Monday, January 12, 2009

Reaching Out to Youth Through the Ministries of Bethel Temple

December 2009 News:
Reaching Out to Youth Through the Ministries of Bethel Temple
(Pictured above is Hector, a young man who was in our youth group and now attends Bethel Temple as a young adult.)

The following five posts complete our most recent newsletter:
  • Camp Andrews 2008: Is it true faith in God?
  • "Hood Rich"
  • New Ministry Opportunity Coming Soon
  • Prayer Requests and Praises
  • 2009 Support Need and Where to Send Donations



Camp Andrews 2008: Is it true faith in God?

October 24-26 we had our annual One retreat with seven area churches. This year’s theme for our 8th-12th graders was “The Born Identity” taken from the Jason Bourne movie series. We had about 100 youth and 30 leaders attend this year. It’s always good to take kids to camp for an experience with God. However, after doing it so many times, we can get discouraged when we see youth get emotional for a weekend and then go back home to resume the same patterns.


This time, a youth named Damon particularly caught my (Nes’) attention. Damon came to camp following a friend and not really knowing what the camp was about. The guy he came with turned out to be very disruptive and we had to send him home. Damon’s friend asked him if he was going to leave too. Damon turned him down. This was Saturday, a day into the camp, and without knowing anything about the camp, he wanted to stay. Why would Damon, who also was acting very tough, want to stay?


That morning during our session we talked about family, and that might have drawn him to stay. The speaker touched on how some have parents who are not around and don’t seem to care. But God has given the kids youth leaders that care about them and their soul.


When I stood up to conclude the session, I started to cry as I thought about how much this is my heart for the youth. I was also thinking about Carlos Jr., who was killed in a car accident in May and was missing at the retreat. His dad came as chaperone, bringing his stepson. I shared how we as youth leaders desire for the youth to love God with all their heart, soul and mind. As I was sharing I couldn’t hold my composure—a combination of one of our dearly loved youth passing away this year and wanting to see youth living for Jesus today, right now.


That night at the camp fire, I spoke with Damon about his experience so far. He started to say that it felt good. I continued asking questions to engage him in the conversation. At the end he said he wanted to come to church and give God a try. Sunday morning he shared it again during the open mike time. A youth leader asked me later if I thought he was being sincere. I told him we should continue to work with him. Let’s not question what is real since God knows that, and we will know that in time. Let’s continue to work with Damon. Pray for Damon. We planted a seed and water it, but only God’s Spirit changes his heart and causes him to grow.
“HOOD RICH”

Recently a youth was talking to Nes and called him “hood rich”. He made the comment when he noticed Nes’ new car. (We just bought a ‘97 Ford Escort wagon so that Nes can leave me with the van to get around with the kids. He nicknamed it "night rider.")

Though I had never heard the term before, I knew exactly what he meant when he said “hood rich.” However, when I look at the little Escort and sit down to pay the bills every month, I don’t feel rich. But I realized again what I had forgotten. In our community, ”the hood,” we ARE rich. There are many things we have access to that make us rich—financially and otherwise.


It sometimes can be embarrassing when kids come in our house and see all that we have compared to what they have. They also find some of our family rituals strange—like holding hands to pray at dinner or giving our children quiet times in their rooms. But we pray that they might see the ultimate wealth we possess. Hopefully by our lives, we would tell the story of Christ’s love.


When Jesus was born on earth, He demonstrated an important aspect of His love. He came to us and lived among us.


“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels... [and] ...we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses…” (Hebrews 2:9 and 4:15)


Jesus was also from Nazareth and of very modest means. Let us never become too “rich” that we cannot sympathize with those around us. But let us continue to increase our eternal wealth by loving people the way Jesus loved us.
New Ministry Opportunity Coming Soon

For some time, Nes has been collaborating with several churches nearby to form the group ONE. His desire has been to expand that effort, and it seems that it might finally come to pass.

Nes, along with two other men, Coz Crosscombe and Bill Krispin, have spent many months hashing out what that might look like. Through this, Common Grace is being created. The hope is that there might be a unified and diverse Body made up of many churches all engaged together in and for their local communities resulting in vibrant children, youth and families in vibrant communities.

Common Grace’s work would include:
· Research and publications
· Collaboration, networking and partnerships
· Resource identification and allocation
· Empowerment of local leadership

The primary target will be marginalized and under-served communities in East and North Philadelphia, then expanding to whole city and region.

Please pray for us as we prepare to step down from Nes’s position of Youth Director at Bethel Temple to work with Common Grace full-time. The elders have given us their blessing. We have also made the announcement to the youth and congregation that this will happen in June of 2009.

We ask for your continued prayer and support as we are feeling sad, but also excited about where God is leading us. We will remain living where we are, continue raising support and continue attending Bethel Temple.

If you have any questions about this, please free to contact us. We will share more in the coming months.

Saturday, January 10, 2009


Prayer Requests
ONE Youth rally: 1/16
Guidance through our upcoming transition.
For the spring Timoteo flag football season.
For all the youth leaders and Sunday school teachers at Bethel.

Praises
We thank God for many who have given generously to support the ministry.
A thoughtful family made a donation which allowed us to buy a second car.
Alecia is adjusting to kindergarten well, learning to read and write Spanish!
Bethel Temple has agreed to pay for our health insurance.
Bryant, who is a senior in our youth group, received his first 2 college acceptance letters! (pictured above with Dana, Justis and Alecia)