Wed night Burger Bash

Below you’ll find three passages I’ve been thinking about. They have come to my mind through personal reflection and the time last evening while we had our Middle School / High School kick off night. We had a very special speaker, Peg Hammond.

Last evening the whole night was such a blast. It was great to reconnect with students I haven’t seen in a while and meet new students who are just entering our student ministry here at Calvary. So I am reminded to LIVE each day, every moment as a reflection of how Christ is working in my life. This upcoming weekend we kick off our middle school group, ACTIVATE beginning at 6:15PM on Sunday 9/14.

“God is love. When we take up permanent residence in the life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we are free of worry on Judgment day – our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s.”
1 John 4:17 (The Message)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
2 Cor (NIV)

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matt 6:33(NIV)

Fall KICK OFF '08/'09

It has been a fun start to the '08/'09 school year. We've had a parent meeting, volunteer staff training, a pancake breakfast and this week we have the burger bash (Wed 9/10, beginning at 6:00) and our ACTIVATE kick off on Sunday, Sept 14th, beginning at 6:15.

Watch for more information on Activate, SS information, & our Acitivate with RECHARGE. Another Date to keep in mind is that ALL 6th graders need to know they are invited to a 6th Grade ONLY, Quest4Adventure day on Saturday, November 1st.

Scripture Reading?

So this past Sunday when I was handing out Bibles I asked the students, "Do you own a Bible?" Every student said YES. So why don't they carry them to Church on a Sunday for Sunday School or to use them in Church? I have no idea. But my next question was to challenge their thinking even further, "So when was the last time you picked up your Bible and read it on your own?" Some could answer this question some could not. The most interresting thing was that only one person had read their Bible that week, a few days before I ask the question. So my third and final question, "What did you read?" It was hard for the students to remember. At any rate, since we're doing a Gospel overview during the month of August I challenged the students to read the Jesus' sermon on the mountian. Do you know where it can be found? Have you been reading your bible lately? If so, tell someone what you're reading.

Summer NOTE...

First of all I want to say a WELCOME to all incoming 6th graders.

Here is some inforation for all middle school students:

TURTLES '08 (Totally Unique Recreational Teen Last Event of the Summer) iscoming up FAST and you still have time to register. Invite friends and beready to have 24+ hours of TOTAL Fun!!! This event is a time for incoming6th graders to have their first introduction to some of the crazy fun wehave in Middle School, yet be challenged by our speaker/illusionist TobyTravis. It is a time to make introductions to those you don't know who areentering 6th grade just like you and it is a time for those returning toreconnect after being busy all summer. You'll also be able to meet some ofthe leaders who will be involved in middle ministry here at Calvary.Ultimately this is a huge "sleep-over" where we invite middle schoolers from other churches to join us for the event. There are usually 7-10 otherchurches, mostly Evangelical Free Churches that jump on board for the fun. Everything begins at 3:30 PM on Friday, Aug 15th. Inflatables, supper, speaker & an ice cream party. Your registration deadline has been extended until August 10 for Calvarystudents and their friends.

Sneak Peek of what is coming up:
- 6th Grade only Events
- BURGER BASH fall kick off on WED. September 10
- We'll begin our ACTIVATE nights on September 14th. Our firstteaching series will be entitled, "What's in a NAME?" - looking at the namesof God and how He DOES relate to us today.
- Sunday School each week during the first service - This is a timeof study and discussion.
- Student Ministry Team - If you want to go deeper in your faithand be challenged to put your faith into action, this group will be for you.You'll actually have the opportunity to help plan out and implement ACTIVATEnights. There will be a special retreat for those who want to join thisteam.
- RECHARGE will be our small group element to our Middle schoolyouth ministry. It is my prayer you'll be more accountable to God and yourfriends as you grow in faith.
This is only a start of what you'll see in our Middle school ministry hereat Calvary. There will be more specifics given out in the weeks to come.Please pick up information concerning specific dates at the ministry Fair onSunday, August 24.

PARENTS there will be a special parent forum on Wednesday, September 3 from7 p.m. - 8 p.m. Please make every effort to attend this meeting.

