Merry Christmas from Riptide

Since we will not be meeting until January 2nd, here are a few videos that hopefully will bring a smile to your face this Christmas Season. Merry Christmas and can't wait to see you in 2011!

Christmas Eve at Journey

Journey Community Church has an incredible service planned for this Christmas Eve and it is definitely one you will not want to miss. There will be four opportunities for you to come and join us in this celebration.

Thursday. December 23rd at 7pm

Friday, December 24th at 2pm, 4pm, 6pm

These services are perfect for families to attend together, so there will not be any high school or middle school services during these times. See you there!!

Christmas Spirit (The Right Way) from DanStevers.com on Vimeo.

Current Sunday Morning Series:

"I wish I may, I wish I might, have this wish, I wish tonight." When I was younger, I would stare at the sky, recite this poem, and then dream about the most extraordinary things I could ever hope for. It is interesting how the mystery of the sky can spur on thoughts and dreams that seem out of our reach. Yet God used the biggest and brightest of stars to announce something beyond extraordinary. It was the arrival of someone that would change our relationship with him, the one that created these stars, forever.

For the next three weeks we are going to look at the extraordinary things that God did that night that changed ordinary lives forever. Through these stories, we are going to see how God can work through our 'ordinary' lives today and do things better beyond anything we could ever imagine. It is more powerful than a wish. It is following and living for the one that makes these stars shine.

December 5: Mary

December 12: Shepherds

December 19: Wise Men

Wacky Winter Wonderland

Instead of small groups this week, we will all be meeting together for a fun Christmas Themed Night. We will play Christmas related games and talk about the Christmas Story. This is a PERFECT night to bring friends!

The only thing you will need to bring is a wrapped gift worth $1 or less. We will be having a gift exchange so wrap an item from your room, garage, or dollar spot.

Please note that the required attire for this event is FESTIVE! We will be having costume contests for who dresses the most Christmas-like so be sure to get creative!

The Christmas Festive Event is absolutely free. See you there!!

We won't be meeting this week, but we all look forward to meeting in our small groups next week at our regular times and regular locations! If you have any questions where those may be, email christina@journeycom.org.

Have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!

Please note: Riptide will still have our two identical services this Sunday Morning at 9am and 10am.

Happy Thanksgiving Riptide Families!

As we enter this holiday season each of us can all tell so many stories of both highs and lows from this past year. No matter what this year has brought, one thing that has truly remained constant and what I'm so thankful for is the goodness of our God.

"The LORD is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made."

Psalm 145:9

"You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you."

Psalm 86:5

"Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you."

Psalm 116:7

As we reflect on the amazing goodness of God, I hope you all will have a opportunity to spend some quality time with your families and loved ones this holiday weekend. The Riptide Adult Leaders are truly thankful to have you and your middle schooler a part of this ministry.

See you Sunday!

Got Musical Talent?

Current Weekend Series: Justice League

We live in a broken world that has anger, loneliness, poverty, and greed. God is not okay with these things, and so why should we? For the next few weeks we are going to look at the power God gives each of us to fight against these things. God gives us everything we need to bring his unfailing love to all creation. Are you ready to use these superpowers?

November 7: Fighting Anger with Compassion

November 14: Fighting Loneliness with Community

November 21: Fighting Poverty with Generosity

November 28: Fighting Greed with Thanksgiving

MAD HAIR NIGHT!

Instead of individual small groups this week, we will all be meeting together for one 'Hair-Raising Night of Fun.' There will be 'craziest hair competitions', games, snacks, and a short Bible time at the end of the night. Be prepared to get messy, crazy, and experience just plain madness.

YOUR TICKET TO GET IN THE DOOR: CRAZY HAIR!

If your middle schooler is not plugged into a small group, this would be a great opportunity to get connected. This is also a fantastic event to bring tons of friends. It is going to be fun night your middle schooler will not want to miss.

