Registration deadline is near...

Just a quick reminder that registration for our young adult retreat is only a few days away! There is still room for people to sign up, so don't delay! Again, the deadline is December 19th. I will be at both performances for Imagine Christmas that day, so if you need to register then, find me!

Looking forward for great things to come,

Reubs

The Encounter

It's finally here...Imagine Christmas is this weekend!

For those who do not know what Imagine Christmas is, it is VCPC's annual Christmas production. Each year, we put on a show for the community with music, dancing, and a wonderfully acted story. This year's play is about a person who is so fed up with all the materialistic and consumer-oriented attitudes that the holidays bring, and yearns to find the true meaning of Christmas. This year's performances are scheduled as follows:

December 17th at 7:30pm (English)
December 18th at 7:30pm (Cantonese)
December 19th at 10:00am (Cantonese)
December 19th at 7:30pm (English)

As our group usually meets on Friday, I do have some tickets on hand for those who want to come see the December 17th performance. Please leave a comment, or contact me directly if you would like a ticket.

Reubs

This Friday: Ice Skating @ Riley Park

What is winter without enjoying a wonderful time on the ice with your friends? This Friday, the Young Adults will be going ice skating at Riley Park Community Centre (50 East 30th Avenue). Let's all meet at the rink at 7:30pm sharp, so that we all will have time to rent and lace up our skates. The cost is $5.70 for the adult fee, plus $2.90 for the rental fee. Invite your friends out!

Reubs

Retreat Information

The retreat draws ever closer as the days go by. If you haven't decided whether or not you want to come, please consider in doing so. We would love for you to be with us! Join in each other's company as we explore God and ourselves as a group through genuine interaction, deep spirituality, and real community.

Where: Halfmoon Bay, Sunshine Coast (http://www.halfmoonhaven.com/)
When: January 1st - 3rd, 2011
Cost: $120 per person

If you would like a registration card, talk to either Pastor Tim, Jack, or myself (Reuben). We'll be happy to hand you one. Please be aware that space is limited, so get your registrations in along with payment ASAP! We accept either cash or cheque. (Cheque written to VCPC.) The deadline for registration is Dec 19th, the last day of Imagine Christmas! (That's easy to remember!)

Any other questions, feel free to ask anyone of us.

Reubs

Monthly Update: December

I hope you are all excited to be a part of the upcoming Young Adults Winter Retreat in January 1-3. Expect something new and stimulating, because I can tell you that this retreat is NOT going to be like Winterfresh. It will be a spiritual retreat, as we explore God and ourselves through interaction, spirituality, and community. You will be hearing those three words quite often as the date of the retreat approaches closer, so I would like to suggest that you guys take some time this month and dwell on what those words mean to you.

It's always busy at this time of year, so it's always good to slow down and take some needed time in the Lord's presence. This Friday is a Praise and Worship Night, and Micah will be leading us in some acoustic worship. Micah will be the worship leader for our retreat, so you can think of this Friday as a sneak peek of the kind of atmosphere you can expect at the retreat.

As it is December now, it's time for an update for this month:

Dec 3 - Praise and Worship Night (Micah leading)
Dec 10 - Christmas Party (last EG nite of the year!)
Dec 17 - Imagine Christmas!
Dec 24 - Christmas Eve (No planned event. Happy Holidays!)

Stay tuned for more retreat details, and hope to see you this Friday!

Reubs

Friday NIGHT PASSION 2010

Hey everyone! I know im excited for passion, but what about you? I just want everyone to know that this event will be amazing and im glad for those who will be attending it. We will all be bless =D
The Run down is to meet at stadium skytrain station on the bottom level by the ticket vendor. Please be there between 5:45 to 6pm we will leave the station and walk over to start lining up SUPER EARLY to get some amazing front roll hopefully. If you are late please either call myself or reuben to see where we are

Jack

PASSION VANCOUVER is less than 2 WEEKS AWAY!!

As most of you know, the Passion World Tour is coming back to Vancouver on Friday Nov 5th. It was in 2008 when they first came to Vancouver, and it was such an awesome time, that we have decided for the Young Adults to go as a group for 2010.

Tickets are still on sale for $15. You can purchase them online at http://www.passionworldtour.com. If finances are an issue, but you would still like to come, please talk to either myself or Pastor Tim, and we'll see if we can make arrangements for you. Regardless, please send me an email if you are going so that I have a good idea of who will be coming out. (Email: pinsir003@yahoo.com)

This Friday is Harvest Carnival. If you would like to help out with setting up, please meet at the church at 5:30pm.

