Movie Review: 2012

2012

Rated: PG-13, for intense disaster sequences and some language

This 2.5 hour long movie tells the story of the end of Planet Earth as we know it. Due to the rising heat of the sun and the deteriorating crust of the Earth there are constant geological catastrophes that boggle the mind. While some of the occurances may seem unrealistic, it is still a thrill ride that keeps you biting your nails.

2012 is your standard "End of the World" flick with great special effects and very little thought provoking storyline. Of course you can't go into a movie like this expecting amazing acting and gripping plotlines, but you can expect to see incredible special effects and heart pounding action scenes. Although the plot may be a bit cliche and predictable, I do have to admit that I did become a little misty eyed in some scenes. It challenges you to think about what's most important in life. Amidst disaster and destruction, it's not the size of your house, the car you drive or the depth of your bank account that truly matters. When all is lost, the most valuable thing in life is sharing your last moments with the ones you love.

If you're at all interested in seeing 2012 you shouldn't wait until it gets to Blockbuster. This most recent disaster film by Roland Emmerich (Independence Day, Day After Tomorrow) is worth every penny to see on the big screen. Unfortunately we couldn't find it on any IMAX screens; 2012 seems much more "IMAX-worthy" than the current installment of The Christmas Carol. No offense to Jim Carrey.

Bottom Line:

It would be the end of the world if you miss 2012 while it's in theaters.

Winter Retreat 2010

Jr. High and High School Winter Retreat is quickly approaching.

Be sure to get signed up quickly.

We're headed to Camp Koinonia in Cle Elum, WA for a weekend of fun in the snow. You won't want to miss out on this great time of sledding, snowball fights, and growing in your relationship with Jesus. Be sure to invite all of your friends because this is gonna be a blast for anyone.

February 5-7, 2010

$90 for Students & $45 for adult chaperones/drivers

Download the Permission Slip

Forms and Payments Due: January 24th

Mexico Mission Trip 2010

Hurry and get signed up for our Jr. High Mexico Mission Trip. We're headed back down to Rosarito, Mexico for a week of amazing ministry.

We'll be working with a Foursquare Church down there (Hope Chapel Rosarito) and doing worship, dramas, service projects and outreaches. We'll even be down there for Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

This is going to be an incredible and life changing trip that you won't want to miss out on.

The trip is April 1-10, 2010 and costs $850.

Applications and $100 Deposit Due:

Sunday, November 22, 2009.

Downloadable Application

Monthly Newsletter: November 2009

Here's the latest newletter for Uturn Jr. High. You can get all of the most up to date information about events and Uturn news. Stay informed by downloading a copy for yourself. Simply click the image to open the PDF and print it at home.

Purity Month - Starting Soon

The fall season is underway and its time to study what the Bible says about sexual purity. Starting October 11th the Jr. High and High School students will meet separately to discuss God’s design for sex and teaching the importance of remaining pure until and even after marriage.

The discussions of sexual purity will include conversations about such topics as abstinence, entertainment choices, pornography, dating, marriage, lust, fantasy, creating healthy boundaries, masturbation and the purpose of sex. Not only do students need to have these conversations and understand what the Bible says about our sexual purity, but they need to understand why sexual purity is important.

Here’s an outline of the Jr. High Sexual Purity Series
- October 11th – “Commercialized Sex” (Sex in the Media/Culture)
- October 18th – “Distorted Sex” (Homosexuality)
- October 25th – “Flirting with Sex” (How Far is Too Far?)
- November 1st – “Godly Sex” (Dating and Marriage)
- November 7th and 8th – Purity Ceremony in Main Auditorium

Remember, to conclude Purity Month we honor and celebrate the students’ decision to live in purity by having them participate in a purity ceremony during one of the services on the weekend of November 7th and 8th.

This year we’re trying something new in that each week there will be a corresponding worksheet for each student to complete. These worksheets will have activities to complete, questions to answer, Bible verses to read and memorize, and hot topics to have conversations with friends and family members. These simple worksheets are included to ensure comprehension of why sexual purity is important and understanding why they want to make this commitment.

Expectations for Purity Month Participants
- Attend all 4 weeks
- Complete all 4 corresponding worksheets
- Purchase a purity ring (Available at Christian bookstores or local jeweler)
- Attend Purity Ceremony at one of the three weekend services

Please let me know if you're interested in participating this year.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. I’d also like to remind you that you will be able to hear all of the Jr. High Purity Month messages for free on our iTunes Podcast. http://www.tinyurl.com/uturnpodcast

May God bless you and your family during this season.

Sean and April Nault
Jr. High Pastors

seann@eastsidechurch.org

425-488-2500 ext. 336

Popping the Christian Bubble

We recently have been discussing six stereotypes that people outside of the church have about Christians. Our series entitled, Warped Christianity: Bringing Jesus Back into Focus, is based upon the book unChristian. We’ve discussed how nonChristians perceive Christians to be hypocritical, anti-homosexual, judgmental, pushy about conversions, too political and sheltered.

This last Wednesday we chatted about how Christians are seen as sheltered. People view Christ followers as old-fashioned, traditional, and out of touch with reality. The perception is that the church is looking out into the world and running away from all of its “moral filth and evil.” In our fear we encapsulate ourselves in only what seems godly and righteous and we shun anything that doesn’t fit our high moral standards. This sheltered mentality is evident in the church’s attempts at creating “family friendly” or “safe alternatives” to social norms of our culture. Just look at Godspace or Godtube; we are running away from the things our society is creating and trying to make cheap replicas that are Christ oriented.

When I look at Jesus he wasn’t running around teaching people to take the latest social trends and copy them into more godly alternatives. He was teaching people to go and show the unconditional love of God where it needs it the most. If anything he was against people creating little “holy huddles” or “Christian bubbles.”

