3dyc 2015: What to Bring

I'm getting pumped for the final 3dyc. I am expecting God to do big things this year. I hope that you come anticipating and praying for God's work in your life and in our group.

Here are some logistical things for 3dyc:

What to Bring

• Bible, notebook, pen
• A couple changes of clothes
• Soap, shampoo, toothbrush/toothpaste
• Extra money for merchandise, ordering pizza, or additional food for the meals (Optional. All meals are taken care of. Read below))
• Camera
• Watch (won't have phones, so this will be your time-keeper)
• Breakfast bars/food for Tuesday and Wednesday morning (breakfast)

What Not to Bring

• Cell phones (The adults will have cell phones. We will provide the numbers when you drop of your teens on the 28th)
• MP3 players and other electronics
• Weapons (knives, guns, etc...)
• Drugs, alcohol, cigarettes

You will probably want to eat breakfast before we leave on Monday because we won't eat until we get to Fort Wayne and sit down for lunch. 

The meal system at 3dyc will be the same as last year. You will get tickets for each meal (dinner on the 28, lunch and dinner on the 29, seven tickets per meal). If you want to purchase more than seven tickets worth of food, you may want to bring a few extra dollars. However, we found that last year we weren't even using the tickets we had. CLICK HERE for the menu for 3dyc.

Dec. 28: Meet at KLMC at 7:15 am slow/8:15 am fast (parents, stay for a time of prayer)

Dec. 30: Arrive back at KLMC at 12:30 pm slow/1:30 pm fast

If you have more questions about what to bring or other things about 3dyc feel free to contact me. I look forward to spending these few days with you all!

-Norm

Merry Giveaways

In light of the Christmas season, the last two VIBES will be marked with generosity. We will be giving away a ton of goodies, including up to four Kindle Fires, a Blu-ray player, some Christmas movies, and much more!

Be here December 6 and 13 in order for your chance to win some of these prizes. You may even be able to increase your chances if you bring someone who has not been to VIBE yet this year!

Tis the season for giving, and we're following suit.

VIBE | 5:45-7:15 pm central (slow)

Merry Backwards

Christmas seems so backwards, doesn't it? People suddenly become extra generous (except my 3 year old who would rather get than give). We give to organizations that help under-privileged people. We drop money in the Salvation Army buckets. We give our time to serve at soup kitchens and food pantries. Companies give their employees bonus checks.

But where did all of this backwards thinking begin? Why is this holiday known as Christmas so much different than any other time of the year? Why is this season marked with generosity?

We're going to unpack this idea over the next couple weeks at VIBE. We're going to look at the most generous gift ever given to our world. Join us Sunday nights from 5:45-7:15 pm central.

Upcoming Dates

• December 6 - Last chance to turn in 3dyc forms/money (click here for more details)
• December 6 & 13 - Last two VIBES of the year
• December 13 - The Jerusalem Project (summer mission project) student and parent meeting (read about it here)
• 10:45 am OR 4:45 pm (choose one)
• Meet in Fellowship Hall

Last Chance for 3dyc

We all need a little ridiculousness in our lives. You know...that, "What! I can't believe what just happened! Did I really see that?" That kind of ridiculousness.

Over the last 20 years 3dyc has provided those moments. I have seen God do ridiculous things in students' lives. I have seen relationships formed that last for a ridiculous amount of time. I have seen groups come together to accomplish ridiculous tasks. I have seen people respond to God's ridiculous call in their lives.

It seems fitting that the theme for 3dyc this year is Embrace the Ridiculous.

Want to know what else is ridiculous? The fact that the final deadline for 3dyc is just under two weeks away. Yes, you read that right. Our final deadline is December 6. The cost for the final deadline is $230. But if money is an issue, please don't hesitate to talk with me about that. It would be ridiculous for us to allow money to come between you and 3dyc.

Again, THE FINAL DEADLINE FOR THE FINAL 3DYC IS DECEMBER 6. Don't miss out on this. It really is going to be ridiculously awesome.

The Jerusalem Project

Ever wonder what it would be like to have been one of Jesus' original followers? They got to see first hand how Jesus lived, what He did, the miracles He performed. They got to experience the power that He possessed.

But then, somewhat unexpectedly, Jesus left His disciples. He told them that He was going away, but that He was giving them the authority to do what He had been doing. He called them to go out and do the things that He had done (Matt. 28:18-20).

