JUST A REMINDER! NO REFUGE THIS WEEK DUE TO MOTHER’S DAY! HAVE A GREAT DAY MOMS!
THIS WEEK, WE BEGIN A NEW SERIES AT REFUGE!
This series is a call to action for students. A call to not slip into lazy Christianity that is so tempting. A call to not expect mom or dad to hold their hand all throughout their walk with God. A call for 7th-12th graders to take initiative. To take responsibility. To OWN IT.
Throughout this series, we will look at a few key areas in the life of a disciple and challenge students to take responsibility in those areas now! Whether in the areas of SERVING, GIVING, BEING ON MISSION WITH THEIR LIVES, ETC., we want to urge students to break the mold of the teenage culture and be passionate about the things that they were made for! Please be praying for our students as we walk through this series! If you’d like to follow along, all of our message are available on podcast here: http://bit.ly/VJeWRQ
See you this Sunday!
Scott Worthington
Student Ministry Pastor
Calling all night owls! We have a ridiculously awesome night coming up that you DO NOT want to miss! On Friday, May 3, we are having our REFUGE ALL-NIGHTER!
Skyzone, movies, bowling, putt-putt, laser tag, and broom ball on ice is happening ALL NIGHT! The madness starts at 8pm on Friday May 3, and end at 8am on Saturday May 4! All the driving will be done by our trained, background checked Refuge leaders.
THE COST IS ONLY $40! And get this…if you bring 2 friends that are new Refuge, YOU GO FOR FREE! That’s how bad we want to meet your friends! ;)
If you are a student and you’re interested, let us know through email, facebook, etc. If you are a parent and you have questions, let us know!
So what are you waiting for? Get to Refuge THIS Sunday at 5pm and SIGNUP!!!!
Here’s all the info you need to know for #EXPOSURE2013!
There are few spots available if you want to signup still! MUST BE TODAY :)
DON’T MISS REFUGE THIS WEEK!
Hey parents and students! I hope you’re having a great week so far. I wanted to shoot you a quick email to HIGHLY ENCOURAGE you (or your student if this is a parent) to BE AT REFUGE THIS WEEK! It’s going to be an awesome night! We are calling this Sunday, INVITE NIGHT as we have been encouraging every Refuge student to bring 1 friend to join them for Refuge.
Again, DON’T MISS REFUGE THIS WEEK! New people will be there, we’ll have pizza, slushies (yes…I said slushies), and a great experience that you and your friends don’t want to miss!
SEE YOU SUNDAY AT 5PM!
THIS WEEK WE BEGIN A NEW STUDY IN OUR STUDENT MINISTRY HERE AT HOPE!
For the next several months at Refuge, we will be walking verse-by-verse through the new testament book of 2 Timothy. We believe there is nothing more beneficial that we can do for students than to open the word of God, read it, study it, apply it, and be challenged by it!
I can’t wait to see the Holy Spirit move and work within our ministry as we study the text of this book. If you miss a week, all of our message are available on podcast here: http://bit.ly/VJeWRQ
See you this Sunday!
Scott Worthington
Student Ministry Pastor
Dear Parents,
I am more excited about what God is doing in our student ministry than ever before! Each week, we’re seeing new students come to Refuge, get plugged in, and grow closer to Jesus! As I begin to share some things with you as parents about what’s happening at Refuge over the next month, I’d like to first say “Thank you”! It is such a privilege to serve as pastor to your students and disciple them alongside you! As we look toward the month of February, we want you to have some information about a new series we are teaching on dating and relationships called HIM+HER.
As you know, the teenage years are obviously years of much change! Physical change, mental change, and spiritual change are just part of growing up! At the same time your students are growing up, they are being BOMBARDED by what the world says is normal, good, and healthy. We believe that most of the time, the world’s view of what is good is not what the Bible calls good. Having said that, we want to teach students what the Bible says about the things they hear about daily from the world. If the church never tackles tough issues and introduces students to the biblical worldview of those issues, how can we expect them to know?
So for 3 weeks starting February 10, we will discuss some big issues regarding sex and dating. Let me be clear: our only source for truth will be the Bible—Not opinion, not the newest dating book, and not the world’s standard. We will look at scripture and teach students based on God’s word. After each message, students will meet in their small groups to discuss further! Here is each week’s topic:
· Week 1 (FEB. 10): In this week, we will look at what the Bible says about “dating”. This will be age appropriate for 7th-12th grade students. (Main Scripture: Genesis 1 / Ephesians 5:22-25)
· Week 2 (FEB. 17): In this week, guys and girls will have their own teaching environments and will see from scripture how to honor God as a young man/woman and how God calls us to honor the opposite sex. (Main Scripture: Proverbs 31 / 1 Corinthians 16:13-14
· Week 3 (FEB. 24): In this week, the Junior High students and High School students have their own teaching environments. We will learn that purity matters to God. He has called us to holiness and purity. This DOES include physical purity despite what the world says.
