Kay Warren - Oh my goodness

"A seriously disturbed, gloriously ruined woman" are the words Kay Warren used to describe herself today as she talked to the Gathering. I don't know how those kinds of words could be an understatement, but they are. She rocked like no female presenter I've ever heard...ever (although Jeanne Mayo and Lori Salierno are right up there)! I was deeply, incredibly, wonderfully moved by her presentation about HIV aids and how God changed her heart. She's deep, she is real and she has chosen to be in the trenches, refusing to give up. Wow! I just need to go off somewhere and weep...seriously.

Early today we heard from a guy named Bill Daily on how to market your ministry. He was awesome as well. His words rang true; however, the thoughts he provoked were pushed to the side when Kay talked. I'll have to go find and reflect on them later.

I LOVED IT

Here are my last three days

Tuesday
In for staff meeting at 10 a.m., then the race was on...big time! Dancing with Fellowship One, putting leaders in Eagle's Nests, getting all the right info on little cards so Karen, Evan, Hilary, Zach, Dave and Loretta could start putting the Eagle's Nest together, a mass mailing to leaders reminding of the meeting the next day, updating PowerPoint slides and thinking/writing some new stuff for workshop the next day, answering phone calls/email...and the list goes on. Time I left the building 6 a.m. Wednesday morning.

Wednesday
Slept from 6-7 a.m. (that's right, one hour), then showered and off to workshop. Arrived at the workshop at 7:50 for 8:30 start. Taught two of the sessions (wow, 3 hours...that's a lot of talking). It went great! Corey is hilarious and creative so his stuff kept me smiling. Finished at 4:30 p.m., questions until 5:15 p.m. Went upstairs and typed the discussion questions for the Oasis leaders meeting at 6:30 p.m. Left and grabbed some pizza and pop for the leaders group at Dave's house. Met there from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Left Dave's and came back to work to do a little bit of email stuff. Home by 10:30 and crashed hard at 11.

Thursday
Up at 6:30 a.m. for 7:30 arrival at church to clap for ICC conference attendees as they came in (we had the whole red carpet thing and all). Easily could identify the extroverts who loved it and the introverts who hated it...clapped regardless. Sat through the majority of the conference in between getting a few things here and there for youth pastors (they're awesome). Mark, Tim and Rob did an amazing job. Corey and I did a breakout session. It went great...but more talking. I don't know if you can talk so much that your stomach lungs hurt, but mine do. Left the church at 5:30, got Applebees Carside To Go, took a 15 minute nap, back to church for Shane and Shane, along with the Film Festival. Now I'm off to help housekeeping set up for tomorrow because my heart says to despite my body wanting sleep.

It was a lot, but I loved every minute of it.

STUDENT MINISTRY 101

WOO HOO! Today is the day over 50 youth pastors and leaders from CA to FL will pour into the Penguin Room to hear Corey and I tell them pretty much everything we know about youth ministry. It should be a blast. Pray for us...and them. The workshop is from 8:30a.m. - 4:30p.m....it's so jammed packed, it's like drinking from a fire hose.

LEADERS MEETING

If you didn't get the email or voice shot, here are the details for Wednesday, September 20 leader's meeting.


GROUPS 1-4 MEET AT DAVE PAYUMO’S
ADDRESS: 5719 Knobel Court, Granger, IN 46530
DIRECTIONS FROM THE CHURCH:
Right (west) out of church parking lot onto University Drive
Left (south) at light onto Main Street
Left (east) at light onto Douglas
Left (north) into Main Street Villas onto Cottage Parkway
Left (west) onto Knobel Court (fourth street)
Dave’s house is the first one on the right
TIME: Arrive between 6:30-7:00 for pizza, meeting is 7:00-8:00 p.m.

