This place is a crazy swarm of activity.

Massive props are getting made.

Shiny signs are getting hung.

Dress rehearsals are going late into the night.

And it's all because of this little Easter Musical that we're gearing up to perform 4 days in a row.

It's called RESCUED, and it's inspired by the work of William Booth.

Now, if his name doesn't ring any bells, that would be a little bit ironic, because he was the founder of the Salvation Army...and we've all heard folks from the Salvation Army ringin' bells at Midtown Plaza around Christmas time, right?

This musical basically tells some of Booth's story...and is mirrored by Jesus speaking parables back in Bible times.

It's all pretty amazing! Kevin & Anne MacMillan wrote the whole thing (scripts, songs, scores, arranging)! I'm not quite sure how they managed to do it, but this isn't the first time that they've blown my mind!

Anyways, I just gotta say that YOU should totally come to a performance of this musical.

It's at Saskatoon Christian Centre. 102 Pinehouse Drive

The show times are Thursday, April 5th @ 7pm // Good Friday, April 6th @ 7pm // Saturday, April 7th @ 7pm // Easter Sunday, April 8th @ 10am // doors always open one hour before show time!

I made a little RESCUED playlist for before and after each showing of the musical. Here's how it breaks down...

1. Because He Lives - David Crowder*Band (This is a track off of the band's final album. Old school song...and a little raw compared to what Crowder usually does.)

2. Jesus' Blood - Oceans Above (This band one made one album, and it was mostly all covers. Quirky, electro, and lots of crescendos! This song was originally by Delirious.)

3. Between The Cracks - John Mark McMillan (A crushingly beautiful song about hope, from his album The Medicine.)

4. I Glory In Christ - Sandra McCracken (She is one of music's best kept secrets. From her gorgeous hymns album In Feast Or Fallow.)

5. Rising (isnt.) - Son Lux (This guy is extraordinary. Half electronic hipster, half orchestral composer. This track is off of his instrumental version of We Are Rising.)

6. The Love Of God - An Epic, No Less (I love when artists dismantle old songs and reinvent them into something new. Electro-pop in the vein of Owl City.)

7. Like A Lion - Daniel Bashta (The imagery in this song fires me up. Bashta captures the sound of a mighty and powerful King...who is surely alive!)

8. Sun Ray - MuteMath (One of the instrumental bits off of their excellent album Odd Soul.)

9. Dress Us Up - John Mark McMillan (Another anthem from this raw and gritty songwriter. I love that so many of his songs have a fascination with resurrection. This one is no exception. Epic length, too.)

10. When Death Dies - Gungor (Ghosts Upon The Earth is a modern masterpiece...and this song is a highlight.)

11. The Door - All The Bright Lights (JM McMillan's band. A post-rock project with epic guitars.)

12. It Is Well - Red Letter (A classic hymn played with reckless abandon. This Seattle-based church band is well worth checking out.)

13. Flowers (inst.) - Son Lux (There is a trippy, whimsical vibe going on here. I highly recommend Son Lux.)

14. Death In His Grave - John Mark McMillan (This might be the quintessential McMillan Easter song.)

15. For The Morning - All The Bright Lights (Their self-titled record has so many high points. Great ambient music!)

16. Rescue - Seabird (How could we pass this song up when making a playlist for RESCUED?)

17. Death To Life - Joe Day ( Another Seattle-based church artist. The theme of this song knocks me off my feet.)

18. The March - Josh Garrels (One of music's best songwriters. This little instrumental is a perfect atmosphere-setting piece. Off of Love & War & The Sea In-Between.)

In case you missed it, or you want to revisit it...here are the notes that I used.

- mr j

Parents, below are the details you will want to know:

Date: Wednesday, December 7th

Time: 7:30pm - till 9:15pm (please plan to drop off and pick up your teen at these times)

Cost: $2

Teens should plan on wearing outdoor gear and to bring sleds.

If you were at church last Wednesday (November 9th), then you know that all the teens & pre-teens were in the Worship Centre. Pastor Johnson began a 4-part Wednesday night series called AUTHORITY ISSUES. This series continues through the end of the month.

However, we will actually be having Exelerate & 24/7 tonight (November 16th), and next Wednesday night (November 23rd)!!! Exelerate & 24/7 services will be combined, and the services will be in the Exelerate (lunch) room.

Teens & pre-teens will not want to miss this! We are in the middle of a series called THE WAY I'M WIRED, and I know that in these 2 services, we'll be getting into some pretty cool and interactive stuff. Things kick-off at 7:30pm as always, so don't be late.

On the last Wednesday of the month (November 30th), Exelerate & 24/7 will be in the Worship Centre again to hear Pastor Johnson finish up his series.

And after that's all over...we'll be putting up Christmas lights and gearing up for our favourite time of year!!!

See ya tonight,

- mr j//

Here's the low-down:::

* Our 15-passenger van will be leaving the SCC parking lot at 9am sharp!!! So make sure you come early...and maybe bring something to munch on for the roadtrip to Regina.

* The kick-off (Riders vs. Ti-Cats) is at 1pm...and we plan on getting to Mosiac Stadium by around noon, so we have some time to soak in the pre-game Rider pride!!!