Examples of Jesus challenging us to break up the holy huddles:
Matthew 5:13-16
Matthew 9:9-14
Matthew 28:19-20
Acts 1:7-8

Obviously there is a balance to be made, we need solid godly friendships that can support us and challenge us in our relationship with God. I believe we all need that sort of godly network or community of fellow Christ followers. What I am against is us getting so comfortable in our exclusive Christian clubs that we neglect to go spend time with people that need Jesus the most. Jesus didn’t just spend time with people that lived righteous and holy lives. In fact he was so UNSHELTERED that the sinners and outcasts of society were drawn to him. They pursued and sought out his company, and yet Jesus didn’t make moral compromises.

So to break this stereotype of Christians being sheltered we must be committed to living lives of purity and holiness, but we also must put ourselves out there and spend time with people outside of the church. We’ve got to stop retreating from or getting defensive about everything we disagree with. Instead we must start be proactive about bringing the unconditional love, mercy and forgiveness of God in tangible ways. Instead of making Faithbook, use your Facebook account to encourage someone or reach out to someone feeling isolated. Rather than complaining about the use of foul language in your schools, start showing respect to your peers and faculty or maybe start randomly texting encouragements to your friends. In place of commenting on the sexual promiscuity of our culture, take a stand and keep your thoughts, words and actions sexually pure or try to raise money and awareness about the sex slave industry running rampant in our culture.

Challenge yourself to get out of your holy huddle this week and show the love of God in a tangible way.

Click here to open our iTunes Podcast Page

Don't Miss Out

A Biblical Lesson from Guitar Hero

The other night I was at home playing Guitar Hero: World Tour with my wife, April, and throughout the evening I was getting throttled. It doesn’t matter how often I’ve played a particular song she will beat me. We can both get 98% of the notes right, but she’ll get a longer streak of correct notes and beat me by 10,000 points. After losing 5 or 6 songs in a row I started to notice a trend. As I was playing I noticed myself occasionally looking over onto her side of the screen and watching how she was playing. Whenever I got Star Power or a 50 note streak I would quickly look at her screen to see if she had achieved the same accomplishment. These continual and frantic analyses lead to the suffering of my performance. Whenever I shifted my focus and began comparing my skills to hers I would make mistakes and miss notes. My pride and boasting of my quick accomplishments lead to comparisons which eventually lead to my demise.

Obviously this is just a silly game, and I’m proud to admit my wife is better at playing videogames than I am; but as I was playing I was reminded of a biblical proverb.

Proverbs 16:18
“First pride, then the crash— the bigger the ego, the harder the fall.”
(Translation: The Message)

The more I thought about this I not only thought that it clearly depicted my Guitar Hero play, but it can also describe our lives. So often we go through life comparing ourselves to others. We filter through thousands of criteria – hair style, clothing, stores we shop at, music we listen to, TV shows we watch, color of paint on our bedroom walls, tattoos on our bodies, social cliques we’re a part of, sports we play, hobbies we enjoy, the way we laugh, how we walk, and much much more. We are continually judging people and critiquing their appearance, their interests and who they are so that we can see how they’d fit within our status quo.

The tough reality that I’ve come to realize is that every time I compare myself to someone I’m belittling God’s creation. If I compare myself to an individual and think they’re amazing, then I’ll make them the golden standard and the evaluation of my self is going to look inferior. I will start belittling myself and hating who I am because I don’t measure up to that individual. On the other hand if I compare myself to someone and they don’t measure up to my standards then I begin to degrade them. I get prideful and begin to look condescendingly upon that person as if they were inferior to me because of the way they dress, their athletic ability or their intellect.

In all reality, who are we to honestly evaluate and judge others. As Jesus says, in Matthew 7, we have our own issues and flaws and that gives me no right to point a finger at someone or make a quick comparison about their character or identity.

Nothing good is going to happen when we start comparing ourselves to other people. This applies to all facets of life – on our sports teams, in the classroom, within our homes and families, within the church or even as we’re playing Guitar Hero.

The Edge - Fall Season Quickly Approaching

Click to download this fall's application for our Jr. High Student Discipleship Program.

Push yourself in your faith this fall; join the Edge.

Let us know if you have any questions:

Jr. High Pastor Sean Nault

seann@eastsidechurch.org or 425-488-2500 ext.336

Monthly Newsletter: August

Here's our Uturn Jr. High Newsletter for August. You can download it and get the latest information regaring the Jr. High group.

Movie Review: Watchmen

Watchmen
Rating: R for strong graphic violence, sexuality, nudity and language

From the director of 300 comes this over the top action flick full of special effects, gory violence and continual sexual content. This comic book adaptation is about what society would be like if crime-fighting vigilantes were a normal part of the culture. The original group of superheroes or "Watchmen" united in the 1940’s and combat local criminals without the help of the local authorities. The film picks up in 1985 when after decades of Watchmen some have retired and new heroes have risen to power, all of this despite the US governments restrictions on masked vigilantes. After the murder of one of the older Watchmen, some of the current rogue Watchmen reunite and begin an investigation. Their discoveries lead to moral crossroads and dilemmas about whether or not they should intercede and help humanity despite society's rejection of the Watchmen.

Look at your Shoe Moments:
This movie had an absurd amount of violence that was both disturbing and extremely graphic. This "action movie" was as uncomfortable to watch as the current horror/torture movies like the Saw series. Also, there was so much sexuality and nudity that the DVD needed to be fast forwarded constantly. For instance, there are prostitutes on the streets that flash people, some of the Watchmen have sex with each other, and there is a Watchman who is completely CGI, but also completely naked throughout most of the movie.

This film was a complete disappointment not only in content, but in plot and storyline. It was way too long at over 3 hrs running time, but it was slow at times, confusing and had a dud for an ending. Hindsight 20/20 we should have shut the DVD off within the first 30 minutes. A movie like this is totally targeting an audience of young men, but I wouldn’t recommend this movie to anyone, especially not teenagers.

