Uturn Jr. High

RECAP: Winter Camp 2012

2012-01-18T23:02:00.001-08:00

Winter Camp has already come and gone, and what's really funny is that we've had more snow at home over the last few days than we had all weekend at Winter Camp. This year we had 26 students and 16 adult leaders attend at Camp Koinonia in Cle Elum, WA. We were up in the snow from Friday night through Sunday afternoon and it was an amazing weekend. There was time for sledding, games, playing in the snow, making friendships, lots of laughs, and of course our annual snow football game.

Not only did we have a lot of fun and grow relationally, but it was also an amazing time of spiritual growth. We had great times of worship through songs as students took time to glorify God and focus on Him. Our guest speaker, Kyle Veach, inspired the students with messages from the book of James. In fact our theme for the whole weekend was AUTHENTIC and it was derived from the book of James. James' letter to the early church focuses so much on people putting their faith into action and being authentic in their worship, obedience, love of people, and their devotion to Jesus. Over the course of the weekend we covered various sections from the book of James and by Sunday afternoon we had all read and learned about the ENTIRE book. So whether it was through workshops, games, sermons, prayer times, or morning Bible times, every student had the chance to learn the practical lessons from James' letter. We can praise God that over the weekend we had a handful of students make decisions to become Christ-followers, plus we had over a dozen students recommitted to authentically follow Christ with their lives. Winter Camp 2012 was a great experience for the students and leaders and will definitely be a life changing and unforgettable weekend.

Tomorrow's New View of Today

2012-01-18T22:24:00.000-08:00

John 13:3-7

³ Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; ⁴ so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. ⁵ After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.⁶ He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” ⁷ Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

Many of us are familiar with this text of Jesus washing the disciples' feet. In response to Peter's question he makes a very interesting statement that we can quickly overlook. Logically this didn’t make any sense for the teacher to be doing such an act of servitude for his students. On any other day it would have made sense for the students to care for their teacher/master. Then after this completely selfless and unorthodox gesture of servitude, Jesus says there will be things in life that we don’t always understand or don’t make logical sense. We can’t always make sense of God’s plan or intention, but we must continue to faithfully follow and obey; trusting that God's will is supreme. Especially since in the moment our narrow perspective can inhibit us from realizing the true magnitude and significance of God’s actions. The disciples were probably struggling the grasp the huge significance of having the Savior of mankind rolling up his sleeves and doing the job of a servant/slave. Isn't it true that in heat of the moment its easy to find ourselves questioning God and his master plan?

"Why didn't He heal this person?"
"Why can't He just provide the money for this situation?"
"Why are my parents getting a divorce?"
"Why shouldn't I mess around with my boyfriend/girlfriend?"
"Why can't I smoke this or drink that? If I don't I'll get made fun of."
"Why do I have to be nice to the awkward kid in class?"
"Why can't I yell at my parents like my friends do to their parents?"
"Why do good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people?"

It is super easy to question God, but it takes real faith to continue to follow Him when you don't get the answer you want. We can't forget this amazing promise that Jesus makes with Peter, we may not completely understand things right now, but there will come a day and time that we will. Can you imagine what it would have been for Peter when the lightbulb when off for him one day. "OHHH...now I get why Jesus wanted to wash my feet." One day we'll see the BIG PICTURE and we'll be able to understand why God allowed those things to happen, why He chose not to do a miraculous event in that moment, or what He was trying to teach us. The point is don't give up, instead ask God for HIS perspective so that you can see the world through his eyes. Then tomorrow you'll be able to have a new view about the things you're going through today.

A God of Connection

2011-12-18T10:11:00.000-08:00

If you were having a birthday party, who would you invite? When you first get your driver's license and your first car, who will get to drive with you on your first legal drive? When a family has a baby, who do they invite to visit them at the hospital? When we encounter special moments in life we usually only think to share them with the special people in our lives. We wouldn't think to invite strangers or socially awkward individuals; instead we would invite people we are most comfortable with. Yet when it comes to the most special moment in the history of mankind, God chose to connect various groups of people of different backgrounds.

Luke 2:8-20 tells of how an angel appeared to a group of shepherds and told them about the birth of Jesus. They then went and visited Jesus after he was born and then went out and shared their experiences with others. In thinking about this story it is interesting to think that some of the first visitors recorded getting to visit the Savior of humanity were a group of grungy, outcast sheep herders. Shepherds in our everyday Nativity set seem peaceful, hygienic, clean, smiling, and socially acceptable. But when we understand the true context of being a shepherd, we realize that these shepherds were a group of people that spent the majority of their time alone in the fields, they were smelly, gross, and maybe even socially awkward and overlooked. Yet God chooses to bring these smelly loners to participate in this pivotal point in history.

As the Christmas season continues to unfold we need to think about how we as Christ followers can take initiative and begin inviting people to connect with the family of God. Remembering that God sees past backgrounds, race, wealth, social status, appearance and all of the other things that we would typically use to disqualify someone from connecting with us. God is a God of connection and he wants to use us to connect people.

RECAP: Invite Night

2011-12-14T00:13:00.001-08:00

Former MLB player and owner of Rijo Athletics, Jose Rijo, came and spoke at Uturn last week and it was an incredible event for everyone who attended. Jose openly shared about his experiences being adopted, losing his father at a young age, struggling with substance abuse, breaking free from gang involvement, and pursuing his dreams by making it to professional baseball.

Jose's story took an amazing turn after he made the pros when God told him to leave MLB and begin a baseball training business. His story is one that inspired many students to think about how God can call us to do things in life that don't always make logical sense, but they are what's best for us. "God doesn't call the equipped, he equips the called" was a quote that Jose shared with the Uturn students and really challenged them to think about what God is asking them to do.

If you were unable to attend this dynamic night at Uturn we will be posting a podcast of the message on iTunes that you can download for free.

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire

2011-11-03T14:03:00.000-07:00

Recently at Uturn Jr. High we discussed the topic of lying and how easy it is to be dishonest throughout the day. We can lie by giving false truth, we can lie by exaggerating the truth, we can lie by cheating, we can lie by twisting the truth to benefit ourselves, or we can even lie by omitting/holding back the truth. In fact, lying is one of those choices we can make so instinctively that we may not even realize that we have been dishonest. Lying is also one of those subject matters that has become so easily excused by our culture, whether its a "little white lie" or "kind of cheating" or some other form of deceit we have found it to be culturally acceptable and even justify our deception with logic. "Well its okay to cheat on your homework cause they give you the answers in the back of the book" or "I don't have to tell my parents what I did last night cause they didn't ask".

If you read in Acts chapter 5 verses 1 through 11, you see an example of how God commands his followers to be honest. In this example, there are two individuals (Ananias and Sapphira) who sell their property and give most of the money to the church as a donation. Unfortunately they tell the church that what they gave was the full amount, even though they had decided to hold onto some of the profits for their own personal gain. When confronted about the issue by the church leaders, both Ananias and Sapphira lie about giving the full amount of money and are both instantly struck dead by God. WHOA!

Now this story isn't in the Bible to scare us that if we don't give God all of our money He'll send lightning bolts from heaven to kill us. What this story shows is that God wants the people of his church to be honest with each other. There was no need for Ananias and Sapphira to lie about how much they gave, in fact the church leader even said that there was nothing wrong with them keeping some of the money; the issue came down to their dishonesty and lack of integrity.

Lying is such an interesting topic because we're told since we were little kids "DON'T LIE", yet such a simple command can so easily be overlooked and broken. On the topic of lying Jesus had a simple thought in the book of Matthew chapter 5 verse 37 - Let your "Yes" be "Yes" and your "No" be "No". Again a simple command that is not simple to follow. In fact Jesus even describes himself as "THE TRUTH", so as followers of Christ we need to be making conscious choices to be truth tellers. Another reason to strive for honesty in your life is that lying hurts people. We've all been on the negative side of a lie; whether it was a rumor, some one cheated us, or a broken promise. Deception, deceit, and dishonesty can hurt people and destroy our relationships.

This week we want to challenge you to think about the following questions as we've discussed this topic of lying: When do you lie? How do you lie? Why do you choose to lie? Hopefully as you reflect on these questions you'll be able to discover your motivations for choosing to lie and our prayer is that you'll make the decision to repent of that habit and in the future choose to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

AWAKE Student Leadership Conference

2011-11-02T17:05:00.000-07:00

Join us for an amazing weekend of fun and discipleship as Uturn JH partners with many other youth groups from around the north Puget Sound area. At the AWAKE Conference there will be awesome worship, relevant speakers, interesting workshops and even free stuff. You won't want to miss this opportunity to be challenged to put your faith into action. If you'd like to go make sure to get a permission slip signed and bring $55 on Friday. Students from Uturn JH will be carpooling up to New Life Center in Everett, WA. Be sure to email Pastor Sean if you're going to come, that way we have carpool space. seann@eastsidechurch.org

Friday Night Drop Off: 5pm at Eastside Foursquare Church
Friday Night Pick Up: 10pm at Eastside Foursquare Church

Saturday Morning Drop Off: 8am at EFC
Saturday Evening Pick Up: 5pm at EFC

YourTurn Challenge: Penny Prayers

2011-09-22T14:23:00.000-07:00

This week at Uturn JH we talked about the importance of establishing a lifestyle of prayer. Prayer should be viewed as a critical part of our life because prayer is about talking with God about everything going on in your life. It has been said before that "prayer is powerful" but I would say that the God we pray to is powerful. Not only is God capable of answering your prayers, but he earnestly cares about you and what's going on in your life. Prayer doesn't have to be contained to a certain room or sound a certain way or require a certain posture of your body. Prayer is about talking with God and as Christ followers it is vital that we constantly communicate with God. Your prayers throughout the day may be prayers of praise, prayers of confession, prayers of thankfulness, or maybe its a prayer requesting God to do something in your life or the lives of others. Prayer should characterize our lifestyle and as Paul says to the Thessalonians we need to "PRAY CONTINUALLY". (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

In order to help us remember to pray we've created a YourTurn challenge that will be very helpful. For one week we're encouraging everyone to carry a penny in their pocket and every time they feel that penny, see that penny, or take that penny out of their pocket they should take a moment to pray about anything on their mind. Our hopes is that one cent can inspire a student to begin having frequent conversations with God. They don't have to be long winded or sound super spiritual; just PRAY.

Movie Review: X-Men First Class

2011-09-15T14:49:00.000-07:00

X-men First Class is the most recent superhero flick to hit the DVD and Blu-ray shelves and we thought it would be good to do a quick review. We discuss the plot, the content, and any moral to the story. You can check out our 3 minute review on our Youtube channel.

Click here to watch our review of X-men First Class

X-Men First Class has a running time of 2 hours and 12 minutes and is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence, language, brief nudity, and sexual content. You can read more about the movie on it's IMDb page.

Uturn understands that entertainment is a staple within our everyday life. To help get students thinking about their entertainment choices we do periodic reviews of popular movies and music. Just because Uturn does a review, does not mean they endorse the product.

The Edge Review

2011-08-31T16:09:00.000-07:00

Throughout this summer 11 Jr. High students participated in the student discipleship program at Uturn JH. They were actively involved in Uturn JH and served their youth group in many different ways. Every week The Edge group helped set up the student center for service, they cleaned up after services, helped prepare the Wednesday night meals, helped wash dishes every night, and went on service projects. All of The Edge students read through a book called: Live Large, Be different, Shine bright. This book challenges students to live as examples in their communities, and to focus on Jesus in all they do. We are so proud of these students and the devotion they have for Jesus and their community at Uturn. It has been an honor to serve and laugh with them all. We to thank all The Edge students for their selfless hearts and the group discussions that we shared together. We pray that they all continue to strive after God and put into practice the things discussed this summer.

The Edge students for summer 2011:
Jasmine McDaniel
Kyra Hedman
Jessie Zirker
Mary Brown
Sydney Meyer
JoHanna Flahiff
Nic Zirker
Bethany Horn
Alex Toole
Melani Bryant
Noah Wilde

Click here and you too can purchase a copy of the book we read this summer on Amazon.com.

Movie Review: Surf’s Up

2011-08-31T15:57:00.000-07:00

Animation, comedy, family

IMDb Site for Surf's Up

***Reminder: Uturn JH does not always endorse the movies reviewed, we do this to help students and families know about the content and messages within popular movies. We also hope to challenge you to evaluate your own entertainment choices.***

Review:

Surf’s Up is a fun, engaging, and totally righteous movie about a young surfer penguin with big dreams. Cody Maverick grew up in Shiverpool, Antarctica where he was the only surfer. He has dreams of seeing the rest of the World and surfing with the best of them. The movie takes place at a surf competition where young Cody Maverick has a chance to prove himself as a pro surfer. This film gives a fun spin to the animated movies as it is shown as a documentary. There are times when our young surfer talks directly to the camera, and when reporters interview people and describe the gnarly waves. I recently watched this movie for the first time, and feel that it is highly enjoyable for all ages.

Final Thoughts:

This is a great film for the whole family. I found it very clean and hilarious. The animation was very well done, and the scenery was beautiful. This movie makes me want to grab my board and hang ten. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

(post by:Jason Langsev)

Hydrate Your Soul

2011-08-27T00:33:00.001-07:00

Do you ever find yourself desiring more from life? Do you have a sense that there's more to life that all that you have now? Does your soul crave something that can't be satisfied by XBOX, Facebook, texting, new clothes, or popularity? This summer Uturn Jr. High took time each week to look at what stops us from answering that thirst of our souls. Believing that our hearts have a longing that can only be satisfied by our Creator, we took the summer to explore what it would like to truly pursue God and HYDRATE OUR SOULS. This teaching series was based on the book, The Pursuit of God, by A.W. Tozer (click here to buy it on Amazon.com) and it really challenged us to abandon any type of spectator faith founded in complacency and laziness. We explored the ideas of battling materialism, dealing with doubt, responding to His presence, silencing ourselves to hear His voice, following God amidst trials or struggles, and finding our true hope and satisfaction in Him alone. Jeremiah 2:13 says, "...they have abandoned me - the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all!" These words from Jeremiah clearly articulate what can easily happen after we identify that our heart aches for satisfaction. We encounter a moment of decision, we can either pursue God and seek His answers for life's questions, or we can venture down our own path, substituting God's plan for our own. In the moment our own plan can seem correct, but in the big scheme of things we come to realize that our plans don't truly satisfy, instead they leave our souls still thirsting. This entire series centered around the idea of whether or not we would passionately pursue God in order to quench that thirst in our souls. I would encourage you to buy a copy of Tozer's book and take the time to slowly read through it, it's not a quick and easy read, but it will challenge you in your relationship with Jesus and inspire you to truly HYDRATE YOUR SOUL.

Activate Your Bible

2011-08-26T23:50:00.000-07:00

This spring we did a 7 week series looking at the different sections of the Bible and how they all fit together. The first section we learned about was the Pentateuch which includes Genesis through Deuteronomy. The Pentateuch was followed by the Historical books which includes Joshua through Esther. Gaining a greater understanding of these two sections of the Bible is crucial because they lay the groundwork for the New Testament. There is so much background information and historical context cannot be overlooked simply because these sections are a little more dry and less entertaining to read. In the Pentateuch and Historical books we are able to see that God wants to have a relationship with humanity and just how much he loves his creation. As we progress through scripture we encounter the Poetic books of Job through Song of Songs. This section not only teaches us about the character of God, but also challenges us to express ourselves in creative ways. Whether it be through song, poem or narrative we should tap into our creativity and share our emotions, thoughts and beliefs in ways that people can relate to. The final section of the Old Testament that we see are the Prophetic books. While many are scared, confused, or bored with reading the prophets, we must remember that God uses mankind at times to share his truth and his promises. Reading the prophets will also give us a greater context for the historical sections in Kings and Chronicles.

After four weeks of breaking down the Old Testament we finally made it to the New Testament. We looked at the differences between the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. We discussed that while Jesus is the central figure of each gospel they are written by different men and they focus on different attributes of his ministry. The next week we had a great discussion about the book of Acts and how the Holy Spirit empowered the early church to explode onto the scene after Jesus' ascension. Our series concluded with a look at the different letters of New Testament, everything from Romans to Revelation. These letters were written by different men to different audiences at different times during early church history, but they all were written to edify the church body and point people closer to God's will for their lives and for the church.

The Bible is a book that can often be described as long, wordy, confusing, old, and boring; and when this is your view of the Bible there's no way you're going to be motivated to pick it up daily and study it, memorize it, and live your life differently because of it. Hopefully after this series students started to realize that the Bible is a book that is inspired by God, full of insight, capable of challenging our status quo, relevant to us today, encouraging and comforting during our tough moments, and one of our greatest resources for understanding who God is and who we are.

