Reality Weekend 2009!

hey folks!!

REALITY WEEKEND 2009 is just around the corner.  January 16-18, 2009 are the dates for our annual DiscipleNow weekend that will see over 500 students come together to worship and study God's Word together.  January 7th is the deadline to sign up for the weekend, and you can grab a registration form in the Upper Room.  

This year David Nasser will be preaching and Billy & Cindy Foote will be leading worship.  These folks are excellent at what they do, and I know that God is going to use them during our weekend in a mighty way.  We also have some incredible small group leaders coming in from OBU.  

Don't miss this weekend of intense discipleship as we seek the Lord together.

Big Wednesday!

hey gang!

this Wednesday is a BIG day!!  our annual Christmas Party will kick off at 7PM and end up at around 815PM!  make sure you don't forget your homemade dessert and your 'clean santa' gift that costs under $5!  we'll spend some time fellowshipping and then worshipping our Creator!

also Wednesday is the deadline for our New Year's Eve Branson Blow Out!  the cost is $85 and this covers your ticket to Dixie Stampede, Kirby Van Burch New Years Eve show, hotel, and Barn Swinging!  it's going to be a blast!  don't miss out!!

IMPACT

hey gang!

hope your week is going well!  just wanted to let you in on what's coming down the pipe for IMPACT over the next couple of weeks....

December 10th  TESTIMONY NIGHT  We'll spend this night worshipping Jesus together and hearing testimonies of students about what God is doing in and through them.  This will be a great night of encouragement and ministry!

December 17th  CHRISTMAS PARTY  Tonight we'll come together to celebrate the life of our Savior!  Bring some homemade dessert with you and we'll feast together.  Also bring a 'clean Santa' gift that costs no more than $5.  This will be a fun night

December 24th  Christmas Eve Service @ FBC @ 5:00 PM.  No IMPACT!

December 31st  NEW YEARS EVE BRANSON BLOW OUT!  We'll be celebrating the entrance of 2009 together in Branson, MO.  Sign ups are in the UR now and go through Dec. 17th.  We'll be going to the Branson Landing, Dixie Stampede, Kirby Van Burch Magic Show, Barn Swinging, and to Lambert's Cafe.  Cost is $85.  It will be a memorable New Year's!!  

That's the scoop!

New Years Eve Branson Blow Out

Hey gang!

Just wanted to let you know that registration is open for our New Years Eve Branson Blow Out!  It's going to be an awesome two days as we get away to enjoy the ringing in of the New Years together!  We'll start off on Wednesday by going to The Branson Landing for some lunch and a little shopping, then we'll head off to Dixie Stampede for a great time of dinner and a show before we end the evening at the Kirby VanBurch Magic experience!  On Thursday we will spend the day doing a little Barn Swinging and finish the day off with lunch at Lambert's Cafe, Home of the Throwed Roll!

The cost is $85 and the deadline to sign up is Wednesday, December 17th!  Don't miss out!

Paint It Up Information

hey folks!  

here is some info. for you paintball lovers for this saturday....

*meet at the bus barn @ 11 AM

*bring $$'s for quick lunch

*bring extra money for extra paint if you need it

*we'll be home around 5

call me/e-mail me if you have any questions!

peace be.

Paint It Up!!

hey gang!

don't forget that your Paint It Up forms are due this coming up Wednesday at IMPACT.  we'll be heading to Paintball Arkansas (no bridget that is not a town) on saturday, november 15th!  we'll head out of the church parking lot at 11:00 AM and be back around 5:30.  the cost is $15/all day play and 100 paintballs or $30/all day play and 500 paintballs.  you can also buy extra paintballs on your own.  also need to bring a little money for some fast food.  it's going to be a blast!  don't miss out!

Incredible Retreat!

Wow!  What a weekend!  God proved Himself faithful to come and work in our lives during Fall Retreat 2008.  Please pray for the new believers who made Christ the boss of their lives this weekend!  Pray that God would give them the strength to make their decisions public to the body soon!  God is good.

here are some links to some pictures for the weekend.....

Facebook Album 1

Facebook Album 2

Facebook Album 3

It's Here!!!

hey folks!

Fall Retreat 2008 is here!  we've got over 170 folks going to be a part of an awesome weekend away focused on our love relationship with Jesus and fellowship with each other.  here are some details that you need to know....

*You need to be in the Worship Center lobby by 8:45 AM!

*Pack light!!!  We are tight on space!

*You need money for 2 fast food stops, snacks, and a Solace Found CD.

*We'll be home by 3:30 PM on Monday.

*Don't forget your bedding!  

Be praying for God to do some amazing things!!

Fall Retreat Rally is tonight!!

It's almost here!!

Tonight we will kick off Fall Retreat with our worship rally in the Upper Room at 7:00 PM!  We'll kick off the night with some cake and punch and then spend some time worshipping together and preparing our hearts for the weekend!  We'll also hand out t-shirts tonight.  

Each participant should be receiving a letter in the mail today/tomorrow with details about the weekend.  You need to be at the church by 8:45 AM Saturday morning and register in the lobby of the Worship Center before you get on any bus.  Remember that you need to bring sheets/sleeping bag/pillow for your bunk!

See ya tonight!

Fall Retreat is nearing!!!

