No Hoarding: Learning to Give Your Life Away

So much of life is about what we're going to receive. We often hear people ask what they'll get in return for their time of service or their giving of a donation. In Acts 20:35 Jesus is quoted as saying, "It is better to give than to receive." I believe that this is more than a warm fuzzy Hallmark cliche; instead its a command for his followers to model their lifestyles after. Life isn't meant to be hoarded for ourselves. We can't go through life trying to consume more, buy more, and keep more for ourselves. God wants to do amazing things in this world, and the awesome part is that he wants you to be a participant in his work. Unfortunately, if we're consumed only with our own needs, we become blind to the needs of others. During our series we discussed the importance of giving away our money through tithes and offerings and that we can't let money become a god in our lives. The second week was a conversation about how we can be generous with our resources and the stuff we currently own. The weekend before Thanksgiving we talked about how part of generosity is having an attitude of gratitude and being thankful for what you have and the people in your life. The fourth week was a discussion about how to be generously giving away your time to serve others. We concluded the series by teaching that Christ followers need to be generous with their forgiveness. We can't be hoarding our lives for ourselves, instead begin to generously give it away to meet the needs of others and expand the kingdom of God.

All of the sermons from this series can be downloaded for free on iTunes, just search "Uturn Bothell" and you'll find them.

Support Youth Missions with Sugar

100% of the sales from our vending machines goes towards youth mission trips to Mexico, Los Angeles, Vietnam, and all over the world. Its only possible when families donate the soda and snacks needed to stock the machines. We're not asking for everyone to break the bank, but imagine if every family bought 1 box of individually wrapped candy or a 12 pack of soda? Our machines would be steadily supplied and the funds wouldn't have to go towards buying more sugar, instead the money helps to send students around the world to share the gospel.

Donations can be dropped off in the Student Center. Contact Sean Nault if you have questions, seann@eastsidechurch.org

Monthly Newsletter: December 2010

Download this month's newsletter and get informed about upcoming events such as the Uturn Xmas party, Winter Camp, and our 1st ever Super Bowl Party. We still have a few spots on our Mexico Team; get those applications and deposits in ASAP. You can click here or the image above to download the PDF of the newsletter.

Uturn JH wants to wish you a Happy Christmas!

Culture of Respect: Part 2

A few weeks ago we had a great discussion at Uturn JH about the topic of respect and honor. Earlier we posted some thoughts that came from that discussion. This week I wanted to post some thoughts from the youth pastor you rarely get to hear from, April Nault. Usually I get the microphone to share, but she wanted to share some thoughts about this topic too.

"When I think about respect at Uturn, I think about remembering someone's name, not talking while someone else is, or listening to what Sean has to say, but what I realized is that these are secondary issues. What should be my primary focus at Uturn? It should be respecting God. Yes, we want to cut down on disruptive talking or playing with our cell phones, but our heart should be "God, I came to Uturn to worship you and learn more about you." This can be hard. Sometimes our days get filled with drama with friends, a fight with mom or dad, homework stacking up, or ___(fill in the blank)____. This requires me to say, "Okay God, what do I need to check at the door or give to you so that my attention is on YOU and not distracted by something else?" We shouldn't cover up, mask, or even diminish what's going on in our lives, but we need to take the personal responsibility to surrender our anxieties, stresses, and issues so that we can better focus on Jesus. My heart for Uturn is tha we would be characterized as people that show respect to each other, but first and foremost to God."

I hope this is an encouragement to you. Would you partner with us in making Uturn JH a place where we honor God and people to the best of our abilities?

Jr. High Winter Camp 2011

Jr. High Winter Camp

January 7th thru 9th, 2011

Cost: $50

Camp Koinonia in Cle Elum, WA

We'll be spending a weekend in the snow for some quality time of building friendships and growing in our relationships with Jesus. The $50 cost will cover transportation, food, lodging, and activities (sledding, snow football, games, movie night, and much much more). We'll be having times of worship, Bible study, and a guest speaker for our teaching times.

This year there is the option for an afternoon of SNOWBOARDING/SKIING for an additional cost. If you choose not to participate there will be plenty of fun and free activities back at camp.

Camp capacity is limited so get signed up soon. This is a great opportunity to invite friends that don't already go to a church.

Click here so you can print off the REGISTRATION PACKET

ATTENTION PARENTS: We need 10-15 carpool drivers, please let us know if you're available to drive.

