Shoal Creek Community Church Christmas Service Times

In case you were wondering...

Last Dads/Sons Small Group for Semester!

Last Dads/Sons Small Group of the semester THIS Sunday! Topic will be about helping those in need. Please just show up to The Attic at Shoal Creek at 9:30am, and stay for free pancakes in-between services.

Questions? Contact Justin Talley.

Week In Review

Hey SC Families! Just wanting to update you on some of the upcoming stuff that is out there for you and your Buya/Crash students!

1. Shoal Creek "Community Dinner" 12/7, 5:30-7:30pm, at Shoal Creek. Shoal Creek will provide a free dinner; we just want to provide a time and place where you can show up, have a meal provided for you and your family, and get to connect to others that call Shoal Creek home. Please RSVP HERE on the City so that we can get an accurate count for how much food to provide.

2. Shoal Creek Family Christmas Party - Cookies, Cocoa, Christmas Carols, what more could you want?! Show up at Shoal Creek 12/14, 6:30pm, to participate. Bring a plate of cookies to share with everyone. RSVP HERE.

3. Baptism anyone? - Do you have anyone in your family (including yourself parents!) that would be interested in getting baptized on January 4th? As a general rule, we would like the student to be 8th grade or above, but even if you're student isn't in the 8th grade yet, it wouldn't hurt to engage our baptism process that I'd love to lead your student--or whole family--through! Get details here about what our baptism process looks like and how you can take your next step.

Shoal Creek Baptism 1/4

Baptism is a step in a spiritual journey that Jesus asked his followers to take so an individual’s eternal relationship with him could be celebrated.

Would you like to celebrate your personal relationship with Jesus by taking the step of baptism? Would you come celebrate with those who have decided to be baptized in the name and way of Jesus?

If you are interested in getting baptized, you can either:

• Click here and read the instructions for letting yourself be known and getting into our baptism process. 
• Contact Sean Hoeflicker so he can connect with you and help you walk through a couple of next steps that lead towards taking the “plunge” of baptism.

If you aren’t yet ready to be baptized, or have already been baptized:

• Please mark this night on your calendars and plan to attend and celebrate the “lost to found” relationships of our baptism candidates.
• Onsite Childcare WILL be provided—so no excuses!

Please join us on Wednesday December 14th for our annual Family Christmas Party. There'll be Christmas songs for signing, a brief family themed message and Christmas skit, plus craft, community cookie bar and cocoa.

This event is a great time to gather as a community and meet others the others that call Shoal Creek home. Please RSVP and let us know if you can bring a plate of your favorite holiday treats.

Shoal Creek Services 11/20

Not able to attend either of our Sunday services this morning? Or just want to check out what we do before you consider attending?

Then watch live right now, or catch up here later this week!

Also, if you happen to have a student, here's a great video that we used in our Buya (6th-8th grade) program this morning that helped us in our discussion about being distracted by regret.

Week In Review

1. All-Family Thanksgiving Communion Service Tuesday Nov 22nd, 6:30pm - Communions are a place where the air between Heaven and Earth is thin. Please join us with your whole family to experience musical worship, communion, and encounter God through some specifically designed interactive stations focused on the theme of learning to be thankful as we head into this holiday season. Please RSVP HERE, especially if you need childcare, which will be available for children up through 5th grade--as long as you indicate your need in the comments section.

Want to get your kids involved? RSVP for them here to have them help us setup and decorate the auditorium the night before.

2. What exactly IS a big deal online? Read this post to learn about three non-negotiables when it comes to parenting our kids' online behavior.

3. Kidz Mall, Where the kids do the shopping - Ever wanted to be an elf? I mean, who hasn't? Kidz Mall is Shoal Creek's one-of-a-kind, kids orientated shopping experience where we need many, MANY helpers so that kids get to pick out exactly the right gifts for their loved ones. So much incredible joy on the faces of these kids as they do their best to pick out gifts for moms, dads, brothers, sisters, grandmas, grandpas, dogs and cats. Would you consider signing up for a shift here to make this happen? Working one shift will transport you to an alternate universe!

A Don't Miss Event - Shoal Creek Communion Service 11/22

This coming Tuesday evening Shoal Creek is having a special communion service to help you create space for you to connect with God. Come to reflect on what God has done for us and let Him clue you into what He wants you to do. In addition to the celebration of communion, we will have reflection stations set up throughout the auditorium and musical worship throughout the evening.

