What's Happenin' at Collision

This Week at Collision

This week our students sponsored the Wednesday night meal to get credit for the fundraiser. 

Family Ideas for Serving Others at Christmas

I found this article online by Jim Burns, check it out for some good resources.

It’s recorded in Matthew’s Gospel, (Matt. 10:8) that Jesus said, “Freely you have received; freely
give.” Though our lives may not always be everything we hope for them to be, God has richly
blessed each one of us. One of the ways we can demonstrate that we are grateful to God for his
many blessings is to help others.
Christmastime provides an opportunity for your family to roll up your sleeves and get involved in
helping to meet the needs of others in your community – showing them the light and love of Christ.
Here are some family ideas for reaching out and helping others during the Christmas season:
1. Donate your family’s time to help out at a food kitchen or a food bank.
2. Take your family to visit someone you know who lives at a nursing home, who lives alone, or is
confined at home because of poor health.
3. Invite neighbors who don’t have plans to join your family for Christmas dinner.
4. Provide some (or all) of the Christmas dinner groceries for a needy family in your community.
Take the family along to make the delivery.
5. Have your family gather winter clothes and coats that don’t fit any longer, or are no longer
wanted or needed – and distribute them to homeless people in your area – or deliver them to a local
shelter.
6. Make some bag lunches and take your family into the community to distribute them to homeless
people in your area. (Make sure ahead of time that your local authorities allow this type of
distribution.)
7. Make more Christmas treats than you need for your holiday meals. As a family, deliver extras to
the neighbors or to a needy family in your area.
8. Find an elderly person in your area that could use some help at the grocery store. Better yet,
invite them to your home for a special holiday meal.
9. Find a family in your area that could use some help to take care of fall yard cleanup, basic repair
or weatherization around their home. Buy the needed materials and get to work as a family!
10. Invite a neighbor’s family over to your home for a simple, fun family game night.

Do you need a way to make easy payments?

 Hey parents, did you know you can make convenient payments through our app?  A lot of our parents are using this feature to pay down trip balances as we speak (eh hmm TCTC) and are finding it to be a great option to pay while they are thinking about it.  Instead of remembering the check book and getting a check signed and turning it into Nathan and oops I forgot to and now the check is in my pants pocket and now they are in the washing machine and the check is ruined and I have ink stains on my slacks.......not that anyone here has done that.  The transaction goes through PayPal so you know you can trust it and all transactions are 100% secure.  Nathan receives an email when it posts. And you can even put a little note in there for what it's for.  It's a great option.

Don't have the app? Well you can scan the handy QR code below, but if you're reading this on your phone, you'll have a hard time doing that so go to iTunes or the Google Play Store and search for the "Full Circle App" and download it today.

What's Happenin' at Collision

we   we will usa good  these clips to look at different aspects of the Christmas storya story sorry astory they've w they relate to our liveselow is a brief summary of what we have been talking about recently.  Most of the time we teach through a series for several weeks at a time that way students that miss can get caught back up quickly, and so we can dissect a topic more fully than just a one night deal. Use the overview and questions for both you and your teen to answer and have a dialog that continues outside the church walls and into your homes.  Use this opportunity to see what God is teaching your student and also allow your student to see what God is teaching/taught you.

This Week at Collision

Series Overview

So last week, we told the students that we'd have Will Ferrell with us this week... In a way that is true.... We never said on what form he would be with us... Oops. 

So this week we are taking a look at three different clips from the movie Elf.  Wewill use these clips to look at different aspects of the Christmas story and how they relate to our live.  

Intentional Interaction

This might be a good night just to see if your teen learned anything new about a sorry they've heard dozens of times. 

What's Happenin' @ Collision

Below is a brief summary of what we have been talking about recently.  Most of the time we teach through a series for several weeks at a time that way students that miss can get caught back up quickly, and so we can dissect a topic more fully than just a one night deal. Use the overview and questions for both you and your teen to answer and have a dialog that continues outside the church walls and into your homes.  Use this opportunity to see what God is teaching your student and also allow your student to see what God is teaching/taught you.

This Week at Collision

Series Overview

Kairos is about time. Not the tick-tock kind of time we are used to living in. Kairos is the beautiful kind
of time where God breaks in and changes everything. These are moments when something special happens.
They are moments that interrupt our status quo. They are moments when the trajectory of our journeys
change forever.
 
