A DIFFERENT KIND OF NEW YEARS PARTY!!

What's a "different kind" of New Years Party, you say?  I'm so glad you asked!!

Two things, really.  The first is this:  It's my observation that what these teens need this New Years is to CHILL OUT and relax more than they need a throw down non-stop bash.  Of course that's not universal, just on the whole.  So here's the plan:  We're gonna kick things off around 8:00 on the 31st and have a night of games (for example, a SPADES TOURNAMENT, tables full of board games, the volleyball net set up, etc.), some worship time together to bring the new year in the right way, and showing ALL the videos from 2013 on the big screen as we go through night (there's easily a couple hours worth!).  We'll count down the new year and then head on home after that.

What also makes this a little different is that we would REALLY love for this to be a family affair!  PLEASE COME JOIN US!!  It'll be a blast of a night, and a great chance to have some fun, easy family time!  (Not to mention, who would you trust more to get your kids home than you!)

So here are the basics:
WHO?  ALL RAVE TEENS AND FAMILIES
WHAT? A new years party that gives everybody a chance to relax and have a good time!
WHEN?  8:00 pm on New Years Eve till 12:30 AM
WHERE? Rob Ave youth hall and gym
WHAT DO I BRING?  Just bring your favorite snack food and board games, and I'll get the drinks there!

It's gonna be a great, relaxing night!  COME JOIN US!

CLOTHING GIVEAWAY!!

It's time once again for one of the most beautiful things we do at Robinson Avenue!  This is such a wonderful opportunity for our teens to come serve people in amazing ways.  There are so many jobs to be done, from stacking and arranging clothes, keeping tables neat, passing out bags, and bringing out new inventory to serving pancakes, cleaning tables, bringing around coffee, etc.  There's SO much to be done, so EVERYBODY is welcome and needed to come pitch in!

Here are the details..

WHO? YOU AND YOUR TEENS!!
WHAT? A wonderful morning of giving clothing to the naked and food to the hungry...hmm, that sounds familiar..
WHEN?  Saturday, December 13, from 7:30 to around 11:30
WHERE?  Robinson Avenue Church of Christ Family Center
WHAT DO I BRING?  Just a servant's heart!

NOTE: There is NO BETTER WAY to connect with your teens spiritually than to SERVE ALONGSIDE THEM!! Please don't miss this opportunity!

CHRISTMAS PARTY!! (NOW WITH PICS!!)

Well now that the ice is melting away and the roads are clearing a little, it's time to have our Christmas party!!  You probably know most of the details by now, but here's a rundown just in case you've missed them!!

WHO?  ALL RAVE TEENS, their friends, and you're more than welcome to join us!!
WHAT?  A Christmas scavenger hunt, party, gag gift exchange, and new this year: CAROLING!!
WHEN?  Saturday evening, December 13 beginning at the church at 5:30 where we will begin the  scavenger hunt, which will end us up at the POULOS HOUSE at 6:30 where the party will commence and wrap up around 9!
WHERE?  Begins at church, but mostly at the POULOS HOUSE (see above)
WHAT DO I BRING?  A $5 (max) GAG gift, some Christmas cookies if you can, and WEAR A CHEESY SWEATER!! (See the picture above for examples)

There are some surprises being planned by our gracious hosts and crew, so don't miss out on this awesome night!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Folks, we had an AWESOME NIGHT Saturday night!  A HUGE thanks to our SCAVENGER HUNT DRIVERS (Darren Jones, Stacey Smith, Keith Kilmer, Darren Haskins, Rhonda Asencio, and Shannon Bowman..with her partner in crime, Karen Mayes!), Bonita Holroyd and Susan Poulos for coordinating food, plus ALL who sent food for an AMAZING meal, and of course our gracious hosts, Susan and Pano, for opening up just about every inch of their home to the crowd we had that night!! And thank YOU helping us make that night a great one!

Here are some pics from the night!

100th POST RIGHT AT THREE YEARS!!