Please don't miss this, bring your whole family. Childcare will be provided up through 5th grade if you RSVP here and indicate in the comments section what ages of kids you'll be checking in.

Kidz Mall - Where kids do the shopping!

Shoal Creek's "Kidz Mall" is one of the premier kids Christmas events that will be coming up this holiday season. Why?

Because we believe that gift GIVING is more important than gift GETTING. Bring your children for a unique experience of shopping for their loved ones with the help of one of our amazing elves. All while you sit and enjoy some coffee, or take a look at our Holiday Boutique where we will have several booths with Hand Crafted, Maker Oriented items for you to peruse and purchase!!!

Of critical importance is having enough volunteers to provide a safe, fun and fulfilling experience for the children that get to go into our little winter wonderland shopping experience.  There are many, MANY roles that need to be filled, and you will be amazed at how much you enjoy giving up your time to help these little kids pick out their gifts for their moms, pops, grandmas, grandpas, sisters, brothers and dogs. Give this a chance to make a difference in your life by signing up to volunteer HERE.

Kidz Mall Hours will be Friday December 2nd 5:30pm-8:00pm, and Saturday December 3rd 9:00am-11:30am. Designed for Ages 3+. Cash Only Please!

To read more about another great family tradition http://roymoran.com/found-gifts/

A Line In The Digital Sand - What exactly is important in parenting our kids' online behavior?

Sometimes it's hard to know how to pick the right battles when it comes to monitoring and parenting our children's online and digital behavior. We want our kids to be safe, without becoming overbearing. It's difficult to find objective ground to stand on, especially when staring into the blazing eyes of a 16-year old dead set on you not touching "their" phone. What exactly then IS important to us to pay attention to regarding rules, regulations, and phone freedom?

Please read the this full article from The Youth Cartel's Adam McLane to get the most out of this post, but for a snap shot, here are three "fence posts" that can guide our boundary setting as parents trying to help our kids navigate their digital lives.

1. The Importance of Transparency - Have you ever thought of adopting an "open screen" policy for everyone in the house? It is important that as parents we reserve the right to check on what our kids are looking at, or have stored on their phones and feeds, but are we leading by example here? Do we give our own kids the right to check what's on OUR screens whenever they want? Do we prove to them that transparency is a vital part of a person's digital life, not matter what age they are? Do you want the right to search their phone or tablet or laptop whenever you choose? Could you model that by extending them the same right and show them that it's possible to live a digital life with nothing to hide?

2. The Importance of Empathy for Others - One thing I think we've all noticed is that its so much easier to feel completely guiltless in laughing at others at their expense, or putting others down, online than in person. It's so much easier to say or type things online that no one would dream of saying face to face. Our online selves can be much harsher than our face to face selves. One area that is extremely important to monitor is to be aware of how our kids are treating others online. Care about what they say in voice chat while gaming. Care about what they leave in the comment sections of others.

3. The Importance of Private Space - Giving our kids space that is actually theirs is important in releasing them into adulthood. The key to being able to give them the freedom to have private space online relies on the previous two principles (Transparency and Empathy). Kids DO need the freedom to figure out who they really are, and parents DO need freedom to not have to always be on high alert. As we "practice what we preach" for principles one and two, we can extend the leash of principle three.

Shoal Creek Services

Not able to attend either of our Sunday services this morning? Or just want to check out what we do before you consider attending?

Then watch live right now, or catch up here later this week!

Shoal Creek's "Zones" - Why Your Kids Need To Be There

I know you can't quite tell what's going on in the picture, but what is being captured here is the Zones' dramatic (literally) effect on my child's spiritual journey.

You see, my son Everett has really gotten into Minecraft--just like yours, right? And for earning some good behavior points, he was able to procure a very plush skeleton. He was super excited to open it and play with it. And do you know what he spent hours doing that same night that Amazon Prime delivered our little skelly?

He decorated a cardboard box to turn it into a crib that would float down the Nile, like baby Moses. Let's go over that again. He decided to turn his skeleton into baby Moses, so he could make a crib for it, and then send said crib down the river so that a Queen of Egypt could raise little skelly.

Now, please know this; we have maybe talked about that particular bible story one time before. So I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was our Shoal Creek Children's Ministries--what we refer to as our "Zones"--that embedded the story of baby Moses deeply enough inside of him that he somehow did his own little Minecraft/Exodus crossover for two full hours. Which leads me to say this...

