Christmas Service this Sunday

Hi all, Metro's Christmas service will take place this Sunday. Christmas is all about being with family and what better way than to celebrate the birth of Jesus, then attending Christmas service TOGETHER! The Jr. High ministry will be in service with their families this Sunday.

More parking on Sunday!

How many of you spent countless minutes looking for parking? Well you don't have to anymore! Metro Calvary Chapel has secured a parking structure for our use starting this upcoming Sunday (11/8/09). The garage's entrance will be open from 8am to 12pm. If your car is stuck beyond 12pm, no worries. The garage will automatically open if someone exits (so I've heard). Metro will be paying a monthly fee, so don't worry about paying for parking when you get there. REMEMBER, THE STRUCTURE IS ONLY AVAILABLE ON SUNDAYS.

Look for the medical building at the northwest corner of Yale St and Santa Monica Blvd. The entrance is off Santa Monica Blvd. If you are still lost, refer to the map. If you want a copy of the map, please email me at mnguyen@metrochurch.org

Time to fall back!

Couple of reminders:

1.) Time falls back this Sunday. Turn your clocks back one hour.

2.) We'll be meeting at our new location on Yale and service will still be at 10am. Parking is available on Santa Monica Blvd.

3.) Lunch will be available after service. Tri tip and chicken will be available at $5.00 per person.

4.) Jr. High will be meeting on the 2nd floor of the classrooms. I don't have a room assigned to us yet, but I'll be there.

Metro's new home

This Sunday, Oct 25th will be our last meeting at John Adams Middle School. We have been grateful for what God provided for us at JMS, but the time has come for us to move to our new home. The address is 1420 Yale Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404 (southwest corner of Yale and Santa Monica). On Sunday November 1st, we will be meeting at our new location. Service will still be at 10am. Couple of tips:

1.) Parking is limited on Yale Street, but plenty of parking on Santa Monica Blvd (meters do not work on Sundays).

2.) Plan for lunch as there's a variety of restaurants/cafes within walking distance.

3.) Jr. High will be meeting on the 2nd floor of the classrooms.

4.) See attached picture for reference. If you would like a printable version, email me at mnguyen@metrochurch.org and I'll reply with the file.

As always, feel free to email or call me with any questions. I am very excited about the move!

Philippians 4:10-13: I can do everything through Him who gives me strength

This was our last week in the book of Philippians. I originally planned 2 months to cover the book, but 2 months became 3. Paul was a missionary and missionaries need help. Whether it is a place to stay or money to provide for their needs. It was not uncommon for Paul and his crew to receive gifts from churches where they had visited. We also know that Paul earned a living as a tent maker ("new shock and awe fact for the students"), but it seems like from there and other passages that he had partners who helped support his missionary journeys.

Paul says that no matter what, he knew how to be content. What was the source of his contentment? THE PROMISE OF GOD.

God has only promised that we have food, shelter and Him. He doesn't promise us a fancy car or a Playstation 3. He does promise that he will feed us, clothe us and be with us. Though few, those are promises Paul was well aware of, as he lived within them daily for years.

God promises to feed us like sparrows, clothe us like flowers and be with us.

1.) Every day, 25,000 people die of hunger and hunger related causes

2.) Most of those 25,000 are under the age of 5

3.) Over 3 billion people (half the Earth's population) live on $2 a day or less

4.) Over 1 billion live on $1 a day or less

When you hear statistics like that, what do you think of God's promises? It seems like God provided for Paul in lots of ways, not the least of which was through other people. It's the people that Paul is praising here, along with God. He is actually praising God for his Philippan friends as noted in verses 14-19. Do you think Paul would've been able to do those things if it weren't for his fellow Christians giving to him and supporting him in various ways?

If it weren't for the Philipians, Paul may not have been able to do what he did. Paul says he can do all things through Christ who strengthens him. I challenged each student with one very obvious truth...you have so that you can give away. God has given you things so that you can help provide for people in need. You might not have as much as Warren Buffet, but giving is less about the amount you have and more about your willingness to share what you do have.

If you hold on to money while other people do without, you are disrupting the potential of the gospel and your own spiritual well being. How many of us spend more than 7 dollars a week.? Did you know that $7 a week could feed a hungry person for a whole week. What you have can and should be used to help those in need.

It is almost impossible to read the book of Philippians and not realize the deep partnership represented. Paul leaned heavily on his fellow Christians and they provided. It's time we do the same. Let's pray that God would cause us to feel the same urgency for helping out our brothers and sisters as the Philippians did for Paul.....especially in this time.

Phillipians 4:6,7 :: The Nearness of God Demands that we Not Worry

What were you most afraid of when you were a kid? How did you deal with it?
What is it about being with someone else that helps us worry less?
If we can realize that our Lord is near, how much easier would it be to face life day in and day out?

No matter how close Jesus is, we still worry. The disciples worried about what they were going to eat, whether they would survive the storm, etc. and they were with Jesus all the time. Worry is a hard thing to combat, but we must. We must practice the spiritual discipline of trust.

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ (Phil 3:20 NIV)

We are now in week 6 of our study in Philippians. This past Sunday, we spent time digging in Philippians 3:17 - 4:1. With two feet on the ground, you can stand firm. Paul mentions another group to be aware of. He calls them the "Enemies of the Cross" and he warns the Philippians not to be anything like them. Scholars refer to this group as the "Antinomians", perhaps because they claimed to be Christians but did not have any rules or laws that they lived by. They lived with no standards. They were almost the opposite of the Judiazers of Paul's time, and there were most likely some in the midst of the Philippians Church.

Paul is pointing out that we need to be different. Because of Christ and because of the joy we have, our behavior should not be like that of someone of this earth. We cannot claim to be Christians and cling to self-induced rules. Neither can we claim to be Christians without being different from non-christians.

If Aliens were to come to Earth, knowing nothing about our planet, and they asked who you looked or acted like, who would you choose?

A.) like a pop star
B.) like a movie star
C.) like a celebrity
D.) like Jesus

Hopefully you picked D. Think upon an area where you need to stand firm. Perhaps you are spiritually propped up on only one foot, but Satan is pushing you over again and again. Pray silently that you can stand firm this week.

We should stand firm because our citizenship is heaven. We are not native to this Earth. We belong elsewhere, and Paul says we should act like it. He says we should stand firm, so that someday we can go home. For people who STAND FIRM in Christ, there's a great reward awaiting us.

Disneyland :: September 26, 2009

Jr. High Ministry is going to Disneyland on Saturday, Sep 26, 2009.

I need to know who's going by sending me an email directly at mnguyen@metrochurch.org by Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 so I can make the proper arrangements.

The plan is to leave Los Angeles by 8am.

"I thank my God every time I remember you" (Phil 1:3 NIV)

For the next 8 weeks, we are digging into the book of Philippians. The past Sunday, we discussed the relationship between Paul and the Philippians as a model for us as Christians. I had each student turn to the person to their right and test how much they really know about that person. Questions such as:
1.) Do you know how many brothers and sisters they have?
2.) Do you know when they accepted Christ?
3.) Do you know what they are struggling with now?

Asking these questions could be hard and it's uncomfortable to realize we care so little some times, but like Paul and the Philippians, we should all have a passion for one another that leads us to pray for, know about, and love actively our brothers and sisters in Christ out.

We need to understand the deep relational connection between Paul and the Philippians and realize he wasn't writing a book to people he barely knew. The relationships we form are a big part of living out our relationship with Christ.

We're going to Disneyland!

The Jr. High Ministry is taking a trip out to Disneyland on September 26, 2009. SAVE THE DATE and I'll details soon. This is open to all Jr. High Students and their friends.