community.

its a shame
that some
would walk through life
without others.

i'm blessed.

Summer Camp Videos

Last Week's Schenanigans

Last week, we had a jam-packed week! Not only were we crankin out office work, camp forms, sermon prep, and advertising, we also were VERY social. Kailtin (who is on staff with the youth group with me for the summer) and I spent a lot of time one-on-one with students, which was a blast. In addition, we had three big events...

First was the WACKY TACKY PROGRESSIVE DINNER! So much fun! We had a 3-course meal backwards (since it was wacky tacky) and required costumes and face paint (always a great idea for youth ministry)!

Second was beach day. It was such a great time to connect with students in the ordinary. We got to talk about personal devotional times and what God was teaching them. Kaitlin and I stayed a little longer at the back (which was a bad idea because we got burned BAD!).

Finally, we attended a benefit dinner for a club that one of our students started at her school called Cooking Cause we Care. She was looking for a way to combine her passion for cooking and baking with something meaningful. Last summer, she had the opportunity to visit South Africa (where her mom was born), and was cut to the heart when she saw so many living below the level of poverty and with very little food. She started the club and they cater events, sell christmas cookies, and have baking parties. All of the money they raise goes to South African Food Bank.

They put on a beautiful event in Newport Beach with home-made gourmet 4-course meal! Some of our other youth group students we serving food, cooking, and playing some swanky jazz music! It was awesome to see teens rally around something that mattered to them!

Just a typical week...

Back-Dated

Okay, so a couple days ago I posted a blog on "the Gospel and Discipleship." Strange thing: it back-dated my post to a month ago and now it doesn't show up in the right time.

Here is the post:

http://paintinggalaxies.blogspot.com/2010/01/discipleship-and-gospel.html

It's worth checking out!

Painting Galaxies: Redeeming Culture with the Gospel

So for about two years, my blog has been named Painting Galaxies. I had no good reason for the title other than I thought it sounded cool and captured a creativity that I possess but have difficulty harnessing.

God, in his grace, has recently shown me a new aspect of the title, Painting Galaxies, which has set me a new direction for this blog*. It has to do with what the body of Christ should do to culture: Redeem it. This shows up in a powerful way in Acts 19 when the idol-makers of Ephesus are outraged that the truth of Jesus has shut down their business. CRAZY! Christians changed the economy!!!

This radical, Gospel-centered, Christ-exalting purpose for the Church has not changed. We need to be doing this in our jobs, with our marriages, with our investments, friendships, free time, Facebook accounts, and care for the poor.

Like the Church in Acts 19, saying "no" is only half the witness. In fact, the more powerful witness is what we say "yes" to.

Turn from the idols of culture and run to Jesus. He is the only King.

* Lord willing, I plan to blog a series on different ways we can redeem culture called, "REDEEM IT"

Jesus Wants the Rose

Youth Sunday: LIVE!

Last Sunday, I preached for Youth Sunday.  We wrapped up our summer series: LIVE!  You can listen to the recording here.  The first part is a drama by two of our students (Benny and Alex), playing Nichodemus and the Samaritan Woman.  The sound cuts out in the intro, but none of the important stuff is lost.  Enjoy!

Youth Group ULTIMATE Birthday Party: Summer Kick-off!

On Wednesday, Pacific Church of Irvine's Youth Group celebrated EVERYONE'S birthday with ONE HUGE BIRTHDAY BASH! It was so much fun and was an excellent way to kick off the summer.

We had a ton of great birthday things: awesome decor, poker table, face painting, balloon animals, cotton candy, popcorn, party punch, cupcake decorating contest, musical chairs, hot potato style pass the present, limbo, and goodie bags (with summer ad promotions for youth group, of course)! This was the night we unveiled the PIC Youth Yearbook 2008-2009 as well and they were a hit!

Students brought a lot of new friends, which was awesome! The volunteer involvement was off the charts! I felt like I was actually able to mingle with students because each station was manned by an excellent person who had it down!

Funny moment of the night: The face painting station kind of became a "do it yourself" face painting. Students had crazy artistic talent...well, if you consider abstract talent!

Here are some photo highlights:

Our awesome Senior Pastor, Seth!

Some festive volunteers!

Mark dealing poker with the students!

Pass the present!

Can't see real well, but he got his face painted like Phantom of the Opera!

Balloon (art/animals/intestines)!

Kaitlin taught/forced the Jr. High girls to interpretive dance!

I just love our adult leaders!

No words.

Yep.

God's Chisel

My Senior Pastor/Boss!

Summer 2009 is Approaching...

Volunteer Rally Video

A week or so ago, we showed this video in church to get volunteers for youth and children's ministry.  After a sermon on The Church and The Body of Christ, this is what Pacific Church of Irvine saw.  After service, we had 25 people sign up!  Praise God!

One Year on Staff at PCI

Today--June 1, 1009--marks exactly one year of me being on staff at Pacific Church of Irvine.  It has been a really cool year.  One that has been surprising, exciting, difficult, draining, filling, fun, and well worth it!  I am so blessed to be at our church and I have come to love it and the people there.  Here are some ministry memories in my first year!