STUCK IN THE MIDDLE CONFERENCE

Stuck in the Middle is a conference designed specifically for middle schoolers. This year the theme is: Identity Tour. The Identity Tour will challenge students to examine their lives and begin to understand who they are in light of God's Word. Who God says I am? What God created me to do? How my friends influence my identity?

The Identity Tour will be featuring our very own Mark Oestreicher as the speaker, Dutton as the worship band, and many other fantastic artists.

SIGN-UPS begin this Sunday:

$50 deposit will reserve your spot.

The cost includes transportation to Newsong Church in Irvine, dinner on Friday, hotel lodgings, and an incredible conference your middle schooler will not want to miss.

PARK CLEAN UP THIS SATURDAY

Do you have a few hours to give La Mesa this Saturday morning? Volunteer at La Mesa Park Appreciation Day!

Journey has adopted Collier Park on Palm Avenue in La Mesa. We will paint picnic tables, stain park benches, pick up trash, and trim trees. You don’t have to be a La Mesa resident – just love La Mesa!

Also, parents are welcomed to stay and help as well so make it a family event!

Please note: All participants will need to fill out the following waiver.

Current Sunday Morning Series

Some of the most bizarre stories in the Bible reveal incredible characteristics and allow us to get to know God better. For the next five weeks we are going to look deeper at these stories and discover truth that will help us grow closer to the ultimate story writer.

October 3 “ No Turning Back”

October 10 “A Fishy Tale”

October 17 Is That Donkey Talking to Me?

October 24 “Jael Pegs it”

October 31 “Lazarus Ain't No Zombie ”

GURLY & BURLY are BACK!

Because of popular demand GURLY and BURLY are back!

GURLY is for Girls Only! BURLY is for Guys Only!

Separate events, same day.

Both are Top Secret!

Details:

TEN HOURS/$40

Event Hours: 10:00am-8:00pm

bring: towel, bathing suit, change of clothes,a sweatshirt, sunscreen, water bottle, and a friend.

To Sign Up: Bring $40 and a signed permission slip to a Riptide Sunday AM Service. Price will cover food and transportation for the entire event.

Parents, if you would like the itinerary of the day, please email christina@journeycom.org for the details. We just ask that you keep to the "code of secrecy" to add to the fun for the middle schoolers.

Due to the nature of the event, the last day to sign up is Sunday, October 3rd.

Current Sunday AM Series: Schooled

Just like the main worship venue, we are looking at the book of Acts. We will look at the boldness of the people in the Bible and see how we can take that same courage to bring the love and story of Jesus to our schools.

Week #1 Back Pack: Packed with Everything You Need!

Week #2 Agenda: Things to Do! People to Love! Places to Go!

Week #3 Bleachers: Time to get in the Game

Current Sunday AM Series: Prepare for Take-Off

Entering middle school is a lot like stepping onto a plane. There needs to be some preparation but if you are willing to jump on, it will take you to some pretty spectacular places and experiences. During the next four weeks we are going to look at this voyage called middle school. We will look at how God has a specific route planned our for each of us and what we need to do if we veer off that route.

Week #1 Arrival Status: On Time

Week #2 First Class

Week #3 Staying on the Course

Week #4 MAYDAY!

It is going to be a pretty exciting series so be sure to join us this Sunday Morning at 9am or 11am. You won't want to miss it.

Fall is Here!

This Sunday we are going to celebrate the new school year. It will be huge party to ring in the new year and talk about what we are looking forward to in Riptide.

Below is our Fall Calendar with stuff you definitely do not want to miss.

Also, be sure to stop by Student Center A for our 2010/2011 Student Ministries Orientation Parent Meeting. We will be discussing a sure-proof plan to have one of the greatest school years ever!

Great Day at Collier Park

It was a great day at the park!

Be sure to check back for information on more work days because today's clean-up was just the beginning!

8th Grade Banquet

Riptide & New Format Adopts a Park in La Mesa

The College Ministry and Middle School Ministry has officially adopted Collier Park in La Mesa. We are so excited about this we decided to start this Saturday! We will be painting park benches and picnic tables, scrubbing bbq's, trimming bushes, and picking up trash. We are not only trying make a difference in this park, but helping out an entire neighborhood.

