And with the Super Bowl comes 7th and 8th grade super bowl parties! We are so excited to spend some good quality time with our students watching the big game. Whether they are a Patriots fan or a Giants fan, all students are welcome to come celebrate and have a good time with their friends. Students will watch the game at their designated house, which is determined by which Journey Group Team they are in. Here is the breakdown:

Klint Bitter’s Team: The Morrissey’s house (Elkhorn)

Bill and Heidi Nordin’s Team: The Nordin’s house (Elkhorn)

Mark and Diane Bristol’s Team: The Bristol’s house (Omaha)

*For addresses, pick up a flyer during Sunday Morning Worship or at Journey Groups this Sunday night. Or, you can send a message to caitlint@cccomaha.org, and we’ll get you all the information you need!

All we ask is that students bring a soda and a snack to share. We’ll provide pizza and a few fun Super Bowl games while we hang out and enjoy one of our nation’s favorite pastimes. Parties start at 5 pm and (regardless of how long the game goes) end at 9 pm.

We’re looking forward to seeing our students get pumped up for an awesome game! Have a great week, everyone!

There’s already been a correction made to the previous blog, but in case you don’t catch it, there is a date change for the Spiritual Parenting class starting in February. Previously, I had posted that the class starts on February 5th, but the class is actually starting on February 12th.

So no worries–the class won’t interfere with your Super Bowl Plans!

Have a great week, everyone!

Christ Community Church has two exciting new classes coming soon for parents of teenagers. Take a look at the descriptions below to get a snapshot of what each class is like:

Communicating with Teens

These interactive sessions designed for parents of teens will promote purposeful communication with teens that build strengths and character, address relevant topics and resolve difficult issues. You will also learn to develop meaningful family conversations with the teens in your home.

This is a 6-week class that will be held on Sundays at 9 AM in FLC 141-145, starting January 29th, and is being taught by Dr. Ann Luther.

If you’d like to sign up, you can do so here.

Spiritual Parenting

It’s not about perfect behavior–it’s about passionate hearts. God wants hearts and souls that are shaped in vibrant faith and love toward Himself and others.  As parents, you want to pass on a vibrant faith to the next generation.  Join other parents and explore home environments that God can use to call your students to Him.

This is a 6-week class using curriculum from Dr. Michelle Anthony, author of Spiritual Parenting. This class will be held on Sundays from 6-8 PM in EC188, starting February 12th, and is being moderated by Nancy Davies.

* A link to sign up for this class will be available soon!

Both of these classes are great opportunities–especially for parents of middle school students–so we encourage you to take advantage of this and get involved!

Series Summary

The word “Promise” carries a lot of weight. Whether placing your hand on a Bible in a court of law or sealing a pinkie promise with a kiss, making a promise is a big deal. Unfortunately as we have all witnessed, not every promise seems to pan out. Is there actually anyone who keeps all of his or her Promises? Over the next several weeks we will look at the promises that God has made to his people, and how time and time again He has never broken one.

Stand Alone Week (January 8 )

Project 4:4 marks an exciting time here in Middle School Ministry. As we set out on this adventure of reading through the entire Bible together, we wanted to kick it off with a party! This past Sunday we combined our service with the High School students for a time of musical worship, Bible trivia, teaching, and fun.

Stand Alone Week (January 15)

Before we dive into specific passages as part of Project 4:4, we’ll take a broad view look at the first 5 books of the Old Testament.  These books contain key Biblical passages like: creation, the fall, centuries of history of the Israelites, the law, and more.  During this week, we’ll learn how to correctly read and interpret these passages, as well as how to look for Jesus woven throughout each story.

Session One:  Serpent Covenant (January 22)

A talking serpent, deception, pride, and a couple bites from a piece of fruit was all it took to turn the world upside down. Sin entered the world and with sin, come consequences. But even in the midst of this bad news, God had a plan of redemption. This week we will talk about how sin entered the world and God’s promise that it will one day exit.

