Camp Loucon Fall Retreat 2008

Greetings to you in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I hope this letter finds you well as I find it to be giving me lots of excitement. This is the finals letter of information for you and your child in regards to the 2008 Western Kentucky Fall Retreat. I want to thank you for signing up and participating. If you have not already paid the $25 registration fee, please get it to me by November 2^nd, 2008. Also included is the Camp Loucon Release Form. You must have this properly filled out and returned to Adam before or the day of the retreat.

So here are the particulars in case you overlooked them in the newsletters.

The trip is from November 7^th through the 9^th. That is a Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We will leave at 6:00 pm SHARP. If you can not get here by then due to ride situations, please let either Adam or Leslie know so that we can plan accordingly and pick you up if need be. We will be traveling in our church bus and if we have more than the allowed 15 people, Leslie Hughes will be the additional driver. If we still need more, thanks be to God, we would love to have you. We will return Sunday around 3:30 pm in the church parking lot. (Times of return are subject to change).

Here is the list of items to bring:

warm clothing

clothes that can get dirty

linens and/or sleeping bag

pillow

towels

toiletries/personal hygiene items,

BIBLE,

NOTEBOOKS,

flashlights

Camp Loucon Release Form!

Any questions contact Adam or visit the blog.

**NOTE** Cell phones will be allowed but we are not responsible for them being lost or stolen or damaged. Once we step on the bus, cell-phone usage will be used for talking with parents only. Then once we are at Loucon, they will not be allowed at all. Parents, if you have questions or concerns with this, please let me know. I will have my phone on me at all times (270-313-9375) except for when I’m on the zip line. Also, no iPods or mp3 players or other community preventing devices allowed on the trip.

Finally I want to encourage all of you to be in prayer as we prepare for this retreat. Parents, I hope that you use the time with your children gone to get some good work done, perhaps go on a date, or take that much needed break that you so deserve. I want this retreat to be a restful one for all of us. It will also provide exercise and an opportunity for the youth group to come to learn more about who they are and what God is doing in their lives. If you have any questions please call, email or talk to me. There are fliers around the church if you would like to take a peek at those!

Peace to you in this time of changing seasons!

October 2008: The Not-so-Superheroes

The Not-so-Superhero Like Heroes of the Bible
Batman is the best superhero because ____________________________.
Yeah, right! Spiderman is because _______________________________.
No, no, your both wrong. The all-time best superhero is...Mighty Mouse!

Superheroes. Definitely a fascination of these characters is alive and well amidst our culture today. Walking through any major store you will find Halloween costumes of not so much the traditional zombie or witch costumes, rather, you will find Batman, Spidey, the Hulk and other “great superheroes”. People will do anything to be like them. Why is there such a fascination of these characters?

Cool Costumes
Neato Gadgets
Multiple identities
Or perhaps, the ability to make a difference in the world...perhaps

Often times they are young, good looking, with a confident personality. Yeah they struggle with things, but in the end, they always come out on top and if they don’t at the end of one comic, wait until the next edition and you’ll see them rise to the occasion again and save the world.

Constantly fighting off “evil” and appearing to have it all together.
Yeah, these are perfect candidates for making an impact, changing the world and doing incredible things.

Although they help us escape our problems for a while, we can’t help but ask the question, “What about us?” Think about it, where are the super hero’s at here? When was the last time you saw someone swing down from the roof of the Executive Inn building to save someone? Better yet, when have you looked up and saw an image of a bat in the sky and felt reassured that things were going to be ok?

How are we to live up to these characters? Can we compare to the man who can stop a train, or a man who’s only vice is from another planet far, far away?

Why aren’t there any ordinary people, with ordinary powers that change the world by doing ordinary things? Why can’t I be a superhero? Why can’t I make a difference like them?

In a book that contains lots and lots of stories, there are appearances of some pretty ordinary, world changing people who’s lives were a wreck. Who needed no costume or mask to change the world. People who were young and old; people who again to repeat, were a mess, who did not have it all together, who believed like a superhero: That Another World is Possible.

Moses—A stammering, murderer and Exodizer
Abraham—Old and doubtful who’s offspring became a great nation
King David—Murder, Adulterer, father of a son who was into incest
12 men and women who were misfits, the “un-popular kids of society”
Paul—A murder, blasphemous, doubter and scholar
Finally, classic clown of them all, Jesus—from a nobody mother and father, from a bad part of town, nothing special but a carpenter, hung-out with the misfits of the town.

These people, are contributing authors of the greatest story ever told. A story of a God who used all of these people to save, not just a city, not just a girl, but the entire world. People who were not perfect. People who did not have it all together. People who missed the mark often. People whom no movie would probably ever be made for. People who were just like you and me...an ordinary mess.

Are you ready to become a hero? Are you ready to live into your identity that God has called you into? One with that contains a power much greater than any of the superheroes from our comics and movies. We can be heroes too. Do you believe it? Can you sense it? The seasons are changing and with it hope, peace and love are coming! Get ready ! Embrace yourself for a ride of a life time!

October 2008 Calendar

4th & 5th--FPC Fall Retreat to Leslie Hughes' house where we will pick pumpkins, carve pumpkins, sing, worship, play, and have fun! Meet at the church at 5 pm.

7th--6:30-8:00 pm Our Tuesday night Bible studies continue as we gear up for the LOVE discussion. Our time together for the month of October will be spent on prayer and other spiritual disciplines.

12th--5-7 pm movie night at the church.

14th--6:30-8:00 pm Tuesday Night Bible Study

19th--11:45am-5:00 pm We will be decorating the church for our Freaky Fun Fabulous Fall Festival, eating lunch, watching and Adam and Eve movie and then doing a service project. It will be a full day.

21st--6:30-8:00 pm Tuesday Night Bible Study

26th--our Freaky Fun Fabulous Fall Festival from 5:00pm-7:00 pm. Be thinking of a creative costume!

28th--No Bible study but there is a Youth Ministry team Meeting 7-8 pm

31st--Potential Halloween Ice-Cream social at the church. TBA

Happy Birthday to:
1st--Jack Lashbrook
2nd--George Triplett V
18th--David Triplett
22nd--Wade Zengel
29th--Carolyn Moore

October events to take NOTE of:

October is always a great month for many different reasons. Here are my reasons why I like it this year:

Right away we start out with a bang as we have the FPC youth fall retreat to Leslie’s house where we will get pumpkins (bring $$ for this), carve them, sing, play games, laugh, make memories and simply be with each other. This will be a great time for us to reconnect and grow with each other.

On the 19th we will decorate the church for the FFFFF and watch the awesome Adam and Eve movie and eat some good food. After it plan on going and doing a service project to the Boulware center!

26th is our annual Fabulous Fun Freaky Fall Festival at FPC from 5 to 7 pm. Remember to dress up for we will have a costume party and prizes will be awarded. Get those thinking caps on and come as a creative creature!

On the 31st there is a potential Halloween party in the mix to stay tuned for the details on that!

Throughout the month we will continue to have our Tuesday night Bible Studies! Make sure you plan on attending as we begin a new discussion soon!