Computer Crash

Hey all! A few days ago my laptop crashed. While its at the computer hospital I'm going to need a huge favor from you...well its not really huge. Its pretty small actually. I'm going to need you to email me at hightide@cypressmeadows.org so I have your contact information. Just make sure you put your name in the subject line or somewhere in the email. Thanks!

This way you won't miss out on any important information over the next couple of weeks!!

PS Winter Retreat is around the corner. We're camping in Ocala and the total cost of the trip is $140. I need the money in my hand by Friday, January 9th!! Save that Christmas cash:)

Jan

Glen Oaks Pictures

Glen Oaks Trip

Thank you THANK YOU to BP, Courtney, Kelly, Layton, Sarah, Jessica, Zach, and Gerry who graciously and selflessly donated their Tuesday night to visit the residents at Glen Oaks nursing home.

I have to say that I was a bit concerned going in for a couple of reasons...

1. By 5:00 pm I hadn't heard from one single person that was going so I thought it was just going to be me!
2. After we left at 6:10 it took us until 7:00 to find Glen Oaks because Google maps STINK and didn't get us where we needed to go.
3. When we finally got there and I caught up with Kelly's group they were so nervous about going I thought they were gonna bolt!

However, I was so overwhelmed with pride when we got to the dining room and the students took ownership of the event and got in there and spread a whole lot of grace to the residents that had been so looking forward to visitors!

Thank you guys! You are the reason I love my job:) Way to go!! You've made a difference in someones life!

PS I'll post your fantastic pics later tonight;)

Get your 80s on!!

Well, its official! It is now December which means the High Tide Christmas Experience 2008 is coming up soon!

Last Sunday night the masses voted on the theme of this year's experience which will be (drum roll please)...

CHRISTMAS IN 1985!

Fashion was hot, hair was big, and neon was rad!

The party will be held on Sunday, December 21st immediately following the 6 pm service. We should get started by 8 and the party will be over at 10. There will be music, food, games, a bonfire, and lots of prizes including BEST 80S OUTFIT!

Instead of doing a white elephant gift this year, everyone is encouraged to bring $10 so that as a group we can sponser one of the kids that Molly and Joe will be bringing into the orphanage this coming year. If we all bring $10 we could suppy everything that student needs for more than a year!!

I'm already working on my costume...you should be too!

Important Dates

Wow, is it cold or what? I moved to Florida to avoid giant coats and mittens!! Speaking of cold this winter is going to prove to be a lot of fun for High Tide and there are some dates that you need to be aware of...

• Sunday, Nov. 30th is FREE NIGHT. From 6:30-8 Studio 4:12 will be open for you to bring your friends, listen to music, play games, and just hang out. Join us!
• Tuesday, Dec. 2nd we're going to play games with the residents of Glen Oaks Nursing Home. We'll meet at the church at 6 and carpool over.
• Wednesday, Dec. 10th from 5:30-7:30 is the next Student Action Team meeting
• Sunday, Dec. 14th and Tuesday, Dec. 16th is the spiritual gifts Discovery Class. If you've ever wondered how God has wired you up to serve within the church come find out. Materials cost $10.
• Sunday, Dec. 21st is the High Tide Christmas Party from 8-10 pm following the last Christmas Production
• Sunday, Dec. 28th NO HIGH TIDE
• January 23rd-25th is the High Tide Winter Retreat in Ocala!!!!!!!!! Money is due by FRIDAY, JANUARY 9TH and the total cost of the retreat is $140.00 (which includes, camping for two nights, all meals once we get to Ocala, transportation, & t-shirt).

As always...let me know if YOU need anything!! Call or text:) See you tonight for New Community Classes!!

Tye Die

Wow, what an amazing night at the Safety Harbor Wine Festival last Saturday night!! Way to go to all of the girls (and guys) that participated in donating products, tie dying, selling, and everything else that went into the fundraiser!




Anyway, I just got an update from Chris (our worship pastor and my husband) who is in Kenya on a trip to visit Elijah's parents and he sent this picture of one of the kids in the village that they visited today...





So the Tie Dye went Global!!!!!!! Yay God!

Glen Oaks Trip Postponed

Hey all!!