 Session Two: God’s Covenant with Noah  (January 29)

After the waters receded from earth covering flood in Genesis 8, God makes a covenant with Noah that never again will he curse the ground, and never again will he destroy living creatures.  In making this covenant, we learn that God is a never changing God, that even when everything else changes, he does not.

 Session Three: Abraham Covenant (February 5)

When God made a covenant with Abraham, He promised to bless his descendants & make them into a nation that God would call His own.  In return, Abraham was to remain faithful to God & serve as a channel in which God’s blessing could flow to the rest of the world.  In this covenant, we learn that God is always faithful even when we are not.  He brings about blessing in His time & way.

 Session Four: The Passover Covenant (February 12)

At the beginning of Exodus, God’s people are enslaved in Egypt.  When God is ready to free his people, he brings a series of severe plagues, the final causing death to firstborn all throughout Egypt.  But, God provides a path for people to escape this judgment.  The Passover covenant of Exodus 12 lets us know that God has power over everything and everyone, and the power to deliver us from what we come up against in life.

Well, here’s another blog about Project 4:4. But this isn’t necessarily about the “project” itself; rather, it’s regarding how we go about it. We know the basics about what Christ Community is doing in the year 2012: We are going through a chronological study of the Bible, and we will have read it in its entirety by the end of this year. But the aim is not to finish the Bible for the sake of finishing it or to make the claim that we’ve read the whole thing and pat ourselves on the back. The aim is not to get through the reading as fast as we possibly can—doing some “speed reading” or skimming the surface of the text so that we can hurry up and get along with the rest of our day. The purpose is to read the entire Bible and soak in the depth of its meaning. If our reading doesn’t transform us into Christ’s likeness, then our endeavor to read the Word is futile. Knowledge without transformation is pointless.

I received a book while I was in college called Spiritual Disciplines Handbook, which has been incredibly useful and encouraging in regards to maturing spiritually and getting into meaningful habits of spiritual practice. There’s a section in this book about studying God’s Word, and I thought I would share with you a great explanation the author gives for the significance of studying the Bible:

The Bible is divine revelation. God’s own word to us. It reveals who God is, who we are and why we are here. Through Bible study we gain insights into God, human nature and creation. Studying the Scripture can equip, guide and reveal how to live in life-giving ways that deepen our friendship with God and others. Both Old and New Testaments encourage regular study, meditation, contemplation and memorization of God’s Word. The benefits of Bible study are directly related to how open, attentive and obedient we are to what we read. Jesus exemplified the love of God’s Word in every area of his life. He used Scripture to answer those who tested him, resist temptation, find guidance, encourage his heart, comfort others, explain his actions and ultimately face his own death.¹

I pray that as leaders and students in Middle School Ministry commit to reading the Bible this year, that they are truly transformed by its power. If you are a parent reading this, I encourage you to further your child’s depth of understanding of God’s Word by studying and discussing your reading together. Hopefully you’ve gotten started with your reading already, and if not, you can easily catch up! Check out everything you need to know about Project 4:4 at http://cccomaha.org/

Have a wonderful day and be sure to check out our blog next week for some information about our upcoming series, I Promise.

¹Calhoun, Adele Ahlberg. Spiritual Disciplines Handbook. Downer’s Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2005.

Christmas is coming very soon, and we as a ministry have been preparing for this day for a long time now. Part of that preparation has been wrapped up in our Advent series that we concluded last week. Our whole focus and goal was for our students to see the big “Immanuel” picture–God with us here, in the person and mission of Jesus Christ.

Those of us who have grown up knowing this story–the miraculous virgin birth of a son who was to be the Savior of the world–may have the tendency to brush over the important facets of this story like it’s not a big deal. But this story is a HUGE deal. This story must be recognized for its deep and profound meaning encompassed in the manner and timing in which Jesus Christ was born.

