Jr. High Youth Group

We had our first Jr. High Youth group of the fall last night. It was fun, I bought a new blender, and put someone in charge of our first dollar challenge. He may have really outdone himself, as there were all kinds of people running to the trash can!

It's weird, my methodology really did not change too much from Jr. High youth group in Newburgh...

Oh well! We had a good time!

Block Party: A dream realized.

This is the invitation I received inviting me to the block's party:

I made it out there about 6, with Banana Creme Pie in hand

The guy in the yellow shirt there is our unofficial Block Mayor (Kind of like Assistant to the Regional Manager).

The city brought out barricades to block off our street (for a fee of course), Daniel brought out tables from the church and they were placed in the middle of the block .

Daniel and Emily (music minister and wife) manned a "match the dog with the correct house" contest. Daniel made up some pretty slick color posters for this, and the winner matched all 9 pets to people's homes. There was also a trophy for best yard (go figure, I didn't win) and a 50/50 raffle.

One of the guys on our block has a bunch of DJ equipment, so he set up an awning and DJ'd the event.

Before dinner was served, some fire-fighters came out and taught the children of the block fire safety, and showed off their truck. They stayed and ate with us! 
Here is my plate of food. There was a huge spread! Several different kinds of The GBC (Green Bean Casserole, my favorite) and pulled pork, and all kinds of dessert. The west side brought desserts and the east side brought sides. We had a 90% block turnout, so that equaled a lot of food!

After dinner there were some presentations. I was introduced as the new guy on the block, and the winners of the contests were announced. I won the 50/50 raffle, 37 large!

After that, people volunteered to give some tours. Last year 7 showed their homes, and this year 2 volunteered theirs. It was nice to be in your neighbor's homes and be able to meet them where they are.

So what's the point? I think for me, the point is, that there is no point. Daniel was thanked for all the work that he did, and it was mentioned from the announcer that he worked at the church a block away. I was mentioned as the new guy on the block, and that I worked there as well. That was pretty much were that talk ended. I think it is amazing to be able to live in community with your neighbors, to be in their houses, to eat and share life with them. One hopes and prays that at some point, there will be a chance for some conversation to happen that will share the very words of life to your friends, but until that time comes... simply living and loving your neighbors is more than enough. It's what we are here for. 

1 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.

14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

24and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. 25Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.

Some Updates:

I pulled my hamstring last night at a Jr. High swim party. It hurts a lot.

Today is my block's party!

This video is funny!

I know, I am boring!

Update

Hi guys! I made it to Kenya safe and sound, Today was our first day doing our health clinics - Laura and I saw and treated 45 families.

All I can really say is that I am completely overwhelmed. I was fine all day and then I sat down on the bus and had to literally get up and walk around to stop myself from weeping. There just is so much to do - soebs knows the song by rich mullins - where it talks about the morning coming so soon and being so tired but so much work left to do... I am completely overwhelmed.

But I am blessed - blessed beyond belief. I was able to give such simple simple medications that literally saved some little kids lives. I was able to set up and entire family to get them started on antiretroviral drugs for HIV - it's been amazing.

Funny story - this family had 3 sets of twins and all the twins had the same names with the number 1 or 2 after! So I saw Kevin 1 and Kevin 2 today! :)

I will try to keep in touch - lots of love to you all.
SoeYun

I know, I am so behind the times!

But Wentz just showed me this guy! Funny stuff!

Off to see the giraffes!

SoeYun is off to Kenya today. She is going with a team of doctors and nurses with her church to go serve Jesus! Her favorite animal is the giraffe, and I hope she glances up and gets to see one as she saves people's lives and tells them about the love of Jesus! I am so proud of her, and extremely jealous!

If you remember, please pray for her!

Thanks God!

There are some times that God tells you... "You know, here is a little gift for you. Just to let you know that you are on the right track."

God has given me a few of those lately. Today in staff meeting, we had a discussion... on block parties.

If you know me well at all in the last few years, you have heard me talk about block parties. I have talked about how we need to be doing them, we need to be intentional about them, etc. I don't mean block parties out in the church parking lot, I mean block parties that you organize with people, *gasp*, on your block!

Today in staff meeting, one of the issues that was on the agenda was block parties. Obviously, I was curious about what they would say about them.

Currently, there are two staff members that are talking about them. Our music minister's block is having one, and our senior minister is wanting to do one. John's block does them quite frequently. The discussion today was about how to take church money and support them.

We are talking about letting them use tables and chairs for free, we are talking about using outreach budget to furnish some things, like bounce houses and food. We are talking about doing outreach with the express purpose of reaching out to our neighbors, regardless of whether they go to our church, the church down the street, or if they even go to church at all!

There have been several God moments already in the last couple weeks that I have been here. Thanks God for talking... I am trying to listen!

Here is to my guys!

Monday nights are going to be really tough. For the last year or so, I have been meeting with some dear, dear friends to argue, er, discuss theology.

These are some of the best times I have had in my short life. Joe, Eric, Darin, Scott, et al., you guys pushed me, you guys challenged me, you guys helped me grow. Thanks for making me think about church in a new light, christians in a new light, and especially God in a new light. I needed that, I am a better man and minister because of those discussions. God really was there when we gathered.

I love you guys a ton, thanks for everything!