Bottom Line:
Don’t Watch Watchmen

The Edge Service Project

On Tuesday, July 14th The Edge went down to Lifepoint Foursquare in Des Moines, WA. We spent the afternoon down there pulling weeds, painting a wall in their preschool room, and doing other random landscaping tasks around their campus. The Edge is our seasonal discipleship program that challenges students to grow in their relationship with God. We do this through biblical discussions, acts of service and even opportunities for leading Bible discussions during Uturn JH services. This summer's Edge group is comprised of 9th grader, Emily Craig, and 8th graders Kyle Horn and Oriana Leach. Despite being one of our smaller seasons they definitely know how to work hard and get things done. They worked so quickly down at Lifepoint that you would have thought there was a huge group of students out there weeding. The Senior Pastors of Lifepoint Foursquare, Rick and Laurie Sherman, were so thankful for their hard labor in the beating sunshine that they treated us to a delicious ice cream cone.

If interested you should sign up for the fall season of The Edge. It takes place from September thru November on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Monthly Newsletter: July 2009

Here's our monthly Jr. High Newsletter. Click on the image and download the PDF of the newsletter. It keeps you informed about Uturn Jr. High and how to stay connected.

Movie Reviews: UP and The Hangover

UP
Rating: PG for some peril and action.

Pixar has done it again. They’ve gone and made a great animated movie that keeps your attention, makes you laugh out loud and has some sentimental value in the end. In their latest flick we’re taken on a journey of an old man who has recently lost his longtime wife and has been forced to sell his home to a new developer. Instead of giving up and walking off into the sunset at the local retirement home he decides to attach thousands of helium balloons to his house and he heads off to an exotic location that he and his late wife always wanted to live.

This was a great story about seeking adventure in life and pushing yourself to move on to the next season of your life. We don’t want to be people who get so stuck in routine and the monotony of life that we miss out on our dreams and aspirations.

If you have the chance you should totally see this in 3D. It was my first full length feature film in 3D and it was amazing.

The Hangover
Rating: R for pervasive language, sexual content including nudity, and some drug material.

This crude comedy is set in Las Vegas when three friends take a buddy for his bachelor party for a night of partying and regrettable moments. The movie shows the guys heading to Vegas for this great night of debauchery, but then skips over the actual party and picks up the next morning. Three of guys wake up in a drunken stupor and realize that the soon to be groom has gone missing. The remainder of the movie is them trying to figure out what happened the night before and retracing their steps so they can find their missing friend. The thing that really bothered me about this movie is that there was no accountability for their actions. Throughout the film and even in the end; no one has to take any real responsibility for their actions. This frustrated me because real life is full of consequences for our actions and we can’t expect to live in sin without taking responsibility for our choices.

Look at Your Shoes Moments:
The whole movie is filled with crude jokes and lots of swearing, and not only that but there are a few moments of nudity. A lady breastfeeds in front of the guys and in another scene a naked man jumps out of a trunk and starts beating the guys up. The worst scenes of nudity were in the credits when they show pictures of what happened at the bachelor party.

The Hangover is one of those movies that has the lure of comedy and nonstop laughter, but there is a cost to seeing it. You’ve got to really ask yourself, is it worth watching a movie that contradicts many of your values about marriage, purity, and self control. Plus because of the nudity, crude jokes and constant swearing a movie like this could be a stumbling block for many and my recommendation is to avoid it all together.

Bigger than Just You

This last weekend we talked about the story of David and Goliath from 1 Samuel 17. Our discussion covered the common issue of identifying the things in our lives that seem huge and immovable, but with God nothing is impossible. We discussed that God enables us to achieve the things he’s asking us to do no matter how large or intimidating it may initially seem.

Recently I had a discussion with my wife April about the topic of David and Goliath and we started looking at the story from a different angle. So often we look at this legendary story with the perspective of our problems, our issues and our hurdles in life. If you look at the story, Goliath is harassing a much larger demographic than just David, he’s taking on all the people of Israel. This got us thinking that instead of just dealing with the “giants” that only affect us personally, what if there were large obstacles, enemies, or issues that were affecting a larger group of people. Such issues as human trafficking, local homelessness, starving families, teen pregnancy, substance abuse, domestic abuse, etc. are all things that affect a larger demographic than just you personally. As Christ followers let’s be people who start stepping up and challenging these issues.

I’m not saying get on your soapbox or pull out a picket sign. I can’t think of anytime when the love of God can be effectively shared through shouting at someone or holding a sign.

What I’m really challenging us to do is start praying about a realistic need that you see in your community, the nation or even the world. Allow God to stir up a passion in your heart for something specific. Then start praying about what you can do to help those affected. Let’s be a people that put our faith into action and show the love of God in genuine and practical ways. So don’t just stop at praying for someone or giving money to an organization, but start taking practical steps to bring about a change. As we start stepping up and making a difference we’ll start seeing the destruction of these “giants” and “Goliaths” in our society that used to seem so immovable and intimidating.

Good Further Reading:
1 Samuel 17

James 2:14-26

Monthly Newsletter: June 2009

Here's the newest Monthly Newsletter for Uturn Jr. High. You can click on the above image to download it right now. These newsletters are a great way to stay informed about upcoming Uturn events and goings on.

Stay in the Loop and Download your Newsletter Today.

Join The Edge this Summer

This is a great opportunity for any Jr. High student that wants more out of Uturn.

Don't miss out this summer on a great opportunity to serve Uturn, Eastside Church and the surrounding communities. The Edge is a program created to give students a chance to grow in their relationship with Christ through biblical study, engaging discussions and service projects.

This is not a "LEADERSHIP" program because Jesus doesn't call us to LEAD, he tells us to be his DISCIPLES, which means to FOLLOW him. So during their time in The Edge they learn practical ways to become better FOLLOWERS of Jesus and his people. Besides, the best leaders are usually the best followers too.

