UMARMY Update

UMARMY is going great! We've been busy enough that there hasn't been time to keep you updated.

Groups arrived Sunday late afternoon. There are 115 people in camp from Allen, Angelton, Bridge City, Diboll and Lufkin. We have 52 participating from from Lufkin FUMC.

We were blessed by FUMC Lufkin and Angelton donating $3800 in food and supplies for camp. This has allowed us to increase spending on materials and supplies to benefit clients directly. Thank you for all of those who contributed!

The students from all churches are connecting and forming one group amazingly well. Our theme "First Love" is challenging them to see the love of God and share the love of God. We have been using clips from the movie "Radio" to illustrate and connect with the theme.

We will update again when possible. Thanks again for your prayers and support!

Wednesday

Wednesday is full of pick me ups: ice cold watermelon, visit to Bucees, & free float at Sonic!

Tuesday's Lessons

Morning: The Communicating Leader Exodus 4:11-12

We are all communicators.  We are constantly communicating.  Communication is one of the most importantskills of a leader.  To develop, like all skills, it takes lots of intentional practice.

God is the Great Communicator.The Story of God thoroughout the Bible models communication:

It's about relationship- God totally loves people!  When He created people he said it was "very good".  He spoke to Moses, wrestled with Jacob and sent Jesus to convey his love for us.

Communication is less about transmitting information and and more about sharing with other humans beings.  When we interact being fully present with people we reflect the character of God.

God communicates with Excellence in a variety of ways. He speaks through visions and dreams, through nature and people.  He speaks corporately through the church.  He speaks intimately to our hearts through thoughts and impressions.  God also speaks through Scripture.  We too need to find many ways to communicate.

God is a great storyteller. God's story has it all and is no doubt the greatest story ever told. Leaders use stories because they move us, engage us and change us.

The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.      God's character is such that he can only speak the truth.  When he communicates he does it in an authentic way.  He doesn't reveal everything but what he reveals is always true.

God doesn't skip the hard stuff.  Confrontation is one of the hardest things a leader must do.  Confrontation done properly can bring people closer and make them feel loved and safe.  Psalm 51:6

Tuesday night: The Praying Leader 1 Chronicles 17:25

The conversation is the relationship

Prayer is a pride buster.

Nehemiah fasted, prayed and confessed not only his own sins but also the sins of his entire nation. God heard his prayers and rebuilt the temple and restored fellowship with Israel.

In 2 Chronicles 30 we see King Hezekiah cry out in prayer on behalf  the Lord heard him and healed the people.

Acts 10 and 11 shows us how important leaders, Peter and Cornelius, a Jew and a Gentile, are praying leaders who hear things from God, obediently act on them, setting the stage for the birth of the church and acceptance of Gentiles into the kingdom of God.

Jesus is the ultimate model for prayer:  Luke 5:16, Luke 6:12-16, Mark 1:35-38, Mark 6:9-13, John 5:19.

The most dangerous thing a leader can do is try to make plans apart from God's direction.  1 Samuel 12:623 and 1 Chronicles 10:13-14

We can posses every gift necessary to be a great leader but unless we allow God to shape the integrity of our hearts it will all come to nothing.

Tuesday Worship:  Matthew 10:42

Where have you been hurt today?  What would have been a "cup of cold water" to you?  How can you be a cup of cold water to someone else? 

Tuesday Night & Wednesday Morning Pictures

OSM Photobucket site has pictures from Tuesday night and Wednesday Morning.

Tuesday Morning Pictures

OSM Photobucket site has pictures from Tuesday morning.

Addititional Monday Pictures

OSM Photobucket site has pictures of Monday afternoon.

Monday's Lessons

Morning: The Listening Leader – Proverbs 1:5 “Let the wise listen and add to their learning.”

The steps for listening well:  Quieting, Presence, Content, Understanding, Interpretation and Response.

Listening to others is a critical skill for leaders, but we must not neglect putting effort forward to listening to God.  You Samuel is lying in bed and thinks he is hearing his name spoken over and over.  He thinks it’s his guardian, Eli.  Eli advises to return to bed and when he hears his name spoken he should say, “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.”

Night:  What sort of Leader am I?

One of the perks of following Christ is that we get gifts.  The Holy Spirit gives us gifts to be used for the benefit of others and the church. We looked at the spiritual gifts and helped students discern what gifts they have been given or gifts that God may be cultivating in their lives.

Worship: 

James3- It doesn’t matter how much talent, ability or intelligence a leader has.  If a leader is unable to control his tongue it is for nothing.  Do we use our tongue to build people up or tear them down?

Micah 6:8- God requires leaders to be just, merciful and humble.

 2 Corinthians 3:4-6- Here is a reminder of where your strengths really come from.  We need to confess that we have wrongly relied on our own strengths.

Monday pictures

OSM Photobucket site has pictures of this mornings work.

Sunday Night

We arrived shortly before 6:30pm. Our hosts served us a great meal.
After settling in we started our study for the week. Our key scripture is Psalm 78:72 "And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them."
Wifi is not available to us currently. I'll be seeking out today do pictures and video can be posted.

PET Project (Middle School)

Participants for the Middle School Leadership PET Project are:

Ann  
Beth
Corinne
David
Hunter
Josh
Karen
Matt
Samantha
Scott
Ryan

Tanner
Ty

Please remember them in prayer as travel, serve and learn about Christian leadership.

Please check back for updates!

Copper Mountain Day 1

We arrived safely and ahead of schedule at the Ski Village. Folks are all checked in to rooms, rental equipment fitted and ready for skiing tomorrow.
During our time we will be talking about change. Tonight we talked about and studied David. David was marvelous and marvelously flawed. Despite David's failings he was a man after God's own heart because he did what God asked of him. Change begins with the individual. We have to be the change in our own lives first.