Holiday Schedule

Here is our Wednesday night schedule for the holiday season:

November 21 - No "121" or "Inside Out" (Thanksgiving)
November 28 - No "121" or "Inside Out" (Family Advent Service at the main campus)
December 5 - meet @ Area 51
December 12 - meet @ Area 51
December 19- No "121" or "Inside Out"
December 26- No "121" or "Inside Out"
January 2- No "121" or "Inside Out"

. . . and after that it's back to normal!

Mexico 2008

We are going on a mission trip to Mexico over spring break - March 15-22, 2008. Over the past few years we have had the opportunity to go and reach out to the poeple in Mexico. This year we get the chance to go back and continue the work that God has already done through Westwood and other churches. We will be serving in many different ways including - painting, playing with children, and distributing food and clothes. Here are some things you need to know about the trip:

- the cost is $100

- there are only 45 spots available

- you MUST have a PASSPORT to go this year (it takes about 6 weeks to get one so don't wait!)

Deadline to sign up is December 16

Sign up packets are available at Area 51. If you have any questions leave a comment or call the church at 664-0122.

Project 51

Westwood Student Ministry has an ambitious goal for 2008, and we are calling it Project 51. Here is what it is:

We are going to try to accomplish 51 different mission/service projects over the next year. This is a daunting task. If you do the math rather quickly, you realize that we have to average 1 project a week to make that happen!

However, I believe it is a God-given assignment. I usually don’t say things like that, but I really believe that God has led us to take on the challenge.

So, why are we doing this?

Let me begin with a question. If Westwood were to suddenly disappear tomorrow (the people and not the building...of course), what, if anything, would Alabaster miss? Is there anything we are doing to live on mission in our community? Sadly, I think the answer isn’t good. However, we are not satisfied with sulking over that. We are going to do something about it. And, that is what Project 51 is about.

We want to try a lot of projects and services in order to discover that one way we can serve Alabaster. And, that leads me to how we are going to do this.

Well, every student does not have to be available for every project. That would be impossible. However, through LIFE Groups and CORE Groups we will hopefully provide every student at Westwood with multiple opportunities to serve.

Let’s face it. We are a consumer society, and church is often as much about us as Wal-Mart is. I believe that Project 51 is an excellent teaching opportunity for students to learn that life is simply not about us...not about me.

Watch for our stories around the church and on our blog.

- Jeff

(hard) CORE groups: Middle School

This semester we kicked off our first ever middle school CORE group and it has been really cool. Over the course of this semester we have been walking through a book called My Faith and looking at what it means to be a "Christian." We have been asking question such as: What do we believe? How does our faith effect our life? What does God want outta me? What is the church? And lots of other great questions. Mr. Lee, Mrs. Lisa and I have had a blast getting to hang out with the group and see them learn about their faith. Last week I even caught myself looking forward to being the quarter back for the guys who play football in the parking lot afterwards!

I am excited about these last few weeks as we wrap up the semester for Christmas. Here is our schedule for the remaining weeks:

Sunday November 11- CORE groups (read Sections 10 and 11)

Sunday November 18- CORE groups (read Section 12 -last section!)

Sunday November 25- NO CORE groups (Thanksgiving Break)

Sunday December 2- last week of CORE groups for the semester.

To any parents who are reading this, I would like to invite you to come and hang out with us on our last week, Sunday December 2. We love being with your students and want to meet you as well. The last week is going to be kind of an "end of the semester" party it would be great for you to come and be a part of that with us.

(and to anyone in my CORE group who is reading this..."word")

Lacy

October 31 Bash

We had a blast last night at the October 31 Bash. Candlefuse and Tomorrow's Comeback (complete with power ranger costumes) rocked! People came dressed up as everything from Paul McCartney (see photo to right) to Captain Jack Sparrow to one of the wise men (see picture below).

The inflatables were a lot of fun too...

There was an inflatable slide that was taller than the building!

Everyone was getting pretty competitive on the football/basketball inflatable because Karly was giving candy away to the winners. Emma Kate was the best though...
Thanks to all our volunteers who helped out! (especially Mr. Tim since he had to stand at the top of the super tall slide all night) You are all great!