Teen Night 3.25.11

"Whoever walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm." Proverbs 13:20 With Caleb on vacation for a few weeks, Ro led Teen Night last Friday, leading off with the verse above and speaking to youth about the importance of choosing good friends.

We also had a few eating contests.

(Peanut butter crackers)

(Coke)

(Chocolate-covered apple & onion)

The onion-eater valiantly made it through two bites before calling it quits.

How Rich Are You?

It was Jesus who said, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." (Mark 10:25) I don't know if your brain works anything like mine, but I've often read that verse and immediately thought, "Well, that doesn't concern me too much because I'm not rich." I'm not "rich" because I'm defining "rich" by U.S. standards. But if I stretch my brain to think beyond these borders, the definition changes. In Haiti, the average annual income is $450. In Ethiopia, it's $160. In Rwanda, it's $230. In Bangladesh, it's a whopping $470. In Kenya, it's a staggering $530. (Source: World Vision) To get an idea of just how "rich" you might be, check out this website. Just click on the image below to be re-directed. You may have discovered, as I did, that you are in fact "rich," so what to do with Jesus' words now? With Him, even the rich aren't a hopeless cause, and I believe that Jesus encourages us in Mark 10: 1) While it may be hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of God, it isn't impossible. "With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God." Mark 10:27 2) Earthly riches can be turned into heavenly treasures. How? By giving them away, not letting your possessions possess you. "And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, 'You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come, follow Me." Mark 10:21 God can use the rich for His glory, and I have recently been challenged by the example of Joseph of Arimathea, whom Scripture describes as a "rich man." Joseph mustered the courage to approach Pilate to ask for Jesus' body and then lovingly "took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock." (Matthew 27:59-60) Out of his riches, Joseph gave, and the Holy Spirit moved each of the gospel writers to record his act of generosity for us to read.

30 Hour Famine

Over the weekend, several Aim Right'ers participated in the 30 Hour Famine, fasting for a total of 30 hours and raising money for World Vision. The group also learned about Jesus' heart of compassion, watched videos of children living in poverty around the world, and had a food drive "contest" to fill the food pantry. Some photos from the weekend:

Devotions by Matt

Worship by Tim and the guys

Group games

The guys got a little bored and decided to see if they could duct tape this good-natured teen to the wall!

Outdoor games where the participants had "handicaps" (one arm, bad hearing, poor vision, etc.) as they had a sand-filled water relay. This was to simulate countries where medical help isn't available to help such handicaps, and their only source of water is contaminated.

The food collected!

One of the Saturday afternoon activities was visiting Arizona City Fest in Tempe.

A HUGE crowd!

Kids Klub 3.16.11

"If I could relive my life,

I would devote my entire ministry

to reaching children for God!"

- D.L. Moody

"Every child you encounter

is a divine appointment."

-Wess Stafford

"A person's a person,

no matter how small."

-Dr. Seuss

"Let the children come to Me;

do not hinder them,

for to such belongs the

kingdom of God."

-JESUS (Mark 10:14)

"It is easier to build strong children

than to repair broken men."

-Frederick Douglass

"Children are the living messages

we send to a time we will not see."

-John W. Whitehead

"Give a little love to a child,
and you get a great deal back."
-John Ruskin


"from childhood you have been
acquainted with the sacred writings,
which are able to make you wise
for salvation through faith
in Christ Jesus."
2 Timothy 3:15

God provided a beautiful day for Aim Right's 16th benefit auction.

The top selling quilt was this one, at $1,550.

Auctioneers Steve Cross and Jr. Miller kept things lively!

A big, big thanks to all who donated items, volunteered at the event, and purchased items. Proceeds of the auction were just over $14,000.

"You will be enriched in every way for all your generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God." 2 Corinthians 9:11

Pizza Party!

Tutoring students met the goal of reading 175 pages each by the end of February and were rewarded with a PIZZA PARTY on Tuesday evening.

Tutors filled plates, too, before the pizza vanished.

Pre-pizza devouring, students reviewed how to divide words into syllables and wrote their own haikus (a form of Japanese poetry with a specified number of syllables per line).

Teen Statistics In 2 Hours