Often our five year old, Lydia, is the one to pray for our meals and recently she began to pray for a “sunny day tomorrow.” I heard in the news today that there has only been one completely sunny day this month, wow! Keep praying Lydia!

In spite of the rain forecasted for this past weekend our first Awakening Fest camping trip was amazing. Our students trekked through the mud without complaint and were rewarded with front row access to some amazing Christian artists. And another thank you needs to go out to Remonde, Stephen and Cody who spent the day in the pouring rain to get our campsite ready for the kids. That is being Jesus to these kids.

One of my favorite times of the weekend was during our morning devotional time at our own campsite. One of the students took a risk to be honest about something they struggled with and I was moved by the response of the group. They clapped. Yeah, they applauded their friend for vulnerability. Awesome.

When seasons change you become more aware of the rhythm of God. This is something the Israelite people were aware of and celebrated and the ancient church calendar takes into account as well. Even in our modern context we note these rhythms as before we know it Advent will be upon us. Our youth calendar has a rhythm to it as well and I am looking forward to our regular meeting times of youth group and Sunday school. Encourage your student to take advantage of these times of community and growth. Pick up a calendar next time you’re at church.

For our middle schoolers we have something fun happening this weekend (Saturday, October 1), WYLD Life, the middle school branch of Young Life, is meeting at our house on Saturday night from 7:30 – 9:00. WYLD Life is a CrAzY time for our middle school kids to have fun, invite their friends from all kinds (or no kind) of church background to goof off, play games and hear a message about the love of Jesus. It’s exciting and I promise they will have a great time. I am thrilled that the first event of the year is at the Rouse House, 20432 Bowfonds Street in Belmont Greene. Fill your car and head on over! www.ashburnwyldlife.younglife.org

Coming in October our students will have the opportunity to reach out to our neighbors in Winchester. We will be continuing our partnership with Teens Opposing Poverty throughout the year. On October 29th we will be spending the morning in Winchester doing motel ministry followed by an afternoon hike and processing time at Bears Den.

We also have times to get away this fall, both for our middle schoolers and our high schoolers. Our middle school students are headed to Camp El Joy the first weekend in November. This is a beautiful property in Pennsylvania and we are going to have a blast while getting to know ourselves and Jesus a little bit better. Our high school students are returning to Concord in West Virginia. The tradition lives on! We join with about 6 other churches from Northern Virginia to put on these retreats every fall, you don’t want to miss out. Flyers are attached so get your deposits in right away for early bird prices!

This past year I read a book titled “Almost Christian” about the faith of American teenagers. It seems that all to often the church is communicating to teenagers that Christianity is about adhering to a belief system. I will have failed your children if they walk away from their time with Christ Community Church with a list of do’s and don’ts to ascribe to so that they may call themselves Christian. Christianity is about a person, Jesus. I tell them and will continue to tell them this truth, our having complete confidence in who we follow and joining with others in the journey of following him into the world. Join with me as we invite them into this trust-walk that we call Christianity.

“I did go thus far for many years . . . buying up every opportunity of doing all good to all men; constantly and carefully using all the public and all the private means of grace; endeavoring after a steady seriousness of behavior, at all times, and in all places . . . having a real design to serve God . . Yet my own conscience beareth me witness in the Holy Ghost, that all this time I was but almost a Christian. . .

The great question of all, then, still remains. Is the love of God shed abroad in your heart? Can you cry out, “My God, and my All”? Do you desire nothing but him? Are you happy in God? Is he your glory, your delight, your crown of rejoicing? And is this commandment written in your heart, “That he who loveth God love his brother also”? Do you then love your neighbor as yourself? Do you love every man, even your enemies, even the enemies of God, as your own soul? as Christ loved you?” – John Wesley

Grace and Peace,

Tobi