Come join us this Saturday!

HEY INCOMING 6th GRADERS!!!!!!!

6th GRADE PREVIEW PIZZA PARTY

Wednesday, July 28th

6:30pm-8pm

Moving up to middle school is a BIG DEAL! We don't take that lightly around here. We want to make sure the 6th graders know what they are getting into, as well and give them a few tips on how to make their Middle School Years ROCK! This evening will be be filled with pizza, middle school type games, Riptide Staff introductions, and info about the ministry. Parents welcomed.

Email Christina@journeycom.org to RSVP.

DYE WARS Sign-Ups begin this Sunday!

Friday, August 13th

4:30pm-7:30pm

Once again, Riptide will be joining churches from across the county to participate in one of the craziest and biggest water wars of the year. The students will be divided into three teams representing three different colors. The color represents the color of water that will be provided for that team to fill their super soaker with.

There will be pizza, a speaker, and the greatest water fight of all time.

$10 includes dinner and a t-shirt.

Sign ups begin this Sunday.

Ride Details: We will leave the Journey Parking Lot @ 4:30pm. Students will need to be picked up at College Avenue Baptist Church @ 7pm. (Warning: students will be wet.)

(This event is for incoming 6th, 7th, and 8th graders only.)

Project Downtown

We're Going to the Beach!

July 19th & July 26th

Pack your middle schooler with $5, a modest bathing suit, towel and sunscreen and bring them to the church at 10am. We will take personal vehicles down to South Mission Beach where we will play, hang out, and enjoy a BBQ lunch. We will return to the church parking lot at 4pm.

Sign-ups required the Sunday before to be guaranteed a ride.

Parents you are welcome to join us too! If you are available to provide a ride or would like to join us for the day, please email christina@journeycom.org

Current Sunday AM Series: Wild Kingdom

The world did not start out with kings and queens. People understood that God was the creator and ruler over all. Then there came a day, when the people went to God and asked for a king on earth. We all know that crazy stuff can happen when you put people in charge and that is exactly what happened.

During the next six weeks, we will explore the lives of the first kings of Israel. We will discover some of the greats, and some of the not-so-greats.

Come join us this Sunday Morning at 9am or 11am. You won't want to miss it!

Week #1 Israel: They have a King, why can't we?

Week #2 King Saul: It's hard being number one.

Week #3 King David: The humble heart of an imperfect king.

Week #4 'King' Adonijah: Calling dibs doesn't always work.

Week #5 King Uzziah: A great start leads to a crash landing.

Week #6 King Josiah: The teenage king saves the day!

Riptide Summer Calendar

Traveling Stories

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This past Sunday, Emily Moberly came to our middle school group to talk about her non-profit organization called Traveling Stories. It is a volunteer-run organization that donates small libraries to schools and orphanages that have few or no books. Emily Shared her story about how she got the idea to start this organization.

After college I began a great adventure: I moved to Honduras to teach high school English. This was the first time in my life that I lived in a place with almost no access to reading material. I realized how much I need books and I saw how the lack of books was impacting my students. I decided that as their English teacher I would do all I could to make them fall in love with reading.So, for Christmas I went home and when I returned to Honduras I brought with me 40 books which I introduced to my students as "Ms. Moberly's Libary."

The books were a hit. All of my classes used them daily. Even other teachers asked to use the books for their classes. I left Honduras in July but I'm still receiving letters from my students telling me how much the books impacted them.

This is why I started Traveling Stories; to invest in kids' imaginations. To fuel their minds with stories the same way "Ms. Moberly's Library" fueled my students' minds in Honduras. At Traveling Stories we believe that books not only stregthen minds and inspire dreams, but they also help people overcome the obstacles preventing them from becoming the best version of themselves.

