African Anglicans slam US church as gay row deepens - Reuters.com

The debate heats up in other denominations too.

Because of Him,

Terry

Democrat Obama urges response to religious right - Reuters.com

Hmmm ... This deserves some discussion. I especially like the quote from Sen. Obama, "Nothing is more transparent than inauthentic expressions of faith -- the politician who shows up at a black church around election time and claps -- off rhythm -- to the gospel choir."

You can also watch it at: http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=2133032

Because of Him,

Terry

July 2006 Newsletter

Hi All,
Last month I talked about prayer. This month I want to tell you about a prayer. The following is an excerpt from the blog that I have been doing as an Elder Commissioner to the 217th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA). The blog can be found at: http://217ga.blogspot.com/

From Sunday, June 18, 2006:
Last night after I left the committee meeting I stopped in the atrium to post to the blog and I ran into Rev. Russell Smith who I had meet earlier in the day because he had found this blog. ... We talked for about an hour during which time he told me about a 4-year-old girl in his congregation whose name is Regan Harper. Regan has cancer. What is worse is that the doctors are baffled as to what to do with this cancer. It is unlike anything that they have dealt with. They have prayed and the Elders have anointed her with oil. I told him that I would pray for her and that I would let our prayer warriors know so they could pray for her too. We I got back to my room I turned on the TV and after a short time I was overwhelmed with the need to pray for Regan and as I began to pray I realized that I needed to look outside and up into the heavens. I had muted the TV but the light from it, my laptop, and the laps that were on in the room were causing a glare so I turned them all off except for the bathroom light so I would not trip around the room. I shut the bathroom door until it was open just enough to let out a little of the light. It was just enough. I went to the window and tried to open the shears but they were stuck in place. I continued my prayer for Regan, her family, her friends, and her church. As I prayed I sank to my knees grabbing the bar on the inside of the window and I looked out into the night sky. To the right of my and just up a little bit I saw it. The unlikely combination of the light that I had on and the shears had created it. I saw the cross. I began to think about when Jesus healed the boy in Matthew 17. It was not about Jesus forcing out the demon that drew me to that passage, it is what he told his followers in verse 20 when He said, "… I tell you the truth, if your faith is as big as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. All things will be possible for you." I also thought about the when Jesus healed the soldier’s servant in Matthew 8:5-11, 13: When Jesus entered the city of Capernaum, an army officer came to him, begging for help. The officer said, "Lord, my servant is at home in bed. He can’t move his body and is in much pain." Jesus said to the officer, "I will go and heal him." The officer answered, "Lord, I am not worthy for you to come into my house. You only need to command it, and my servant will be healed. I, too, am a man under the authority of others, and I have soldiers under my command. I tell one soldier, ‘Go,’ and he goes. I tell another soldier, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and my servant does it. When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. He said to those who were following him, "I tell you the truth, this is the greatest faith I have found, even in Israel. …Then Jesus said to the officer, "Go home. Your servant will be healed just as you believed he would." And his servant was healed that same hour. I am not sure that I have as much faith as the soldier, but I would like to think that I do. I do know that I have faith at least the size of a mustard seed and Jesus had told his followers that that would be large enough. I know that God is holding Regan in His arms and that He will heal her because Jesus has already told me that my faith is big enough. As I reflected on this time today I realized that it was not just a cross that I had seen. I also saw a white flowing robe and I believe that as I prayed last night that Jesus was giving me His undivided attention. Praise God. Thank you Jesus. Please say a prayer for Regan and her family; I know they would deeply appreciate it.

From Tuesday, June 27, 2006:
More prayers for Regan...
This past Saturday (6/24/2006) Raising Praise Ministries and The New 89.1 The Spirit presented a free concert at Marion (IA) Square Park at which our Praise & Worship team performed. Prior to our turn I went to the prayer tent to ask for prayer for Regan. What happened next blew my mind. I told those that were there about Regan and about my previous prayer for her. Instead of us holding hands they wanted to lay hands on me, that is when I say it out of the corner of my eye. There was a child size Barbie foldable chair. I immediately grabbed it and asked that we all stand around the chair and lay hands on it as if Regan was sitting there. Mary Ellen who was heading up the group could not believe it. She is the one that brought the chair not knowing why as she does not have any children that age. Now she knew. They had me take a seat behind the Barbie chair and I laid hands on it, as did those standing in front of it. The rest laid hands on me and we prayed. To say that I was moved would be an understatement. I was blown away. You could feel the presence of the Holy Spirit there moving around us. We prayed and prayed. I don't think that there was a dry eye amongst us. There are now at least two groups of prayer warriors in the Cedar Rapids/Marion area that are praying for Regan, her family, friends, and church. God's Blessings to you.

