Monday, December 29, 2008

YF at Josh and Shelly's this Friday and Leadership Retreat (2nd-3rd)

shelly and i miss you all!

hope everyone had an awesome Christmas and school break with family and friends so far. it was great seeing everyone dress up so pretty/handsome at the Christmas gala :) I haven't checked my e-mail since we left for New Brunswick after the Gala, but thanks for the messages!!! shelly and i wish you a happy new year in advance because we will be hitting the road back to Ottawa and won't have internet access :) (that can be a very good thing, i recommend it once in awhile)

this Friday will be the first time we officially invited you all into our new home, where you should feel free to drop by or have dinner with us if you are feeling great (or having a horrible day/week) you'll be welcome! :) since there is no AWANA on friday your parents will be more available to drop you off at our place instead of church =) (or car pool). our address is in your e-mail inbox. please bring board games, wii controllers/games and food and snacks!

for the many staying for the leadership retreat, you will need your completed form (attached), $10 to help offset the costs of food, sleeping bags (pillows, rollup mattress etc), Bible, paper, writing utensils, toiletries etc. more details are included in the form, be prepared to participate!

see you guys on friday!
Blessings and we miss you all,
josh and shelly from new brunswick, there are a lot of trees as i look out the window.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

YF Bible study this Friday and Christmas Gala Monday

i was told that there was a huge layer of ice on the inside of the front doors during our hot pot last week, a little strange? anyways hope everyone had a good fill, i still have some soy sauce stains on my white hoodie thanks to some careless splashing *ahem!* haha anyways thanks for joining us on friday and for our sunday school in job. i know lots of people had exams on saturday as well, hope those went well!

this friday (19th) we will be having Bible study in the book of Mark, so please bring your Bibles! We will be starting a new Bible study series in the new year as well. this monday (22nd) is the Christmas Gala evening with h2o! many of you have committed to bring food items, submit pictures, MC and plan slideshows so please honor those commitments! :) for those of you in sunday school this week, you'll notice that there were many new cushions donated to the room by broyhill home collections and dropped off by paul racine, there are literally hundreds of dollars worth - so get your parents to check them out next time they are in need of furniture!

our leadership retreat is quickly approaching as well (jan 2-3), if you have been invited or if you feel interested or have the heart to take a more active role in YF, please commit to the date and fill out the 2009 leadership retreat form and return it as soon as possible. it will be a great time of sharing, discovering your gifts and roles, looking into the Bible and planning for upcoming events and/or trips!

see you friday!

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

YF and h2o Hotpot this Friday!

i just got back from the best conference i have ever gone to! it was the most intimate time of worship i've had for a long long time and God really took care of my soul there, i can't even begin to explain to you how amazing it was and the deeper love that i have for Jesus and for each one of you! i literally was in a flood of tears about how much God loves each and every one of you and the love He has given to me for you. i really needed it. i want to message each one of you individually, so expect to hear from me soon via facebook, e-mail or phone. :)

the weather is getting cold now (not good) so its a great time to fellowship around the hotpot (Good!) this friday (12th), we will be hotpotting, dabeenlo-ing and fuogo-ing together!!! they've been hot potting since the dinosaurs were eating trees and tripping one another into the volcanoes! mmm-good! our h2o broskies and sisters will be joining us this week again, it's great to deepen our relationships over the dancing, hotpotting, gala and hopefully much more! we DO need more hotpots though (stove, pot and gas), so if you have a set to bring, please let me know and bring it. please bring $7 to help cover the costs. the beauty of hotpot is that its just as much hanging out and talking as it is eating (unless you never stop eating - im looking at some of you guys). just tell us you are coming so we can buy the right amount (hefty amount) of food and get enough stoves, pots etc! respond with "YEAH. i'm coming josh and i'm bringing my friend ______!" simple as that - or "i'm sorry to be a bummer, but..." ASAP. if you are bringing a pot, please come around 7-7:15pm.

next week is an important Bible study (19th) on friday AND Gala on monday (22nd) and the leadership retreat (2nd to 3rd at our house!). if you are a leader, please commit to it on your calendar, and if you feel led to come or one of us encourages you to come, please come! it's going to be a great time and an important time for you. shelly is working hard on organizing all the food for the gala as well, so please let her know if you can bring something!

you are very loved
see you this Friday!
God bless you

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

YF Blue-Ray Movie Night with Pure Energy

first of all, thanks for the worship together at hillsong and being able to see our own winston up on stage :) you can find pictures on facebook for sure! also for those who showed up on saturday, thanks for encouraging each other with the notes, i read all of mine and felt the 'warm and fuzzies'. it really is amazing to get encouraged, hope you have had time to read yours as well!

this friday, uncle oscar is bringing his blu-ray so we can watch wall-e with pure energy. *garbled voice* WAAHHHLEEE! haha i love that movie. bring your friends, popcorn and snacks for an evening to BE with each other and just have fun. the director of wall-e is a Christian, so you can read a Christianity today interview about the movie with him here. the original plan was to serve in the community again, but due to the busyness of the Christmas, the drop-in center could not accommodate us.

so be nice to shelly, brad, rae-anne, james, salina and oscar this friday as i will be in toronto with pastor shawn and pastor dave for a youth pastor conference this weekend. i'm preparing the next lesson in job for james to teach on sunday, so be attentive to james and the Scripture you will read on sunday please :) also let me know how you are doing, so we can know how to pray for you and catch up over e-mail, coffee or apple cider (as shelly would have it).

extra notes, if you are able to bring food to the gala - please let shelly know.
RSVP to the gala invitations (via e-mail or facebook!) if you are a leader, we ask you to be one or willing to be a leader :), please plan for the annual YF leadership retreat which will be an 24 hour event at our house this year jan 2-3!! let us know, it'll be a good time of discipleship, fellowship, games, food and fun.

have an awesome week, God bless!