Summertime!
Well I am sitting here trying to plan out the first youth group summer that doesn't involve the limitations of an intern, and I have so many options I am not sure what to do. So, I want to ask you, the Heir Force Members, what do you want to do this summer? Think BIG, but reasonable.

Just so you know what the process for developing the summer program here is what is going to happen. I am going to research and take as many suggestions for things to do as I can. I will then organize them into three catagories (Big Events, Service Events, Low-Key Events) and then parents and the volunteer youth staff will try to assemble a program that works the best. So get me your suggestions ASAP. Again you can e-mail me or just post on the comments page.

On another note, so far the High School Retreat is going to be really boring since only the always dependable Angel Reyes has signed up (not that Angel's boring). Perhaps we will have him watch Levi while John Massie, Daniel and Amanda Howard, Allison, and myself lounge around the Cambpel's house eating fruit and chocolate!

Seriously, if you want to go let me know otherwise.....you'll be missing out.

Late Breaking News: Angel, Gwendolyn, Soueraya, Gregory, Laura, and Jonathan are now coming! posted by: J-Wild at: 11:04 AM -  3 comments

Good Friday and Easter
Larry asked me if I could get some of you to help greet and pass out programs when people come in the door. Since this "Good Friday Service" is about remembering Christ's death it is more of a somber kind of thing than our typical worship service. If you are open to helping out then you need to remember three things: One, you need to wear all black, two come early (around 7pm), and three send me an e-mail to let me know you are able to help out.

I sincerely hope that you make plans to attend this service. Understanding, experiencing, and meditating on Jesus' death is a very important part of being a Christian. This service is a great way to remember Christ death, and setup the celebration of his resurrection on Easter this Sunda.

Speaking of Easter, we will NOT be having Youth Church this Easter Sunday so that you can worship with your family in the service. We ARE going to have a little Easter Celebration during the Bible Class hour so make plans to come for that time. Just as a reminder Bible Class runs from 10:30 - 11:15 am every Sunday.

Have a great week and remember to let me know about the Good Friday Service. posted by: J-Wild at: 11:51 AM -  0 comments

Movie Night!


Well I found out today that the Spring Break group from David Lipscomb had already signed up to help out with he Community of Hope. So, instead of a service project, The Murray's have offered up their home for a movie / game night from 5pm - 10pm on Saturday evening. Their address is 652 W 163rd St, New York, NY #46 (click for map). Below are directions to their place using the Subway's. There are two things I need from you:
One, let me know if you are coming so we can have the right amount of food.
Two, let me know how you are getting there (mass transit, driving, flying, etc.)

Directions for the 1/9 Train
1/9 train to 168th
Walk south on Broadway to 165th
Take a right on 165th (going west)
Walk one block to Ft. Washington
Left on Ft. Washington
Walk South to 163rd St.
Take a Rt. on 163rd
Half-way down on the left

Directions for the C Train
C train to 163rd.
Walk West on 163rd (towards broadway)
Cross over Broadway
Walk one block cross over Ft. Washington


Their Building has red door and their apartment number is 46. If you get turned around here is their phone number (212) 927-4154. Again I apologize about the change, Carl had forgotten about the Lipscomb group coming when I asked him if COH needed our help. No worries though, we will try to do it next month. See ya Friday! posted by: J-Wild at: 10:19 AM -  2 comments

To Quote... "Where I come from, you hang out with a murderer and eventually you'll be murdered. Kids I grew up with died or went to jail. But if you choose to be around spiritual, hardworking, giving people, you'll be a spiritual, hardworking person. You are who you hang out with."
- Russell Simmons in CosmoGirl, February 2005

"It's definately a contradiction. Contradiction is part of who everybody is. I am a real person, and I make my mistakes and I laugh and I cry and I smile and I hate and I love. One song is, 'I love God,' and the next song is ,'Can you come over?' That's how I feel. Sometimes you're in church, and you're looking at the girls's dress right next to you."
- Kanye West when asked about the contradiction people see between the devoutness of his Grammy-nominated hit "Jeus Walks" and the profanity and sexual content on the rest of the album. Time Magazine, December 20

"I'm not someone who doesn't respect religion, but I don't care for the way religion is used to manipulate people. We create our own gods. We create our own devils."
- Marilyn Manson on ABC News, November 24

"My father makes a percentage off of me, so he had no problem with it."
- Jessica Simpson, on what her father, a Baptist minister, had to say about her new line of "kissable" body-care products. Time, May 10

"If I thought I could get more out of a guy, I'd sleep with him."
- Lil' Kim. Rolling Stone Daily, May 18

"I was talking to Noel Gallagher [from Oasis] about my dad, who lost his faith toward the end of his life. And Noel asked, 'Does he believe in God?' And I said, "I don't think he knows.' So Noel went, 'Well, he's one step closer to knowing now.' And I thought, 'I'm going to write that song.''"
- U2's Bono discussing the song, "One Step Closer to Knowing." In Blender, November 2004

"Just for a moment imagine the media hysteria and global outrage if 25 million Americans, many of them children, died from a treatable disease because the medicine was too costly...This is exactly what is happening throughout sub-Saharan Africa."
- Alicia Keys, in a message calling on her music industry peers to raise their voices to address the AIDS crisis in Africa. Reuters News Service, November 26

"Rap is a young man's game, and I thought about that even when I was young - it has to cme to an end. WWhatever job you have, be it hustling on the street or working at the mall, you gotta have a plan for when it's over."
- Jay-Z, age 34, on considering an offer to become CEO of Island/Def Jam Records. Reuters News Service, November 15

"Nah, you never really feel sad and lonley. You are a grown man and you have to just understand these things in a logical way. It's an understanding between two consenting adults. There are no hard feelings, and you have to try to not get your feelings involved. So we are going to do it safely, of course, and make sure everybody is protected and nobody is going into it expecting anything more than what it is."
- Nelly in response to the question, "Do you ever feel sad and lonely after a quickie with a groupie?" Blender, October 2004

Feel free to comment on any of these if you are so inclined. Do you agree or disagree? posted by: J-Wild at: 12:09 PM -  1 comments

Word Up!
Let me say that I am very proud of the discussions that have been going on with regard to this youth group. I really believe that God is going to do some amazing things with individuals as well as our group. I want to make sure you all know that you are welcome to come to the re-visioning meeting this Sunday after church. I am going to take all the comments and kind of boil them down to their core realizations. Then I am going to present them at the meeting and post them on the blog.

On another note I have two announcements.

PHAT 108 is cancelled for this week because of the Shiloh fundraising dinner. It will resume next week.

This Saturday from 6-9pm at the church Melissa Mason is having a birthday party. I met the DJ and he is totally legit (he uses records and mixes it live!). It's going to be a lot of fun, and if you want to come you MUST e-mail Erica Mason at erica@eastsidemusic.com and tell her that you are coming. If you do not then you will not be able to get in.
I will see you all on Saturday...I'll be the one in the center of the floor dancing like Usher! posted by: J-Wild at: 12:31 AM -  0 comments