Culture of Respect: Part 1

Uturn Jr. High took a Wednesday night in November to discuss the topic of respect and honoring each other. Amidst joking and kidding around there can be a lot of disrespect occurring within a large group of people. The leadership of Uturn JH had really been praying that God would bring a shift in our youth group's culture. No longer would we be consumed with degrading others for the sake of a laugh, interrupting someone while they're talking, texting during service, or valuing ourselves above others.

In Romans 12:10, Paul encourages the early church in Rome to, "Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other." Uturn JH is praying that during this school year we would make an effort to have our group characterized by the qualities described in that verse. When a student brings a guest to come check out Uturn JH we want them to experience the same respect, unconditional love, and honor that Paul wanted to see in the Roman church.

During a discussion regarding this topic an 8th grade student, Salina Atsemet, stepped out in boldness to share her thoughts about creating a culture of respect in Uturn JH. Here's what she had to say:

"For me church is and was always about growing with Jesus and building your faith. Church is supposed to be a spiritual place where we come to learn. When I first came to Uturn, I realized that a lot of people here were focused on drama, who was going out with who, or going to the bathroom and never coming back. This made we wonder what we came to church for; just to hang out with friends, to have immature Jr. High fights, or learn and absorb the sermons and build your faith. Uturn has three rules: Respect God, Respect Others, and Respect the Stuff. Sean has told us these things over and over again. As an outsider I think we need to follow these rules by staying within the boundaries, not starting rumors, respecting our parents, focusing on the lessons, not texting during services, and giving our full attention for the hour we're there. The majority of us focus on friends more than we think about God. I know I'm going to try and respect Sean and the other leaders at Uturn, and I hope you will too."

I'm so thankful for Salina's courage to share her thoughts with her peers, as I know it could have been very scary to do so. I believe God is speaking through her to help correct and encourage the entire Uturn JH group to strive to live lifestyles that ooze respect and honor for others.

Sign up Today: Mexico 2011

When:

April 1-9th, 2011
Cost:
$950
(includes everything plus winter camp)

We've already begun the application process for our Mexico Mission trip next April. This annual trip to Rosarito, Mexico is life changing not only for those in Mexico, but also the team members. We do a combination of dramas, skits, service projects, and worship to show the love of Jesus and spread the Gospel. Click here to download the application packet.

Applications and a $100 non-refundable deposit are due November 21st.

Monthly Newsletter: November 2010

Be sure to download and print off a copy of our monthly newsletter so that you can stay informed about all of the latest and greatest Uturn JH stuff. This month's newsletter has details about Friday Night Hang Out, a Christmas tree fundraiser, the Mexico Mission trip, and even Winter Camp 2011. Click here to download.

Greg Laurie Seattle Harvest Crusade

This Saturday, November 6th

Meet at Dick's Drive-in at 5pm

500 Queen Ann Ave N. Seattle, WA 98109

After grabbing a burger we'll walk over to Key Arena.

The Greg Laurie Seattle Harvest starts at 7:30pm and should last about 2hrs.

Students are responsible for their own transportation and money for food/souvenirs.

What is the Greg Laurie Seattle Harvest?

It is a three day outreach event full of great concerts, a relevant message about the Gospel, and lots of fun. Check out their website for more info. Uturn JH is attending and we're encouraging every student to bring along a friend. Whoever brings the most friends will win an autographed Gungor CD.

Lust or Love

Every year Uturn JH takes the month of October to discuss what the Bible says about issues of sexuality, relationships, and intimacy. This year's series was entitled, "Lust or Love" as we distinguished the differences between having our sexuality defined by lustful impulses or patient love. Our culture is saturated with messages about indulging in whatever desire and impulse our hormones driven bodies may crave. Compare that to the messages we see in the Bible about patiently waiting to awaken love until the right time and within God's desired context of marriage. During this three part series we discussed issues of culture, entertainment, pornography, homosexuality, dating, marriage, and how to create safe boundaries. For many students this series created great conversations and challenged them to articulate their thoughts on these intimate topics. For some students this was a great time to learn about sexual purity and they are making a first time commitment to remain sexually pure before and throughout their future marriage. In a society that is so sexually saturated it is crucial that students have regular opportunities to wrestle with these issues and discover God's plan for their sexuality.

All three messages are available for FREE DOWNLOAD on iTunes, just open iTunes and search "Uturn Bothell" to find them.