The Summer Season goes from June 23rd thru August 26th. Students come in on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons around 2:30pm.

The $40 cost covers all the provided resources for the season. (book, journal, Edge Tshirt, Bible, end of the season party, and a surprise)

If interested you can download and print the Summer Season Application

All Apps and Money are Due: JUNE 21st

Movie Reviews: Star Trek & Yes Man

Star Trek
This high flying summer blockbuster is a thrill ride from beginning to end. I had the privilege of watching this on the IMAX which because of the huge screen and the bone shaking sound quality it makes you feel like you’re the one hurtling through space on the Enterprise. Some may wonder if they need to be a Trekkie to understand this film, but its definitely made for anyone whether they’re considered half Vulcan or haven’t Trekked much. They did such a good job with the story that anyone can enjoy this film. Its fun to watch the formation of the famous Star Fleet crew and how these legendary characters got into their roles. You learn about the early years of such characters as Captain Kirk and Spock and how they all ended up on the USS Enterprise.

“Look at your Shoes Moments” –
There was one point early on where Kirk’s in bed with a girl and they’re passionately kissing. She’s in her underwear and her roommate comes in as well and she’s in her undergarments too. This scene lasts less than 2 minutes.

Overall this movie is a must see theater movie; you won’t want to settle for DVD on this one. If you enjoy action, humorous one-liners, and a complicated yet intriguing storyline Star Trek is the movie for you.

If you haven’t already you should have Scotty beam you up to the nearest theater to see Star Trek.

Yes Man
We recently watched this Jim Carrey comedy that just hit DVD and Blu-Ray. The basic plotline is that this man who lives a boring and hermit crab lifestyle is confronted by a longtime friend to join a trendy support group. After attending the support group he makes a covenant with himself to say “Yes” to any invitation or proposition thrown his way. Whether its giving a ride to a homeless man, letting someone borrow his cell phone, learning guitar, planning a wedding shower or bungee jumping. As he does this he discovers that life is more enjoyable when you get out of your comfort zone and start experiencing life with others.

It really got me thinking too about saying yes to what God is asking me to do rather than giving him my excuses. As I look for new opportunities and live in obedience there will be a dramatic difference in my daily living.

“Look at your Shoes Moments” –
There are a couple of awkward scenes, swearing and crude jokes are used sporadically, but there is one scene where he’s propositioned to have sexual relations with an older neighbor lady. This was awkward and unnecessary, but could be avoided with a fast forward button.

Overall the movie had its moments of humor and was better than I expected. If your parents object or you’re not a fan of Jim Carrey you’d want to say NO, otherwise I would say YES to seeing Yes Man.

Sex, Drugs & Rock n Roll

For 3 weeks we dialogued about these hot topics in our culture. God did amazing things in the lives of our students and we're beginning to hear some of the stories of freedom. God doesn't want us to live under the influence of anything other than His Spirit. Below are three entries from your Jr. High Adult Volunteers who wanted to share their thoughts on the three topics.

SEX
By: April Nault

As young adults, sexuality can be a big factor in discovering our self image. In result we are, experimenting, dreaming, looking, and lusting; and I think everyone can identify with at least one of these words.
Which word are you toying with right now?
Is it looking at things you know you shouldn’t?
Is it dreaming of that guy or girl and getting emotionally attached?
Is it experimenting and pushing that invisible “how-far-is-too-far” line?

I don’t think people realize that these action words cause us to create habits.

A habit by definition is: an action or pattern of behavior that is repeated so often that it becomes typical of somebody, although he or she may be unaware of it.

By letting ourselves experiment with others, dream of others, lust for others, look at others, or fantasize about others we create these habits. And we’ll bring these habits into our relationships down the road and eventually our marriages.

Q: If your future spouse knew about your current sexual choices would you continue living that way or make a change?

Looking back, Sean doesn’t like to hear that I kissed other guys or got emotionally attached to someone. It hurts him because everything I have emotionally and sexually should be aimed at him and him alone. Unfortunately I didn’t control myself or open my eyes to see what choices I was making back then and how they would affect us now.

Remember that your sexuality is not all about you – but that the choices you make affect others.

Regardless of what “action word” you are toying with – we can all ask for forgiveness for the choices we are making. No sin is too great, in fact the Bible says that in God’s eyes all sin is equal – at the foot of the cross no one is greater or lesser for the choices they make! Rest assured God redeems everything for those who love him.

DRUGS
By: Jessie German

When I began junior high, it really seemed like drugs were everywhere. Every time I turned on the radio to my favorite stations, watched the popular movies, or talked with the kids at school; drugs were involved and influenced our lives. I actually remember telling my mother once “Everyone smokes weed, everyone does drugs”. Because of the people I surrounded myself with, I truly felt that way. My junior high years started a rough road for me. At the age of fourteen, I was addicted to cigarettes, smoked weed and went out and drank regularly. Pretty quickly, I ended up going down a steep hill right out of my parents’ house and into out-patient rehab (rehab while living at home) by the age of sixteen. There were some key people involved with my recovery, without them and their love of God, and if I didn’t allow them to help me, I truly have no idea where I would be.

After going through out-patient, my real journey began. By God’s redemption I was given a second chance with a new life. Of course, I was not able to understand this right from the beginning, but slowly God began to show me.

One of the most difficult things about recovery is being able to forgive yourself. If you are not able to take that step, it is guaranteed that you will trip, as I did many times. The beautiful part is that each and every time, God will forgive you and make you new.

Romans 3:22-25”This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.”If God forgives each and every one of us for our sins, who are we to not forgive ourselves? Just as the verse above says, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are given grace and redemption by the blood of Jesus Christ. No matter our situation, He is the only one faithful. I have found the only way to recover from an addiction is to put your faith in something bigger, and you do not get any bigger than our Lord and Savior.

