Christmas at Saint Matthew

December 24
2 & 4 pm—Family Friendly Communion Worship
7 pm—Saint Matthew Style Communion Worship-(Childcare will be provided at this service only).
9 pm—Traditional Style Communion Worship

December 25
10 am—Christmas Day Worship

January 1
10 am—New Year’s Day Worship.
Bring goodies to share in a time of fellowship following worship.

Mexcio Mission Trip 2012

The High School Mexico Mission Trip is April 8-14, 2012.
We'll be building houses in Tecate Mexico through Amor Ministries.
The total cost is $685 (the true cost).
All youth who participate in the Amigo Fund Raising Program and attend all the meetings can reduce the trip cost down to $335 per person, which includes: food, transportation, building supplies and lodging.
A $200 non-refundable deposit is due now. You can pick up an Information Packet from Pastor David.

You can register online by clicking this link:
http://tinyurl.com/HSMexicoMissionTrip2012

Snow Blast 2012

The High School Snow Blast is January 27-29, 2012.
We’ll be staying at Whispering Pines Conference Center in Sierra Village.
The cost is $150 if received by December 15. After December 15 the cost goes up to $170.

You can register online by clicking this link:
http://tinyurl.com/HSSnowBlast2012

Fall LOG Weekend

LOG is a Christian retreat that offers a way for students to help themselves and each other live their lives as a part of a Christian community. It introduces and reinforces the fullness that a Christian life can be, in a way that is geared towards high school students.

Participant applications are available September 25 and are due A.S.A.P. as this retreat fills fast.

Team Meeting #2 is 10/9 from 2-4 pm in Walnut Creek.
Team Mtg. #3 is 10/23 from 2-4 in Novato.
Team Overnight begins at 4 pm 10/29 to 11 am 10/30 in Novato.
Team Mtg. #4 is 11/6 from 7-9 in Walnut Creek.

Pick up a LOG Participant Application here:
LOG Participant Application

White Water Rafting Trip

We're staying at Camp Lotus on the American River.
A non-refundable registration fee of $135 for incoming 9th graders or
$145 for 10th-12th graders is due now.

Click here to register for trip.

Student Leadership

“. . . I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” Ephesians 4:1

Jesus expected leaders to serve.

Jesus gave his disciples an image of leadership that we use as our standard for Student Leadership within our High School Ministry.

“Jesus called them [the disciples] together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:25-28

Jesus shattered what most people think leadership style is all about: being in charge. He goes even further to define true leadership as serving others. “Serving others” is how we define ministry. This type of servant-leadership is not attractive to most people. It goes in direct opposition to the attitude of running to the car to ride in the front seat or being first in line to eat or telling everyone what to do.

We’re not looking to fill our leadership team with the cute, fun and popular. We’re looking for people who love Jesus and are willing to make ‘servant-leadership’ the standard their lives reflect.

If you’re in 10th-12th grades and would like to be this kind of leader, pick up a student leadership application from the church office and turn it in by Sunday, September 18.

ABS - Area Bible Studies

Because of High Schoolers need for fellowship and relationships with other Christians; we meet midweek for in-depth Bible study and small group time. Each week we study the Bible and then break into smaller groups for discussion, prayer and accountability.
The ABS (Area Bible Study) resumes Thursday, September 15 from 7-9 p.m. in the Teen Center.

Teen Ministry registration forms are available here:
Teen Ministry Registration & Authorization

Student Impact

Impact is our large group meeting for Middle Schoolers and High Schoolers that’s designed to be inviting, have a friendly, fun, challenging, and exciting atmosphere. This morning program shatters the “church is boring” stereotype and will help you celebrate life. It is filled with laughter, antics, videos, singing, dramas, a message and small groups that challenge teenagers towards spiritual maturity.
Student Impact resumes Sunday, September 11 from 11:00 am-12:15 pm in the Teen Center.

Teen Ministry registration forms are available here:
Teen Ministry Registration & Authorization

Summer ABS - August 18

Baptisms - August 4

Mark 16:16a says: “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved…”
If you're a believer and you've never been baptized—let's talk about it!
We’ll celebrate baptisms at ABS on August 4.
Also, if you were baptized as an infant and want to remember your baptism through immersion, we’ll celebrate that on August 4 too.
Contact Pastor David before ABS, if you want to be baptized or if you want to remember your baptism.