Movie Review: The Social Network

The Social Network

PG-13 for sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and language

Running Time: 120 minutes

Official Website

IMDb Page

***Reminder: Uturn JH does not always endorse the movies reviewed, we do this to help students and families know about the content and messages within popular movies. We also hope to challenge you to evaluate your own entertainment choices.***

Review:

The Social Network is a well written film depicting the creation of the widely popular and culture-shifting social networking site, Facebook. Site creator, Mark Zuckerberg, is a student at Harvard when he's inspired to create a website that will allow college students to network with each other. The film shows how the creation of the site wasn't an easy process as he faced many lawsuits from peers wanting to sue him for stealing their concept. Zuckerberg also faces legal issues from former friends/business partners demanding their cut of the profits after some shady business decisions. It is interesting to see how Facebook was originally intended for college students, but quickly expanded and grew in popularity.

The entire movie is driven by its quick, witty, and intellectual dialogue, there is almost no action or special effects that would dazzle the eye. There may be a lot of students wanting to rush out to see this movie because they're on Facebook and would therefore be interested in seeing it and posting their thoughts on their Wall. Don't feel complelled to run out and drop tons of cash to see it on the big screen, it's lack visual excitement, superb writing, and great acting will translate to the same level of enjoyment on DVD/Blu-ray.

Look At Your Shoes Moments:

There are few scenes in the film that could have been skipped over, but when you're at the theater you just look at your shoes. Some scenes are set in parties or clubs where the ladies are dancing in their underwear or other skimpy clothes. In one scene two of the main characters have sexual encounters with ladies in a public restroom. No nudity is seen, but sexual acts are implied.

Final Thoughts:

After seeing The Social Network I was definitely inspired by the limitless possibilities of younger generations. Facebook wasn't started by business people, it wasn't created with the intention of altering our culture's daily habits or vernacular, and it wasn't exploited to fill their wallets. These young students wanted to use their talents and technology to create something that people would use and think was cool. It seems so easy for our culture to overlook the young because they lack the proper amount experience, education, or grey hair. We can't forget to encourage and empower younger generations to operate in their God-given gifts, talents, and calling. We don't know the potential of a young person, so how dare we disregard them. I'm a firm believer that we need to constantly be in relationships that allow ourselves to be mentored by the older, but we must remember to build relationships and mentor those younger than ourselves.

Is Your Faith Contagious?

How contagious is your faith?

Throughout the month of September, Uturn JH discussed the importance of intentional evangelism within our social groups, communities, and the world. Our faith in Jesus is not something for us to hold for ourselves, instead it is something to be shared with others. Jesus didn't come to earth and die for the sins of just YOU. He came to defeat the power of sin for the whole world.

1 John 2:2

He is the sacrifice for our sins. He takes away not only our sins but the sins of the world.

It is amazing that we have the privilege of experiencing the grace and forgiveness of God, but now as Christ followers we have the responsibility of sharing that message of grace with the world. Over the course of the series we examined various strategies and tools that would help us be more effective in our evangelistic efforts.

Week ONE

We discussed the importance of having a solid understanding of your theology because its essential that we know what we believe and why we believe it in order to better answer the questions of others. If we don't know what we believe and why we believe it then its really easy to slip into religious routines and habits. Jesus isn't about us going through the holy motions, He wants us to understand what we do and why we do it. Why do we study the Bible? Why do we water baptize people? What is Spirit baptism and the gifts of the Holy Spirit? Why should we honor our parents? What value is there being a part of a local church? I'm sure you've got questions of your own, now what are you doing to find biblical answers?

Week TWO

We also talked about how we need to show our faith through our actions. Whether its through our faithful obedience or acts of service, we have to put our faith into motion. People need to see the transformation that Christ has done in our lives. Obedience is going to speak volumes to those around you because they'll see that they're is something different about your habits, your vocabulary, your attitude, etc. Your obedience to God is going to be contrary to the habits and values of our culture, thus creating opportunities to share why you follow Christ. Through acts of service we can put into practice the same attitude that Jesus modeled.

Matthew 20:28

For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served, but to serve others...
If the Son of God didn't come to be pampered, then we need to get off our comfortable butts and start caring about others more than ourselves. What will you do to identify the needs of others and use what God has given you to meet those needs?

Week THREE

During this week we emphasized the value of being able to share the stories of what God has done in your own life. The CHRISTIANESE word is "testimony", but really its about boldly sharing the practical examples of what the living God has done in your life. If you live with integrity then real stories are great for evangelism because they can't be debated and refuted like theology or Bible verses. People can't argue with a real experience that you had with God. Your stories also have the impact of showing people that God is alive and working today, He's not something only for the ancient times. These stories could be about your salvation through Christ, but they can also be about God's healing, provision, restoring a broken relationship, an answer to prayer, etc. What has God done in your life and how will you share it with others?

