College Transition

Hey guys...I was reading an interesting and sobering article today from some amazing people at the Fuller Youth Institute.

FYI is an organization that transforms research into resources that transform youth and family ministries. And, they deliver! I heard the director speak at a conference not too long ago about the college transition that our students face at the end of their senior years. The article that I was reading today was about the same thing. It relates to a growing epidemic that is affecting the majority of our "churched" kids.



According to FYI research, only 1 every 7 students say their youth ministry prepared them well for college. WOW! This statistic haunts me and, more importantly, drives me every single day. You can read more of the article by clicking this link: College Transition



So, what can we do? We, at High Tide, are working very hard to make sure our students walk away from our ministry knowing what they believe in, having the confidence to say no to temptations, understanding the importance of a daily devotional time, and knowing what to do if they fail (like we all do) spiritually.

This coming Sunday night we're beginning a series called, " Pause". We're going to be looking at issues that face our students once they leave our protective wings and fly off to college. Then, later in the year we will be doing a series called, "Charged" which will focus on how to manage resources in a God-honoring way. After the Christmas season will will again do some "senior" focused topics highlighting life after youth group.

These are just a couple of ways we're facing this problem head-on but there are things that can be done at home as well!

• Talk to your students about the things they're going to experience at college like pressure to drink alcohol, have sex, and stop going to church (if they're outside of our local area).
• Begin, if you haven't already, teaching your students smart money-management tools. When they get to college they will be bombarded with free stuff if they'll only fill out a couple of credit card apps. Before they know it, they're weighed down by hundreds and maybe thousands of dollars in debt!
• Talk with your students about spending daily time with God and making Sunday morning church a priority in your family. These spiritual connections will be major growth points for your students once they leave the "nest".

We are honored to partner with you to see your student reach their full spiritual potential. And, if you need us in any way don't ever hesitate to ask!

Sunday Rewind

Hey all! Wow, its been a great vacation but I'm so glad to be back at Cypress!!

The picture to the left doesn't have anything to do with this post but I came across it today and thought the world should see it:)



Last night was a blast and way to go all of you that brought someone new! I think we had a total of five brand new students that were there for the first time...awesome!!



We made fools of ourselves (as always) by playing the x game which is really called four corners (PHIL)! And finished our community time with the evolution game. Thanks, Cameron, for that great impression of a Cro-Magnon...wow.



Thanks to Chuck for talking on creation & evolution, all the things we need to know to make a compelling argument, and for encouraging us to think (and study the info) for ourselves! If you're at all interested in a creation & evolution in-depth conversation you can look on our website for updates in the next couple of weeks. We're going to schedule a Wednesday night where Chuck can expound on his teaching and you guys can ask your questions about the topic.



Also, don't forget these important announcements:

• This Wednesday night is student Bible study at 7pmNext Sunday, is band practice (guitar, drums, bass, keys) at 5pm in the auditorium
• October 18th is "Clean Up Safety Harbor" for points towards out of the country missions trip - contact Brian for details
• NEW DATE FOR STUDENT ACTION TEAM MEETING IS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22ND FROM 5:30-7:30!!
• I'll be at Dunedin VS. East Lake @ Dunedin on Friday, October 24th
• Friday, October 31st Big Daddy Weave concert in St. Pete $20

Please Help

Hey all.

Bring in your Science/Biology textbooks THIS Sunday night - September 21st please!

Chuck will be teaching a week from Sunday on Creation vs. Evolution (which is going to be very cool) and would like to take a look at your Science/Biology textbooks if you've got one you can bring in.

Thanks! Have an awesome weekend and we'll see you Sunday!

HALLOWEEN CONCERT

Mark your calendars (via cell or otherwise) for Friday, October 31st. High Tide will be traveling to First Baptist Church in St. Pete for a night with their students and a concert featuring...

Big Daddy Weave

Rush of Fools

&

Jason Grey

Tickets will be $20 which includes transportation, concert, pizza, and an after party to meet the bands! Txt me, comment this post, or email hightide@cypressmeadows.org if you wanna go!

Oh yeah...its also a costume party but don't bother cuz I'm awesome at those...

Remember when I dressed up as Chris?

H2O For Haiti

Over the past two weeks the small groups within the student ministry have been competing to see which can raise the most $$ for our school and well project in St. Louis Du Nord, Haiti.