* After the game, we will head over to Chili's (in Regina) for some post-game supper...then we'll wave goodbye to the Queen City and start driving north, homeward bound, of course...

* Our estimated time of arrival back home (the SCC parking lot) is 9pm!!!

* The cost for the Rider party was only $50!!! This price included your game ticket, and transportation. The $50 does not cover your eats...so make sure to bring extra cash!!!

* If you are one of the teens who signed up...please get your $50 in to Exelerate ASAP. Drop it off at the church office, or bring the money to youth!!!!!

* Who signed up to go? Well, here is the list of teens confirmed to attend the party::: Daniel R, Michael S, Micah F, Cole A, Owen A, James H, Jon H, Fraser K, Isaiah B, Zack K, Daniel A...

T H E  V I O L E T  B U R N I N G

Thursday, October 6th // Saskatoon Christian Centre // 102 Pinehouse Drive
Doors open at 7pm
$5 Advance // $8 At The Door // Tickets are now on sale at SCC and Scott’s Parable.
(a free-will offering will also be taken that night)

Wanna know a little more about The Violet Burning? Check out this review on their website...

www.thevioletburning.com/bio.htm

TH1S  1S  WH3R3  1T  ^LL  B3G1NS  //  CL0TH3D  1N  L1GHT  ^ND  WR^PP3D  1N  SK1N  //  1  L0V3  Y0U  T1LL  TH3  D^Y  1  D1E  //  1'LL  S1NG  1T  T0  TH3  SH3LT3R1NG  SKY -- TH3  V10L3T  BURN1NG

To give you the BIG answer, I have to back up and give you what I think the BIG question is…

The BIG question is – “where do I go to get the most out of life????”

1. You’ll be tempted to look to FUN as the big answer…to get the most out of life.

The word “fun” is actually not in the Bible (well in the NKJV…you can find it in The Message)…but the Bible is loaded with fun. Adventurous fun…crazy fun!!!

But fun is never the answer…

Fun is great…but it’s temporary… (roller coaster)

The Bible tells us that we shouldn’t aim for fun…

Instead, find JOY.

Nehemiah 8:10 – The joy of the Lord is your strength.

Fun is fleeting…gone in a flash!

2. You’ll be tempted to look to FRIENDS as the big answer…to get the most out of life.

Friends are awesome. Friends are great. Friends are wonderful. And friends will let you down. People let people down. Because your friends aren’t perfect…and you aren’t perfect.

And your friends are actually on the same hunt for the BIG answer too…

You need friends who are where you were…friends where you are…and friends where you are going…

(doing stupid things as “friends”…me & Mike and changing our names!)

Psalm 41:9 – Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.

Friends can be flaky…and funky!

3. You’ll be tempted to look to the FORBIDDEN as the big answer…to get the most out of life.

What is it about the things that we’ve been told not to touch…that make it seam so enticing to us? I think it’s about TRUST…trusting that what God has for you is better than the thing you are tempted with. This problem goes way back to the Garden of Eden…when Adam & Eve ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil. Remember that if God says “no” to something, it’s only because He wants you to say “yes” to something that’s so much greater!

I just bet that the fruit that Adam & Eve tasted was un-spectacular!!!

It was probably a tomato!!!!!!!!! Oh wait…tomatoes grow on vines!!!

Because God never keeps you away from what’s good.

Jeremiah 7:23 - But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.’

The forbidden is for your own good.

The BIG answer – JESUS

Who is Jesus Christ?

Jesus isn’t just a man we read about in a book…He’s alive today!!!

Jesus is not a man that became God.

That is one of the great lies.

That we can become God.

The truth is that God became one of us!

Jesus is GOD!

He humbled himself and came on a rescue mission to seek, to serve, to save…all of us.

Even people who aren’t particularly religious have said – “No one is perfect.” Jesus said – “except for Me.”

The reason we believe that Jesus Christ is the only God is because Jesus Christ repeatedly, emphatically, unapologetically, openly, publicly, declared himself to be God.

Buddha never said he was God.

Krishna never said he was God.

Confucius never said he was God.

Mohammad never said he was God.

No other major religious founded has ever made this claim!

Jesus stands alone!!!

This truth claim…it is true or it is false…

And if it is false, Jesus is the most damned-able liar in the history of the world.

He’s telling us to pray to Him.

To confess sin to Him.

To trust Him.

To follow Him.

To give our lives to Him.

To give our dollars to Him.

To give our deeds to Him.

To give our days to Him.

And if He is not God, then he is the most damned-able, despicable man who has lived on the face of the earth.

But if He tells the truth, He is GOD!!!

And God alone can forgive sin.

And it’s Jesus who says – “I forgive sin.”

And every other religion will tell you…here’s what you can do to deal with your sin…you can follow this path…you can adhere to this plan…

Jesus says – “I’ll take care of that...I’ll just forgive you.”

There is nothing for you and I to do to experience forgiveness of sin from God…except to respond to Him.

All we do is trust in Jesus!

