pray and praise.  With that, we are in need of childcare workers.  If you are available on the evening of May 7^th, we could use you (students).  Money will be donated for your service which will go straight into your EPIC account.

Please RSVP if you are able to help with ANY of these opportunities and if you are willing to donate for the Harbor Point garage sale.

Just to clarify how the funds will be broken down, moneys made at the garage sale will go to help offset the cost of the bus (transportation) for camp. We are charging $100 per camper for the bus, but it cost about $165 per camper. This money will help us make up the $65 difference. Money from the other events will go straight into your student’s account.

These are just a few ideas we have set up to help out.  Please look for other ways you can raise the money (I know of a couple of students who have sent out support letters to friends and family!). 

Family . . .

. . . ministry . . .

. . . school have kept me very busy. 

I will try to be more consistent.

But now I have a reason to write.

8 members of our EPIC Leadership Team just finished a day at our local YS One Day.

It was really good!!!  I really needed it!

The focus this year–back to the Bible.

Interestingly, tomorrow we kick off our Origins series.  It is a fresh look at Genesis (I will write more about this next week).

Many of the things we learned today I already had ready to implement tomorrow.  Either I am a head of the curve or I have been trained well by others (okay, it is the latter).

Our trainer for the day was Crystal Kirgiss.  Crystal has worked with teenagers for more than 20 years. She writes a monthly column for Youthwalk magazine and is the author of What’s Up With Boys?. She’s also the coauthor of Guys, Girls and Sex Has a Price Tag, and she teaches at Purdue University.  She was hilarious and poignant!

I would encourage any one who is a youth pastor, volunteer leader, small group leader, etc. to find a One Day training in your area in register.  For our team, it was well worth it.

Thanks to my leaders who gave up a Saturday for the sake of the student ministry at Grace Point!!!!

Our next series is, Origins:  Taking a Fresh Look at Genesis. 

Our goal–focus more on the Bible and less on the programming.

To help myself and our leaders to accomplish this goal, we are taking our leaders to a One Day training put on by Youth Specialties.

The event will be held April 18th, right here in Columbus, OH.

Check out this video promo for the event.

Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

Psalm 84.10 (NIV)

This verse was recently made into a current worship song by Matt Redman.  I say current because the writer of the Psalm meant it also as a song.

Questions quickly arose from this that I thought good to pass along:

1. When was the last time you spent a DAY in the courts of God?
2. What does that mean, look like, smell like, sound like.
3. What does it mean to be a "doorkeeper" in God’s house?
4. Am I a doorkeeper?  If not, is it because of the company I surround myself with?

Take some time over the next couple of days to wrestle with this verse and these questions and then take a DAY spent in God’s courts.

I am 33 years old . . .

     or 396 months old
     or 1722 weeks old
     or 12054 days old
     or 289296 hours old
     or 17357770 minutes old
     or 1041466224 seconds old

Pretty cool to see the numbers.

This could include online reading, email, phone calls, meetings, paperwork, errands, IM, online forums, hobbies, writing, exercise, eating, time with your family, chores, etc. What takes up most of your time? Maybe list 2-3 things. Share in the comments!

Here are 5 reasons I love Terry:

1. He is a risk-taker.  He is not afraid to take risks and encourages his staff to take risks.
2. He is absolutely hilarious.  I love that he loves life.
3. He is a thinker.  Terry is always processing something in his head and most of the time he allows you in there to process it with him.
4. He is a team player.  I love the fact that Terry loves his staff–including me.  He is always looking for ways to partner with ministries inside of Grace Point and ministries outside of Grace Point as well.
5. The biggest thing I love about Terry–He practices what he preaches!!!  Terry has a love of God and his fellow man and you can see it by his actions and attitudes.

Terry, I thank God for bringing you into my life and love the opportunity to be a Timothy to you.  I am excited about all the Lord has in store for you and this ministry.