I am so thankful that our extremely committed Zone Directors and their insanely wonderful (and completely volunteer-led teams) give an hour of their time on Sundays so that my five year old son could somehow draw from his Zone experience and combine that with his own recreational play. The Zones have won over both of my boys, and they have built relationships with the volunteers that are leading them on a budding spiritual journey. I know for a fact that with out my boys' Zone volunteers, that picture you see would NOT exist. Without our Zone volunteers, my son's heart wouldn't have been able to take the daily things he experiences and cares about, like Minecraft, and join his little five year old world with God's world.

What I love about Shoal Creek's Zones is that they really are able to help our children process God's truth, God's relevance, and God's love for them in a way that "sticks" and leads to foundation that extends into the home.

Would you do me a favor and take the time to thank you Zone Director and Volunteers? Right now? Digitally? Or in person the next chance you get?

If you haven't tried our Zones yet, would you give them a chance? Or, if your child suffers some of that Sunday morning anxiety (which we do totally get!), maybe start swinging by your child's zone more regularly before or after service to help them get used to the faces that really do care about them?

Would you maybe take things a step further, and think about becoming part of the vision and mission that allow that picture you see to become a reality? Would you be willing to take a tour of a Zone, meet the Director, say "hi" to some of the regular volunteers, and consider becoming a person that brings the world of kids and the world of God together by giving up an hour on a Sunday?

If you have a kid, or have had a kid, in the Zones, and have benefitted from the service they provide, find a way to pay it forward in a way that's right for you.

Dads & Sons Small Group This Sunday at Shoal Creek

If you're a dad and you have a teenage son with whom you want to be on a spiritual journey, then you need to check out Shoal Creek's Dads & Sons small group that happens every other Sunday at 9:30am, in "The Attic" at Shoal Creek. A free breakfast of either pancakes or donuts will also be provided for anyone who attends.

Some comments from the dads that have recently attended:

"I really enjoyed it and so did my son. We really love that it is every 2 weeks and I am really looking to get even more out of it." 

"I thought it was a great learning experience I learned things about my sons that I never knew." 

"I have enjoyed the discussions that have been had in the meeting time and outside."

This Sunday's discussion will revolve around the words we use and the importance of "taming our tongue"--kind of relevant considering the circumstances, huh?

Shoal Creek Community Church Services 11/6

Not able to attend either of our Sunday services this morning? Or just want to check out what we do before you consider attending?

Then watch live right now, or catch up here later this week!

Week In Review

1. Coming Soon--HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT SECTION In Auditorium on Sundays--Say "what"?! One thing that we want to improve on at Shoal Creek is doing a better job of connecting with the high school students that call Shoal Creek home. It may sound kind of crazy, and make you reminiscent of the college basketball or football games you used to go to, but, we are going to put in a high school student section in the back of the Auditorium on Sundays to experiment with creating space on Sundays that is unmistakably targeted at proving to HS students that we feel they are very special to us. However, we need help staffing this space once we get it put in. Would you be interested in helping our SC high school students feel like Shoal Creek is there home, and that there's a place for them, by contacting me.

2. What about a Mothers/Daughters Small Group at SC? We've had about 16 dads and sons doing an every other week small group now on Sunday mornings at Shoal Creek, and here's what some of them have had to say:

• "I really enjoyed it and so did my son. We really love that it is every 2 weeks and I am really looking to get even more out of it."
• "I thought it was a great learning experience I learned things about my sons that I never knew."
• "I have enjoyed the discussions that have been had in the meeting time and outside."

I've gotten interest from 4 other moms/daughters about trying to start something up for any teenage girl and their mom. Would you be interested? Could you contact me ASAP so we could get something going before the Holidays hit?

3. What is #Socktober!? Well, it's awesome, and our Buya students want to tell you why here.

4. Special Thanksgiving Communion Service Tuesday Nov 22nd, 6:30pm - Communions are a place where the air between Heaven and Earth is thin. Please join us with your whole family to experience musical worship, communion, and encounter God through some specifically designed interactive stations focused on the theme of learning to be thankful as we head into this holiday season. Please RSVP HERE, especially if you need childcare, which will be available for children up through 5th grade--as long as you indicate your need in the comments section.

Thanksgiving Communion Service at Shoal Creek

Where the air Heaven and Earth is thin.

Please join our Shoal Creek community as we turn our hearts inward, upward and outward in a Thanksgiving Communion service on Tuesday evening November 22nd.