Summer ABS & Senior Farewell - August 4

Friday Night

Friday morning began “Dawn Patrol” in Memorial Chapel. After breakfast, morning chapel in Ponderosa, was a time of worship through music and then each church met together for “church time.” Saint Matthew was in Ponderosa Chapel and we spent our time sharing how we encountered God this week and shared communion together.
Friday’s rec. was the “Great Race” which was a series of challenges all around Ponderosa Camp. A cabin of guys from Saint Matthew, General Lee-1, on the Lone Range team, ended up taking first place.
During free time a group of Saint Matthew’s juniors and seniors when on a tour of Hume’s Joshua Wilderness Institute (a learning school/program for students who don’t know what they want to do after high school), a hike up to the Little Brown church, boating on the lake, swimming at the cove, volleyball and a few rousing games of gams & hearts on the deck.
After dinner was the annual Seniors vs. Staff Wiffle Ball game on the Ponderosa Lawn. Friday’s chapel was our last chance to worship together with this year’s band, Love Lite, the awards for rec . and the coveted first place team T-shirt. We also heard Brad Bell’s last challenging message and went up the hill to Victory Circle. At Victory Circle, students shared three words to describe the victories they’ve experienced this week. It’s a powerful and rewarding experience hearing students share how they’ve come to faith, been challenged by God and how they hope to be different people when they head down the mountain tomorrow morning.
Well it’s off to cabins and our last cabin group, tomorrow morning, it’s up early, packing, breakfast and loading the buses for our journey back to the Creek.
~PD et al.

Friday Around Camp

Thursday Night

This morning began with early morning worship through music in Ponderosa Chapel then our morning speakers shared about mission opportunities: locally, nationally and globally.
Thursday's recreation was "Super Spirit Day" where students were encouraged to dress up like rhinestone cowboys with bedazzling bling. The rec. games were a series of crazy relay races on the upper lawn.
During afternoon free time, there was an "Evangelism 101" seminar, a basketball tournament in the Ark, the Art Kart on the lawn, along with the boating on the lake, swimming in the pool and card games on the "Hume-N-Beans" deck.
After dinner was the counselor gauntlet (a competition that’s a mixture of American Gladiators & Wipeout) where Saint Matthew was ably represented by Drew Eldred & Daniel Fitterer.
Thursday evening, our speaker, Brad Bell, shared how David was a man after God’s own heart. When David messed up, he was quick to repent; there’s a biblical difference between salvation and sanctification (which means to be set apart…make holy…which is a daily struggle); and we can’t control temptation but we can control what we do with it. At the end of the evening Brad challenged students (who where Christian) to pause and reflect where they’re at and if they needed to reconnect with God to stay behind and spend some time in prayer.
~PD, et al.

Thursday Around Camp

Wednesday Night

Wednesday morning began with the Hume Lake biathlon, a swim in the lake (~10 laps) and a run around the lake (~3.2 miles). Chris Chequer from Saint Matthew won the swim leg and Ryan Niese also from Saint Matthew won the running leg.
After the biathalon was a time of worship through music and the Wednesday seminars. Students were able to pick from ~6 seminars over 2 different sessions. Some of the seminars were, "Is God #5 in Your Life?", "The Mission Field in the Home", Mission Communities", "Overcoming the Distractions in Life" to name a few.
After lunch we went to the pond and ark for church free time. While there we spent time on the blob, Noah's nightmare, playing basketball, foosball & ping-pong in the ark, and just chilling on the lawn with friends.
Wednesday dinner was split into a Guys Dinner-no shirts, no silverware and lots of manly eating. The Girls Dinner-a time singing and dancing with Carly Cannata from Saint Matthew winning the dance contest.
Wednesday night chapel was on "Submitting to Leadership and Authority" and the evening concluded with the Kajabe finals on the upper lawn and free time around Ponderosa camp.
~PD, et al.

Wednesday Around Camp

Tuesday Night

Tuesday morning began with “Dawn Patrol” a optional time of early morning worship through music in Memorial Chapel. The morning chapel in the Ponderosa Chapel began with an extended worship time and afterwards we met with our lead counselors for a short devotional and solo time exploring this year’s memory verses.
Tuesday’s rec. was the game of Kajabe at 7 different cans.
There were plenty of activities during free time including: a volleyball tournament, a 101 seminar on “How to Study the Bible,” swimming, boating, hiking and playing cards on the Hume-N-Beans deck.
Tuesday’s evening chapel was the gospel message and we had a four Saint Matthew students who stayed behind with our counselors after receiving Christ for the first time . . . which is always a powerful experience to be a part of.
Tuesday evening’s free time included a concert by the year’s worship band on the Hume-N-Bean’s deck, grabbing a late night snack at one of the food venues, playing games or just hanging out, meeting and talking with new friends.
~PD, et al.