Week FOUR

The concluding week of the series finished out with an encouragement to spend time with unchurched people. Its so easy to find ourselves in HOLY HUDDLES or CHRISTIAN CLIQUES that we forget that we need to share the gospel with people not currently in our Christian circles. Its difficult to evangelize when all of your friends are Christ followers. We need to follow the example of Christ and be a friend of sinners, without indulging in sin. Jesus was constantly accused by the religious leaders for being a friend of sinners because he hung out with outcasts, rejects, prostitutes, liars, and others with scary reputations. Jesus knew that the only way the Kingdom of God would expand is if we go and spend time with the unchurched. But at the same time he exemplifies that we don't have to participate in sin to be around sinners. We have to get out of our Christian bubble and hang out with non Christians, showing them grace, mercy, forgiveness, and unconditional love. If you missed any of our sermons, you can download them for FREE on iTunes. Just search for "UTURN BOTHELL" to find our podcast page. Our prayer is that the love of God would become so contagious within our communities that we would experience an EPIDEMIC of LOVE. We're praying that people are seeing and hearing Jesus in their friends and peers and being drawn to Jesus rather than repelled.

How will your faith be contagious this school year?

Summer Camp 2010

The theme this year for the Jr. High Summer Camp was "ONE" meaning that we have ONE faith in ONE God who leads us to ONE hope for ONE way towards salvation. This year there were about 12 different churches from around the Puget Sound area participating in our JH summer camp.

All Camp Photo 2010
Uturn JH Group Photo

Camp this year was an amazing experience for everyone involved. God did an amazing work of building friendships and connecting students through safe and fun fellowship together. Students got to play paintball, swim in the lake, blob each other to new heights, and have a blast doing other activities.

At camp this year we had 4 different local youth pastors as the speakers for the evening sessions. It was awesome to witness students having real and authentic encounters with the living God. Students made decisions to follow Jesus, others received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, many were encouraged and prayed for. Lives were transformed as students entered into dynamic times of worship, teaching, Bible study and cabin discussions.

Keep your eyes and ears open for upcoming events with Uturn JH like Winter Camp, our Mexico Mission trip or next year's Summer Camp.

The Edge: Fall Season

The Edge Fall Season is almost here and we don't want you to miss out.

We kickoff the new season on Tuesday, September 14th

When is The Edge:

Tuesdays 3:30-5pm

Wednesdays 3:30-7:30pm

Who can participate:

Any JH student that wants to help Uturn JH, learn more about Jesus and get connected with other Uturn JH students.

How do I sign up?

Fill out a packet and turn it in with the $40 fee by Tuesday Sept. 14th

Download the Fall Application Packet (PDF Format)

What The Edge did this Summer...

This past summer The Edge had 13 participants who were challenged all summer to put their faith into action. We did service projects at 5 different churches which included landscaping at Northwest Foursquare Church in Federal Way and Lifepoint Church in Des Moines. We teamed up with the youth interns from Grace Church in Federal Way and cleaned up around a low income apartment complex. On one afternoon we helped Lake Sammamish Foursquare Church in Bellevue reorganize their closets and classrooms. Lastly on a summer evening we assisted New Hope Seattle in Shoreline host a community outreach event.

Not only did the students learn to serve other churches, but they also helped in their local community. We distributed hundreds of fliers advertising our 1st ever Fireworks stand; as well as volunteering countless hours at the Fireworks stand the week before July 4th. Each week this group of students made sure Uturn was setup and ready for our weekly service and assisted in the cleanup process.

Over the course of the summer they also had great group discussions which included such topics as servant leadership, being a leader at home, conflict resolution, spiritual gifts, salvation and personal mission statements. All of our students were challenged to articulate their faith and were better prepared to lead not only in Uturn JH but also in their homes and schools.

Hopefully you won't miss out on this upcoming opportunity to get more involved with Uturn JH. Sign up for the Fall Season of The Edge.

If you have any questions contact Pastor Sean Nault
seann@eastsidechurch.org

Students of the Month: August 2010

Elizabeth Hara

9th Grade at Kamiakin Jr. High

Favorite Sports:

figure skating, dance, gymnastics, & volleyball

Top Bands:
Jar and David Archuleta

Favorite Videogame System:
Wii

Best Place for a Burger:

Taco Time

Favorite Bible Verse:
Ephesians 2:18

Alex Rodarmel

9th Grade at Cedar Park Christian School

Top Bands:

Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Weird Al, Led Zepplin

Dream Job:

Rockstar

Famous Person you'd like to Meet:

Jon Bon Jovi

Favorite Bible Verse:
Philippians 4:13

1 Reason you love Uturn JH:

Sean Nault's voice

Bethany Horn

7th Grade at Skyview Jr. High

Top TV shows:

The Office and Chuck

Favorite Superhero:

Spiderman

Dream Job:

I love running, but don't know how to make $$ by running

Best Place for a burger:

Any place with ONIONS

Favorite Bible verse:
Psalm 38:7

Each month we highlight a few students so that you can start to get to know some of the familiar faces of Uturn Jr. High. The next time you're at Uturn Jr. High be sure to fill out an Information Download so that we can stay in contact with you, and you'll be eligible to be a Student of the Month.

