CRAZY LOVE CLASS!

It's time for a new quarter, a new series, and a new batch of conversations you can have with your teens!  This time, it's gonna come from two great guys:  One is Francis Chan, and the other is Greg Hughes!

Here's a little taste of what Mr. Chan's book is about:  God is love. Crazy, relentless, all-powerful love. Have you ever wondered if we’re missing it? It’s crazy, if you think about it. The God of the universe--the Creator of nitrogen and pine needles, galaxies and E-minor--loves us with a radical, unconditional, self-sacrificing love. And what is our typical response? We go to church, sing songs, and try not to cuss. Whether you’ve verbalized it yet or not...we all know somethings wrong. Does something deep inside your heart long to break free from the status quo? Are you hungry for an authentic faith that addresses the problems of our world with tangible, even radical, solutions? God is calling you to a passionate love relationship with Himself. Because the answer to religious complacency isn’t working harder at a list of do’s and don’ts--it’s falling in love with God. And once you encounter His love, you will never be the same. Because when you’re wildly in love with someone, it changes everything.

Greg is going to take us on this amazing journey during the winter quarter!  THIS IS A PERFECT SERIES TO BRING FRIENDS TO!!  (Let's put what we've just learned about sharing and inviting to use!!)

So here are the details!

WHO? All RAVE teens AND THEIR FRIENDS!!!

WHAT?  A class series on God's amazing, CRAZY love, & the AUTHENTIC faith that follows!

WHEN?  Sunday mornings at in December, January, and February

WHERE?  Rob Ave Youth Room (aka the RAVE CAVE)

WHAT DO I BRING?  a BIBLE, a thirst for God's love, and if you want, a copy of the book!

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER FAMILY NIGHT LIVE

TIME FOR ANOTHER FAMILY NIGHT LIVE!!

A huge thanks to Stacey Smith and Kellie Madewell for putting together an AWESOME FNL in October!  It was a blast!

The next one is being planned out by BILL AND TAMMY MCCAIN, and is going to fall on the Sunday between the regular November and December dates, since those dates would fall on Thanksgiving and Christmas weekends.  They're still working out specific, Christmassy details, but from what they've already told me, it's gonna be a great family night!  I don't wanna spoil it, so MORE DETAILS COMING SOON!!

WHO?  ALL RAVE TEENS AND THEIR FAMILIES!!  (that means YOU!!)
WHAT?  A time of playing, eating, worshiping and bonding AS FAMILIES!!
WHEN?  Sunday, December 9 after evening services
     NOTE: We are going to meet at Culpepper Place Assisted Living Home (across from Harber High school) and go Christmas Caroling for the folks there!  We will meet at 6:00, sing for them, meet and greet them, sing one final song, and then head to the McCains' house.  THIS IS FOR TEENS AND THEIR FAMILIES!!  How great will it be to have that many voices singing to these people!!
WHERE?  Culpepper Place and then Bill and Tammy McCain's house
WHAT DO I BRING?  Just yourself with a smile!

Families are putting a LOT into planning these Family Night Lives, so PLEASE make a point to be there!

254LIFE PROJECT: THIRSTY

PICS FROM AN AMAZING WEEKEND!!  These guys did some awesome stuff and raised money for an awesome cause, all without speaking!  Didn't think they had it in em?  THEY DID!!

FOLKS, I'm pumped about this!!  

Long story short, I've recently contacted the head of a Oklahoma Christian based non-profit organization called "Wishing Well" and discussed what it would take to put a well in a village in Africa, where women and children have to walk miles every day to fill dirty containers with dirty water so their families can have water for the day.  The total cost, start to finish, is $2500.  We can make this happen!!  Here's the plan..

The teens are going to go on a journey like you've never seen.  They're going to have a 24 hour fast from speaking.  24 hours of silence.  We will raise money by asking friends and family to sponsor each teen by pledging a small dollar amount per hour that they survive this process.  The more teens participate, the more money we raise, and the closer we get to saving lives by providing clean water!