When God breaks in, we must take the change He creates — whatever it may be. We must accept both
the work of Christ and the way of Christ. We must trust in what God is doing instead of trying to do it
ourselves. And then we must step out in faith and believe that God’s goodness will come in time.
 
In this series, we will set aside tick-tock time to engage God intentionally and expect him to break into our lives in timeless ways. We’ll be inspired and disturbed. We’ll be encouraged and challenged.

We’ll be loved and changed. The moment is upon us. Don’t you think it’s about time?

Week 4 (2014-12-03)

Tonight was our last night in this series and we looked at why they aren't living a fulfilled life...a life characterized by what Christ said was "life to the fullest".  One of the biggest problems is when we try to live with the kingdom in our future yet still holding on to our past sins, either in practice or in memory.  Tonight your teen was challenged to step out of that habit and let Christ lead them in the future without guild and old sin habits. 

Intentional Interaction

What areas of your life do you think you are holding on to past mistakes (sin).

What's Happenin' @ Collision

Below is a brief summary of what we have been talking about recently.  Most of the time we teach through a series for several weeks at a time that way students that miss can get caught back up quickly, and so we can dissect a topic more fully than just a one night deal. Use the overview and questions for both you and your teen to answer and have a dialog that continues outside the church walls and into your homes.  Use this opportunity to see what God is teaching your student and also allow your student to see what God is teaching/taught you.

This Week at Collision

Series Overview

Kairos is about time. Not the tick-tock kind of time we are used to living in. Kairos is the beautiful kind
of time where God breaks in and changes everything. These are moments when something special happens.
They are moments that interrupt our status quo. They are moments when the trajectory of our journeys
change forever.
 
When God breaks in, we must take the change He creates — whatever it may be. We must accept both
the work of Christ and the way of Christ. We must trust in what God is doing instead of trying to do it
ourselves. And then we must step out in faith and believe that God’s goodness will come in time.
 
In this series, we will set aside tick-tock time to engage God intentionally and expect him to break into our lives in timeless ways. We’ll be inspired and disturbed. We’ll be encouraged and challenged.

We’ll be loved and changed. The moment is upon us. Don’t you think it’s about time?

Week 3 (2014-11-19)

So we've looked at some hard hitting points in Jesus' ministry.  Tonight your teen was challenged to evaluate the motivation behind how they spend their time.  We looked at the last of the seven "I Am" statements of Jesus in the gospel of John where he states "I am the vine".  We were challenged that the most important thing we must all do is to remain in Christ.  And that by doing less, we are actually able to do more.

Intentional Interaction

What are some other ways that we try to do more?

Jesus asks us to simple abide in with him.  What's one way you can abide (spend time) with him this week?

What's Happenin' @ Collision

Below is a brief summary of what we have been talking about recently.  Most of the time we teach through a series for several weeks at a time that way students that miss can get caught back up quickly, and so we can dissect a topic more fully than just a one night deal. Use the overview and questions for both you and your teen to answer and have a dialog that continues outside the church walls and into your homes.  Use this opportunity to see what God is teaching your student and also allow your student to see what God is teaching/taught you.

This Week at Collision

Series Overview

Kairos is about time. Not the tick-tock kind of time we are used to living in. Kairos is the beautiful kind
of time where God breaks in and changes everything. These are moments when something special happens.
They are moments that interrupt our status quo. They are moments when the trajectory of our journeys
change forever.
 
When God breaks in, we must take the change He creates — whatever it may be. We must accept both
the work of Christ and the way of Christ. We must trust in what God is doing instead of trying to do it
ourselves. And then we must step out in faith and believe that God’s goodness will come in time.
 
In this series, we will set aside tick-tock time to engage God intentionally and expect him to break into our lives in timeless ways. We’ll be inspired and disturbed. We’ll be encouraged and challenged.

We’ll be loved and changed. The moment is upon us. Don’t you think it’s about time?

