I Have To Do What!?!

This week we are beginning a three week series that will come from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. To give parents a better idea of what we’re talking about and to help them bring the discussion home, we wanted to make sure you have an overview here.  Take a look and make a note to discuss each after church or sometime the week following each message.  The series is titled “I Have To Do What?!?!” because the Sermon on the Mount has some revolutionary ideas. Jesus gives a lot of life instructions in this sermon. Most of the time when we read it, we are overwhelmed by the challenge that Jesus puts before us. It is almost like Jesus says, “You think you have your life under control, but you actually don’t.” We are going to take a close look at three different chapters that make up this Sermon and see how what Jesus is asking us to do is actually possible and that it will certainly change our lives for the better.  Jesus did not give us impossible commands; He gave us the blueprint on how to live a happy, healthy, fulfilling life.

• 5/6 – Above and Beyond – We’ll take a look at Matthew 5:38-42. Jesus tells us that we should not retaliate when we are injured by other. We will learn what exactly it is that we are supposed to do in those situations. Instead of retaliating, Jesus calls us to respond with love and forgiveness, not the last laugh.
• Think of a situation at school or home when you have retaliated and tried to get someone back. What did you do? How did you feel? Would the scenario have played out differently if you had responded in love and forgiveness?
• 5/13 – Anxiety Away – We’ll take a look at Matthew 6:25-34 to see what Jesus has to say about worry. Worry seems to be an accepted part of everyday life, but Jesus calls us to live a life free of worry. That worry will disappear as we begin to truly trust in Him.
• Worry seems to be a part of everyday life. What is it that you worry about most often? What area of your life do you need to trust Jesus with? Think about why it is that you worry about certain things.
• 5/20 – Judge Not – We’ll take a look at Matthew 7:1-6 and take a look at what Jesus says about judgment. It is a difficult call to follow. There are situations where we have to be able to make judgment calls. We will learn what Jesus meant when He told us not to judge.
• We make judgment calls all day, but we also judge many people that we see. What causes us to judge others? How do you feel when someone judges you? When is it okay to judge?

Student Ministry Survey

There are a lot of exciting things on the horizon as we plan to open the new student center this August.  Our student ministry team is working hard to think and dream about the future of Jr. High and High School ministry at West Side and we need your help.  We want to make sure that our efforts go toward things that will best equip you and your family to thrive at West Side.

Parents, please take 10 minutes and complete this short Parent Survey. Your feedback will help us greatly as we move forward into the new year!

Students, we’ll be asking you to fill out a paper copy in the next week or two but if you miss it or would prefer to do it now, you can complete our online Student Survey  instead.

Thanks for helping us take West Side Student Ministries to the next level in 2012!

Family Mission Trips 2012

Last year we took our first Family Mission’s Trip for students and their parents and it was a huge success!  This year, we’re expanding it to two different trips.

• June 11 through 14 we’ll return to Springfield, MO to work with Victory Missionto serve the homeless and those in need. Cost is $75 per person. Register online by May 13.
  • Sign up and pay online
  • Sign up and pay in person
• August 8 through 11 we’ll work with Jesus People USAto serve low income women, children & seniors in Downtown Chicago with Jesus People USA.  Cost is $100 per person.  Register online by July 15.
  • Sign up and pay online
  • Sign up and pay in person

Space is limited for each trip so sign up today!

Heart of a Champion series

This week we’re beginning a three week series in Velocity called Heart of a Champion.  We’re taking a closer look at someone the Bible says was, “A man after God’s own heart.”  To give parents a better idea of what we’re talking about and to help them bring the discussion home, we wanted to make sure you have an overview here.  Take a look and make a note to discuss each after church or sometime the week following each message.

•  4/15 – A Look Inside – We’ll take a look at the story of David & Samuel found in 1 Samuel 16.  We’ll learn that people tend to look at external appearance but God looks at the heart.
• Thinking about the people at your school, what do they tend to judge people on?  If you’re honest, what are the things you tend to think about first when you think about people?  Are they internal or external?
• 4/22 – Measuring Up – We’ll take a look at the battle between David & Goliath found in 1 Samuel 17.  We’ll learn that God doesn’t need the biggest and strongest to go great things, just the people who will trust Him with their whole heart.
• What do you think is standing in the way of God using you or your friends to do great things?  If you knew God was going to work through you, what one great thing would you want to do for Him?
• 4/29 – Learning to be Loyal – We’ll take a look at the friendship of David & Jonathan in 1 Samuel 20.  We’ll learn that even people with a great heart need loyal friends to help them through the toughest times.
• Do you have someone in your life like Jonathan who will always be there to help when you need it?  Who are the people in your life who you know you’ll always be there for like Jonathan was for David?

Family Night Live: Values

On Sunday, April 15th the second edition of Family Night Live, a new resource developed by West Side’s Family Ministry team will be released. Each FNL experience is designed to provide families with an opportunity to have fun and talk about how you can grow together. This edition focuses on helping your family identify and live out your values through a few fun activities. The cost is $3 but we think it’ll be well worth your investment. It comes with a DVD, supplies and tons of great memories!

Stop by our table in the concourse on 4/15 or 4/22 to get yours. If you miss getting a copy then, you can always ask a family ministry team member and we can get you one. Once you have yours, set aside a couple of hours with your family to try it. Afterward make sure you tell us about your experience. Submit your story online by May 20th (www.wschurch.org/FNL) for a chance to win a great prize for your family!