He lives without sin…He dies for our sin…He rises as our Saviour…He then ascends back into Heaven and He opens a doorway into the presence and kingdom of God.

And He invites us to pass through it by trusting in Him!

He is the maker of heaven & earth.

He is the alpha & omega, the beginning & the end.

He is the son of God.

He is the God-Man.

He is our humble servant.

He is the man of sorrows.

He is the good shepherd.

He is the prince of peace.

He is the wonderful counsellor.

He is the lion of the tribe of Judah.

He is the dragon slayer.

He is the sinless Saviour.

He is the resurrection and the life.

He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

He is the sinners’ friend.

He is the great high priest.

He is the king of kings.

He is the Lord of Lords.

He is the way, the truth, the life. No one comes to the Father but by Him.

John 14:6 (The Message) - Jesus said, "I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me.

His love is glorious.

His love is marvellous.

His love is generous.

His love is matchless.

His love is priceless.

Jesus on the earth asked this question – “who do you say that I am?”

That is Jesus’ question for you tonight!

Who do you say that He is???

Jesus wants to be your joy…so don’t settle for fleeting fun.

Jesus will never go flaky on you…and always be your truest friend.

Jesus wants to satisfy you…so don’t fall for chasing what He has forbid.

We are so amped up about this new school year.

For one, our new Youth Room (formerly know as the CCA cafeteria) is almost finished!!! The ceiling and walls still need to be painted, restaurant style lighting still needs to be installed, projectors & screens need to be mounted, some signage needs to go up, and a sound booth needs to get put in... Okay, I guess we still have lots to do, but we're gonna wrap it up fast!!!! And if you're a tween in twentyFOURseven, we are working on a sweet new room for you, too!!!

So, it's gonna be an awesomely awesome year...lots of stuff planned!!!

To start it all off, we are rolling out a JUMPSTART event.

On Friday, August 26th, all of the upper levels in CCA (there are about 57 of you!) will be headed out to Pike Lake for the day. We need you to be at the church by 9:15am cuz the bus is leaving the parking lot at 9:30am sharp. We'll check ya back to the church at 11:30pm. A full day, my friends...

We'll be feeding you lunch (taco salad in a bag!!!) and supper (bbq), and we'll also have an epic marshmallow roast late that night. We're gonna swim at the pool, play mini-golf, to the whole paddle boat thing, and bring out some crazy water games... Yes, I know what you're thinking, and you're totally right. This JUMPSTART thing will purely rock!!!

The cost is only $20 for the whole day. You just can't afford to miss this...

If you have any questions about JUMPSTART, send an e-mail to me @ gjohnson@christiancentre.ca

- mr j

This Friday all of the Exelerate gals are going to have a blast being pampered at the spa, eating a delicious Greek Fest BBQ, and then relaxin' under the stars while we watch a Chick Flick. It's going to rock!  Below are the details you've been waiting for:

Pedicure Booking 1:45pm

Miriah, Jen, Kamea, Jyllenna and Mrs. MacEwan

Pedicure Booking 3:15pm

Olivia, Mikayla, JulieAnne, Danielle and Mrs. J

Parents if you could drop off your daughter at Marca College at the appropriate time of their booking, we will give them a ride to the Krochak's after their appointment.  Following the pedicures everyone will go the Krochak home to relax in the backyard, play games and enjoy some cool drinks. For the gals who are not getting pedicures you can be dropped off at the Krochak's at 4pm.

Supper will be served at 6pm

Chick Flick will begin around 9:15pm

Please pick up your daughter at 11pm.

Krochak's Address: 148 Rupert Drive

Cost: $27 Pedicure & $10 Supper

~ A Night Just For The Gals ~

Friday, August 5th

Hey ladies, help us out!!!

 We need to know which girls are planning on coming to the party on August 5th.

Here is the lowdown...

Cost: $27 for a pedicure, and $10 for the BBQ supper.

When: The first group will get 'pedicured' at 2pm, and the second group will follow at 3pm.

You'll find out time your group goes once we get all the numbers in for who wants to attend.

It's going to be a fabulous afternoon and evening, and we don't want anyone to miss out.

To confirm your attendance for the Chick Flick Night, please send an e-mail to tmacewan@christiancentre.ca, or send Terra MacEwan a message through Facebook.

 Thanx.

- the xlr8 team

It's gonna be a great night for Exelerate & twentyFOURseven tonight (Wednesday, July 20th). We're gonna combine both groups for some competitive games tonight!!!

If the rain stays away, the plan is to play a little baseball...

But no worries...if that doesn't work out, we'll do some wide games on the newly refinished CCA gym floor.

So, if you have any baseball gear (gloves, etc), go ahead and bring it with you tonight. Rain or shine, you're gonna have a blast...

- the xlr8 team

(Thursday, August 4th - Sunday, August 7th)

Yes, it's official...The Great Outdoors Canoe Trip is on!!!

And I have to admit, I'm getting pretty amped up about this!!!

This is gonna be a real adventure in the northern wild...and if you're an Exelerate guy (including those who graduated this past June), I hope you make plans to join us.