If you would like to listen to any of the messages from this series, you can find them for free on iTunes by searching for "Uturn Bothell".

Where is God when you're in a JAM?

2011-07-28T11:42:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we continued our "Hydrate your Soul" series by talking about pursuing your relationship with God during times of struggle, trial, or overwhelming circumstances. It can be so easy to direct our focus on the problems of life rather than keep our eyes on Jesus. Difficult circumstances are never easy to navigate, but we have to remember that as Christ followers we have God on which we can depend and trust. We need to be diligent in following Him even when times are tough. We can't forget that God is still there, his presence is still around us, the Holy Spirit is still empowering us; even when life hits the lowest of the lows. No matter how lonely, discouraged, frustrated, overwhelmed, overlooked, stressed, or stretched we may feel we must constantly do our best to remain faithful to Christ and trust that He can help us navigate these troublesome times. Even though life has gotten difficult, we have to remember that God has not abandoned us, He's still right there, and He still loves you dearly. Its during the tough times that our faith gets thrust into action. Those are the moments when we need to admit our dependence upon Him alone, and look to God for guidance, strength, wisdom, and peace. We also must remember that God can use these difficult times to refine us and teach us to be more like Him. Keep your eyes and ears open to the Holy Spirit so you can see how God is using your circumstance to make you more like Jesus.

If you feel that you're going through a tough time right now, here are some verses that may be an encouragement to you:

1 Peter 1:6-9, 1 Peter 5:7, James 1:2-4, James 1:12, Galatians 6:9, Matthew 5:10-12, Matthew 7:24-27, Isaiah 26:3-4, Isaiah 35:3-4, and Philippians 4:4-9

Monthly Newsletter: June 2011

2011-06-16T10:58:00.000-07:00

Click here to download this month's newsletter and stay informed about all of the latest and greatest stuff happening with Uturn JH.

The Edge: Summer 2011

2011-06-16T10:54:00.000-07:00

Click here to download the PDF of the packet

Pebble in your Shoe Challenge

2011-06-02T16:04:00.000-07:00

This week at Uturn JH we discussed that Jesus is our only Savior of the sins in our lives. No matter what we've done or how bad we might think we are, through faith in Jesus we can be forgiven for our sins and be given a fresh start. To remind us of our need for Jesus we decided to put out a week long challenge to any students and leaders in Uturn JH that wish to join us. We've each committed to putting a small pebble in our shoe until Wednesday, June 8th. During that time we'll feel the discomfort of the small rock as it rubs into our feet, but that tiny rocky annoyance will serve as a reminder for each of us that we are nothing without Jesus and we each desperately need him in order to be in right relationship with God. You might even find yourself reflecting on your life and realizing that there is an area of sin in your life currently that you need to repent of. While to some it may seem like a silly or insignificant challenge, we think it will be a great reminder of our need for Christ in our life, and that's something we never want to forget about.

Godman: 100% God 100% Man

2011-05-17T13:05:00.000-07:00

This winter the Uturn JH took an in depth look at the life of Jesus through the gospel of Mark. We started in January and ended our 16 week series a week before Easter. We covered the full spectrum of topics as each week we looked at a section from a chapter in the gospel.

Issues we discussed:

-redefining our identity as Christ followers (Mark 1)

-the healing of the paralyzed man (Mark 2)

-experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit (Mark 3)

-illustrating truth through parables (Mark 4)

-how to share your personal story (Mark 5)

-finding unshakeable peace during life's storms (Mark 6)

-changing the attitudes of our hearts rather than just our behavior (Mark 7)

-Jesus' divine identity (Mark 8)

-battling temptation (Mark 9)

-leading by serving others (Mark 10)

-Jesus clearing the temple (Mark 11)

-discovering the greatest commandments (Mark 12)

-keeping your faith alert rather than drowsy (Mark 13)

-remaining faithful to Christ despite peer pressure (Mark 14)

-the magnitude of Christ's sacrifice (Mark 15)

-Jesus tells us to get up and go (Mark 16)

Monthly Newsletter: May 2011

2011-05-11T13:10:00.000-07:00

Click the image above to download a PDF copy of this month's Uturn JH newsletter. Its full of information about our upcoming Guys/Girls Overnighters on May 20 and a Jr. High family dessert/meeting on June 15. Check it out and stay informed.

2011 Jr. High Summer Camp

2011-05-10T11:33:00.001-07:00

2011 Jr. High Summer Camp
August 15-20
Cost: $250 if you sign up by July 15

All registrations done online

Join us for a fun week of growing in your relationship with God and growing in your friendships. Summer Camp is a great chance to explore your faith, ask those tough questions, experience dynamic worship times, hear relevant teaching and put your faith into action. Not only that, but we have a blast during the week. You can participate in swimming, climbing wall, basketball, mini golf, paintball, canoe rides, and even a giant blob that launches you into the air and into the lake. All registrations are done ONLINE this year so click here and get signed up. Camp will fill up.

You can also "LIKE" the Seattle Area Foursquare Camp Facebook page and stay informed

Mexico Mission Trip: Day 5 & 6 & 7

2011-04-07T08:15:00.000-07:00

Our time here in Mexico has been flying by so quickly we haven't been near a computer to give an update. Our apologies for the delay. Tuesday was Day 5 for our team and needless to say it was jam packed with activity. First we went to a local community called La Reforma (The Reformation) and distributed fliers that advertised a weekly Bible study that is run by some of the associate pastors of Hope Chapel Rosarito. It stretched the students to walk the neighborhood streets and pass out these fliers. After we completed our task we loaded up the carpools and went down to the local school in the Vista Marina neighborhood. We spent the afternoon preparing the school grounds for our upcoming painting project that would take place on Wednesday. The students were out there scraping old paint off of walls, clearing weeds and brush, and getting everything ready to paint. After our dinner time we participated in the Bible study that we had advertised earlier in the day. The entire Bible study was spoken in Spanish and translated into English for us, and while it was a different experience for all of us, we found ourselves forgetting it was even being translated because we were so engaged in the dialogue about the text. Our students really enjoyed the opportunity at the conclusion of the Bible study to pray for some of the attendees.

Day 6 was Wednesday and it was an early and long day of work. It began with a 6am wake up so that we could be at the school in Vista Marina by 7am. After our team was divided up into teams they spread out and tackled their objectives for getting our painting project done. Our team spent 9 hours repainting the 6 buildings of the school. They had prepared themselves mentally, emotionally, and physically for this strenuous day of labor, and they lived up to the challenge with flying colors. Throughout the day we didn't hear complaining, whining or arguing; they knew they were there to serve this community and they gave their best. A cool thing about this project is that by now having the school up to federal code it can be in line to get additional grants for other supplies and equipment. The transformation of the school was amazing and all of the leaders were so proud of the effort the students displayed. Following our time of painting we went to HCR for a 3 hour midweek service in which we spent time in prayer, eating dinner, and learning about communion and water baptism. Don and Sandy have been working really hard to keep this biblical foundations class going for their church because they understand the importance of their congregation having sound doctrine. Our Wednesday night concluded with our regular team debriefing session, but then we had a powerful time of worship and prayer together in the rental house. It is an honor and a privilege to serve with such amazing students, and its incredible to see what God is doing in their lives this week.

Our last full day in Mexico is Thursday. While most of the day will be a lot of fun with shopping, time at the beach and a BBQ, we are having a time to share Jesus at the public school in Vista Marina. As a way to show their appreciation the school is allowing us to have 30 minutes of the school day to share whatever we want. Pastor Don continues to remind us that this sort of thing is unheard of because federal schools don't allow for the blending of church and state. Please be praying for us to have an amazing time of fellowship and evangelism as we soak up our final full day with Hope Chapel Rosarito.

Mexico Mission Trip: Day 3 & 4

2011-04-04T20:55:00.000-07:00

Sunday and Monday were great days of ministry for our team in Rosarito. Sunday included two church services at two different churches. The first was at Hope Chapel Rosarito, where our team got to participate in worship, performing their dramas, and the teaching. Pastor Sean preached about the parable of the Lost Son (Luke 15). Every time the team performs their drama and skits they seem to get better and better. After the service concluded we zipped over to Iglesia Cristiano: Nuevo Esperanza for a time of ministry. Our team performed their skits, shared testimonies, and prayed for the members of the church during the response time after the sermon. The students had a great time ministering to the two congregations and came back to the rental home full of stories and memories. You could really see the newly found passion for serving Christ at the conclusion of Sunday evening.

Monday could best be described as a day of labor as the team did a variety of work projects around HCR's campus. Our team pulled weeds, painted walls, sorted clothing donations, and scrubbed walls and floors. They did an amazing job taking initiative and working hard to serve the church. Pastors Don and Sandy were very grateful for all of our efforts in the day. We concluded our evening with a time of interactive discussion with the missionaries. This allowed for the students to ask the missionaries any questions they had about missions, Hope Chapel Rosarito, or ministry. It was inspiring to hear their many stories about how they trusted God and faithfully followed the call on their lives. It is amazing how quickly the trip is flying by; many of our teammates are shocked its already Monday night.

Please continue to pray as our team maximizes every moment to share the gospel in this community.

Mexico Mission Trip: Day 2

2011-04-02T17:17:00.000-07:00

Our second day in Mexico has zoomed by at super speeds and been a very effective day of ministry. We awoke in our rental home and enjoyed a delicious breakfast of biscuits and gravy. With loaded tummies we hit the road to a local community called Vista Marina. This is a neighborhood that Hope Chapel Rosarito has been ministering in for over two years. Each year of our Jr. High trips our teams have been privileged to serve in this community too. In fact during last year's trip a family in the Vista Marina community got connected with Don and Sandy and it sparked a relationship that has flourished ever since. Before our visit to the community in 2010, this family had heard lies and gossip about HCR and its pastors, but after our time ministering and getting to meet Don and Sandy they realized how ridiculous this speculation was to begin with. Now that same family has been hosting there Spanish speaking service in their home since September and the service has grown to so many people they're busting at the seams. It is awesome to see what God can do to bring new life in a community. This afternoon we had the privilege of serving with some of these families in their churches and the pastors of HCR. We cooked and distributed a free lunch, passed out nearly 100 balloon animals, performed 2 children's skits and puppet shows, and had our drama team perform their pantomime. We ended the time with a short message about God's love. It was incredible to see our students dive right in and serve wherever needed. Whether it was picking up garbage, serving a hot dog, or making a balloon dog they had smiles on their faces and were showing the unconditional love of God to the people of the Vista Marina community. Following our time in Vista Marina we made our way to the new HCR campus and prepped the building for service tomorrow morning. God is really uniting this team together as they get their hands dirty, stretch their comfort zones, and make themselves available for God's work.

Prayer Request:

-be praying for us as we have two church services at two different churches on Sunday, we really want the Holy Spirit to use us to encourage these two congregations however most needed

-pray for energy and health, no big issues have come up, but we want to be rested and ready to give our best effort

Mexico Mission Trip: Day 1

2011-04-02T09:52:00.000-07:00

Friday, April 1st was the first day of Uturn Jr. High's Mexico Mission trip for 2011. It all started at 9am as we met at the airport for check-in, team photos, prayer, and security checks. After enjoying some tasty airport cuisine we boarded the plane and made our way to San Diego. When we arrived at San Diego we met up with Hope Chapel Rosarito's pastors, Don and Sandy Godwin. Before we crossed the border into Mexico we stopped by In-n-Out for a quick and yummy dinner. After getting into Mexico we made our way to our rental home and settled in for the week of ministry. Later that evening we joined the Godwins in attending a game of futbol rapido (indoor soccer). It was awesome to find out that Hope Chapel Rosarito has been sponsoring one team and attending their weekly games. They not only show up and enjoy the game, but they bring bottled waters for halftime and offer conversation and prayer after the game with the players. Over the three years that they've been supporting and loving this team they've seen some of the players dedicate their lives to Christ. Their futbol ministry is a prime example to our team of spreading the gospel of Christ through building friendships and showing the unconditional love of God. It is hard to believe that our team is finally here in Mexico already. After months of preparation and hard work, God has safely brought us here to do His work and expand His Kingdom; and we are just thankful for the opportunities He's giving us.

Please Keep us in your Prayers:

-for boldness as we go into a community to do an outreach on Saturday

-for physical healing for some of our teammates feeling a bit sick

Uturn JH 2011 Mexico Team

2011-03-31T12:25:00.000-07:00

Each year Uturn Jr. High sends a team of JH students and adults down to Rosarito, Mexico to partner with Hope Chapel Rosarito. During our time down there we will be performing a pantomime drama, putting on a puppet show and interactive story, we'll be participating in maintenance projects around the church, and ultimately sharing our faith in Jesus with the community. Mother Teresa once said, "its not how much you do, but how much love you put in the doing." This quote truly captures our heart for this trip. Our goal is so much more than completely tasks, our purpose for this trip is to make the unconditional love of God visible. This team has been diligently preparing, praying, and saving money since January and they are ready to hit the ground running when we arrive Friday afternoon. Thank you to everyone who has helped support this trip financially and prayfully. Throughout the trip you can check back on this site and read updates and see pictures of everything we're doing.

Unplugged Challenge

2011-03-31T12:05:00.000-07:00

March 27th thru April 8th

Join the Jr. High Mexico team in giving up technology for just under two weeks. In order to be better mentally and spiritually prepared for our time in Mexico, our team has committed to turning off the many distractions around them and spending more time with Jesus. We recognize that there are so many different ways we can become distracted from pursuing Jesus so we're taking some time to intentionally seek Him.

What we're saying NO to:

Movies

Videogames

Facebook/Twitter

Magazines and recreational reading

Internet for entertainment purposes

Music/Radio/iPods

What we're saying YES to:

Praying for the mission trip

Studying the Bible

Journaling

Personal times of worshipping through songs

Listening to God

Spending quality time with family

Hopefully you will join us in making this sacrifice. I guarantee it will change your life because you'll find yourself consistently saying Yes to God and creating opportunities to connect with Him.

Jr. High Newsletter: March 2011

2011-03-06T12:07:00.000-08:00

Here is the monthly newsletter for the month of March. Click on the image above to download the PDF copy so you can have the latest and greatest information about everything Uturn Jr. High is doing.

Monthly Newsletter: February 2011

2011-02-19T17:41:00.000-08:00

Here's our newest Uturn JH newsletter for the month of February. It is packed with important information about upcoming events for the Jr. High. Click on the image above to download the PDF copy of the newsletter and print a copy for yourself.

No Hoarding: Learning to Give Your Life Away

2010-12-15T16:02:00.000-08:00

So much of life is about what we're going to receive. We often hear people ask what they'll get in return for their time of service or their giving of a donation. In Acts 20:35 Jesus is quoted as saying, "It is better to give than to receive." I believe that this is more than a warm fuzzy Hallmark cliche; instead its a command for his followers to model their lifestyles after. Life isn't meant to be hoarded for ourselves. We can't go through life trying to consume more, buy more, and keep more for ourselves. God wants to do amazing things in this world, and the awesome part is that he wants you to be a participant in his work. Unfortunately, if we're consumed only with our own needs, we become blind to the needs of others. During our series we discussed the importance of giving away our money through tithes and offerings and that we can't let money become a god in our lives. The second week was a conversation about how we can be generous with our resources and the stuff we currently own. The weekend before Thanksgiving we talked about how part of generosity is having an attitude of gratitude and being thankful for what you have and the people in your life. The fourth week was a discussion about how to be generously giving away your time to serve others. We concluded the series by teaching that Christ followers need to be generous with their forgiveness. We can't be hoarding our lives for ourselves, instead begin to generously give it away to meet the needs of others and expand the kingdom of God.

All of the sermons from this series can be downloaded for free on iTunes, just search "Uturn Bothell" and you'll find them.

Support Youth Missions with Sugar

2010-12-15T15:55:00.001-08:00

100% of the sales from our vending machines goes towards youth mission trips to Mexico, Los Angeles, Vietnam, and all over the world. Its only possible when families donate the soda and snacks needed to stock the machines. We're not asking for everyone to break the bank, but imagine if every family bought 1 box of individually wrapped candy or a 12 pack of soda? Our machines would be steadily supplied and the funds wouldn't have to go towards buying more sugar, instead the money helps to send students around the world to share the gospel.