Only 8 more days of registration are open for Fall Retreat 2008!  We are looking forward to a great weekend of worship, Bible study, and fellowship!  

Dr. Joey Dodson will be our preacher for the weekend.  Joey has an incredible heart for the Word and has an intense passion to communicate it to students.  The band, Solace Found, will be leading worship through the weekend.  They were with us last year during Fall Retreat, and so we are thrilled that they are back with us!!  

Registration forms are available in the Upper Room and the Student Ministry Offices.  October 15th is the Deadline!!!

Fall Registration Is On!

hey gang!

fall retreat registration is on!!!  the dates are October 25-27 and the deadline to register is Wednesday, October 15th!  forms are in the Upper Room and the Student Ministry Offices.  Solace Found will be leading us in worship and Joey Dodson will be preaching throughout the weekend.  

we will have scholarships available if you need some help!  it's going to be an amazing weekend!  don't miss out!  contact clay (778.2271 or clay@fbcbenton.org) if you have ANY questions!!

SINK OR SWIM!

hey team!  

don't forget to get your SINK or SWIM registration in this Sunday!  our trip is set for next Saturday, September 27th.  the cost is $15 and you must have your waiver forms signed by your parents and turned in before we head down the Saline River.  we will meet at Riverside Grocery at noon and then head down the river at 1:00 PM.  we should be finished up around 3:30 PM!  

also don't forget about the Habitat Youth United's "Battle of the Bands" next Saturday night as well!  everything kicks off at the Fairgrounds at 5:00 PM, and some of our own students will be participating (TRB w/Marcus Rutherford, Steven Rutherford, and Brady Willis)!  come out and support these guys and Habitat Youth United!

DIVE TONIGHT....Big Bros & Sisses Are Revealed!

hey friends!

welp....the anticipation is over as we assigned 46 sets of Big Brothers and Big Sisters last night. we are continually striving to grow bigger and smaller at the same time. the Big Brother/Sister Ministry is our attempt to connect 8th and 9th grade students with our older senior high students to bridge the age gaps. it was awesome seeing our older students and younger students literally 'embrace' last night!

DIVE (monday night Bible study) kicks off tonight! junior high students will meet at hunter johnson's house from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM and we'll be studying the Psalms. senior high students will meet at katy stracener's casa from 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM and we are studying the book of Revelation. come on and be a part. call the church office if you need more info or directions (778.2271)!

have a great week!

Adoption Night!!

This Sunday night is a BIG night as we'll kick off Pure Energy at 4:30 PM!  After worship at 6:00 PM we'll have our Big Brother/Big Sister Adoption Night in the Worship Center.  We should be done around 7:45 PM.  You MUST be at the Adoption Night to be a part of the program this year! 

Also don't forget about your SINK or SWIM registrations if you are planning on being a part of our Saline River float trip.  The date is Saturday, September 27th!  We'll meet at Riverside at noon for a little picnic and then head down the river from 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM!  

Big Brother/Big Sister Registration Deadline is Sunday!

hey folks!  

just a reminder that applications for the Big Brother/Big Sister Ministry deadline is due THIS SUNDAY, September 7th!  applications are in the Upper Room and must be completed and turned in by Sunday!  you must be at the Adoption Ceremony Sunday night, September 14th in the Worship Center immediately after the PM worship service.  that is also the same day as Pure Energy kicks off!

don't forget about SINK or SWIM as well!  our float trip down the Saline River will take place Saturday, September 27th.  there are a limited number of spots in the canoes so make sure you get your registration packet turned in to save your spot!

have a great week!!

Great night @ IMPACT!

hey gang!

great night last night @ IMPACT! i pray that your heart and soul were fed, encouraged, and embraced by our Father last night! "Never Let Go" was incredible! i had a great time visiting with a few of you by text after worship last night talking about worship and the Word.

as you live this week remember Whose You Are! you belong to God! YEAH!!! so since you belong to Him daily put to death the sinful nature that wars in us, remember where your identity is found, and embrace the true life that comes from a relationship with the SON!

next wednesday we'll start a new series on sharing our faith with a lost world! make sure you're there!! don't forget that your UR T-Shirt order form is due next wednesday w/your $12.

love yall!

clay

IMPACT is BACK!!

hey gang!

IMPACT is BACK this Wednesday night at 7:00 PM!!  it's time go get cranking again on Wednesday nights in the Upper Room.  the doors open at 5:15 PM for you to come hang out, eat some dinner, do some homework, play some pool/ping pong/foosball, or just chill before we kick worship off at 7:00 PM!  be ready to worship and seek God together with over 100 students!  it's going to be a blast.  bring an unchurched friend with you to check out what God might want to do! Don't miss it!!!

Promotion Sunday & CONNECTION Lunch

hey gang!!

i know that many of you are not looking forward to the beginning of school, but we are pumped in the Student Ministry Offices about a new year with a new group of 8th graders and a new group of seniors who are ready to lead.

THIS SUNDAY, August 17th is Promotion Sunday! we'll meet in the Upper Room for a little breakfast, worship, and challenge for the new school year. you will also have the opportunity to briefly meet your new small group leaders!

after morning worship we will all meet in Selph Hall for CONNECTION Lunch. all 8th through 12th graders and small group leaders will be treated to a Sally Brown lunch of chicken tenders, fries, and ice cream. we will talk about the upcoming semester, Bible studies, retreats, and trips! it's going to be a great semester! we'll also begin talking about our 2nd year of Big Brothers and Big Sisters! we will be done with lunch around 12:45 PM!