We have a maximum of 19 spots for teenagers to fill, and it's first come first serve. Sooo, if you wanna be a part of this epic Exelerate adventure, then you need to either send me an e-mail at gjohnson@christiancentre.ca, or send me a message on Facebook to let me know that I should count you in. It's that simple!!!!

:::Here are the details that you need to know:::

* The cost per teen will be between $150 and $175. I will be able to provide you with the exact cost once I know how many people will be coming. The more the people, the less the cost ($150), the fewer the people, the higher the cost ($175). It's also worth noting that Exelerate is actually subsidizing some of the cost to make this trip more affordable to the guys who are interested in going. So this is actually a great price for such an epic adventure!

* Our canoe trip will be way up in Missinipe, which is approximately 6 hours north of Saskatoon. Oh yeah, we're gonna up in the true wilderness! Awesome! This also means that our crew will leave Saskatoon very early on Thursday, August 4th, because in addition to our long drive, we want to get in some canoeing that day. This also means that we'll get back into Saskatoon late on Sunday night.

* All of our canoes include Life-Jackets and paddles, so there is no need for you to bring that equipment.

* We will obviously be camping while we're away...so our actual numbers will determine how many tents we will need. And you'll need a sleeping bag.

* We will be bringing food supplies for all of our meals, but if you want to bring your own snacks, you are welcome to. Just remember that if it's yours, then you are the one carrying it. So pack wisely and lightly!!!

* If you have fishing gear, you can definitely bring it. But again, if it's yours, then you'll be carrying it! The fishing up north where we'll be is suppose to be phenomenal. if you are fishing, you will need a fishing license. They cost $15 for 3 days, or $30 for the season, and you can either buy them in Saskatoon, or at the outfitter we will be getting our canoes from on August 4th....

* The staff that will be attending are Chris MacEwan, Scott Rysavy, James Richardson, Mike Hough, and myself (Garrett Johnson). There is plenty of experience among the staff, so all the parents can know that your sons will be in great hands!!

* Once we hear back from the teens who plan to come, I will provide an actual packing list, as well as announce an evening meeting pre-trip to go over details of the trip, let everyone know what you expect, and give everyone a chance to ask any questions they might have.

So, now that you have all the official info, please let me know ASAP if you'd like to attend The Great Outdoors Canoe Trip! And please help by spreading the word to all your friends!!!!!!!!!

As summer is on its way and school is sooo close to getting out you can almost taste it, you probably find yourself daydreaming about what it'll feel like to sleep in on a weekday, the taste of a Dr. Pepper slurpee while you're riding your bike in the golden sun, and chillin'on the couch whenever and however long you want...because hey, you're on VACATION!!!

That's how I am. I love to chill. And nothing says 'chill' to me like eating snacks on my couch...with no to-do list in sight. Crown me the King of Chill.

But I can't help but think that sooo many summers have been lost...with absolutely nothing to show for them...all because of chillin'. Now don't get me wrong, I plan on my fair share of chillin' this summer, but I have to admit that over-chillin' can quickly become a bandit of time. I'm talking about time bandits. They're those invisible little things that somehow rob you of all your time without you really realizing it. And one day you wake up after sleeping in (again!), only to get the memo that summer is officially over, and you have nothing to show for it except those retro shades you bought at the mall...and a farmer's tan. It's because you've been robbed. The time bandits held you up...and took away all your positive growth. I'm talking spiritual...relational...and even physical growth. Hey man, I know what I'm blogging about...cuz I've been here before. This is experience blogging. Hello!!!

So I figured, if I don't take my summer by the tail and make some practical, calculated decisions, chillin' out on the couch will eat up all my time like the Cookie Monster. After a little thinking (and a brief convo with my buddy Dan!), I've made the conscious choice to jump-start my summer and kick the couch syndrome.

Ladies and gents, I am pleased (and freaked out) to announce that I've started the C25K program. That's the 'Couch to 5 Kilometers' program. It's a program designed for folks like me to go from lounging on the couch to comfortably running 5 kilometers. Crazy, eh? There's even an app for it. I invested $2.99 of my very own, hard earned cash into it! And now I'm off to the races... I started yesterday. Yep, I thought I was gonna die for a minute or two. This program has you running 3 times a week, with specific workouts you just follow as instructed. The app also integrates your iPod's playlists as you run. So if you ever have a down night this summer, you might be able to find me gracing Willowgrove's linear parks with my fit-as-a-fox physique! Feel free to join in...

What's cool is that summer hasn't even revved up yet, and I've already sucker-punched my couch with a little discipline. And watch this...cuz here comes the spiritual truth...DISCIPLINE FOLLOWS DISCIPLINE. When you force yourself to push through something, when you force yourself to do something that you might not feel like doing, you are growing discipline! And as discipline grows, so does your motivation to get more disciplined in other areas of your life that has the 'couch syndrome'.

So don't let some time bandit rob your summer of what God wants for you. Buy a cool devotional book, give yourself some kind of physical and/or spiritual challenge. Make yourself accountable by telling your parents and friends about it. Oh, and be sure to still take some time to let the summer sun soak in...

- mr j

:::ROCK:::

The Almost - Southern Weather - $1.00 (SOLD!)