We will be creating space in the Auditorium for anyone who wants to come and reflect on what God is saying to them through the bible, musical worship, and interactive "stations". The theme for the evening will be Thanksgiving, and we will be giving our community an opportunity to think about what God has done for us, and what that means for how we all will choose to live because of that.

Childcare WILL be available for 5th graders and younger. If you want to utilize our child care, please RSVP AT THIS LINK and reply in the comment section below with the names and ages of the children you will be needing childcare for.

There will be a decoration and setup night on Monday the 21st to help us create this spiritual experience, so if you would like to help us transform our Auditorium into something that is going to be really cool and impactful, please either reply in the comment section of the RSVP link.

What About A Mothers/Daughters Small Group At Shoal Creek?

You may not have heard, but over the past 8 weeks, our Dads/Son's small group has grown from about 6-8 regular participants, to 15-16! What has led to more dads and sons getting on a spiritual journey together, and why such growth?!

Maybe because of some of the reasons these dads have to say about what their experience has been like so far:

"I really enjoyed it and so did my son. We really love that it is every 2 weeks and I am really looking to get even more out of it."

"I thought it was a great learning experience I learned things about my sons that I never knew."

"I have enjoyed the discussions that have been had in the meeting time and outside."

What's stopping us from creating the same kind of growth for moms and daughters at Shoal Creek? 

Nothing really! All we need are some moms to reply to me that they'd be interested in learning how the dads have been leading over the past 8 weeks, so that we could create the same kind of spiritual discussion for moms and daughters to have together on a regular basis.

Would you (or your wife, if this is a dad reading this) want to help me get a Moms/Daughters small group going at Shoal Creek, so that moms and daughters can have some spiritual growth together in our SC community?

Could you please contact me so that we can pull the trigger and get this kind of spiritual and relational growth happening?

Socktober!

Socktober is a socially engaging way to solve a very specific problem--the physical needs of the 600,000+ homeless individuals and families living on the streets in the U.S.

As winter is almost on our doorstep (though you wouldn't know it from today's weather), donating clean, new, unopened packages of socks are a HUGE blessing to the individuals that are experiencing this kind of life.

Here's a link to the official #Socktober webpage if you want more details.

And here's Kid President telling you whats up about all this...

Would you donate clean, brand new, unopened socks to Buya THIS SUNDAY so that we can get these socks to the people that are going to need them very soon? Bring them to the Underground and give them to one of our leaders.

And here are our Buya Girls and Boys doing there best to spread the love for #Socktober...

Coming Soon - Shoal Creek High School Student Section In Auditorium

Say "what"?! 

One thing that we want to improve on at Shoal Creek is doing a better job of connecting with the high school students that call Shoal Creek home. It may sound kind of crazy, and be reminiscent of the college basketball or football games you used to go to, but, we are going to put in a high school student section in the back of the Auditorium on Sundays to experiment with creating space on Sundays that is unmistakably targeted at proving to our high school students that we feel they are very special to us. 

However, we need help staffing this space once we get it put in. Would you be interested in helping our SC high school students feel like Shoal Creek is their home, and that we value them enough to create a spot in the auditorium just for them? Please contact me if so, and we'll setup a time to talk in detail about the plan to make high schoolers feel as welcome and loved as possible on Sunday mornings at Shoal Creek.

Young Life Club Tuesday 11/1

Hey Families, don't forget, this is a Young Life Club week. We'd love to take your high school student with us to our local Young Life Club for some fun games, relational connections, songs, and to hear about who Jesus is and what he means to our lives.

If interested in getting your high school student connected, please contact me for details.

Also, get yourself some details about the upcoming Young Life Fall Retreat happening Nov 11th-13th. Shoal Creek is definitely sending students, and we'd love to get yours connected to this "mini-camp-like" weekend retreat.

Shoal Creek Community Church Services 10/30

Not able to attend either of our Sunday services this morning? Or just want to check out what we do before you consider attending?

Then watch live right now, or catch up here later this week!

Week In Review

1. There are four big needs still yet to be filled for the Halloween Bash be successful this Sunday evening, from 5-7pm. Would you take a look at them here to see if you can help?

2. Could you specifically fill a popcorn popping/serving shift at the Halloween Bash, either from 4-5pm or 6:15-7:30pm? Contact me if so.

3. NO BUYA This Sunday, please attend service as a family. This coming Sunday's service will be a more reflective service, with a communion element. As this only happens on Sundays about 3-4 times all year, we encourage you to attend this experience as a family, so Buya will not be open. Pancakes will still be served between 10:30-11am in the Attic for the High School students.

