Kernstown Student Ministries

Friday

2009-04-24T05:39:00.000-07:00

Well, it's Friday morning and I am so screwed up with the time here. I think it's almost 9 am but in reality its almost 8 and I am so confused but we will get on with life. We are heading up to Green Bay today to pick up all of the tuxes. Seven grown guys in a small mini-van is going to be an interesting trip...I guess it could be the adventure of a lifetime. I don't know when I will be able to talk to you all again because we are going into the sticks to stay at a lodge before the wedding. I will do my best to update you all as things happen. I had some more cheese, WI cheese is pretty good. It squeeks as you eat it.

Talk to you soon!

Craig

Early Morning

2009-04-23T09:28:00.000-07:00

So,
I woke up at 4:45 this morning to catch a flight at 6:20 am. I was cutting it close cause I got stuck at the check-in. Anywho, the flight was awesome and I am glad to be here with some friends. As I flew over Lake Michigan I began to get worried because I have never flown over such a big body of water and I was shaky about it, but what are you going to do. The airport that I came into was right on the water. As we approached the airport you know they kill the engines for a few seconds to slow down and get closer to the ground....well as they kill them I can't see the ground, all I see is water. My heart begins to beat because I think we are going down into the water...but finally the engines come back on and we level off. That was a real gut check for me WHEW!!!!
It's kinda cold and really FLAT. I mean FLAT. Winchester has bigger hills in the mall parking lot. Wisconson is very different from VA. There is mostly factory work around so there is like one huge factory and then miles of homes. Unlike Va where there are many different buisnesses and homes mixed together.
I am in the home of the bride right now (Jody) with a good friend (Adam) I haven't seen since 2006 or so. I am super excited to see so many good friend but I am going to miss see y'all at small group and youth on Sunday night....

Talk to ya soon!!!

Craig

2009-04-20T04:46:00.001-07:00

So, Thursday night we looked at the next chapter in our Congratulations...Your Gifted study book (Chapter 4). We looked at what abilities we have to offer. Knowing our abilities can help us learn our SHAPE. Each of us is so unique in how we were created and sometimes it can be difficult for us to see our own unique abilities in the cloud of everyone else’s abilities. The book talked about certain ways to discover your abilities and I am reminded of one real simple way, many times your passions (those things you are passionate about) are in-line with your abilities.

I. Craig, have a passion to teach youth and I also have the ability to stand in front of a crowd of students and teach them without losing my lunch. I am passionate about people, I like relationships and I have the ability to make friends easily.

Not everyone's passions and abilities line up, as we learned Thursday night, but for most of us they do inter-mesh. So, what do you do if they don't line up? You begin to serve (and even if they do line up you serve), because serving others is the best way to find out who you are and what your abilities are. After all that is the purpose of our gifts, to serve other in the name of Jesus Christ!!!!

2009-04-13T15:52:00.000-07:00

Ok so the last week has been kinda crazy between all of the activities of Holy Week. This week we will be getting back to our normal schedule with Thursday night small groups at 6:00 pm at our place and Sunday night youth group at 6:30 in the Sr High room at the church.

Also, remember about the yard sale May 9th!!! We are selling hot dogs and sodas!!!!

I must say the sunrise service at the Presbyterian church this year was pretty cool, not to mention absolutely cold. I could not feel my fingers and toes by the time it was done, but from what I understand it is not usually that cold for the service. During the service there was a cool skit that was read. The whole basic theme was "He lived, He lives, I live" and it went through Jesus' life and all the great things he did then it goes through later scripture (the letters of Paul (Romans- Titus)) and showed how Jesus still lives. Finally it comes to us living like Christ because he lives. It was very cool.

You all don't have much school left!!!!

2008-10-16T11:24:00.001-07:00

IF YOU READ THIS LET ME KNOW NEXT TIME YOU SEE ME!!!

Fall

2008-09-23T12:46:00.001-07:00

Hey All,

Well we have had an awesome summer, and now school is back in full swing. We have started our weekly meetings again so don't forget to come. We meet every Sunday night at 6:30 to check out some thoughts, ideas and truths about Jesus. We take time each night to ask ourselves how we can understand him more and grow closer to him. We also get to hang out with one another and do some great thing. It's an awesome time and I hope everyone can come out.

Have an awesome week!!!

SUMMER 2008

2008-06-17T13:13:00.000-07:00

Hey Folks,
So school is out and some of you are getting jobs while others are preparing for some amazing trips. As you all are taking some time off of school don't forget about the things we talked about like taking some time to read your Bible on a daily basis. You all should still have your book "Losers Club," if you missed a week or forgot to read for a week you could go back and read it. We learned a lot of great things in the book that can help us in our daily lives so take some time and reflect back on it. Read a good book, learn a new skill, enjoy the outdoors and make this a good summer!!!