This is my 100th blog post AND we've just crossed over three years at this church! Three years of planning these things out paid off just right. I'm kidding. You guys know my planning skills aren't quite on that level..

But seriously folks, I could sit here and write for hours about the past three years if I had time.  This past week, on Dec. 1, I celebrated three years at Robinson Ave. You guys have been a family to my family and me since we walked in the doors on Dec. 1, 2010.  I have no doubt in my mind that we are exactly where God wants us to be.  I could go on and on about that subject alone. There are so many reasons I believe that. So many ways I've looked back and seen God's hand in bringing us here, tracing back for years.  Things have worked out just right for so long, and in so many ways.

I hope you all know how much Rachel, Grace, Coop (and soon-to-be Abigail Layne...or Lane...the jury is still out) and I appreciate each and every one of you. We are so thankful for this place. You have been so supportive and generous. We couldn't imagine being anywhere else.

THANK YOU FOR THREE AMAZING YEARS!

JUNIOR HIGH RETREAT!!

With the gorgeous NWA fall comes the chance to have amazing retreats like this one at beautiful camps and parks.  The Junior High Retreat embodies this PERFECTLY!  This is always an amazing weekend, so let's jump at the chance to be part of it! 

This is an area-wide event, meaning Jr High kids from churches of Christ all over the NWA come together to make new Christian friends, worship together, grow together, and make memories and friendships that will literally last a lifetime!  This year's theme is "Out of Place" and is all about being willing to be different from the world and should be GREAT to hear and discuss!

Here are the basics!

WHO?  RAVE Jr High (this means 7th, 8th, and 9th graders) AND PARENTS!!
WHAT?  A weekend full of worship, growth, and tons of fun
WHEN?  October 25-27
WHERE?  Camp Siloam in Siloam Springs
HOW MUCH?  $44
WHAT DO I BRING?  All the usual stuff: Bedding, toiletries, warm and cool weather clothes for Fri-Sun, BIBLE

It's gonna be a GREAT WEEKEND, so sign up on the board outside my office!  PARENTS NEEDED AND WELCOME!

FAMILY NIGHT LIVE COOKOUT!!

THIS SUNDAY IS ANOTHER FAMILY NIGHT LIVE!!  These are always a great time to come together as families and let our hair down and have a great time alongside our teens, and to worship together when the situation allows.  This is one of those times.  We'll eat together, play volleyball together, and most importantly have a devotional time together.  Here are the details!

WHO?  ALL RAVE TEENS AND THEIR FAMILIES
WHAT? A chance to grow closer as families as we eat, play, and worship together
WHEN? Sunday night, Sept 22, 7:00 pm until around 8:30 or 9:00
WHERE? Veterans Memorial Park in Fayetteville, behind Lowe's off of Zion Road
WHAT DO I BRING?  Guys bring chips, girls bring sweets!

FALL RETREAT: REAL!!

Time again for our annual, amazing All Ages Fall Retreat!  This is always a great time to break in the fall, fuel us up for the school year, and spend some beautiful time together in God's creation in the beauty of the fall, worshiping, growing, and spending time together.  It's one of my favorite things we do!

[UPDATE: We've already got right at 60 PEOPLE signed up, and I can add people as late as Tuesday, so let me know ASAP, adults or teens, if you would like to join us!!]

Here are the basics!

WHO?  ALL RAVE TEENS, families, and friends!
WHAT?  A retreat to the beauty of Siloam in the fall for a weekend of worship, growing, learning, and fellowship!
WHEN?  Sept. 13-15  We'll have a TOTALLY OPTIONAL dinner time at Wendy's across from the church at 5:00, and then we'll depart from Robinson Avenue at 6:00.  We'll return Sunday at about 11:00 AM.
WHERE?  New Life Ranch, one of the very best around, in Colcord, OK.  Here's a map!
HOW MUCH?  The cost is $65 (half for adults and their kids) which includes EVERYTHING (shirt, lodging, all food, all activities, etc.  YOU CAN ALSO BRING A LITTLE MONEY FOR THE CANTEEN AND GIFT SHOP, but this is totally up to you.