1. CROSSFIRE
Jeremy Law – Coach
David Payumo
Matthew Rendall - HS
Jeanna Tripp - Coach
Naomi Seifert

2. ENGAGE
Dave Anglemyer
Kerry Beasley
Brent Yoder
James Stogdill – HS
Jerica Trip - Coach
Gail Anglemyer
Kasie Kyle – HS Coach

3. THE FORCE
Bob McFarland – Coach
Dan Clark
Levi Riggenbach – HS
Craig Eanes – HS
Karen McFarland - Coach
Tammy Lausman
Deb Born
Shelby Renes – HS

4. ROCK SOLID
David Jacobs
Trevor Young
Zach McFarland – HS
Ruby Moyer – Coach
Susanna Martino
Michelle Brown
Courtney Anderson – HS Coach



GROUPS 5-7 MEET AT CHRIS INFALT’S
ADDRESS: 52882 Camellia Drive, South Bend, IN 46637
DIRECTIONS FROM THE CHURCH:
Right (west) out of church parking lot onto University Drive
Right (north) at light onto Main Street
Left (west) at light onto 23 (stay straight at Mall), which turns into Cleveland
Right (north) onto Camellia Drive (past Castle Point Apartments)
Chris’ house is the last house on the right with the split rail fence)
TIME: Arrive between 6:30-7:00 for pizza, meeting is 7:00-8:00 p.m.

5. SOUL CANDY
James Kytta – Coach
Jason Law (Starting December)
Scott Infalt (Starting December)
Patrick Hester – HS – Coach
Lisa Garritano
Erin Harlow
Kara Weaver – HS – Coach
Stephanie Park – HS

6. TESTIFY
Jeremy Post – Coach
Corey Mann
August Garritano – HS Coach
Loretta Crespo – Coach
Chantelle Casey
Sherri Stewart

7. EAGLE ONE
Jeff Banicki - Coach
Michael Infalt
Evan Bronkema - HS
Adam Bujulski
Wendy Seifert
Joy Bohlmann
Hilary McFarland – HS Coach
Shelby Trusty – HS




GROUPS 8-11 MEET AT THE VINCENT’S
Kelly and Laura Vincent
ADDRESS: 11186 Mayapple Trail, Osceola, IN 46561
DIRECTIONS FROM THE CORNER OF DAY AND BITTERSWEET
East on Day Road
Right (south) onto Birch Road (Birch is between Day and County Line/Ash Rd.)
Go over railroad tracks and turn Left (east) into Birchwood Farms Subdivision
Right at dead end onto Mayapple Trail
Vincent’s house is the gray two story on the right after the bend in the road
TIME: Arrive between 6:30-7:00 for pizza, meeting is 7:00-8:00 p.m.

8. ELEVATE
Kelly Vincent
Adam Weaver – HS
Chris Cartwright – HS
Richie Mead - HS
Laura Vincent – Coach
Candace Shea – HS
Gwen Fleming – HS

9. HIGH VOLTAGE
Phil Whybrew – Coach
John Olashuk
Adam Wack - HS
Georgia Fawcett
Cheri Huntington
Brenda Balbo
Alison SilverRaven

10. 180
Jason Simnick
Mike Rairdon
Patrick Guibert - HS
Carole Marzke – Coach
Bridget Harlow
Debbi Walters – HS
Shawna Byrd - HS

11. RELENTLESS
John Keim - Coach
Rich Landgraf
Kyle DeWitt – HS Coach
Derek Cameron – HS
Tara Willis
Amy Beringer
Danielle Tomchak – HS

GROUP 12 – MEETS AT MAUST’S
Seth and Sarah Maust
ADDRESS: 1522 Rockne Drive, South Bend, IN 46617
DIRECTIONS FROM THE CORNER OF IRONWOOD AND EDISON:
South on Ironwood
Right (west) at the first light (a 5 point intersection), the right is more like a 45 degree angle
Go down about ½ mile. Seth’s house is on the left side (brick with cream’ish yellow siding)
TIME: 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.

12. WILDSIDE
Seth Maust - Coach
Tony Morgan
Evan McFarland – HS Coach
Steven McClean – HS
Sarah Maust
Rosalind Ruiz
Kathryn Marchand

I Did Not Do This Book Justice

I read Andy's book while on a mini-retreat at Manowe. The time at Manowe was AMAZING and this book is AMAZING. I thought I had already read this book, but I think it was one of those times I read the titles of the chapters and just chalked it up to "I know what he's going to say". Boy was I wrong. If you're a youth pastor or a parent, this book on what every student must know by the time they graduate from your youth ministry is a must read (parents, I think it could be translated to what every student must know by the time they leave your home).

