ATTENTION CrosStone Kids (and parents too):

Don’t miss the WinterJam Concert. Mr. and Mrs. Carlucci will meet everyone going in the parking lot of  Greenbrier Church at 3PM, Sunday, March 20. Everyone will carpool to the Norfolk Scope for the event. The cost is $10. Please bring cash. Pick up your permission slip at CrosStone on Wednesday or on Sunday or on the CrosStone page on the church website. We will return around 10/10:30PM. For more info call Debbie Carlucci or Jeff Carlucci 546-1067. Hope to see you there!

Handling problems….

For the next two weeks at CrosStone, we will be tackling a tough issue–how do we react when things don’t go as we had hoped; when we feel God didn’t hear our prayers, or life hands us a deep hurt.  We will be watching an awesome and encouraging video “Hope:  When Life Hurts Most” by Louie Giglio. 

In the video, he quotes Jesus, “In THIS world you WILL have trouble,” and goes on to explain how to deal with the troubles that come your way.  According to Louie, “Life isn’t easy.  We experience problems and setbacks every day.  But during the hardest parts of life, when the bottom seems to fall out, where do we turn for peace?  God offers Himself and His cross as an anchor of hope no matter what we face in life.  The hope we find in Him allows us to leverage our darkest moments for His fame.” 

While we don’t like to think of our teens having difficulties and times of hurt and dissappointment, we know that inevitably, one day they will.  And at CrosStone, we want to know that the kids will be prepared and ready to deal with it.

Friends, one of God’s sweetest gifts!

NEW FRIEND REQUEST:

Series Overview

We all want friends—even if we don’t want to admit it. We all want someone to hang out with, someone to talk to, someone who knows us. But friendship requires something from us. It’s not just what we get or what makes us feel comfortable or happy. There’s a smart way to do friendship, a way with intention, a way that will draw us closer to God’s heart—if we surround ourselves with the right people. That doesn’t mean our friends have to be clones of us—but it does mean that they at least help us move in the right direction.

These days, it’s not uncommon for our kids to have literally hundreds of Facebook “friends.”  Sometimes they accept as “friends” people they have never even met!   Somehow, I don’t think these random acquaintences really constitute friends! 

Webster defined a friend as, “One who is attached to another by affection; one who entertains for another sentiments of esteem, respect and affection, which lead him to desire his company, and to seek to promote his happiness and prosperity; opposed to foe or enemy.”  These are the kinds of friends we all desire to have and to be, and that’s what we’ll be talking about at CrosStone this month.

Parents, please be sure to take the opportunity to discuss the Parent Cue questions with your CrosStone child.

Session One: Accept? (February 9)

Having friends is great. Whether you want one, or you already have one, there’s just something about having other people in your life who you can count on. For many, friendships just happen. A new friend is in the right place at the right time. And while friendships may start out randomly, there is an intentionality about who we allow close to us—and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Because the people who are closest to you have influence on your life. They help shape who you are. So who are the friends closest to you . . . and how are they influencing you?

Session One Parent Cue: Who are some of your closest friends? Why are these people so important to you?

Session Two: Respond? (February 16)

Someone to listen to my problems. Someone to do stuff with. Someone to talk to constantly. Someone to hang out with. When you make a list of what qualities you want in a friend, how many of the things on your list involve what that person can do for you? Most of us would have to admit that it’s a lot. But the best friendships are ones that are not just about what the other person can do for you—the best friendships also involve how you can be there for someone else. How you can listen, instead of always talking. How you can give someone space when he or she needs it, or just hang out when your friend needs that too. In other words, the best friendships are not centered solely on you—and that’s a good thing.

Session Two Parent Cue: What are some ways you’ve been able to help out your friends?