Week 2 (2014-11-12)

It is one thing to accept the stuff or the work of Jesus.  But it is an entirely different thing to accept the ways of Jesus.  Tonight we discussed how to be like Jesus we must first loose every ounce of ourselves to humility and service....not exactly something our culture is know for.  Tonight may be a difficult night for your teen because it may seem as though this Jesus thing is going after all they hold dear.  The truth is, this Jesus thing wants to push that stuff to the side to show your teen what "life to the fullest" is all about.

Intentional Interaction

What are some other ways that we try to be more?

Why didn’t Jesus try to be more? How did He become less?

What does it look like for us to become less?

 

Did you know we've made making payments SUPER easy?

 Hey parents, did you know you can make convenient payments through our app?  A lot of our parents are using this feature to pay down trip balances as we speak (eh hmm TCTC) and are finding it to be a great option to pay while they are thinking about it.  Instead of remembering the check book and getting a check signed and turning it into Nathan and oops I forgot to and now the check is in my pants pocket and now they are in the washing machine and the check is ruined and I have ink stains on my slacks.......not that anyone here has done that.  The transaction goes through PayPal so you know you can trust it and all transactions are 100% secure.  Nathan receives an email when it posts. And you can even put a little note in there for what it's for.  It's a great option.

Don't have the app? Well you can scan the handy QR code below, but if you're reading this on your phone, you'll have a hard time doing that so go to iTunes or the Google Play Store and search for the "Full Circle App" and download it today.

What's Happenin @ Collision

Below is a brief summary of what we have been talking about recently.  Most of the time we teach through a series for several weeks at a time that way students that miss can get caught back up quickly, and so we can dissect a topic more fully than just a one night deal. Use the overview and questions for both you and your teen to answer and have a dialog that continues outside the church walls and into your homes.  Use this opportunity to see what God is teaching your student and also allow your student to see what God is teaching/taught you.

This Week at Collision

Series Overview

Kairos is about time. Not the tick-tock kind of time we are used to living in. Kairos is the beautiful kind
of time where God breaks in and changes everything. These are moments when something special happens.
They are moments that interrupt our status quo. They are moments when the trajectory of our journeys
change forever.
 
When God breaks in, we must take the change He creates — whatever it may be. We must accept both
the work of Christ and the way of Christ. We must trust in what God is doing instead of trying to do it
ourselves. And then we must step out in faith and believe that God’s goodness will come in time.
 
In this series, we will set aside tick-tock time to engage God intentionally and expect him to break into our lives in timeless ways. We’ll be inspired and disturbed. We’ll be encouraged and challenged.

We’ll be loved and changed. The moment is upon us. Don’t you think it’s about time?

Week 1 (2014-11-5)

Tonight we are challenging our teens to stop in this Kairos and evaluate everything by comparing it to the ONLY thing....that's Jesus.  WE are looking at a passage from John 6:25-69 where the crowd is shocked by what Jesus tells them.  Essentially, he informs them that he is not a vending machine; meaning he' not here to give us what we want, when we want it.  One of the first steps of letting God use these Kairos moments is recognizing that he is all that we need.

Intentional Interaction

What does it look like to choose God over desires?

Do you think anyone has successfully received both (God as their only need and their desires)?

What desire do you currently hold that competes with God?

 

Let the Punishment Fit the Crime

I ran across this article recently by Jim Burns and thought I'd share it.

When kids cross the boundaries for behavior that you have set with them, it’s not unusual
for parents to feel any number of emotions from disappointment and sadness to anger.
However, parental overreaction can often come hand-in-hand with these emotions. The
wise parent, however, will do their best not to let these feelings lead to dishing out
unreasonable consequences. When it comes to effective discipline, the rule, “let the
punishment fit the crime” definitely applies!

Let me share some practical ideas for keeping your cool and not overreacting when it
comes time to discipline your kids.

Check Your Feelings. When you feel stressed by your kids’ behavior it’s helpful to
H.A.L.T. in order to pause and gain some perspective. H stands for Hurting; A stands for
Angry; L stands for Lonely; and T stands for Tired. If you notice any of these are present in
your life, you're much more likely to overreact in discipline, and you’ll do well to postpone
your response to the situation – until you’ve had time to sort out your feelings.

Discipline Calmly. When you’re upset, you’re in no shape to discipline effectively.
Disciplining in anger does not get kids to obey. There’s a difference between punishment
and discipline, and the difference is found in self-control. The out-of-control parent
punishes a child out of anger; the parent in control calmly disciplines to correct bad
behavior.

