Christmas Devotional

Hello, hope your holidays are going well so far. It is definitely the calm before the storm for me right now. I wanted to share this resource that Dean, Ian, Katie and I developed to help students get into the Christmas story. There is a devotional book and youTube videos will be posted to go with the studies. I pray that this helps your family get into the reason for celebration!

For the devotional book http://www.hopecenter.cc/files/121210_xmas_wired_devo.pdf 

For the first youTube video, and to subscribe you the youTube channel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5r5be3uxdU

A couple dates to note:
- Disney Movie Marathon - first Thursday of the year January 3rd we will be getting together for another Disney movie marathon. It is meant to be a time for hanging out with friends with video games, snacks, and...oh ya movies!
- 30 Hour Famine - first weekend in March, Saturday 2 at 7:00am - Sunday March 3 at 1:00pm will be length of the fast. We don't eat, raise money and awareness, so that others can eat. You and your family and community are invite to join in the fast and the Break the Fast meal! Please RSVP with me for the meal.

Merry Christmas!
Paul / paul@hopecenter.cc

Summer Camp News

We had a Summer Camp meeting last Sunday December 9th between services, there was good news, bad news, and then what we are going to do about it.

Good News: We have prayed about it and we believe that God is sending us back to Hume Lake Summer Camp next summer 2013. We have a reservation for Hume Wildwood Discipleship Camp for the week of June 16-22. For more information on this camp click here.

Bad News: It is not the same week or camp from last year, Hume Ponderosa July 7-13. When we went to make our reservation it turned out that they had already sold our spots - not sure why after many phone calls.

What we are going to do about it: We are 89th on the waiting list for Hume Ponderosa, the camp from last year. I have talked with Hume staff and other churches that go to Hume and they said there is a lot of turn over between January-March and so I believe we will get back our original reservation but we have to be patient.

If your student is interested in going to Summer Camp you can reserve their spot with a deposit of $75. I will give the total cost for the trip when we figure out which camp we are going to (the price range will be between $500-$550).

We are planning on doing the Pancake Fundraiser again to help with funds for Hume, Saturday April 27th. I am asking for volunteers to help start planning and getting donations for the fundraiser this month. Please e-mail me if you can go to a store to ask for donations.

For any other questions, please contact me,
Paul / paul@hopecenter.cc

Will the school be any different?

Hello all, we are once again blessed to have a parent sharing from their own experience and story. Margee and Dan Curran have had their four children, Ebey, David, Hannah, and Hope, graduate from College Park High School. Margee shares about a life changing experience:

When my oldest daughter Ebey was about to start her senior year at College Park High School I was sitting in a large meeting in Colorado with about 5,000 other missionaries. Someone was talking about High School ministry….  As the guy spoke, God began to get MY ATTENTION!!  A question popped into my head, “ Will College Park be any different because my 4 kids have gone there?”    (and hopefully have been a fragrant aroma of God’s presence at CP) At that point, my answer to that question was NO!! 

As  I was sitting in the meeting, Jesus began to give me an idea: What if our 2 high-schoolers invited their friends over once a month for dinner, games  and a short bible study?  Kind of like Young Life.  I asked Ebey (the senior) and David (sophomore) what they thought. Ebey was excited and David was not.  Since one of my kids was willing to try it, Daniel and I decided to “go for it.”  We picked a date, made little invitations for Ebey to pass out and tried to figure out what this would look like…  That first Sunday about 25 kids came.  It was fun, wild, noisy, disorganized and spastic, BUT the CP kids who came liked it and wanted to come back again, and more importantly, David liked it and wanted to invite his friends the next month.  He had been worried that it was going to be weird and needed to see one first before he invited friends.  We began to call it Dinner with Jesus.  I always made a simple dinner (lasagna, salad, bread, dessert) I put my kids in charge of the game and then we would read a story from the gospels about an interaction Jesus had with someone- (like Jesus and Zaccheus in Luke 19)   The kids would break up in small groups and go answer questions about the text that we would discuss as a large group.  In Isaiah 55: 11,  it talks about God’s word not returning empty without accomplishing what He desires.  I figured that as long as we “gave out” His word, it would accomplish things of eternal value. 