The Almost - Monster Monster - $1.00 (SOLD!)

The Almost - Monster EP - $1.00 (SOLD!)

Anberlin - Blueprints For The Black Market - .50 (SOLD!)

Anberlin - Never Take Friendship Personal - .50

Anberlin - Cities (deluxe) - $1.00 (SOLD!)

Anberlin - New Surrender - $3.00 (SOLD!)

Anberlin - Dark Is The Way, Light Is a Place - $3.00 (SOLD!)

As Cities Burn - Come Now Sleep - .50 (SOLD!)

As Cities Burn - Hell Or High Water - .50 (SOLD!)

Bleach - Space - $1.00 (SOLD!)

Bleach - Static - .50 (SOLD!)

Bleach - Self Titled - $1.00 (SOLD!)

Bleach - Astronomy - $1.00 (SOLD!)

Bleach - Again, For The First Time - $1.00 (SOLD!)

Bleach - Farewell Old Friends - $1.00 (SOLD!)

Bleach - Audio/Visual (1CD/1DVD) - $1.00 (SOLD!)

Falling Up - Captiva - $1.00

Falling Up - Fangs! - $3.00 (SOLD!)

House Of Heroes - Say No More - $3.00 (SOLD!)

House Of Heroes - Suburba - $3.00 (SOLD!)

Abandon - Searchlights (I have 2 of these) - .50

Abandon - EP - .50

Jonezetta - Popularity - $1.00

Jonezetta - Cruel To be Young - .50

Cool Hand Luke - Wake Up, O Sleeper - .50 (SOLD!)

Thousand Foot Krutch - Deja Vu (their first 3 T&N albums!) - $2.00 (SOLD!)

Thousand Foot Krutch - Welcome To the Masquerade - $1.00 (SOLD!)

Third Day - Self Titled - $3.00 (SOLD!)

Third Day - Conspiracy #5 - $3.00 (SOLD!)

Third Day - Time (with bonus Southern Tracks EP!) - $1.00 (SOLD!)

Third Day - Chonology Volume One (CD/DVD) - $1.00 (SOLD!)

Newsboys - Love Libery Disco - .50 (SOLD!)

Seabird - Till We See The Shore - $1.00 (SOLD!)

Seabird - Rocks Into Rivers - $1.00 (SOLD!)

The Classic Crime - Albatross - $3.00 (SOLD!)

The Classic Crime - Acoustic EP - $1.00 (SOLD!)

The Classic Crime - The Silver Chord - $1.00 (SOLD!)

The Classic Crime - Vagabonds - $1.00 (SOLD!)

Disciple - Scars Remain (deluxe) - $1.00 (SOLD!)

Skillet - Comatose (deluxe) - $3.00 (SOLD!)

Skillet - Collide - $3.00 (SOLD!)

Skillet - Alien Youth - $3.00 (SOLD!)

Skillet - Invincible - $3.00 (SOLD!)

Skillet - Hey You, I Love Your Soul - $2.00 (SOLD!)

Skillet - Self Titled - $2.00 (SOLD!)

Children 18:3 - Self Titled - $3.00 (SOLD!)

Havalina Rail Co - America - .50

Queens Club - Young Giant - $1.00 (SOLD!)

:::Electronic:::

Dance House Children - Jesus - .50 (SOLD!)

Joy Electric - The White Songbook - .50 (SOLD!)

Joy Electric - Hello Mannequin - .50 (SOLD!)

Joy Electric - The Tick Tock Treasury - .50 (SOLD!)

Joy Electric - The Ministry Of Archers -  .50 (SOLD!)

...or the whole electronic set for $2.00

:::POP:::

Andrew Peterson - Counting Stars - .50

Andrew Peterson - Resurrection Letters - .50

Andrew Peterson - Carried Away - $1.00 (SOLD!)

Britt Nicole - Say It - .50 (SOLD!)

Britt Nicole - The Lost Get Found - .50 (SOLD!)

Phil Wickham - Self Titled - $1.00 (SOLD!)

Phil Wickham - Cannons - $1.00 (SOLD!)

Riley Armstrong - La Loop - .50

Mat Kearney - Nothing Left To Lose - $3.00 (SOLD!)

Ben Clark - Self Titled - .50

TobyMac - Momentum - $1.00 (SOLD!)

TobyMac - Momentum Re:Mix - $1.00 (SOLD!)

TobyMac - Welcome To Diverse City - .50 (SOLD!)

TobyMac - Renovating Diverse City - $1.00 (SOLD!)

TobyMac - Portable Sounds - $1.00 (SOLD!)

TobyMac - Tonight (deluxe) - $1.00 (SOLD!)

Group 1 Crew - Self Titled - .50

:::WORSHIP:::

Keith Green - The Ministry Years Vol. 1 (2xCD) - $2.00 (SOLD!)

Keith Green - The Ministry Years Vol. 2 (2xCD) - $2.00 (SOLD!)

Delirious - Mezzamorphis - .50

Delirious - Glo - $3.00 (SOLD!)

Delirious - the Mission Bell - .50

Delirious - World Service - .50

The Glorious Unseen - Tonight The Stars Speak - .50 (SOLD!)