And finally, I would like to close this post with the update for November:

Nov 5 - PASSION VANCOUVER!!
Nov 12 - Joint Games Night with Just Youth
Nov 19 - Joint Missions Night
Nov 26 - UNITE: EG's Got Gifts

God bless you and have a great rest of the week!

Reubs

Purpose-Driven Life Chapter 3: What Drives Your Life?

Hey Young Adults,

This Friday, we will be returning to our series of The Purpose-Driven Life. If you have the book, please go ahead and read Chapter 3 before we meet on Friday in the sanctuary. The chapter is titled, 'What Drives Your Life?' Take time over the next couple of days to think about your life, and what drives it. Is it by greed? By a need of acceptance? By your past? What is your purpose?

If you do not own The Purpose-Driven Life, I suggest that you read Philippians 3:12-21, as this passage talks about similar things to the chapter we will be discussing.

Hope to see you there. God bless you.

Reubs

Check Norris Chuckers Tournament!!

Hey guys! (And girls)

Remember that little Chuck Norris Challenge night we had in the summer? Remember the ravishing Chuck Norris trophy that awaited the winner? Well, it's up for grabs again! 'Cause for the guys this Friday, we're gonna play some CHECKERS!! We're joining up with Just Youth and Lighthouse and having a full fledged tournament!!

Now I should mention that this Friday is another special Guys/Girls Night, in which the guys and girls go off and do their own thing. Since our Young Adult group is virtually all guys, (...sorry Esther =)) I'm only talking about what the guys are doing. (Also because I have no idea what a PJam Night is...)

Anyways, I'm sure you all know how to play the great game of checkers. But have you ever played it in...wait for it...TAG TEAMS???!! As they say, two heads are better than one! Nevermore will you have to go it alone! Nothing is better than sharing sweet victory with a partner by your side!

We're excited about this, so be sure to come out! The more the better! And remember, you don't win the Chuck Norris Trophy, the Chuck Norris Trophy wins YOU!

Reubs

Board Games!! (And Monthly Update: October 2010)

Come out this Friday to VCPC, and join the young adults group in a casual board game night! We'll have board games out, such as Settlers, Family Business, or any other games that you would like to bring out. We really want to have a night where we can all grow together in fellowship, as well as create a safe environment for your friends to come out and see what we're all about.

We will also be taking an offering at the beginning of the night for the various missions that we participate in, such as our hot dog mission nights and our Compassion sponsor child, Yamulet.

Hope to see you all come out! Also, here is the Friday Schedule for October (subject to change):

Oct. 1 - See above =)

Oct. 8 - Guys/Girls Nite

Oct. 15 - Purpose-Driven Life

Oct. 22 - Joint Mission Night (w/ Just Youth)

Oct. 29 - Harvest Carnival


Reubs

This Friday: UNITE

UNiTE Official Announcement:

This Friday, Sept 24th, 7-9:30 pm
Something New! Small Groups for Preteens, Teens, and Young Adults where Your Life will Be the Message!

Our topic: 'Somebody Move the Big Gigantinormous Elephant Off My Back!' or 'Dealing with the Weight and Pressure of School, Family, and Peer Pressure!' (facilitated by Tim Young, Jesus Aficionado)
...and all the fun games, dynamic worship, and empowering fellowship of UNiTE!

---

Yes, so UNITE is back once again this Friday. Come out and join Bethel and Harvest City churches in a night of worship, games, and God's Word. Hope to see you there!

Reubs

This Friday: Mission Night

Hello Young Adults.

It's been quite a long summer, but we're back and ready to minister to our city once more. This Friday will be our first mission night of the fall, and as usual we will be blessing those of downtown Vancouver with hot dogs.

I am happy to announce that we have changed the format of these nights to include the participation of Just Youth. This time, they will be preparing the hot dogs for us young adults to hand out. We feel that this new format will not only give a valuable opportunity for the youth to be involved in this local ministry, but also give us young adults some time before we leave to come together and prepare ourselves for the night, through prayer and encouragement.

Really excited about tomorrow night. As always, come with willing hands, and compassionate hearts.

Reubs

FALL!!!!

Hey guys! I know its been awhile since i last wrote in it. Don't you worry Fall is coming fast within couple of day and here is the list of what is going on for friday night.

sept

10th - ya welcome back - group game/ worship/ summer recap and prayer

17th - Joint mission night plus announcement

24 - Unite

Oct

1st - board games

8th - purpose driven life

22 - joint mission

29 - harvest carnival

nov

5th - purpose driven life

12 - worship prayer night

19- ?