Be Consistent in Discipline. Effective discipline is all about consistency, but consistency is
not a matter of grounding your kid until he or she turns 18. Rather it’s a matter of
establishing clear boundaries for conduct, and appropriate consequences, and then always
enforcing them.

Empathize. Part of building godly character in our children’s lives has to do with our own
demeanor when we discipline. All kids make mistakes. We must recognize that our kids
have feelings. We need to demonstrate Christ-like empathy and respect for them.

Discipline with A.W.E. A parent who expresses affection, warmth, and
encouragement—even while disciplining—helps to maintain a more balanced perspective to
the situation. When consequences need to be applied, both you and your teenager will
benefit when you have created a home environment full of security, care, and love.

Why TCTC

Hey Everyone,

I want to take a moment to reach out to you about the Tennessee Christian Teen Convention (TCTC).  By now I’m sure you’ve heard the hype about this amazing retreat January 9-11.  It is possible that you have heard all the details about the who, what, when and where, but you may not be informed about the why. 

One of the things I have noticed about a typical ministry year (August-July), is that the middle of the year is tough on your student.  Why? Because the stresses and pressure they feel during the year builds and builds and the Christmas break is a much welcomed rest from school.  The pressure your student faces at school is unlike any you or I have ever seen or experienced.  It truly doesn’t matter what grade, your teen faces great pressure in our schools and part of our role as their guardians is to help them “decompress” so that this pressure doesn’t consume them and drive grades and life choices down.

This is why I love TCTC right in the middle of the year.  TCTC provides an opportunity for your teen to re-charge their spiritual tanks and reconnect with their creator and 3500 other teens doing life the same way they are.  Imagine the fresh break your teen can receive at TCTC. Their daily lives before Christmas break: constant peer pressure. What they experience at TCTC allows them to see that they are not alone and that they can do life following Christ because there are so many others in the same position as they are.  When I look at the landscape of the year, this weekend provides a fresh breath of the Holy Spirit in the lives of these teens.

So my plea to all our parents is this: whatever way possible get your teens to TCTC.  I speak a lot about how all these trips are not just costs, but rather investments.  TCTC is one investment that immediately benefits your teen; maybe more than any other trip we take in a year.  Would you consider encouraging your teen to attend?  If I can help in that process, please do not hesitate to ask.  I am here to help.

One last note…
Remember, I never accept financial strain as a sufficient reason to keep your teen from a trip like this.  So if that is a concern for you and your family, please reach out to me ASAP so that we can confidentially partner with you to get this trip into the realm of the possible for your teen.

If your teen is not signed up, contact Nathan now to reserve your spot before the price goes up TONIGHT at 8.  What do I need from you to lock in the cheapest price? Just a txt/email/phone call that your teen is going by tonight at 8 and the $50 deposit as soon as you can.

In HIM
Nathan Holmes
770-500-4337
Nathan@mycornerstonecc.org

What's Happenin @ Collision

Below is a brief summary of what we have been talking about recently.  Most of the time we teach through a series for several weeks at a time that way students that miss can get caught back up quickly, and so we can dissect a topic more fully than just a one night deal. Use the overview and questions for both you and your teen to answer and have a dialog that continues outside the church walls and into your homes.  Use this opportunity to see what God is teaching your student and also allow your student to see what God is teaching/taught you.

This Week at Collision

This week we have a special guest speaker.....Mr Steve Harmon.  Steve is the former youth pastor over at First Baptist.  He's a great guy that loves students.  He's here tonight to present a message we are sure your teen will enjoy.

Ask some follow up questions tonight to see what your teen gained from this time together.

 

Last Chance to get in on this FREE Money

This is THE FUNdraising event of the year and we need all students on deck and ready to go in order to pull this FUNdraiser off.  This one FUNdraiser could raise a ton of funds for future trips (eh hmm TCTC!!!).  It's going to be on Saturday October 25th (Moonshine festival weekend when all of Georgia's residents flock to Dawsonville) from 9 till noon.  Here's the catch, we HAVE to have at least 16 students registered to help.  To do so, register through the app or txt Nathan to get your spot saved. Come on everyone; it's FREE money.

