IMPORTANT: Servin' With Small Group Information

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

Next week, Wednesday, May 30th, theEDGE will NOT be meeting.  Instead, each of our small groups will be meeting at different locations around town serving the community.  ATTENTION:  The TIME and LOCATION for your child's small group serve night may be different than normal.  Check out the details below so that you know when and where to drop off and pick up your students next week.

6TH GRADE GUYS:  Chris and Paul's Small Group

     CONTACT INFO:  Paul - 715-210-0675

     TIME:  6:30-8pm

     LOCATION:  Phoenix Park Pavilion (Downtown Eau Claire)

     ACTIVITY:  Cleaning up local parks and the downtown area!

6TH GRADE GUYS:  David and Jim's Group

     CONTACT INFO:  Jim - 715-839-067

     TIME:  6:30-8pm

     LOCATION:  St. Francis Food Pantry (1221 Truax Blvd, Eau Claire, WI 54703)

     ACTIVITY:  Organizing and stocking food pantry shelves.

6TH GRADE GIRLS:  Lori and Shaina's Group

     CONTACT INFO:  Lori - 715-579-7240

     TIME:  6-8pm

     LOCATION:  Lori's House (11926 17th Ave, Chippewa Falls, WI 54729)

     ACTIVITY:  Serving the neighborhood

6TH GRADE GIRLS:  Nicki and Becca's Group

     CONTACT INFO:  Nicki - 715-210-0674  Becca - 715-338-0926

     TIME:  Drop off at 5:30pm at Apple Pregnancy Center or at Jacob's Well at 6:30pm - Pickup at JW at 8pm.

     LOCATION:  Apple Pregnancy Center (2600 Stein Blvd, Eau Claire WI 54701 from 5:30-6:30pm)  Jacob's Well Kitchen (6:30-8pm)

     ACTIVITY:  For those able to come at 5:30pm we'll take a tour of Apple Pregnancy Center and then we'll head to JW at 6:30pm to bake cookies for a bake 

     sale.  Proceeds will go to Apple.

6TH GRADE GIRLS:  Kristin and Tessa's Group

     CONTACT INFO:  Kristin - 715-570-3328  Tessa - 715-529-3481

     TIME:  6:30-8pm

     LOCATION:  Tessa's House (1615 Lloyd Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701)

     ACTIVITY:  Writing letters and cards to missionaries, soldiers and others in need of encouragement.  If you have someone specific to encourage bring 

     their address.

7TH GRADE GUYS:  Michael and John's Group

     CONTACT INFO:  Michael - 715-828-1992  John - 715-226-1319

     TIME: 6:30-8pm

     LOCATION:  Gordy's on Birch St (2717 Birch St, Eau Claire, WI 54703)

     ACTIVITY:  Carrying, loading, and unloading groceries for people.

7TH GRADE GIRLS:  Anna and Morgan's Group

     CONTACT INFO:  Anna - 763-258-4420

     TIME:  5-8pm (Dinner Provided)

     LOCATION:  Jacob's Well Church

     ACTIVITY:  Various projects around the church

7TH GRADE GIRLS:  Caitlin and Mary's Group

     CONTACT INFO:  Mary - 715-830-5401

     TIME:  6:30-8pm

     LOCATION:  Oakwood Hills Retirement Facility (4316 Oakwood Hills Pkwy, Eau Claire, WI 54701)

     ACTIVITY:  Hanging out, playing games, eating snacks with residents.  Feel free to bring a favorite game or snack to share (no nuts please).

7TH GRADE GIRLS:  Patty's Group

     CONTACT INFO:  Patty - 715-461-0401

     TIME:  Drop off at Sojourner's House at 4:30 and Pickup at Acoustic Cafe at 7pm

     LOCATION:  Sojourner House (448 North Dewey St, Eau Claire, WI 54703) from 4:30-6pm and Acoustic Cafe (505 S. Barstow, Eau Claire, WI 54703) 

     from 6-7pm

     ACTIVITY:  Serving the Sojourner House and eating dinner at Acoustic Cafe.  Bring money for dinner.