If your family missed our first release, FNL: Weird Edition, let us know and we’d love to get you a free copy.

Arise & Awaken

These are intentional events we’ve designed just for our current 7^th graders and their parents.  We’re bringing together a few God-honoring adults from our church to help students make that important transition into adulthood.  We’ve been working all year long to make them incredibly memorable so I hope every 7th grade family will make it a priority to participate.

• ARISE for fathers & sons is June 22-24 at Camp CILCA.  Signup online by 5/6 for a discounted rate of $99 ($49.50 each).  The final registration deadline is 6/3 ($119).  Read the full info letter here.
• AWAKEN for mothers & daughters is June 8-9 in Bloomington, IL.  Signup online by 4/29 for a discounted rate of $79 ($39.50 each).  The final registration deadline is 5/27 ($99).  Read the full info letter here.

Space is limited so take a minute right now to register online and save your spot!

Not in 7th grade?  No problem.  If you’re younger, we’re planning to offer this event each year so you can particpate next year.  If you’re already through 7th grade and want to do something like this, let us know.  We’ll get you some valuble resources to help you create an event like this for your family.

100% Pure Speech

This past Sunday we wrapped up our current series from 1 Timothy 4:12 called 100% Pure.  We talked about how we can strive to live our lives honoring God with the words we say.  During the message we had a “little” pillow fight.  We used the resulting mess to talk about how hard, or impossible, it can be to take back words once they’ve been said.  The only thing you can ever hope to do is clean up the mess, but sometimes even that is impossible.

We encouraged students to take two challenges this week based on Ephesians 4:29:

1. Go 24 hours without saying anything negative.  No put downs, complaints, gossip, etc.  (Tell people around you if you’re taking the challenge and have them give you a thumbs down as a reminder if they notice you using negative language).
2. Begin using postitive lanugage and give at least 5 compliments/encouragements in 24 hours.

Dear Mom & Dad

This month in Velocity we’ve been going through a series called LIFE.  We’re talking about some of the major parts of life and this week, both on Sunday and tonight at V-Groups, we talked about parents.  We gave kids a chance to write anonymous notes to their mom & dad and we wanted to share some of their comments with you.  They’re pretty powerful!

Dear Mom & Dad,

• Thank you for loving me and giving me the opportunity to have a relationship with God. I am sorry if I don’t understand where you are coming from at times. I love you guys.
• I wish that we talked about God more in everyday life.
• I wish my mom and stepdad would listen to me more after they get home from work instead of watching TV.
• I wish we could go out and do more things.
• I like it when you spend individual time with me, like playing basketball or going to lunch with me.
• It seems like you are never home.
• I wish that you would not yell.
• I just wish I could get you to sit down and actually listen to me instead of just saying “I’m the adult, you’re the child.” It makes me feel like you think I’m stupid.
• I wish you would spend time with me.
• Help me. Listen more often.
• I do not think that I say sorry enough.
• I wish you knew how much I really appreciate you.
• Make more rules.
• I am so happy that you give me so many rules. It helps me.
• I wish you knew how much I appreciate you and what you do for me.
• I love you. Thank you for being kind. I wish you could know that I want to spend more time with you.
• I can’t say how much I love you.
• I love you so much! You mean so much to me. I am so proud to be your child.

 Love,

Your Child

Luis Daniel Yac Ticuru

Looking for a way for your family to give back?  Consider sponsoring Luis Daniel Yac Ticuru.

In 2005 a group of students on our Jr. High mission team helped us begin sponsoring Luis (who we’ve affectionately referred to as Yac) through Compassion International.  He was 5 when we first began sponsoring him but now he’s almost 12.  He’s living in Guatemala and going to one of the Compassion International schools there thanks to the offering our students give each week.

Over the last year or two many of our students have made Elevate commitments along with the rest of our church body and have increased their level of giving.  It’s exciting to see so many of our students with offering envelopes each week just like the adults in our congregation.  However, as we’ve partnered with the church body in our Elevate emphasis, it has been more difficult to keep up both of our child sponsorships (we also sponsor a girl named MaryAnn from Kenya).

At this point I don’t think it’ll be possible for our ministry to continue to sponsor Luis.  That is where you come in.  I’d love to avoid dropping the sponsorship completely and instead to pass his sponsorship on to a caring student or family who’d like to help send him to school.  His monthly $38 sponsorship sends him to school and provides some meals and clothing that he wouldn’t otherwise have.  If your family would be interested in investing in the life of Luis and taking over his sponsorship, please let me know.  I can show you some of the letters he’s written us and get you more info so you can make a decision.

UPDATE: A sponsor has been found!  A great family from West Side is going to take over Luis’ sponsorship.  Please continue to pray from Luis as he grows into a great young man who loves God!

Enchanted Evening

Friday, February 3 our Men’s ministry will be hosting “An Enchanted Evening” for dads and their daughters from 6:00-8:00pm at LSCA. It’ll be a great chance for fathers and daughters of all ages to have a fun and memorable night together.  All dads with daughters ages 5 and older are invited to attend. We’ll have a catered meal and interactive activities for dads and daughters to share in. Cost is $20/family. Sign up at the table in the concourse or by contacting the church office at 793-2800.