Westheights Student Ministries

New Sr. High Series: James- Starts this Thursday

 

Connect is here!

   

Our next 40 Day Spiritual Adventure has arrived at Westheights and this year it's called CONNECT.  For the next 40 days our church is going to spend time talking, learning and living new ways to be a community and what community means for the life of the church.  As part of this adventure there will be three big things going on in WSM:

1. Sr. High Teaching Series

2. Jr. High Teaching Series

3. Skating Party!

As well, your all invited to be a part of all aspects of Connect, including post comment on our blog at connect.westheights.org  All you need is an email and your name and you comment on the various stories, sermons, videos and our digital prayer guide.  If you'd like a paper version of the guide, you can pick on up after the service on Sundays.  Check it out as each entry features a different reflection from a different member of our community each day including many from you!

Head to connect.westheights.com and join in on the fun!

::Sr. High Dinner and Mini Putt:: Saturday, February 20

Senior Highs, join us on Saturday, February 20th at 6:00-9:00pm for dinner at Kelsey's in Cambridge and mini putt at the best place around - Putt Hutt!

::Westheights Skating Party:: Sunday, March 28

Tom and I sat down recently to plan all of the events from now until the end of the school year, and we thought that renting an ice rink sounded like kind of an awesome idea.  

Jesus Take the Wheel? New Series Starts Jan 14th, 2010

::REMINDER:: There is no Sr. High Weekly Meeting until Thursday, January 14th - when this new series starts!

We live in a world saturated by images, sounds and ideas.  Our culture is steeped movies, music, TV, and all sorts of other media; each one trying to teach us, excite us, scare us or stimulate us.  More and more, faith, spirituality and even Jesus himself are making their way into our culture.  What does it means to follow Jesus and live in the midst of this culutre too?  Should Christians watch Borat?  Read Twilight? Listen to Lady GaGa?  Starting on January 14th @ Weekly Meeting, we're going to look at the world around us and ask some tough questions about what we consume, what questions we should ask, and where Jesus is showing up in the songs and stories around us.  Come check it out!

::Sr. High 2010 Party:: Thursday, December 31st

Okay... so maybe this party has nothing to do with the Olympics (other than the 2010 connection)... but how cute are those mascots?!

Join us on Thursday, December 31, 2009 through Friday, January 1, 2010 in exotic New Hamburg for our Sr. High 2010 Party!!

Don't Forget: Lunch with the YouthBuilders this Sunday!

Hey everyone, just a quick reminder that we'll be having pizza after church this week to say goodbye and thank the YouthBuilders for all their hard work this week.  Be sure to bring $2, to help cover the cost of the pizza.  We'll be meeting in the Office Complex classroom from 12:15 to 1:15PM.

Reminder: Early Bird Rate for [re]treat 09!

The last day to get the early bird rate for [re]treat09 is this Sunday, Oct. 25th!  Be sure to get your form and cheque in to either Tom or Gillian this week so you don't miss out on such a great deal.  After this Sunday the rate goes up to $85 so don't delay.

Be sure to check out the post about [re]treat09 for more details about the event!

Meet the YouthBuilders!

Clockwise from top: Nathan Lambert, Andrew Martin, Ayla Kokbas and Ashley Ober.

The YouthBuilders are a team of post-high school students who are spending the next year traveling, teaching and building into the lives of students and leaders across the Brethren in Christ Church.  I had the awesome chance to be a YouthBuilder back on the 2003/2004 team and it's so cool to get to see this new batch come through now that I'm a 'youth pastor'.

The team is going to be at Westheights from Oct. 27th-Nov. 1st and will be helping out with Halloween for Hunger, as well as on Sunday mornings and at Weekly Meeting.  Some of you will even be 'lucky' enough to have one of them stay your house!

To learn more about the YouthBuilders experience check out their site as part of the work of the the Centre for Student Leadership.

(NOTE:: All students [junior and senior high] are invited to a farewell lunch for the YouthBuilders on Sunday, November 1st after church.  Bring $2 for pizza and come hang out with the YBs one last time before they head on to their next adventure.)

::Halloween for Hunger:: Saturday, Oct. 31st, 2009

 

    H4H is back!  Come out Halloween Night (that's Oct. 31st) @6:30PM and help us help the people in our community give to those who don't have enough.  Over 25,000 people in K/W access the Food Bank of Waterloo Region every year and we want to help keep them full going into the holiday season.  Last Halloween we collected over 1700 pounds of from over 600 houses.  This year, we're looking to cross a major threshold and go to 1000 houses!  Come as a family, as friends or just by yourself and feel free to dress up!