LAST "CRASH" OF THE SUMMER

hey gang!!

congratulations to the winners of the 4th Annual Intern Scavenger Hunt:

colby roberts

jarrod shults

kevin c. burns

austin pfeiffer

terry pfeiffer, driver

BIG THANKS goes out to jarrett and christen for doing a fantastic job of putting the hunt together!

just a reminder that the last CRASH of the summer is this wednesday night, July 30th!!  we'll meet in the UR for worship at 5:30PM and then head down to arkadelphia to the aquatic park!!!  cost is $10 and that includes your admission into the park and a catered meal from Pig Pit BBQ!!!  don't forget to bring a towel with you!!  

also don't forget about our summer share service sunday night at 6:00 PM!  we'll have the opportunity to share about what all God has done this summer on Choir Tour, Paint Your Heart Out, Mission Arlington, and Mission Cajamarca!  don't missi out!!!

4th Annual Intern Scavenger Hunt

hey gang!!

don't forget about this Sunday night, July 27th!  after worship in the Sanctuary at 6:00 PM we'll meet in the Upper Room for a quick dinner and then get our scavenger hunt teams together and head out for the 4th Annual Intern Scavenger Hunt.  if you have never been a part of this event you are missing out!  our interns have devised some tough tough clues for you to attempt to solve in order to find the missing prize of $100!!  their clues will send you all around b-town looking for the next clue.  The cost is $10 and that includes dinner.  we should be done by around 9:30 PM!  if you have any questions about the night feel free to e-mail me at clay@fbcbenton.org!!  see ya sunday night!!!

clay

We're in Lima!

hey folks!

just wanted to update one last time before we head home late tonight. we have made it to Lima safely and just resting up a bit before we grab some lunch and spend some time at the Indian Market. it has been an incredible trip with too many memories to write here.

yesterday was a great day of worship and recreation. we worshipped with Monte Sion BC in the morning and then spent yesterday afternoon playing A LOT of volleyball with the folks there. we got whipped! they know how to play some volleyball! after a hot dog and marshmallow roast underneath a perfect clear sky we worshipped once again with the congregation of Monte Sion. we lead the entire service, and it was a blessing! jarrett and hannah bethel led worship and hannah pfeiffer and stephanie morse gave their testimonies. i preached on john 14.6 and a man name Gheno came forward to accept Christ. he was a 30 year old policeman who the church had been reaching out to. he said that last night was the first time he felt the boldness to walk forward to accept the Lord. it was amazing!!

after some devotional time and prayer time we headed to bed! our bags were to be out at 5AM this morning so needless to say we're dragging just a bit. looking forward to being home to share stories of God's goodness and faithfulness, but also have hearts that are connected with the people of Cajamarca!

blessings!

clay

Our Last Full Day in Cajamarca

greetings!

i hope that this note finds everyone doing well back home. unfortunately our trip is drawing to a close as today is our last full day in Cajamarca. yesterday was an awesome day as we woke up early and packed an old school bus and headed off to the orphanage to pick the older children up to take them to a place called Porcorn Grande. basically it was a large farm with a zoo, picnic area, fishing pond, and creek. it was nestled in the beautiful mountains of Cajamarca. beautiful place! after we toured the zoo we then went and shared a sack lunch together before singing some songs, hearing Andy's testimony, and sharing the plan of salvation with the children. it was fun to watch the eyes of these children as they saw the animals, caught their first fish, and received love from our students. i have to believe that God was pleased!

after a short afternoon nap we ate dinner together before going to Monte Sion Baptist Church for the Saturday evening youth gathering. Jarrett and Christen did a great job of leading worship and Ali, Colby, Rachel, and Katy gave their testimonies. i preached for a little bit and then we played a game together. that was interesting! some of the college students that we invited on Friday also came, so that was pretty exciting. some had to ride busses all the way across town as well! it was good re-connecting with them and exchanging e-mails.

this morning we will worship with the congregation from Monte Sion and also share with them tonight. God continues to teach us great things about Himself and ministry!

What a Day!!

good morning! it is early here in peru as we are getting ready for a big day with the older children from the orphanage and Bible Study tonight with the students from Monte Sion Baptist Church. yesterday was quite a day! it was a day where God was working all over the place (as He does all the time...we just are too busy to see it most of hte time!) we started out at the university yesterday morning. we showed a dvd about some professional baseball players who gave their testimony about their faith in Jesus and the difference it had made in their lives. jarrett and christen led in worship and destiney, ryan, justin m., and hannah b. gave their testimonies! powerful! then pastor carlos explained the Gospel to the college students and then we had the opportunity to pass out New Testaments to each student and shared with them about our lives in Christ. our students jumped at the opportunity to laugh and connect with these college students! it was an awesome sight to see! we pray that many seeds were planted in both the morning and afternoon sessions and we praise Jesus for the salvation of 2 girls from the university who accepted Christ yesterday morning. to God be the glory!!