We hosted these monthly meetings for about 5 years and then our 2 youngest kids,   Hope and Hannah decided to form a club at College Park called Lunch with Jesus which replaced out monthly dinners.  Lunch with Jesus is in it’s  4^th year and is continuing even after Hope graduated in June.

Margee Curran / margcurran@aol.com

Thank you for sharing Margee! What an incredible experience, and what a blessing it is to see how you and your family responded. Please contact the Curran family for more information on their ministry and how to get involved!

Summer Camp Meeting

This Sunday between Hope Center services (10:15am-10:45) in the Generations Room we are having a meeting to discuss the status of Summer Camp 2013. If your student is interested in going to camp, you can reserve their spot by bringing a check for $75 to guarantee their spot.

Also, we are going to start doing some work for the Pancake Fundraiser in April. This fundraiser has been made to help students go to summer camp. Please come to the meeting to find out how you can help!

Thank you,
Paul / paul@hopecenter.cc

Reading Through the Bible

I am excited to announce that one of our student leaders Dominic Heiden has finished reading through the Bible in its entirety and is starting again this week. My wife, Jessica, and I will be joining him and we will be encouraging everyone in our lives to join as well.

So that means, you and your family are invited to join us as we read through the Bible. Just a couple chapters a day. It is incredible how much easier it is to here Him speak when we are in His Word everyday! Here is the link to the plan we will be using.

If you would like any other ideas or suggestions on how to read the Bible with your family, discussion topics, and creative ways to get into God's Story please e-mail me!

Paul / paul@hopecenter.cc

Christmas in the City

On Saturday December 8th, we will be joining Walnut Creek Presbyterian for our annual event Christmas in the City! This year will be different from previous ones, but we have a lot of fun planned. We will be meeting at Walnut Creek Presbyterian at 6:00pm for pizza and to check in, then walk to the Walnut Creek BART station, go to Union Square, ice skate, get some hot cocoa and return around 11:30pm (probably earlier). What an amazing holiday celebration with friends!

To register: cost is $30 and please make sure that we have a year long permission slip for your child.

Happy Holidays!
Paul / paul@hopecenter.cc

3 Awesome Invitations!

There are so many awesome events coming up for you and your student to experience together that I wanted to highlight them for you:

1. Will the World End on 12/21/12? A Sunday morning class during 2nd service on Dec. 2nd.

Join Paul Scholz in the Generations Room on Sunday 12/2 from 10:45am-noon for some pancakes and discussion around the topic of the end times. This is a very controversial and confusing topic for many, so let’s come together in grace and look into a Biblical perspective of the end times. All are invited! Students please bring your parents. Email any pre-questions you have to paul@hopecenter.cc

2. Community Worship at Morello Hills Church on Sunday 12/2 from 6:30p-9:00. Community Worship is an event where multiple youth local youth groups get together to worship God in creative ways. We have had the wonderful opportunities to worship in January at St. Matthew, March at Walnut Creek Presbyterian, and in August at Hope Center. You and your student are invited to come and worship through the Stations of Christmas with us!

3. SUMMER CAMP MEETING - we will be meeting between services on Sunday December 9th to discuss summer camp plans for 2013! Please come to find out what is going on, give input, and reserve your student's spot!

Paul / paul@hopecenter.cc

Winter Calendar!

Dear Lighthouse Parents,

As the crazy holiday season is approaching, I pray that you and your family are able to have some special, intentional time together. When Mother Mary found out that she was going to give birth to the Savior she responded, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (Luke 1:46-47). Imagine if that was the center of our celebrations this season!

For the next three months, we have some amazing upcoming events and awesome staff.  They are committed to connecting with your student in a variety of ways, both fun and challenging.

The Way I’m Wired devotional will continue through the school year. While there may be some changes in Thursdays and other events, each week students are expected to be in their devotional and then bringing it to Lighthouse. Please help us by encouraging your teen and taking time to have conversations with them about the way they are wired.

Please note some important dates: Click here to see a full view of the calendar http://www.hopecenter.cc/files/12_Winter_Calendar.jpg

• Nacho Libre Nacho Fundraiser, Fri Nov 9^th 6:45-9:00pm at Hope Center. We are having a movie fundraiser for Rancho Agua Viva in Ensenada, Mexico. Please bring your whole family and bring friends for this fun evening.        
• Christmas in the City: Saturday, December 8^th from 5:30-11:30pm. This event will be different than years previous, more details are still being figured out.
• Also stay tuned for our next Community Worship date! 

