Reel Spirituality - God at the Movies

Can God speak to us through film? Join us this Fall for great food, great friends and a stimulating, soul-searching movie-based discussions.

Real Life
1st & 3rd Sundays
6-8pm, Student Center

Questions for online discussion:
(click the word COMMENT below to add your comment)

• What's your favorite film of all time and why?
• When have you encountered God and His truth through film?
• Do you believe God speaks through non-Christian filmmakers? Why or why not?

Let's generate some discussion.

-Pastor Bill

More Encouragement

Hey, Gang! Here's some good news:

This past Sunday Mike Madaio and Ben Wood shared the dream with the congregation. After the service, about two dozen people of all ages gathered to hear more and ask questions. There is a growing sense within the congregation that the Student Center is a wonderful way in which we can share the love of Christ with others, and something we should pursue.

On top of that, other pastors and churches in the community are starting to get excited about the idea. The Student Center has potential to not only involve Pleasant Street in reaching out to kids in the community, but to involve the Body of Christ in Northbridge/Whitinsville together in reaching out to students.

I've been overwhelmed lately by the desire people have expressed to get involved. Over the weekend, Katelyn and Mackenzie Leahy shared paint color and mural ideas for the Lounge--and hopefully painting can get under way soon. Today three more students from the community visited me in my office and offered to lend a hand.

Over the next few weeks, a lot of work has to be done behind the scenes to ensure that the our building, with a Student Center, can continue to be a secure and hospitable place for the other ministries that use our space. Let's keep that process in prayer, and stay close to Jesus as we pursue this dream together!

Thanks for all your ideas and support. Dust off your paintbrushes for after the holiday weekend!

Pastor Bill

Dreams Taking Shape

This past Sunday (6/15) at Real Life, we took another step forward in pursuing God's Dream for a safe place for community teens to play, study, express themselves and experience the care and support of Christian peers and adults. The Northbridge Student Center is beginning to take shape--in hearts and minds, and on paper.

We split up into a handful of "think tanks" and began imagining what our space will look like, what kinds of resources we'll make available and how we can provide value and support to the teens in our community. You came up with incredible ideas that have been recorded and compiled. Now it's time to get to work!

Twenty six of you have already committed to helping make God's dream a reality by contributing your time, talent and expertise throughout the summer. Over the next two weeks we'll be identifying projects and project leaders to get the ball rolling on some of the larger tasks. One of you has already come forward with mural ideas and a desire to draft more ideas on a floor plan. Others have expressed a strong desire to help with everything from A/V and computer set-up to fund raising.

And this just in: our first donation came through the mail this morning: $200 towards the new Student Center. Praise God!

Here's what we need in the immediate future:

• A team leader to gather ideas for paint colors and murals (someone with an eye for style and creating space that's warm and welcoming)
• A team leader to work with Leo Audette and others on the media cart (someone who has a passion for audio and video who work within space and budget constraints)
• A team leader who can assemble a group to take a pool table apart, transport it to the church and put it back together

If you're interested in serving as a team leader, or helping in any of these tasks, let me know by e-mailing me at pastorbill@pscrc.org or calling 508-234-0596.

And the word moving forward is VIRAL! There is a lot of passion and energy in the group now for this ministry, and we need to make sure that we're constantly inviting others to join the work. It's up to you to track down the members of our group who missed the last meeting and fill them in! And invite other students and adults along for the ride, too!

For this dream to become a reality, we need the whole church (and perhaps more) to get behind it. So keep talking, keep dreaming and keep praying!

Peace,

Pastor Bill

God's Dream

Last night's Real Life meeting was a powerful time!

If you missed it--let me bring you up to speed:
The first half of our discussion was spent looking back. We answered the question: when you think about this past year, and all our times together, what are you most thankful for? How has God blessed your life through this group and our experiences together? We spent a lot of time giving thanks and honoring and celebrating each other and what God has done in and through. The message students kept saying over and over was that God has created truly unique community where people are valued, accepted, encouraged and loved. AMEN!

The second half of our discussion was spent looking forward. We answered the question: what's next? What's the next challenge? What's God calling us to do now? What's God's dream? We talked about a few ideas, but the idea that really gathered a lot of excitement and momentum was the idea of building a STUDENT CENTER in the basement of the church (in the Activity Room and two neighboring classrooms). The Student Center would serve as a safe place for community kids to hang out at after school. It would be both a gift we give to our community, and a bridge we build to the unchurched kids in the community. It became evident during the conversation that 1) this is going to be hard work 2) that it will require the whole youth group and the whole church to get behind this 3) everyone's gifts and expertise will be vital in making this dream a reality and 4) it is SO WORTH it because we believe this is God's dream, and we believe He'll help us make His dream come true. Why do we think it's God's dream?

a) A number of Real Life students came up with this idea within days of some students in the community telling Pastor Bill "You know what this church could do for us? Create a safe place where we can hang out after school."
b) Since the idea has been pitched, countless people have responded to it favorably, including: the elders, the members of Real Life and many in the congregation. Already people have come forward offering their ping-pong table, pool table, Media Cart, TV, DVD-player, speakers, computers, furnishings and time.
c) There was a ground swell of energy, joy, passion, creativity and prayer when we began to discuss the idea around the Bonfire on Sunday night--and we're itching to get started.