after our afternoon at the university we received a special invitation from Monte Sion Baptist Church where we ministered at the day before. they are celebrating the school's 8th anniversary and last night they crowned Miss Monte Sion! it was a blast. lots of music, custom dancing, and people everywhere! our students did not want to leave!

after dinner Larry led us around the back of our dorms where 2 fire pits were going and some sticks and marshmallows were laying around. all of a sudden the infamous Mariachi Band came out of nowhere and we commenced to dance (yes Pastor Rick...dance!) for the next 45 minutes. it was a lot of fun! after our fiesta we spent some great time in worship by testifying about lessons that God was teaching us. we also spent some time praying for Doris' family who are not believers. it was a powerful day!

i would ask that you pray for today as we share the Gospel with the older children from the orphanage. pray that they might have ears to hear. also pray for tonight as we meet with the youth group from Monte Sion. pray that our time of worship and testimony will be fruitful!

once again thanks for the encouraging comments! God is good!

Dancing, Sports Court, Varnishing,

greetings from the mountains of Peru!

it is another gorgeous morning here. probably a little cooler than it is in central arkansas! yesterday was another great day at Villa Milagro. we woke up and shared breakfast in the morning and hannah pfeiffer led in our devo time. we then packed up and went to Monte Sion which is where the church and school is. there are over 175 children at the school. our craft team and some other spent the morning going classroom to classroom sharing crafts, love, and the story of Jesus. they also were taught some peruvian dances as well. don't tell pastor rick! the rest of us continued working on the sports court that we started on wednesday. we lined out and painted 4 different courts for volleyball and soccer (futbol). we also put varnish on A BUNCH of chairs for classrooms. our students worked hard and did a fantastic job!

after a wonderful dinner we spent some time worshiping together. justin mills led in our devo time and then one of the ladies who works here at Villa Milagro shared her testimony! POWERFUL!!! she just became a Believer 2 years ago, and it was incredible to see how God has grown her and given her boldness to be honest about her past and passion about her future. there weren't very many dry eyes in the room! it was a sweet night of worship!

today is our day at the university. so as i asked yesterday please pray that God opens up doors for us to share the Gospel, plant seeds, and reap a harvest if it is time. we trust that God will give us the boldness and the words to use! He is good like that!!

hope all is well in arkansas. our time here is going by way too quickly. thanks for praying and for the encouraging comments as well!

blessings in Christ!

VBS, Painting, Larry's Story

greetings to all!

it is a chilly but beautiful morning in Cajamarca today! things are going great, and God is doing good things in us and through us. yesterday was a busy day as we loaded up early in the morning to head to the local school where we did our VBS with around 270 children from 1st through 6th grade. it was an awesome morning as students rotated from a time of worship to a time of crafts and ending with some time with our rec team. our worship team did an awesome job of singing Jesus Loves Me, and I've got the joy, joy , joy in Spanish, and then taught the children Deep and Wide in English. Jarrett and Jan also took opportunities to give their testimony, and Carlos shared the Gospel with every child. it was an awesome time. the craft team taught the children how to draw and color angels. one of the highlights of the day was when we told each child that they could take their ziploc bag with 5 crayons home with them. a gasp went through the room each time. our team talked about how we would never look at crayons the same again. our rec teams stayed busy playing jump rope, duck-duck-dog, and soccer. they did a great job!!

after lunch we walked to Monte Sion Baptist Church where we varnished some chairs and cabinets for the school and we also began painting lines for 3 volleyball courts and a soccer field on the newly paved concrete sports court for the school. we will head back to Monte Sion to finish that today.

we finished our devotional time last night by hearing Larry Johnson's story. WOW! he told of the journey that God put him on that led Him to surrender all of his business in west texas because of the burden that he had for the peruvian people. all of this happened at age 49! what a way to spend retirement. it was a great lesson for us!

one prayer request is for tomorrow. we are going to have the privilege of going to the local university to share the Gospel with college students. pray for the Holy Spirit to be at work and to give us boldness to share how Jesus has changed our lives.

i'm so proud of our team. they are doing a great job of encouraging other and serving the people here in Cajamarca. God is good!!

Cajamarca is wonderful!

hello friends!
i hope that this note finds all of you doing well back in the estados unidos! things are going great here at Villa Milagro. all of our flights went well, and after a night in the airport in Lima we made it to Cajamarca yesterday morning around 6:45 AM! we were greeted with some chilly weather, beautiful mountains, and the Larry Johnson and the gracious staff at Villa Milagro. after we packed up bags we treked through the streets of Cajamarca to Villa Milagro where Nancy de Diaz had a wonderful breakfast made for us. she fed us and sent us to bed to grab some shut eye. nobody put up a fight about that!!

after some rest we ate a light lunch and headed for the orphanage. it was a joy to see the children there. we took a couple of hours to go and play on the playground and on the soccer court with the children. we also gave them their "Christmas in July" presents of jeans/underwear/shirt/beanie baby. they loved this. our students did not hesitate at all to start playing and attempting to start conversations with the children. it was a lot of fun to see God move on the grounds of the orphanage!

after the orphanage we went to the top of one of the hills in town and saw a panoramic view of Cajamarca. this gave our team a good perspective of the magnitude of the city. after some pictures we climbed down the 'steep' hill and came back to VM. after dinner we were lead in our devotional by margaret herzfeld, then carlos (one of the missionaries at VM) explained to us the impact of Catholocism on the Peruvian culture and people. we then put our heads together and worked out final details for our VBS at the school today. we are expecting nearly 300 children. pray that God opens doors up for children to learn how special they are in God's eyes, and that He desires a personal realtionship with each one.

thank you for your prayers and e-mails of encouragement. all of your students are doing wonderful! we have a great team. praising Jesus for safe travel, healthy people, and His desire to use us to build His Kingdom! to God be the glory!!