Session Three: Ignore? (February 23)

Relationships=conflict. It’s natural. It’s part of two people relating to one another because at some point, you’re not going to agree. One person will do something the other person doesn’t like. One person will let the other person down. One person will say or do something stupid. It happens. And at some point, it happens to us—either we’re the person making the mess, or the one who is feeling the effects of the mess. So how do you navigate your way through the drama? Do you just ignore it and hope it goes away? Do you just drop that friend? Or do you find a way to work it out? The choice is yours.

Session Three Parent Cue: What is the biggest fight you’ve ever had with a friend? What was the outcome?

 

 

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Don’t forget the Applebee’s Pancake Breakfast on Saturday, February 19, 2011 from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.   Be sure to invite your friends, family and neighbors!  It will be a great time of fellowship over a hearty pancake breakfast.   Tickets are $5 and can be purchased from CrosStone students, at Church on Sunday mornings, or at the door.   We’re looking forward to a full house!

Who are the “Invisibles” in your life?

 

 

We are excited about what 2011 holds for the youth in our CrosStone group.  It is amazing to watch these kids continue to grow in their relationship with the Lord and are thrilled to have so many awesome kids meet weekly for praise and worship, teaching, and fellowship with peers.  We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with parents in helping their children establish their lives on the firm foundation of Jesus Christ. 

For the month of January, we are teaching a series entitled “The Invisibles.”  The following is an overview of the weekly sessions.  

THE INVISIBLES:

We are surrounded by the invisibles. These are people who simply want to know someone cares, someone notices—people who want to know God cares. Some of us would even say we feel that way—invisible to an entire world, daily passing us by. Whether that feeling is a familiar one or not, the reality is that each one of us has felt invisible at one point or another. But we didn’t stay that way. God saw us. He sees the invisibles. And because God took notice of us, we are able to open our eyes to see those around us.

Session One: Can You See Me? (January 12)

Last week at CrosStone, we taught our first lesson in this series, entitled ”Can You See Me?”  We talked abouth how sometimes you can stand in a room or walk down a hallway or sit in a chair and no one notices you. It’s not that you have some type of special ability that makes you invisible—people just don’t see you. They know nothing about you—nor do they seem to want to know anything about you. It’s like you’re not even there, even when you are physically in the room. You’re invisible. The good news is Jesus sees invisible people—even those who never realized they were invisible.

Session One Parent Cue: Describe a time when you felt invisible.

Session Two: In Focus (January 19)

Some people go unnoticed. There are people in the background of our lives we never see. Maybe it’s the guy at the gas station or the girl at the coffee shop. Maybe it’s the girl sitting in the lunchroom, or the guy hanging out in the back of the youth room. There are people all around us who we treat as invisible. But because of how God has seen us, because of what we’ve experienced personally, our vision is changed. How can we begin to see the people in our lives every day that may normally go overlooked? How can we see the people halfway around the world that go unnoticed? What can we do to bring those around us in focus?

Session Two Parent Cue: Who are some people that are consistently in the background scenery of your everyday life?

Session Three: Seeing Beyond the Seen (January 26)

Sometimes what we really want isn’t what we are asking for. Sometimes what we really need is invisible to us. Thankfully Jesus sees us, really sees us. He sees the obvious physical needs and the more subtle spiritual ones too. And not only does He see them, He cares enough to do something about them both. When it comes to reaching out to the invisibles, when we provide friendship, water, help—sometimes it just isn’t enough. There’s a deeper, spiritual need that can only be met through Jesus Christ. And because of that, we do both—we help with the physical need but point them to Jesus Christ for the spiritual one.

Session Three Parent Cue: Identify someone who is invisible in each of your worlds. What do does he or she need? How can you help with that need? How can you also point them to Jesus Christ?

 

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Back by popular demand is the Applebee’s Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser!  On Saturday, February 19th, the CrosStone Youth and their parents will be hosting this great event at the Applebee’s Restaurant on Battlefield Boulevard.  We will raise funds to be used by our youth for either the Fall Retreat or a missions trip sponsored by Greenbrier Church.  You’ll be hearing more details in the weeks to come, but mark your calendars!