Craig

March 23rd-30th

2008-03-27T04:37:00.000-07:00

March is gone and April is here.
Do you realize that you only have a couple of months of school left??? I mean for some of you this is the last year you are at your school!! You have so many great things ahead of you and that is super exciting!
Those of you who are staying at the same school you will also have a ton of new adventures waiting for you. This summer we will be going on a great mission trip this is a great chance for you to grow closer to God.
I know you hear me say that you can grow closer to God a lot but its true! When you drop video games and sports balls and pick up a hammer or paint brush you help someone without a thought of what you are going to get out of it, you experience the same thing Jesus experienced when he came to earth to show us how to live. He left all of that he had to come help us without thought of what he would get. When we experience the same thing as someone else it is possible that we understand why they do it.

Thank you so much for being willing to experience Jesus!!!

February 17th-23rd

2008-02-20T13:19:00.000-08:00

Hey Folks!
Man it is snowing outside and I LOVE IT!! So it has been a while since I was last on here so here is what has happened.
This month we have started a book study called Losers Club. This is a great little book that asks questions that we ask in our daily faith. Questions like “Can God really use me?” and “Is God really there?” I hope everyone can join us for the study. (Hey you get a great book to read)

Don’t forget to check out the Events section of the website to get the DL on what is going on in YOUR ministry.

KEEP RAISING THOSE FUNDS FOR THE 30HR FAMINEWe will be starting our Joe Corbi’s Fundraiser March 2nd. This fundraiser is going toward your mission trip cost!!!

January 20th-26th

2008-01-22T08:16:00.000-08:00

What is up. folks?

Man it has been a long week with all this snow and cold weather. You all have had it hard with your 6 day weekend!!!! I miss those days, but then I remember that you all have to take exams and that helps me feel better. ANY WAY!

This blog will be deadicated to those Green Bay PACKERS WHO LOST!!!!!!

Don't forget that if you signed up to sit at the 30HR Famine table to please be there 15 minutes before the 11:00 service starts and 15 minutes after the service ends.

Thanks so much!
Have a great week
Craig

January 13th-19th

2008-01-15T06:31:00.000-08:00

Hey Hey,
Well this week some of us are taking exams and others are continuing to plug away at classes.
I want to wish everyone good luck! Y’all are awesome and I know you will do great in whatever it is you are doing!!

Last Sunday the high school students began to listen to a discussion on “trouble” by Louie Giglio. We learned that we are not promised the easy life after we accept Christ. We still live in this world (we are called to live in the world but not be apart of it) and therefore we will have trouble in our lives. It may not have happened yet but there is a very big chance that it will happen and when it does we may suffer. But our peace is found when we “hang on”. Jesus promised that he had already taken care of everything and that all we have to do is become like him and we would find peace.
God hurts when we do but what we need to remember is that he can see everything. We may not understand why things are happening to us or we may be saying “why isn’t God taking this away from me??” but God sees that your suffering may be making you stronger and defiantly fulfilling his plan.

Last week the middle school students also talked about suffering. We may those dark days when we feel that nothing is going our way. It can be hard to press through those days too, but when we remember that God has our lives in his hands it makes it a little more bearable. God has a plan for the suffering that we go through and I know it is to make us a better person.

Please check out the events column to the left------------->

January 6th- 12th

2008-01-07T05:48:00.000-08:00

HOLY KOW !!!! IT"S 2008!!!
Man 2007 brought a lot to each of us. We need to take time to thank God all of the things that happened in the past year. Look back over the past year and thank him because without God we would not have made it.
2008 will bring so much more. Will you be watching for it?!?!?!
One big chance for us is that the middle school and high school students will be meeting at separate times. Middle school is on Wednesday nights at 6:30 and high school on Sunday nights at 6:30.
We also have a lot of stuff going on over the next two months.
Check out the list of events for time and dates of up coming things
--------------------------------------------------------->
Why does God allow us to suffer??
That is a good question that deserves some time and consideration.
This week we will ask this question and discuss it!

2007-12-18T06:32:00.000-08:00

WOW!!
It's almost time for Christmas!!!

I am sorry we did not get to meet last Sunday. The weather was threatening us with what could have been bad dirviing conditions. It looks like the next time we will meet is December 30th. We won't meet next week because of the Christmas holiday.

In January, remember, we will be meeting at different times. The high school will be meeting on Sunday at 6:30 and the middle school on Wednesday at 6:30

You all will be getting a calendar of January and Feburary soon, so be on the look out for that.

We will be having a yard sale February 2nd to raise money for the 30HR Famine. Clean out your rooms and you basements so that we can have some stuff to sell!!.

Craig

2007-12-04T05:05:00.000-08:00

Hey Hey,
I was so glad to see so many of you Sunday night! If you were not able to come here is what you missed.