Mission Cajamarca is Near!

hey folks!

well....our time is drawing near to get ready to head to Peru. we leave Monday morning for Lima and then on to Cajamarca where will be doing different types of ministry with the people of that city. pray that God will work in a mighty way as we seek so serve the people and bear witness to the Father. we're praying that people will be rescued from the darkness into the light as we sing, talk, and preach Jesus while we are there. pray for safety as we travel to Peru and around the city as well. pray for good health for our team as well. pray most of all that God will be glorified in our service to Him! check back for updates during our trip. to Him be the glory!

clay

Only 1 day left....

hey folks!

well day 3 is over at Mission Arlington! it's been an eventfuly trip, but God is proving His faithfulness over and over! He is amazing!

our students have done an incredible job of being flexible and rolling with whatever happens! the days have been jam packed with activities from 7AM to 5PM and we have gotten a little downtime in the evenings.

here is one story from one of our students about the week....

well..everyday we go and we gather the kids by knocking on their door,then we hang out with them..and just really try to connect to them. We sing all different kinds of songs,play games,tell Bible stories,and also do a craft. Most groups talk about how they have a lot of kids and how they are a handful but we tend to have small groups wich in a way i think is better for us because its easier to have 1 on 1 time with the kids because we can tell they don't have any clue what we are talking about when we say the word "Jesus" or "God". Its almost like starting at the basics. Today we made salvation bracelets wich gave us great opportunities to talk with them about salvation..one girl in particular really touched my heart because she didnt have a clue and in her home she's not even allowed to have a Bible because her culture. That just really gave me a reality check on how much we take the Bible for granted, by just leaving it in the floor board of our car, and some kids don't even know what it is. I'm really praying that God will help all of us some how connect to her heart so that she can be an example to her brother and also her family.

pray that tomorrow will be a great day as we finish up our Rainbow Express groups in the morning and afternoon. also pray for our church bus that is in the shop. pray that it gets healed tomorrow!! peace be.

clay

Mission Arlington...Day 1

hey folks!

today was a great start to our mission trip! we loaded up the vans at 7:50 this morning to head to MA Headquarters to get our apartment assignments and head out. after a brief time of orientation our 3 different teams headed out to 3 different apartment complexes. our students did an incredible job in the midst of 100 degree heat. we kept them hydrated and they ran with children hard all day long. when we get to the complex our students go door to door gathering the children to come to the central location in the complex to meet. we then take them through different stations such as crafts, memory verse, Bible story, music, and puppet time.

we then broke for a sack lunch before we headed out to our 3 different afternoon locations. one of our teams had 58 children show up! wow!! most saw 20-30 at each location! after we finished our afternoon time we headed back to the hotel for some swimming and dinner. we just wrapped up our evening devotional time and are on our ways to catch some zzzz's!

continue to pray for the Lord to give us eyes and hearts of compassion and for us to be bold to walk through doors that He is opening up for us to share the Gospel! peace be.

We Made It!

Hey Hey!

We made it!  We're in the Metroplex and gearing up for our first day of Rainbow Express!  Traveling day went great yesterday....we stopped for lunch in Sulphur Springs and then made our way to our hotel where we checked in and then headed to Mission Arlington for worship and a brief orientation.  After worship we went to pass out some fliers at some apartment complexes before grabbing some dinner, and then making the 'infamous' Wal-Mart run.  Have you ever taken 48 people to Wal-Mart at one time?  Don't do it!  

Pray for the Rainbow Express groups to go well today.  Pray that lots of children will show up, and that God will open up doors for us to share the Gospel!  More updates to come!!!

Paint Your Heart Out & Mission Arlington

hey gang!

just wanted to remind you that Paint Your Heart Out registrations are due THIS SUNDAY, June 22nd!  you can turn them into Meridy in the Upper Room or just slip it in the Drop Box outside of the Student Ministry Offices.

our Mission Arlington team leaves Sunday morning.  be praying for the 42 students and 6 adults who will be traveling to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex to share the Good News of Jesus with children and students.  pray for safety as we travel to, around, and back from texas.  pray for God to open doors to share Jesus.  pray for unity within our group.

to God be the glory!!

Mid-June

hey folks!!

welp...Choir Tour was...AMAZING!  God did some great things.  Roger's last post pretty much summed up everything!  God is so good to come and work in us and through us.  i'm so thankful for His presence in our lives!  praise be!

Paint Your Heart Out registration is open through next Sunday, June 22nd.  i really want to encourage students to be a part of this in-town missions experience on monday/tuesday/wednesday June 30-July 2!  it's going to be an awesome week of ministry as we paint houses and other structures in our city.  the cost is only $10 and there are registration forms available in the Upper Room.  let me know if you have any questions.  

also don't forget about Wednesday nights in the Upper Room.  CRASH will happen this wednesday night, June 18th.  Bible Study starts at 5:30 PM in the Upper Room and then we'll head to Little Rock to see the Travelers play the Cardinals.  cost is $10.

let me know if you have any questions!!!  clay@fbcbenton.org

We're at camp!!

