New, easier to use SWAT website coming soon…

We’ve heard you - you can’t figure out how to comment on this one!

We are working on a brand new website for you.  Stay tuned…

In the mean time here is your upcoming SWAT schedule

SWAT Night
- every Sunday Night @ 7pm @ The Penns Valley Old Gregg School Community Center.
- OFF Thanksgiving Weekend.
- OFF Christmas Weekend.

Fall Retreat
- November 21-22
- Overnight Retreat for Guys / Gals.
- Talk about guy / gal stuff.
- More details coming soon.

Day on the Couch Day
- Monday, December 1
- Taking Movie Suggestions Now!
- “Day on the Couch Day” is a day on the couch!  We watch movies all day long.  You are considered a “champion” if you ONLY get up for food and to go to the bathroom.  Seriously, it’s hard work!

Operation “Christmas”
- Details coming soon.

Upcoming Events: 11-10-08

Love Songs for Haiti - Sunday, November 16 @ 7pm.

• Where: E-Free Church in State College (Blue Course Ave)
• When: 7pm-10pm (we’ll leave @ 9pm)
• Carpool: Meet @ Snappy’s @ 6:30pm | Return @ 9:30pm.
• Why are we doing this instead of youth group? One of our goals as a youth group is to get outside our walls err… curtains on Sunday Nights and do something that helps the poor and needy.  Haiti has been hit recently by multiple hurricanes, devastating what is already a very impoverished nation.  Love Songs For Haiti is a concert / coffee house event designed to raise awareness and motivate people to action to help this nation.  We have a very direct connection to Haiti through one of our SWAT members - Smith Paul - and through our home church PVCC.  This just makes sense for us.
• Is this free? Yes.  And No.  It’s free to get in, but there will be multiple opportunities for you to get involved and sacrifice to help someone who is less fortunate than yourself

Mystery Retreat!

• For more information on our Mystery Retreat, click here.
• You can sign up ONLINE at the link above… don’t miss out!

Day On the Couch Day: Monday, December 1st.

• When: The monday after Thanksgiving
• Where: Tim and Sarah’s place.
• Time: 10am-6pm
• What: Movies.  All day.
• Why? We like movies - and there’s nothing to do on this day - might as well spend it together!
• How do we choose the movies? We show NOTHING that is rated-R.  We are very careful about our PG-13 choices, and screen every movie for content.  Movies are suggested by students and screened by Tim and Sarah.  We try to get a mix of genres.
• Questions? Comment below by clicking the “comments” link (i.e. “0 Comments” “1 comment”)

Hope to see you soon!

Tim

No SWAT this Sunday!

Hey everyone,

Since I am GETTING MARRIED!!  and since our Grace Prep students will be at the Pure Freedom Event in Mechanicsburg, PA - we are cancelling SWAT for this week.

However - YOU are invited to join the crew in Harrisburg for the Pure Freedom Event!  Details can be checked out below.  If you are interested in going - please contact Tim ASAP at 404-7142.  See you in a few weeks when we get back from our honeymoon!

http://www.becominglikejesus.org/pure-freedom.asp

Tim

SWAT Kickoff is this Sunday!

You SO don’t want to miss this!  SWAT is kicking off a great year this Sunday.  The details are below - check back for frequent updates!

When: Sunday Nights
Time: 7pm
Where: Old Gregg School Community Center (directions here)

We’ll be kicking off the year with great food & prizes.  Come join us as we discover God’s plan for 2008-09.

Tim

House Party @ Tim & Sarah’s!

Well… technically it’s at Sarah’s place since they are not married yet… but soon it will be Tim & Sarah’s place!

SWAT Night is taking a break for the rest of the summer - but every Sunday evening, we will be having everyone over to our new apartment in Centre Hall!  We are 1 door down (toward Snappy’s) from Mel’s Market in Centre Hall (next to Brother’s Pizza).

Look for a white house, and we are the apartment on the left.

Come on over for snacks, hangout time, worship & discussion about topics that you selected in the surveys last week.

See you there!

Sundays in August.  7pm - ??

Tim

Pool Party - girls only!

This Thursday - girls are invited to Pam Mansell’s place for a pool party!  The party begins @ 7pm.  Come on out - bring your suits and your (girl) friends!

The Mansell’s live on 140 Beryl Street in Centre Hall.  For directions, click here

See you there (well not me… but Pam will!)

Tim

SOS Deadline quickly approaching - July 1

Summer of Service Deadline is approaching quickly!

Our Summer missions project in Centre County is coming up - the last week of July.  Signups, however are underway and the deadline is approaching!

In fact, there is exactly one more week from today to get your completed brochure and $50 deposit to me to reserve your spot and the early-bird rate.

You can still sign up after the July 1 deadline, but it will cost you an additional $15 so act quickly!

Dates: July 27-Aug 1
Includes: Food, Lodging, Hershey Park OR Whitewater rafting trip.

Goal of S.O.S. - overwhelm our community with kindness so their hearts might be more open to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Sign-up is easy.  If you don’t have a brochure yet - grab one at church on Sunday, or better yet at Summer Fest 2008.  Fill it out and return it right there - your parents should be there too, so get the check and everything all in one place.

Tim

Summer Fest Approaching!

This Sunday is Summer Fest 2008! You don’t want to miss SWAT’s summer kickoff.

Parents - yes, you’re invited.  Come join us and get to know the team that will be working with us this summer!  There will be tons of food, prizes, “Are You Smarter Than a SWAT Student” and much more…  Here are the details

Date: Sunday, June 29
Time: 6pm-9pm
Location: Old Gregg School Community Center
Cost: FREE.

Food: Burgers, Brats, Dogs + sides and desserts.

Tell me again what you have going on this Sunday night that will be better?  That’s what I thought - see you there!

Tim

Expelling Immoral People?

I just read this morning in I Corinthians 5 about an immoral guy who Paul said should basically be kicked out of the church!

More specifically, the guy was involved in gross sexual immorality and was obviously not sorry at all for his sin, and Paul tells the church that the next time they are assembled, that they should wait for the Lord’s presence to show up, and then publicly hand the guy over to Satan! (I Corinthians 5:4-5)

He later goes on to clarify that he’s not telling them to avoid everyone who is a sinner, but to basically not show much mercy to folks who are Christians but living in sin and not repenting.

It makes me wonder if we’re too soft on sin in the Church. Maybe we ought to take a harder stance with people who claim to follow Christ but are obviously and publicly living in sin that they don’t care to repent of. Maybe it cheapens the Gospel a little bit if we allow them to continue sinning while claiming to be a Christ follower. Maybe their souls are even in danger if we don’t allow them to experience the consequences of their sin? (I Corinthians 5:5)

How should this effect us @ SWAT? First of all, I think we need to take sin seriously. When we see a brother or sister living in sin we should 1.) Check ourselves to make sure we are good with God 2.) Pray for them & 3.) Look for an opportunity to gently correct them.

Second - if you are living in sin, you should know that the Bible takes it very seriously that you claim to follow Christ, but deny him with your lifestyle. Brennan Manning once said:

“The Greatest single cause of Atheism in the world today are Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.”

I agree with that wholeheartedly. Let’s remember our 3rd Core Value:

Authentic Faith (Hebrews 12:1-2)
Our eyes are fixed on Jesus. We are who we say we are, regardless of circumstances.

Live authentically and help others do the same, and we’ll see God’s power in our midst. It will also help you keep from getting expelled

Tim

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