1. We received our money envelops so we can start raising money for the 30HR Famine. This year as a group we have set a goal that we will try to raise enough money to feed 4 children for one year!!! That means our goal is $1440. I think this is an awesome goal and totally achievable!! Remember that each dollar we raise feeds a child for one day and every $30 we raise will feed a child for 30 days!! This is an awesome program. Our famine date is set for February 29 – March 1st. If you did not get an envelope please come see me!!!

2. There are many different religions in the world. We briefly talked about Judaism, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity. However Jesus said that He is THE way, THE truth and THE life and no one can know God except by knowing Him (John 14:6) What questions do you have? Let me know.

3. Last month I gave you all a challenge to take about 15 minutes a day and spend some quality time with God. I hope this is going well. What have you learned? What kind of questions do you have? Do you know all of the names mentioned in the part you were reading? Have you come to a verse that does not make sense to you? Have you found a part that you don’t agree with? Let me know I want to talk to you about it. Really, I do!!!

I have made an email account so that you can write down your questions.
Kernstownyouth@gmail.com Write to me.

Congrats to Sherando and their victory on Saturday!

Don’t forget our paint day on Saturday!! We will be finishing the youth room. We will be there from 10:00 until noon.

2007-11-29T12:38:00.000-08:00

HEY THERE!!!
DON"T FORGET ABOUT THE PAINT NIGHT ON DECEMBER 8th. IT STARTS AT 10:00 AM.

ALSO, THIS WEEK WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN JESUS< MOHAMMED AND BUDDAH!!

SUNDAY AT 6:30

:)

2007-11-12T05:44:00.000-08:00

HEY EVERYONE!!

Our meeting room looks good! I have heard quite a few good comments about the way it looks. We will have to schedule another weekend to do some touch ups and a second coat on some parts of the wall. I want to thank everyone who helped make this happened!! This could not have been with out you all!!! Thank you so much.

The Bible was written over a span of 1200 years (THAT’S A LONG TIME!!) More than 20 different people wrote it, but the crazy part is that it all flows as one story. It goes from God’s connection with Adam and Eve through the downfall of man and the introduction of sin as well as man’s struggle to know God and obey him. It comes to an end where God and man have been reconciled through Jesus and his sacrifice.

Don’t forget our challenge!!!: It takes 30 days to create a habit. For the next 30 days I challenge you to take 15 minutes and read the Bible and pray.

GOOD LUCK!!!!

Don't forget that we will not be meeting next week (the 18th) because I will be in Atlanta, GA

2007-11-02T04:55:00.000-07:00

How can I understand the Bible and apply it to my life?

Here is a question that we all struggle with.

It is some old material but can it still apply to our lives?
YES! every bit of it!

Lets talk about it.

Come ready to discuss questions like this one!

November 4th 6:30pm

BRING A FRIEND!!

2007-10-23T05:29:00.000-07:00

Silence.
It's a lost practice in our culture today.
Our God is such a powerful God, but it is in the whisper after the storm that we hear his voice.

1 Kings 19:11-13

Challenge: This week as you are praying take some time in your prayers to stop and listen. You may hear something you have been missing during your day.

Enjoy the silence! It can be refreshing!

October 7th

2007-10-09T07:34:00.001-07:00

The video we got to check out this week brought up some interesting issues. Rob Bell (the guy in the video) asked the question "why do we do what we do?"
Do we go to church on Sunday because we are suppose to or do we give God our money because he needs it? God does not need our money.

What if you called your best friend one day when they were sick to check on them and they we so happy that you thought of them, but then you say "Well we are friends, I am suppose to" or "I thought you needed me to call" Do you think your call is as special to them any more? No because it came out of duty. God is the same way. He wants us to give him our selves because we want to not because we think he needs it or that we are suppose to.

God wants us to do what we do (Call a friend, help someone, worship) out of love and from our hearts. That’s what having a heart for God means...it is giving to God from your heart and because you want to!

Heart for God

2007-10-03T10:42:00.000-07:00

"Why do we do the things we do? Why do we go to church or give money away? Because we're

supposed to or because we think God needs it? Do we honestly put on our best clothes for an

hour once a week, stand and sit at the right times, and sing all the appropriate songs for God's

sake, or because it'll make us look better to the world around us? We're tired of all the empty

rituals and routines. And so is God. God hates it when we call ourselves Christians but igmore all

the things he really cares about. He hates it when we go through hollow religious routines out of

some feeling of duty or obligation. GOd doesn't want the meaningless rituals. God wants our

hearts."

-Rob Bell

Come on out Sunday October 7th at 6:30 to learn what it means to have a heart for God.
Specail Guest Rob Bell author of "Velvet Elvis"

Ultimate Frisbee at 6:30
Bring a friend!!!