8TH GRADE GUYS:  James and Mike's Group

     CONTACT INFO:  Mike - 715-723-3388

     TIME:  6:30-8pm

     LOCATION:  Jacob's Well Church

     ACTIVITY:  Various projects around the church

8TH GRADE GUYS:  Eric and Jordan's Group

     CONTACT INFO:  Eric - 657-888-4511  Jordan - 715-4958067

     TIME:  Drop off at Hope Gospel Mission Bargain Center at 4:30pm and Pickup at Pizza Ranch at 7pm

     LOCATION:   Hope Gospel Mission Bargain Center (2511 W Moholt Dr, Eau Claire, WI 54703) and Pizza Ranch (2451 Truax Blvd Eau Claire, WI 54703)

     ACTIVITY:  Sorting and organizing donations at Hope Gospel Mission Bargain Center and eating dinner at Pizza Ranch.  Bring money for dinner.

8TH GRADE GIRLS:  Joy and Jen's Group AND Ava and Maddie's Group

     CONTACT INFO: Joy - 715-579-0264  Jen - 701-552-1067  Ava - 715-553-2178  Maddie - 763-355-4177

     TIME:  6:30-8pm

     LOCATION: St. Francis Food Pantry (1221 Truax Blvd, Eau Claire, WI 54703)

     ACTIVITY:  Organizing and stocking food pantry shelves.

8TH GRADE GIRLS:  Krina and Brittney's Group

     CONTACT INFO:  Krina - 715-456-6900  Brittney - 715-271-5006

     TIME:  Drop off at Gordy's on Hamilton at 4:30pm and Pickup at the Oakwood Mall Food Court at 7pm.

     LOCATION:  Gordy's on Hamilton (3310 E Hamilton, Eau Claire, WI 54701) and Oakwood Mall Food Court (4800 Golf Rd, Eau Claire, WI 54701)

     ACTIVITY:  Carrying, loading, and unloading groceries for people at Gordy's on Hamilton and eating dinner at the Oakwood Mall Food Court.  Bring money 

     for dinner.

Please look at these details carefully as the times and locations vary per group.  Please plan accordingly and coordinate rides as needed.  I can't wait to hear about your child's experience serving in the community.  Share any stories in the comment section below.

Servin' Parent Cue (Week Two)

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

This blog is your cue.  Every Wednesday we’ll post a “Parent Cue” which will tune you in to what we are talking about at theEDGE and cue you in on some steps you can take to lead your student into taking their next steps.

 

Servin' the Church:  Overview

This week, Laura Garry will be speaking about the opportunity for students to become part of the church by serving in the church.  Laura is the Serve Coordinator at Jacob's Well and has a passion for getting people plugged into serving.  Often times students feel like church is for their parents' and that they don't fit in and belong.  Well, giving students an opportunity to take part in the church will give them more ownership over what goes on at church and will find belonging because not only do they go to church, they are the church.

Parent Cue

Take some time to discuss these questions with your student this week.  What do you think of church?  Do you feel like church is for you?  Why do you go to church?  Allow students to be honest.  If they think it's boring allow them to share.  Be able to share from your life as well.  What did you think of church at that age?  Share together.

 

Action Point

Dream with me for a second.  What if one year from now there were as many students serving at church as there were adults?  What if students built relationships with the adults that they serve with that last well into college and beyond?  What if students lived a life of serving?  Then they would become more like Jesus.  Students will have the opportunity to try serving in one of the welcome ministries on the weekend at Jacob's Well.   Students will be paired up with an adult in one of the serving ministries as a mentor for that serving position.  This could be the most amazing experience for the student, the adult and even the church.The first step is for students to sign up at theEDGE.  If they missed the sign up have them contact Laura Garry at 715-833-2050 or at laura@jacobswellec.org

Servin' Parent Cue (Week One)

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

(Mark 9:35)

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

(Philippians 2:5-7)

This blog is your cue.  Every Wednesday we’ll post a “Parent Cue” which will tune you in to what we are talking about at theEDGE and cue you in on some steps you can take to lead your student into taking their next steps.

Series Overview:  Servin'

On our journey towards God it is our goal to know and become more like Jesus with every step that we take.  Philippians 2:5-7 calls Jesus a servant and if we want to become like Jesus we must serve.  This series is all about "Servin' the Community" and "Servin' the Church".