How nerve-racking that must have been to a group of misfits. These guys were just beginning to understand what Jesus was about, then He leaves it up to them.

One of the last pieces of instructions that He left the disciples is found in Acts 1:8:

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Jesus wanted them to start where they were currently placed...in Jerusalem. He wanted them to start from home base, then spread out from there.

Fast forward about 2,000 years. Here you are, trying to figure out what it means to follow Christ in your everyday life. And this call sits before you, to be His witness starting with your home base (Koontz Lake, Walkerton, Hamlet, Grovertown, etc...).

It's the reason why we build into our mission trip routine a home-based experience. We need to start with our Jerusalem if we are going to be Jesus' witnesses to the world. That's why we call this THE JERSUALEM PROJECT (TJP).

Every third year we stay at the church during VBS week. We are Jesus' witnesses to the kids who come to learn and hear more about Him. In the afternoons we go out and bless our community in various ways. We have helped the elderly clean their yard, painted, performed small repairs, and much more.

TJP has easily become my favorite mission experience because it is so close to home (literally). We have no idea what kind of impact our work has had on our community, but I've seen glimpses. I've seen people open up to God in their lives. I've seen people shed tears of joy because they didn't know how they were going to do the work that needed to be done.

I rarely say this, but if you are eligible to do this (just finished 7-12 grade) then you need to. This is a must do kind of experience. If you only do one thing with the youth ministry, this is it.

We have a meeting for students and parents on December 13. Actually, we have two meetings that day so you can choose which one you would like to come to. It is MANDATORY to be at the meeting that day. If you can't make it Dec. 13, then you can reschedule with me. The info you will receive is critical to success of TJP.

Contact me if you have any questions.

Meetings: December 13, 10:45 am OR 4:45 pm (central/slow time). For parents AND students.

The Jerusalem Project: June 19-24

Thanksgiving Feast

Who doesn't like food - especially Thanksgiving food? There's nothing like sitting down with family and seeing a conglomerate-smorgasbord of a meal in front of your face.

Guess what? We get to have that very experience here at VIBE. That's right. We are bringing a Thanksgiving Feast to a VIBE near you (that is, if you live in the Koontz Lake area). Our Thanksgiving Feast is available to anyone who can attend VIBE (7-12 grade) and will take place during the normal VIBE time (5:45-7:15 pm central/slow | 6:45-8:15 pm eastern/fast).

Each small group is in charge of a different part of the meal. The Jr. High girls will be cooking, Jr. High guys will be serving, High School girls will bring the entertainment and High School guys will be cleaning (and making it look good while being fun). If you have a question about what your small group is doing or how to pitch in, send me a Facebook message or email.

Food? Check. Fun? Check. Family (well, church family)? Check. Thanksgiving? Check. Can't wait to get this party started!

-Norm

Earn $$ for 3dyc THIS SATURDAY!!!

This Saturday we have a semi-annual Take-n-Bake Pizza fundraiser making day (that's a mouthful). All proceeds to towards students' accounts which pays for events like 3dyc. 50% of the profit goes towards the sellers, and 50% of the profit goes towards the workers.

The last three years each student worker has made anywhere from $25-45. I expect it to be closer to the $45 this year, but I'm not making any promises. That all depends on how many workers we have, how many pizzas we sold, and food costs.

Get in on your 50% this Saturday. We start work at 8:30 am central (slow)/9:30 am eastern (fast). You can expect to be done around 1:30 pm central/2:30 pm eastern. Lunch is provided. Dress in clothes you don't mind getting permanent stains on.

Save $25 on 3dyc

That's right. You can save $25 on 3dyc. We have been advertising at VIBE that there is an early bird rate for 3dyc that is $25 off the regular rate ($170 vs. $195). Well, as mentioned at VIBE, the early bird rate ends this Sunday, October 4.

One issue we have is that our big fundraiser (Take-n-Bake Pizzas) will not have happened yet (fyi, all pizza orders AND money are due this week as well). So we've been telling students that in order to reserve your early bird rate for 3dyc, they simply need to bring $50 cash with them to VIBE this week. If the student raises enough to cover 3dyc, then we will give the $50 back. If not, the $50 will be a deposit towards the final cost of 3dyc.

The next deadline for 3dyc will be November 1 ($195), and the full amount will be due at that time for the early bird or regular rate.

Our goal is that every student that wants to attend 3dyc has an opportunity to do so. We do have scholarships available to students who need some assistance. The best way to earn a scholarship is by participating in fundraisers (Pizza and Calendars [coming soon]).