UNPLUGGED CHALLENGE

August 11th thru August 21st

Can you unplug from your entertainment and plug into Jesus?

To help us get focused on the upcoming week of summer camp we're challenging all of our Uturn Jr. High students to take up a challenge to unplug from their entertainment and spend more time with Jesus. You'll be amazed how much extra time you'll have and how you're heart will be better prepared to for camp and all that God wants to reveal to you that week.

What we're saying NO to:

TV

Videogames

Movies

Facebook/Twitter

Internet for Entertainment Purposes

Music/Radio/iPods

What we're saying YES to:
Praying about JH camp

Studying the Bible

Listening to God

Personal times of worship

Spending time with family

This is not meant to be a legalist exercise, but rather a chance to get prepared and focused for an exciting and life changing week of camp. Try not to focus on just what you can't do, but be intentional with what you get to do.

Uturn JH Mariners Game

September 2, 2010 @ 7pm
Safeco Field

Cost: $15 each
Tickets available before/after any Uturn service

Start off the fall with a grand slam of fun!

Uturn Jr. High is going to the Mariners Game and we're going to have a blast. This is a great opportunity for Uturn JH families and friends to have a great start to the school year. Not only should you come, but you should bring someone with you.

Help Raise Money:
For each ticket you sell or purchase you'll earn $7 towards your Summer and/or Winter Camp costs. Imagine paying for both your Summer and Winter camp by bringing friends and family to a Mariners game.

If you have questions or want to purchase tickets, contact Pastor Sean Nault seann@eastsidechurch.org

Students of the Month: July 2010

Each month we highlight a few of our students so that you'll get to know some of the students in the Uturn Jr. High community. The next time you're at Uturn Jr High, fill out an information download so that you can stay connected, and keep your eyes open to see if you get selected next month.

Makenzi Wheless

7th Grade

School: Canyon Park Jr. High

Favorite Sports: Volleyball & Softball

Top Movie: New Moon

Dream Job: Architect

Famous Person you'd love to Meet: Miley Cyrus

1 Reason you love Uturn: the Pastors

Alex Koshar

8th Grade

School: Redmond Jr. High

Top Movie: Napoleon Dynamite

Favorite Superhero: Wonder Woman

Famous Person you'd love to Meet: Justin Bieber

Favorite Bible Verse: Psalm 27

1 Goal for your Life: Go to Medical School

Jordan McKenzie

9th Grade

School: Kenmore Jr. High

Favorite Sport: Basketball

Dream Job: Ocean Treasure Hunter

Favorite Superhero: Frozone (from The Incredibles)

Best Place for a Burger: Burger Master

Favorite Bible Verse: 1 Corinthians 10:13

Monthly Newsletter: July 2010

Stay informed by downloading our monthly newsletter with all of the latest and greatest information about Uturn Jr. High

Uturn Service Changes

Hey Uturn Jr. High,

There's some change coming to the weekly Uturn schedule. Starting in September, Jr. High and High School will each have their own Wednesday Night service. Jr. High will be from 6pm-7:10pm, and the High School will be from 7:30-8:40pm. We're really excited about the opportunity to effectively reach each age group for Jesus. The weekend services will remain the same times and structure for now. There will be Uturn Families meetings coming soon so that all of the details can be explained.

Uturn Families Meeting Dates:
Saturday and Sunday, June 12-13 - after each weekend service in the Auditorium by the baptism tank
Wednesday, June 23 @ 8:10pm in the Student Center

If you have any questions about Uturn Jr. High please feel free to contact Pastor Sean Nault, seann@eastsidechurch.org or 425-488-2500 x336

Click here if you'd like a copy of the parent letter in PDF format.