Thanks for all the interested in serving the residents at Glen Oaks Nursing Home!! I'm so excited to serve with you as we invest in the lives of the seniors in our community.

Unfortunately, we've had to postpone our trip. But no worries...we're still going:)

The trip was originally planned for Nov 11th but has bee moved to TUESDAY DECEMBER 2ND at 6:00pm.

Can't wait!!

Teenage Faith Development

I was reading a great article from my friends over at the Fuller Youth Institute today about faith development in teenagers and how it affects the lifespan of their commitment to Christ and it got me thinking.

When I was in junior high and high school I was attending a church from the "believe it because" tradition. Now, overall, I had a fantastic experience that God used to transformed my life BUT when I got to college I was confronted with a flood of confusion over issues that I thought someone had figured out for me a long time ago. Turns out, part of my faith development had been hindered all those years I was taught never to question or explore my relationship with Jesus Christ and His relationship to the rest of the world.

My dream for the students at Cypress is to build into them a healthy sense of faith AND exploration. I want them to know what they believe but also WHY they believe it. I don't want their faith to get pulled out from under them like a cheap rug when someone questions where they stand and I don't want them to embrace legality over relationships with people far from God.

I've included the article in the link below. I know I'll be revisiting it in the coming weeks as I listen for God and discern how we can honor God as a ministry and how I can honor him with my own children as they begin to explore what He's all about!

http://fulleryouthinstitute.org/2008/11/riding-the-highs-and-lows-of-teenage-faith-development/

Credit, Cash, & Compassion

As we enter the holiday season High Tide is going to be spending the next few weeks of it talking about money. We're going to be talking about credit, saving, giving, being smart, avoiding "stupid tax" and hopefully saving you some of the really dumb mess ups and "oops" moments that we, the adult volunteer staff, have experienced over the years.

If you have job, ever want a job, like to buy stuff, or want to be rich someday you DON'T want to miss this series!

Sunday Rewind

WOW, what an amazing night! Thanks to the adult volunteers and Student Action Team for making sure our first annual Fall Open House Party was a success!! Thanks also to Chris Cox for leading us in some great worship!

Like I said, this was our first annual Fall Open House Party and I think it went better than any of us had expected. This event is a free event open to all the students in our community. The purpose? To open our doors and allow anyone and everyone a safe opportunity to come and see what High Tide is all about.

We saw three students accept Christ for the first time and many of you expressed a need to make a commitment to God or get rid of the things that were standing in your way of reaching your full potential! Way to go! You made such huge decisions last night and we are so proud!

The momentum shouldn't stop there. Join us next week to get plugged into the amazing community of students that make up High Tide, connect in our new small group formations and see where God's next steps for you might lead!!

See ya then!

Sunday Rewind & Cancelled Concert

Thanks to Jonny on the Spot (our Ambassador of Fun or AOF) we got outside in the crisp fall air only to be pelted with cold water balloons. Nice. Then, we got to listen in to the most interesting love notes written for B and AKhan...wow...I'm impressed.

Our topic of discussion was Grace: what stops us from believing it? We talked about Saul and how God didn't see him as a murderer and persecutor but instead like His child, His creation and that's how He sees us.

When you're struggling with believing that God loves you no matter what just run through Romans 8:1-2 which says,

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.

Lastly, most of you have expressed that a concert on Halloween night that costs $20 isn't something that interests you when you can go trick or treating for free...I heard you loud and clear! Concert is off...enjoy your night (safely and responsibly of course)!!

Events & Happenings & News

On Wednesday, October 22nd is our Student Action Team and Adult Volunteer meeting from 5:30-7:30 in studio 4:12.

On Friday, Octobver 24th I am heading to Dunedin to catch the Dunedin VS. East Lake game. We'll be supporting Gerry (G4) and Andy (AKhan), two of our Student Action Team members as they represent their schools. I'll be leaving from church at 6:30 pm to carpool. You're welcome to join me!!

On Sunday, November 2nd 2008 High Tide will be hosting its 1st annual Fall Open House Party (or FOHP). It will be held at Studio 4:12 from 6:30-8:00. There will be awesome activities, surprises, and worship. This is a GREAT opportunity to invite your friends to come and see what we're all about! Don't miss it!