Romans 6:22-23
”But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

He frees us from our ties and bonds that we tangle ourselves in. In Him you find truth, peace, and wisdom. My life has completely changed since I have fully put my faith in Him. And I have never been happier!

Some questions to think about:
- Is there something in your life that you put your faith in more than God?
- Are there areas of your life that keep you bound?
- Does anyone have any favorite verses of the grace and mercy of God?

ROCK n ROLL
By: Duane Cawthon

What’s on your iPod? Does your music choice affect your walk with Christ? Can lyrics really change your perspective? Or are we just a little paranoid and over sensitive about the influence of media on our lives? This Wednesday we began a dialogue on the influence of music in our lives, and how we can begin to make educated choices on what we listen to. It has been said that music calms the savage beast, but can it also create one?

Philippians 4:8 states,
“Finally, my brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.”

I don’t know about you, but for me, it’s virtually impossible to think about any of the things listed in this verse when I’m listening to most popular music. Now, this is not to say that so called secular or non-Christian music is all bad. There are thousands of songs that uplift, motivate, encourage, and comfort the soul that you won’t find on any Christian radio playlist. Artists such as Common, Linkin Park, Green Day, and even Tupac have personally encouraged me! I have also identified with the violence, anger, and confusion of some of these same artists.

What should I do then? Erase my iPod? Destroy my CD’s? Stay permanently tuned to a Christian station? Perhaps…Not! I believe selectivity and wisdom is the key. As followers of Christ it is important to guard our hearts and minds. (Rom. 12:2, Eph. 4:23, 1 Peter 3:8) A maturing believer is responsible to take ownership of his or her mental and spiritual well-being. It is our duty then, to review and inspect what we are injecting in to our minds just like we would be careful about what we put in our bodies. How can we accomplish this? The following are a few suggestions.

A) Download and actually READ song lyrics. Review the nutritional label of your music just like you would the nutritional label on your food if you were on a specific diet.

B) Research the artist’s catalogue and personal outlook or beliefs. Many artists are openly and aggressively in opposition to Christianity. Why support their agenda?

C) Actually listen to the song. Instead of mindlessly going on with the latest trend or star, decide who you like and why.

This brings us to a choice. Do we add the song to our playlist? Fast forward through the negative parts? Buy the edited Wal-Mart version? Or find something else to listen to? I can’t make the decision for you; I can only share what I did. Recently I was listening to a Lil Wayne CD while driving. As I began to actually listen to the lyrics and vibes of the songs he was singing, I began to reflect on how this music had begun to influence my family. It was as if I were listening to someone verbally abuse my daughters and wife and we enjoyed it! My son loved to sing Lil Wayne songs with me when we heard them on the radio. How would this shape his view of women? Of drugs? Of life? I wouldn’t consider myself a prude by any means and initially the humor, beats and stories of the music was fun, if, you mentally muted the language it contained. But I began to realize the impact this could have, even in the short term, and I began to feel nauseated, literally. The constant references to cars, clothes, drugs, sex, violence, and derogatory statements about women turned my stomach. I eventually ejected the disk, broke it in half, threw it away, and turned on some Jack Johnson! The choice is yours. Choose wisely! I have to go and evaluate my iPod now…and delete Limewire, but that’s another story!

Monthly Newsletter: May 2009

Here's the newest Monthly Newsletter for Uturn Jr. High. You can click on the above image to download it right now. These newsletters are a great way to stay informed about upcoming Uturn events and goings on.

Stay in the Loop and Download your Newsletter Today.

Read and Talk Back

Am I lazy in my faith?
Am I too comfortable in my faith?
Is my relationship with Jesus a routine?
Am I a spectator Christian?

These questions have been rattling in my brain recently and I’ve been challenged to think that we need to be Christ followers who are willing to step into the unknown. We need to be people who are willing and obedient to go outside of our comfort level. I don’t think truly following Christ means everything is easy, comfortable and safe. For example, welcoming someone outside of your circle of friends isn’t always easy. Forgiving someone who hurt you isn’t always comfortable. Admitting your mistakes and asking for forgiveness can definitely push you out of your comfort zone.

In The Gospel According to Starbucks, Leonard Sweet challenges our lazy Christian mentality by saying, “Imagine how different the Christian life would be if it was understood not as something to ponder or to observe in others – but as the one thing in life that has to be fully experienced.”

Jesus also challenges us to be people of action and he warns us against a safe, comfortable and selfish faith in Matthew 16:24, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life.”

I don’t think when Jesus said these words he intended for us to be so comfortable in our faith. Especially when you look at Americans we see a very passive and safe faith that doesn’t want to ruffle feathers or even motivate us to action. We become mere spectator Christians rather than participants. I think we can easily find ourselves sitting in a church service agreeing with everything being preached that fits into our paradigm. But the moment something is said that pushes us to action, contradicts our current perspective or makes us a little uncomfortable we are quick to make excuses like, “well that’s just his interpretation,” or “that’s between them and God, not me.” My fear is that our fear, apathy or laziness could cause us to become “Buffet Christians” who just pick and choose what they want to believe rather than accepting all that we see in God’s Word, in the life of Jesus and what He’s calling us to.

There are many things that God could bring up in a given service that we would simply reject or blow off for one reason or another. Things that may seem a little awkward at first or may cause us to become a more action oriented than usual. Things like fasting, self sacrifice, giving/generosity, serving/volunteering, helping the poor, practicing hospitality, praying aloud, raising our hands in worship, speaking in tongues, getting involved in our church and the local community, asking for forgiveness, giving forgiveness, sharing our faith, inviting someone to church, sexual purity, studying the Bible, prolonged times of prayer, being friendly with people, getting involved with a small group, and the list could go on and on. Some may seem insignificant and simple while others appear way too crazy to be a part of your life. I believe that God wants to teach us and use us in a variety of ways through a variety of different methods, and I think we’re missing out on something if we put God is a safe little box and try to confine Him.

