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We have been challenged to step out in faith. The Student Ministries team is being called out. We are being asked to be those who walk by faith and not by sight. We are being challenged to be a team that doesn’t center around one personality or generation. These are steps of faith.

Nebojsa Duric of Croatia spoke last week at our JH/HS service. To begin his message he asked, “How are you all feeling tonight?”

Everyone muttered something – good, bad, whatever…

Then he said, “I don’t care…I don’t care how you feel, it doesn’t matter…it matters what you believe.”

Everyone laughed of course. Our culture is so sensitive to one another’s feelings, so it is amusing to hear one say “I don’t care.” But the point was no laughing matter.

What do we believe? What do you believe? Our feelings aren’t reliable. If we trust our emotions we will never be stable. But, if we trust Jesus, if we believe that He is the same Yesterday, Today and Forever, if we believe that he is at work within us, if we believe that He is the head of his church, if we believe that nothing can separate us from God, if we believe in Him, the Almighty God as expressed in his Son Jesus we will be stable. More than that we will be effective. We will be proactively experiencing and perpetuating that Kingdom of Heaven. We will have a Godly, faith-filled, joyful affect on all those around us. We will be more than individuals saved by grace we will be a community set free to change the world.

Over the last week eleven Students have received Jesus as their savior through Student Ministries. They have begun a journey of faith. They will never forget these moments. New chapters are beginning.

God is at work. He is moving…

I believe it…do you?

Seven students made first time commitments to Jesus last night in our Wednesday evening service. If you have been following our journey you know that our integration of students with the adult service has taken a huge step of faith.

He has challenged us to move.
It has been awkward at times.
He has given us insight into our culture.
But it is hard to obey.
He has saved seven young people.
It is easy to praise our God.

From the Message Last Night
In 1993 the British Alternative band Radiohead released the song “Creep.” Although it did not immediately catch on in the UK, the song quickly rose up the international play charts. Fans from around the world clamored to buy the single and filled stadiums to hear Radiohead perform the song. Often times crowds would not allow the band to play anything but “Creep.”

The song had struck a common chord with all people. The meandering rhythm and melancholy melody resonated with a world struggling to find its reason for existence. While lead singer and songwriter Thom Yorke wrote the song about a drunken man who couldn’t impress the pretty girl at a party, the lyrics, “I’m a creep, I’m a weirdo…what the hell am I doing here” expressed the sentiments of a Western culture deeply confused and distressed over the meaning of life.

In the following interpretation of Radiohead’s “Creep.” Evergreen’s youth video team explores the themes of collective isolation, fear and meaninglessness. You will observe mouths speaking with the sound removed in order to express the feeling of insignificance often experienced by people today. You will also observe random images and sequences specifically designed to tune us into the frazzled frenzy we experience on a daily basis. Images of deep pits and still bodies attempt to communicate the lifelessness that our world feels.

Three times this song uses the phrase “what the hell.” We ask that you choose not to be offended. We cannot edit out their phraseology, but feel that the song itself lends to be a great illustration of our society’s need for a savior.

This is an email sent from Jeri Houle to the great people who helped with our “Heroes Unmasked

To the “Unmasked Heroes”,
As we ‘close the loops’ on an amazing “Family Fall Carnival”….I, for one, stand amazed at the way He moved among us.
What a blessing to be part of the team work that pulled off a ‘bright light’ on a dark night!!!
We  had volunteers volunteering that were just getting started in the ‘heart of a servant’ – Thanks for inviting them. We had long time verterans back for more of what they love,  – thanks for including them.  We had ‘recovering’, tenative heroes that stepped ‘back into’ His service after being away for a long time, – thanks for giving them a ‘hand up’. We had families in every size, shape and costume, – Thanks for welcoming them and serving them. 
Discoveries  were made – new friendships formed, team work established at new levels, creativity and flexiblity poured out, enegery reserves tapped into at the Spirit level when they body wanted to stop. Thank you Jesus.
There was a safe, friendly, inviting, beautiful, fun, – ‘crazy’ as one friend said, atmosphere…lots of smiles  – (some cought on film)- from the edge of the parking lot to the heart of every game and drama.
It is truley amazing to see the ‘big and little’ children of God come together, shoulder to shoulder….we CAN accomplish great and mighty things for His Kingdom. We have been called and anointed to continue to press on toward THE goal….heaven awaits my dear friends.

Well done my hero friends….I am honored to be on your team.
It keeps getting better.

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