4. Dads/Sons Small Group THIS Sunday, 9:30am-10:30am, in The Attic - Do you have a teenage son that you want to share a spiritual journey with? Them please join 8-10 other families that have dads and sons pursuing a spiritual journey together, and stay for free pancakes between 10:30am-11am.

5. Coming Soon--HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT SECTION In Auditorium on Sundays--Say "what"?! One thing that we want to improve on at Shoal Creek is doing a better job of connecting with the high school students that call Shoal Creek home. It may sound kind of crazy, and make you reminiscent of the college basketball or football games you used to go to, but, we are going to put in a high school student section in the back of the Auditorium on Sundays to experiment with creating space on Sundays that is unmistakably targeted at proving to HS students that we feel they are very special to us. However, we need help staffing this space once we get it put in. Would you be interested in helping our SC high school students feel like Shoal Creek is there home, and that there's a place for them, by talking with me? 

6. Young Life Club is ON this coming Tuesday, 7:47pm-9:15pm. Contact me if interested in getting your high school student connected. We currently have about 6 high school students that regularly attend, and would love to bring more.

Shoal Creek Dads-Sons Small Group This Sunday

If you're a dad and you have a teenage son that you want to be on a spiritual journey with, then you need to check out Shoal Creek's Dads-Sons small group that happens every other Sunday at 9:30am, in "The Attic" at Shoal Creek. A free breakfast of either pancakes or donuts will also be provided for anyone who attends.

Some comments from the dads that have recently attended:

"I really enjoyed it and so did my son. We really love that it is every 2 weeks and I am really looking to get even more out of it." 

"I thought it was a great learning experience I learned things about my sons that I never knew." 

"I have enjoyed the discussions that have been had in the meeting time and outside."

This Sunday's discussion will revolve around:  

When sons are young they want to be just like Dad. When sons grow older they want to be themselves. The son will eventually win the battle for independence. How as Dad’s should we fight this losing battle? How as Son’s do we figure out who we really are and can be and how can Dad help?

 

Four Needs For Sunday's Halloween Bash at Shoal Creek

Here are four ways to help us throw our biggest party of the year, the Halloween Bash:

1 - We only have about HALF of the needed group of volunteers to make the Halloween Bash move on greased wheels! Would you sign up for one shift here?

2 - Do you have a pop-up tent we can borrow for our booths and stations? We need 8-10 to borrow from 4pm-7pm. Contact me if you can help with this.

3 - Would you specifically volunteer for the role of inviting people on a spiritual journey? We don't want to just throw a huge party for our community--we want to connect families to God by getting them on a spiritual journey. We need some people who'd be willing to be walk around and invite families back to Shoal Creek. Sign up here to find out how to help us accomplish this most important task. There will be a meeting for you this Sunday, 11am, in The Attic.

4 - Bring a bag of candy to church this Sunday! Candy. That's it, no further explanation needed.

The Shoal Creek "Parent's Day Out" Program

The Shoal Creek Community Church "Parent's Day Out" Program is a service your family can take advantage of to get a little break during the week to knock out errands, or get a "breather" when you need it most. I've had all of my children enrolled at some point over the past 5 years, and the programs continues provide quality childcare for families in the Northland.

One of the reason Parent's Day Out (PDO) is successful is the hiring of caring child care providers like Nikki. Hear her story, and how PDO has played a role in where she's at today.

I started attending Shoal Creek Church in 2012. Little did I know what God had in store for me. We became a family of five in 2013, and I became a stay at home mom. I have always been a planner, but when things are out of my control; I have learned to give it to God. I became a teacher in the Three's class at PDO in January 2014. I was then promoted to Assistant Director in September 2015. This program has truly been the perfect opportunity for my family. I get the chance to serve others, be a stay at home mom, and my children get to be in a program to learn and grow all while learning about GOD! I would have never thought this is where I would be today and I can say that I am so blessed, and I thank God every day for where He brought me. "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." -Romans 8:28

If there's any chance you might be looking for quality child care with a faith-centered curriculum, please contact Lauren Sapp, the Parent's Day Out Director.

Young Life Fall Retreat Nov 11-13

If your student has an ability to attend the Young Life Fall Retreat (Nov 11-13), don't let them pass it up!

Find details here, but just know that it's like a 3-day mini-summer camp, packed full of fun, games, songs, relationship building, talks about Jesus, and silliness! We already have some Shoal Creek high school students signed up, and we'd love to send your students with them. Contact me for any questions you might have and I'll be glad to answer them.