Our theme is REAL and we'll be diving into the REAL Jesus, as opposed to the image we've given Him over the years, what it means to be REAL ourselves, as opposed to putting on masks and putting up fronts, and closing out by talking about how to see the people around us as they actually are and seeing through their fronts, as opposed to believing that what we see on the outside is how they actually are.  It's gonna be some deep waters, and I can't wait to dive in!!

THE RETURN OF FAMILY NIGHT LIVE!!

HERE ARE SOME PICS OF A GREAT NIGHT OUT!! Thanks for coming out!!

Time to kick off the new school year by coming together as families to spend a great night bowling our little hearts out!  This is a GREAT time for teens and families to spend time together, so bring the fam out for some QUALITY TIME!!

WHO?  ALL RAVE TEENS AND FAMILIES!!
WHEN?  Sunday night, August 25 at 7:00!
WHERE?  Springdale Bowling Center, near the church off 71B
HOW MUCH?  The special Sunday rate is $2 per game, and $2 for shoes! Plus bring a few bucks to eat there if you wanna grab one of their delicious burgers...

EVERYBODY come on out for a GREAT night!

SR HIGH SPRING RETREAT!!

Folks, we've got SO MANY great things underway and coming up!  One of those is the annual SPRING SENIOR HIGH RETREAT!!  This is gonna be a GREAT ONE folks!  We're returning to Sky Ranch, an AMAZING place to come together, get outdoors, have a blast, and focus on strengthening our relationships with God and each other.

I'm so excited to welcome Nick Ruple (He's the one in the middle) as our guest speaker for the retreat, and we've been talking about some AWESOME things that will be going on! A lot of it is a lot different from what you're used to, so DO NOT MISS THIS RETREAT!!

So here's the rundown:
WHO?  RAVE Sr High teens AND PARENTS
WHAT?  An escape from the world for a few days, and an intense focus on God
WHEN?  May 3-5
WHERE? Sky Ranch, one of the best retreat places around
HOW MUCH?  $45 for EVERYTHING (shirt, meals, lodging, extra activities, etc.)
     PLEASE PAY KEITH WHITEHEAD BY APRIL 7
WHAT DO I BRING?  Bedding, toiletries, any sports equipment you would like to bring, clothes for Friday through Sunday, and YOUR BIBLE

This is gonna be a GREAT ONE!!

SENIOR EVENTS!!

Graduation is certainly the most bittersweet time of the year!!  This year's grads leave us no exception to that rule!

We've got dates set for our upcoming chances to honor (and mercilessly insult) the class of 2013!

SENIOR ROAST is May 9
SENIOR SUNDAY is May 19

Mark those calendars and help us honor these amazing Seniors the way they deserve!!

FALL RETREAT 2013!!

TIME TO MARK THOSE CALENDARS!!

We've got dates set for the Fall Retreat (all ages) and as always, this is a highlife of the year!  Always an amazing time, always a spiritual BOOST, always a time to catch our breath and reconnect with God, after school starts!  More info on theme and such as we get closer, but be sure and mark those calendars, because this one is gonna be GREAT!!

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

WHAT?  A chance to grow and worship TOGETHER

WHEN?  September 13-15, 2013

WHERE?  NEW LIFE RANCH, one of the best around, by far!

HOW MUCH?  TBA ASAP

FINALLY...ANNOUNCING OUR 2013 INTERNS!!

Folks, I can't begint to tell you how excited I am to welcome these two as our 2013 summer interns!  We've had a long history of amazing folks in this position, and I have NO DOUBT that these guys are going to dive in and blow our minds!

Here's a special message from each of them!

Ok, ladies first...ladies and gentlemen..

ASHLEY WAGNER!!

I am so excited to meet everyone! I know God will do amazing things this summer and I am honored to be a part of that experience with you. I go to MTSU and love serving the Lord more than anything. I want you to know that I am ready and willing, and will be here when you need me 😊 Add me on Facebook, and I seriously cannot wait to meet everyone!!

