Highlights from Wednesday Night

Jared Archer, Andrew Wash, and Steven Stone asked me (Jeff) if they could plan and lead a worship service one Wednesday night.  It all went down last night, and they did an incredible job!  Here are some highlights:

Be a part of Project 30! - School Supplies Drive

For Project 30 we are putting together a school supplies drive for the Kids First Awareness Center (see project 28.) Any school supplies that are donated will go to helping these kids have the supplies they need for this school year. Some of their needs include:

-notebook paper

-binders/ notebooks

-pens and pencils

-hand sanitizer

-glue

-colored pencils

This is a great way for us to serve our community. Bring your supplies to Area 51 or the new small groups building on Sunday mornings. The deadline is Wednesday August 6.

Thanks everyone!

51 Blog Interveiw: Konstantine Ritt

Konstantine Ritt
Senior at Auersberg Gymnasium, Passau, Germany
Attended Westwood for almost 5 months

What are your hobbies/ interests?
Chill, America, music, reading, hanging out with friends

Activities/ sports you like?
Soccer, basketball, Ultimate Frisbee, snowboarding, mountain biking.

What is your favorite restaurant?
Mühlböck, Schwarzenberg, Austria

What is your favorite passage of scripture and why?
Psalm 23 – It gives me hope.

What is your favorite band/artist?
Die Fantastischen Vier

Where do you serve in the church?
I helped in the baby room.

What do you like about serving in this area?
The babies are so cute and nice to play with.

When did you accept Christ as your Lord and Savior? Tell us a little bit about what God has done in your life since then.
I kind of was a Christian only on the paper in Germany, I didn’t really accept Christ, I just was baptized as a baby, and so I kind of only was labeled as a Christian. I think in my time here I learned/ got to know Christ and I trained, not tried, to apply that on my life.

What has been one of your favorite memories in the student ministry?
Disciple Now 2008

If you could give advice or words of wisdom to your peers, what would you say?
You can always have trust in Christ.

Project 29 - Staffing Student Life Camp at Covenant College

Last Sunday we met at 8:00 in the morning to head to Covenant College on Lookout Mountain in Georgia. The group included Josh Harris, Michele Kaylor, Mark Hermecz, Ryan Horton, Caitlyn Enloe (my roomie!), Liz Hinrickson, Dianna Tingle, Jared Archer, Blake Strevel, Andrew Wash, Whitney Wash, Justin Thigpen, Savannah Thigpen and Jeff McKenzie.

Upon arriving we found out that we were going to have to "load-in." (this basically means setting up everything for the camp from stage stuff to the merchandise table to everything else.) This change in plans insured to me that we were going to have a great week as our students showed their willingness to be flexible and serve no matter what. It was the most fun I've ever had at a load-in!

As staffers at a camp we have certain jobs that we are required to do and needs that have to be met. Outside of that, it is really up to the students to determine how much they are going to take from camp. All week long our students exceeded expectations by going out of their way to build relationships with campers. They spent their free time playing frisbee or singing in the choir when they could have been sleeping. They sat with other churches during meals instead of just the staff, and they put all their effort and energy into their games at recreation. It was awesome to watch them serve. Thanks guys!

Lacy

Project 28 - part 2

I know you have heard stories about troubled children. Those without basic needs met. Children who have limited resources, broken families, violent communities and little knowlege of God. Many times we send missionaries to foreign countries to work with children whose needs seem far greater than our own. I know I have personally felt satified when I have supported and prayed for those "noble saints" who go overseas to share the gospel with deeply disadvantaged children. This week the 7th grade girls had the opportunity to see, first hand, children with challenges like those described above. The only difference is that those children were right here in Alabaster!!

A wonderful Christian lady, Cindy Hawkins, oversees the Kids First Awareness Center in Alabaster. Through her center children of all ages are provided a safe environment to learn many basic life skills and hear the gospel. Lacy, Whitney, Holly and our 7th grade girls had the privilege of delivering fun, food, fellowship and the gospel for 4 consecutive days this week. It was truly an amazing experience for everyone! By the last day, relationships were developed and the gospel was shared!

So, what will be different? This was one of the most deeply spiritual experiences I've had in a long time. The reality of our local mission field is humbling to say the least. I presumed everyone in Alabaster knew something about church, or something about God. We were struck with the reality that MANY have NO knowlege at all! We kept telling our students " It's NOT about you!" After a week in Alabaster's toughest neighborhood I have learned again "It's not about me!"
Hopefully, prayfully and seeking God's leading we will add to this blog again that we have returned to the center to complete the work that God has begun!