Do not hesitate to contact me with any questions, I am here to serve you!

Paul Scholz

Hope Center Covenant Church

Director of High School Ministries

paul@hopecenter.cc

916-223-4327 cell

925-685-4673 ext 13 church

Challenge Day at CP

I have wonderful, fantastic, incredible news! College Park High School is hosting Challenge Day on Tuesday November 13th and we are helping!

Here's what Challenge Day's website states:

OUR VISION
Our vision is that every child lives in a world where they feel safe, loved and celebrated.
OUR MISSION
The Challenge Day mission is to provide youth and their communities with experiential programs that demonstrate the possibility of love and connection through the celebration of diversity, truth, and full expression.

Praise the Lord! For an incredible opportunity for students, for Hope Center to serve the local community, and to come alongside of students that are in need! Please be praying for this event!

This week, we are still doing Off Campus Lighthouse for small groups. Please contact your small group leader for questions on when and where your group is meeting. Also, this Thursday is Fudd's, I believe most groups are either meeting at or around Fudd's. We will be there no later than 8:15pm, so please have your student bring $5 for a snack if they want, pick up at 9:00pm.

Paul / paul@hopecenter.cc

Adolescence is a Cultural Phenomenon

On Saturday, October 6th, there were two awesome conferences. One was a Women and Teen's conference at Hope Center with Laura Kaczor, I heard it was an amazing day! I can only tell you second hand though. The second conference was the one I was at which was a Bay Area Youth Forum in San Raphael with Youth Ministry expert Mark Oestreicher. Awesome, awesome stuff.

Here's a little of what he had to say:
"Adolescence is a cultural phenomenon." Meaning: it doesn't have to exist, it is not a right, it is not necessarily natural.

Timeline of Adolescence:

Year                       Age range                           Length of adolescence

1904                       14 ½ - 16                               18  months long

1970                       13-18                                     5-6 years

*why? Food, globalization different diet, physiological changes

*Mandatory law to secondary education

*Isolated from adults with peers

Average contact with adult world?

Markers graduated high school and turn 18, expect responsibility

2012                       10 ½ - 30?                            20 years (a quarter of a lifetime)

*fat and weight allows kids to go into early puberty

Adolescence no longer accurate, now descriptions of different “stages”. Breakdown of adolescence:

10 ½ - 14               Early adolescence

15 – 20                  Mid adolescence

21-30                     Emerging adult *That means I'm not an adult yet, protect your children!*

*no agreement on markers of adult

*extended adolescence syndrome

“remove natural consequences, protect them, keep them safe, 20’s called teens, 20’s called children”

So that's the problem, what are the solutions? Well let's meet up and talk about it. If you are ever interested in talking about this material, or just want to meet up - I would love to! Let's talk about how to make Lighthouse even better for your student, let's talk about how parenting is going, let's talk about how the Giants and Niners are going all the way! Shoot me an email and we can work out a time.

We still are doing Off Campus Lighthouse this week, please have your teen contact their small group leader to find out when and where they are meeting.

Paul / paul@hopecenter.cc

Talking about Politics?!?

I can't believe I'm about to say this, but yes, we are talking about politics for a three-Sunday sermon series. "God's Kingdom, Man's Politics" (dramatic music in the background), to be specific.

But what do teens care about politics? Most can't vote and even if they could, do they know enough to be informed?

1. Starting last Sunday 10/14, we started talking about our responsibility as Christians to pray for our politicians and our country. We looked at 1 Timothy 2:1-2, Romans 13:1,6-7.
2. This Sunday we are talking about allowing our political opinions to be shaped by the Gospel. We will look at Hebrews 4:12, Romans 12:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:21.
3. Lastly, we will be talking about how the Kingdom of God is more important than the kingdom of men, we cannot allow our political views to divide the church. We will look at Ephesians 4:1-6, Matthew 5:44.

Please feel free to read these verses and open up a discussion about politics with your teen. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. I also found a helpful article titled "Talking Politics: What to Say to Your Kids" http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/family/voting_banner.html#

Paul / paul@hopecenter.cc

What is our Goal?