Donations can be dropped off in the Student Center. Contact Sean Nault if you have questions, seann@eastsidechurch.org

Monthly Newsletter: December 2010

2010-12-09T13:03:00.001-08:00

Download this month's newsletter and get informed about upcoming events such as the Uturn Xmas party, Winter Camp, and our 1st ever Super Bowl Party. We still have a few spots on our Mexico Team; get those applications and deposits in ASAP. You can click here or the image above to download the PDF of the newsletter.

Uturn JH wants to wish you a Happy Christmas!

Culture of Respect: Part 2

2010-11-30T16:32:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago we had a great discussion at Uturn JH about the topic of respect and honor. Earlier we posted some thoughts that came from that discussion. This week I wanted to post some thoughts from the youth pastor you rarely get to hear from, April Nault. Usually I get the microphone to share, but she wanted to share some thoughts about this topic too.

"When I think about respect at Uturn, I think about remembering someone's name, not talking while someone else is, or listening to what Sean has to say, but what I realized is that these are secondary issues. What should be my primary focus at Uturn? It should be respecting God. Yes, we want to cut down on disruptive talking or playing with our cell phones, but our heart should be "God, I came to Uturn to worship you and learn more about you." This can be hard. Sometimes our days get filled with drama with friends, a fight with mom or dad, homework stacking up, or ___(fill in the blank)____. This requires me to say, "Okay God, what do I need to check at the door or give to you so that my attention is on YOU and not distracted by something else?" We shouldn't cover up, mask, or even diminish what's going on in our lives, but we need to take the personal responsibility to surrender our anxieties, stresses, and issues so that we can better focus on Jesus. My heart for Uturn is tha we would be characterized as people that show respect to each other, but first and foremost to God."

I hope this is an encouragement to you. Would you partner with us in making Uturn JH a place where we honor God and people to the best of our abilities?

Jr. High Winter Camp 2011

2010-11-30T16:18:00.000-08:00

Jr. High Winter Camp

January 7th thru 9th, 2011

Cost: $50

Camp Koinonia in Cle Elum, WA

We'll be spending a weekend in the snow for some quality time of building friendships and growing in our relationships with Jesus. The $50 cost will cover transportation, food, lodging, and activities (sledding, snow football, games, movie night, and much much more). We'll be having times of worship, Bible study, and a guest speaker for our teaching times.

This year there is the option for an afternoon of SNOWBOARDING/SKIING for an additional cost. If you choose not to participate there will be plenty of fun and free activities back at camp.

Camp capacity is limited so get signed up soon. This is a great opportunity to invite friends that don't already go to a church.

Click here so you can print off the REGISTRATION PACKET

ATTENTION PARENTS: We need 10-15 carpool drivers, please let us know if you're available to drive.

Culture of Respect: Part 1

2010-11-18T12:28:00.000-08:00

Uturn Jr. High took a Wednesday night in November to discuss the topic of respect and honoring each other. Amidst joking and kidding around there can be a lot of disrespect occurring within a large group of people. The leadership of Uturn JH had really been praying that God would bring a shift in our youth group's culture. No longer would we be consumed with degrading others for the sake of a laugh, interrupting someone while they're talking, texting during service, or valuing ourselves above others.

In Romans 12:10, Paul encourages the early church in Rome to, "Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other." Uturn JH is praying that during this school year we would make an effort to have our group characterized by the qualities described in that verse. When a student brings a guest to come check out Uturn JH we want them to experience the same respect, unconditional love, and honor that Paul wanted to see in the Roman church.

During a discussion regarding this topic an 8th grade student, Salina Atsemet, stepped out in boldness to share her thoughts about creating a culture of respect in Uturn JH. Here's what she had to say:

"For me church is and was always about growing with Jesus and building your faith. Church is supposed to be a spiritual place where we come to learn. When I first came to Uturn, I realized that a lot of people here were focused on drama, who was going out with who, or going to the bathroom and never coming back. This made we wonder what we came to church for; just to hang out with friends, to have immature Jr. High fights, or learn and absorb the sermons and build your faith. Uturn has three rules: Respect God, Respect Others, and Respect the Stuff. Sean has told us these things over and over again. As an outsider I think we need to follow these rules by staying within the boundaries, not starting rumors, respecting our parents, focusing on the lessons, not texting during services, and giving our full attention for the hour we're there. The majority of us focus on friends more than we think about God. I know I'm going to try and respect Sean and the other leaders at Uturn, and I hope you will too."

I'm so thankful for Salina's courage to share her thoughts with her peers, as I know it could have been very scary to do so. I believe God is speaking through her to help correct and encourage the entire Uturn JH group to strive to live lifestyles that ooze respect and honor for others.

Sign up Today: Mexico 2011

2010-11-10T15:33:00.001-08:00

When:

April 1-9th, 2011
Cost:
$950
(includes everything plus winter camp)

We've already begun the application process for our Mexico Mission trip next April. This annual trip to Rosarito, Mexico is life changing not only for those in Mexico, but also the team members. We do a combination of dramas, skits, service projects, and worship to show the love of Jesus and spread the Gospel. Click here to download the application packet.

Applications and a $100 non-refundable deposit are due November 21st.

Monthly Newsletter: November 2010

2010-11-10T15:29:00.000-08:00

Be sure to download and print off a copy of our monthly newsletter so that you can stay informed about all of the latest and greatest Uturn JH stuff. This month's newsletter has details about Friday Night Hang Out, a Christmas tree fundraiser, the Mexico Mission trip, and even Winter Camp 2011. Click here to download.

Greg Laurie Seattle Harvest Crusade

2010-11-04T17:39:00.000-07:00

This Saturday, November 6th

Meet at Dick's Drive-in at 5pm

500 Queen Ann Ave N. Seattle, WA 98109

After grabbing a burger we'll walk over to Key Arena.

The Greg Laurie Seattle Harvest starts at 7:30pm and should last about 2hrs.

Students are responsible for their own transportation and money for food/souvenirs.

What is the Greg Laurie Seattle Harvest?

It is a three day outreach event full of great concerts, a relevant message about the Gospel, and lots of fun. Check out their website for more info. Uturn JH is attending and we're encouraging every student to bring along a friend. Whoever brings the most friends will win an autographed Gungor CD.

Lust or Love

2010-10-21T10:44:00.000-07:00

Every year Uturn JH takes the month of October to discuss what the Bible says about issues of sexuality, relationships, and intimacy. This year's series was entitled, "Lust or Love" as we distinguished the differences between having our sexuality defined by lustful impulses or patient love. Our culture is saturated with messages about indulging in whatever desire and impulse our hormones driven bodies may crave. Compare that to the messages we see in the Bible about patiently waiting to awaken love until the right time and within God's desired context of marriage. During this three part series we discussed issues of culture, entertainment, pornography, homosexuality, dating, marriage, and how to create safe boundaries. For many students this series created great conversations and challenged them to articulate their thoughts on these intimate topics. For some students this was a great time to learn about sexual purity and they are making a first time commitment to remain sexually pure before and throughout their future marriage. In a society that is so sexually saturated it is crucial that students have regular opportunities to wrestle with these issues and discover God's plan for their sexuality.

All three messages are available for FREE DOWNLOAD on iTunes, just open iTunes and search "Uturn Bothell" to find them.

Movie Review: The Social Network

2010-10-07T11:45:00.000-07:00

The Social Network

PG-13 for sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and language

Running Time: 120 minutes

Official Website

IMDb Page

Review:

The Social Network is a well written film depicting the creation of the widely popular and culture-shifting social networking site, Facebook. Site creator, Mark Zuckerberg, is a student at Harvard when he's inspired to create a website that will allow college students to network with each other. The film shows how the creation of the site wasn't an easy process as he faced many lawsuits from peers wanting to sue him for stealing their concept. Zuckerberg also faces legal issues from former friends/business partners demanding their cut of the profits after some shady business decisions. It is interesting to see how Facebook was originally intended for college students, but quickly expanded and grew in popularity.

The entire movie is driven by its quick, witty, and intellectual dialogue, there is almost no action or special effects that would dazzle the eye. There may be a lot of students wanting to rush out to see this movie because they're on Facebook and would therefore be interested in seeing it and posting their thoughts on their Wall. Don't feel complelled to run out and drop tons of cash to see it on the big screen, it's lack visual excitement, superb writing, and great acting will translate to the same level of enjoyment on DVD/Blu-ray.

Look At Your Shoes Moments:

There are few scenes in the film that could have been skipped over, but when you're at the theater you just look at your shoes. Some scenes are set in parties or clubs where the ladies are dancing in their underwear or other skimpy clothes. In one scene two of the main characters have sexual encounters with ladies in a public restroom. No nudity is seen, but sexual acts are implied.

Final Thoughts:

After seeing The Social Network I was definitely inspired by the limitless possibilities of younger generations. Facebook wasn't started by business people, it wasn't created with the intention of altering our culture's daily habits or vernacular, and it wasn't exploited to fill their wallets. These young students wanted to use their talents and technology to create something that people would use and think was cool. It seems so easy for our culture to overlook the young because they lack the proper amount experience, education, or grey hair. We can't forget to encourage and empower younger generations to operate in their God-given gifts, talents, and calling. We don't know the potential of a young person, so how dare we disregard them. I'm a firm believer that we need to constantly be in relationships that allow ourselves to be mentored by the older, but we must remember to build relationships and mentor those younger than ourselves.

Is Your Faith Contagious?

2010-10-07T10:42:00.000-07:00

How contagious is your faith?

Throughout the month of September, Uturn JH discussed the importance of intentional evangelism within our social groups, communities, and the world. Our faith in Jesus is not something for us to hold for ourselves, instead it is something to be shared with others. Jesus didn't come to earth and die for the sins of just YOU. He came to defeat the power of sin for the whole world.

1 John 2:2

He is the sacrifice for our sins. He takes away not only our sins but the sins of the world.

It is amazing that we have the privilege of experiencing the grace and forgiveness of God, but now as Christ followers we have the responsibility of sharing that message of grace with the world. Over the course of the series we examined various strategies and tools that would help us be more effective in our evangelistic efforts.

Week ONE

We discussed the importance of having a solid understanding of your theology because its essential that we know what we believe and why we believe it in order to better answer the questions of others. If we don't know what we believe and why we believe it then its really easy to slip into religious routines and habits. Jesus isn't about us going through the holy motions, He wants us to understand what we do and why we do it. Why do we study the Bible? Why do we water baptize people? What is Spirit baptism and the gifts of the Holy Spirit? Why should we honor our parents? What value is there being a part of a local church? I'm sure you've got questions of your own, now what are you doing to find biblical answers?

Week TWO

We also talked about how we need to show our faith through our actions. Whether its through our faithful obedience or acts of service, we have to put our faith into motion. People need to see the transformation that Christ has done in our lives. Obedience is going to speak volumes to those around you because they'll see that they're is something different about your habits, your vocabulary, your attitude, etc. Your obedience to God is going to be contrary to the habits and values of our culture, thus creating opportunities to share why you follow Christ. Through acts of service we can put into practice the same attitude that Jesus modeled.

Matthew 20:28

For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served, but to serve others...
If the Son of God didn't come to be pampered, then we need to get off our comfortable butts and start caring about others more than ourselves. What will you do to identify the needs of others and use what God has given you to meet those needs?

Week THREE

During this week we emphasized the value of being able to share the stories of what God has done in your own life. The CHRISTIANESE word is "testimony", but really its about boldly sharing the practical examples of what the living God has done in your life. If you live with integrity then real stories are great for evangelism because they can't be debated and refuted like theology or Bible verses. People can't argue with a real experience that you had with God. Your stories also have the impact of showing people that God is alive and working today, He's not something only for the ancient times. These stories could be about your salvation through Christ, but they can also be about God's healing, provision, restoring a broken relationship, an answer to prayer, etc. What has God done in your life and how will you share it with others?

Week FOUR

The concluding week of the series finished out with an encouragement to spend time with unchurched people. Its so easy to find ourselves in HOLY HUDDLES or CHRISTIAN CLIQUES that we forget that we need to share the gospel with people not currently in our Christian circles. Its difficult to evangelize when all of your friends are Christ followers. We need to follow the example of Christ and be a friend of sinners, without indulging in sin. Jesus was constantly accused by the religious leaders for being a friend of sinners because he hung out with outcasts, rejects, prostitutes, liars, and others with scary reputations. Jesus knew that the only way the Kingdom of God would expand is if we go and spend time with the unchurched. But at the same time he exemplifies that we don't have to participate in sin to be around sinners. We have to get out of our Christian bubble and hang out with non Christians, showing them grace, mercy, forgiveness, and unconditional love. If you missed any of our sermons, you can download them for FREE on iTunes. Just search for "UTURN BOTHELL" to find our podcast page. Our prayer is that the love of God would become so contagious within our communities that we would experience an EPIDEMIC of LOVE. We're praying that people are seeing and hearing Jesus in their friends and peers and being drawn to Jesus rather than repelled.

How will your faith be contagious this school year?

Summer Camp 2010

2010-09-07T16:05:00.001-07:00

The theme this year for the Jr. High Summer Camp was "ONE" meaning that we have ONE faith in ONE God who leads us to ONE hope for ONE way towards salvation. This year there were about 12 different churches from around the Puget Sound area participating in our JH summer camp.

All Camp Photo 2010
Uturn JH Group Photo

Camp this year was an amazing experience for everyone involved. God did an amazing work of building friendships and connecting students through safe and fun fellowship together. Students got to play paintball, swim in the lake, blob each other to new heights, and have a blast doing other activities.

At camp this year we had 4 different local youth pastors as the speakers for the evening sessions. It was awesome to witness students having real and authentic encounters with the living God. Students made decisions to follow Jesus, others received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, many were encouraged and prayed for. Lives were transformed as students entered into dynamic times of worship, teaching, Bible study and cabin discussions.

Keep your eyes and ears open for upcoming events with Uturn JH like Winter Camp, our Mexico Mission trip or next year's Summer Camp.

The Edge: Fall Season

2010-09-07T14:40:00.000-07:00

The Edge Fall Season is almost here and we don't want you to miss out.

We kickoff the new season on Tuesday, September 14th

When is The Edge:

Tuesdays 3:30-5pm

Wednesdays 3:30-7:30pm

Who can participate:

Any JH student that wants to help Uturn JH, learn more about Jesus and get connected with other Uturn JH students.

How do I sign up?

Fill out a packet and turn it in with the $40 fee by Tuesday Sept. 14th

Download the Fall Application Packet (PDF Format)

What The Edge did this Summer...

This past summer The Edge had 13 participants who were challenged all summer to put their faith into action. We did service projects at 5 different churches which included landscaping at Northwest Foursquare Church in Federal Way and Lifepoint Church in Des Moines. We teamed up with the youth interns from Grace Church in Federal Way and cleaned up around a low income apartment complex. On one afternoon we helped Lake Sammamish Foursquare Church in Bellevue reorganize their closets and classrooms. Lastly on a summer evening we assisted New Hope Seattle in Shoreline host a community outreach event.

Not only did the students learn to serve other churches, but they also helped in their local community. We distributed hundreds of fliers advertising our 1st ever Fireworks stand; as well as volunteering countless hours at the Fireworks stand the week before July 4th. Each week this group of students made sure Uturn was setup and ready for our weekly service and assisted in the cleanup process.

Over the course of the summer they also had great group discussions which included such topics as servant leadership, being a leader at home, conflict resolution, spiritual gifts, salvation and personal mission statements. All of our students were challenged to articulate their faith and were better prepared to lead not only in Uturn JH but also in their homes and schools.

Hopefully you won't miss out on this upcoming opportunity to get more involved with Uturn JH. Sign up for the Fall Season of The Edge.

If you have any questions contact Pastor Sean Nault
seann@eastsidechurch.org

Students of the Month: August 2010

2010-08-14T11:20:00.001-07:00

Elizabeth Hara

9th Grade at Kamiakin Jr. High

Favorite Sports:

figure skating, dance, gymnastics, & volleyball

Top Bands:
Jar and David Archuleta

Favorite Videogame System:
Wii

Best Place for a Burger:

Taco Time

Favorite Bible Verse:
Ephesians 2:18

Alex Rodarmel

9th Grade at Cedar Park Christian School

Top Bands:

Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Weird Al, Led Zepplin

Dream Job:

Rockstar

Famous Person you'd like to Meet:

Jon Bon Jovi

Favorite Bible Verse:
Philippians 4:13

1 Reason you love Uturn JH:

Sean Nault's voice

Bethany Horn

7th Grade at Skyview Jr. High

Top TV shows:

The Office and Chuck

Favorite Superhero:

Spiderman

Dream Job:

I love running, but don't know how to make $$ by running

Best Place for a burger:

Any place with ONIONS

Favorite Bible verse:
Psalm 38:7

Each month we highlight a few students so that you can start to get to know some of the familiar faces of Uturn Jr. High. The next time you're at Uturn Jr. High be sure to fill out an Information Download so that we can stay in contact with you, and you'll be eligible to be a Student of the Month.

