Sandy's Sayings

Summer Jr. High Highlight Reel

CPC Jr. High Summer Highlights 2012 from sandy hughes on Vimeo.

Church and Social Media

I feel like we are always having this conversation around the table with our leadership team! Loved this infographic! How is your church using social media?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HT: Mashable

Happy 10 Years At CPC Darcie!

This picture is the quintessential "Darcie" picture. Darcie joined our student ministry team ten years ago today. We hired her as a jr. high intern and now she is our preteen and college director, althought I think her official job title is still Jr. High Director! The thing I love about Darc, is her love for people. Darcie is the ultimate people person. She takes the time to be with people and make sure they are cared for. She cares for students and loves to be a part of their lives. 

Darcie has been a faithful servant too. Whenever there has been a need or a hole to fill, Darcie is right there ready to serve. Most people have no clue how much she does for the ministry. In ten years she has started two ministries for our student ministry; The Edge which is our ministry to 5th and 6th graders and our College Ministry. So Darcie, you are appreciated more than you know. You have impacted many lives through your care for people. It has been a joy to serve with you these last ten years! We've laughed a lot, shed a few tears, and heard a lot of stories from 5th and 6th graders who are now college students! Well done faithful servant! I hope you enjoy your day! For those of you who know Darcie, do me a favor and wish her a happy 10 year anniversary!

Ohhhh April

I'm reminded daily about how much I love Jr. High students. I know I'm a strange and rare breed, but so are Jr. Highers. 

Last night was our Riot Night. Riot Nights are designed for crazy fun, bring a friend, kind of nights. We do them once a month. Last night we were supposed to play the "Amazing Race." Due to bad weather we had to go to "plan b" with "Night Game Riot Nite!" Needless to say it was a crazy, dark, stormy night at the church. Jr. Highers were running up and down the hallways trying to find their leaders who were hiding in the dark. Two of my eighth grade boys would swagger their way down the hall to the Jr. High Room, playing it cool, only as eighth grade boys can do. I commented on their swagger and this one particular eighth grade boy said, "Running is for chumps!" At this line, I burst out laughing.

Although spring is in the air and we are winding down the school year, this is the time of year our eighth graders get a little antsy. Ohhh April! Most of our Jr. Highers are ready to move onto high school. They are excited, nervous, and some of them admit they are scared about new schools, new friends and moving to our high school ministry. As their pastor, I'm excited for them, but a little sad to see them go. In June, they will face a whole new world and my prayer is that we as a jr. high ministry have helped prepare them spiritually as they enter high school. They will mature and get wise to the world and will start to lose the innocence and quarkeyness (is that even a word) that I so enjoy about kids in Jr. High. 

Love Works 2012 Official Recap Video

This the video we showed at our celebration service on Sunday night.

Love Works Is Funner Than Video Games

This was our annual Love Works Weekend. We canceled church services and encourage our body to serve the community this weekend. I think this is our third Love Works Weekend. We had a ton of projects ranging from serving the homeless, doing repair and cleaning projects with different shelters, serving schools, helping out with beautifucation projects in different cities and much more.

Last night we had our celebration service where we had the opportunity to share how God moved while we served! There were some amazing stories that were told! Although, my favorite quote from the serivce came from a little boy who shared, "Love Works is funner than video games." There were some good laughs at his comment, but what this little boy was trying to say is that he had fun being the hands and feet of Jesus! He enjoyed interacting with those in need! My hope and prayer for our kids and students is they would continue to be broken–hearted over those in need and would be spurred on to continue being the hands and feet of Jesus. 

Here is a short little video our high school pastor put together for our project!

 

Dad Got A New iPad

My dad sent this video to me after I tried to sell him my iPad 2!

 

SYMC Kicks Off

 

After a great dinner with our student ministry team, it was time to head to the opening general session. A great line up for the first night: Shane and Shane, The Skit Guys, Francis Chan with his daughter Rachel.

 

It's an amazing experience to worship with 3,000 other youth workers with guys like Shane and Shane. They are one of my favorites!

Our team had a run in with the Skit Guys at dinner. Before I knew it our Jr. High Director had slid her chair just behind them and starting telling "what do you call a man with no arms/no legs" jokes. Needless to say we all had a good laugh and a few good pictures. TheSkit Guys were great sports. What I love about the Skit Guys is that they will make you laugh hard and cry hard in about 30 seconds flat! Their humor disarms you to hear truth that cuts to the core.

Francis, as usual had some great stories and tweetable moments, but in his simple way, encouraged us as youth workers. As usual, I'm still processing his session. Here are a few of my favorite quotes from Francis Chan tonight:

    "What would the transcript of your prayer life look like?"

    "Parents get on your case, and you're like, 'you're the ones that screwed your kid up!'"

    "I learned everything I needed for ministry from my youth pastor when I was a teenager."

    "If we all died right now, God would still figure out Revelation without us, so just breathe...."

Great night with lots to think about! Went over to Brian Berry's seminar, "Saying No To The Status Quo: Declaring War on Extended Adolescence." So much of what he and Francis had to say went hand in hand. Still processing that seminar! Hope to blog about it when I get home.

When I think about all that has happend today, I'm really amazed. Went to a bat factory, hung out with our team, experienced my first tornado warning, worshiped with 3000 youth workers, laughed, learned, saw the devistation and aftermath of the tornado's, prayed and prayed some more!

 

 

Fun Day at Pre–SYMC

 

Flew in yesterday to Louisville, KY. I've never been to Louisville and I'm really loving it. Took our staff on a fun outing to the Louisville Slugger Bat Factory and Museum. What a fun tour! Makes me want to pull out my dads lathe and make my own bat!! Took a few swings in the batting cage and was glad I could still hit a 45 MPH pitch!! Had my picture taken with "the great bambino" too! Fun time with our student ministry staff. 

 

The weather had turned nasty this afternoon. Huge tornado warnings where we are at. You can hear the concern in the voice of the weatherman. We've had a tornado touch down across the river from where our hotel is. Umm, I'm a Cali girl, I'm used to earthquakes, not tornado's. Where is the hotel basement! Seriously though, be praying for these folks who are being hit be huge tornado's as I type this.

 

 

 

 

Can't Wait for SYMC 2012

 

I'm a huge fan of serveral ministries that resource youth workers: Simply Youth Ministry, Youth Specialties and The Youth Cartel. I've never had the opportunity to attend an SYMConference. Today our Student Ministry Team and myself are heading to Louisville, Kentucky with about 3,000 other youth workers to be at SYMC! I'm looking forward to hanging out with our team, seeing old friends, meeting new friends learning, worship, seminars and refreshment!