The Edge: Student Discipleship Summer 2010

Click on the image to download the PDF application

Summer Blockbusters and Evangelism

I recently went and saw the new Iron Man 2 in theaters and got to thinking not only about how incredible the special effects were, but I saw a clear connection between summer blockbusters and evangelism. Every May begins the summer rush at your local cineplex as studios send out some of the most anticipated movies of the year. The summer is constantly full of the latest sequels and high budget flicks that create a huge draw to the theater. Which is interesting because summer is usually the best time of year to be outside enjoying the beautiful weather, yet society tends to find itself drawn to the dark, air conditioned sanctuaries of entertainment.

Think about this summer's movie lineup, and ponder which movies you anticipate seeing this summer. Maybe you've yet to see Iron Man 2 so that's at the top of your list, but it could be followed by a long list of cinematic treats such as Shrek 4, Toy Story 3, A-Team, Robin Hood, Twilight: Eclipse, Prince of Persia, or even the latest remake of The Karate Kid. Whatever you taste in movies there's probably at least one or two, if not more, that you're thinking about going to this summer. You'll shell out $10 for the ticket, sneak in some candy in your pockets and if you're in a good mood you'll drop another $15 for popcorn and soda. During the movie you'll be whisked away into another land by special effects and plotlines, and then the movie concludes and you return back to your life.

My question is how did you get the desire to spend the time watching that movie? You might have seen a preview, maybe you read a review or blog, and quite possibly you had heard some buzz of conversation among your friends. No matter the method, excitement was established and it hooked you, you decided to spend your time and money discovering the truth behind all of the hype and hysteria. Then after you start leaving the theater your mind starts to create and articulate your opinions and reviews of the film. Then the outbreak of your movie critique begins to spread as you enter into quick conversations with your friends, peers, and social networks. What's interesting to think about is how quickly our anticipation to see a movie can be affected by these quick conversations and interactions with our peers. When a handful of friends start sharing how great a movie is you'll notice that your interest in it starts to perk up, but when the comments are negative or even nonexistent we can find that our interests begin to fade.

The more I thought about this the more I thought about how our lives can be used to share the excitement of what God has done in our lives. Think about how this metaphor carries over into our spreading of the Gospel.
Movie Trailers/Advertising - As Christians some of us are like the movie previews and advertisers for Jesus. The way that we interact with people, live our lives, and exemplify our faith can either attract or repulse people from Jesus, church, and Christianity. We need to always remember that our lives are living representations for Christ. (2 Corinthians 5)

The Movie - the actual movie experience is like a person's personal experience with Jesus. This is when God becomes real to them. This personal encounter with Jesus could be at a church service, at a summer camp, at a retreat, or even a personal quiet time with God. A relationship with God can't be "transferred" or given to someone by someone else. It is an experience with God that each person must pursue and experience for themselves. Just as having someone tell you the storyline of a movie isn't as good as watching it for yourself. We worship a God that loves each and every person and He desires a relationship with everyone; we should all be pursuing a deeper understanding of who God is, who He's created us to be, and his plan for our lives.

The Buzz - After a personal experience an individual must tell others about it. Think about the joy and excitement you feel after seeing a great movie, you feel that you have to tell everyone you come in contact with. Its not weird, awkward or uncomfortable; its simply sharing your thoughts and feelings about the experience so that others will experience it as well. When God does something in our lives we shouldn't hide it or forget about it, we should share it with joy and excitement. So often I hear people sharing their testimonies and its like they're reciting an old presidential speech with a blank look on their face and a monotone voice. Instead Christ followers should be spontaneously and enthusiastically sharing about their experiences with God because these moments have been real and life changing. Remember evangelism isn't just about rehearsed content, but your tone, emotion, and even body language can play a part in effectively communicating your faith.

Hopefully this summer as you're having a plethora of conversations, interactions, tweets, and Facebook updates; try to mention what's happening in your life more than just the latest and greatest movie you've seen or song you've downloaded. Take initiative to mention what God is doing in your life that week.

Jr. High Summer Camp 2010

Be sure to sign up for this year's Jr. High Summer Camp. It is a week long overnight camp in Ravensdale, WA where over a dozen Foursquare Churches from the Puget Sound area come together to have fun and grow in their relationships with Jesus.

Camp Cost:
$225 if signed up by July 1st

(only the registration form and $100 deposit are due by July 1st)

$250 if signed up after July 1st

What do you do at Camp?

Summer camp has an array of activities such as: paintball, swimming, canoeing, mini golf, climbing wall, basketball, large group games, late night activities, a giant blob on the lake,
and crafts. The main focus of camp is growing in our understanding of who God is and our relationship with Jesus. There are great times of worshipping through songs, dynamic speakers, interactive discussion times in your cabins, and even personal quiet times of reading your Bible and praying. Camp is a great opportunity of anyone no matter their church background or current involvement, the goal is that each and every student be challenged to grow in their spiritual life.