Hey this is Roger and we are here at camp and we have a bit of access to the internet.  First off just let me say what a great week and half it has been.  This week has had a lot of crazy unexpected things, but we have come through them stronger.  

One of the highlights of the week was our concert with God in Charleston.  It was amazing.  We practiced the art of being still and expecting to meet God. The worship session downtown was amazing. God was there and it was evident.  I believe it was a time that God and worship became real to a lot of people.

After that we spent the next few days hanging around Charleston. We saw the beach and the amazing city. Charleston was a great place and we sang 3 services on Sunday morning there.  Then we drove to Columbia and sang at First Baptist Columbia.  In all of my years on choir tour, this was probably the best concert.  The Holy Spirit had free reign that night and the hearts of the choir were very tender.  The place of worship truly was a place of freedom Sunday.

Monday we gave the girls their special time they had longed for all week.  We stopped at the Concord Mills shopping center and the girls had a ball. However,  I do believe the boys enjoyed all of the great places to eat there.  Departing from the mall, we headed to Asheboro NC.  Here we had an amazing concert. It was fantastic and as we sang Amazing Grace the words came alive to many. " My chains are gone, I've been set free", these words struck a chord with many and some truly understood the grace of Christ.

Tuesday was a long day of driving.  We hit some curves and a few got sick.  All in all we are fine now and not on a bus .....  We also saw Chimney Rock.  It is a huge rock in the mountains were you can over look Gods beauty.  Being on top of the rock was an ethereal experience. From the top you could see for miles and take in the beauty of God's creation.  It truly helped display lifting our eyes to heaven to were our God lies, the creator of all.

Last night was senior night and it was a very emotional night to say the least.  It was a very touching night to many and helped open up the hearts of the group.  

Over the past week Clay has has phenomenal messages. We have been taking apart the Lords Prayer piece by piece.  Each aspect has taught you how to live your life as a better Christian.  We have covered the art of loosing ourselves, and the peace in letting God have control.  The last few messages have just been great times and they have dug deep in the hearts of many.

I cannot begin to say what a blessing this week has been.  This has been a fantastic year to be President of the group.  This group is composed of amazing individuals who have great hearts, and it has been a blessing to get to know them all.  Overall this week has been a time to realize how good God is and how he will take care of you through everything.  The Holy Spirit has poured down this week and I am sure many will never be the same, myself included.

God is sovereign and nothing compares with his majesty.  We have been washed with his grace.  Let us sing his praise for all of the ages. Let us never cease to declare the praises of God, let it not be a thing limited to church trips.

In Christ's Love

-Roger Norman

The Latest from South Carolina...

Today.....AMAZING!!  It was a busy day, but an incredibly fruitful day!  The morning worship services at FBC Mt. Pleasant were wonderful.  The students did a great job in worship leadership! FBC Mt. Pleasant had some great volunteers who fed us a wonderful lunch and sent us on our way to Columbia, South Carolina.

FBC, Columbia is a church that is filled with a rich heritage of faith and leadership in the Southern Baptist Convention.  We had the privilege of leading in their evening worship service and then we enjoyed a hamburger supper and a huge dessert competition as well.  The worship service was so full of God's Spirit!  The congregation was responsive and encouraging!  Very encouraging for such a big church!  

After an evening at Frankie's Fun Park we're back at the hotel getting ready for a good nights rest with high expectations as we head to North Carolina tomorrow!!  Click on the link below in this post with pictures....hope everything is great in B-town!!

http://picasaweb.google.com/UpperRoomStudents 

Day 4 is over....

Day 4 was a fun day as we begin to wrap up our day in Charleston. We stayed in the dorms of Charleston Southern University last night. After some doughnuts and juice we headed to a Retirement Village to do part of our concert with some of the residents there. I believe that many of them were encouraged and blessed. Our students did a great job of meeting the residents and encourgaging them!

This afternoon we played on the beach and ate lunch by the ocean. It was a very warm day and there were a lot of red faces and shoulders as students hustled back to the bus. We then traveled to FBC Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina to prepare for 3 worship services tomorrow. We also spent some time in God's Word as we continued our study "The Great House of God". Tonight we looked at the chapel and what Jesus meant when he taught the disciples to pray 'hallowed be thy name'. We specifically talked about what it means to petition God to come and take His holy place in our lives. It was a good day!

Pray for strength and stamina tomorrow! We will be singing in 3 worship services in the morning, then traveling to Columbia, South Carolina to lead in worship with our full concert Sunday night! Be looking for more pictures soon!

Clay

Day 3.....Charleston is gorgeous!

Welp....Day 3 is almost in the books!  It has been a busy day as we've traveled to Charleston, South Carolina.  It was an awesome day getting to catch up with former FBC members Tommy and Freida Blackbun.  They live in the Charleston area now and have been incredible encouragers to all of us!  After lunch we went to First Baptist Church, Charleston which is one of the oldest Southern Baptist churches in the south.  It was an incredible experience to worship in the same building that I had the opportunity to study about while at OBU and Seminary!  Our worship time was incredibly moving as we entered the sanctuary in silence and exited in silence.  I wish words could capture the emotion and the Spirit of what happened in that church today!!  I believe that God was definitely inhabiting the praises of His people!