The Glorious Unseen - The Hope That Lies In You - .50 (SOLD!)

Kutless - Strong Tower (deluxe) - .50 (SOLD!)

Worth Dying For - Self Titled - $1.00 (SOLD!)

Jason Morant - Open - .50 (SOLD!)

Jason Morant - Abandon - .50 (SOLD!)

Enter The Worship Circle - First Circle - $1.00 (SOLD!)

:::RAP:::

Gotee Brothers - Erace (Classic...with TobyMac!) - $1.00

LA Symphony - The End Is Now - .25 (SOLD!)

Shai Linne - The Solus Christus Project - .25 (SOLD!!)

Shai Linne - Storiez - .25 (SOLD!)

Shai Linne - The Atonement - .25 (SOLD!)

Eric Cross - The Art Of Composition - .25 (SOLD!)

Mars Ill - Pro Pain - $1.00 (SOLD!)

Mars Ill - Backbreakanomics - $2.00 (SOLD!)

Mars Ill - Raw Material - $2.00 (SOLD!)

Lacrae - Real Talk - $2.00 (SOLD!)

Lacrae - After The Music Stops - $2.00 (SOLD!)

Da Truth - The Big Picture - $2.00 (SOLD!)

Night Owls 3 - .25 (SOLD!)

Night Owls 4 - .25 (SOLD!)

...or buy all remain rap albums for $1.00

First come...first serve...

Oh, and more will likely get added to the list as I get so inspired!!!

I'm amped up about this very exclusive event for all those teenagers who read the Bible all the way through with me last school year! We're headed to the Saskatchewan Rockies, otherwise known as Table Mountain.

Here are the details.

When::: Tuesday, March 29th

What Time::: Leaving the SCC parking lot at 8:00am / / Back at SCC by 5:30pm-ish

What to Bring::: Ski gear, by my definition includes, but is not limited to, winter jacket, ski pants (jeans are not great outer ski wear!), toque, gloves, scarf, goggles(!)...you get the idea...

Co$t::: $21 if you're skiing, $29 if you're snowboarding. Add 5% GST. I'd do it for you, but I'm not the greatest at math!

More co$t::: Bring snack/lunch money if you want to purchase any grub...you can also bring food with you to save $$.

Oh, and::: Make sure to hand in your "waver forms" to Mr. J. You can't do much without it...

If you have any questions...ask away...

- mr j

And that's where Exelerate has got yer back...yet again! We are the good guys...always looking out fer you!!

Scribble it on yer calendar...click-punch it into yer iPad, and brand it onto yer brain, that the Archibald Avalanche Party R E T U R N S is about to go down!

Sunday, February 27th, from 6pm-9pm iz the time.

The Rugg's (164 Rupert Drive) iz the place (you provide yer own ride).

A measly $2.00 iz the cost (to cover hot chocolate/marshmallows/other vital necessities).

Sledz, Krazy Karpets, GT Sno Racerz, and other kraziness iz the equipment (bring yer own, of course).

Sno-Suits iz the garb to put on yerself...and word haz it that we might have a flaming fire to help with warmth.

Hope that you can come on out and rock the Archibald Avalanche Party R E T U R N S with us.

Yer's truly,

- the XLr8 team

Basically, the punch-line last night was 'don't let attraction become a distraction'. Here was my outline, if you want to dig in a little. We got a little sidetracked, so we didn't cover everything that was in the notes. All contents were inspired by the Bible, I Kissed Dating Goodbye (by Joshua Harris), and What Do I Do When...Answering Your Toughest Questions About Sex, Love & Dating (by Kevin Moore)...

HE & SHE

…flirting, gushing, crushing & mushing…

What do you do when you like someone???

STOP LIKING THEM!!!!   Just joking…not funny, right?

1. Proceed with caution.
2. Give them some space.
3. Enjoy the moment. (most “like” relationships stay like that for 2 months, and “committed relationships rarely last longer than 1 year!)

Here are the dangers…

1. You start making long-term plans in your mind.
2. You get the physical party started too early.
3. You get distracted from the things you really need to do.
4. You can miss out on who God has for you.

Q. Can girls and boys talk to each other?

A. Of course they can! This question often hints at a misunderstanding between parents and church leaders. The issue isn’t talking. The issue is talking…and more talking…and more talking…and excluding others so we can keep on talking. So talk…in groups, without manipulating friendships to make sure that you and the guy/girl you want to talk to is in your group.

Communication breeds intimacy. You know and get intimate with God by communicating with him. This is true of any relationship.

However, there have been and will be times when parents will talk to us and let us know that their son/daughter will not talk to boy/girl. In that case, no, you can’t talk.