God Bless,
Ashley Wagner


and the one and only..
SPENSER BOLTE!!

I'm an avid rock climber, Jesus follower, and beard grower. Graduating from OC this Spring and looking toward graduate school in the Fall. Many of you may already know me, student and parent alike. I am extremely excited to get to work with Robinson Avenue and live Kingdom life together this summer. Feel free to add me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter and ask any questions or just chat it up! Can't wait to begin our adventures this Summer!

In Him,
Spenser Bolte

They will officially join us on May 19, so let's get ready to give them a HUGE welcome and show em some RAVE LOVE!!

JR HIGH RETREAT!!

Dates have been set!!  This is ALWAYS a great weekend, folks.  Imagine Jr High kids getting together from all over the NWA area to get to know their God and each other better!  It's a beautiful thing.  Friendships are formed that last a lifetime.  People are reconnecting with God, or discovering Him for the first time.  Food, games, fun, worship.  GREAT MEMORIES ARE MADE AT JR HIGH RETREAT!!

Of course there will be more info as we get closer to the fall, but here are the basics so you can mark your calendars.

NOTE: PARENTS, please join us!  This is a great weekend for EVERYBODY!!

WHO?  RAVE (and TONS of other) Jr High teens and families
WHAT?  A time to get together with other Jr High kids to worship, grow and connect
WHEN?  October 25-27
WHERE?  TBA ASAP
HOW MUCH?  TBA ASAP

A MONTH OF SUNDAYS!!

Hello all!

I'm SO happy to be back in action after an AMAZING trip to Scotland (more on that soon!), so I just wanted to let you know about Sunday nights in the month of March!  It's gonna be a great month, full of exciting announcements and great time together, so let's start with Sunday nights..

FIRST SUNDAY:  TEEN SMALL GROUP
WHO?  RAVE teens of all ages
WHAT?  A great small group conversation and bible study, food, friends, and good times!
WHEN?  March 3, 7:00 - 8:00 pm
WHERE?  Pano and Susan Poulos' house

SECOND SUNDAY:  The EVENT
WHO?  All RAVE teens, their families, and TONS of teens from NWA and surrounding
WHAT?  A youth gathering of roughly 300 teens to worship, hear an amazing speaker, and spend great time together with other believers (similar to the one we hosted in November) Josh Bundy will be speaking
WHEN?  March 10, leave the building at 4:30, return at 8:30
WHERE?  Bentonville Church of Christ

THIRD SUNDAY:  TEEN SMALL GROUP
WHO?  RAVE teens of all ages
WHAT?  A great small group conversation and bible study, food, friends, and good times!
WHEN?  March 17, 7:00 - 8:00 pm
WHERE?  Rick and Amy Hudgeons' house

FOURTH SUNDAY: FAMILY NIGHT LIVE
WHO?  ALL RAVE TEENS AND FAMILIES
WHAT?  A night of families coming together with their teens to worship, play, eat, and grow TOGETHER!  Couldn't get much better!  This month we're gonna throw down some VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT in the FC and have a great meal and worship time together!  MORE DETAILS SOON!
WHEN?  March 24, 7:00 until about 8:30
WHERE?  Rob Ave C.o.C.

March is gonna be a GREAT MONTH of spending some awesome time together, serving, growing, worshiping and so much more!  Watch for more announcements coming soon, like INTERNS and more!!

GOD BLESS!!
AC

254L: STRANGER!!

Time for another great adventure in service!  We're living out Matthew 25 this school year and we're ready for another shot!  This time we're on "stranger" and we've got a great plan!!  

We're going to go to a local laundry mat.  We're gonna take a BUNCH of quarters to pay for laundry, set up a folding station, setting up a play area for kids, and whatever else we can think of...all for total strangers.  Sound strange??  COME JOIN US AND EXPERIENCE IT!!  

On that note, I would REALLY like to invite parents to come join us for this.  What better way to connect with your teen than by serving alongside each other??

Here are the basics..