We are very blessed to have an amazing network of parents here at Hope Center and I just know that there are great things that can be shared to use to encourage one another. I asked Debbie McClary, mother of senior Liam and sophomore Kira, to share something from her heart. THANK YOU DEBBIE!

What is our Goal?

   When our kids were younger, we were in a great small group study based on Chip Ingram’s ‘’Effective Parenting in a Defective World”. This summer we went through the study again, as leaders of a group of parents with younger kids.  What struck me the most both times was Ingram’s assertion that as parents our goal is usually that we want our kids to be happy, while God’s goal for them is to be holy, to be like Jesus.  We want them to get a good education, to be successful, to live a nice life and not have to struggle. But if we stop and think about it we realize that is a worldly view of success, not a Biblical one.  The Bible tells us what our goal should be, both for our kids and ourselves – to know God and be more like him. To love God and others and fulfill the purpose God has for us, to focus on living in a way that is pleasing to God, not our own selfish ambition.

   If we trust God and believe His ways are best, then His goal must be the right one!    Jesus went through so much more than our kids ever will and if he is truly our role model then we need to help our kids learn how to deal with life’s ups and downs. This means that we can’t fix all our kid’s mistakes, make sure they never get hurt and continually strive to give them an easy carefree life.  That is not easy for me at all, but I see the wisdom in it. I hate for my kids to be sad or disappointed and yet I know that life is full of hardship and sadness and they (and I) need to learn how to deal with it and trust God anyway. Life is hard, but God is good! We can help them to have the perspective that God is sovereign and somehow is working all things together for our good and His glory.  As Jesus told us in John 16:33, ‘’In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world.” Thank you Lord!

If you would like to follow up with Debbie for discussion and encouragement, her email is 4mcclarys@gmail.com 
If you would like to check out more on "Effective Parenting in a Defective World", click http://www.amazon.com/Effective-Parenting-Defective-World-Family/dp/141430384X

Interested in sharing something on the Lighthouse Loop blog? Talk to me and I'd love to hear what you would like to share!
Paul / paul@hopecenter.cc

When and Where for Off Campus LH

For the next three weeks we are doing Off Campus Lighthouse. Basically our regular Thursday night schedule is being cancelled and each small group leader is picking when and where the small group is meeting. Here are the details for each group:


-Freshman girls with Stacey Miller - McCooey's residence at 7pm on Thursday
-Sophomore girls with Lynn Laybourne and Rose Taylor - Meet at Panera at the Willows 7pm on Wednesday 10/10
-Upper classmen girls (Juniors and Seniors) with Julie McHuron and Tiffany Ciccone - still deciding. Please email or contact on Facebook.

-Fresh and Soph guys with Paul Scholz - checking on a possible service project for Saturday morning.
-Junior and Senior guys with Ian Longtin and Ryan Moon - please contact by email or Facebook.

Please contact the leaders with any questions.

Paul / paul@hopecenter.cc

Off Campus Lighthouse

Starting next Thursday (10/11) and for the rest of October, Lighthouse is going to be off campus - that is, off Hope Center campus. Why? What's the point? Glad you asked!

1. To help those who may not be able to be involved on Thursday nights at Hope Center
2. Easier to coordinate service projects when we are not forced to meet on Thursday

Firstly, we have at least 8 high schools represented in our group spanning from Pleasant Hill (duh!), Martinez, Walnut Creek, Concord, and even Brentwood. We are so blessed to have such a diverse group, but we also face challenges. Each student has extracurricular activities in different seasons, some have much longer commutes to Hope Center, and sometimes Thursday evenings do not work best.

Secondly, last year we did our first Serve Thursdays (often mistaken for SURF Thursdays). We coordinated service projects to serve the elderly, help the disabled, clean a school, babysit, and serve meals that heal to those in our congregation. Without a doubt, we need to do this more often but it is not easy to find service projects on Thursday evenings.

So what are we going to do? Again, great question! I am empowering our Lighthouse small group leaders to pick a location and time - kind of like the Lifegroups that our church promotes. Now many leaders at this point may not change the Thursday night time, but will change the location. That is fine and 100% their decision. So please contact your teen's small group leader to get more details, click to the "Meet our staff" page http://lighthouseloop.blogspot.com/p/meet-our-staff.html

I pray that this will lead to more students in Christ-centered small groups and more service projects!
Paul / paul@hopecenter.cc

A Miracle on Fall Retreat St.