[re]treat09:: nov. 13-15th

    Sometimes don't you just want to get away, stop what you're doing and just be?  [re]treat09 will give you the chance to do just that; a chance for Sr. Highs to be with friends, experience God in a new a refreshing way and have a lot of fun doing it!  Spend time in a fantastic chalet in beautiful Blue Mountain, complete with trails, a firepit and a HUGE hotub.  Registration is $75 by Oct. 25th and $85 after that.  Space is limited so sign up today by downloading the registration form after the jump and getting it to Tom and Gillian ASAP.  You can also spread the word by downloading the two images in this post just by clicking on them and getting the big version.  Just right click after that and select 'Save As...'

New Sr. High Discussion Series: the Jesus Manifesto, Starts Sept. 17th

Block Party 09:: Sept. 25th, 6-8PM

Welcome back to WSM!

    Well it's that time of year again.  Time to dust off the old backpack, remember that new locker combo and say a fond farewell to summer.  Before you get all sad and teary, there's is good news!  A new school year doesn't have to be all bad... it means the return of WSM!  Yay!

New Things on the Way

As the summer marches on, we're excited about all the new things that we've got planned for the next school year.  Keep an eye on the site, as we'll be rolling out some new features and a new schedule within the next few weeks.

Enjoy the rest of the summer... we'll see ya soon!

sr. high big beach bash:: june 25th, 2009 1-6PM

Big Beach Bash 09 is coming soon, as in next week.  Here are the details:

When: Thursday, June 25th, 2009 1-6PM

Where: Elora Gorge Provincal Park

How Much: $5

Brings lots of sunblock, a towel and fun things to do.  Your $5 gets you into the park and pays for your food.

* The tubing has been shut down at the park due to excessive rain in the Waterloo area over the last little bit.  Sorry, but we have something else planned ;)

Oh, Dory.

For those of you in Sr. High, you know Dory.  Even if you haven't met her, you know her.  Dory is our friend Matt's cat.  She is a tank.  She is hilarious.

Don't believe me?  Click below.  *You need to have facebook...

REMINDER: Westheights Family Community Carnival this Sunday!

Just a reminder, the Westheights Family Carnival is this Sunday.  If you are joining us to help out, make sure you know what time your helping out where.  The schedule is posted online at here.

See ya Sunday!

 

Pitch and Praise 09:: Thanks for Coming Y'all!

So Pitch has come and left us again for another year.  Thanks for all of you who came, and a special thanks for letting me (Tom) continue to be involved in the video work.  It was amazing to see how God works in the midst of the chaos of such a weekend, and I owe part of that to your openess and willingness to let God move in your life.  I'm continually impressed with how much passion you all have for your relationship with Jesus and your desire to live as Radicals of Love.  I noticed that even though there are 2000 people at this event, the only 7 I wanted to hang out with where you guys!

Please head over to pitchandpraise.com and leave comments on the posts so we can improve the event for next year.  Personally, other then the freezing cold this was one of my favorite Pitches to be involved in.

CHALLENGE 35:: Something To Think About

Ever heard of Penn and Teller?  They are a comedy duo who do a lot of stuff with illusions... maybe you have seen them on TV somewhere.  Wikipedia notes that they are often associated with atheistim (basically the belief that God does not exist).

CHALLENGE 34:: Dear Diary...

Have you ever tried to start keeping a diary or a journal?  Every spiritual disciplines book I have ever read has stressed the importance of "journalling" (that's one of those words... who took that noun and said it could become a verb?!  "Journalling" doesn't really offend me... but the word "dialoguing"? Oh brother...  I admittedly say stuff like that trying to be quirky, but once it becomes commonplace, or worse... "Christianese"... blah!  Maybe it just bugs me when it's used super casually?  Like, "Well Bob, that's an interesting question.  Why don't we get together and dialogue about that over coffee?"  Okay, rant over.)

CHALLENGE 33:: Puts a new spin on "you are what you eat"

Check out this blog:  30on30challenge.blogspot.com

I feel so humbled by this guy's amazing dedication!

CHALLENGE 32:: Saturday Stroll

Go for a walk in the rain.  Wear a raincoat or bring an umbrella if you want... or just get wet!  Think about the renewing power rain has.  Why did God design the world the way he did?

CHALLENGES 27-31:: Playing Catch-Up

CHALLENGE 27:: Pray for your family.  Think about each member of your immediate (and if you have time, your extended) family, one at a time.  Think about the things you are thankful for about them and thank God.  Think about the things you know they struggle with and ask God to help them through those struggles.  Think about what you know about what each family member hopes for and dreams about and pray that they have the courage to act on those things.

CHALLENGE 28::  Pray for your friends the same way as above. 

CHALLENGE 29::  Pray for people in our church the same way as above.

CHALLENGE 30::  Pray for your neighbours the same way as above.

CHALLENGE 31::  Pray for people in your school the same way as above.

SR. HIGH MUDBALL:: may 6, 2009

Spring=Rain
Rain=Mud
Mud=Fun

We're playing a sweet game of soccer this week at Weekly Meeting.  Be sure to bring a change of clothes, wear some clothes you don't mind getting muddy and get ready to win!

We'll be meeting at the church as usual at 7PM.  See ya then!