So, to help Emily collect more books and make a difference in the lives of children around the world, Riptide is joining Student Ministries by hosting a book drive the month of June. Please look through the shelves in your home and bring in any book you are no longer needing to the Traveling Stories Book Box in the Riptide Room. At the end of this month, Emily will collect all of the books and use the donations to raise money to purchase books in Spanish for her projects in El Salvador. For more information email emily@travelingstories.org or vistit TravelingStories.org.

Beach Baptism

If your middle schooler is interested in getting baptized, there will be a brief baptism orientation in the Middle School room this Sunday, June 6th, at 10:15am.

If you do not have anyone in your family that is getting baptized, this is still a great opportunity to come hang out while supporting those who are taking this exciting step in their Christian walk. There will be hamburgers, hotdogs, and drinks. All you have to do is come and bring a side dish or dessert to share.

This is definitely a day your family will not want to miss!

God at the Movies: The Short Version

Nothing shapes our culture quite like the movies. They're a place to ask hard questions, tell stories, think about our past and learn about our hopes. This Sunday, Riptide will join the rest of the ministries at Journey Community Church by kicking off a new series, "God at the Movies."

We will be doing it a little differently than the main worship venue. Instead of looking at full length motion pictures we will be showing a 'Pixar Short' and then discuss it afterwards. We are so excited about the next five weeks and looking forward to spotting God in some unlikely places.

Week #1 Boundin'
Week #2 For the Birds
Week #3 One Man Band
Week #4 Partly Cloudy
Week #5 Lifted

For what movies will be shown in the main service, check out this website.

Sign-ups for Summer Camp Begin Sunday, May 16th

It's coming...

Help Us Help You 2010

All proceeds go toward scholarships for student ministries camps and retreats.

Visit the back table in the Riptide Room to sign up to work or email Christina@journeycom.org

GURLY & BURLY are BACK!

Because of popular demand GURLY and BURLY are back!

GURLY is for Girls Only! BURLY is for Guys Only!

Separate events, same day.

Both are Top Secret!

Details for Girls:

Event Hours: 10:30am-8:30pm

bring: towel, bathing suit, change of clothes, extra plain-t-shirt, water bottle, and a friend.

Details for Guys:

Event Hours: 10am-9pm

bring: towel, bathing suit, change of clothes,comfortable shoes, a sweatshirt, sunscreen, and a friend.

To Sign Up: Bring $40 and a signed permission slip to any Riptide event. Price will cover food and transportation for the entire event.

Parents, if you would like the itinerary of the day, please email christina@journeycom.org for the details. We just ask that you keep to the "code of secrecy" to add to the fun for the middle schoolers.

Due to the nature of the event, the last day to sign up is this Sunday, April 25th.

Current Sunday AM Series: Jimmy Says

Riptide Easter Sunday Schedule

On Easter Morning, Riptide will be joining our families in the services in the Main Worship Venue. There will not be any middle school services in the Riptide Room on Easter Morning.

We will go back to the normal service schedule of 9am and 10:45am the following week, April 11th as we kick of our new series on James called "Jimmy says..."

Happy Easter!

Drop In @ The Movies

This Saturday, March 20th, Drop In is going to the movies. Join us at Grossmont Center as we all watch the 5:50pm showing of

Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

Come to the mall, purchase your tickets and then meet us for dinner at the Food Court at 5:00pm. Bring enough money for the movie ticket and dinner. The movie is 2 hours long so be sure someone can pick you up at the movie theater at 8pm.

Christina will be purchasing some advance tickets.

If would like for her to hold a ticket for you,

email christina@journeycom.org before Thursday @ 5pm.

See you Saturday!

Daylight Saving Time This Weekend

This Saturday Night remember to "spring forward" by setting your clocks one hour ahead. We may lose an hour of sleep, but we get to stay out and play outside longer! Woohoo!

Riptide Band Auditions

Current Sunday AM Series: More Than Just a Book

We read from it every week. We encourage the students to read it on their own during the week. But where did the Bible come from and who wrote it? For the next three weeks we are looking at how the Bible is more than just a book. We will have some great guest speakers coming to share as we look at how this book can be so powerful in our lives today.

Week #1: What is it?