WOW! We are back from Fall Retreat and it was an amazing weekend!

A little sun glare, we need a better group picture!

We read in the Scripture that Jesus walked on water, fed 5,000, and made the lame walk, and this weekend 5 churches from different denominations, cultures, and group traditions came together for Fall Retreat. Now I know that it is easy to pass this off as no big deal, but I will tell you that it was a miracle by God's grace. No fights? No arguments? No one left behind? No one hurt? No anger or frustrations big enough to matter? That is a modern day miracle that is worth praising God for!

More pics are on Facebook, click http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.373806512695650.86839.110182149058089&type=1

Paul / paul@hopecenter.cc

Fall Retreat Last Details

Here are some last details about Fall Retreat:

Where we are staying: Daybreak Christian Camp. 6676 Rose Acres Ln  Felton, CA (831) 335-2756

For emergencies, please call Paul Scholz at (916) 223-4327

We will be asking student to keep their cell phones off and out of sight.

Please bring your student to Hope Center on Friday no later than 3:15pm
We will be returning around 5:00pm on Sunday, we will have your student call you when we are driving.

Schedule for the weekend:
Friday:
3:30  Leave Hope Center
5:30  Dinner at Mt. Hermon exit, your student needs $10 extra for the weekend (for dinner and ice cream)
8:00  Worship service

Saturday

10:00  Worship service
11:30  Beach, Sea Cliff State Beach
4:00  Go back to Daybreak
7:00  Worship service
8:00  Ice Cream
  Coffeehouse time
  Star devo

Sunday:
10:00  Worship service
1:00  Clean up camp
2:45  Leave Daybreak Camp

Here's the packing list:

• Bible/Journal/Pen
• Water Bottle, Flashlight, Money (for ice cream, snacks)
• Jeans, Shorts, T-Shirts, clothes you can layer. Warm in the day, cool at night.
• Socks, underwear
• Closed-toe shoes, hat & sunglasses
• Towel, bathing suit (Ladies please show modesty, a 1 piece or cover up)
• Toiletries: Toothbrush, toothpaste, washcloth, shampoo, soap, towel, etc.
• Sleeping bag
• Card games, beach toys (again, check with Paul)

FALL RETREAT! FALL RETREAT!

You guessed it: We are excited that Fall Retreat is this Friday! This will be our third year doing this trip and it continues to be an amazing beginning of the year trip. We are also blessed this year to be joined by four other churches: The Creek Covenant, Clayton Community Church, Church of Christ Walnut Creek, and Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran in Fairfield (whom we also partner for Mission to Mexico)! I am so excited to see God bring together this Christ-centered community to have fun, get out of the normal routine, and get to know Him in a new way!

A couple last minute notes:
- Parent meeting is this Thursday from 7:05-7:20pm. We will be going over last minute details and information about the trip so that you know what is going on.
- Your child needs $10 extra for dinner on Friday night we will be stopping at the My. Hermon exit for food and then Saturday night we are going out for ice cream.

Looking forward to another great year, please don't hesitate to ask any questions as needed!
Paul / paul@hopecenter.cc

Small Group Lessons

Ever wonder what material our small group leaders use to prepare and lead small groups on Thursdays? Of course you do!

As many of you know, this year we are going through a devotional called The Way I'm Wired. Each week, everyone involved with Lighthouse is doing a specific devotional before coming to Thursday night small groups. During our time together, we take time to go deeper into the Scripture and create discussion around the week's lesson. Please follow up with your child on these discussions! Ask them what stood out, ask what them learned about God, what they learned about themselves! I pray this devotional and small groups lead your teen into a deeper knowledge and love for God.

To see last week's lesson on Genesis, click http://www.hopecenter.cc/files/120913_wired_sg_genesis.pdf

To see this week's lesson on Exodus, click http://www.hopecenter.cc/files/120920_wired_sg_exodus.pdf

I would also like to recommend a resource that will pair with what we are doing on Thursdays. It is the parent guide How Your Teenager is Wired http://www.simplyyouthministry.com/resources-parents---family-how-your-teenager-is-wired.html. I have not looked through this resource, but if you choose to get it please let me know what you think!