If you have any questions about Jr. High camp please contact Jr. High Pastor, Sean Nault @ 425.488.2500 ext336 or seann@eastsidechurch.org

Click here if you'd like to download the Jr. High Camper Registration Form.

Movie Review: Date Night

Rating: PG-13 for sexual and crude content throughout, language, some violence and a drug reference

Running Time: 88 minutes

Date Night is a comedy about a married couple that goes out for a night on the town and end up in the middle of a dangerous yet hilarious case of mistaken identities.

Steve Carell and Tina Fey really show off their comedic skills in this movie. What's interesting is that there seems to be more plot than just slapstick humor which was a nice surprise. There are lots of funny jokes about marriage and communication, but I'm not sure if a teenager would find them as funny because they can't relate to the marital circumstances.

Look At Your Shoe Moments:
Some of the characters are dressed pretty scandalously with skimpy outfits. One of the ongoing jokes is that Mark Wahlberg's character won't put on a shirt so you see him shirtless throughout. Towards the end of the film there is a long scene is a dance club that includes a lot of lady dancers barely wearing anything. The two main characters also perform a very sexual dance that lasts quite a while. Just a quick FYI, there are sexual jokes and swearing throughout the film that could cause some viewers to be uncomfortable too.

What I liked about the movie is that it made you laugh a lot, the trailer didn't give too much away or show all the funniest parts, and they had some nice sentiments about marriage without being too sappy. Often movies make a noticeable switch in tone when they try to get preachy about the topic, but Date Night subtly includes them throughout.

Overall I think you could save the extra cash and WAIT make DATE NIGHT a DVD Night.

Additional Websites:

Official Page
IMDb Page

Movie Review: Clash of the Titans

Rating: PG-13 for fantasy action violence, some frightening images and brief sensuality
Running Time: 106 minutes

This latest remake is a tale based in Greek mythology of a demigod (half man, half god) who fights the gods on behalf of the humans. The Greek gods (Zeus, Hades, etc) have had some trouble keeping the humans happy. Apparently their livelihood is based on the prayers of man, and mankind has been trying to live life without the gods. So Hades stirs up an idea to make the humans miserable and thus start praying in their distress. Zeus goes along with the plan, but an unexpected fisherman begins to create some opposition.

This movie is filled with battle scenes and action sequences that will keep any audience member entertained and on the edge of their seat. There's everything from huge scorpions, to a battle with Medusa and the rise of the Kracken. While the plot is somewhat predictable, the film is an exciting ride.


Look at Your Shoes Moments:
According to the rating there are some scenes of sensuality, but we'll spell it out more for you. There is a scene when Zeus has sex with a woman, everything is covered by the sheets, but intimacy is displayed. There are some scenes when the female characters are wearing skimpy outfits that seem very revealing or suggestive. While there are sensual scenes there's no blatant nudity.


Obviously Uturn Jr. High does not agree with the theology of this film and if that subject matter bothers you I suggest you avoid this film because its saturated with Greek mythology and heresy. Although we don't agree theologically there were some interesting discussion points that came from the film. Some of the gods had some thought provoking lines about the relationship between gods and man. Much of their view was a fear based relationship that focused solely on pleasing the gods. Their gods were also imperfect and impulsive which caused a lot of chaos. Whereas we believe that the one true God is a perfect God full of love, kindness, gentleness, patience, goodness, peace, joy, and self control. God doesn't want to sit up there and force us into relationship and he's not waiting for us to perform for his entertainment. We don't act in obedience to feed his ego, we obey his commands because its a response of love and devotion.

Overall it was an action packed warrior flick that could lead to some interesting theological discussions. I wouldn't waste the extra cash on seeing it in 3D, but I'd see it on the big screen. If you're going to wait until you can rent it, I'd at least see it on a big TV in Blu-ray.

Additional Links
Official Website
IMDb Page

Movie Review: Where the Wild Things Are

Where The Wild Things Are

Rating: PG, for mild thematic elements, some adventure action and brief language
Running Time: 101 minutes

This child book adaptation portrays a young boy who is experiencing some troubles at home. His interactions with his family are rocky and he struggles to be able to communicate his feelings. He is aggressive and constantly agitated about even the littlest of things. In a moment of rage he runs away from home and takes a boat ride to a mysterious island. On this island he discovers these large, furry, talking creatures. Its with his interactions with these "wild things" that he experiences moments of revelation about his own life and circumstances.