Martha Earwood

T-Bird's Chicken Coop Joke

Why does a chicken coop have two doors?

(use cursor to highlight answer below)

because if it had 4 doors, it would be a "chicken sedan!"

51 Blog Interview: Justin Thigpen

Justin Thigpen
Freshman at Samford University
Attended Westwood for about 5 years

What are some of your hobbies/ interests?
Coin collecting and watching football

Activities/ sports you like?
Ultimate Frisbee, backyard football, and basketball

Do you have a job?
I am the supervisor at Campus Dining Inc.

What is your favorite passage of scripture and why?
Jeremiah 15:19 - Therefore this is what the LORD says:

"If you repent, I will restore you

that you may serve me;

if you utter worthy, not worthless, words,

you will be my spokesman.

Let this people turn to you,

but you must not turn to them.

I like it because it gives me great encouragement to go and make disciples.

What is your favorite TV show?
The Unit

What is your favorite band?
The Smashing Pumpkins

Where do you serve in the church?
Drama Team

What do you like about serving in this area?
Ministering and teaching through dramas.

When did you accept Christ as your Lord and Savior? Tell us briefly about what God has done in your life since then.
Age 9, God has shown me a passion for the church. I’ve tried to teach and lead and serve the church ever since.

What has been one of your favorite memories from the student ministry?
We went to Mexico on a mission trip once and while we were sitting at a restaurant a group of Mexican dancers danced right in front of us. They weren’t very physically fit, so it was very funny!

If you could give one word of wisdom to your peers what would it be?
80% of all Christians become Christians in high school.

Worship @ AREA 51

Here's a sample of worship from last night at AREA 51:

Project 28 - part 1

Here is a mid-way update on project 28:

This week the 7th grade girls LIFE group emarked on what has turned out to be a really cool project. We are spending each afternoon this week (mon. thru thurs.) at Kids First Awareness Center in Alabaster where we are doing a VBS-like class each day. When we arrived yesterday we had no idea what to expect and we did not know any of the kids. But, after wrapping up today there were smiles all around as the kids came out to say goodbye to us.

It has been really cool to be able to share God's word with these children, many of whom might have never heard any Bible stories and have little knowledge of God. The group of girls who've been helping out with the project have already been able to build relationships with the kids. We are looking forward to tomorrow when we get to share the gospel with them and then thursday when we have a pizza party!

Check back soon for Part 2...

Project 27

American Red Cross Blood Drive

A few months ago Kenneth Shaw and a team of students went to work promoting a blood drive that was to be held on an upcoming Sunday morning at Westwood. When that Sunday arrived, however, they found out that the "blood-mobile" was broken and couldn't come. So, Mr. Kenneth and the team of students geared up for a second round of promotion for a second attempt at a blood drive. This time things went much more smoothly as the American Red Cross blood-mobile arrived at Westwood yesterday morning with a goal of 30 pints to be donated. Thanks to all the Westwood church family who donated - it was a successful day! The goal was met with exactly 30 pints of blood donated.

Project 26 - Staffing SL for Kids

On Wednesday, June 25th I got a call from Stuart Chapman, Camp Director for Student Life for Kids, and he was in a desperate situation.  The camp of 1100 kids that they were scheduled to run at Shocco Springs the next week had no Student Staffers, and Stuart asked if we could help. 

We agreed and started calling everyone we could think of or had numbers for, and we came up with a crew of 16 in about a 24 hour period: Matt Treherne, Josh Harris, Blake Strevel, Matt Bess, Ryan Horton, Hayden Frank, Lauren Ginn, Mallorie Gray, Jenna Morris, Liz Hinrickson, Dianna Tingle, Sarah Box, Ellen Anne Bentley, Courtney Jordan, and Lacy Allen.

As Student Staffers, we help load in and load out all the equipment that goes into a Student Life production...and it's a lot!  We assist in the production of the worship services by running cameras, helping backstage, selling merchandise, and welcoming campers.  And, we also run the games on the recreation fields.  There was an outdoor field and a water field.  Needless to say, one was a little messier than the other!

I have staffed numerous camps, and I must say that Westwood's crew did a terrific job.  I received tons of complements on our students and their contribution to the camp experience of 1100 3rd through 6th graders.  We also had a great time hanging out with each other, but I will spare you all the lame inside jokes that have arisen from last week. 

Thank you to a great crew coming together at literally the last second to help 1100 kids have a great camp experience!

- Jeff