26 - joint mission


If you have any question please feel free to ask either Reub or Myself.

Jack

Is Giving Enough?

Most of us know the story of the ten lepers (Luke 17:11-19). Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem, when ten lepers called out to him. Jesus healed them, but only one of them came back, praising God, and thanking Jesus. Even Jesus wondered where the other nine lepers were. Weren't they healed too?

As good as it is, sometimes it seems like giving isn't enough. I've heard someone say before, that 'Vancouver has the most well-fed homeless people in Canada.' I think that in many ways, that statement is very true. I was walking out of the Main Street Skytrain Station once, and I saw a scruffy person sitting on the concrete eating a sandwich, while throwing the crusts away. I don't know if the man was homeless or not, but that image of the crusts on the ground made me think about downtown, and how the people living on the streets there may be expecting handouts, and not worried about where their next meal will come from.

Now, I could be completely wrong about all of this. However, it has led Jack and I to reevaluate what we do in our ministry. We do have our mission nights and we try to do them every month. But like I said before, maybe giving out hot-dogs isn't enough, both for them or God. We should be doing something more, something that draws the people of downtown Vancouver closer to the one true and living God, the God who created them, who loves them, who sent His only son Jesus to die for them.

On that note, I am announcing that this Friday's planned mission night will be canceled, and instead we will be hosting an acoustic worship night. If you are on the EG Youth emailing list, you would have gotten an email about this already. For those not on the list that are reading this, you are free to come out this Friday at 7:30pm in the VCPC Sanctuary and join us. We want this night to be an intimate time with God, as well as bring our church family together in fellowship by encouraging and praying for each other.

As for our mission nights, Jack and I will be taking a hard look at what we are doing now, and what we should be doing in the future. If you have any thoughts, responses or criticisms to the things that I have said in this post, please feel absolutely free to express yourself in a comment. The summer season has come; so does a season of change and renewal for our ministry.

God bless you guys.

Reubs

Royalty

The bible says that we are a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9). I've never considered myself a royal priest, or a royal anything for that matter. The word royal seems to have all these ideas of respect, honor, and high standings attached to it. To me, these ideas kind of go against the ways of humility that I have been taught in church. Doesn't the bible teach us to be servants?

God's view of royalty is utterly different than what the world thinks of it. Jesus addresses this misconception in Mark 10:42-44. He talks about the rulers of the world, and how they love to lord and exercise authority over the people. Jesus teaches us that it is different for the kingdom of God. Verse 43 and 44 say that, "...whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all."

To be great in this world, you need money, skills, a good reputation, and many other things that make you focus on yourself. But to be great in God's kingdom, you need to be a servant, and focus on everyone else. It's such a beautiful reversal that God places those who care for others in high places. I think that Jesus is the ultimate example of that. He gave up his godliness in heaven to became just like us, and throughout his ministry, he has shown us what it means to be a servant.

1 Peter 2:9 says, "...you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God..." We are chosen by God. We are a holy nation. We belong to Him. And yes, we are a royal priesthood. God loves you, and he wants to put you in a high place. If we follow Jesus' example, we will become servants of all, and truly become great in God's kingdom.

---

Before I end off my post, a couple of announcements. Firstly, I wanted to highlight a couple of links that have been brought up in our ministries:

The Acts 2 Process
- Coming soon to the Young Adults Sunday School class!
http://discipleship.ag.org/Process/Strategies/Acts2/index.cfm

LIFTinG blog
- Blog started by LightWriter and DramaticNightz after HM:Fearless.
http://living-to-lift.blogspot.com/

And please note that THIS FRIDAY, both Just Youth and Young Adults groups will be promoting for this year's VBS. Please be at the church before 7:15pm, as we will be setting out by then to post posters along Main Street. After we finish, we will return to the church and continue with our discussion series of the Purpose-Driven Life.

That is all for today, so have a blessed week in the Lord!

Reubs

Bill Strickland - HOPE

I thank him for what he had share today at the Coastal Church about the new Vancouver Cente for Arts and Technology. It was amazing and powerful. It was about HOPE, Hope is something that we all have, chinese, white, black, brown, female or male, rich or poor. We all have a hope for something better and something more wonderful. When we do have this hope, we will have a dream that come with it and a passion that follow that dream.

This man by the name of Bill Strickland. He is the CEO-PRESIDENT of Manchester Bidwell Corporation and its sudsidiaries. Its a school to help the disadvantaged people to build a better future. In the focus on the arts and technology. The VANCAT goal is to bring Hope to the disadvantaged in our CITY of VANCOUVER..