UNPLUGGED CHALLENGE

2010-08-12T11:15:00.000-07:00

August 11th thru August 21st

Can you unplug from your entertainment and plug into Jesus?

To help us get focused on the upcoming week of summer camp we're challenging all of our Uturn Jr. High students to take up a challenge to unplug from their entertainment and spend more time with Jesus. You'll be amazed how much extra time you'll have and how you're heart will be better prepared to for camp and all that God wants to reveal to you that week.

What we're saying NO to:

Videogames

Movies

Facebook/Twitter

Internet for Entertainment Purposes

Music/Radio/iPods

What we're saying YES to:
Praying about JH camp

Studying the Bible

Listening to God

Personal times of worship

Spending time with family

This is not meant to be a legalist exercise, but rather a chance to get prepared and focused for an exciting and life changing week of camp. Try not to focus on just what you can't do, but be intentional with what you get to do.

Uturn JH Mariners Game

2010-07-25T10:09:00.000-07:00

September 2, 2010 @ 7pm
Safeco Field

Cost: $15 each
Tickets available before/after any Uturn service

Start off the fall with a grand slam of fun!

Uturn Jr. High is going to the Mariners Game and we're going to have a blast. This is a great opportunity for Uturn JH families and friends to have a great start to the school year. Not only should you come, but you should bring someone with you.

Help Raise Money:
For each ticket you sell or purchase you'll earn $7 towards your Summer and/or Winter Camp costs. Imagine paying for both your Summer and Winter camp by bringing friends and family to a Mariners game.

If you have questions or want to purchase tickets, contact Pastor Sean Nault seann@eastsidechurch.org

Students of the Month: July 2010

2010-07-20T14:21:00.000-07:00

Each month we highlight a few of our students so that you'll get to know some of the students in the Uturn Jr. High community. The next time you're at Uturn Jr High, fill out an information download so that you can stay connected, and keep your eyes open to see if you get selected next month.

Makenzi Wheless

7th Grade

School: Canyon Park Jr. High

Favorite Sports: Volleyball & Softball

Top Movie: New Moon

Dream Job: Architect

Famous Person you'd love to Meet: Miley Cyrus

1 Reason you love Uturn: the Pastors

Alex Koshar

8th Grade

School: Redmond Jr. High

Top Movie: Napoleon Dynamite

Favorite Superhero: Wonder Woman

Famous Person you'd love to Meet: Justin Bieber

Favorite Bible Verse: Psalm 27

1 Goal for your Life: Go to Medical School

Jordan McKenzie

9th Grade

School: Kenmore Jr. High

Favorite Sport: Basketball

Dream Job: Ocean Treasure Hunter

Favorite Superhero: Frozone (from The Incredibles)

Best Place for a Burger: Burger Master

Favorite Bible Verse: 1 Corinthians 10:13

Monthly Newsletter: July 2010

2010-07-20T14:18:00.000-07:00

Stay informed by downloading our monthly newsletter with all of the latest and greatest information about Uturn Jr. High

Uturn Service Changes

2010-06-02T15:07:00.000-07:00

Hey Uturn Jr. High,

There's some change coming to the weekly Uturn schedule. Starting in September, Jr. High and High School will each have their own Wednesday Night service. Jr. High will be from 6pm-7:10pm, and the High School will be from 7:30-8:40pm. We're really excited about the opportunity to effectively reach each age group for Jesus. The weekend services will remain the same times and structure for now. There will be Uturn Families meetings coming soon so that all of the details can be explained.

Uturn Families Meeting Dates:
Saturday and Sunday, June 12-13 - after each weekend service in the Auditorium by the baptism tank
Wednesday, June 23 @ 8:10pm in the Student Center

If you have any questions about Uturn Jr. High please feel free to contact Pastor Sean Nault, seann@eastsidechurch.org or 425-488-2500 x336

Click here if you'd like a copy of the parent letter in PDF format.

The Edge: Student Discipleship Summer 2010

2010-06-01T11:46:00.000-07:00

Click on the image to download the PDF application

Summer Blockbusters and Evangelism

2010-05-11T13:21:00.000-07:00

I recently went and saw the new Iron Man 2 in theaters and got to thinking not only about how incredible the special effects were, but I saw a clear connection between summer blockbusters and evangelism. Every May begins the summer rush at your local cineplex as studios send out some of the most anticipated movies of the year. The summer is constantly full of the latest sequels and high budget flicks that create a huge draw to the theater. Which is interesting because summer is usually the best time of year to be outside enjoying the beautiful weather, yet society tends to find itself drawn to the dark, air conditioned sanctuaries of entertainment.

Think about this summer's movie lineup, and ponder which movies you anticipate seeing this summer. Maybe you've yet to see Iron Man 2 so that's at the top of your list, but it could be followed by a long list of cinematic treats such as Shrek 4, Toy Story 3, A-Team, Robin Hood, Twilight: Eclipse, Prince of Persia, or even the latest remake of The Karate Kid. Whatever you taste in movies there's probably at least one or two, if not more, that you're thinking about going to this summer. You'll shell out $10 for the ticket, sneak in some candy in your pockets and if you're in a good mood you'll drop another $15 for popcorn and soda. During the movie you'll be whisked away into another land by special effects and plotlines, and then the movie concludes and you return back to your life.

My question is how did you get the desire to spend the time watching that movie? You might have seen a preview, maybe you read a review or blog, and quite possibly you had heard some buzz of conversation among your friends. No matter the method, excitement was established and it hooked you, you decided to spend your time and money discovering the truth behind all of the hype and hysteria. Then after you start leaving the theater your mind starts to create and articulate your opinions and reviews of the film. Then the outbreak of your movie critique begins to spread as you enter into quick conversations with your friends, peers, and social networks. What's interesting to think about is how quickly our anticipation to see a movie can be affected by these quick conversations and interactions with our peers. When a handful of friends start sharing how great a movie is you'll notice that your interest in it starts to perk up, but when the comments are negative or even nonexistent we can find that our interests begin to fade.

The more I thought about this the more I thought about how our lives can be used to share the excitement of what God has done in our lives. Think about how this metaphor carries over into our spreading of the Gospel.
Movie Trailers/Advertising - As Christians some of us are like the movie previews and advertisers for Jesus. The way that we interact with people, live our lives, and exemplify our faith can either attract or repulse people from Jesus, church, and Christianity. We need to always remember that our lives are living representations for Christ. (2 Corinthians 5)

The Movie - the actual movie experience is like a person's personal experience with Jesus. This is when God becomes real to them. This personal encounter with Jesus could be at a church service, at a summer camp, at a retreat, or even a personal quiet time with God. A relationship with God can't be "transferred" or given to someone by someone else. It is an experience with God that each person must pursue and experience for themselves. Just as having someone tell you the storyline of a movie isn't as good as watching it for yourself. We worship a God that loves each and every person and He desires a relationship with everyone; we should all be pursuing a deeper understanding of who God is, who He's created us to be, and his plan for our lives.

The Buzz - After a personal experience an individual must tell others about it. Think about the joy and excitement you feel after seeing a great movie, you feel that you have to tell everyone you come in contact with. Its not weird, awkward or uncomfortable; its simply sharing your thoughts and feelings about the experience so that others will experience it as well. When God does something in our lives we shouldn't hide it or forget about it, we should share it with joy and excitement. So often I hear people sharing their testimonies and its like they're reciting an old presidential speech with a blank look on their face and a monotone voice. Instead Christ followers should be spontaneously and enthusiastically sharing about their experiences with God because these moments have been real and life changing. Remember evangelism isn't just about rehearsed content, but your tone, emotion, and even body language can play a part in effectively communicating your faith.

Hopefully this summer as you're having a plethora of conversations, interactions, tweets, and Facebook updates; try to mention what's happening in your life more than just the latest and greatest movie you've seen or song you've downloaded. Take initiative to mention what God is doing in your life that week.

Jr. High Summer Camp 2010

2010-05-11T12:36:00.000-07:00

Be sure to sign up for this year's Jr. High Summer Camp. It is a week long overnight camp in Ravensdale, WA where over a dozen Foursquare Churches from the Puget Sound area come together to have fun and grow in their relationships with Jesus.

Camp Cost:
$225 if signed up by July 1st

(only the registration form and $100 deposit are due by July 1st)

$250 if signed up after July 1st

What do you do at Camp?

Summer camp has an array of activities such as: paintball, swimming, canoeing, mini golf, climbing wall, basketball, large group games, late night activities, a giant blob on the lake,
and crafts. The main focus of camp is growing in our understanding of who God is and our relationship with Jesus. There are great times of worshipping through songs, dynamic speakers, interactive discussion times in your cabins, and even personal quiet times of reading your Bible and praying. Camp is a great opportunity of anyone no matter their church background or current involvement, the goal is that each and every student be challenged to grow in their spiritual life.

If you have any questions about Jr. High camp please contact Jr. High Pastor, Sean Nault @ 425.488.2500 ext336 or seann@eastsidechurch.org

Click here if you'd like to download the Jr. High Camper Registration Form.

Movie Review: Date Night

2010-04-21T14:08:00.000-07:00

Rating: PG-13 for sexual and crude content throughout, language, some violence and a drug reference

Running Time: 88 minutes

Date Night is a comedy about a married couple that goes out for a night on the town and end up in the middle of a dangerous yet hilarious case of mistaken identities.

Steve Carell and Tina Fey really show off their comedic skills in this movie. What's interesting is that there seems to be more plot than just slapstick humor which was a nice surprise. There are lots of funny jokes about marriage and communication, but I'm not sure if a teenager would find them as funny because they can't relate to the marital circumstances.

Look At Your Shoe Moments:
Some of the characters are dressed pretty scandalously with skimpy outfits. One of the ongoing jokes is that Mark Wahlberg's character won't put on a shirt so you see him shirtless throughout. Towards the end of the film there is a long scene is a dance club that includes a lot of lady dancers barely wearing anything. The two main characters also perform a very sexual dance that lasts quite a while. Just a quick FYI, there are sexual jokes and swearing throughout the film that could cause some viewers to be uncomfortable too.

What I liked about the movie is that it made you laugh a lot, the trailer didn't give too much away or show all the funniest parts, and they had some nice sentiments about marriage without being too sappy. Often movies make a noticeable switch in tone when they try to get preachy about the topic, but Date Night subtly includes them throughout.

Overall I think you could save the extra cash and WAIT make DATE NIGHT a DVD Night.

Additional Websites:

Official Page
IMDb Page

Movie Review: Clash of the Titans

2010-04-21T12:40:00.000-07:00

Rating: PG-13 for fantasy action violence, some frightening images and brief sensuality
Running Time: 106 minutes

This latest remake is a tale based in Greek mythology of a demigod (half man, half god) who fights the gods on behalf of the humans. The Greek gods (Zeus, Hades, etc) have had some trouble keeping the humans happy. Apparently their livelihood is based on the prayers of man, and mankind has been trying to live life without the gods. So Hades stirs up an idea to make the humans miserable and thus start praying in their distress. Zeus goes along with the plan, but an unexpected fisherman begins to create some opposition.

This movie is filled with battle scenes and action sequences that will keep any audience member entertained and on the edge of their seat. There's everything from huge scorpions, to a battle with Medusa and the rise of the Kracken. While the plot is somewhat predictable, the film is an exciting ride.

Look at Your Shoes Moments:
According to the rating there are some scenes of sensuality, but we'll spell it out more for you. There is a scene when Zeus has sex with a woman, everything is covered by the sheets, but intimacy is displayed. There are some scenes when the female characters are wearing skimpy outfits that seem very revealing or suggestive. While there are sensual scenes there's no blatant nudity.

Obviously Uturn Jr. High does not agree with the theology of this film and if that subject matter bothers you I suggest you avoid this film because its saturated with Greek mythology and heresy. Although we don't agree theologically there were some interesting discussion points that came from the film. Some of the gods had some thought provoking lines about the relationship between gods and man. Much of their view was a fear based relationship that focused solely on pleasing the gods. Their gods were also imperfect and impulsive which caused a lot of chaos. Whereas we believe that the one true God is a perfect God full of love, kindness, gentleness, patience, goodness, peace, joy, and self control. God doesn't want to sit up there and force us into relationship and he's not waiting for us to perform for his entertainment. We don't act in obedience to feed his ego, we obey his commands because its a response of love and devotion.

Overall it was an action packed warrior flick that could lead to some interesting theological discussions. I wouldn't waste the extra cash on seeing it in 3D, but I'd see it on the big screen. If you're going to wait until you can rent it, I'd at least see it on a big TV in Blu-ray.

Additional Links
Official Website
IMDb Page

Movie Review: Where the Wild Things Are

2010-04-17T19:48:00.000-07:00

Where The Wild Things Are

Rating: PG, for mild thematic elements, some adventure action and brief language
Running Time: 101 minutes

This child book adaptation portrays a young boy who is experiencing some troubles at home. His interactions with his family are rocky and he struggles to be able to communicate his feelings. He is aggressive and constantly agitated about even the littlest of things. In a moment of rage he runs away from home and takes a boat ride to a mysterious island. On this island he discovers these large, furry, talking creatures. Its with his interactions with these "wild things" that he experiences moments of revelation about his own life and circumstances.

To be honest I was skeptical from the start as to how a short children's story could be stretched into a feature film. As expected it was a stretch. It felt like every scene was longer than it needed and dragged on profusely. It was interesting to hear the voices of familiar actors speaking for the wild things, but that's the extent of intrigue with this film. One of the reasons I think it fell flat is it missed a target audience. It obviously wasn't made for children even though its based on a children's book and yet it lacks any intrigue for adult viewers. The drab coloring and boring plot lines caused this movie to be a snooze. They should rename it "Where the MILD Things Are."

Additional Links:

Official Website
IMDb Page

Mexico Mission Trip: Day Nine

2010-04-10T04:45:00.000-07:00

Friday was our final full day down in Rosarito, Mexico. It was a day of finishing well. Our group had a great final group Bible study as we discussed how we can apply these principles we learned on the trip to our lives back home. We spent the afternoon finishing up the graffiti painting and garbage pickup as well. Finally we did complete the bodega project. Our whole team was able to sign the inside of the door and we prayed over it and dedicated it to the ministry of the Lord.

After we got cleaned up we headed back to Hope Chapel Rosarito for our final service here, their youth service. We shared a meal with some of the locals, had testimonies, sang songs of worship, and had Josh preach the message. Following the service we shared some time around a campfire, eating smores and swapping stories.

Saturday morning is our travel day back into the USA as we fly from San Diego to SeaTac. Please continue to pray for safe travels as we return home.

The 2010 Uturn Jr. High Mexico Mission Team did amazing work, poured out their lives, and were used by God to do awesome things for the Kingdom of God. Thanks to everyone for their prayers of support and encouragement. We wouldn't be here without you.

Mexico Mission Trip: Day Eight

2010-04-09T11:00:00.000-07:00

Thursday was a jam packed day full of exciting ministry opportunities. In the late morning and early afternoon we did projects around the church campus on the Santini Ranch. Part of our team picked up bags and bags of garbage from the beach and surrounding areas. They did a tremendous job clearing out the trash. I think they had fun too when they got to burn a huge pile of drift wood and shrubs on the beach. Another part of the team worked tirelessly on the bodega project. They were able to get the roof up in a single afternoon. It was awesome to see them out there hammering away in the blistering sun. A third part of our team painted over walls that were covered in graffiti. They did a superb job of turning the old into the new with their efforts to repaint the walls.

After the service projects were completed we got washed up and drove 45 minutes down to Ensenada for a church service. The church we ministered in was a newly planted Foursquare Church that has grown from 0 to over 100 in only two years. Our children's ministry team led a kid friendly lesson after worship while our drama team performed for the adults. After Sean's message on striving for more of God in our lives, the service concluded with an enthusiastic time of worship that included dancing. I think it was totally new and different for some of the students, but good to stretch their comfort zones. You could totally sense the power of God moving in that church and the joy that the congregation had was infectious.