Q. Can guys and girls be best friends?

A. Unless they’re brother and sister, no. As we just stated, communication breeds intimacy.

Q. What about crushes? It’s natural for my kid to like someone, right?

A. Natural…yes. Appropriate…no.  This is actually quite simple. TIMING. Now is not the right time for your son/daughter to have their mind or attention wrapped up in the opposite sex. They should give that energy to God and not waste it on a puppy-love fantasy! For a teenager, who is hopefully pursuing God to find out what their life’s assignment is, they simply have no future to offer anyone. Young adult guys, you aren’t qualified to court a young lady until you’re busy pursuing the assignment God has given you. This is impossible for a teenager, because the timing is obviously wrong, even if the person is right.   A crush is all about feeding the flesh. Young adults…this applies to you just as much. If you’re crushing over someone, all you’re doing is feeding your flesh. If a relationship between a guy and girl isn’t about exploring God’s future and destiny, then its usury. Dating is about self-gratification. Courting is about discovering if God has called a man and a woman to the same purpose.

Q. But they are just like brother and sister…!?

A. “Just like” is the 2 most important words here. You can’t be just like a brother and sister unless you are brother and sister. Any guy who tries to defend his behaviour with a girl by saying that she’s just like a sister to him………is flat out lying!

Q. How far is too far?

A. This is why the idea of “technical virginity” is so popular in many so-called streams of Christianity.  Let me flip it and ask you a question. How holy is too holy?

First of all, many teens and young adults head down the wrong road by asking the wrong questions. And let me just tell you where that road leads.

The Wrong Road

1. You seek attention. This shows a major spiritual breakdown. If you have a healthy relationship with God, you won’t have the need for attention.
2. You begin buying into lies about yourself to create excuses for your behaviour. For example, you’ll convince yourself that you’re lonely and that nobody really understands you. But as Pastor has said, loneliness is not an absence of affection, it is a lose of direction.
3. You start asking the wrong questions like, “What’s so wrong with this?”
4. You establish an emotional soul-tie with the person you like. This is very wrong and dangerous. God never intended for anyone to build a personal relationship with someone else soulishly (2 Corinthians 5:16 “…we regard no man according to the flesh…”)
5. You engage in flirty behaviour. The honest truth is that flirting is actually sexual foreplay. Take the infamous “backrub”. Don’t go there. Why would a guy massage your back and not his 83 year old grandma’s? Because it’s sexual. And how about “tickle fighting”? Would a guy have a tickle war with his guy friends? Then why would he with you? Because it’s sexual. If clothes ever cover it, then it should never be touched! (In fact…you shouldn’t even touch! Oh, and don’t e-mail either!)
6. Holding hands.
7. Kissing.
8. ...and on and on...

The end result is a relationship that’s purely sensual, because God wasn’t included from the beginning.

If you don’t include God from the get-go, you’re building on a foundation of sand.

Humans have been given desires by God, but when you mess around with these desires prematurely, you’re headed for major disaster.

Physically speaking…one thing naturally leads to another…so let’s avoid starting up the engine until it’s in God’s timing and with the right person.

Speaking of the right people, here are the latest statistics. 51% of marriages in North America end in divorce. The stats are the same for those call themselves Christians and for those who don’t. 51%. That’s over half. On average, out of 100 people, 20 marry their high-school sweetheart. 15 of those divorce! So teens don’t have a firm grip on reality and love…and they don’t even have a firm grip on themselves…they’re still exploring it. Puppy-love is not love. Puppy-love is hormones without restraint. For teens, love is like Bigfoot!

Healthy, godly male/female relationships are important, and they don’t happen by accident.

If male/female relationships begin with being inward facing, emotionally driven, and soulish…they are in trouble. You do not know anybody by facing them in this way. They will try to show you what they think you want to see. None of this is spiritually uplifting. It’s all self-centred. This is where crushes and hormones often take over.

This is not God’s design.

Instead of facing inward, your male/female relationships should be side-by-side. Side-by-side is a picture of true friendship, whereas face-to-face is a picture of intimacy. Male/female relationships should be side-by-side. The ideal place for this to occur is in church. As people serve the Lord together in their local church, this is where they find out who their friends really are. You know someone by serving alongside them. Side-by-side equals healthy male/female relationships, and this is where God joins hearts together…as they are busy about service the Lord. It’s not about hair color, facial features, and how incredibly funny he or she is. Get your eyes out of the soulish realm. God wants you to be fulfilled, not just soulishly, but more importantly, spiritually.

We need to re-read what the Bible says about holiness.

Ephesians 5:3 (NIV) “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.”

1 Thessalonians 4:7 (NIV) “For God did not call us to be impure, but live a holy life.”

1 Peter 1:15 (NIV) “But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do.”

1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV) “Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.”

The true question should never be, “What can we get away with?”…it should be, “Is it possible for me to be too holy and too pure?”

If you’re truest desire is to love and please God, you wouldn’t do anything that would hurt him or others around you.

(Pull out gifts)

Think of it this way: You have a gift to give the special person God brings into your life. What’s the condition you want your gift to be in when the time comes for you to give that special gift away???

The gift represents all of the special talents and abilities you have. The gift represents your life and all of its experiences. The gift represents your emotions. The gift represents your sexuality. The gift represents your heart.

In what condition do you want your heart to be in when you give it to the person God has for you? And what if you only gave your heart away once? Most gifts haven been given away, and then the person they give it to breaks it, trashes it, and just uses it…then they get their gift back.

Remember where we started tonight?