My most awesome small group of 7th-10th grade ladies had the very brilliant idea of making tie dye t-shirts (with the help of a couple from the 11th-12th grade group - Thanks Kelly & Cathy!!) and selling them for $8 at school, the Safety Harbor 3rd Friday event, and (of course) to very supportive parents and family members!!

Last night we dyed for 2 1/2 hours, finished 49 shirts, and received a cash donation for our efforts! Way to go ladies!!!

What are the boys doing? Nobody really knows...

Of course we also take phone/blog orders...if you'd like a very cool t-shirt at a very great price for a very worthy cause I can hook you up!

Twitter

If you're looking for even quicker ways to know what's going on in High Tide Student Ministries I'd like to invite you to a cell phone network called Twitter.

Its easy, its free (except for standard text messaging rates), its safe (no unwanted text messages or information sold).

Its mass texting at its finest!

If you'd like text updates about the student ministry follow the instructions below:

1. Take out your cell phone

2. Go to your text message screen

3. In the number field put "40404"

4. In the message field put "follow hightidestuff"

5. Push send

6. You'll get a message saying please reply with your name. This can be a nickname, your first name, or just a series of meaningless letters. Nothing official is needed.

7. You'll get a message saying "You'll receive a message every time hightidestuff updates their twitter account."

8. Congrats! You're following High Tide Student Ministry and will be super informed about everything that's going on with us!

Still skeptical? Follow this link to Twitter and check it out for yourself!

Sunday Rewind

Hey all!

Thanks to Logan and Andy for entertaining with 15 minutes of writhing around on the ground! Wow...good times! Also Jared, Layton, Kia, Tatiana & Savannah thanks for coming!! We're so glad you were there (sorry if I misspelled your names)!

Anyway, after the inappropriate display of affection we dove into our second "For Real?" topic of Heaven and Hell and why it matters to know what the Bible teaches about these two, very real, places. The bottom line is, eternity is our responsibility. At some point, like it or not, we must choose whether we're going to live our lives toward Jesus Christ or not. Take your time, just don't drag your feet! Deal? Deal.

Next Sunday night Jonny on the Spot will be teaching on Prayer and Miracles. Does prayer work? Do miracles still happen? What does all of this have to do with you? Come and find out.

STUDENT ACTION TEAM AND ADULT VOLUNTEERS

LEADERSHIP HUDDLES BEGIN AT 6:20 ON SUNDAY NIGHTS - DON'T BE LATE!

Winter Retreat & Haiti Challenge

• Plans have been made for our Winter Retreat 2009! Mark your calendars for the weekend of January 23rd - January 25th. We will be traveling by van to Mill Dam Camp in Ocala National Forest for two nights of tent camping, Jesus seeking, worship, campfires, canoeing, team building, and panthers (for those of you that went to the 2007 Retreat)! The exact price is still being worked out but will definitely be under $100 per person! Yea God! More details are coming soon...
• Remember last week we challenged our group to make a difference for Haiti?? How's that going?? Some of you had the great idea of being involved in Safety Harbor's 3rd Friday to raise awareness....have you made that contact yet? Some of you have decided to sell those dusty clothes you NEVER wear in the back of your closet to Plato's to raise money for the kids in our school....have you done it yet? Don't wait...the Haiti challenge ends in 19 days...let's keep praying BRING IT ON GOD!!!
• Don't miss this Sunday night from 6:30-8 when we tackle our second "For Real" topic of Heaven and Hell. What does the Bible say about it? Why should we care??
• Oh yeah...Jonny on the Spot is gonna be back for games this week...holla!!

Student Action Team & Adult Volunteers: Please get to Studio 4:12 as close to 6:15 as you can this Sunday night for our team huddle and prayer!!

Welcome & Hello

Welcome to the official website of the High Tide ministry at Cypress Meadows Community Church. This is where students, parents, volunteers, and all other interested parties can find information, updates, and all the info you'll need to keep current on all things High Tide.

Parents, this website is going to be serving as a bridge to you. The days of newsletters and handouts are behind us but we also know from the Reveal survey...you still want to know! So in an effort to serve you better you can come here, with a few clicks, to discover for yourself why your student is so charged about being apart of the High Tide community. You'll be able to find our current Sunday night series, important dates to remember, event registration info, and much more all in one place.

Students, this website is going to be serving as an extension of our community for you. I want you to feel free to leave comments, begin conversations, and dive deeper in your spiritual journey with this online tool.

Enjoy!