This afternoon we had a lot of time to explore downtown Charleston.  Tons of history, hold houses, and great seafood.  We finished our experience today with our worship time in a hot meeting room focusing on who God is.  Last night we looked at the opening of the Lord's Prayer 'Our Father' and tonight we focused on the phrase 'who is in heaven'.  We studied the conversation between God and Moses in Exodus 3 as God explained who He was to Moses.  It was a great night of worship!

Tomorrow we will sing at a retirement village and then enjoy some more of Charleston.  Tomorrow night students will be in host homes in preparation for a fruitful day on Sunday.  We will have the opportunity to sing 4 times on Sunday.  Pray for good rest tomorrow night and continued safety!  

Check out pictures at:  picasaweb.google.com/upperroomstudents

Choir Tour 2008...Day 2

Today was a long day of traveling as we tracked from Tupelo, MS to Augusta, GA.  I'm still trying to plan a sneaky outing with the guys in my room to get the keys to a van and go walk on Augusta National tonight!  Don't know if it will happen or not!

We left Tupelo around 8:30 AM this morning and drove straight through to Augusta.  We did sneak a peak at Talladega Race Track today on our way.  After checking into the Holiday Inn here we headed off to the Augusta Mall.  After dinner and some shopping for secret pals we came back to the hotel and entered into a time of worship.

All throughout the week we are doing a study entitled The Great House of God which is based off of Max Lucado's book with the same title.  Tonight we focused on the first two words of the prayer..."Our Father".  We discussed the parable of the Lost Son in Luke 15 and talked about God's desire for us to be His!  We also studied the incredible concept of God adopting us as His children.  It was an incredible time of worship.  Earlier before worship some of our students and counselors met Danny, a hotel employee.  After  some conversation he was invited to our worship time.  He was so moved after it that he wanted some time to encourage us to press on in proclaiming Jesus.  It was a neat "God moment" that was definitely not planned.  Good stuff!

We're up and at em at 7:30 AM in the morning as we'll head for Charleston.  We may or may not have internet service so another update may not happen until Saturday?  Continue to pray that God would do great things in us and through us!! 

Ashton Roberts, Tyler Davis, and Tanner Trantham give shout outs to their families!!  

Choir Tour Day 1

Greetings from Tupelo!!

Day one is in the books!  It was an eventful day, but a fruitful day!  After getting on the road Bus # 2's air conditioner took a turn for the worse, so we diverted to the Arrow Bus Barn in Little Rock to retrieve a new bus!  Our bus driver, Louis, did a great job and we were only about 20 minutes behind the other group getting to Harrisburg Baptist Church.

The folks at Harrisburg were incredibly gracious in hosting us!  Their youth choir served us dinner, and then it was off to change into concert clothes and prepare for the night!  The concert was powerful.  The stage was a little warm and we had some dizzy people, but everybody survived.

After checking into our hotels we went to the Rebelanes Bowling Center (interesting name).  We bowled for a couple of hours and now we're back to our hotels!  Tomorrow will be a day of traveling as we head to Augusta, Georgia!  Pray for traveling safety as we head to Georgia!

Wes Morgan, Aaron Hanig, and Zach White give shout outs to all the Benton folks.  Come back for some pictures and testimonies soon.  

Summer Is Here!!!

Hey gang!

Can you believe that summer is here!!! In just a few days we'll be heading off on Choir Tour! VBS after that, and many of you will be heading to Arlington for Mission Arlington after that! The schedule is crazy, but I'm praying that in all of the busyness of the schedule that God will do great things in our heart!!! Here are a few updates for you....

PERU TEAM:
-Don't forget about our retreat this Sunday evening and Monday morning. We will leave for LR right after evening worship and we will be home by noon on Monday.
-Don't forget your blue notebook!
-Make sure you're up to date on your payments

MISSION ARLINGTON TEAM:
-Don't forget about our meeting this Monday night at Pasta Jack's. Make sure you're there by 6:30 PM and bring money for your meal. We will be done by 7:45 PM.

PAINT YOUR HEART OUT:
-Registration will kick off THIS SUNDAY for PAINT YOUR HEART OUT. This is a 3 day missions project in Benton. Pick up a registration brochure in the Upper Room for more information.
-The dates are June 30, July 1, July 2. The cost is only $10!

Be looking on the blog for more information on upcoming events and ministry opportunities!

The Evil Eye

Enjoy the Holiday Weekend!!

Last IMPACT

hey gang!  

just a note to remind you that tomorrow night (wednesday, may 21) is our last IMPACT of the semester. sad day huh??  

we will go out with a bang though as we'll have a huge cook out in the parking lot between the choir room and the gym.  there will be hot dogs/hamburgers/and a bunch of desserts to munch on while you try to conquer one of the following events on the INFLATABLES!!!

1) SUMO INFLATABLE RING

here's the deal....you suit up in a sumo costume...get in the inflatable ring....and try to move your opponent out of the red circle!  this thing is hilarious!