WHO?  ALL RAVE TEENS AND THEIR FAMILIES

WHAT?  Living out Matthew 25 by serving strangers

WHEN?  Sunday, March 3, from 2:30 - 4:00 pm

WHERE?  Laundry mat location TBA

WHAT DO I BRING?  $10 in quarters (Let's make that per household, not per person)

This is gonna be a really cool day, so don't miss out!!

WAY TO GO KALEB INTHAVONG!!

GUYS DAY OUT!!

This is gonna be a blast!  FUEL and RAVE are teaming up for a guys day out, a day of pure manliness.  This will be a GREAT time for us to hang out as fathers and sons, brothers, or just homies. A great time at a great game!  MORE INFO SOON on where, but we'll finish up the afternoon with dinner at a manly dive that serves spicy, greasy food!

Here are the basics:
WHO?  ALL RAVE/FUEL GUYS, plus any friends, dads, sons, uncles, nephews, grandsons, etc.
WHAT?  U of A vs. Texas A&M basketball game, then dinner at a dive
WHEN?   March 9 at 1:00, leaving Rob. Ave (carpooling) at about noon
WHERE?  Home game (meet at church)
HOW MUCH?  $18 plus dinner

SIGN UP ON THE BOARD BY MY OFFICE, OR AT FUEL ON WED. NIGHTS!

SUPERBOWL PARTY!!

SUPERBOWL EX EL VEE EYE AYE!!

This Sunday, the Poulos family has invited us to come join them after evening services to their house for a Superbowl party!  There will be awesome game day food and a great time to come watch the game, watch the commercials ;) and have a blast in a Christian environment!  Here's the skinny!

WHO?  All RAVE teens!
WHAT?  A Superbowl party!
WHEN?  Sunday night, Feb. 3, from 7:00 until...
WHERE?  The home of Pano and Susan Poulos (check the directory for address!)
WHAT DO I BRING?  Guys bring CHIPS, gals bring DRINKS!!

JANUARY FAMILY NIGHT LIVE!!

Just a little taste of what a GREAT night it was last night!  THANK YOU KELLIE, STACEY, AND THE REST OF YALL'S CREW!!

It's time for another FAMILY NIGHT LIVE!!  Our last one was a GREAT night at McCain Manor, and this one should be equally as awesome!  This one is gonna be hosted by Kellie Madewell and will be a FAMILY GAME NIGHT, complete with dinner and KARAOKE, so you do NOT wanna miss out on it!  Take a few minutes and have some relaxed and fun family time together!

Here's the rundown!

WHO?  ALL RAVE TEENS AND THEIR FAMILIES
WHAT?  A night of fun, food, fellowship, and worship where teens are surrounded by family!
WHEN?  Sunday night, January 27, following evening church, about 7:00 to about 8:30 or 9
WHERE?  The Springdale Senior Center (HERE are the directions)
WHAT DO I BRING?  Guys bring a drink, girls bring something sweet

The hosts of these Family Night Lives ALWAYS pour themselves into making them great, so EVERYBODY come on out and have a blast with us!  WE NEED YOU!

PS If you would like to host one, please contact me or MIKE VALENTINE and we'll set you right up!

CHRISTEENS!!

CHRISTeens is a GREAT weekend in Russellville, AR.  More than 1,000 teens gather every year to worship, grow, meet and get to know other teens from all over, participate in a service project, see skits and hear amazing speakers.  We stay in host homes and have a great time together.  One of the best events of its kind out there.  This is a GREAT youth rally!

There's a sign up sheet already filling up outside my office, so here's the lowdown..

WHO?  All RAVE teens and any parents that would like to attend
WHAT?  A youth rally for NWA and surrounding area teens
WHEN?  Feb 22-24, we'll leave pretty soon after school on Friday and return Sunday early afternoon
WHERE?  Russellville, AR
HOW MUCH?  $35 ($15 to pre-order a shirt)
WHAT DO I BRING?  BIBLE, clothes for the weekend, sleeping bag and pillow, and ALL your own bathroom and shower needs