Following the service our team went out for tacos at a taco stand in Ensenada. The business was actually owned by the sister of the church's senior pastor. These tacos were incredible. The tortillas alone were probably 12 inches big, then they were packed with all the steak, pork, and mystery meat you could imagine. For some the tacos were too big and couldn't finish, while others conquered the massive tacos and left victorious with stuffed stomaches. Our late night dinner was followed up by a late night drive back to Rosarito, which put us in bed around 1:00 am. It was a long, exhausting and very productive day.

Friday is our last full day here at Hope Chapel Rosarito, please continue to pray for us as we make the most of our final hours here.

Mexico Mission Trip: Day Seven

2010-04-07T20:46:00.000-07:00

Today we hit the ground running. After breakfast and group Bible study we went out to a local community in Rosarito, La Reforma. We went around throughout the neighborhood distributing promotional flyers about the church and a local Bible study. We probably passed out hundreds of these flyers to different homes in the area. It was awesome to see the students step out in boldness to spread the word about the church.

After our visit to La Reforma we had lunch and went out to another community for outreach. At Vista Marina we cooked hot dogs, performed our dramas and preached an encouraging message about God's love and compassion. It was a great time to connect with people in the community and point them towards Hope Chapel Rosarito. As a testimony to God using our team, HCR's senior pastors, Don and Sandy, had conversations with many of the people at the outreach. Some were even people that had been strongly opposed to the church, but felt a change in heart and wanted to connect with the church more. God is using our team as a bridge of encouragement, hope, and service for this church and community.

Following the two outreach opportunities we went back to the church for an hour of prayer. The team split up into groups and walked around the gated community praying for God's blessing for Hope Chapel Rosarito, the community, the pastors, and much much more. Many of the students came back feeling so excited about the prayer time that they even requested we do it more often.

God is on the move down here and doing awesome things through these Jr. Highers. Thanks to all for your continual support, and please keep praying because we've only got two more full days down here.

Mexico Mission Trip: Day Six

2010-04-07T09:05:00.000-07:00

Tuesday was our Sabbath for the trip because everyone needs a day of rest. We took some time to hit the local market in search of priceless knick-knacks and souvenirs. The students were able to purchase little tokens and keepsakes to remember the trip and the good times. After shopping we headed across the street for street tacos. They were so delicious, the students could choose between steak, pork or fish tacos. Muy bien!

The rest of the afternoon was spent at a local beach where the students could play in the water, build things out of sand and just relax. We BBQ hamburgers right there on the beach and enjoyed ourselves until sunset.

Overall it was a great day of relaxation and recharging of the batteries. We've got 3.5 days left and tons still to do. Keep us in your prayers and more ministry opportunities appear.

Mexico Mission Trip: Day Five

2010-04-05T19:41:00.000-07:00

Today was a day when we exercised our flexibility. The plan for today was to get a lot done on various projects around the campus, but the weather had something else in store. Right after getting started the rain began to fall and it impeded some of our progress. We were still able to detail the inside of the bus and organize storage rooms and sheds, but the bodega project stalled. We were able to get some of the remaining walls up, but we were unable to get the roof supports made and up like be had hoped.

Despite the changes in plans and the raining weather our team continued to work hard and was willing to do anything necessary to help out. Today was a day of accomplishments, but really was a great teachable moment on being flexible and learning to go with the flow.

Tomorrow is another day down here in paradise, please continue to pray for us.

Mexico Mission Trip: Day Four

2010-04-04T16:24:00.000-07:00

HAPPY EASTER!!!

Earthquake Update: This afternoon an earthquake hit the Baja area and we felt it here. Everything is fine, no one was hurt, nothing was damaged, no items were even jostled during the shaking. We are totally safe and there is no reason for fear or concern. Praise God for our safety and his protection.

As far as Easter we had a tremendous day of celebrating Jesus' resurrection. We had breakfast and Bible study together, which led to some amazing discussions about following the call of God for our lives. Then came the services. First we ministered at Hope Chapel Rosarito's English service and then followed the Spanish service. In both services we had a time of worship through songs, part of our group led the children's ministry, and others delivered powerful testimonies of God's love and having faith amidst various circumstances.

Following the services we enjoyed a delicious meal of pulled pork, rice, beans and tortillas. Hmmm... yummy to our tummies. After some wonderful Easter services and a tasty Easter dinner our team was able to relax for a bit and have fun together, which was much needed because this team has been working hard.

Thanks to everyone for their p

rayers and support. Please continue to think of us this week as we continue to minister to these communities and meet real and practical needs.

Mexico Mission Trip: Day Three

2010-04-03T22:39:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a full day of ministry as these students were given plenty of opportunities to share the love of God. After breakfast and a group Bible study we went out to a local neighborhood to serve lunch. We grilled up some hot dogs and handed out drinks and gospel pamphlets. Part of our team did a skit that was both hilarious and a great illustration of God's message of freedom from sin. Following a brief message we were able to make balloon animals for all of the little kids in the neighborhoods. Of course many preferred for us to make swords and hats rather than the traditional dog. After all the kids had balloons a massive balloon sword fight ensued. It was awesome to see our team bring so much joy to a neighborhood.

Following our local outreach we were able to attend a local Foursquare church in northern Rosarito. We ministered with them for a tremendous Saturday night service. Both of our drama teams performed and did a phenomenal job. Their skits were so well done that they clearly illustrated the points being made during the service. At the conclusion of the service we were given a chance to pray for the church and then the church prayed for our team. It was a powerful night full of God's anointing. Its always amazing how God can minister through someone and bring truth that a congregation needs to hear. The church's senior pastors were very thankful for our time there and really felt blessed. They even extended an invitation for us to attend their sunrise service at 6am. (We politely declined, but were grateful for the invite)

After our time at the church we went out for a late supper for some street tacos. They were absolutely amazing and so filling. I'm sure the whole team is going to be begging to go back before the end of our time here.

Thanks again to everyone who has been supporting us and covering this trip in prayer. Please keep it up, God is doing great things, but still has more in store.

Mexico Mission Trip: Day Two

2010-04-02T20:55:00.000-07:00

Today was our first full day here in Rosarito, Mexico. We woke up to a beautiful blue sky and had a great time of group Bible study and discussion. Then in the throughout the entire morning and afternoon we went to work.

We did many different projects around the Hope Chapel Rosarito campus. Some of our team got their hands dirty pulling weeds and doing other landscaping around the church. They did a tremendous job sprucing up the area before the big Easter weekend. Another part of our team repainted all of the gates and fences to freshen up the look.

We also were able to put some time and energy into cleaning up the new bus for the church. Due to God's provision we were able to purchase this bus for the church so that they can use it to drive kids around the neighborhood to and from church. We also get to use the bus as our source of

transportation for the time we're down here. Since the bus was a used vehicle it needed a little elbow grease, and our team put in a lot of work in a short amount of time. They washed down the interior and exterior and secured the windows.

The other major project that we've been able to undertake while we're down here is the building of a storage shed on the church's campus for food and clothing. The church is going to be able to store up reserves for families in the community that have needs. Today with the help of a local contractor we were able to put of the frame of the building including all four walls. It was awesome to see the students out there swinging hammers and making this dream come true for the church. Just a little backstory for you, last year our Jr. High team was able to pour the concrete foundation for the building, but due to economic and resource issues the church wasn't able to get the shed built. We didn't even think we would be able to help make this a reality, until just days before the trip when we discovered that God had blessed our team with a surplus in the amount needed for this project. Praise God!!! Our hope is that by the end of our trip the entire structure will be finished and ready for goods to be collected and stored.

After a full afternoon of hard work and sweat we cleaned up and got ready for the HCR Good Friday service. Our team's worship band combined with some of the HCR band and lead worship during the service, which was totally dynamic. They did an awesome job singing some songs in English and some in Spanish. Muy Bien! Our drama team also performed an inspiring skit that presented the gospel message through dramatic interpretation. And the service concluded with a brief message by Sean, who discussed how Christ showed the extent of his love through his sacrifice on the cross. It was an anointed service that concluded with communion and a memorable prayer time.

More is yet to come tomorrow, please keep us in your prayer as the adventure continues to unfold. God is doing amazing things in and through these Jr. High students.

Mexico Mission Trip: Day One

2010-04-02T02:13:00.000-07:00

The 2010 Jr. High Mexico Mission trip is underway. We met together at SeaTac Airport on Thursday evening and flew out with a quick pit stop in San Jose and then continued our way to San Diego. We were greeted by the missionaries/Hope Chapel Senior Pastors, Don and Sandy Godwin. After grabbing all of our luggage we hit the road and crossed the border into Mexico. We finally got settled into our housing at Rosarito around 2am and quickly hit the sack to catch some ZZzzzz.

We're all really excited about what God is going to do during our time down here. Our 19 team members are anticipating some life changing events to occur as we boldly present the gospel of God's love to the people of Rosarito.

Continue to keep us in your prayers as Friday has a full schedule of services and exciting opportunities.

2010 Jr. High Mexico Mission Team

2010-03-27T19:07:00.001-07:00

Please join in praying and supporting our Jr. High Mexico Mission Team. From April 1st thru April 10th we'll be down in Rosarito, Mexico ministering with a Foursquare Church, Hope Chapel Rosarito. We'll be performing dramas, leading worship in Spanish, leading children's programs, assisting other local churches, feeding the hungry, and participating in local cleaning and service projects.

Please keep us in your prayers. You can stay informed by checking for daily posts and pictures with updates of how the trip is going on our Jr. High Website

If you'd like more information about Hope Chapel Rosarito you can check out their website.

HCR website

UNPLUGGED CHALLENGE

2010-03-27T18:29:00.000-07:00

March 28th thru April 10th

Starting Sunday, March 28th our Jr. High Mexico team is participating in a two week challenge to unplug and abstain from media and entertainment. We're doing this to make a personal sacrifice for a short time so that we can refocus our busy lives on Jesus.

Believe it or not our society is immersed and addicted to technology, but its scary how much of a distraction it can become. Studies show that...

61% of Facebook users check their accounts at least once a day
18% can't go more than a couple hours without checking their Facebook account
28% of iPhone owners use Twitter before they even get out of bed
40% don't mind being interrupted by a text message during a meal time
Teens watch an average 1500 hours of TV each year and 900 hours in school each year
6 million movies are rented in the US each day
By the age 65 a person will view an average 2,000,000 TV commercials
76% of 8-18yr olds own an iPod/MP3 player
66% of 8-18yr olds own a cellphone
Almost 30% of American households own 4+ televisions
54% of American households own a videogame console

As a response to these startling statistics our Jr. High Mexico team is avoiding media consumption.

We're saying NO to...

TV
Movies
Music/Radio/iPods
Facebook/Twitter/Myspace
Internet Use for Entertainment Purposes
Videogames

Instead we're saying YES to...

Praying for our mission trip
Reading our Bibles
Listening to God
Spending time with people
Getting outside and enjoying God's creation

Please pray for our mission team as we are out of the country from April 1st thru April 10th. We would love your prayers and support, and would like to encourage you in participating in the Unplugged Challenge.

Movie Review: Alice in Wonderland

2010-03-11T10:15:00.000-08:00

Alice in Wonderland

Rated: PG for fantasy action/violence involving scary images and situations, and for a smoking caterpillar.

The latest Johnny Depp/Tim Burton collaboration looks at this classic tale from the perspective of Alice returning to Wonderland years after her initial visit. Growing up she was convinced that her first time in Wonderland was a dream that she had created, then faced with many life changing decisions she finds herself following the White Rabbit back to Wonderland.

Overall the storyline is pretty simplistic and slightly predictable, so don't expect a "wonderland" of plot. But that's not why people are paying to take this adventure. Theaters are filling up to see the mind-boggling special effects and Johnny Depp's highly anticipated portrayal of The Mad Hatter. While Depp's performance was amazing, I thought the other characters were just as entertaining. The visual artistry of the film is amazing as you feel truly transported to a whimsical land of wonder. This movie is made for the big screen with such precision put into all of the details; everything from off-the-wall costumes to the minuscule hints of coloring added to Depp's eyelashes. This film is a feast for the eyes.

Bottom Line:

Be sure to tumble down the rabbit's hole and see this film in theaters; waiting until DVD won't do it justice.

Film Links:

Alice in Wonderland - Official Site

Alice in Wonderland - IMDb page

Active not Apathetic

2010-02-24T15:36:00.000-08:00

This week we're focusing on the importance of being active with our faith rather than letting apathy rule our decision making. As Christ followers we are to be constantly out in our communities, social networks and spheres of influence showing the love of God.

James 2:14-20
"What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, 'Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well' - but then you don't give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. Now someone may argue, 'Some people have faith; others have good deeds.' But I say, 'How can you show me your faith if you don't have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.' You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can't you see that faith without good deeds is useless?"

This section of Scripture is such a blunt reminder that we can't just claim to be a Christ follower, we need to show it. It seems so easy to make excuses not to make our faith visible:

Laziness
Fear of rejection
Too busy
Lack of resources/finances
Unaware of practical needs
_________________ (you fill in the blank for yourself)

Instead of living in the land of many excuses we need to proactively look for the needs of people and compassionately do anything possible to help. This week at Uturn we're challenging students to get involved with an issue that is having a negative affect on humanity. Here's some of our ideas:

Human Trafficking
Substance Abuse
Self-injury (cutting)
Domestic Violence
Homelessness
Eating Disorders
Teen Suicide
Disaster Relief
Divorce
________________ (fill in the blank with an issue you care about)

Now its not enough just to know that our world has problems; Christians need to be the first one's getting informed, pooling resources and out there doing something to bring the hope of God into hopeless situations.

Hopefully you'll take time this week to think about what humanity issue you're passionate about, identify what excuses you're making that stop you from getting involved and then brainstorm ways you can get out of your comfort zone and make a difference.

Cool Video:
Check out this video of a lady from Eastside Foursquare Church that saw a need and got out of her comfort zone to show the love of God in real ways. Maggie Josiah's Video

Excite Night

2010-02-16T16:50:00.000-08:00

Excite Night is going to be a night of fun, inflatables, videogame tourneys, prizes, and food. You'll have a chance to meet new people and its a great way to spend your Friday night. Be sure to get the word out about Excite Night and invite as many of your friends as possible. They won't want to miss out on EXCITE NIGHT!!!

When: March 12th from 7-10pm

Where: Eastside Foursquare Church

14520 100th Ave NE Bothell, WA 98011

How Much: $5 presale tickets or $7 at the door

Your Ticket includes: activities, 2 raffle tickets and 1 food item

Bring money for additional food, raffle tickets and special activities

Be sure to buy your tickets ASAP to reserve your spot and save a couple bucks. You can purchase tickets before/after any Uturn service on Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays.

If you don't attend Uturn and want to pre buy tickets contact Sean Nault @ seann@eastsidechurch.org or 425-488-2500 x336

Jesus and Dog Poop

2010-01-16T17:47:00.000-08:00

April and I have been dog owners since Christmas and for the most part Maeby has been a wonderful addition. She has so much energy and spunk that she’s a constant source of life in our little apartment. We’ve loved snuggling on the couch, her daily excitement to see us come home, and the way she tilts her head to the side and gives you a goofy look. Amidst all of the fun and joys of having a little puppy there are many frustrations. The continual chewing and biting with her little fangs can bring some sharp little pains to your fingers. We’ve also discovered that she’s an avid barker. For such a small dog there seems to be a lot of noise coming out of her, especially at 6:30 in the morning. Lastly we’ve had growing frustrations with the fact that she treats every square inch of our apartment as her personal toilet. I don’t care what anybody says, potty training a puppy is difficult stuff. Some evenings you feel that you go from cleaning up one stain to the next. Recently as I was cleaning up two puddles of urination I vented in my frustration, “I’m tired of cleaning up after you!” Immediately my words resonated within me and had a moment of divine perspective. I pictured myself and my constant struggle to live righteously and how we as sinful people continually choose to disregard and disobey God and his instructions. To be blunt, when we choose to indulge in sin we are choosing to bring crap into our lives. Sin has no place in our lives and is only going to destroy our lives, but God has given us a chance for freedom. Through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Christ we have the opportunity to break the cycles of sin and be free from its powerful grip. As I was cleaning up after Maeby’s accident in the kitchen I realized that when I ask God for forgiveness he’s lovingly removing the crap and stains from my life. The great thing about God is that unlike me, he won’t get frustrated with you. If we’re struggling with sin, He’s not going to lose his temper with us and get frustrated because we’ve rejected him. He lovingly stands there with his arms open ready to receive us back and offer us a fresh start. Obviously we would be cheapening the undeserved love and forgiveness of God if we chose to cyclically live in sin, ask for forgiveness, return to the sin, ask for forgiveness and return back to the sin again and again. When we accept the gracious love of God we shouldn’t look at it as a “Get Out of Jail Free Card” that we can pull out anytime we feel guilty. God wants us to abandon, runaway from, and reject sin, and passionately follow him with our whole being. Then I believe we are able to begin understanding the selfless love of God and appropriately respond to the fresh start that he offers us.