Shawn Harper at Oasis

Shawn Harper with Champions for Today will be at Oasis tomorrow night! Shawn is a fromer linebacker for the INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (yes, that is correct the winner of the Manning vs. Manning showdown this weekend). He loves football and, more importantly, he loves Jesus. I'm grateful that we have him and guys like him who "get it" when it comes to reaching the next generation for Christ. They "get" that if you want to reach our kids for Christ, you need to get in "proximity" with them. Which reminds me of one of our middle school guys at the baptism this weekend...when asked whether he wanted to wait to be baptized until his family could be here (he had written permission, but they didn't show), he said "you are my family."





















Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:4-9

A Picture Worth a 1,000 Words

I like this pic. I'm not going to get into why, but if you know our history, a picture really is worth a 1,000 words. This one speaks.

Word from Tim's blog is that it was 59 degrees. Word from Tony's blog is that there were over 380 people baptized. You know you're ready to go public when you'll wait in the rain in a ginormous line to step into the water when the air temperature is 59 degrees. I can't even begin to explain the flood of emotions I get thinking about that. I'm proud of them. I'm proud of the people standing on the shore cheering them on. I'm proud of the dozens and dozens of volunteers who helped with smiles on their faces...seriously I was looking and they were smiling. You had an incredible crew Mark Waltz and Shelley A. You did an amazing job Ginny Lawley. How about the same time, same place next year? 59 or 95 degrees...I'm in!

Baptism...The Rain Couldn't Stop Us

Yesterday was cold and rainy, but that didn't, shouldn't and couldn't stop hundreds from publicly declaring their faith in Christ at Life Action Ranch. It was incredible! Corey, John and I got the pleasure of baptising scores of people. It was awesome to have the team assembled and dunking...together.

As far as the cold, it was the oddest thing. Normally, I'm the first to turn on the heater...just ask those in the youth loft when I create a mini sauna in my office. However, for some reason, no matter how cold it is, I'm fine in the water when it comes to baptising people. Yesterday, I was grateful for that.

My most memorable dunks were some Oasis students and my friend, Kira. September 10, 2006 was their day...a day not soon forgotten.

And the survey says...657

I'm over the my database blues.The numbers from the 2006-07 Oasis Kick Off Bash are in...

Total number of middle school students ... 553
Total number of adult and high school leaders ... 104
Grand total ... 657

For those non-middle school types that think that's scary, consider this...at the kick off bash three years from now we will be over 1,000. Now that my friend, even makes me suck air.

You Can't Convince Me

I've been fighting databases for the last three years. Everyone keeps trying to convince me, this one is better, better than the last two, just wait and see Judy... just wait and see. We'll...waiting...waiting...still waiting. Each time, I stand disappointed. A stack of 600+ cards are starring me in the face. Because of what we're trying to accomplish in a record amount of time, we need to get the info on these students entered and processed. I've been trying to do a simple search for the last 15 minutes on one student...one student. I get the same answer. "This page has encountered an unexpected error..."

Oh, my ACCESS database, why did we ever abandon you?

The Kick Off

The inflatables have long been deflated and loaded back on the truck, the skittles picked up and the overflowing trash emptied, the toliets flushed and the lights turned off. It was a great, great kick off. The official total is not in, but we know the count was over 625. Over 625 lives Jesus entrusted to us tonight. I hope...no, I believe...we honored Him in it.

The line up...
1. Inflatables, cafe, video games from 4:45 - 6:45 p.m. Wow, there were a lot of inflatables. We even got a few extra thrown in there for free. Too long of story and too late to tell why, just know I'm grateful to Kevin over at Metro Inflatables. Thank you Jesus for sunshine...I'm grateful for that too.

2. We started the programmed part of the night with one of Johnny's most incredible video creations to date. It was a great summer recap.

3. The minute it was over Trace, Jeff, Adam and Brenden struck their first cord. Can you say AMAZING! They played Stars, Forever and Ever, I am Free and Undignified.