In Communicating for a Change, Andy Stanley had some thoughts on the blessings of being obedient to what God is asking, “Acts of obedience allow our faith to intersect with God’s faithfulness. It is at that intersection that we see God work. And when we see Him work our faith gets bigger.”

That faithful obedience to God’s Word and his guidance is going to stretch us, but it will also bless us. Instead of limiting God’s work in our lives because of our fear or apathy or shear laziness, let’s be a people that push ourselves into the unknown. Let’s be people who through active obedience to God step out of our comfort zones.

Take a few minutes and make a list of the things that would push you out of your comfort zone. Then make realistic and practical goals to do those things over the next three weeks.

Feel free to give us your thoughts. We'd like to know your opinion.

Movie Review: The Day the Earth Stood Still

In this sci-fi thriller mysterious alien spheres start showing up around the world landing in various locations. One very large orb lands in Central Park in New York City. As the military and other key leaders show up to discover what this strange object is it opens and 2 life forms appear from the light. One turns out to be a highly volatile alien that they name GORT. He can disable any technology and destroy anything in its path. The other alien lifeform turns out to be Keanu Reeves. After some long and drawn out interrogations and boring conversations we realize that Keanu's character is trying to warn mankind that their time on earth has come to an end. Apparently these aliens view Earth as a sort of hot commodity in the universe and in an attempt to preserve it they will destroy humans. It was at this point that the movie moved from sci-fi thriller to a preachy, "go green" advertisement.

Despite some cool scenes of visual effects the overall film seemed very unoriginal. And not just because it was a remake. The dialogue, the scenes and even the way it was filmed reminded me of previous movies. There were times that I was reminded of Independence Day, The Happening, The Matrix and Cloverfield. The whole thing just felt like leftovers from these previous movies. The really funny thing is to compare the movie poster's picture of Keanu Reeves with the actual face of Keanu in the movie. There was definitely some work done in Photoshop for those posters because he has definitely aged.

To sum up I would rename this movie, The Day the Plot Stood Still.

Uturn Jr. High Adult Volunteers

Meet the Youth Pastors and Adult Volunteers of Uturn Jr. High that regularly give up their time, energy and lives to serve the Jr. High students of Eastside. Feel free to contact them too.

Name: Sean Nault
Nickname: Naulty
Role @ Uturn: Jr. High Pastor since Jan. '08
Birthday: February 22, 1985
Top Bands: Switchfoot, Coldplay, David Crowder, David Cook, The Fray
Favorite Fast Food: In & Out
1 Goal for your life: Attend the Oscars
Favorite Bible Verse: John 15:16-17
Email: seann@eastsidechurch.org
Twitter: www.twitter.com/seannault

Name: April Nault
Nickname: Mrs. Naulty

Role @ Uturn: Jr. High Pastor since Jan. '08
Birthday: April 22, 1986
Top Bands: Goo Goo Dolls, Backstreet Boys, Justin Timberlake, Linkin Park Top TV Shows: American Idol, CSI: Las Vegas, House Hunters
1 Goal for your life: Sing the National Anthem at a sporting event
Favorite Bible Verse: Proverbs 16:9
Email: apriln@eastsidechurch.org

Name: Jason Langsev
Role @ Uturn: Adult Volunteer since April '09
Birthday: January 8, 1990
Favorite Holiday: National Lumberjack Day
Top TV Shows: The Office, Arrested Development, Seinfeld, Lost
Mac or PC: MAC!!!
Starbucks or Jamba Juice: Starbucks in the morning, Jamba on pretty days
Favorite Bible Verse: 1 Cor. 9:26-27
Email: radiswhereitsat@hotmail.com

Name: Jessica German
Role @ Uturn: Adult Volunteer since July '08
Birthday: July 29, 1988
Top Bands: City & Colour, Tool, Sublime, Jack Johnson
Favorite Gaming Console: Super Nintendo
Starbucks or Jamba Juice: Coffee Always
1 Goal for your life: to finish school
Favorite Bible Verse: Romans 8:38-39 and 1 Corinthians 10:13
Email: jessy_g01@hotmail.com

Name: Josh Potts
Nickname: Potts and Pottsy
Role @ Uturn: Adult Volunteer since July '08
Birthday: June 4, 1987
Favorite Holiday: 4th of July
Favorite Fast Food: Quiznos
1 Goal for your life: have a Youtube video of myself get 1,000,000 hits
Favorite Bible Verse: 2 Kings 2:23-24
Email: joshpotts@comcast.net



Name: Lindsay Horne
Nickname: Eyebrows
Role @ Uturn: Adult Volunteer since Sept '07
Birthday: May 21, 1989
Top Movies: Bourne Series, Madagascar
Favorite Gaming Console: Wii
Favorite Fast Food: Taco Bell
Favorite Bible Verse: Colossians 3:23
Email: lindsay.horne07@northwestu.edu

The Needs of Uturn

Wondering how you can give back to Uturn?
There are a variety of ways to help out the youth ministry of Eastside Church. There are items that we would hope to add to our Student Center, just remember that if they're used they still need to be in good condition. Or if you'd rather donate your time there are many ways that you can help Uturn.

If you would like to fill one of the listed needs please contact Sean Nault @ 425.488.2500 ext.336 or seann@eastsidechurch.org

Material Needs:

• Snack Vending Machine
• Beverage Vending Machine
• Pinball Machine
• Change Machine - converts dollar bills into quarters
• Videogames (consoles, games, controllers)
• Projectors or TVs
• Boardgames
• Sporting equipment
• Couches
• Ping Pong balls and Paddles
• Decor - posters and cardboard standees
• Home Depot or Lowe's Gift cards for small project materials

Volunteer Needs:

• Video editing (events and funny videos)
• Graphic artist (web, logos, fliers)
• Lighting in the Student Center
• Sound and A/V
• Podcasting (video or audio)
• Weekly volunteering at services
• Event Drivers/Chaperones
• Data entry
• Craftsmen
• Small Group Leaders
• Summer Camp Cabin Leaders

If there is something not on the above lists that you would like to contribute, feel free to let us know.