2) PEDESTAL JOUST

this thing is american gladiatoresque!  this is a total test of balance and strength.  you know the test...you and your opponent get on opposite pedestals and you try to take them down!

3) PILLOW WARS

if you're up for a real challenge...then this is it for you!  you'll find yourself trying to balance on a beam that is surrounded by an inflatable cushion.  your goal?  to knock your opponent off with a giant pillow!  pillow wars=perfect opportunity for revenge on your sister/brother!

4) SPUD BROTHERS OBSTACLE COURSE

this obstacle course is a little bit different.  teams of 2 go into the obstacle courses and grab either the eyes/mouth/ears/nose.  the winner is the first team to successfully put their spud brother back together!

don't miss out this wednesday night!!!

Upcoming Stuff

WHAT'S UP???

summer is almost here!  i'm pumped!  just a few notes of interest for you....

MISSION ARLINGTON.....we still have a few spots available if you want to be a part of the team that will go on mission June 22-27!  it is going to be a great week of ministry as we teach children about the love that God has for them, and serve alongside the people of Mission Arlington.

LAST RIDE.....if you are a senior/junior and you want to go on the Senior Trip to float the Buffalo, stay at Shepherd of the Ozarks, and hang out with each other for a couple of days.  the dates are may 28-29 and the cost is $70.  the DEADLINE to sign up is this sunday, may 18th! holler at me with any questions!

LAST IMPACT....our last IMPACT for the semester is this coming up Wednesday, May 21st!  we'll be in the parking lot between the gym and the worship center. we will start at 6:30 PM and end up at 7:30 PM!  come with your appetitite and we'll hang out for a little while before our Seniors' big graduation day!!

This Sunday, May 11th!!!

Don't forget to get your Mother's Day present!!!!!

Don't forget to bring your $35 Mission Arlington deposit if you plan on going on an incredible missions journey with God June 22-27!!

Don't forget to come to church Sunday evening at 6:00 PM to hear Stephen Ray (www.stephenray.com) lead in worship! 

Cast your vote in the new poll.  Leave a comment if you'd like!

Student Ministry Golf Tournament

Here are some pictures from last Saturday's golf tournament. We had a record of 20, 4-person teams participate in this year's tournament!

REMINDER: Jake Maxwell, OBU student, will be speaking at IMPACT this Wednesday night. Also, Mission Arlington $35 deposits are due this Sunday! Don't forget!

click this link to view all the pictures from the tournament:

http://picasaweb.google.com/upperroomstudentministry/RandyGeorgeMooneyMemorialGolfTournament

IMPACT

Hey Gang!

Here is the low down for the rest of the semester for IMPACT:

May 7th....Jake Maxwell
an OBU student and RW08 leader, will be preaching. The UR Band will lead worship.

May 14th....Student Testimony night! I'll be asking some of you to simply tell the story of what God has done and what He is doing in your lives. This will be a fun night!

May 21st....UR Graduation Cook Out!! We'll do a little BBQ'ing in the parking lot behind the UR across the street from the football field. Show up around 630 PM and we'll end up around 830PM. Be looking for more info. soon!

May 28th...NO IMPACT...Seniors and Juniors will be on the LAST RIDE!

Summer Is Almost Here

This week May arrives which means the summer days are almost here!  That's exciting for our student ministry!  It means that Choir Tour, CRASH, VBS, Mission Trips, pool parties, and hanging out are right around the corner!  Don't forget about Mission Arlington registration that is open.  Seniors and Juniors....be looking for registration for the Last Ride.  Enjoy this little video on Youtube that one of our Junior High students sent....if you have a funny one that you think would be funny on here...e-mail it to me...clay@fbcbenton.org

Searching For Truth, Senior Sunday, Golf Tournament

hey guys and girls!

so last night was our next to last Tuesday night Bible Study as we looked at the belief systems of Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons.  we talked about how although both of these religions use a lot of the same words that we as Christians do, there are so monumental differences between us. we talked about the importance of us knowing what we believe and why we believe it so we will be able to identify the lies of other belief systems when we hear them.  

this Sunday, April 27th, is the deadline for a couple of upcoming events!!  if you are a graduating senior and planning on being a part of our Senior Sunday celebration then you need to get your pictures and bio turned in by this Sunday!  you need to turn the bio that was mailed to you, a print of your senior picture for the bulletin insert, 1 cd that has 4 pictures of you for the sanctuary slideshow, and another cd w/10-12 pictures on it for the luncheon slideshow. don't forget!

also don't forget that this Sunday is the deadline for registration for the Randy & George Mooney Memorial Golf Tournament.  the tournament is Saturday, May 3 at Longhills Golf Course at 2PM.  it's a 4 person scramble and the cost is $60/person.  get your team in by this sunday. there are registration forms at the Welcome Desk in the lobby of the sanctuary!

Go Cardinals!!

Breakaway pictures & Awareness Test

hey folks....

follow this link to look at some pictures from this year's Breakaway Beach Camp.... 

http://picasaweb.google.com/upperroomstudentministry/Breakaway2008

also...check this out!  follow the directions!

Welcome to the Blogging World!

Hey gang!  Welcome to one of the newest ways to find out information about our ministry!  I hope that you will check the site often as we add information, pictures, and stories of what God is doing in our ministry.