Shoal Creek Community Church Services 10/23

Not able to attend either of our Sunday services this morning? Or just want to check out what we do before you consider attending?

Then watch live right now, or catch up here later this week!

Week In Review

Here's your week in review in case you missed anything we put out in the past week!

HS Girls Chipotle Lunch THIS SUNDAY after second service at Chipotle! We have a new leader for our HS girls that we'd love to get connected to you and your daughters! Kailyn will be helping out regularly on Sundays, leading a small group, and taking girls with her to our local Young Life Club every week. Would love for you to meet her! Please contact me if your daughter can go (and you can go too moms!)

First HS Girls Small Group Tues 10/25 - This is going to be happening this coming Tuesday, so contact me if you have a daughter that wants to attend, and I'll get you details on exactly when/where they're meeting up.

Presently Picking Popcorn People for Halloween Bash! - The Student Ministries at Shoal Creek are going to be in charge of supplying popcorn to all the families that come, and that means we need about 8-10 total families to SIGN UP FOR A SHIFT HERE or just reply to this email!

This Week's "Must Read" - The Scary Facts About Bullying That Everyone Should Know

One Way To Pray With Your Children - Prayer is supposed to be consistent part of a spiritual journey, and that means that we have to figure out some way to help our kids engage in the practice of prayer. Here's one way to think about it.

Warm Is The New Cool

What's the "temperature" in your family right now? On a scale of "roaring fire in the hearth" to "ginormous ice sickles", how close do you feel you are in the relationships you have with those you call family? 

This recent post from the Fuller Youth Institute would say that the "temperature" of your family is pretty important...

In a comprehensive study of relational dynamics in more than 300 families spanning 35 years, family warmth was more correlated with faith transmission than any other relational factor (including amount of contact between the generations, the type of contact, and the number of children in the family). 

But as a parent, you aren’t the best judge of your family’s warmth. As is true with so many aspects of family life, this study found it is our child’s perception of closeness that matters more than our own perception of closeness.

Fuller goes on to say that there are generally five ways to kill family warmth in your family, those five having to do with:

• Words - We tend to be less filtered, and therefore more hurtful, with our words when it concerns family members versus other relationships
• Tone of Voice - Sometimes it's not what you say, it's how you say it.
• Body Language - (see above)
• Technology - Nothing kills conversation like screen time.
• Fatigue - Except maybe being overly busy and too tired to relate.

There's a lot here for all of us to work on--maybe we could just pick one area, and make a concentrated effort to display better behavior, and get that family-thermostat up a little higher this week.

Fuller has some other great tips in their post, so check it out as well.

Must Reads - The Scary Facts About Bullying That Everyone Should Know

This week's Must Read comes from an October 17th article from Teen Vogue entitled, "The Scary Facts About Bullying That Everyone Should Know". Considering "Bullying" was the topic of this past week in our Dads/Sons Sunday small group, I thought it provided a great followup for not just them, but for anyone who's been affected by bullying, whether directly or indirectly. 

Please go read the full article yourself, but here's an excerpt:

According to Crisis Text Line data released exclusively to Teen Vogue, the organization receives bullying texts much more in the afternoon than other crisis conversations, with a huge spike in both cyberbullying and bullying in real life around 11 a.m. Those outreaches go up again around 9 and 10 p.m. before dropping off for the evening, and start again in the morning. The data seem to suggest that people are being bullied at school, reach out during lunch for help, going home, and then reach out again before bed.

I cringe at how clinically those bullying patterns are laid out. It's like I can visualize how students go through bullying all morning in their classes, then escape into hiding at diversion of lunch, so that they can desperately reach out from their hiding to try to find some kind of temporary solace before getting another dose of bullying in the afternoon and before bed. Makes me sick to visualize it like that.

If you have a teenager you care about in your life, just do them a favor and make sure you pour a little extra energy into asking them how their day really went. They could be looking for help, and even if they don't open up to you, or if nothing really happened, they need to know that you're a lifeline for them whenever they need you.

And here's the link to Crisis Text Line if you're more interested in learning about them, or want to supply your teen with this resource for their sake, or so that they can be a resource for their friends' sake.

Inspiration for Today : The Adversity of Anger

"Understand this...you must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness (or justice) that God desires."

Don't take the bait. You want to. I know you do, because often I want to take the bait, too. But then we'd be just another stupid "bass" for biting on the comment, or action, that has offended us, and that we want to correct through our own force.

