Current Trends

Taken from Jim Burns HomeWord's Weekly Culture Brief

Current Top Internet Searches - 2/25/11
1. facebook
2. youtbue
3. kellie pickler
4. alyssa milano
5. jessica hahn
6. victoria beckham
7. irs
8. halle berry
9. american idol
10. jennifer aniston
Source: CyberWyre

Top 10 U.S. Websites - 2/25/11
1. Google
2. Facebook
3. Yahoo!
4. YouTube
5. Amazon
6. Wikipedia
7. Blogger
8. Twitter ( 1)
9. eBay (-1)
10. Craigslist
Source: Alexa

iTunes Top 10 Downloaded Songs - 2/25/11
1. Born This Way - Lady GaGa
2. On the Floor (feat. Pitbull) - Jennifer Lopez
3. Rolling in the Deep - Adele
4. E.T. (feat. Kanye West) - Katy Perry
5. S&M - Rihanna
6. I Need a Doctor (feat. Eminem & Skylar Grey)
7. Grenade - Bruno Mars
8. E.T. (feat. Kanye West)
9. F**kin' Perfect - Pink
10. Blow - Ke$ha
Source: Apple iTunes

Top 10 TV Shows in Prime Time - Week Ending 2/20/11
1. American Idol - Wednesday
2. American Idol - Thursday
3. NCIS
4. NCIS: Los Angeles
5. The Mentalist
6. Two and a Half Men
7. CSI
8. Criminal Minds: Suspect
9. Mike & Molly
10. Criminal Minds
Source: Nielsen Co

Top 5 Most Viewed Videos on YouTube - Week Ending 2/25/11
1. Justin Bieber Shot & Killed on CSI
2. Lady GaGa - Born This Way
3. Britney Spears - Hold It Against Me
4. Kanye West - All Of The Lights
5. Radiohead - Lotus Flower
Source: YouTube

Top 5 Movies - Week Ending 2/17/11
1. Just Go With It
2. Justin Bieber: Never Say Never
3. Gnomeo and Juliet
4. The Eagle
5. The Roommate
Source: Box Office Mojo

Ski Trip

WOW! What a great weekend. I hope you have all taken the time to talk to your student about the incredible time we had on the ski trip. I heard remarks such as; “I can’t believe it is Sunday already and we have to go back tomorrow”, “I wish this trip lasted a week”, “I am definitely going on the ski trip next year”, “The ski trip was so much fun, thanks for putting it together”, “What are the dates for the beach trip; I don’t want to miss it”, “I feel so close to God here.” It is my pleasure to report that everyone who went skiing this year made it to the top of the mountain (what a view) and skied down--this is a first in 13 years. There were no major injuries just a couple of bumps, bruises and one adult hyper extended wrist.

We enjoyed three different sessions taught by Jason from Psalms 1:1-3. We learned how no one intends to get involved in sin and stay there; but if not careful, we get sucked in. Jason shared how we are like a stalk of celery and we take on the nature of what we are “soaked in”. Lastly we discovered how we need to be like a tree planted near the water and how our fruit is fed (influenced) by our surroundings. After each session we would break into small groups. These discussions would last an hour or so, they were asked “What did you hear” and the discussion would start (and great discussion I might add.) We also had a time of worship before each session.
Questions you might ask your student or maybe just some thoughts for you to ponder:
• What did you hear over the weekend?
• What types of influences surround you on a daily basis?
• How can I help you soak up the “good” water so your fruit is sweet?

There are many pictures posted on facebook, take a look at them ask your student’s about them.
As always, I will be praying for you and your family. Let me know if I can help with anything or pray specifically for you in some way.

Thoughts

Some thoughts for Christ Community Church
• Are we serious about developing student leaders?
• Have we created service opportunities within our church (not just within your youth group)?
• Do our teens know about them?
• Our teens think serving and leadership are a status thing. Have we taught them this within our church culture? Do we as leaders lead by serving?
• Are their “jobs” that adults are doing that teenagers could be doing?
• Are adult leaders on the look-out for opportunities to cast a specific vision of how a teenager can serve?

Serving

We just completed week four in our five-week e3 study designed to help students understand God’s purposes for their lives. This week’s lesson, called “Serving in Ministry,” focused on the truth that God’s unique design provides us with the privilege to serve others. My hope is that students will have realized they are gifted to serve and will begin serving others today!

Sometime this week, ask some questions to generate discussion with your teenager about serving others in ministry. Here are some possible questions to ask:
• Share with your teenager how you believe God has gifted you to serve others. What are some ways that you serve others individually?
• As a family, how much do we value the importance of serving? What are some ways that we as a family could serve others in our neighborhood, in our church, and in our community?
• How does serving others in ministry help us grow in our faith?
Carolyn, reminded me to serve today as we walked by a handicapped elderly person with a cart load of groceries and I could have just passed the person by but C. nudged me. Thanks for the reminder.

As always, thanks for the investment of love, time, and prayer you make in your teenager’s life. God will reward your faithful commitment!

Growing in faith

We’ve finished week three in a five-week study at e3 designed to help students understand God’s purposes for their lives. This week’s lesson, called “Growing in Your Faith,” focused on the truth that we were created to know God.



You play an important role in helping your teenager grow spiritually, which is why each week I suggest some questions you can ask your student to generate conversation:

Share with your teenager how you spend time with God. What helps you in your relationship with God? What are the things that hinder your relationship?
How is talking with God similar to talking with your friends? How is it different?
What might your faith look like a year from now if you made a decision to spend time with God each day?

Thanks for your prayers for CCYouth ministry! I’m praying for you and your family, too!

Super Bowl Sunday Schedule

Just a quick note to hopefully clear up some confusion. Due to the super bowl and the fact that community groups start new classes next week, there will be no activities at Christ Community Church tomorrow evening. In other words, no middle school youth tomorrow night February 6, 2011. We look forward to seeing all of you tomorrow for Sunday School as we continue our series in James ("VIVID"). What a time of challenge for each of us, as James has vividly told us to let our faith shine through words and actions.

Women's Retreat @ Christ Community Church

Middle School Youth

Parent note 02/02/2011

We’ve wrapped up week two in our five-week small group study designed to help students understand God’s purposes for their lives. This week’s lesson, called “Making Significant Connections,” focused on understanding the basic need that humans have to be connected with others on a deeper level. Students were challenged to make CCYouth a safe place where members can be real and honest about their lives, and get help from each other to become more like Christ.



Sometime this week, take a moment to ask a few questions to generate some discussion with your teenager about connecting with others:

Share about how you’ve been shaped or “sharpened” by your involvement in a small group or church fellowship. Then ask: How do you think you’d benefit from being involved at CCYouth?
What are some moments in your life when you felt completely accepted for who you are? What factors helped you experience that freedom?
How can you become a more encouraging person to others?


Thanks for your prayers for CCYouth. It’s exciting to see God work in our teenagers’ lives. Have a great week!