(Main Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7 / 1 Corinthians 6:18-20)
I want to encourage you to talk with your student throughout the week as they come home and share what was talked about Refuge. For some students, this series will raise some great questions and lead to very cool conversations in your home! Also, I’d love each parent to regularly check our parent blog; which is updated each week with a more detailed explanation of that week’s sermon! Just log on to vegasrefuge.tumblr.com! If you have any questions, cares, or concerns please feel free to call me at the church at (702) 896-5924 or email me at scott@hopechurchonline.com. The student ministry team at Hope is excited and thankful to be able to serve your students and your family!
In Christ,
Scott Worthington
Student Ministry Pastor
Things that are ALIVE have some interesting characteristics. Things that are ALIVE grow, move, are exposed to the elements, and many other things. On the contrary, things that are dead don’t do much! They don’t grow, don’t move, and are not affected by the elements. Clearly, there is a HUGE difference between things that are alive and things that are dead.
What is interesting is that the Bible uses this language to explain our relationship with God. It says that we are either ALIVE in Christ, or DEAD in our sin. Colossians 2 says this in verse 13-14:
When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross!
As we start a new year at Refuge, in a time when everyone and their mom is making resolutions to be better people, be more fit, eat healthier, etc…we want to encourage students that are ALIVE to begin to LIVE like they’re alive and the students that haven’t received life yet (or as the Bible says, are “dead in their sins”) would be raised to life!
We can’t wait to see what God does in this 4-week series as we look at what it means to be ALIVE!
Christmas is only 5 days away! I hope you and your family have enjoyed this holiday season so far and continue to have a great end of 2012! I wanted to remind everyone that we have NO REFUGE on December 23 & December 30 due to the holidays. We are gearing up for a GREAT kickoff on January 6, 2013 so get ready! Also, I want to invite you to join us at Hope for one of our 4 Christmas Eve services. They are taking place on Sunday at 9am & 11am—then again on Monday at 3:30pm & 5:30pm! Come join us!
Please never hesitate to call or email me if we can come alongside your student or your family in any way. I can’t wait to see your family at one of our Christmas Eve services!
Scott Worthington
Student Ministry Pastor
Hope Church
702.896.5924
This Sunday, we celebrate Christmas at Refuge—ugly sweater style!
It happens again this week! We will have a photo booth, food, games, and givewaway for the ugliest of sweaters!
Don’t miss it! Food and Photo booth start at 4:30pm and the rest of the festivities start at 5! Whether you have an ugly sweater or not, COME!
I AM ___________
In this new series at Refuge, we will look at who we are in light of who Jesus is. A change of perspective could change your life!
For our junior high students and parents,
As you know, for the past 2 months, we have been splitting the high school students of Refuge and the junior high students for the message portion of our service. Here’s the truth: it wasn’t as effective as it can be. After talking to moms, dads, students, leaders, etc, we have seen that there is a better way. We want to be honest and humble before you because we take discipling and pouring into your Junior Higher VERY serious. Although the “splitting strategy” did not work as we had hoped, here’s the plan as we move forward:
January-July 2013: As we look forward to launching a completely separate junior high service, we will be very intentional about holding Jr. High specific events all next Spring and Summer. These events will include movie nights, game nights, etc. The purpose will be to build community amongst the middle school students and leaders.
August 2013: Just before the new school year, we will have an overnight event for junior highers only. We will use this event as momentum to launch into our separate service for middle school students.
September 2013: A new, completely self-sustained junior high service will be launched! The day and time is yet to be determined but this will be a high-energy service, staffed with trained adult mentors, a worship team, a teaching team, and all the other elements of a great Refuge service…JUST for junior high!
I want you to know how much we love our junior high students at Refuge. We want to serve them in the best way possible and we look forward to next year as we continue to see what that looks like. Thank you for you patience, grace, and understanding as we walk through this process! Please let us know if there is any questions you may have or of any way we can help you student or your family!
Thankful to be working with your family,
Scott Worthington
Student Pastor
Hope Church