If you have additional questions or concerns about 3dyc, please do not hesitate to contact me.

-Norm

3dyc News (Bittersweet)

Hey folks! Every year we take part in a winter event, a conference called 3dyc. 3dyc is one of my favorite events of the year. We have a ton of fun and we experience a closeness to God and to each other.

But 3dyc is bittersweet this year. We announced last night that this would be the very last 3dyc to ever be offered. 3dyc has a rich history. It has been a mainstay in our youth ministry and many others. Because it is the last year, I think it could also be a great year. I know that I always cherish something more when I realize that there won't be another chance to experience it.

I said that it is bittersweet. I described the bitter, but let me tell you about the sweet. While 3dyc will no longer be in existence, this gives an opportunity for something new. There will be a new event next year sometime, but the development is still in it's infancy. More news will be coming soon.

Back to 3dyc. This year is going to be incredible. I think that God is going to do some incredible things. The speaker and worship team that we have lined up are great. Some of the entertainment and games look...entertaining. I believe that this will be a great year for 3dyc.

But here's the truly sad news: 3dyc is not free. I wish this was not the case. But as my high school economic teacher used to say, "There's no such thing as a free lunch." In this case, it's not just lunch, but the other meals, hotel, and conference.

But there is an opportunity this year to save some money. There is an early bird registration that you can get in on. The early bird deadline is October 4, but it will save you $$ ($25 to be exact). That is before our pizza fundraiser, but we are thinking creatively on how we can make sure that you can get that discount and still count on earning money after the deadline. Here are the registration dates and details:

$170 - Super Early Bird (October 4)
$195 - Regular Rate (November 1)
$230 - Late & Final (December 6)

We will have more details coming out later this week on how you can take advantage of the Super Early Bird deadline and still count on the pizza and calendar fundraisers (more coming out soon on these). Also, we do have scholarships available for those who need them. The best way to receive a scholarship is to take part in the fundraisers and to get in on the Early Bird deadline (more on that in future posts as well).

I'm looking forward to 3dyc, and you should be as well! I hope that you will consider joining us (if you are in 7-12 grade).

-Norm

What to Teach Your Kids About Friendship: Jim Burns

Junior High and High School present all kinds of difficulties. One of the topics that gets brought up often is the area of friendship. So I was interested when I saw an article written to parents about what to teach your kids about friendship. So here it is:

What to Teach Your Kids About Friendship
by Jim Burns

Vital friendships help to provide the support system people need to thrive in life. To raise healthy kids, parents need to help teach characteristics of true friendships so that when the inevitable storms blow through our kids’lives, the encouragement of real friends can provide them with the help they need to survive.

The most important method for teaching your kids what true friendship looks like is by role-modeling what it means to be a true friend in your own relationships. If you are married, demonstrate openly the value of your friendship with your spouse! Remember, your kids are watching and they are very likely to learn the meaning of friendship from your example.

Here are some proven characteristics that that build value into friendships. Pass these along to your kids by living them out in your own friendships!

1) Good communication. Lasting friendships are built on the principles of good communication. True friends open their lives to share their thoughts and feelings with one another. Friendships that stand the test of time don’t dominate or refuse to participate in communication.

2) Be a good listener. Listening is the language of love. To grow lasting friendships, learn to listen well.

3) Don’t manipulate. When relationships turn to manipulation, friendships die. Manipulation shows up when friends become “clingy,” when they constantly seek to be pitied, or when they attempt to control another.

4) Be humble, on equal footing. True friendships are the result of humility and treating one another equally on the journey of life.

5) Be available. When people are frequently unavailable to others they send the message that they aren't interested in maintaining the friendship. Nothing is more important in friendship than the gift of availability.

6) Be encouraging. This doesn't mean that long-time friends never disagree or argue. It does mean, that on the whole, friends provide plenty of affirmation and encouragement.

7) Sacrifice. A lasting friend is one that walks the extra mile and can be depended upon even when it’s inconvenient.

8) Be loyal. Loyalty is a key ingredient to true friendships and a trait that is sorely missing in our culture today.

9) Tell the truth. Nothing destroys friendship quicker than dishonesty. Sometimes, telling the truth means being willing to admit your faults, or lovingly confront theirs, even when it hurts.

10) Forgive and Forget. This may be easier said than done, but true friendships are ones that “get-over” the hurts and offenses that are part of any relationship.