Monthly Newsletter: January 2010

2010-01-13T14:45:00.000-08:00

Here's the latest and greatest information about Uturn Jr. High. Each month we do a newsletter with event information, ways to get involved and how you can contact Uturn Jr. High.

Just download the PDF of the monthly newsletter and you can print your own copy.

Movie Review: 2012

2009-11-25T15:22:00.000-08:00

2012

Rated: PG-13, for intense disaster sequences and some language

This 2.5 hour long movie tells the story of the end of Planet Earth as we know it. Due to the rising heat of the sun and the deteriorating crust of the Earth there are constant geological catastrophes that boggle the mind. While some of the occurances may seem unrealistic, it is still a thrill ride that keeps you biting your nails.

2012 is your standard "End of the World" flick with great special effects and very little thought provoking storyline. Of course you can't go into a movie like this expecting amazing acting and gripping plotlines, but you can expect to see incredible special effects and heart pounding action scenes. Although the plot may be a bit cliche and predictable, I do have to admit that I did become a little misty eyed in some scenes. It challenges you to think about what's most important in life. Amidst disaster and destruction, it's not the size of your house, the car you drive or the depth of your bank account that truly matters. When all is lost, the most valuable thing in life is sharing your last moments with the ones you love.

If you're at all interested in seeing 2012 you shouldn't wait until it gets to Blockbuster. This most recent disaster film by Roland Emmerich (Independence Day, Day After Tomorrow) is worth every penny to see on the big screen. Unfortunately we couldn't find it on any IMAX screens; 2012 seems much more "IMAX-worthy" than the current installment of The Christmas Carol. No offense to Jim Carrey.

Bottom Line:

It would be the end of the world if you miss 2012 while it's in theaters.

Winter Retreat 2010

2009-11-25T14:51:00.000-08:00

Jr. High and High School Winter Retreat is quickly approaching.

Be sure to get signed up quickly.

We're headed to Camp Koinonia in Cle Elum, WA for a weekend of fun in the snow. You won't want to miss out on this great time of sledding, snowball fights, and growing in your relationship with Jesus. Be sure to invite all of your friends because this is gonna be a blast for anyone.

February 5-7, 2010

$90 for Students & $45 for adult chaperones/drivers

Download the Permission Slip

Forms and Payments Due: January 24th

Mexico Mission Trip 2010

2009-11-04T14:48:00.000-08:00

Hurry and get signed up for our Jr. High Mexico Mission Trip. We're headed back down to Rosarito, Mexico for a week of amazing ministry.

We'll be working with a Foursquare Church down there (Hope Chapel Rosarito) and doing worship, dramas, service projects and outreaches. We'll even be down there for Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

This is going to be an incredible and life changing trip that you won't want to miss out on.

The trip is April 1-10, 2010 and costs $850.

Applications and $100 Deposit Due:

Sunday, November 22, 2009.

Downloadable Application

Monthly Newsletter: November 2009

2009-11-04T14:43:00.000-08:00

Here's the latest newletter for Uturn Jr. High. You can get all of the most up to date information about events and Uturn news. Stay informed by downloading a copy for yourself. Simply click the image to open the PDF and print it at home.

Purity Month - Starting Soon

2009-09-29T15:45:00.000-07:00

The fall season is underway and its time to study what the Bible says about sexual purity. Starting October 11th the Jr. High and High School students will meet separately to discuss God’s design for sex and teaching the importance of remaining pure until and even after marriage.

The discussions of sexual purity will include conversations about such topics as abstinence, entertainment choices, pornography, dating, marriage, lust, fantasy, creating healthy boundaries, masturbation and the purpose of sex. Not only do students need to have these conversations and understand what the Bible says about our sexual purity, but they need to understand why sexual purity is important.

Here’s an outline of the Jr. High Sexual Purity Series
- October 11th – “Commercialized Sex” (Sex in the Media/Culture)
- October 18th – “Distorted Sex” (Homosexuality)
- October 25th – “Flirting with Sex” (How Far is Too Far?)
- November 1st – “Godly Sex” (Dating and Marriage)
- November 7th and 8th – Purity Ceremony in Main Auditorium

Remember, to conclude Purity Month we honor and celebrate the students’ decision to live in purity by having them participate in a purity ceremony during one of the services on the weekend of November 7th and 8th.

This year we’re trying something new in that each week there will be a corresponding worksheet for each student to complete. These worksheets will have activities to complete, questions to answer, Bible verses to read and memorize, and hot topics to have conversations with friends and family members. These simple worksheets are included to ensure comprehension of why sexual purity is important and understanding why they want to make this commitment.

Expectations for Purity Month Participants
- Attend all 4 weeks
- Complete all 4 corresponding worksheets
- Purchase a purity ring (Available at Christian bookstores or local jeweler)
- Attend Purity Ceremony at one of the three weekend services

Please let me know if you're interested in participating this year.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. I’d also like to remind you that you will be able to hear all of the Jr. High Purity Month messages for free on our iTunes Podcast. http://www.tinyurl.com/uturnpodcast

May God bless you and your family during this season.

Sean and April Nault
Jr. High Pastors

seann@eastsidechurch.org

425-488-2500 ext. 336

Popping the Christian Bubble

2009-09-25T12:40:00.000-07:00

We recently have been discussing six stereotypes that people outside of the church have about Christians. Our series entitled, Warped Christianity: Bringing Jesus Back into Focus, is based upon the book unChristian. We’ve discussed how nonChristians perceive Christians to be hypocritical, anti-homosexual, judgmental, pushy about conversions, too political and sheltered.

This last Wednesday we chatted about how Christians are seen as sheltered. People view Christ followers as old-fashioned, traditional, and out of touch with reality. The perception is that the church is looking out into the world and running away from all of its “moral filth and evil.” In our fear we encapsulate ourselves in only what seems godly and righteous and we shun anything that doesn’t fit our high moral standards. This sheltered mentality is evident in the church’s attempts at creating “family friendly” or “safe alternatives” to social norms of our culture. Just look at Godspace or Godtube; we are running away from the things our society is creating and trying to make cheap replicas that are Christ oriented.

When I look at Jesus he wasn’t running around teaching people to take the latest social trends and copy them into more godly alternatives. He was teaching people to go and show the unconditional love of God where it needs it the most. If anything he was against people creating little “holy huddles” or “Christian bubbles.”

Examples of Jesus challenging us to break up the holy huddles:
Matthew 5:13-16
Matthew 9:9-14
Matthew 28:19-20
Acts 1:7-8

Obviously there is a balance to be made, we need solid godly friendships that can support us and challenge us in our relationship with God. I believe we all need that sort of godly network or community of fellow Christ followers. What I am against is us getting so comfortable in our exclusive Christian clubs that we neglect to go spend time with people that need Jesus the most. Jesus didn’t just spend time with people that lived righteous and holy lives. In fact he was so UNSHELTERED that the sinners and outcasts of society were drawn to him. They pursued and sought out his company, and yet Jesus didn’t make moral compromises.

So to break this stereotype of Christians being sheltered we must be committed to living lives of purity and holiness, but we also must put ourselves out there and spend time with people outside of the church. We’ve got to stop retreating from or getting defensive about everything we disagree with. Instead we must start be proactive about bringing the unconditional love, mercy and forgiveness of God in tangible ways. Instead of making Faithbook, use your Facebook account to encourage someone or reach out to someone feeling isolated. Rather than complaining about the use of foul language in your schools, start showing respect to your peers and faculty or maybe start randomly texting encouragements to your friends. In place of commenting on the sexual promiscuity of our culture, take a stand and keep your thoughts, words and actions sexually pure or try to raise money and awareness about the sex slave industry running rampant in our culture.

Challenge yourself to get out of your holy huddle this week and show the love of God in a tangible way.

Click here to open our iTunes Podcast Page

Don't Miss Out

2009-09-25T11:44:00.000-07:00

A Biblical Lesson from Guitar Hero

2009-09-03T15:29:00.000-07:00

The other night I was at home playing Guitar Hero: World Tour with my wife, April, and throughout the evening I was getting throttled. It doesn’t matter how often I’ve played a particular song she will beat me. We can both get 98% of the notes right, but she’ll get a longer streak of correct notes and beat me by 10,000 points. After losing 5 or 6 songs in a row I started to notice a trend. As I was playing I noticed myself occasionally looking over onto her side of the screen and watching how she was playing. Whenever I got Star Power or a 50 note streak I would quickly look at her screen to see if she had achieved the same accomplishment. These continual and frantic analyses lead to the suffering of my performance. Whenever I shifted my focus and began comparing my skills to hers I would make mistakes and miss notes. My pride and boasting of my quick accomplishments lead to comparisons which eventually lead to my demise.

Obviously this is just a silly game, and I’m proud to admit my wife is better at playing videogames than I am; but as I was playing I was reminded of a biblical proverb.

Proverbs 16:18
“First pride, then the crash— the bigger the ego, the harder the fall.”
(Translation: The Message)

The more I thought about this I not only thought that it clearly depicted my Guitar Hero play, but it can also describe our lives. So often we go through life comparing ourselves to others. We filter through thousands of criteria – hair style, clothing, stores we shop at, music we listen to, TV shows we watch, color of paint on our bedroom walls, tattoos on our bodies, social cliques we’re a part of, sports we play, hobbies we enjoy, the way we laugh, how we walk, and much much more. We are continually judging people and critiquing their appearance, their interests and who they are so that we can see how they’d fit within our status quo.

The tough reality that I’ve come to realize is that every time I compare myself to someone I’m belittling God’s creation. If I compare myself to an individual and think they’re amazing, then I’ll make them the golden standard and the evaluation of my self is going to look inferior. I will start belittling myself and hating who I am because I don’t measure up to that individual. On the other hand if I compare myself to someone and they don’t measure up to my standards then I begin to degrade them. I get prideful and begin to look condescendingly upon that person as if they were inferior to me because of the way they dress, their athletic ability or their intellect.

In all reality, who are we to honestly evaluate and judge others. As Jesus says, in Matthew 7, we have our own issues and flaws and that gives me no right to point a finger at someone or make a quick comparison about their character or identity.

Nothing good is going to happen when we start comparing ourselves to other people. This applies to all facets of life – on our sports teams, in the classroom, within our homes and families, within the church or even as we’re playing Guitar Hero.

The Edge - Fall Season Quickly Approaching

2009-08-25T17:02:00.000-07:00

Click to download this fall's application for our Jr. High Student Discipleship Program.

Push yourself in your faith this fall; join the Edge.

Let us know if you have any questions:

Jr. High Pastor Sean Nault

seann@eastsidechurch.org or 425-488-2500 ext.336

Monthly Newsletter: August

2009-08-19T12:57:00.000-07:00

Here's our Uturn Jr. High Newsletter for August. You can download it and get the latest information regaring the Jr. High group.

Movie Review: Watchmen

2009-08-15T11:16:00.000-07:00

Watchmen
Rating: R for strong graphic violence, sexuality, nudity and language

From the director of 300 comes this over the top action flick full of special effects, gory violence and continual sexual content. This comic book adaptation is about what society would be like if crime-fighting vigilantes were a normal part of the culture. The original group of superheroes or "Watchmen" united in the 1940’s and combat local criminals without the help of the local authorities. The film picks up in 1985 when after decades of Watchmen some have retired and new heroes have risen to power, all of this despite the US governments restrictions on masked vigilantes. After the murder of one of the older Watchmen, some of the current rogue Watchmen reunite and begin an investigation. Their discoveries lead to moral crossroads and dilemmas about whether or not they should intercede and help humanity despite society's rejection of the Watchmen.

Look at your Shoe Moments:
This movie had an absurd amount of violence that was both disturbing and extremely graphic. This "action movie" was as uncomfortable to watch as the current horror/torture movies like the Saw series. Also, there was so much sexuality and nudity that the DVD needed to be fast forwarded constantly. For instance, there are prostitutes on the streets that flash people, some of the Watchmen have sex with each other, and there is a Watchman who is completely CGI, but also completely naked throughout most of the movie.

This film was a complete disappointment not only in content, but in plot and storyline. It was way too long at over 3 hrs running time, but it was slow at times, confusing and had a dud for an ending. Hindsight 20/20 we should have shut the DVD off within the first 30 minutes. A movie like this is totally targeting an audience of young men, but I wouldn’t recommend this movie to anyone, especially not teenagers.

Bottom Line:
Don’t Watch Watchmen

The Edge Service Project

2009-07-19T08:40:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, July 14th The Edge went down to Lifepoint Foursquare in Des Moines, WA. We spent the afternoon down there pulling weeds, painting a wall in their preschool room, and doing other random landscaping tasks around their campus. The Edge is our seasonal discipleship program that challenges students to grow in their relationship with God. We do this through biblical discussions, acts of service and even opportunities for leading Bible discussions during Uturn JH services. This summer's Edge group is comprised of 9th grader, Emily Craig, and 8th graders Kyle Horn and Oriana Leach. Despite being one of our smaller seasons they definitely know how to work hard and get things done. They worked so quickly down at Lifepoint that you would have thought there was a huge group of students out there weeding. The Senior Pastors of Lifepoint Foursquare, Rick and Laurie Sherman, were so thankful for their hard labor in the beating sunshine that they treated us to a delicious ice cream cone.

If interested you should sign up for the fall season of The Edge. It takes place from September thru November on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Monthly Newsletter: July 2009

2009-07-15T14:07:00.000-07:00

Here's our monthly Jr. High Newsletter. Click on the image and download the PDF of the newsletter. It keeps you informed about Uturn Jr. High and how to stay connected.

Movie Reviews: UP and The Hangover

2009-06-11T14:15:00.000-07:00

UP
Rating: PG for some peril and action.

Pixar has done it again. They’ve gone and made a great animated movie that keeps your attention, makes you laugh out loud and has some sentimental value in the end. In their latest flick we’re taken on a journey of an old man who has recently lost his longtime wife and has been forced to sell his home to a new developer. Instead of giving up and walking off into the sunset at the local retirement home he decides to attach thousands of helium balloons to his house and he heads off to an exotic location that he and his late wife always wanted to live.

This was a great story about seeking adventure in life and pushing yourself to move on to the next season of your life. We don’t want to be people who get so stuck in routine and the monotony of life that we miss out on our dreams and aspirations.

If you have the chance you should totally see this in 3D. It was my first full length feature film in 3D and it was amazing.

The Hangover
Rating: R for pervasive language, sexual content including nudity, and some drug material.

This crude comedy is set in Las Vegas when three friends take a buddy for his bachelor party for a night of partying and regrettable moments. The movie shows the guys heading to Vegas for this great night of debauchery, but then skips over the actual party and picks up the next morning. Three of guys wake up in a drunken stupor and realize that the soon to be groom has gone missing. The remainder of the movie is them trying to figure out what happened the night before and retracing their steps so they can find their missing friend. The thing that really bothered me about this movie is that there was no accountability for their actions. Throughout the film and even in the end; no one has to take any real responsibility for their actions. This frustrated me because real life is full of consequences for our actions and we can’t expect to live in sin without taking responsibility for our choices.

Look at Your Shoes Moments:
The whole movie is filled with crude jokes and lots of swearing, and not only that but there are a few moments of nudity. A lady breastfeeds in front of the guys and in another scene a naked man jumps out of a trunk and starts beating the guys up. The worst scenes of nudity were in the credits when they show pictures of what happened at the bachelor party.

The Hangover is one of those movies that has the lure of comedy and nonstop laughter, but there is a cost to seeing it. You’ve got to really ask yourself, is it worth watching a movie that contradicts many of your values about marriage, purity, and self control. Plus because of the nudity, crude jokes and constant swearing a movie like this could be a stumbling block for many and my recommendation is to avoid it all together.

Bigger than Just You

2009-06-03T15:39:00.000-07:00

This last weekend we talked about the story of David and Goliath from 1 Samuel 17. Our discussion covered the common issue of identifying the things in our lives that seem huge and immovable, but with God nothing is impossible. We discussed that God enables us to achieve the things he’s asking us to do no matter how large or intimidating it may initially seem.