Some of the most common reasons for not reading the Bible is that "it's too long", "it is hard to understand", and "it's just a bunch of rules." This book is actually a love letter from God to us. Through out the entire book he shows why he made us, how much he cares for us, and the extremes that he went through to have a relationship with us.

Week #2: How was it Written?

My friend Mandy Helton-Jones will be joining us this week to talk about how the Bible was written and how to read it. She will also share about her journey across the United States to get more than 31, 000 to people to hand-write every single verse in the bible to put together a completely hand written bible. It is an amazing story and your middle schooler will not want to miss it.

Week #3: Who wrote it?

A professor from Bethel Seminary will be joining us this week to talk about the authors of the Bible. Dr. Jim Smith not only teaches at Bethel Seminary and the University of San Diego, but he has a background that includes being a youth pastor. It will be a great morning as he teaches about the people that God chose to write this letter to us.

Riot Night Twenty-Ten

Riptide is joining five other churches and 300 other middle schoolers to experience the the first ever RIOT NIGHT!

We will be meeting in the Journey Parking Lot at 6:30pm. We will return to Journey at 10:00pm.

To Sign-Up bring $10 to any Riptide Service this Sunday!

Must Sign-up by Wednesday, March 3rd to make sure we have enough Rides.

You do not want to miss this awesome event! And definitely BRING A FRIEND!

Don't Miss February Drop In

Sometimes middle schoolers just need a place to drop in and hang out. Drop In is a Riptide Event in Student Center B. The evening is filled with fun games.

Our Riptide Cafe will be selling snacks and $1 pizza slices, but other than that...it is absolutely free!

Bring a friend and DROP IN next Saturday!

Current Sunday AM Series: Parents, Friends, & The Opposite Sex

We all know middle school can be a crazy time in our lives. There are many challenges that we need to prepare for. Luckily, God helps us through these challenges and we will be digging into the Bible to find out how. You won't want to miss these next couple of weeks. Do you have what it takes to make it through middle school?

Challenge #1: Parents
Challenge #2: The Opposite Sex
Challenge #3: Choosing Good Friends
Challenge #4: Peer Pressure

Spring 2010 Calendar

Winter Camp Twenty-Ten Recap Video

It was pretty much AWESOME!

You won't want to miss this parenting seminar...

Ever wondered why some students chuck the faith of their younger years and some students STICK WITH IT to build their lives around it?

If so, then we have a great seminar that will help you as a parent wrestle with the most recent research, and hear from some tried and true parents on how you can help your student's FAITH STICK.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 31ST FROM 2 TO 7:30PM at Journey.

• Hear how our ministries at Journey are structured to help a student's faith truly stick.


• Ask your questions from a panel of people in the parenting trenches with you.


• Key Note Teacher: Ed Noble: Teaching pastor at Journey, father of 3, and veteran youth pastor of over 20 years.


• Key Note Teacher: Kara Powell: Executive Director of the Fuller Youth Institute, faculty member at Fuller Theological Seminary, author, mother of 3, and youth ministry veteran of over 20 years.


• Learn GREAT PRINCIPLES that will apply to everyone parenting toddlers to teens


• Dinner provided.


• Childcare for birth to 5th grade is available with pre-paid registration.


• $15 for one adult.  $25 for a couple.

You can sign up by e-mailing "office at journeycom.org" or you can meet us at our booth outside of the main worship center doors any weekend between now and Jan 31st.

DON'T MISS THIS GREAT TRAINING!     INVITE A FRIEND!

New Series on Sunday Morning

This Sunday we started a new series. Last November, I polled our students asking what topics they would like to hear during the teaching times. An overwhelming response was ‘Creation’ and ‘Revelation.’ I could think of a better way to start this year off than with ‘the beginning of the world.’ For the next four weeks we will be looking at God's Big Story.

Week#1 Creation: The way the world Ought to be.

Week #2 Fall: The Way the World Is.

Week #3 Redemption: The Way the World Can Be

Week #4 New Creation: The Way the World Will Be.