Paul / paul@hopecenter.cc

GET INVOLVED WITH LIGHTHOUSE

Parent involvement has always been important for our youth group. Logistically it is often a necessity, but even more significant is that we want to partner with you! Have you ever considered helping us out?

Ways you can get involved:

- Drive for Fall Retreat

- Cook Pancakes for Pancake Sunday

- Drive for Lighthouse events
- Thursday Small Group leader
- Sunday morning volunteer
- Host an event at your house (i.e. movie night, pool party, etc.)
- Other? Please talk with me and we can get creative

Contact me to get involved. We are happy to partner with you!
Paul / paul@hopecenter.cc

Parent Meeting Recap

Hey parents, it was great to have us all together two Thursdays ago to talk about Lighthouse, upcoming events, a little about us and our philosophy, and even talk honestly about parenting. I know that it is not easy.
During the meeting we read an article that I found. I thought that the title of "Spiritual Maturity: A Note Parenting" would be a great read for us, but I found that I disagreed with a lot of the article and thought it was a little harsh. But you were gracious with me, and we had a wonderful conversation about it. If you are interested in reading more the article is actually a four-parter:
Part 1 http://www.youthministry.com/articles/families/spiritual-maturity-note-parents
Part 2 http://www.youthministry.com/articles/families/spiritual-maturity-note-parents%E2%80%94part-2
Part 3 http://www.youthministry.com/articles/families/spiritual-maturity-note-parents-1
Part 4 http://www.youthministry.com/articles/families/spiritual-maturity-note-parents-2

While I may not completely agree with everything written in these articles, I do believe in having a conversation regarding this topic. As I said during our meeting, we are here to serve you! Support you as the primary discipler of your teen! I am available if you would ever like to set up a time to talk about this.

This is the first week for our new Thursday devotional The Way I'm Wired, we are doing the first one "Genesis". Feel free to do this devotion with your teen, could be a great discussion starter! Remind them to bring the devo, Bible and a pen on Thursdays.

Fall Retreat now costs $125 and there is room for your child and any friends they would like to invite! This is our "beginning-of-the-year-everyone-goes" trip! Let me know if I can help to get your teen there!

Paul / paul@hopecenter.cc

Parent Meeting

It is no easy task to get everyone on the same page. We are all being pulled in many directions, with many commitments, and with different priorities. But this Thursday we are going to be having a Lighthouse Parent meeting from 7:00-8:30pm to hopefully get on the same page. I'm here to serve you! The things we do at the youth group are supposed to support you as the parent in discipling your child! Let's get on the same page about things that are going on for another great school year of seeing God work in the lives of students!

For this year's small groups, we are doing things a little different. In the past, students have come to Lighthouse, heard an intro to a topic with Scripture, and then broken into small groups by age and grade. This year we are going to be doing the devotional booklet "The Way I'm Wired" all year long. The cost is $5 per book, students will be expected to do a quick devotion throughout the week before coming to youth group, and be ready to discuss the week's topic. Books will be available at Lighthouse next Thursday 9/6. Click here for a video intro by the author: http://blip.tv/simply-youth-ministry/the-way-i-m-wired-devo-5307844

See you Thursday!
Paul Scholz / paul@hopecenter.cc

FALL RETREAT!

Sign your student up today for Fall Retreat!

This is our beginning of the school year trip to bring students together is Community and create Christ-centered friends! This year we are partnering with four other churches: Clayton Community Church, The Creek Covenant Church, Church of Christ Walnut Creek, and Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran. It is a wonderful opportunity for us all to come together, have fun, and praise God.
Our speaker this year is a good friend of mine from the Sacramento area, Chris Ivens. He is the Jr. High Pastor at Valley Springs Presbyterian and he will be taking a narrative look at the theme of "Wilderness" throughout the Bible.
We are also blessed to once again have Rachel Weight leading worship! We are very excited for Saturday night's "Stars Devo" where we will be looking up at God's creation and singing praise!


To sign up, please fill out the year long permission slip and turn in $100 by September 2nd - price goes up to $125 after Sept 2nd. We already have people on our roster!