Jesus didn’t burst into the world with trumpets blaring or fireworks shooting off across the globe for everyone everywhere to know that he was here. He wasn’t born in a palace to a great and mighty king, emperor, or governor; in fact, he wasn’t born of a man at all. He wasn’t conceived while Mary and Joseph were married. He didn’t come as a fully functionally independent adult, nor did he skip past birth and childhood, and jumpstart straight into adulthood. He wasn’t born in the busy capital city of Jerusalem in Judea, or born in front of many witnesses. He didn’t even have a real bed or cradle to be laid in when he entered into our world.

No, Jesus wasn’t born like this.

He was born in the midst of a road trip, taken by a young girl and her new husband. And yes, he was birthed, meaning the One who sits at the right hand of God, the One who is God in the flesh, and the One through whom all things exist and were made— went through the physical, messy, and painful act of childbirth. He was wrapped in cloths and placed in a feeding trough for farm animals, because there were no rooms available in the city for Mary to give birth. The only ones who got the front row seat to a multitude of angels singing praise to God were a few working-class shepherds in a nearby field, and the only ones reported to have noticed a change in the stars when Jesus was born were a group of astrologers from another country. This is the story of our King; this was the birth of the Son of God.

Why did God choose such unusual and unexpected circumstances to usher in the Messiah? Why such humble beginnings?

We quickly learn as we see the life of Jesus played out in the gospel accounts, that a kingdom “flipped upside down” is a theme he often teaches about. A kingdom where the last are first and the first are last. Where those who let go of their own lives will find true life, and those who try to hold onto their life will lose it. Where the poor and needy are considered blessed, and those who store up pride and wealth for themselves are cursed. Where thirst is not quenched by water, but by a wellspring of eternal life found in one Man. Jesus showed us that true salvation and rest for our souls comes from above—from God alone—and not from anything we try to attain ourselves. The first message he ever spoke about the kingdom of God was not spoken at all, but displayed in his very own birth story…

“… I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” –Luke 2:10-12

The Middle School Ministry Staff wishes all of you a wonderful Christmas, and we pray you find this amazing story refreshed in your mind and heart. Hallelujah, God is with us!

We are excited to announce that our Student Ministries will be taking part in Christ Community Church’s Project 4:4 for the year 2012.

If you don’t know much about Project 4:4, here’s the basic breakdown:

Our entire church will be going through the bible in chronological order, cover to cover, in one year. We’re kicking off in January, and our Sunday messages will align with the weekly readings, which is outlined in the Project 4:4 reading guide. The reading guide will also be used for journaling and provides study tips to further dig into God’s Word. There’s even daily audio and video “accelerators” that will be made available to further help your study, development, and application of God’s Word in your life. Classes and web tools will also be made available to further engage in Project 4:4.

This is an exciting time in our church, not only because we are taking on a great challenge to dig deep into God’s Word as a body of believers, but also because it gives an opportunity for families to engage in study together. Our desire is that parents and students will be able to go far beyond the Sunday morning messages or personal readings, but really engage with each other in what they are learning and experiencing as we move through the entire bible together.

For a fuller and more extensive vision of what we will be doing, please watch our promotional video here.

We are thrilled to engage our students in this endeavor, and pray that by the end of 2012, they will have grown and developed leaps and bounds in their relationship with God and will have stored up His truth in their hearts. Like Matthew 4:4 says, we don’t live on bread alone, but on every word from God’s mouth—it’s His Word that sustains us, and we believe Project 4:4 is a great way to pursue further knowledge and understanding of this Word.

All of that to say, we’re looking forward to this upcoming year of Project 4:4 with our students!

This past Sunday we wrapped up our Crossroads series–a series dedicated to talking about the roadblocks that get in our way when it comes to following Jesus. Our past mistakes, our present conflicts, and our fear of taking risks in the future can all thwart us as we try to pursue a life that follows in Christ’s footsteps. For this 3-part series, we had a variety of speakers who shared from their personal encounters with these roadblocks. It was exciting for me (Caitlin) to have the chance to kick off the series with a talk about the past; it was my first time speaking a message on Sunday morning to our students! The series as a whole gave a lot more depth and insight to the tough decisions that come up in our walk with God that can cause us to go one way or another. The ultimate message spoken through this series was that no roadblock is too big for God to handle, and no tough decision or uncomfortable situation is worth leaving the path that God has for us. God’s way is the best way, and as we trust Him and follow after Him, He provides for us.