What's Happeni' @ Collision

Below is a brief summary of what we have been talking about recently.  Most of the time we teach through a series for several weeks at a time that way students that miss can get caught back up quickly, and so we can dissect a topic more fully than just a one night deal. Use the overview and questions for both you and your teen to answer and have a dialog that continues outside the church walls and into your homes.  Use this opportunity to see what God is teaching your student and also allow your student to see what God is teaching/taught you.

Series Overview

When you were little, what did you dream about becoming? An astronaut? A ballerina? A professional wrestler? Whatever it was, chances are it was something that you felt was important. Something big.  That’s the thing about little kids— they dream big because no one has told them that they can’t do something yet. They literally have no limits.  But it’s different when we get older, isn’t it? In middle school and high school we start to see the areas we lack for the first time. We’re not the most popular or influential. We aren’t the most talented. And eventually we start to wonder if we can ever do or be anything significant. The big-dreaming days of our childhood feel long gone under the weight of our all-too-limiting reality. That’s exactly what happened in the life of a guy named Moses. With a tough past and not many real skills, he had no reason to believe that his life would be used do anything extraordinary. But after a few encounters with God, Moses’ perspective changed completely. He found that, with God, there is no limit to what you can do.

Week 3 (2014.10.15)

So much can happen in just one minute, one hour, or one day. Think about it. How many times have you watched a football game that came down to the last play in the last minute of the game? Have you ever been late to a movie and missed a crucial opening scene? Minutes can change everything! The truth is, time is valuable but we don’t always treat it that way. As students, it’s easy to feel like we have all the time in the world. And so we waste it—a lot of it. But what would you do if you knew your days were numbered? What would you change if you knew your time was limited? The truth is, our time is limited. We’ll never have more than we do right now. So, if we want to make wise decisions, to make the most of our time, we must learn to number our days.

Try This

Sometimes what we say and what the other person hears are two different things. Often, it’s hard to know if they could use a little extra encouragement or a little less pressure.  Try asking your student for feedback using the tool below. Chances are you and your student will have different answers. That’s okay! Don’t let it discourage you! Use it as a conversation starter. Afterward consider showing your student how you answered. No need to make it a formal meeting. And, this doesn’t mean that you have to give in when they say, “I want you to bug me less about my math grade”. It simply shows them that you care what they think and it gives you both a way to get on the same page as you move forward.

Use the section labeled “For the parent” to gauge where on the scale your parenting falls. Then cut along the dotted line and give the section labeled “For the student” to your student. Don’t ask them to complete it in front of you. Give them space to think about it and place they can leave it for you when they finish.

For the parent:

Draw a circle around the number you believe represents the level of pressure your student feels

Too few expectations                                                                             Too many expectations

Too little encouragement                                                                              Too much pressure.

1                2                3                 4                5                 6                 7                8                   9                10

cut along this line.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For the student:

Hey, as your parent, I want you to know that I’m doing the best I can to give you just enough encouragement without making you feel a ton of pressure. I want you to give me some feedback on how I’m doing in this area. Just circle a number and leave it _____________________ (location) so I can see how you feel.  Be honest. Thanks!

I feel no one                                                                                                     I feel too much is

expects much of me.                                                                                        expected of me.                                                

I could use some                                                                                            I can’t handle the

encouragement.                                                                                               pressure.

1                2                3                 4                5                 6                 7                8                   9                10

If you answer 1-5, what’s one way I can encourage you more?________________________________________________________________________

If you answer 6-10, what’s one way I can help you feel less pressured?____________________________________________________________________

 

 

Ya GOTTA Get in on this....

This is THE FUNdraising event of the year and we need all students on deck and ready to go in order to pull this FUNdraiser off.  This one FUNdraiser could raise a ton of funds for future trips (eh hmm TCTC!!!).  It's going to be on Saturday October 25th (Moonshine festival weekend when all of Georgia's residents flock to Dawsonville) from 9 till noon.  Here's the catch, we HAVE to have at least 16 students registered to help.  To do so, register through the app or txt Nathan to get your spot saved. Come on everyone; it's FREE money.