4. Johnny welcomed the crowd and had them take a quick time out to fill out a registration card...got to do the registration cards...Eagle's nests (breakout groups) are right around the corner and in order for them to work you've got to break them out just so. As an incentive to get them done quickly, a few Ring Pops tossed here and there motivated them.

5. Then it was off to the races...the pony races. Section 1 won the tasty, but ever so cheap, Air Heads. Hey, when you're looking at giving away candy to over 250 students in one of four sections, you gotta go cheap. We'll save the Reeses for next time. Johnny closed with an ever so kind intro for me. I felt blessed.

6. I prayed and gave the message God put on my heart...Click Moments.

Here it is in a nutshell...
Began by taking pictures of kids, talking about click or Kodak moments and how Jesus has me take pictures every once in a while...not necessarily physical pictures, but mental ones for me to remember with all of my heart, mind and soul when he's shown up in a big way or wants me to learn something. Ex. camp, mission trip and veterans meeting.
...Showed Tyler's blob clip (thanks Corey) and talk about the nudge I had not to let Corey do it.
...Showed Ricky's picture and talked about fingernail clippers and sleeping bag.
...Talk about veterans meeting and how I felt Jesus saying "Judy this is how Oasis is supposed to be" after walking in and feeling so loved by those around me. It was like walking into a reunion.

Which led to the vision for Oasis.
...Illustrated with Lord of the Rings video clip of army outside of the Black Gate and Frodo and Sam tired and dehydrated nearing Mount Doom (thanks Johnny). Challenged students to find the three "click" friendship moments.

Gimli: I never thought I'd die fighting side by side with an elf. Legolas: What about side by side with a friend?
Vision for Oasis to be a place of acceptance. Doesn't matter size, shape or color of your skin (or how pointed your ears are).

Sam: C'mon Mr. Frodo, I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you.
Vision for Oasis to be a place where we'll walk through life...together...carrying each other when necessary. Ex. Caleb walking with the Israelites the 40 years in the desert, carrying their burden, lending his leadership. It wasn't his mess...he could of bailed, thrown in the towel on his relationships, but he didn't. The dude was old...85 years old to be exact...when it came time to take what he knew the Lord was capable of giving them 45 years earlier.

Aragorn: My brothers, I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. The day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bounds of fellowship, but it is not this day. This day we fight for all that you hold dear.
Vision for Oasis to be a place where we fight for what we hold dear...Our King...to know Him and make Him know. Ex. Story in Brennan Manning's book of Tim Casey and Jack Robinson. Tim falling on a grenade for Jack. Tim's mom to Jack: "What more could he have done to show his love for you Jack." Similar to Jesus when we wonder whether He truly loves us, think "What more could he have done for you."

7. Had them reflect on that as they watched the SPLAT EXPERIENCE. Very cool. The students loved it! You should have seen how many were taking pictures with their cell phones. Evidently, it was a "click" moment:)

8. Closed in prayer...then announcements and giveaways.

It was an awesome night. It's 3:45 in the morning now, I think I'll go home. After all, haircut at 10:30 and Bible study at noon.

Thank you Jesus. Thank you John, Chris, Corey, Trace, Jeff M., Adam T., Brendan, Jeff G., Adam C., Zach, Hilary, Patrick and the COUNTLESS leaders (seriously, there were like 100 of them) who made it happen! Words cannot express how truly grateful I am. Couldn't and wouldn't have wanted to do it without you.

I love Oasis...I love our team...I love Jesus...enough said.

September 6 - Inflatable City

Our KICK OFF is right around the corner. It's going to be amazing. The MESSAGE is in my head, the contracts for the INFLATABLES (seven to be exact) have been signed, we sealed the deal on the SPLAT EXPERIENCE, Trace is putting a rockin' BAND together and the GIVEAWAYS are in the closet. Even better, I don't know who is more excited...the leaders or the students. We had a great time at the ADULT AND HS LEADERS MEETING on Tuesday. A lot of new faces...which is very cool. Then, seeing the scores of students at the VETERAN STUDENT MEETING on Wednesday put a smile on my face. It was like hanging out with 110 of your closest friends and family. This years theme is ENGAGE. Be praying that our students find this an easy invite for their friends.