An Italian Christmas at CrosStone

CrosStone will be celebrating Christmas this year with an Italian flair.  We invite all 6th through 8th grade students of Greenbrier Church to attend our Italian Christmas Dinner Party on Wednesday, Decemer 15, 2010 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.  In true Italian tradition, there will be lots of food,  fun and festivities as we explore the Christmas traditions of Italy! 

Dress in your Christmas finery and be sure to bring a hearty appetite and a $5 gift for the gift exchange. 

Call Jeff or Debbie Carlucci (546-1067) for more information.

“Modest doubt is called the beacon of the wise. ” (William Shakespeare)

Everyone has moments of doubt. We doubt if we are heading in the right direction when going someplace new. We doubt if that low-fat snack is really as healthy as it claims to be. We doubt if the people in our lives really care about us—even in spite of the evidence that they do. And sometimes our doubts are about God. Can we trust God? Does God really have our best in mind? What does a particular Bible verse actually mean?

When questions arise, they can be a little unsettling, especially questions about faith. But what if God was big enough to handle the questions? He is. What if God was secure enough to handle our uncertainty? He is. And what if doubt actually paved the way to a deeper belief, a stronger relationship with Christ? It can.

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT:

The following is a summary of what we’ll be talking about in CrosStone for the next two weeks.  Listed below the summary is a “parent cue” to help you dialog with your child about the session. The question is intended not just to be asked by you, but to be responded to by BOTH of you. Use this opportunity to find out what God is teaching your child, and allow your child to see what God is teaching you as well.

 Session One (November 10, 2010)

 You know those nagging questions that seem to linger in the back of your mind? The ones you hesitate to ever speak out loud, admit you have or let anyone else know you think? Questions like: “Does God hear me when I pray?” “Does He have a plan for my life?” “Does God really have everything under control?” Questions and doubts can be unsettling if they are left unsaid. We begin to think we are alone in our doubt, and often our doubts only grow until they paralyze our faith. But when we learn to admit our doubts openly, we learn that we are not the only ones—that everyone deals with questions. And when we learn to live with doubt, doubt can be a tool that strengthens our faith.

Session One Parent Cue: Do you ever have doubts about God? If so, what are they? What do you do with them—vocalize them or keep them to yourself?

 Session Two (November 17, 2010)

 It’s one thing to recognize that doubt can strengthen faith—but HOW do you get there? How do you handle a doubt that you just can’t seem to move past? One way is to look back. When you look back, you draw on the things you do know to help you live through the things you don’t know or can’t understand. When you remember the things that God has shown you, you remind yourself of a bigger picture that can help you deal with the close-up situation at hand. The ways you have learned about or experienced God in your past are still true in the present, and can be used to pave the way to belief now—in spite of and in the midst of doubt.

Session Two Parent Cue:  What are some things that God has taught you in the past about Himself? How can those things specifically help you with the doubts you now have?

GodView

              

What comes to mind when you think about God? Who do you believe God is? How do you believe God interacts with you personally and with your world? These are questions we are going to be addressing in CrosStone over the next three weeks. You see, every one of us has a Godview whether we think about it or not. For many of us, it’s just a vague impression formed when we were younger. For some, it’s an image of Someone against whom we have a strong resistance. For others, God is personal and mysterious, offering an adventure to anyone ready to pursue a relationship with Him. While we can never really know everything about God—because He’s that big and that mysterious—the things we can learn about Him shape the way we respond to whatever life brings. That’s why author A.W. Tozer said, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”

The following is a summary of what we’ll be teaching in CrosStone during the month of October.  Listed below each summary is a “parent cue” to help you dialog with your child about the session. The question is intended not just to be asked by you, but to be responded to by BOTH of you. Use this opportunity to find out what God is teaching your child, and allow your child to see what God is teaching you as well.