What's Happenin @ Collision

Below is a brief summary of what we have been talking about recently.  Most of the time we teach through a series for several weeks at a time that way students that miss can get caught back up quickly, and so we can dissect a topic more fully than just a one night deal. Use the overview and questions for both you and your teen to answer and have a dialog that continues outside the church walls and into your homes.  Use this opportunity to see what God is teaching your student and also allow your student to see what God is teaching/taught you.

Series Overview

When you were little, what did you dream about becoming? An astronaut? A ballerina? A professional wrestler? Whatever it was, chances are it was something that you felt was important. Something big.  That’s the thing about little kids— they dream big because no one has told them that they can’t do something yet. They literally have no limits.  But it’s different when we get older, isn’t it? In middle school and high school we start to see the areas we lack for the first time. We’re not the most popular or influential. We aren’t the most talented. And eventually we start to wonder if we can ever do or be anything significant. The big-dreaming days of our childhood feel long gone under the weight of our all-too-limiting reality. That’s exactly what happened in the life of a guy named Moses. With a tough past and not many real skills, he had no reason to believe that his life would be used do anything extraordinary. But after a few encounters with God, Moses’ perspective changed completely. He found that, with God, there is no limit to what you can do.

Week 2 (2014.10.08)

Do you ever feel like everyone expects too much of you? Like the pressure of it all is just too much and it makes you feel like you shouldn’t even try? Or maybe you feel like no one expects much of you. No one pushes you or believes in you. Either way, facing the expectations of others can feel paralyzing. And, in that way, we have a lot in common with Moses. God had given him a task that felt way outside the limits of his ability, way outside of anything he could do on his own. Moses felt underprepared and overwhelmed. He was ready to quit. But in his most anxious and fear-filled moment, God said something to Moses—one phrase—that changed the way he saw himself and everything around him. And it has the power to do the same for us!

Just for you Mom or Dad...

Think About This: Do you ever wonder if you’re that parent? You know the one. The imaginary bar determining your success as a parent is always just out of reach. Or maybe you worry about over-parenting. You know you should probably back off a little bit—but you can’t help but always push, expect, encourage the best from your student. The truth is, parents usually are not satisfied with how they’re parenting—whether that is too much, too little, or a strange combination of both. And, every student is different—so it’s hard to gauge whether we are pushing them to succeed or pushing them to the brink of a breakdown. At some point or another, most of us wonder whether we expect too much or too little.  

Research seems to suggest that, knowingly or unknowingly, most of us err on the side of too much pressure.  In the Pew Research article, Parental Pressure on Students, authors Richard Wike and Juliana Horowitz ask, Have American parents become too pushy about their kids’ education? Many experts seem to think so, judging from several new books by journalists and psychologists that bemoan the growing pressure students feel to do well in school. But at least one group of non-experts — the American public — begs to differ. According to a Pew Global Attitudes survey, most Americans think parents are not pushing their children hard enough.

In other words, while most of us think we aren’t expecting enough out of our students, researchers and experts feel our expectations may be a little too high. So what exactly are we supposed to do?

Visit tomorrow but live in today. Especially with high school students, it’s easy to let most of our conversations drift toward what happens next. Decisions about classes, study habits, dating, and extra-curriculars lure us towards focusing on the future. And sure, college is coming, but our student isn’t there yet. For them, it can be overwhelming to feel like they have to have all of the answers about what’s next while still juggling the expectations they feel today. That doesn’t mean we should never talk about future goals, but don’t let it take up all of your conversational space. Be present in their present.

Believe the best —and say so. Sometimes our students will win in a certain situation and sometimes they’ll lose. Sometimes their choices will make us proud and other times they’ll make us cringe. Most students have a tendency to confuse our feelings about their actions with our feelings about them. But in every situation, communicate your belief in your student. Their performance, their behavior, their attitudes don’t diminish their value. They’re significant. Valuable. Worthwhile. Don’t ever miss a chance to tell them so. Consider making an extra effort to communicate that you believe good things about them regardless of how they perform at school or on the athletic field. Try saying something like this, “I wish you hadn’t cheated on your test and there will definitely be some consequences, but I don’t believe this is in your character. I know you’re an honest person and next time I really think you’ll study harder to make the grade.”

 

Intentional Interaction

• Do you feel like other people expect too much out of you or too little?
• Do expectations make you want to try harder or stop trying altogether? Why?
• How would that be different if you were confident that God is with you?