• Youth Sundays
• People Hunt
• Ninja Warriors Night
• Beach Days
• You Tube Series
• Vacation Bible School
• Centrifuge Summer Camp
• Youth Room Remodel 
• Bonfires
• Pumpkin Patch
• Glow: All-Nighter
• Lunch with Students
• Pumpkin Patch
• Christmas Party
• Super-Staff Meetings
• Crazy Love
• Student Leadership Retreat
• Rooted, Growing, Serving, Sowing
• Guys Group
• Valentines Spaghetti Dinner
• Beach Cleanup
• 4 Your Friends Outreach
• Church Picnics 
• Old Skool Lego Bible Stories 
• Identity Series 

National Day of Prayer

Join us at Pacific Church of Irvine for our experiential prayer room.  Each station acts as a catalyst to help you pray for the World, our country, our community, personal needs, and then take communion.  The prayer room is open today from 8am-8pm.  Join us for a prayer walk at 9am, 12pm, 3pm, or 6pm! 

Idea Camp

I went to a conference called the Idea Camp last Friday.  It was an awesome conference on creativity, ministry, ideas, and social justice.  The coolest part about it was that is was FREE!!!  The two workshops I attended had to do with the identity of the Church and reaching the :hard to reach." I feel like I grew a lot from it and was really inspired by the speakers in the main sessions.  Adri's blog does a much better job describing the conference. Check it out!

Youth Sunday: "Crazy Love"

Last Sunday I preached on "Crazy Love."  The title and idea was not my own, but came from Francis Chan's book. The Youth Group took over the service and ran everything from sound, offering, greeting, worship, announcements, and artistic scenery.  You can listen to the sermon recording here.  I also showed a video, so you may want to watch it here so you know what's going on.

Productivity!!!

Today I accomplished so much and feel very good about it!

1. Scheduled out the new Phillipians series for Youth Group
2. Sent out my weekly parent letter
3. Contacted our Student Leadership team for our Sunday meeting
4. Prepared "Guy Talk/Girl Talk" small group curriculum
5. Studied, outlined, and prepared Wednesday's message on Phillipians 1:1-11
6. Started planning "4 Your Friends," our friendship outreach for March 4th. 

Woo Hoo for productivity!

Joyce

Today I received a phone call from a woman who lived alone and had no food in her house.  She was unable to get any herself because of her medication and the fact that she was in a wheelchair.  The person who was supposed to be coming to bring her food never showed and she was without a meal for a while.  She asked us if we could help.  I was the only one in the office, so I was unsure of what we usually did for a case like this.  I remembered the money that kids raised for VBS that was in my drawer for this exact purpose!  I picked up a couple students, Josh and Mikey, and brought some groceries over to here.  She was such a wonderful woman, and we were so blessed by her joy and thankfulness.  The Lord provides the needs of all of us.  Joyce was my reminder of that today!

Update From Me

Okay, it has been so long since I have blogged (I feel like I have been saying that all semester!) so I guess I'll just do an update with all of the things I wanted to blog about in one post.  Let's start from the most recent and move backwards....

Youth Group Christmas Party!!!  We decorated gingerbread houses, made ornaments, had a white elephant gift exchange, and wore ugly sweaters!  My sweater was homemade and absolutely scrumptious! 

Earaches and Doctors...  So my earaches came back really strong this week.  I went to my regular doctor (now for the 2nd or 3rd time for the same thing) and he still didn't know what was going on, so he recommended me to an ENT specialist.  They determined that I probably have TMJ (a jaw disorder) and it's pushing up against my ear, and if there is wax in it, I experience a lot of pain and itching.  So I need to clean out my ears about once a week and rest me jaw (ear soft foods, massage it daily, and try not to yawn...is that possible?).  The craziest thing was the table with morbid instruments in the ENT office. Take a look!  

LivingSpaces!!!  This is my new favorite place.  Kaitlin and I frequent it about once a week or so.  We have already bought a loveseat for the condo and we are still looking for a couch.  However, what keeps us coming back is the free Starbucks coffee and homemade chocolate chip cookies!  Seriously!!!!  It's the best date ever!!!

Joy Joy Joy!!!  Last Saturday was Pacific Church's annual Christmas Choir Dessert Theater.  It was such a nice evening, and I decorated a table that Kaitlin and I hosted.  Watch out Marth Stewart! (I must watch too much HGTV!) 

Well, that's about it.  I can't wait for a delicious meal tonight at Mastro's with Kaitlin's family and grandparents!!!  And, oh ya... I GRADUATE TOMORROW!!!!

6 Months

Today marks the 6 months that I have been working at Pacific Church of Irvine!  I have loved every minute of it.  The community is very tight-knit (something that other churches I have been to do not have), the people are fun, and the body of believers seem open to learning and trying new things.  There are so many people I appreciate and Kaitlin and I could not ask for a better place to be in this point of our lives!  So, with 6 months down and many more to go, God bless PCI!