Movie Review: Twilight

Talk about your interesting love story. Going into this movie there was so much hype and publicity that it was built up to be the best movie of all time. In fact there was so much talk about this movie that there was no way it could live up to all the attention.

Twilight is a story about a teenage girl, Bella, who moves from Arizona to the rainy Pacific Northwest. As she’s settling into her high school in Forks, WA she meets a very pale companion, Edward. It’s comical how pasty white Edward and his “family” are. They look like they would glow in the dark. As their friendship continues to blossom she discovers that Edward is in fact a vampire and so are his family members. Throughout the remainder of the movie Bella becomes the prey for other vampires, but Edward steps into the role of protector. To be honest not much really happens. You could tell they were just setting it up for the sequel.

Overall the film was kind of a letdown. The storyline barely progressed beyond the discovery of the vampire family and Bella’s continual crush on the blood sucker. Robert Pattinson spends a lot of his time overacting his role as Edward. It seemed like he was trying too hard to be serious and broody instead it looked like he was confused or even constipated. I do give credit to the film makers for their depiction of the Pacific Northwest. The cinematography accurately portrays the rainy, gray feel of Washington that often zaps us of our jovial moods.

It is interesting to think that girls were flocking to the theaters, renting the DVD’s and reading the books due to their infatuation with Edward the vampire. Why would teenage girls fall for a guy badly in need of a tan and who wants to suck your blood. It reminds me of when the prequel Star Wars movies released and girls fell in love with the handsome Anakin, and they were blind to the fact that he portrays the evil Darth Vader. I’m not trying to read too much into it, but I think it’s funny that girls are interested in a guy because of his pretty face rather than what he represents.

In conclusion, I’m just glad I didn’t spend 10 bucks at the theater to see this movie; Twilight wouldn’t even be worth the matinee price. It was worthy of a DVD rental, but even then I probably could have waited.

Don’t buy into the hype, Twilight will suck your high expectations right out of your veins, and leave you disappointed.

Mexico Mission Trip - Day 7

Thursday was our last and final full day down here in Mexico.  It was so great to end the trip with a bang.  We spent the morning and afternoon working so hard.  The whole team split up into groups and did amazing work around the campus.  Some did landscaping around the church and created a new parking area for the church.  Part of the team finished creating the new soccer field for the youth group which included new goals and chalk lines.  We also were able to convert an old fountain into a new fire pit.  All of which we used later that evening.  In the evening Hope Chapel Rosarito had their youth night, Remedy, and we got to participate.  We dedicated and played soccer on the new field and had dinner together as we watched a picture slide show of the week.  After dinner HCR prayed for us as a team that we would go back into our communities and continue to share the love of Jesus.

Below are a few pics from Remedy tonight...

After youth group we concluded the week with an extended team debrief time in which everyone shared their thoughts about the week and described how they hope to bring an aspect of their trip home with them.  It was an emotional time for many as we shared our experiences and encouraged each other.  Following our debrief we enjoyed the new fire pit with the Godwins and Bainbridges.  The day was a great way to end this trip; it was filled with hard work, open sharing, times of serving each other and having fun with each other.

Thanks to everyone who supported us and made this trip possible.  We couldn't have done it without your prayers.  

Muchos Gracias from the Uturn Jr. High Mexico Mission Team.

Mexico Mission Trip - Day 6

Wednesday was a full day of work and labor for the team.  It was filled with hours of projects around the gated community and the church.  We finished the final touches on the concrete foundation for the food storage unit.  And we were able to sign our names in the concrete.  We felt like celebrities at the Chinese Theater in LA.  :)

We also had some of our team do some heavy duty landscaping.  They spent hours pulling weeds, removing shrubs and plants.  The progress over the course of a few hours was amazing.  We also had some of the team go pick up garbage for a few hours.  Over the course of the afternoon they gathered an entire truck load of garbage and rubbish.  It was incredible to see the difference we made over the course of an afternoon.  Our team poured out their blood, sweat and tears into this campus and the impact is amazing.

Doug and Casey spreading out the concrete mixture to form the foundation

Some of the ladies out picking up trash around the property

The joy and excitement of finishing the concrete foundation and getting to sign our names

At the conclusion of the day we gathered our team together with the families of the missionaries.  We were able to really hear their stories and testimonies of what it was like to pack up your entire family and leave your lives for this church down in Mexico.  Both the Godwins and the Bainbridges were able to share their hearts and experiences.  It was a great night for the students to learn from them and also get prepared for leaving the mission field and entering their own local mission field, Washington.  It was exciting to see the light bulb come on for the students that they can have the same impact back home as they could here.

As the trip is coming to a conclusion please continue to pray for us to have health, safety, and strength to finish the trip well.

Mexico Mission Trip - Day 5

Tuesday was an awesome and jam packed day of doing stuff for God.  We kicked off the morning with an incredible time of group devotions in which every student felt God challenging them to make the most of the remaining trip.  The exciting part is that they seized the moment and put the discussion into action in a short period of time.

Before and after lunch our team split up and worked on two projects around the gated community, Rancho Santini.  One half of the group worked on creating a concrete foundation near the church that would eventually be built into a storage shed for food and clothing.  Hope Chapel Rosarito will use the shed to store such materials for those in need in the surrounding neighborhoods. 