As always, know that I love to buy anyone who asks a DQ blizzard and thatI'm always available for questions and welcome all feedback. Please emailsbellingar@calvaryefc.org or call 282-4612. I will also be updatinginformation on a BLOG which can be found at a link on the Calvary web site.Thanks!!!!

Look forward to seeing you at TURTLES.
-Pastor Steve

Back in Rochester...Note 2 Parents

Safely Home!!! It was a tiring trip home after all the hard work everyone put in. It was more than the ministry projects; it was the growth and challenges that we experienced through group time each night and the new friendships that were built with the people from the other churches. I am personally SO proud of your children and you should be also. Parents, your children went above and beyond expectations. Not saying there weren't those “growth opportunities” throughout the week, but your children were a HUGE, HUGE encouragement to the staff of Youthworks that served us all week. You could see it in their faces and from the words they shared at the end of our time with them. The energy and attentiveness at our club time each night was very powerful.

It was a privilege to lead this group. I am especially thankful for the other adults who served alongside me throughout the week (Kevin Z, Chris N, Lora P, Jill H, and Kristi W). We had such a special time last night observing Communion together and sharing testimonies. I want to thank everyone who prayed for us. God truly answered your prayers.

-pastor steve

Club for Boys

Below you'll find a video showing the "game room" at the Club for Boys:

http://

More updates ... More photos added look at the link..

Alison K.- This trip was an experience I refuse to forget. There were lots of new people we got to meet, and build relationships with, and lots of amazing people that everyone talked about from the other missions. Everything we did was meaningful. The people that I met were very interesting, and I began realizing these people’s needs. I learned things from the people in my group. I worked at two nursing homes and a Youth Development center. I think I made some lasting impacts. The elderly just want somebody to talk to. And if only we would just let them talk! We would learn so much. The lady I spoke to, at Meadowbrook’s nursing home, Helen, a pianist, I think about 94 years old, was like walking history. Her story was just the story of a ‘typical farm girl’ in South Dakota. And it was fascinating to hear her talk. She told me about everything… and repeated herself, so I’m not thinking I’ll be forgetting about it soon. Somehow, her story kind of reminded me of Anne of Green Gables, or Laura Ingalls Wilder, or an American Girl story. It was just awesome to hear the way things really were back then, directly to the ones who lived in it. I also spoke to Ruth. I didn’t get much time to talk to her, but she was incredible. She had multiple sclerosis, and she was writing these books, one about MS and her sister with MS, and another about domestic violence, due to her years helping in a battered women facility. She was incredibly strong and inspiring, even in the few minutes I got to speak to her.
At the Youth Development Center, I talked to a girl. We didn’t say much, and the screens of the computers were so attracting to me in that crowded, secluded corner… I do believe somebody should’ve been watching these kids more… I saw a little makeover game similar to the ones I’d play at home, and so I walked toward that person on that computer. I learned quite a bit from just watching her there. I sort of detected her fashion sense, by the way she styled the animated, portrait-view, models. She surfed the web, on the appropriate site list, and I learned her name from her sending a random comment to Disney Channel’s site. When she got off the computer, she asked me if I wanted to draw, and set down paper and a pencil in front of my seat. And so we drew for a few minutes. Kristi and her group of little girls, who were playing ‘pretend’, imagined that we were both at an art school that they were visiting. They took pictures of us. I played with the younger girls outside for a minute, then came back in. All these kids wanted were a friend. Someone to talk to, or draw with, or appreciate them, or just to play with them.
On the day of the activity, when we went to the waterpark, I saw my older friend, who was my age, the one who drew, and her eyes just lit up when she saw me. We had hardly said anything, but we were friends already.
What really got to me, however, was the ‘club’ nights, on Tuesday and Wednesday. Tuesday had a very important message. God loves everyone. No matter what they do. No matter who they are. On the very first night that we all arrived here, someone told us to think of everyone as someone that God loves, rather than judging them. The ‘Club’ on Tuesday really reinforced this. They showed us a slideshow of pictures. Of so many different people. And every single one of them, is loved by God. That was extremely powerful in itself.
To be continued….

Tuesday...

Tara- These past few days have been amazing. We have been working at Corner Stone Ministries, helping out with the Thrift Store and Today the girls in our group went to the women’s shelter while the boys went and helped out at the men’s mission. The people at Corner Stone were so appreciative for the help and support of their ministries. We met a man who volunteers there often and when we were moving things into and out of some apartment buildings, he said that all the work that we had been doing, would have taken him a few months by himself. They even asked us to come back. J God has been working tremendously.