 

Session One (October 6)

No matter who we are, we all have a Godview. And the way we think about God affects how we interact with our world. Many people struggle because they have a negative or distorted view of God. This first week, we will take a look at the life of one of Jesus’ closest followers who struggled for the very same reason. In the end, we want to challenge students to begin to see how their view of God shapes the way they live.

Parent Cue:  Both of you grab a piece of paper, and take three minutes to write down all the things that come to mind when you hear the word “God.” Both of you be honest, and don’t just write the words that you think you should. There’s no grade for this!

Session Two (October 13)

Many of us have a distorted Godview because we think God’s primary goal is either for us to be good or for us to be happy. While there may be some truth in those statements, if we see those as His primary goals, then we walk through life with remarkable–and self-made–expectations. Then, when those expectations aren’t met, our faith is shattered and destroyed. This week, we want students to see that following God is bigger than our expectations. Following God requires surrendering control.

 

Parent Cue:  When you think about the things you pray for or about, or the verses you hang on to, or even the way you perceive God, are those all based on your own personal happiness? How would our prayers and likes look different if we were more concerned about surrendering control?

 

Session Three (October 20)

The tendency for each one of us is to think we have God all figured out. But this week is about one simple truth—we don’t. This week we want students to see how the more they come to know God, the more they will realize they’ll never really know Him completely. There is always more of God to know. He’s that big, that mysterious, that amazing. At the close of this series, we hope your student will walk away with the desire to pursue a relationship with God and to know God more every day.

 

Parent Cue: What is mysterious to you about God? Is it comforting or frightening to know there are things about God we don’t have figured out? Why or why not?

 

 

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DON’T MISS THE  

CROSSTONE FALL RETREAT 2010

TRIPLE R RANCH

CHESAPEAKE, VIRGINIA

OCTOBER 22-24, 2010

Do you ever have trouble defending your faith or explaining your faith to others?  It’s a common problem for all ages!  At the CrosStone Fall retreat, our speaker, a Bible and Apologetics teacher at a local Christian school will be giving us a crash course designed to teach us just that.  We will be using I Peter 3:15 as our leading verse for the weekend:

But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.

 

Come prepared for an awesome weekend of fun and fellowship as we meet the challenge of the low ropes course, climb the rock wall, have a bonfire, go on a horse drawn hayride, and,  yes, for those who were with us last year, we WILL be playing WallyBall!

The cost is $75.00.  (For those who participated in serving at the Applebee’s Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser, this cost will be reduced by $50.00, so only $25.00 will be due for the retreat!)  Please make your checks payable to Greenbrier Church and turn in the Release Forms (which can be obtained at CrosStone on Wednesday night) with your checks by October 10, 2010.

We are anticipating a great weekend!  If you have any questions, please call Jeff or Debbie Carlucci at 546-1067.

 

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CrosStone Fall Retreat on the Horizon

Do you ever have trouble defending your faith or explaining your faith to others?  It’s a common problem for all ages!  At the CrosStone Fall retreat, our speaker, a Bible and Apologetics teacher at a local Christian school, will be giving us a crash course designed to teach us just that.  We will be using    I Peter 3:15 as our leading verse for the weekend:

                   But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence. 

Come prepared for an awesome weekend of fun and fellowship as we meet the challenge of the low ropes course, climb the rock wall, have a bonfire, go on a horse drawn hayride, and,  yes, for those who were with us last year, we WILL be playing WallyBall!

The cost is $75.00.  (For those who participated in serving at the Applebee’s Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser, this cost will be reduced by $50.00, so only $25.00 will be due for the retreat!)  Please make your checks payable to Greenbrier Church and turn in the attached Release Forms with your checks by October 10, 2010. 

We are anticipating a great weekend!  If you have any questions, please call Jeff or Debbie Carlucci at 546-1067.

Parent Source September: Jersey Shore, Iphone “facetime”

Parent Source: MTV and Culture, Text Rage, Silly Bands, Who is Drake

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