While going through this 24 hour period (the details of which are being worked out as we speak), we will do service projects, spend time alone with God, and even come up with ways to worship together, all without using our voices.  WHO KNOWS what kind of amazing things God will show us while we get silent enough to listen to Him!

We passed out pledge sheets on Sunday, and I'll have more available at any time, so be sure they get theirs!

UPDATED INFO!!

MORE SPECIFIC DETAILS COMING VERY SOON!!

Who?  ALL RAVE TEENS

What?  A total fast from using our voices for 24 hours to raise money for a clean water well in Africa

When?  From 9:30 AM on Saturday to 9:30 

       OUR TIME TOGETHER WILL NOT BE THE FULL 24 HOURS

       We will begin the time together at noon on Saturday with the work day for the Clothing Giveaway

       We'll be together till 7, or as each person in able.  We'll finish up at the start of class on Sunday!

Where?  On our own until noon Saturday, then together at Robinson Ave until 7:00 pm

What do I bring?  a VERY open mind and flexible attitude! 

HERE IS THE BASIC SCHEDULE!

Saturday

9:30                Begin on our own

12:00-3:00    Work day for clothing drive

3:00-3:30       Clean up, regroup, and plans for the night

3:30-4:00       Worship music, video, focus time

4:00-5:00        Service time

5:00-5:30       Dinner and games

5:30-6:00       Worship

6:00-7:00       TAWG

7:00                Head home with assignments

Sunday

9:30                Finish at start of class

IT'S GONNA BE AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE!!

RAVE CHRISTMAS PARTY!!

It's CHRISTMAS TIME AGAIN!!  Believe it or not, it's time for our annual, famous RAVE Christmas Party!  We'll dress up in our "best" sweaters, play games, gather round the table and laugh together, play some "dirty Santa" with gag gifts, and go on our infamous Christmas SCAVENGER HUNT!!

Here are the details!

WHO?  ALL RAVE TEENS, parents welcome!!!
WHAT?  An AMAZING Christmas party
WHEN?  Saturday, Dec. 15, from 4:30-7:15, then off to a special surprise!
        We will meet at church and ride the bus at 4:15!! (anybody not going to the surprise will
        need to be picked up at the Valentines' house at 7:15)
WHERE?  the home of the Valentines at 5601 E. Nevada St in Fayetteville
WHAT DO I BRING?
        Wear a BAD SWEATER
        Bring a GAG GIFT, $5 max
        Guys bring drinks, Girls bring desserts!!
        $5 for the special surprise, if your teen wants to go!

The plans are looking awesome, some ready for a yuletide blast of a time!!

The EVENT this Sunday!!

This is gonna be really cool, folks!  The EVENT (formerly known as Sunday Night Live) is bigger and better than ever before, and this Sunday night, we're hosting!  We've got a great speaker, 400 teens worshiping together, food, fun, friendships, the whole 9 yards!!  Youth groups from ALL over NWA, and some from MO and OK will be joining us to worship together!

This is for teens, but EVERYBODY IS INVITED!!  We'll be in the family center at 5:00 for games and fellowship and then we'll dive into some amazing worship time.  

A couple things we're going to do a little differently, that I'm SUPER pumped about:

 1. We've invited one teen guy from each youth group to lead a song for us.  This should be a great chance for these guys to step up and lead.

2. We're asking EVERYBODY to bring cans of soup for the Springdale Samaritan House.  Whether you can come or not, please bring a few cans of soup and help feed some families this winter!

SO here are the basics.  SEE YOU THERE!

WHO?  ALL RAVE TEENS, their friends, AND their families!

WHAT?  A HUGE area-wide worship for teens

WHEN?  This Sunday, Nov. 11 from 5pm to 7pm

WHERE?  Robinson Ave Family Life Center

WHAT DO I BRING?  a BIBLE and SOME CANS OF SOUP!!