Kidz Club Gym Night - Wednesday night, Kidz club will head to Gretna Elementary School to use their gym.  This will begin at 6:45 and we ask parents to pick up at 8:10pm.   Note:  This is just down the street from the Middle School we most often use.  Gretna Elementary:  801 South St, Gretna, NE

TLT - Teen Life Truths - The second session is Wednesday night at 6:30pm.  This is a ten-week series instructing youth to live their teen years so they might have no regrets.

Annual Meeting - Standing Stone's Annual Meeting is this Sunday.  A pizza meal is at 5:30 and the meeting will begin at 6:05pm.   Votes on elders, assistant treasurer and 2024 budget will take place.   Absentee ballots are available in the narthex.

Sunday school was GREAT.  We have fantastic teachers and helpers who share God's Word and help each of us to grow in our walk.  If you have not made SS a part of your weekly intake, JOIN one now.  

The worship team sang a message of laying ourself down, Jesus being our fount of blessings, being broken by an awesome God, and His great faithfulness.  Many connections were "coincidentally" made to the message.  God is amazing in His coordinating our corporate worship!  

The message from 1st John 5 gave more help on fear.  In addition to God's love as a remedy to fear, we were warned to not love the world, to keep our conscience pure and to prepare for the future.  We must realize we are not our own - we were bought by Christ and His peace can calm our anxieties.  But, do we believe God when He promises His peace?  

50-year-old me would not have always done what 20-year-old me did.  One example from my 20’s was when I counseled at camp.  Yep, probably would have done things a bit different.  Note: the following story is rated PG-13.  

One 11-year-old boy named Chris could not stop talking.  His mouth was a running commentary the entire week.  Near the end of the week, I told my assistant leader, a high-schooler, to help me out while we went on a night hike.  He was to load his pocket with rocks and walk near the back of the group.  Then, he would chuck a rock into the woods occasionally to make noise.

I then proceeded to act more and more fearful, commenting on the noises and finally telling the boys that I was afraid and we needed to hurry back to camp.
 
I proclaimed “lights out” pretty quickly and continued to act like I was very bothered by what happened.  In that dark cabin, some of the boys picked up on this and wanted me to tell them what was wrong.  Finally, I began to share the story (making it up as I went along) about the Indian burial grounds on the camp property and how, over the years, kids have disappeared.  I proceeded to make up individual stories of how kids had been found disemboweled in their homes after camp (again, I’m not proud of having done this).  I shared how the legend is that these Indian spirits are roaming the camp grounds and they are jealous of the fact that kids have bodies.  Thus, they end up following them home and harming them.   I then explained how I was quite sure that the noises I’d heard that night were these Indians in the woods.  I then said that I’d shared to much and told the kids “Good-night.”

Chris was quiet for once.  All the kids were quiet.  In my mind, I imagine them all laying in their bunks, eyes wide open and staring up at the dark ceiling.  It seemed like five minutes went by (but likely only 30-seconds).  Chris speaks out into the darkness asking, “Ken?”   “Yes, Chris?”   “I think we should pray.”  

I would certainly have instructed my younger-self to do a few things different.  Hopefully those boys are still given to prayer.