Oh ya, and Bill, thanks for making me think about predestination all the time.

The superfriends!

I remember near the end of my Junior year of college having this dream. The dream was that a group of us guys, all brothers for several years at Lincoln, would form a team. A team of Superfriends, with the express purpose of doing ministry together.

I would do youth ministry, Toad would administrate, Lowery would preach, John would evangelize, John Hughes would do something... anyway I have made that dream one step closer. I have joined Wentz at Southside Christian Church, and I think it's going to be a lot of fun. Toad, we are waiting for you!

Batman was awesome! Just got back from it. I think I need to see it again! I loved it. Heath Ledger was crazy!

You know what's amazing? You never realize the depth of crazy until you remove yourself from crazy.

I am going to blog more. I have stuff to talk about!

Closing time...

It's official, my time in Newburgh is up. I have taken a youth ministry position at Southside Christian Church in Springfield, Il. My last day here is July 14th. I have learned a lot and grown up a lot here, and cannot wait to get started with a new work... in central Illinois. :)

Anyway, I am excited for what the future holds, and am at the same time sad t0 say goodbye to my many friends here.

To everyone: Thanks for all the love and support.

Yup, check out this hog.

Picked this bad boy up yesterday. 45 mph and 80 miles a gallon, 'nuff said.

Ummmm... anyone think this is a bad idea?

Skynet military launch postponed

"The launch of the third and final satellite in the UK's next-generation military space communications network has been delayed by a few days."

Is anyone else wishing that maybe we wouldn't let this happen at all? I mean seriously, haven't we learned anything?

"Software on the launch vehicle did not behave normally during a test sequence."

Big shocker...

Skynet 5 is intended to provide British forces with a secure, high-bandwidth
capability through to 2020.
A successful launch will complete the in-orbit part of the £3.6bn project.
Additional work has included upgrades to ground stations and the installation of new antennas and terminals on military ships, planes and land vehicles.Taken together, the three Skynet spacecraft - known as 5A, 5B and 5C - will provide coverage from the Americas to Asia."

Of course it will... until the day it becomes self-aware and then all of Hades breaks loose!

Ummm... Indiana Jones... I hardly knew you.

What was that? Memo to George Lucas: You don't have it anymore.

Mystery Solved... Still Amazing!

I did some research on the painting elephant...

"Just for clarification, with these realistic figural works, the elephant is still the only one making the marks on the paper but the paintings are learned series of brushstrokes not Hong painting a still life on her own."

Does this mean something?

De Plane Boss, De Plane.

My Sister and I all got matching Tatoos!

They are all ancient Korean symbols of birth order.

Mine (First Son):



















SoeYun's (Oldest Daughter):



















KeyLyn (Youngest Daughter):

I am in love with this girl!

How 'bout them Patriots?

O.k., so, I don't admit this very often, but a part of me likes the Patriots. I was rooting for them yesterday, but it seems to me that the Giants, "out-patrioted," the Patriots.

I remember the Superbowl following the 2001 season where the Pats faced the Rams. The Rams were heavy favorites, and rightly so. They were of course, the "fastest show on turf." I was rooting for the Rams pretty hard that year, and thought that the "lucky team" from New England had no shot. I remember the introductions very vividly that year, the Rams all being introduced individually, which was perfectly normal. What wasn't so normal though was the Patriots introductions. "The New England Patriots have requested to be introduced as a team." After which they all ran on the field together. I remember an announcer, or maybe someone where I was watching the game saying, "uh oh."

They then did what the Patriots do. They kept it close by playing great defense, til the 4th quarter in which Tom Brady marched down the field to win a close game at the end.

I remember being impressed by that, both Tom Brady's cool-headedness and the introduction thing.

Ever since then, I have admired the Patriots attitude of "no one is bigger than the team attitude. You want more money, or want to hold out? Alright, you can go find it somewhere else." In an era of Keyshawn Johnson's, that is such a breath of fresh air. Randy Moss this year took a major paycut to play for this team. They told him, this is what we have for you, we would love to have you, but this is all we are going to do. They told that to the best wide receiver in the game!

Anyway. I watched the highlights of the Giants stepping off the plane all dressed in matching black suits and sunglasses, and thought to myself... "Uh oh." And then the Giants did what the Patriots usually do. Kept it close into the fourth quarter, and then won it at the end.

Hats off to the New York Giants.

SoeBeck's Principles of Youth Ministry

So, my one adoring reader asked me to please post something new, so here you go.

I have a fundamental principle in youth ministry. For all of those youth ministers out there, pull up a chair and listen up, because I have some sage advice for you:

Don't do lock-ins. Seriously, they are evil and of Satan.

Now, I don't really like Lock-outs either, overnight events where you move around every few hours to different places - i.e. bowling alley, ice-rink, etc., such as the one we are doing tomorrow night. Lock-outs though are 100 times better than lock-ins, and are necessary to do once a year or so to get everyone off your back to have a lock-in.

Of the devil, I'm telling you.

Also of the devil are Gym's, like the one I just joined. That's what I am looking forward to the most about heaven, awesome abs with no working out. Yup, that's what I look forward to the most.

Oh, and the hanging out with our Lord and Saviour.

Is there going to be sex in heaven? That is a fun topic to discuss. This guy thinks, yes.

I'm out.