 

Servin' the Community:  Overview

This week, Matt Kendziera will be speaking about making an impact on the community.  Matt is the director of The B-Side Community near downtown Eau Claire.  The B-Side Community is not necessarily a church (although they have a church service) and is not necessarily a social justice organization (although they meet the needs of people).  The B-Side Community is exactly what it says in the title, a community of people who are loved by God and who love others through meeting the needs of one another.  The B-Side Community is making an impact in the community that it works with in huge ways and Matt is excited to share about B-Side as well as about God's plan for us in servin' the community.  Check out The B-Side Community at http://www.bsidecommunity.com/

 

Parent Cue

How have you served in the past?  Have you ever told your student about it?  This week, spend some time sharing with your child about mission's trips you've been on.  Spend some time sharing with your child about different things that your company does to meet the needs of people.  Spend some time sharing about your volunteer experiences.  Whether you know it or not, your children are very perceptive of what you do and how you respond in life.  Share your life with them.

 

Action Points

This week there are two action points to put on your radar.

 

1.  Servin' with Small Group Night:  Wednesday, May 30th theEDGE will not be meeting at the church.  Instead our small groups will be scattered around the community serving.  This takes them from learning about serving to actually serving.  More details to come.

 

2.  Servin' Eau Claire:  Monday, June 18th through Friday, June 22nd we will be partnering with The B-Side Community and other organizations around town to serve Eau Claire.  This will be our summer serve week.   Go to http://www.jacobswellec.org/#/middle-school/home to register your student for this amazing serve experience.  Or pick up a paper registration form at theEDGE.  We will also need leaders to serve this week, so consider serving with us that week.

 

Upside Down Parent Cue (Week 4)

“I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them.  They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.' He who was seated on the throne said, 'I am making everything new!' Then he said, 'Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true'" 

(Revelation 21:3-5).

            From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of God is near” 

(Matthew 4:17).

This blog is your cue.  Every Wednesday we’ll post a “Parent Cue” which will tune you in to what we are talking about at theEDGE and cue you in on some steps you can take to lead your student into taking their next steps.

Week Four:  Upside Down World

It’s easy to think that God’s kingdom is just about Him and us. It’s easy to forget that we are part of something bigger, something more vast that just our relationship with Him. We are part of His kingdom both some day, and now. We are a part of His mission to restore things that are broken, whether that’s in our own lives or in the lives of those around us, or those half way around the world. And when we live with a future kingdom in mind we can start to make it a more present reality.

 

Parent Cue
What are some things that are “broken” around us? How can we be a part of God’s restoration with those things? Use this question to brainstorm together how your family can participate in the Kingdom of God by serving others.  This question might be easy to talk about but is much harder to do.  Talking about it can be a first step but make a huge effort to do something to serve others and participate in the Kingdom of God.  

 

Action Point
The action point this week is not only to have the conversation about how your family can participate in bringing in the Kingdom.  Your goal this week is to actually do something together.  This might look like sponsoring an impoverished middle school aged child from the other side of the globe through Compassion International or World Vision. This would be an awesome next step for your child because they would have an opportunity to send and receive letters and pictures from your sponsored child.  Don't leave your child out of this process.  Make this a family event.  There are many other local options that you and your family could participate in.  Talk about it and commit to do it together.

If you end up sponsoring a child or serving as a family, share your story in the comments below.

Upside Down Parent Cue (Week 3)

This blog is your cue.  Every Wednesday we’ll post a “Parent Cue” which will tune you in to what we are talking about at theEDGE and cue you in on some steps you can take to lead your student into taking their next steps.

Week Three: 58: the Film

Someone living in God's upside down kingdom will see another person in need and try to help.  Poverty is a problem in this world and the kingdom of God can help to solve the problem.  The film, "58" is a movie all about global poverty and our role as Christ followers.  This week we will be showing this movie to the students to show them how upside down this global issue is compared to God's Kingdom.  This movie is rated PG-13 for some mature thematic themes and graphic displays of poverty.  If you would like to watch this movie with your student feel free to come and check it out.  Check out the Trailer below.

Parent Cue 
What did you think about the movie?  How did it make you feel?  What can we do as a family to help global poverty?  What can we do as a family to help meet the needs of the people in our community?  These are questions to get your family discussing about this issue of poverty.  

Action Point
As we talk about God's Kingdom as an upside down kingdom, a great next step for you and your student would be to attend a showing of "58: The Film".  On Wednesday, May 2nd theEDGE will show the film to the Middle Schoolers in the North Venue while adults may view this film on the same night in the Auditorium.  This will be a great discussion starter for you and your family to begin talking about how we can live in God's Kingdom.  Check it out at www.live58.org