Tuesday Around Camp

Monday Night

This morning at chapel we were introduced to this year’s worship band “Love Lite.” Both the students and adults really liked the band, especially the more familiar worship songs we sang.
After a time of worship through music, we were introduced to this year’s speaker, Brad Bell, from the Well Church in Fresno. After morning chapel we had a “So What Time” with our cabins and went to the first recreation chapel. This year’s camp teams are the “Cliché Cowboys” (grey shirts) and “Viva Banditos (gold shirts).” The camp teams are further divided into 28 sub teams. Because of the size of our church we are on a number of sub teams like: “Shotgun Sally’s, The Lone Rangers, Lonesome Doves, Jolly Ranchers, Nightriding Nannies to name a few. Today was 4-way games at 4 different locations. We competed in games like “What in Tarnation?!, “16 Square up in the Air, Dodjabi, and Barnyard Belly Bumping Bonanza as each team began the quest for the coveted first place rec. t-shirt.
After recreation, was lunch and free time—on the lake, and around camp. A group of 69 took over both the high adventure course times and were challenged by the ropes course through the trees, climbing wall, pampra poles and the 42-foot high screamer.
After dinner was the bike jump into the Lake where 4 Saint Matthew students competed (Kyle Mueller took first place).
After the bike jump was evening chapel—including a time of worship through music and Brad’s bringing the message on 1 Samuel 8.
The students are now in Ponderosa Free time with a Luau Night Swim including a competition belly flop in the pool (Anthony Dossa & Brody O’Brian finished in the top five), volleyball, hanging out with old and new friends and a rousing card game of slap on the “Hume-N-Beans” deck.
Well the evening bell rang so it’s off to cabins, cabin time and bed!!
~PD, et al.

Monday Around Camp

Sunday Night

Well this year was quite an adventure getting to camp, with a rolling CHP stop to remove a disabled car from 680, one of the three buses overheating an hour away from camp and 1 of the other buses coming to the rescue to bring the remaining campers up to camp. (A pastoral side note . . . we have an amazing group of students who made the best of the situation by spending the time to get to know each other a little better . . . the adults on the bus said that there was minimal complaining and whining ☺ )
The last bus arrived in time for the Wild West opener in the Ponderosa Chapel. After the root-n-tootin opener, Rich Baker, Ponderosa’s camp co-director, opened with a message on this summer’s theme of “All In” looking at the story of David and Saul in 1 Samuel.
After chapel was free time, high adventure and paintball sign-ups and dinner for the last bus.
~PD, et al.

Sunday Around Camp

Hume Lake - Ponderosa Camp

Check-in begins in the Teen Center on Sunday, July 24 at 7:30 am.
You must be on campus before 8:15 am and check-in ends by 8:45 am.
The buses departs at 9 a.m. with or without you.
Leave all cell phones, iPods and electronics at home.
The buses will return to Saint Matthew by 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 30.

Summer ABS - July 21

Broomball Overnight - July 15-16

Summer ABS - July 7

Summer ABS - June 30

Summer ABS - June 16

HS Movie & Overnight

Mexcio Mission Trip 2011

April 23
2-3 pm Luggage drop-off and packing

April 24
7 am Check-in begins in the Teen Center
8 am Easter Commissioning Service in the Worship Center
9:30 am Departure for Mexico - Walnut Acres Staff Lot

April 30
~7 pm Return from Mexico - Saint Matthew

May 1
Noon-3 pm Pizza Lunch and clean-up

May 15
8:15, 9:30 & 11 am Amigo Worship Services
6:15 pm Amigo Dessert Set-up
7 pm Amigo Dessert and Program

Easter at Saint Matthew

April 21
7:00 pm – “Maundy Thursday Worship Service”
Valley Wide Worship Service at Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church - 1801 Lacassie Ave.

April 22
7:30 pm – “God’s Friday Worship Service”

April 23
8:00, 9:30, 11:00 am – “Easter Worship Services”
Mexico Commissioning is at the 8:00 am Worship Service.