HAITI T-SHIRTS ARE READY!! THEY TURNED OUT AWESOME. SEE BP OR SARAH OR ROSE TO BUY YOURS FOR $8 (XL AND XXL ARE $10 SORRY CHUCK). WE WILL ALSO TAKE EMAIL ORDERS AT HIGHTIDE@CYPRESSMEADOWS.ORG!!

Grace Defined

Thanks to the Bucs we were missing some of our core people on Sunday night but thanks to the Student Action Team we had a great night anyway!

We began our series on Grace and got a great conversation started in our new student lead small groups. We filled out anonymous Grace surveys that told me a lot about what you guys already believe about Grace and God and how you fit into it all.

For example:

• about 50% of you report having asked Jesus to be your Savior more than once for fear it didn't "stick" the first time


• 10 out of 31 of you reported not believing that God loves you "no matter what"


• of the 21 of you that believe God loves you "no matter what", about 1/2 still struggle with feeling like God loves you less when you make a mistake

These are just a few of the reasons we're focusing the next two weeks on this topic of Grace. It has everything to do with our relationship with Jesus Christ and yet most Christ-followers cannot bring themselves to accept it fully.

When you are struggling with grace and whether or not you deserve your share, just remember:

Ephesians 2:8

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God"

Coastal Clean Up

This Saturday, October 18th the High Tide Student Ministry is sending a group to Safety Harbor to participate in a community service project called Coastal Clean Up. This is an AWESOME opportunity to give back to our town and create a student presence for community involvement in this area.

Brian Moore and Joe Highfill, two of our awesome High Tide volunteers will be meeting the interested students at the church at 7:30 am. Yes, I said AM but here's the thing. The project will end by 12:00 pm and you'll be free to go home and sleep the rest of the day away if you choose!!

Please be here at 7:30 so that a carpool can be organized to get to the marina a little before 8 to get instructions. Parents can pick up back at the church at 12:30 pm.

Everything that will be needed for clean up (garbage bags, gloves) is provided but the city suggests you wear hats, clothes that can get dirty, and lots of sunscreen.

Please, PLEASE email me at hightide@cypressmeadows.org so I can let Brian know you'll be there. Thanks so much!!

Sunday Rewind

Thanks Jon, our Ambassador of Fun (or our AOF), of the glow sticks and incredibly painful game with balloons. I guess I shouldn't have worn sandals.

Vicky Joy, how's the stinging on your tongue?? Ha ha! Funniest thing I saw all night...thanks for that:)

Alrighty so we finished our "Pause" series on temptation and I don't know about you guys but my small group had some pretty serious conversations about what temptation means in our personal lives and how it effects our relationship with God. Keep those conversations going and remember, don't try and overcome temptation on your own! Let someone help you...someone who can encourage you in the right ways!

Galatians 6:1 says,

"Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day's out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ's law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived. "

Sunday Rewind and Open House

So we started Sunday night with a slip-n-slide of sorts in the front parking lot (because it was pouring rain) and Brad, Blake, Danielle, and BP enjoyed getting soaked. Then Blake came in and asked me if I might have a towel..."Um, yeah, while I was thinking about getting ready tonight I thought to myself, 'I better grab a towel in case Blake decides to run around in the rain before youth starts and get soaking wet and can't come in because the floor is too slippery. Let me just get it out of my imaginary bag.'" LOL!

Anyway, we celebrated Steph's birthday in style (and by that I mean with like 124 cupcakes which were awesome). We also played a really fun game (thanks Dawn) in which you had to keep a kick ball from going through your legs or the legs of the person you're standing beside. It was hilarious.

Oh yeah, then Phil made our day by being the ONLY one eating a container of chocolate pudding (without knowing that he was the only one). Nice chocolate goatee:)

One thing we did talk about was this weekend's Open House. This is a great opportunity to invite your friends, family, and co-workers to the Sunday Morning service at Cypress Meadows (9:15 or 11:00) to see what our church is all about! We ran out of invite cards but you can still send an e-vite by going to the website and emailing the video on the front page!!

Students - if you don't come to church on Sunday mornings this is your chance to get the entire Cypress expeirence! We have a lot of students that sit together in both services. Invite the parents, sit with us, and enjoy!! Can't wait to see you there!

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!