To read more about his ministry.
http://www.bill-strickland.org/aboutbill.html

Something you don't want to miss out on.

It was an amazing night to see soo many passionate people who really want to see the work of god to our city. Even though we have BIG HOPE and DREAM. Its time to take ACTION into our hand and allow god to use us. MAKE THE IMPOSSIBLE, POSSIBLE. IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING, JUST DO IT.

Jack
ps, I really suggest to read about who he is and what he did. VERY ENCOURAGING.

Monthly Update - June 2010

Happy Birthday Alison!

Its the beginning of June so I thought that I would make a quick update on the exciting events happening this month! (subject to change)

June 4 - Just Jam (HM Reunion!)

June 11 - Purpose Driven Life (Chapter 2)

June 18 - EG Grad Night 2010

June 25 - Missions Night

I'm looking forward to this month, and I hope to see you all on Friday nights. Have a blessed month in the Lord, and may the Holy Spirit guide you in your everyday circumstances.

Cough.

Reubs

OH NO WE WONT STAY SILENT

It wasn't hard to be loud for GOD over the weekend, but the question is will we stay loud from now till the end? Are we going to SHOUT from the rooftop? are we going to sing it to the world we are not ashamed of JESUS? Weekend was to be fearless. There was couple story how one God encounter can change one's HEART. What is our story..

My story for History Maker was couple year ago. When I heard delirious? sung their heart out for God. God came into my heart and was change forever. Even though we change for the moment, I tend to lose that focus. Throughout the years I have believe in the God's word. The great commission. Only till when we GO to the world, Step out in faith and do his work. That is when we will see God move. If I truly believe that OUR GOD REIGN, I will step out and GO. Then when we GO we have to BELIEVE that God is REAL and ALIVE. RevolUTION came around, I've been called to be a leader of the young. Took the position as a leader for our young adult and now ITS TIME TO BE FEARLESS.

First step was stepping down and praying for Alfred, Reneil and Crystal. I knew God was speaking to them. But the second time when Steve ask the pastor and youth leader.. I was challenge. I didn't know if I should GO and pray for people. Never pray for the spirit to fill anyone up. And within second, just obeying God I got up and walk to the front of the alter. Waiting for the spirit to fill me. ALL FEAR CAST OUT I knew what to say and what need to be said by GOD. God told me to challenge two young men. So I did. They were crying and I was crying because God spoke to them through me and I knew God was IN ME. My head, mind,heart,soul,feet,arm was trembling in fear. Since then I knew what it mean to be FEARLESS.

FEARLESS is when we take the first step in trusting god by our faith. HOW? Got to think simple. GOD is only ONE step ahead of me. NOT he is in heaven and I am on earth. Not HE IS X amount of step But only the FIRST step. Untill we take our first step toward him. We won't know what he can do in us.

I challenge all of us to only take the FIRST step in faith with God and with EACH OTHER.

God I pray that you watch over us and only give us what we can do. JEREMIAH 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Knowing that you will only give us plan to prosper us and not to harm us. I pray that we can all step out in faith and trust that your loving arm will guide us in the hard time. I pray that we wont be afraid to be set apart from the world view. to be set apart from what other think. I pray for your glory to overcome us. Your love cast out all fear. SET OUR HEART ON FIRE. SO WE MAY BURN AND THE WORLD WILL SEE WHAT YOU HAVE FOR US.

FOR THE YOUTH. 1Timothy 4:12

¹²Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

I Thank you for the young. I thank you that you CHERISH your children and that we are your GEMS. I pray that you will give us DREAM and PASSION for the thing you want for us. and that you have in store for us. WHAT PROFIT A MAN WHO GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD BUT LOSE THEIR SOUL.. I pray that they will find confidence in you and LOVE in you as well, oh lord. I pray that they will stand strong as a child of god for you. and love you forever.

LORD I THANK YOU FOR BEING MY DADDY

AMEN

Jack

Impossible is nothing, Just do it

Losing Myself

Have you ever stop and think about you past and your present? Realizing how much u have lost your old self to something more beautiful? I don't always stop and think about these stuff, but last couple of days i have started to begin thinking about how did god change me. I feel that I have more of a sense of where my standard are and where god is in my life. Its been an amazing journey.
Can't wait to see what god have in store for me.

I challenge all of you to take sometime off the last bit of the week and enjoy the sunshine. Sit at the park or beach and read or reflect on life. Do this with a friend or 2. bounce some laughter around.
At the end of the day, knowing we have all grew someway in Christ together. what more can god ask for. I bet he is smiling down on us when we share the good life with each other.

Jack

A Song-Based Doctrine?