I was reading this piece of scripture from James 1:19-27, and it struck at a very personal level, because often when I am offended, I'm hurt at that personal level, and I respond back out of my personal hurt, and not objective truth. When I react to a personal offense, without first seeking out what God has to say about it, there's a good chance that my anger won't produce righteousness, or justice, or goodness.

When James writes this, he doesn't say to not be angry. He just says to be slow to getting to angry. Because we more often fight back out of the personal pain we feel when we are offended, we're often not fighting for a deeper truth other than getting revenge. Underneath the pains we feel are deeper truths. Choosing to slow down our anger and resisting the urge to be reactionary allows us to see more deeply down into the muck and mire of our broken realities, so that we can lay eyes on the more foundational truths for which we need to protect and fight.

James also says, "If you claim to be religious (a.k.a. "claim to be a spiritual person") but don't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion (spirituality) is worthless." Choosing to be slow to anger allows us to think through what is really bothering us, giving us a more firm foundation to stand on when we're ready to speak of the deeper truths that have surfaced when we've given God time to search our souls.

Be angry at the things that are wrong with this world. Be angry at the brokenness that exists in us all. But also be willing to give yourself time search out your anger for deeper truths, instead of being primarily reactionary in your anger.

And full disclosure, when I read this scripture this morning, the idea of this pertaining to politics hadn't even entered my mind. All of the thoughts that were swirling around me concerning this scripture had to do with the way I have responded to people within my own personal spheres, and nothing to do with anything in any public spheres. So please read this thinking of you respond to people in your personal spheres before copy/pasting it to your public spheres. Doing it the other way will render it less effective.

Presently Picking Popcorn People!

One big need need for the Halloween Bash that would be a perfect fit for student families would be helping us pop and serve popcorn for the Bash!

Part of what makes the Halloween Bash such an attractional event to our community is that it's absolutely FREE! For us to be able to make this event free, and expose our campus to new families looking for a spiritual home, we need help popping popcorn starting at 9:30am on Sunday 10/30, and serving it during the Bash (5-7pm). 

Would your family consider being a part of our popping? Would you sign up for a shift? I need one family (or at least 3 people) to cover Shifts 1-5, and at least 2 families (or at least 5-6 people) to cover Shifts 5-6, which will be serving the popcorn during the Bash.

Shift 1, 9:30am-11am

Shift 2, 11am-12:30pm

Shift 3, 12:30pm-2pm

Shift 4, 2pm-3:30pm

Shift 5, 3:30pm-5pm

Shift 6, 5pm-6:30pm

Shift 7, 6:30pm-7:30pm

Please contact me if you can take a shift or help out in anyway, thanks!

One Way To Think About Praying With Your Children

"Dear..."

All of us would agree that prayer has some kind of place in pursuing a spiritual journey as a family. We desire that our children would be vitally connected to God so that they can be connected to the ultimate source of love. I mean, who wouldn't want their children--who go through so many doubts, hurts, pains and put-downs each day--to have a regular rhythm for connecting with the God that made them as special and unique as each of them truly are?

Though we desire for our children to have conversations with God, sometimes we get stuck in how to direct their dialogue, just as we ourselves struggle with knowing how to dialogue with God. Should I start with a "thee" or a "thou"? Exactly when is it appropriate to say "Amen"? How many times am I allowed to say "please"? (I hope a bunch!)

Before reading any further, you should absolutely go and read what Jesus said about prayer and praying in Matthew 6:9-15. Considering that Jesus pretty much invented what we call prayer, we should look to what he says as a place to see what kinds of things we out to pray and ask for.

There is no one way to pray. There is no formula that will automatically produce results. In some ways, the words themselves aren't even the most important piece of this puzzle. It's our hearts that God wants. It's into our hearts that God wants to speak. And so, in trying to speak back to God, we should let our hearts lead us in what we should be saying.

You and I all too well know the difficulties of this world. Who knows what kind of horror story will headline tonight's ticker. Each day is filled with emotional nicks, dents and burns that have an affect on the person our child is becoming. It is vital that they learn to hear God's voice for themselves; and, is imperative that we try to help them learn how to hear from God so that they will call out to him when they are in need.

If you are struggling with how to model prayer to your kids, I just want to offer up to you one way I've recently been trying to pray with my own children. This is not an be-all, end-all way to pray. I myself don't even do it every single day or night with my kid (variety is the spice of life, you know). But I have found this to be a cool way to give my prayer and the prayers of my children some structure that I hope will lead to a deeper reflection of who God is and why he is so good, if not now, then later in their lives.