I pray that you and your family are going through a good season of starting school. Please let me know if I can help you in any way!
Paul Scholz / paul@hopecenter.cc


p.s. Please mark your calendars for next Thursday 8/30 at 7:00pm we will be having a Lighthouse Parent Meeting to talk about what is going on for the school year, discussing Winter Camp, and Summer Camp.

Meet our staff!

The only way that we are able to effectively minister to students at Lighthouse is with a group of adults that care about high school students. Click here to see our new page Meet our staff!. This group of adults is on your team to support you and your student spiritually, so please be praying for us!

Lighthouse Kick off!

We are kicking off the school year with a Pool Party! Have your student bring a swim suit and be ready to have fun around the pool with friends. Of course, any other friends are more than invited to this party.
Address: 720 Roanoke Dr., Martinez. Time: 7-8:45pm.

To get more information on Lighthouse events, click here to see our Fall calendar.

Some important events:

• Parent meeting Thursday 8/30 starting at 7:00pm. This is our annual beginning of the year meeting where we discuss our vision, values, and make decisions for the upcoming year such as Winter Camp and Summer Camp. Please come to meet other parents and give your opinion.
  
• Fall Retreat, Friday-Sunday 9/28-30 in Santa Cruz - We start off the year with a fun Community building trip to connect with peers and adults who care. Friendships are created this trip that support students in their faith. This year we will be joined by a couple other youth groups such as Clayton Community, The Creek, and Church of Christ Walnut Creek. Very excited to have Rachel Weight leading worship again!
  Cost: $100 by September 2nd, $125 after September 2nd. **Scholarships available, contact Paul for more information**

Look forward to another great school year of seeing what God is doing in the lives of students!

Community at Pancake Sunday!

Why do we do Pancake Sunday? No one has asked me because it is so awesome but I'm sure that the question has crossed people's minds. I mean, is Sunday morning worship the time for something like that? Shouldn't we fill the time instead with prayer, more singing worship, or a longer message?


This question brings me back to our vision statement: Encouraging students in their discipleship with Jesus Christ through Christ (Up) developing the habit of knowing and worshiping God, Community (In) building real Christ-centered friends in the Church, and Calling (Out) sharing Christ and generously serving others so that they can be disciples that make disciples. Everything we do at Lighthouse is filtered through the lens of our vision. For example, we see Sundays primarily as Christ, Thursdays primarily as Community, and Serve Thursdays and 30 Hour Famine as Calling - all are equally important in the growth and maturing of us as disciples.


In the process of maturing, Lighthouse continually tries to find creative ways to challenge the spiritual journey of high schoolers. The first Sunday of the month we partake in Communion as commanded by Jesus at the Last Supper Mark 14:12-26. Just as Jesus and His Disciples partook of a meal with the First Communion, we too have a meal together with Communion. While Sunday worship may be seen primarily as Christ, by having a meal together the opportunity for more Community is created. Our prayer is that your student is creating Christ-centered friendships in the church to encourage them in their spiritual journey!


-Paul Scholz, High School Director paul@hopecenter.cc

Fall 12 Calendars are out!

Hello Lighthouse Parents!
The Fall calendar is out and being mailed to you. Included with the calendar is the Fall Retreat brochure, the yearlong permission slip, and this letter from Paul:

The school year is about to begin again!  I hope this past season provided some restful opportunities for you and your family. This summer Lighthouse had the incredible opportunity to go to Hume Lake summer camp and I saw God change them in incredible ways!

But now it is time to get back to a more regular schedule. As your student is getting back into routine, my goal is get them involved in their church community with believing peers, as well as adults who care and are available to mentor. My desire is for students to be connected on Sundays, Thursdays and at other events that are planned. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help your student be involved and excited about things going on at Lighthouse. 

Attached to this letter is the Lighthouse Fall Calendar, please note some important dates:

• Community Worship, Friday August 24^th from 6:30-9:30pm at Hope Center. This our third meeting for a night of worship with other youth groups in the area! Bring money for food afterward.
• Parent meeting, Thursday August 30^th from 7:05-8:30. Please bring your student to Lighthouse as usual but stay for some refreshments while we kick off the school year on the same page.              
• **IMPORTANT**: We will be discussing winter camp and summer camp options.
• Fall Retreat! September 28-30 in Santa Cruz. We will be camping, going to the beach and connecting with God! Early Bird Cost (before Sept. 2^nd) is $100. Price goes to $125 after Sept. 2^nd, please have your student signed up no later than Sept. 23^rd. See attached brochure for more info. **If money is an issue, scholarships are available**

Do not hesitate to contact me with any questions, I am here to serve you!