Because of Him,

Terry

Upcoming Meetings
July:

• Join us on the 5th for movie night beginning at 5:15 PM. This would be a great night to invite some friends, just let us know how many are coming so we can make sure that we have enough to eat (please be sure to bring $3 to help cover the cost of the meal). Are you part of another youth group? Have your youth leader get a hold of us; we would love to have you join us!
• On the 12th and the 26th we will worship and fellowship from 5:45 to 6:45 P.M.
• There is no youth group on July 19th.

Events not scheduled yet will be announced as far in advance as possible so you can make plans to attend.
The movie scheduled to be shown could change without warning due to availability.

Upcoming Concerts/Events
July
18th Hus Racing League. Youth working in the kitchen from 10 AM - 3 PM. Fundraiser
16th We leave for our first youth mission trip
22nd We return from the mission trip
30th BOOM Sunday - Operation Christmas Child kickoff

Every Monday: Youth Prayer Time, 7 PM at the old SW Target parking lot.
Every Thursday: High School Bible Study
11 AM at Java Creek on the corner of Boyson Road NE and C Ave. NE.
Every Friday: Marion High School Bible Study
11 AM at Perkins on the Collins Road NE.

Times subject to change.

A conversation with God
Hi God. This month is full of new things. We will be going on our first mission trip and ask for safe travel. Bless those that we are going to serve and also the youth that are serving. We pray that you would touch all of their lives in a very special and personal way. Thank you for the blessing of this youth ministry to be a part of an outreach to the Kirkwood students. I pray that we would also be able to reach out to the youth at College Community Schools. In Jesus’ precious and holy name, Amen.

Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his very own. - Psalm 33:12(NCV)

Teen Shares Self-Injury Secret, Tracy Smith Talks To A Teen Who Overcame The Problem - CBS News

How scary it is to feel so bad emotionally that you have to intentionally hurt yourself physically to try and feel better. This article does a nice job of letting us look at what one young woman went through.

June 2006 Newsletter

Hi All,

What if God does not answer my prayer? If you are asking this question you should probably be asking; What if God does not answer my prayer the way that I want him to? God answers all prayers, but sometimes it is not in the way that we think He should. How many people do you think pray that they will win the lottery? If you have seen the movie "Bruce Almighty" you probably remember what happened when Bruce granted everyone's prayers just the way that they wanted -- chaos. So many people won the lottery that they each received less than $20.

Is it in our best interest that God answer all of our prayers exactly how we want Him to? I do not think so. Think about when you ask your parents for something. Do you always get what you asked for? I highly doubt it. Why? Because your parents know what is best for you. It is the same with God. He knows what is best for you. In Job 30:20 Job is talking to his friends and says "I cry out to you, God, but you do not answer; I stand up but you just look at me." Job is looking for answers to his current situation and is not getting what he thinks he should. Later in Job 38 the Lord questions Job, "Then the Lord answered Job from the storm. He said, 'Who is this that makes my purpose unclear by saying things that are not true? Be strong like a man! I will ask you questions, and you must answer me. Where were you when I made the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand.'" God goes on asking Job many more questions. Finally in chapter 42 Job answers the Lord, "Then Job answered the Lord: 'I know that you can do all things and that no plan of yours can be ruined.'"

God hears more prayers every moment of every day than we could even begin to imagine:
Please God,
"… don't let my parents get divorced."
"… make the cancer go away."
"… make me rich."
"… I really want the new Playstation 3 when it gets into the stores."
"… don't make me go to Sunday school."
"… please make that cute girl like me."
"… please bring more people to our church."
Are some of these things wrong to ask for? No. I know that I have prayed for some of them. The thing that we each need to remember is that God answers our prayers in the way that He sees best for us. God also answers our prayers in His time, not ours.