Recently I had a discussion with my wife April about the topic of David and Goliath and we started looking at the story from a different angle. So often we look at this legendary story with the perspective of our problems, our issues and our hurdles in life. If you look at the story, Goliath is harassing a much larger demographic than just David, he’s taking on all the people of Israel. This got us thinking that instead of just dealing with the “giants” that only affect us personally, what if there were large obstacles, enemies, or issues that were affecting a larger group of people. Such issues as human trafficking, local homelessness, starving families, teen pregnancy, substance abuse, domestic abuse, etc. are all things that affect a larger demographic than just you personally. As Christ followers let’s be people who start stepping up and challenging these issues.

I’m not saying get on your soapbox or pull out a picket sign. I can’t think of anytime when the love of God can be effectively shared through shouting at someone or holding a sign.

What I’m really challenging us to do is start praying about a realistic need that you see in your community, the nation or even the world. Allow God to stir up a passion in your heart for something specific. Then start praying about what you can do to help those affected. Let’s be a people that put our faith into action and show the love of God in genuine and practical ways. So don’t just stop at praying for someone or giving money to an organization, but start taking practical steps to bring about a change. As we start stepping up and making a difference we’ll start seeing the destruction of these “giants” and “Goliaths” in our society that used to seem so immovable and intimidating.

Good Further Reading:
1 Samuel 17

James 2:14-26

Monthly Newsletter: June 2009

2009-05-31T08:21:00.001-07:00

Here's the newest Monthly Newsletter for Uturn Jr. High. You can click on the above image to download it right now. These newsletters are a great way to stay informed about upcoming Uturn events and goings on.

Stay in the Loop and Download your Newsletter Today.

Join The Edge this Summer

2009-05-27T11:56:00.000-07:00

This is a great opportunity for any Jr. High student that wants more out of Uturn.

Don't miss out this summer on a great opportunity to serve Uturn, Eastside Church and the surrounding communities. The Edge is a program created to give students a chance to grow in their relationship with Christ through biblical study, engaging discussions and service projects.

This is not a "LEADERSHIP" program because Jesus doesn't call us to LEAD, he tells us to be his DISCIPLES, which means to FOLLOW him. So during their time in The Edge they learn practical ways to become better FOLLOWERS of Jesus and his people. Besides, the best leaders are usually the best followers too.

The Summer Season goes from June 23rd thru August 26th. Students come in on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons around 2:30pm.

The $40 cost covers all the provided resources for the season. (book, journal, Edge Tshirt, Bible, end of the season party, and a surprise)

If interested you can download and print the Summer Season Application

All Apps and Money are Due: JUNE 21st

Movie Reviews: Star Trek & Yes Man

2009-05-12T13:27:00.000-07:00

Star Trek
This high flying summer blockbuster is a thrill ride from beginning to end. I had the privilege of watching this on the IMAX which because of the huge screen and the bone shaking sound quality it makes you feel like you’re the one hurtling through space on the Enterprise. Some may wonder if they need to be a Trekkie to understand this film, but its definitely made for anyone whether they’re considered half Vulcan or haven’t Trekked much. They did such a good job with the story that anyone can enjoy this film. Its fun to watch the formation of the famous Star Fleet crew and how these legendary characters got into their roles. You learn about the early years of such characters as Captain Kirk and Spock and how they all ended up on the USS Enterprise.

“Look at your Shoes Moments” –
There was one point early on where Kirk’s in bed with a girl and they’re passionately kissing. She’s in her underwear and her roommate comes in as well and she’s in her undergarments too. This scene lasts less than 2 minutes.

Overall this movie is a must see theater movie; you won’t want to settle for DVD on this one. If you enjoy action, humorous one-liners, and a complicated yet intriguing storyline Star Trek is the movie for you.

If you haven’t already you should have Scotty beam you up to the nearest theater to see Star Trek.

Yes Man
We recently watched this Jim Carrey comedy that just hit DVD and Blu-Ray. The basic plotline is that this man who lives a boring and hermit crab lifestyle is confronted by a longtime friend to join a trendy support group. After attending the support group he makes a covenant with himself to say “Yes” to any invitation or proposition thrown his way. Whether its giving a ride to a homeless man, letting someone borrow his cell phone, learning guitar, planning a wedding shower or bungee jumping. As he does this he discovers that life is more enjoyable when you get out of your comfort zone and start experiencing life with others.

It really got me thinking too about saying yes to what God is asking me to do rather than giving him my excuses. As I look for new opportunities and live in obedience there will be a dramatic difference in my daily living.

“Look at your Shoes Moments” –
There are a couple of awkward scenes, swearing and crude jokes are used sporadically, but there is one scene where he’s propositioned to have sexual relations with an older neighbor lady. This was awkward and unnecessary, but could be avoided with a fast forward button.

Overall the movie had its moments of humor and was better than I expected. If your parents object or you’re not a fan of Jim Carrey you’d want to say NO, otherwise I would say YES to seeing Yes Man.

Sex, Drugs & Rock n Roll

2009-05-07T15:29:00.000-07:00

For 3 weeks we dialogued about these hot topics in our culture. God did amazing things in the lives of our students and we're beginning to hear some of the stories of freedom. God doesn't want us to live under the influence of anything other than His Spirit. Below are three entries from your Jr. High Adult Volunteers who wanted to share their thoughts on the three topics.

SEX
By: April Nault

As young adults, sexuality can be a big factor in discovering our self image. In result we are, experimenting, dreaming, looking, and lusting; and I think everyone can identify with at least one of these words.
Which word are you toying with right now?
Is it looking at things you know you shouldn’t?
Is it dreaming of that guy or girl and getting emotionally attached?
Is it experimenting and pushing that invisible “how-far-is-too-far” line?

I don’t think people realize that these action words cause us to create habits.

A habit by definition is: an action or pattern of behavior that is repeated so often that it becomes typical of somebody, although he or she may be unaware of it.

By letting ourselves experiment with others, dream of others, lust for others, look at others, or fantasize about others we create these habits. And we’ll bring these habits into our relationships down the road and eventually our marriages.

Q: If your future spouse knew about your current sexual choices would you continue living that way or make a change?

Looking back, Sean doesn’t like to hear that I kissed other guys or got emotionally attached to someone. It hurts him because everything I have emotionally and sexually should be aimed at him and him alone. Unfortunately I didn’t control myself or open my eyes to see what choices I was making back then and how they would affect us now.

Remember that your sexuality is not all about you – but that the choices you make affect others.

Regardless of what “action word” you are toying with – we can all ask for forgiveness for the choices we are making. No sin is too great, in fact the Bible says that in God’s eyes all sin is equal – at the foot of the cross no one is greater or lesser for the choices they make! Rest assured God redeems everything for those who love him.

DRUGS
By: Jessie German

When I began junior high, it really seemed like drugs were everywhere. Every time I turned on the radio to my favorite stations, watched the popular movies, or talked with the kids at school; drugs were involved and influenced our lives. I actually remember telling my mother once “Everyone smokes weed, everyone does drugs”. Because of the people I surrounded myself with, I truly felt that way. My junior high years started a rough road for me. At the age of fourteen, I was addicted to cigarettes, smoked weed and went out and drank regularly. Pretty quickly, I ended up going down a steep hill right out of my parents’ house and into out-patient rehab (rehab while living at home) by the age of sixteen. There were some key people involved with my recovery, without them and their love of God, and if I didn’t allow them to help me, I truly have no idea where I would be.

After going through out-patient, my real journey began. By God’s redemption I was given a second chance with a new life. Of course, I was not able to understand this right from the beginning, but slowly God began to show me.

One of the most difficult things about recovery is being able to forgive yourself. If you are not able to take that step, it is guaranteed that you will trip, as I did many times. The beautiful part is that each and every time, God will forgive you and make you new.

Romans 3:22-25”This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.”If God forgives each and every one of us for our sins, who are we to not forgive ourselves? Just as the verse above says, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are given grace and redemption by the blood of Jesus Christ. No matter our situation, He is the only one faithful. I have found the only way to recover from an addiction is to put your faith in something bigger, and you do not get any bigger than our Lord and Savior.

Romans 6:22-23
”But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

He frees us from our ties and bonds that we tangle ourselves in. In Him you find truth, peace, and wisdom. My life has completely changed since I have fully put my faith in Him. And I have never been happier!

Some questions to think about:
- Is there something in your life that you put your faith in more than God?
- Are there areas of your life that keep you bound?
- Does anyone have any favorite verses of the grace and mercy of God?

ROCK n ROLL
By: Duane Cawthon

What’s on your iPod? Does your music choice affect your walk with Christ? Can lyrics really change your perspective? Or are we just a little paranoid and over sensitive about the influence of media on our lives? This Wednesday we began a dialogue on the influence of music in our lives, and how we can begin to make educated choices on what we listen to. It has been said that music calms the savage beast, but can it also create one?

Philippians 4:8 states,
“Finally, my brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.”

I don’t know about you, but for me, it’s virtually impossible to think about any of the things listed in this verse when I’m listening to most popular music. Now, this is not to say that so called secular or non-Christian music is all bad. There are thousands of songs that uplift, motivate, encourage, and comfort the soul that you won’t find on any Christian radio playlist. Artists such as Common, Linkin Park, Green Day, and even Tupac have personally encouraged me! I have also identified with the violence, anger, and confusion of some of these same artists.

What should I do then? Erase my iPod? Destroy my CD’s? Stay permanently tuned to a Christian station? Perhaps…Not! I believe selectivity and wisdom is the key. As followers of Christ it is important to guard our hearts and minds. (Rom. 12:2, Eph. 4:23, 1 Peter 3:8) A maturing believer is responsible to take ownership of his or her mental and spiritual well-being. It is our duty then, to review and inspect what we are injecting in to our minds just like we would be careful about what we put in our bodies. How can we accomplish this? The following are a few suggestions.

A) Download and actually READ song lyrics. Review the nutritional label of your music just like you would the nutritional label on your food if you were on a specific diet.

B) Research the artist’s catalogue and personal outlook or beliefs. Many artists are openly and aggressively in opposition to Christianity. Why support their agenda?

C) Actually listen to the song. Instead of mindlessly going on with the latest trend or star, decide who you like and why.

This brings us to a choice. Do we add the song to our playlist? Fast forward through the negative parts? Buy the edited Wal-Mart version? Or find something else to listen to? I can’t make the decision for you; I can only share what I did. Recently I was listening to a Lil Wayne CD while driving. As I began to actually listen to the lyrics and vibes of the songs he was singing, I began to reflect on how this music had begun to influence my family. It was as if I were listening to someone verbally abuse my daughters and wife and we enjoyed it! My son loved to sing Lil Wayne songs with me when we heard them on the radio. How would this shape his view of women? Of drugs? Of life? I wouldn’t consider myself a prude by any means and initially the humor, beats and stories of the music was fun, if, you mentally muted the language it contained. But I began to realize the impact this could have, even in the short term, and I began to feel nauseated, literally. The constant references to cars, clothes, drugs, sex, violence, and derogatory statements about women turned my stomach. I eventually ejected the disk, broke it in half, threw it away, and turned on some Jack Johnson! The choice is yours. Choose wisely! I have to go and evaluate my iPod now…and delete Limewire, but that’s another story!

Monthly Newsletter: May 2009

2009-05-06T11:49:00.000-07:00

Read and Talk Back

2009-05-02T16:31:00.000-07:00

Am I lazy in my faith?
Am I too comfortable in my faith?
Is my relationship with Jesus a routine?
Am I a spectator Christian?

These questions have been rattling in my brain recently and I’ve been challenged to think that we need to be Christ followers who are willing to step into the unknown. We need to be people who are willing and obedient to go outside of our comfort level. I don’t think truly following Christ means everything is easy, comfortable and safe. For example, welcoming someone outside of your circle of friends isn’t always easy. Forgiving someone who hurt you isn’t always comfortable. Admitting your mistakes and asking for forgiveness can definitely push you out of your comfort zone.

In The Gospel According to Starbucks, Leonard Sweet challenges our lazy Christian mentality by saying, “Imagine how different the Christian life would be if it was understood not as something to ponder or to observe in others – but as the one thing in life that has to be fully experienced.”

Jesus also challenges us to be people of action and he warns us against a safe, comfortable and selfish faith in Matthew 16:24, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life.”

I don’t think when Jesus said these words he intended for us to be so comfortable in our faith. Especially when you look at Americans we see a very passive and safe faith that doesn’t want to ruffle feathers or even motivate us to action. We become mere spectator Christians rather than participants. I think we can easily find ourselves sitting in a church service agreeing with everything being preached that fits into our paradigm. But the moment something is said that pushes us to action, contradicts our current perspective or makes us a little uncomfortable we are quick to make excuses like, “well that’s just his interpretation,” or “that’s between them and God, not me.” My fear is that our fear, apathy or laziness could cause us to become “Buffet Christians” who just pick and choose what they want to believe rather than accepting all that we see in God’s Word, in the life of Jesus and what He’s calling us to.

There are many things that God could bring up in a given service that we would simply reject or blow off for one reason or another. Things that may seem a little awkward at first or may cause us to become a more action oriented than usual. Things like fasting, self sacrifice, giving/generosity, serving/volunteering, helping the poor, practicing hospitality, praying aloud, raising our hands in worship, speaking in tongues, getting involved in our church and the local community, asking for forgiveness, giving forgiveness, sharing our faith, inviting someone to church, sexual purity, studying the Bible, prolonged times of prayer, being friendly with people, getting involved with a small group, and the list could go on and on. Some may seem insignificant and simple while others appear way too crazy to be a part of your life. I believe that God wants to teach us and use us in a variety of ways through a variety of different methods, and I think we’re missing out on something if we put God is a safe little box and try to confine Him.

In Communicating for a Change, Andy Stanley had some thoughts on the blessings of being obedient to what God is asking, “Acts of obedience allow our faith to intersect with God’s faithfulness. It is at that intersection that we see God work. And when we see Him work our faith gets bigger.”

That faithful obedience to God’s Word and his guidance is going to stretch us, but it will also bless us. Instead of limiting God’s work in our lives because of our fear or apathy or shear laziness, let’s be a people that push ourselves into the unknown. Let’s be people who through active obedience to God step out of our comfort zones.

Take a few minutes and make a list of the things that would push you out of your comfort zone. Then make realistic and practical goals to do those things over the next three weeks.

Feel free to give us your thoughts. We'd like to know your opinion.

Movie Review: The Day the Earth Stood Still

2009-04-23T10:55:00.000-07:00

In this sci-fi thriller mysterious alien spheres start showing up around the world landing in various locations. One very large orb lands in Central Park in New York City. As the military and other key leaders show up to discover what this strange object is it opens and 2 life forms appear from the light. One turns out to be a highly volatile alien that they name GORT. He can disable any technology and destroy anything in its path. The other alien lifeform turns out to be Keanu Reeves. After some long and drawn out interrogations and boring conversations we realize that Keanu's character is trying to warn mankind that their time on earth has come to an end. Apparently these aliens view Earth as a sort of hot commodity in the universe and in an attempt to preserve it they will destroy humans. It was at this point that the movie moved from sci-fi thriller to a preachy, "go green" advertisement.

Despite some cool scenes of visual effects the overall film seemed very unoriginal. And not just because it was a remake. The dialogue, the scenes and even the way it was filmed reminded me of previous movies. There were times that I was reminded of Independence Day, The Happening, The Matrix and Cloverfield. The whole thing just felt like leftovers from these previous movies. The really funny thing is to compare the movie poster's picture of Keanu Reeves with the actual face of Keanu in the movie. There was definitely some work done in Photoshop for those posters because he has definitely aged.

To sum up I would rename this movie, The Day the Plot Stood Still.

Uturn Jr. High Adult Volunteers

2009-04-21T14:30:00.000-07:00

Meet the Youth Pastors and Adult Volunteers of Uturn Jr. High that regularly give up their time, energy and lives to serve the Jr. High students of Eastside. Feel free to contact them too.