1 - Say "Thanks."

We begin by thanking God for who he is and all he's done. I say to my kids, "What three things are you thankful for that happened today?" And then, "Let's tell God thank you for those things." And then we thank God accordingly

2 - Say "I'm sorry."

This is important because reminds us that God is God and we are not. We admit to God that we're far from perfect, that we're not enough on our own, and that we need his love to make up for that deficit. I say to my kids, "What are you sorry for? What did you do today that you know you shouldn't have?" And then, "Let's tell God we're sorry for that." We then ask God for forgiveness.

3 - Say "Please..."

After we have thanked God for who he is and what he's done for us, and after we've also said sorry for how we've fallen short of his awesomeness, we then ask God for his help. I say to my kids, "What do you want help with? For yourself? For someone you know? Let's ask God for help for those things." I think it's really important to have our children pray for someone other than themselves. If prayer for others is consistently absent from our prayers, then all we're really doing is teaching our children that God is a vending machine for their own personal desires. Our children need to develop an understanding that they are not the center of the world, and Jesus commands us to love others as much as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:34-40).

Final Advice

Whatever you do, just do it. Don't get hung up on if you're doing it the "right" way or not. God has promised that if we are truly seeking him, he will allow himself to be found. That means that the more time we spend seeking God in prayer, the more he will show up and continue to guide our thoughts and desires.

So don't overthink--just do!

Shoal Creek Community Church Services 10/16

Not able to attend either of our Sunday services this morning? Or just want to check out what we do before you consider attending?

Then watch live right now, or catch up here later this week!

Bullying: Dads-Sons Small Group This Sunday At Shoal Creek

You may not have heard, but for the past four weeks, six dad-son combos met to try a first ever dad-son small group. The results were very well received, so the group has decided they want to continue being on a spiritual journey together. This Sunday the topic will be "Bullying"--something that's extremely relevant for families to discuss.

If you're a dad and you have a teenage son that you want to be on a spiritual journey with, OR, if you just have a son that you want to get on a spiritual journey, please contact me so that I can get you connected to the group! We will NOT exclude any teenage boy who wants to have some spiritual discussion, even if dad can't attend with his son. We want teenagers to be on a spiritual journey no matter what, and can work around any limitations you might feel you have to getting your teenage boy plugged into to a regularly meeting small group.

The group will start at 9:30am, in "The Attic" at Shoal Creek. A free breakfast of either pancakes or donuts will also be provided for anyone who attends.

You're Invited!

There are two upcoming events in our KC Metro area that are fast approaching that might be of interest to you.  Both are hosted by KC Metro Young Life.  Both are presented by Chap Clark, PhD,  author and professor of Youth, Family, and Culture at Fuller Seminary, and President of ParenTeen, Inc. Both would be an incredible opportunity to learn more about how to help your teenager grow in all-around spiritual, mental, emotional and physical well-being. 

Next Time I Fall in Love

A seminar for teens and the adults who care about them, regarding sex, dating and relationships.  

WHO: All high school students throughout the Metro
WHAT: City-wide Campaigners
WHEN: Friday, October 21st @ 7:00PM-8:00PM
WHERE: Colonial Presbyterian Church 9500 Wornall Rd, Kansas City, MO
WHY: Because it'll be super fun and who doesn't want to talk about this stuff?
COST: We have picked up the cost of this event so that it is absolutely free to you! We just need to know you're coming. So click the link below to get your FREE ticket to this special one-time event!

https://kcmetro.younglife.org/Pages/Next-Time-I-Fall-in-Love.aspx

The Hurt Seminar

In this seminar, Chap presents the latest research – both his and others – on how life has changed for kids and the effect it has had on every aspect of their life, from development to communication to friendship to spirituality. This seminar is for parents, people who work with kids, and anyone who knows that the young need our very best in order to thrive. The session will also lead us through a strategic response to the contemporary world and mindset that define today’s kids.

WHEN: 1:00PM - 4:00PM Saturday October 22nd, 2016.
WHERE: YWAM Kansas City Campus (10121 Grandview Rd, Kansas City, MO 64137)
COST: $6 in advance or $8 at the door.

Register at this link:

https://kcmetro.younglife.org/Pages/Hurt-Seminar.aspx

Hope you can take advantage of these opportunities.