Josh-the boys club is amazing it has about four pool tables, a couple ping-pong tables, about five arcade games, a library, two gyms, walk clubs everything, they even feed about 300 kids everyday for only seven dollars a year. I think the best part is the shuffle ball: there are two tables there both about 6-7 ft each. It`s really cool how most of the stuff they have has been donated. The place is pretty much a Chucky Cheeses for boys ages 6-12.

Updates from Yesterday...

BELOW you'll find notes written by some students and adult leaders:

Kaylyn- It was a great first day. My group was able to go to the youth development center. It’s a building that helps Native American kids that have alcoholic parents or parents that don’t have jobs and they were super cute, they love to play games and color pictures they totally rocked. Then after we ate lunch (we ate on a grass patch between two roads) we went to the Retirement Center and played Bingo with old people. It was lots of fun and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.

Karina- This is my first mission trip and so far it has been the best time I have ever had. Today we woke up at 6:00 and ate breakfast at 7:45 and the left. I first went to the youth development center and I meet a lot of really cool kids. Then we went to the retirement home and meet Hazel, she was very nice she was telling me stories about how women did not get as many jobs as men it was so cool! Now we are going to the Mount Rushmore (Monday. night) and I can already tell that that will be fun! I really think that today was an AWSOME day!!!!!!!!

Caleb- Today, I saw a miracle. No, not one of the Bible miracles, like fire and lightning and locusts, but a much cooler one. I worked at the Fountain Springs senior care center, and I had been hanging out with the people there, playing card games with them. It was amazing, how they would do so well at the game, they would just be so happy about their success, and then by their next turn, they’d have completely forgotten how they were supposed to play. But, they were just so happy about our being there, I could just see the bright glow on their faces as we played and helped teach them how to play. It was so amazing. As I reflect tonight on how the day went, I think of how amazing God really is, and how He really does still do miracles. He may not do flashy paparazzi wonders and signs, but He does another miracle: The miracle of the grateful heart.

Lora – We went to Fountain Springs Healthcare on Monday. When we walked in and started talking to the people sitting around in the center, their faces lit up! This is where you see how relationships are such an important part of what God wants out of us. We are sharing Jesus’ love by caring and spending time with people. They wanted to have someone to play cards with, or to wheel them out to the garden. Young boys in our group quickly learned how to feel comfortable with an elderly person. They took charge and relaxed with guiding a chair and talking with their partner. The growth in each teen was evident in the first day.

Thanks again for your prayers. More pictures are at the link on the left side of this page.

Arrival & First Day so far…

It was a great trip out and we all are thankful for the safety and protection God provided. On our way we ran over a huge piece of something in the roadway that was throw into the air and hit the wheel guard on the trailer. At that very moment there was a rest area and we were able to pull over and found out there was no real damage however the wheel guard was rubbing on the tire. If we would have had to go further we might have lost the tire. The rest of the trip was great and we arrived in Rapid City, got settled and met new people from two different churches.

Our first Club Night was great as we were challenged to trust God when he has his best for us no matter what. That is exactly what Mary had to do when God was going to use her to be the mother of our Savior.

Our sleep in the church was much needed and most everyone slept well. Today, Monday, we got started at our ministry sites. It will be great to hear the stories from each group as we debrief tonight. Tonight we’ll also be visiting Mt. Rushmore.

Thanks again for your prayers. On the left you’ll find a link to more pictures. The Wi/Fi at the church is not working the best, but we’ll still try to update this blog at least once each day.

and we're OFF!!!!!

We have arrived safely in Rapid City and have had a good night sleep and are ready to start our week off. Unfortunatly, the internet access is rather limited, so we will try to post as often as we can, but I'm not sure how often that will be! Check out the photos to get a glimpse of what has been going on!

Summer2008

JULY 12 - 19th

Twenty-nine middle school students and adult leaders will head out to Rapid City, SD to partner with Youthworks. The team is set, we have prepared through having team meetings, and we're in our final preparations before leaving. God has truly provided right people He has in mind for our mission trip.