This upcoming Sunday, we are moving into our Advent Series. This month is all about Jesus; Immanuel–God with us! What amazing love it is that God, the Creator and Sustainer, the Author of Life, would choose a life in the form of a human, helpless, baby. That He would lower Himself in status in order to lift us up with Him, that we might have life through our Savior Jesus Christ! It’s crazy…beyond comprehension…but it’s true. And this is what we celebrate this Christmas season. We celebrate the birth and life of Jesus; that God became flesh and dwelt among us.

We encourage you and your family to celebrate with us, and we look forward to seeing how this series will impact the way our students see, understand, and love Jesus.

Here’s what’s been happening for the last few weeks:

We had both of our fall events for the month of October–the 6th grade Fall Party and Dodgeball for 7th and 8th grade–and both were AMAZING! The pumpkin olympics were a huge hit and we had a good time doing some pumpkin bowling, gourd launching, seed spitting, and a bunch of other great games.

Dodgeball was also a huge success–all our teams did GREAT and it was fun to watch our students have some good, friendly competition and really get into the game. One of the best parts about dodgeball was the creative ways that teams chose to dress up and the names they gave themselves. Here’s just a few team names we had: Thou Shalt Lose, The Purple Dinosaurs, The Carebears (by the way, all of those just listed were BOYS teams!), The 3 Amigos x3, The Burning Unicorn Toes, and The Neon Ninjas.

The winner for all the boys’ teams was The Dolphins, and for the girls it was The Neon Ninjas! Congrats to both teams for doing an awesome job!

We also just returned from our Fall Retreat this past Sunday. We went to Hidden Acres in Dayton, IA, and it was such an amazing time of connecting with God through His word and through community with each other. Our theme for the weekend was Prodigal–focusing in on the Luke 15 parable of the prodigal son.

Klint was the speaker for the weekend, and he did a great job of bringing other parts of the story to light for the students that they might have passed over. We didn’t just focus on the son who ran away, but also on the attitude of the older brother, and most importantly, the pursuing love of the father for both of his sons.

Our hope for the students this past weekend was that they would be able to find themselves in the story and begin to look at their own hearts and attitudes toward God, and that they would see God’s overwhelming, pursuing love. God is the father in the story that sees us coming from a long way off and runs toward us with outstretched arms! How amazing is this God that we serve–who loves both the son who rejected him, and the other son overcome with pride and anger…

We pray that our students will continue to dig deep into this truth long after the retreat, and that this understanding of God as our father will begin to change and shape them as they pursue a life of faith.

Things have been going great in the Middle School Ministry, especially in our journey groups! We had a special night for our 7th and 8th grade students on Sunday that was focused on how we can share our faith with those around us. It was a good time of learning and reflection for our students, and we are encouraging them to put this into practice by inviting their friends to our upcoming dodgeball event on the 21st of this month.

It’s going to be an awesome time of fun games, lots of food, and fellowship! Our teams are divided by journey groups will be competing for an ULTIMATE GRAND PRIZE! We’ll have different themed rounds to keep things interesting, and we even have a poll on our facebook page right now where students can cast their vote for what kind of round they’d like to play. It’s a great event to bring a friend to and we hope to see some new students get connected into our ministry.

Another event we have coming up is our 6th Grade Fall party with the appropriate fall them of: Pumpkin Olympics!

This Wednesday night, we will be playing all sorts of games using pumpkins…which may or may not get a little messy! Teams will be divided by journey groups, and of course we’ll have awesome prizes for the winning team. It’s going to be a fun night of fellowship for our sixth graders and a great way to strengthen relationships within their journey groups.

Photos of both of these events will be posted a.s.a.p. on our facebook page, so keep an eye out for those!

Have a blessed week!