This morning at the Marion High School Bible study a teacher came and sat in the room. She was early as she was a substitute and needed to prepare for the day. As with anyone that enters the room I prayed, "God, I do not know if this teacher knows who you are. It is my prayer this morning that if she does that the words that she hears would be a blessing to her. If she does not know you, please open her heart and mind to hear what is being said. In Jesus name I pray, Amen." I try to keep the prayer short and to the point for a couple of reasons. Many times the teachers and students that come in and out of the room do so rather quickly. The other reason is that I do not want to miss what is being said in the Bible study. When we had finished the teacher said that it was a blessing to hear what she heard this morning. WOW! Hearing that was a blessing to me.

I have also prayed for a couple of people in my life that have chosen to leave me out of their lives at this time. I used to pray that they would change their mind, that they would let me be a part of their lives. I do not pray this anymore. Why? God gave each of us freewill and no matter what God is currently telling them they have the freewill to listen or not to listen. I am still praying, but I am praying for what I know God can do. I am praying that God would soften their hearts to His word. I also pray that God would put someone in each of their lives that would help guide them back to God. Occasionally I see a little light at the end of the tunnel. I just keep reminding myself to leave it in God's hands. He will take care of it. Is it hard? You bet, but God is getting me through it.

So how should you pray? In Matthew 6:9-13 Jesus teaches, "This, then, is how you should pray:
'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.'"

Here is another way to pray called ACTS:
Adoration
Confession
Thanksgiving
Supplication (asking God for our needs and the needs of others)

Because of Him,

Terry

Upcoming Meetings
June:

• Join us on the 14th for movie night beginning at 5:15 PM. This would be a great night to invite some friends, just let us know how many are coming so we can make sure that we have enough to eat (please be sure to bring $3 to help cover the cost of the meal). Are you part of another youth group? Have your youth leader get a hold of us; we would love to have you join us!
• On the 7th and the 28th we will worship and fellowship from 5:45 to 6:45 P.M.
• Confirmation meets for the final time on the 7th from 6:45 – 7:45 P.M.
• Confirmation Sunday is June 11th.

Events not scheduled yet will be announced as far in advance as possible so you can make plans to attend.
The movie scheduled to be shown could change without warning due to availability.

Upcoming Concerts/Events
May
4th Prayer at the Ballpark. Kernel's game followed by prayer and worship in celebration of the Global Day of Prayer
10th Hus Racing League. Youth working in the kitchen from 10 AM - 3 PM. Fundraiser
11th Confirmation Sunday
18th Fathers’ Day

Every Monday: Youth Prayer Time, 7 PM at the old SW Target parking lot.
Every Thursday: High School Bible Study (new time and place begin June 8th) 11 AM at Java Creek on the corner of Boyson Road NE and C Ave. NE.
Every Friday: Marion High School Bible Study (new time and place begin June 9th) 11 AM at Perkins on the Collins Road NE.

Times subject to change.

A conversation with God
Hi God. In case I have not told you lately, I love you with all my heart, soul, and mind. I know I have not told you that enough lately. I also know that I have done some things that are not pleasing to you. Please forgive for my sins. Thank you for Your grace. It is only by Your Grace that I can be saved from my sins. God I even thank you for the times of trouble that I have had because those times of trouble have made me stronger and have brought me closer to you. God I pray for that everyone would come into a closer relationship with you and that they would truly understand how much you love them. In Jesus’ precious and holy name, Amen.

Do not forget to pray. You may be thinking to yourself that God already knows what you are thinking and going through. He still wants to hear it from you. You tell your friends and family what is going on in your life, why not tell your Father God?

Copyright ©2006 180° Youth & Family Life Ministries, a ministry of Hus Presbyterian Church
All rights reserved.

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ChooseRespect.org : Preventing Dating Abuse

Choose Respect is an initiative to help adolescents form healthy relationships to prevent dating abuse before it starts. Healthy relationships are built on a foundation of respect. Respect is a choice, and when you give it, you'll get it in return. So treat others the way you want to be treated. Learn more about how to have healthy dating relationships and prevent dating abuse.