Name: Sean Nault
Nickname: Naulty
Role @ Uturn: Jr. High Pastor since Jan. '08
Birthday: February 22, 1985
Top Bands: Switchfoot, Coldplay, David Crowder, David Cook, The Fray
Favorite Fast Food: In & Out
1 Goal for your life: Attend the Oscars
Favorite Bible Verse: John 15:16-17
Email: seann@eastsidechurch.org
Twitter: www.twitter.com/seannault

Name: April Nault
Nickname: Mrs. Naulty

Role @ Uturn: Jr. High Pastor since Jan. '08
Birthday: April 22, 1986
Top Bands: Goo Goo Dolls, Backstreet Boys, Justin Timberlake, Linkin Park Top TV Shows: American Idol, CSI: Las Vegas, House Hunters
1 Goal for your life: Sing the National Anthem at a sporting event
Favorite Bible Verse: Proverbs 16:9
Email: apriln@eastsidechurch.org

Name: Jason Langsev
Role @ Uturn: Adult Volunteer since April '09
Birthday: January 8, 1990
Favorite Holiday: National Lumberjack Day
Top TV Shows: The Office, Arrested Development, Seinfeld, Lost
Mac or PC: MAC!!!
Starbucks or Jamba Juice: Starbucks in the morning, Jamba on pretty days
Favorite Bible Verse: 1 Cor. 9:26-27
Email: radiswhereitsat@hotmail.com

Name: Jessica German
Role @ Uturn: Adult Volunteer since July '08
Birthday: July 29, 1988
Top Bands: City & Colour, Tool, Sublime, Jack Johnson
Favorite Gaming Console: Super Nintendo
Starbucks or Jamba Juice: Coffee Always
1 Goal for your life: to finish school
Favorite Bible Verse: Romans 8:38-39 and 1 Corinthians 10:13
Email: jessy_g01@hotmail.com

Name: Josh Potts
Nickname: Potts and Pottsy
Role @ Uturn: Adult Volunteer since July '08
Birthday: June 4, 1987
Favorite Holiday: 4th of July
Favorite Fast Food: Quiznos
1 Goal for your life: have a Youtube video of myself get 1,000,000 hits
Favorite Bible Verse: 2 Kings 2:23-24
Email: joshpotts@comcast.net

Name: Lindsay Horne
Nickname: Eyebrows
Role @ Uturn: Adult Volunteer since Sept '07
Birthday: May 21, 1989
Top Movies: Bourne Series, Madagascar
Favorite Gaming Console: Wii
Favorite Fast Food: Taco Bell
Favorite Bible Verse: Colossians 3:23
Email: lindsay.horne07@northwestu.edu

The Needs of Uturn

2009-04-21T14:05:00.001-07:00

Wondering how you can give back to Uturn?
There are a variety of ways to help out the youth ministry of Eastside Church. There are items that we would hope to add to our Student Center, just remember that if they're used they still need to be in good condition. Or if you'd rather donate your time there are many ways that you can help Uturn.

If you would like to fill one of the listed needs please contact Sean Nault @ 425.488.2500 ext.336 or seann@eastsidechurch.org

Material Needs:

Snack Vending Machine
Beverage Vending Machine
Pinball Machine
Change Machine - converts dollar bills into quarters
Videogames (consoles, games, controllers)
Projectors or TVs
Boardgames
Sporting equipment
Couches
Ping Pong balls and Paddles
Decor - posters and cardboard standees
Home Depot or Lowe's Gift cards for small project materials

Volunteer Needs:

Video editing (events and funny videos)
Graphic artist (web, logos, fliers)
Lighting in the Student Center
Sound and A/V
Podcasting (video or audio)
Weekly volunteering at services
Event Drivers/Chaperones
Data entry
Craftsmen
Small Group Leaders
Summer Camp Cabin Leaders

If there is something not on the above lists that you would like to contribute, feel free to let us know.

Movie Review: Twilight

2009-04-19T08:47:00.001-07:00

Talk about your interesting love story. Going into this movie there was so much hype and publicity that it was built up to be the best movie of all time. In fact there was so much talk about this movie that there was no way it could live up to all the attention.

Twilight is a story about a teenage girl, Bella, who moves from Arizona to the rainy Pacific Northwest. As she’s settling into her high school in Forks, WA she meets a very pale companion, Edward. It’s comical how pasty white Edward and his “family” are. They look like they would glow in the dark. As their friendship continues to blossom she discovers that Edward is in fact a vampire and so are his family members. Throughout the remainder of the movie Bella becomes the prey for other vampires, but Edward steps into the role of protector. To be honest not much really happens. You could tell they were just setting it up for the sequel.

Overall the film was kind of a letdown. The storyline barely progressed beyond the discovery of the vampire family and Bella’s continual crush on the blood sucker. Robert Pattinson spends a lot of his time overacting his role as Edward. It seemed like he was trying too hard to be serious and broody instead it looked like he was confused or even constipated. I do give credit to the film makers for their depiction of the Pacific Northwest. The cinematography accurately portrays the rainy, gray feel of Washington that often zaps us of our jovial moods.

It is interesting to think that girls were flocking to the theaters, renting the DVD’s and reading the books due to their infatuation with Edward the vampire. Why would teenage girls fall for a guy badly in need of a tan and who wants to suck your blood. It reminds me of when the prequel Star Wars movies released and girls fell in love with the handsome Anakin, and they were blind to the fact that he portrays the evil Darth Vader. I’m not trying to read too much into it, but I think it’s funny that girls are interested in a guy because of his pretty face rather than what he represents.

In conclusion, I’m just glad I didn’t spend 10 bucks at the theater to see this movie; Twilight wouldn’t even be worth the matinee price. It was worthy of a DVD rental, but even then I probably could have waited.

Don’t buy into the hype, Twilight will suck your high expectations right out of your veins, and leave you disappointed.

Mexico Mission Trip - Day 7

2009-04-09T22:34:00.000-07:00

Thursday was our last and final full day down here in Mexico. It was so great to end the trip with a bang. We spent the morning and afternoon working so hard. The whole team split up into groups and did amazing work around the campus. Some did landscaping around the church and created a new parking area for the church. Part of the team finished creating the new soccer field for the youth group which included new goals and chalk lines. We also were able to convert an old fountain into a new fire pit. All of which we used later that evening. In the evening Hope Chapel Rosarito had their youth night, Remedy, and we got to participate. We dedicated and played soccer on the new field and had dinner together as we watched a picture slide show of the week. After dinner HCR prayed for us as a team that we would go back into our communities and continue to share the love of Jesus.

Below are a few pics from Remedy tonight...

After youth group we concluded the week with an extended team debrief time in which everyone shared their thoughts about the week and described how they hope to bring an aspect of their trip home with them. It was an emotional time for many as we shared our experiences and encouraged each other. Following our debrief we enjoyed the new fire pit with the Godwins and Bainbridges. The day was a great way to end this trip; it was filled with hard work, open sharing, times of serving each other and having fun with each other.

Thanks to everyone who supported us and made this trip possible. We couldn't have done it without your prayers.

Muchos Gracias from the Uturn Jr. High Mexico Mission Team.

Mexico Mission Trip - Day 6

2009-04-09T12:08:00.000-07:00

Wednesday was a full day of work and labor for the team. It was filled with hours of projects around the gated community and the church. We finished the final touches on the concrete foundation for the food storage unit. And we were able to sign our names in the concrete. We felt like celebrities at the Chinese Theater in LA. :)

We also had some of our team do some heavy duty landscaping. They spent hours pulling weeds, removing shrubs and plants. The progress over the course of a few hours was amazing. We also had some of the team go pick up garbage for a few hours. Over the course of the afternoon they gathered an entire truck load of garbage and rubbish. It was incredible to see the difference we made over the course of an afternoon. Our team poured out their blood, sweat and tears into this campus and the impact is amazing.

Doug and Casey spreading out the concrete mixture to form the foundation

Some of the ladies out picking up trash around the property

The joy and excitement of finishing the concrete foundation and getting to sign our names

At the conclusion of the day we gathered our team together with the families of the missionaries. We were able to really hear their stories and testimonies of what it was like to pack up your entire family and leave your lives for this church down in Mexico. Both the Godwins and the Bainbridges were able to share their hearts and experiences. It was a great night for the students to learn from them and also get prepared for leaving the mission field and entering their own local mission field, Washington. It was exciting to see the light bulb come on for the students that they can have the same impact back home as they could here.

As the trip is coming to a conclusion please continue to pray for us to have health, safety, and strength to finish the trip well.

Mexico Mission Trip - Day 5

2009-04-08T11:38:00.000-07:00

Tuesday was an awesome and jam packed day of doing stuff for God. We kicked off the morning with an incredible time of group devotions in which every student felt God challenging them to make the most of the remaining trip. The exciting part is that they seized the moment and put the discussion into action in a short period of time.

Before and after lunch our team split up and worked on two projects around the gated community, Rancho Santini. One half of the group worked on creating a concrete foundation near the church that would eventually be built into a storage shed for food and clothing. Hope Chapel Rosarito will use the shed to store such materials for those in need in the surrounding neighborhoods.

Part of our team receiving instruction for the concrete foundation project

While part of the team was moving dirt and laying a solid concrete foundation, the other part of our team was out on the beach picking up trash. Directly alongside the community of houses that we're staying in there is a beach that was covered in trash. Everything from automotive parts, glass bottles, used tires and other miscellaneous garbage. We ended up picking up two full truck loads of garbage that left the local dumpster overflowing with bags. The difference was so dramatic and noticeable that local residents have been thanking our team for their hard efforts.

Part of our team celebrating their hard work picking up a ton of garbage off the beach

Once we were done with the day's projects we got cleaned up and headed out for street tacos. Again they were the best tacos ever. So tasty. After dinner we drove to a local Spanish speaking church that we were given an opportunity to serve at.

Our team in front of the local Spanish-speaking church that we served at on Tuesday night

During the service we had our team perform the pantomime, the puppet show and the interactive story about Moses. What was really exciting was that all three elements came together to form a cohesive message that Sean was able to preach about. He delivered a message about the greatest commandments, which are to love God and to love people. Even from the beginning of the service during worship the students could sense the power of God and that we were a part of something special. As the evening continued Alex, McKenna, Carrick and Emily were able to share their testimonies of God's power and love in their lives. Then the night concluded with a powerful response. Two young ladies made a decision to follow God and accept Jesus into their hearts, and almost the entire room responded for prayer and support in being able to actively show God's love to people. Our students did such an amazing job ministering to the people of this church, and despite the language barrier you saw that the power of God was at work in the lives of people. As the night finished the senior pastor had us pray for their youth group because they had recently gone through some tough divisive events. The told us that our team was such an awesome encouragement and sign of hope.

Our students ministering to the locals during the Tuesday night service

Duane and Sarah Cawthon praying for a local man during our service's ministry time

Our leadership team was tremendously proud of our students for getting out of their comfort zone and being willing to serve the Lord in any way necessary. They came home Tuesday night totally excited and charged up to serve God in any capacity. This was super encouraging to see that our students were no longer just spectators, but because of the events this week many of them are now experiencing what its like to be used by God in real practical ways.

Please continue to keep us in your prayers, and we are so grateful for your support.

Mexico Mission Trip - Day 4

2009-04-07T08:12:00.000-07:00

Monday was considered our Funday for the trip. We took the day to rest, recharge and get ready for the upcoming days of projects and hard labor. If God rested in the creation of the universe, then a group of Jr. Highers definitely need a day of relaxation so that they can refocus for the days ahead.

After breakfast we headed out to the local Rosarito market where students could pick up souvenirs to take home with them. Everyone seemed to enjoy walking around, looking at the little odds and ends and some even liked haggling for a good deal. :)

Here's some of the team inside a local shop at the market

Once we were done shopping we went back to the church for lunch and headed out for the beach. We spent the afternoon at a local beach playing in the ocean, walking in the sand, playing soccer and just enjoying the sunshine. We roasted hot dogs right there on the beach and concluded the evening with a time of making smores. Once the sun went down we went back to our rental homes and hit the hay early so that everyone would be well rested for the remainder of the week.

The group at the beach at sunset. Very Beautiful!!!

Keep an eye out for more updates on our trip and please continue to keep us in your prayers. We've been able to avoid any major injuries or illness, but its only by God's covering. Thanks again for your support and prayers.

Mexico Mission Trip - Day 3

2009-04-06T08:17:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning we woke up had breakfast and headed out to our rental home's patio for morning devotions, as we journaled and meditated on the Great Commission students discussed how they felt called and motivated to be more active in their faith. That the power of God goes beyond any fear that we may have.

What a view for doing your morning quiet time in the Word

After devotions we got to go to Hope Chapel Rosarito's Sunday service. The place was full of people for Palm Sunday and it was awesome to be a part of. The students performed their pantomime and the other half of the team performed their puppet show and interactive story for the little kids. It was a good experience for students to see different ways of doing church and stretching them out of their comfort zones. Praise the Lord we witnessed 2 people make decisions to follow Christ in the service. Many of the students were amazed to see how God can work through people and we didn't even have a long sermon, instead Pastor Sandy shared a short message from her heart.

After lunch we prepped giveaway baggies for our upcoming outreach. We made an assembly line and the students filled the bags with tracts, candy, bubbles, and little toys. We used the bags that we had decorated the previous day. In total we filled about 100 bags in less than an hour. Our students are quick and hard workers.

Students filling the giveaway bags for the outreach later that day.

After our bag prep some of us were able to go into the ocean near our house. We really enjoyed swimming in those big waves. It was so refreshing to enjoy God's creation like that. Following our time in the ocean we headed out to a local community, Vista Marina, to do our planned outreach.

We pulled into the neighborhood and corralled as many little kids and families as possible. At the outreach we had our team do their interactive story, the pantomime and the puppet show. We concluded by offering an invitation to follow Christ. It was great for the students to see these kids and their families enjoying all of the students' hard preparations. There were continual smiles and laughter among the little kids.

Vista Marina neighborhood where we did our outreach

To finish off the outreach we distributed the bags we had prepared ahead of time. It was awesome to see the faces on the little kids light up as we gave them this little goodie bag. It was great to see many of the team interacting with the kids, utilizing their little bit of Spanish vocabulary and showing the love of Jesus.

Goodie bag distribution at the Vista Marina outreach

Our Sunday finished off with a BBQ back at the Godwins' house. We had burgers, beans and lots of fun. Our students are doing such a great job of serving, including the locals within our group and showing the love of Jesus. I continue to hear great things about how caring and respectful our students are.

Just before we went to bed we celebrated the birthday of one of our teammates, Casey. We got him a chocolate cake and spelled his name in Captain Crunch Berries.

Celebrating Casey's 14th birthday with a chocolate cake in Mexico

The trip is going by so quickly, and I know it will be over before we know it. Please continue to keep us in your prayers and thank you for your support.

Mexico Mission Trip - Day 2

2009-04-04T21:34:00.000-07:00

Last night after blogging we went out to support a local futbol (soccer) team. The pastors and missionaries of Hope Chapel Rosarito have been supporting this team by going to all of their games and cheering them on. Some of the players actually started going to their church, asking questions and pursuing a life following Christ. They've even been able to get the team new jerseys with the church's name printed on them. So last night we got to attend one of the games and cheer them on. The team loved having such a huge cheering section throughout the game and they destroyed the other team 13-3. It was a blast watching some "rapid soccer," eating sunflower seeds, and rooting on the local team.

A group pic of us with the futbol team

Today was an awesome day full of various and life changing experiences. After getting a great night's sleep that could have continued we awoke and got to eat a tasty breakfast under the beautiful sunshine. We then had group devotions on the back patio in front of God's gorgeous oceanfront. The discussion was inspiring and riveting. We went back to the church and did some preparations for an upcoming local outreach. We put our artistic skills to work as we decorated gift bags and wrote out John 14:6 in Spanish.

By the time the afternoon came around we headed out to serve at a local church. Instead of having lunch at the church we were able to eat hot dogs and chips at this church we were serving. The church we worked with today had recently built up walls instead of meeting on the side of the street or in an old school bus. The walls were given to them and were old garage doors that were setup for the church to meet. During their service we performed our pantomime drama, had Duane, Emily and Clara deliver their testimonies through interpreters and listened as the pastor Marcus gave an invitation for salvation. God did amazing work and we were able to pray for four individuals who decided to give their lives to Christ. Praise God!!!

The drama team performing at the local church today

Following the service time we served lunch to the people in the church and surrounding community. We BBQed some hot dogs and gave out bags of chips and fruit punch. The students really did an awesome job serving this church, and I continue to hear rave reviews about them and their great hearts for God.

Eating the greatest tacos ever, and drinking sodas out of glass bottles

We concluded the evening eating some of the best tacos in Rosarito. Students had the choice of fish, pork or steak and they were amazing. Our taste buds danced as we enjoyed this tasty dinner. Plus we got to drink cold Cokes in glass bottles; always a special treat. After dinner we went back to the church for some quality team building and relational time before hitting the hay.

We've only been hear a couple of days and God is doing so much work that this post can't contain it. Pastors Don and Sandy Godwin keep telling us about how much God is doing in the lives of the church and the people we've been with. Continue to keep us in your prayer this week.