To be honest I was skeptical from the start as to how a short children's story could be stretched into a feature film. As expected it was a stretch. It felt like every scene was longer than it needed and dragged on profusely. It was interesting to hear the voices of familiar actors speaking for the wild things, but that's the extent of intrigue with this film. One of the reasons I think it fell flat is it missed a target audience. It obviously wasn't made for children even though its based on a children's book and yet it lacks any intrigue for adult viewers. The drab coloring and boring plot lines caused this movie to be a snooze. They should rename it "Where the MILD Things Are."

Additional Links:

Official Website
IMDb Page

Mexico Mission Trip: Day Nine

Friday was our final full day down in Rosarito, Mexico. It was a day of finishing well. Our group had a great final group Bible study as we discussed how we can apply these principles we learned on the trip to our lives back home. We spent the afternoon finishing up the graffiti painting and garbage pickup as well. Finally we did complete the bodega project. Our whole team was able to sign the inside of the door and we prayed over it and dedicated it to the ministry of the Lord.

After we got cleaned up we headed back to Hope Chapel Rosarito for our final service here, their youth service. We shared a meal with some of the locals, had testimonies, sang songs of worship, and had Josh preach the message. Following the service we shared some time around a campfire, eating smores and swapping stories.

Saturday morning is our travel day back into the USA as we fly from San Diego to SeaTac. Please continue to pray for safe travels as we return home.

The 2010 Uturn Jr. High Mexico Mission Team did amazing work, poured out their lives, and were used by God to do awesome things for the Kingdom of God. Thanks to everyone for their prayers of support and encouragement. We wouldn't be here without you.

Mexico Mission Trip: Day Eight

Thursday was a jam packed day full of exciting ministry opportunities. In the late morning and early afternoon we did projects around the church campus on the Santini Ranch. Part of our team picked up bags and bags of garbage from the beach and surrounding areas. They did a tremendous job clearing out the trash. I think they had fun too when they got to burn a huge pile of drift wood and shrubs on the beach. Another part of the team worked tirelessly on the bodega project. They were able to get the roof up in a single afternoon. It was awesome to see them out there hammering away in the blistering sun. A third part of our team painted over walls that were covered in graffiti. They did a superb job of turning the old into the new with their efforts to repaint the walls.

After the service projects were completed we got washed up and drove 45 minutes down to Ensenada for a church service. The church we ministered in was a newly planted Foursquare Church that has grown from 0 to over 100 in only two years. Our children's ministry team led a kid friendly lesson after worship while our drama team performed for the adults. After Sean's message on striving for more of God in our lives, the service concluded with an enthusiastic time of worship that included dancing. I think it was totally new and different for some of the students, but good to stretch their comfort zones. You could totally sense the power of God moving in that church and the joy that the congregation had was infectious.

Following the service our team went out for tacos at a taco stand in Ensenada. The business was actually owned by the sister of the church's senior pastor. These tacos were incredible. The tortillas alone were probably 12 inches big, then they were packed with all the steak, pork, and mystery meat you could imagine. For some the tacos were too big and couldn't finish, while others conquered the massive tacos and left victorious with stuffed stomaches. Our late night dinner was followed up by a late night drive back to Rosarito, which put us in bed around 1:00 am. It was a long, exhausting and very productive day.

Friday is our last full day here at Hope Chapel Rosarito, please continue to pray for us as we make the most of our final hours here.

Mexico Mission Trip: Day Seven

Today we hit the ground running. After breakfast and group Bible study we went out to a local community in Rosarito, La Reforma. We went around throughout the neighborhood distributing promotional flyers about the church and a local Bible study. We probably passed out hundreds of these flyers to different homes in the area. It was awesome to see the students step out in boldness to spread the word about the church.

After our visit to La Reforma we had lunch and went out to another community for outreach. At Vista Marina we cooked hot dogs, performed our dramas and preached an encouraging message about God's love and compassion. It was a great time to connect with people in the community and point them towards Hope Chapel Rosarito. As a testimony to God using our team, HCR's senior pastors, Don and Sandy, had conversations with many of the people at the outreach. Some were even people that had been strongly opposed to the church, but felt a change in heart and wanted to connect with the church more. God is using our team as a bridge of encouragement, hope, and service for this church and community.

Following the two outreach opportunities we went back to the church for an hour of prayer. The team split up into groups and walked around the gated community praying for God's blessing for Hope Chapel Rosarito, the community, the pastors, and much much more. Many of the students came back feeling so excited about the prayer time that they even requested we do it more often.

God is on the move down here and doing awesome things through these Jr. Highers. Thanks to all for your continual support, and please keep praying because we've only got two more full days down here.