If you were there at Just Jam last Friday, you probably me share my little message. Pastor Tim had called me up a few days before, and asked me to give a short, five-minute message about something that I wanted to share, and I honestly couldn't think of anything to say. I ended up settling on the topic of worship, primarily because I do lead worship on Friday nights, but also because I realized I had a lot to say about it. (By the way, if you're interested, the book that I based my message on was titled, Worship Matters by Bob Kauflin. And I meant it when I said that it was one of the best worship books out there now.)

Anyways, as I was getting my notes together on paper, I found myself writing a hefty amount of stuff down, and started worrying about the five-minute time constraint. If my message seemed short and abrupt, it was like that because I chose to cut my message down at the very last minute before going up to the front. So I decided to discuss the stuff that I was going to say that night here on the Young Adults blog.

If you remember, I did talk about the importance of knowing the God that you are worshiping by referring to the Word of God, which is the truth. Many of the worship songs we sing today are inspired by and refer to the Word of God. For example, the wonderful song, Give Thanks uses the phrase "Let the weak say I am strong" in the chorus. This is a reference to Joel 3:10 ("...Let the weakling say, "I am strong!") (NIV). However, the next line after says "Let the poor say I am rich". This line makes sense musically and lyrically, as it follows the same form as the previous line. But is it a reference to any bible verse?

One of my personal fears is that we as Christians would be to following a 'song-based' doctrine instead of a Word-based one. I remember browsing around the internet when I saw a video of a pastor preaching about money, and as a supporting statement he said, "Why would the bible say 'Let the poor say I am rich'?". There was some discussion on the site, and people were declaring that the line wasn't a quote from the bible, but from the song Give Thanks. Because of this, the credibility of the message, as well as the speaker, was in question.

Let me be clear. My point is not to say that the bible doesn't talk about the poor becoming rich. It is that when certain things are said to be in the bible when they might not be, it leaves holes of doubt in people's minds, and the whole purpose of the message may be lost. If we do not have a solid foundation on the Word of God, we only allow for the enemy to steal our footing and we fall prey to his lies and ways of deceit. We must know the truth, for "...the truth will set you free." (John 8:32, NIV)

I did do some research on Give Thanks and the story behind it. The writer, Henry Smith, was inspired to write the song through this bible verse:

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich." - 2 Corinthians 8:9 (NIV)

Jesus gave up everything he had for us; he became poor. It is through his sacrifice that we were able to receive the greatest gift of eternal life. Because of what the Lord has done for us, we can say that we are rich.

As worshipers, it would do us good to have an understanding about the many great songs that we sing, and why we sing them. What do the words Hallelujah and Hosanna really mean? Why do we sing about God as the 'Great I Am' or Jesus as 'Emmanuel'? Why do we say that He is the 'name above all names' when He goes by so many names? Ask yourself questions about why the writers of these songs chose the words in their lyrics, what the biblical foundation is, and what they are trying to say about God. Through seeking after the truth, God will reveal himself afresh to you, and you will want to worship him more and more.

"I am the way, the truth, and the life!" Jesus answered. "Without me, no one can go to the Father." - John 14:6 (CEV)

Well I hope you had a good time reading all of that. Feel free to comment if you have additional thoughts, or even if you disagree with me on anything I said. Be sure to come out this Friday, May 7th @ VCPC for UNITE, with guest Devan Sylvester. Catch a preview of what Historymaker will be like. (It's only two weeks away!) See you all then!

Reubs

Welcome!

Welcome to the official blog of the VCPC Young Adults group!

It is finally here! This blog will serve as your source of updates and information on upcoming events, as well as a place for us to discuss...well, pretty much anything. Feel free to leave comments if there is anything you feel pressed to say. We are hoping that this page will be an open place for the Young Adults to share whatever they wish.

On that topic, if you do indeed leave comments, please respect other readers and be both sensible and clear in your writing. There is to be no cursing, flaming, trolling, or anything of that sort. We want to be civilized in what we way, for it says in the Bible that, "Rash language cuts and maims, but there is healing in the words of the wise." (Proverbs 12:18, The Message)

Anyways, this blog will be updated, at the very least, every end of the month, in which all of the Friday night events of the following month will be posted. Here is what's happening for the Young Adults in May (subject to change) :

May 7 - UNITE (with Devan Sylvester)

May 14 - Just Jam (Pre-HM Service)

May 21 - Historymaker: FEARLESS

May 28 - Holy Spirit Weekend

There's lots of exciting stuff happening in May, so don't miss out! And be sure to check back here for updates regularly.

God bless you!

Reubs