God Bless,

Paul Scholz

Hope Center Covenant Church

Director of High School Ministries

paul@hopecenter.cc

916-223-4327 cell

925-685-4673 ext 13 church

Post Hume

We are back from Hume and the excitement around the trip is incredible! God certainly moved through the students and staff, and we are certainly blessed.


In the aftermath of Hume I wanted to give out a couple important links:
-To the Facebook photos http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.346537432089225.78427.110182149058089&type=3


-To the Hume Lake videos for the week http://www.humelake.org/wanderinglites-pd/ (we were week 5)


Praise the Lord!

Happenings around Hume

Your students got up for early morning worship. (Yes, awake and singing before 8am!) Drew took first place in the Biathlon swim. Dominic won Kajabe for his team at Rec. It may be our first year at Hume but we're having no trouble getting into the swing of things. There was paintball and church time to talk about how we're being challenged at camp. Students were asked what they feel God calling them to do after we get home. More fun at Guys and Girls dinner, volleyball tournament, and the Gauntlet! Please keep our health and safety in your prayers and that God would continue to breakdown the walls and allow us to have real conversations about trusting God with all aspects of our lives. Great things are happening here and we pray for greater things still to come

Camp ~ Hume style

We're cruisin' through Day Two of camp. Learning to get comfortable amongst the crowds and learn the Hume Camp ways. We've got an incredible speaker. We're being challenged to look at our lives and what's standing in our way of living a life that says, God is enough. We're learning new games at Rec. We've got a few Kajabe can champions in our midst already. A few of brave adventure seekers took on the high ropes course this afternoon. Taking steps out in faith in many new ways. Please pray for our health. It's warm up here! And please pray that God uses this week to work in the hearts of the students. We're thankful for the time to get to know each other more as we grow in our personal relationships with God. Today's Memory Verse: John 1:9-14 yesterday's verse: Romans 1:21-25

We're here! Hume 2012

The Phantastival Journey of the Wandering Lites! We all arrived safely this afternoon. We hiked to our cabins, had plenty of pizza for dinner, and an Amazing Opening Chapel. This week we'll be journeying through Exodus to Deuteronomy.  It will be Phantastical!The Phantastival Journey of the Wandering Lites! We all arrived safely this afternoon. We hiked to our cabins, had plenty of pizza for dinner, and an Amazing Opening Chapel. This week we'll be journeying through Exodus to Deuteronomy.  It will be Phantastical!

Getting ready for Hume!

This message is intended for those signed up for Hume Lake Summer Camp:

Hello Hume crew! We are almost a week away and I hope everyone is excited for an incredible experience! Hume Lake is by far one of the most incredible camp experiences I have ever had and I am ready to bring Lighthouse High School group with me this time!

A couple things as we get ready to go:
       -By now you should have received an email from Hume lake requesting that you give medical information to them about your student.
     -We are taking four vehicles: Scott Walker’s Pilot, Ken Millson’s truck, Karen Walker’s (my mom’s) Suzuki, and Julie’s car. We will just make it with all of our luggage. Final travelling info will be given upon our departure.

           -Packing list: Please bring no more than a duffle bag.
Bible, notebook, pencil, flashlight, sleeping bag, pillow, toiletries, warm and cool clothes, jacket, modest one-piece swimsuit (no tankinis), $60 recommended spending money. (Remember: Girls no bare midriffs or spaghetti straps; guys, no sagging.)
**Electronic devices will not be allowed during daily activities, please talk to your student about cooperation.

What not to bring: Drugs (unless prescribed by a doctor), alcohol, tobacco, fireworks, firearms, electronic devices.

        -Please plan on dropping off your luggage (unless you have talked to me otherwise) at Hope Center on Friday July 6^th.

Please contact me with any questions, I will be out of town July 2-5 so I may not respond immediately though I will be checking my email,

Paul Scholz

Hope Center Covenant Church

925 685 4673 ext. 13 church

916 223 4327 cell

www.ourlighthouse.cc