So...here's the plan:

At our last Real Life meeting of the year: Sunday, June 15th, we're gong to meet at Pleasant Street, down in the Activity Room, and continue the process of dreaming God's Dream for this Student Center. We'll divide up into teams, sketch ideas, and even work toward assigning some tasks and scheduling some work days throughout the summer. Because it's the last Real Life meeting of the school year we'll also honor our Seniors: Katie, Kristen, Katelyn, Camille and Doug. Should be a special time! Plan on being there on the 15th!

Have a great week everyone. Feel free to click the pencil below to post your own ideas, dreams and reactions to this post.

Pastor Bill

Labels

Goth, geek, jock, emo, druggie.

There are all kinds of labels we put on people. Labels are convenient, but they're also destructive. When we label people, we ignore their true identity. We seal ourselves off from the possibility of really knowing them for who they really are.

Why do we label people? Most often, to make us feel good about ourselves. Labels are a way of masking our own insecurity. And insecurity isn't something we lose with age. So what can we do? Here's where the gospel comes in:

“We don't evaluate people by what they have or how they look…Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with Jesus gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life begins!God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through Jesus, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We're Christ's representatives! God uses us to persuade others to drop their differences and enter into God's work of making things right between them. We're speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he's already a friend with you. How? you ask. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God. (II Corinthians 5:16-21, MSG)

God puts a whole new label on us because of what Christ did. Until we know deep down inside that we're loved despite our flaws, we'll always be insecure, and we'll always label others.

Until we learn to look at others through God's eyes, we'll always judge others, and we'll always label others.

Only God's unconditional love can make us see others as they truly are. Only His perfect love can make us so secure, that we're able to drop the labels and deal with one another as humans who are precious in God's eyes.

What would it be like to see others, and yourself, through God's eyes?

To be part of the conversation, click on the pencil below.

Idenity Crisis, part I: Take off the Mask

"Only when we wrap our heads and our hearts around the gospel can we truly take off our masks--can we be who we truly are."
Pastor Bill, Real Life, April 6, 2008

Each of us is tempted every day to wear a mask--to do whatever it takes to be accepted, and to feel safe no matter where we are and whom we're with. We mask our fears, we mask our insecurities, we mask our failures and inadequacies, and we mask our true selves.

Some of us wear the mask of a performer, some of us wear the mask of a pleaser, some of us where the mask of a protector--but we all wear masks because of our insecurities about being loved and accepted.

That's why the gospel is the only thing that can peel the mask away.

The gospel doesn't sugar coat things. It says quite plainly--you're a loser...you're inadequate...you're a failure...forget that of a holy God, you don't even live up to your own expectations for yourself! You are more wicked and sinful than you ever dared believe.

But the gospel doesn't leave us in despair either. It says to us: you are a child of God! A dearly beloved son or daughter of the King of the Universe. Despite your sin, failures and inadequacies, you are the apple of God's eye. You are more loved and accepted than you ever dared hope!

When we realize that, we are emboldened and set free to be who we are...imperfect, broken and inadequate, but deeply loved. God's love makes us secure.

Here are some quotes to think about and respond to:

“What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it—we're called children of God! That's who we really are. But that's also why the world doesn't recognize us or take us seriously, because it has no idea who he is or what he's up to. But friends, that's exactly who we are: children of God. And that's only the beginning. Who knows how we'll end up! What we know is that when Christ is openly revealed, we'll see him—and in seeing him, become like him. All of us who look forward to his Coming stay ready, with the glistening purity of Jesus' life as a model for our own.” (I John 3:1-3, The Message)

“Finding that unique self is the problem on which all our existence, peace, and happiness depend. Nothing is more important, for if we find our true self we find God, and if we find God, we find our most authentic self.” (Thomas Merton)

“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: ‘What! You, too? Thought I was the only one!” (CS Lewis)

“I’m sick of wearing my mask.” (Batman)

Feel free to join the conversation by posting thoughts, reflections, questions, struggles, pictures, art, links, lyrics...whatever helps you to express your own struggle, or your own response to God's grace. It's okay to post anonymously--or better yet, take off the mask and sign your name! To post a comment, click the word "COMMENT" below.

Pastor Bill
April 7, 2008

Identity Crisis

On Sunday, April 6th, we'll begin a conversation called "Identity Crisis" which will challenge us to examine the hardest part about being a teenager, and if God has anything to say to these struggles.

As always--we want your input BEFORE the conversation begins.

WHAT'S THE HARDEST THING ABOUT BEING A TEENAGER? (you can post anonymously--see below)

Also-feel free to respond to each other--but make sure you respect others, even when you disagree or can't relate.

More later...

Pastor Bill