Part of our team receiving instruction for the concrete foundation project

While part of the team was moving dirt and laying a solid concrete foundation, the other part of our team was out on the beach picking up trash.  Directly alongside the community of houses that we're staying in there is a beach that was covered in trash.  Everything from automotive parts, glass bottles, used tires and other miscellaneous garbage.  We ended up picking up two full truck loads of garbage that left the local dumpster overflowing with bags.  The difference was so dramatic and noticeable that local residents have been thanking our team for their hard efforts.

Part of our team celebrating their hard work picking up a ton of garbage off the beach

Once we were done with the day's projects we got cleaned up and headed out for street tacos.  Again they were the best tacos ever.  So tasty.  After dinner we drove to a local Spanish speaking church that we were given an opportunity to serve at.  

Our team in front of the local Spanish-speaking church that we served at on Tuesday night

During the service we had our team perform the pantomime, the puppet show and the interactive story about Moses.  What was really exciting was that all three elements came together to form a cohesive message that Sean was able to preach about.  He delivered a message about the greatest commandments, which are to love God and to love people.  Even from the beginning of the service during worship the students could sense the power of God and that we were a part of something special.  As the evening continued Alex, McKenna, Carrick and Emily were able to share their testimonies of God's power and love in their lives.  Then the night concluded with a powerful response.  Two young ladies made a decision to follow God and accept Jesus into their hearts, and almost the entire room responded for prayer and support in being able to actively show God's love to people.  Our students did such an amazing job ministering to the people of this church, and despite the language barrier you saw that the power of God was at work in the lives of people.  As the night finished the senior pastor had us pray for their youth group because they had recently gone through some tough divisive events. The told us that our team was such an awesome encouragement and sign of hope.  

Our students ministering to the locals during the Tuesday night service

Duane and Sarah Cawthon praying for a local man during our service's ministry time

Our leadership team was tremendously proud of our students for getting out of their comfort zone and being willing to serve the Lord in any way necessary.  They came home Tuesday night totally excited and charged up to serve God in any capacity.  This was super encouraging to see that our students were no longer just spectators, but because of the events this week many of them are now experiencing what its like to be used by God in real practical ways.

Please continue to keep us in your prayers, and we are so grateful for your support.

Mexico Mission Trip - Day 4

Monday was considered our Funday for the trip.  We took the day to rest, recharge and get ready for the upcoming days of projects and hard labor.  If God rested in the creation of the universe, then a group of Jr. Highers definitely need a day of relaxation so that they can refocus for the days ahead.

After breakfast we headed out to the local Rosarito market where students could pick up souvenirs to take home with them.  Everyone seemed to enjoy walking around, looking at the little odds and ends and some even liked haggling for a good deal.  :)

Here's some of the team inside a local shop at the market

Once we were done shopping we went back to the church for lunch and headed out for the beach.  We spent the afternoon at a local beach playing in the ocean, walking in the sand, playing soccer and just enjoying the sunshine.  We roasted hot dogs right there on the beach and concluded the evening with a time of making smores.  Once the sun went down we went back to our rental homes and hit the hay early so that everyone would be well rested for the remainder of the week.

The group at the beach at sunset.  Very Beautiful!!!

Keep an eye out for more updates on our trip and please continue to keep us in your prayers. We've been able to avoid any major injuries or illness, but its only by God's covering.  Thanks again for your support and prayers.

Mexico Mission Trip - Day 3

Sunday morning we woke up had breakfast and headed out to our rental home's patio for morning devotions, as we journaled and meditated on the Great Commission students discussed how they felt called and motivated to be more active in their faith.  That the power of God goes beyond any fear that we may have.

What a view for doing your morning quiet time in the Word

After devotions we got to go to Hope Chapel Rosarito's Sunday service.  The place was full of people for Palm Sunday and it was awesome to be a part of.  The students performed their pantomime and the other half of the team performed their puppet show and interactive story for the little kids.  It was a good experience for students to see different ways of doing church and stretching them out of their comfort zones.  Praise the Lord we witnessed 2 people make decisions to follow Christ in the service.  Many of the students were amazed to see how God can work through people and we didn't even have a long sermon, instead Pastor Sandy shared a short message from her heart.  

After lunch we prepped giveaway baggies for our upcoming outreach.  We made an assembly line and the students filled the bags with tracts, candy, bubbles, and little toys.  We used the bags that we had decorated the previous day.  In total we filled about 100 bags in less than an hour.  Our students are quick and hard workers.

Students filling the giveaway bags for the outreach later that day.

After our bag prep some of us were able to go into the ocean near our house.  We really enjoyed swimming in those big waves.  It was so refreshing to enjoy God's creation like that.  Following our time in the ocean we headed out to a local community, Vista Marina, to do our planned outreach.

We pulled into the neighborhood and corralled as many little kids and families as possible.  At the outreach we had our team do their interactive story, the pantomime and the puppet show.  We concluded by offering an invitation to follow Christ.  It was great for the students to see these kids and their families enjoying all of the students' hard preparations.  There were continual smiles and laughter among the little kids. 

Vista Marina neighborhood where we did our outreach

To finish off the outreach we distributed the bags we had prepared ahead of time.  It was awesome to see the faces on the little kids light up as we gave them this little goodie bag.  It was great to see many of the team interacting with the kids, utilizing their little bit of Spanish vocabulary and showing the love of Jesus.

Goodie bag distribution at the Vista Marina outreach

Our Sunday finished off with a BBQ back at the Godwins' house.  We had burgers, beans and lots of fun.  Our students are doing such a great job of serving, including the locals within our group and showing the love of Jesus.  I continue to hear great things about how caring and respectful our students are.  

Just before we went to bed we celebrated the birthday of one of our teammates, Casey.  We got him a chocolate cake and spelled his name in Captain Crunch Berries.  

Celebrating Casey's 14th birthday with a chocolate cake in Mexico

The trip is going by so quickly, and I know it will be over before we know it.  Please continue to keep us in your prayers and thank you for your support.