Proverbs 4:23 (NIV) “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”

“Anna’s Story” taken from I Kissed Dating Goodbye by Joshua Harris

It was finally here- Anna’s wedding day, the day she had dreamed about and planned for months. The small,

picturesque church was crowded with friends and family. Sunlight poured through the stained-glass windows,

and the gentle music of a stringed quartet filled the air. Anna walked down the aisle toward David. Joy surged

within her. This was the moment for which she had waited so long. He gently took her hand, and they turned

toward the altar.

But as the minister began to lead Anna and David through their vows, the unthinkable happened. A girl

stood up in the middle of the congregation, walked quietly to the altar, and took David’s other hand. Another girl

approached and stood next to the first, followed by another. Soon, a chain of six girls stood by him as he

repeated his vows to Anna.

Anna felt her lip beginning to quiver as tears welled up in her eyes. “Is this some kind of joke?” she

whispered to David.

“I’m…I’m sorry, Anna,” he said, staring at the floor.

“Who are these girls, David? What is going on?” she gasped.

“They’re girls from my past,” he answered sadly. “Anna, they don’t mean anything to me now…but

I’ve given part of my heart to each of them.”

“I thought your heart was mine,” she said.

“It is, it is,” he pleaded. “Everything that’s left is yours.”

A tear rolled down Anna’s cheek. Then she woke up.

We are wrapping up a pretty practical and cool series (if I do say so myself) all about guy/girl relationships.

It's called HE & SHE...

And we're trying to help you learn how to properly navigate your relationships and your feelings in a way that pleases God and doesn't get you (or anyone else) into trouble.

So we started off the series by focusing on how we begin to discover who we are. Who does God want you to be? And how are you taking steps to get there? This is important, because until you truly begin to discover who God made you to be, you aren't in a place to see very far down your personal road. The most important relationship you need to build is the one between you and God. And the fruit of that relationship ultimately leads 99.9% of people to the person who they will one day marry!!!

Then we watched a DVD by a pastor and great relationship expert named Josh Harris (author of I Kissed Dating Goodbye, a book that I highly recommend for all teens 16+) all about "What Love Means". Because what good is a series about relationships if it doesn't linger on the topic of love for a while?

And then last week we talked about "the timing of (romantic) relationhsips"...in a message called "Marshmallows & Me". Speaking of which...below are last weeks notes. Cheers!

He & She

Marshmallows & Me

…the timing of relationships…

When it comes to talking with teenagers about relationships, the hardest part is talking about trusting God’s timing.

Time Magazine – delayed gratification experiment…

If you waited, you’ll get something better…

The tricky part is that the reward of waiting is something that you can’t see!!

You have to believe that God’s timing is best. It comes down to TRUST!!!

God wants you to delay “short–term good” for “long-term better”.

When polled, the down side to not having a boyfriend/girlfriend is – feeling alone, not having someone to talk to, not feeling attractive, feeling like you ‘need’ someone, depressed.

3 Things That Characterize The Life Of A Person Trusting God…

1. A person trusting God redeems the time!

Ephesians 5:15:16 (NIV) - ¹⁵ Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. “

The NKJV tells us to “redeem the time”.

Make the most of today. Run hard in the path that you can see.

Be patient and obedient in your present circumstances. Be faithful right where you are. And don’t try to rush God’s timing.

British story of Peter…

Make the most of the time that you have.

Be viewing this special season of your life as a gift from God!!

And relax…99.9% of all people are called to be married!!

This special season is a time to focus on Him.

I Corinthians 7:23 (MSG) - ^32-35I want you to live as free of complications as possible. When you're unmarried, you're free to concentrate on simply pleasing the Master.

Spend some time to become holy instruments of God.

Song….”All I need is the girl”…   “I got my tweed pressed, I got my best vest, now all I need is the girl. I got my striped tie, I got my hopes high, now all I need is the girl. I got the time, the place and the rhythm, now all I need to go with em, is all I need is the girl. I’d throw away my striped tie…I’d throw away my best pressed tweed…cuz you’re all I need…All I need is the girl.”

This guy believes that a relationship will make him happy…and we can easily end up here.

Do you ever kind of throw away this season that you’re in by wishing that you were in another season???

Jim Elliot (missionary martyred by the Auca Indians) – “Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt everywhere you are to be in the will of God.”

2.      A person trusting God is content in every circumstance.

Discontentment seeps into your heart quickly… Story!!!

Complaining really is sin – not a Canadian right!

Complaining says, “God, I don’t like the way You’re running the universe right now!”

·        Contentment is not the fulfillment of what want, but the realization of how much you already have.

Phil 4:11-13 (NIV) - ¹¹ I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

If you aren’t content now, you won’t be content tomorrow.

3. A person trusting in God makes Him their source of hope and refuge.

Ask yourself – what do I turn to when things aren’t going well?

a. friends. b. family. c. money. d. ice-cream. e. God.

Psalm 91:2 (NIV) - I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
   my God, in whom I trust.”

And that's where Exelerate has got yer back! We are the good guys...always looking out fer you!!

Scribble it on yer calendar...click-punch it into yer iPad, and brand it onto yer brain, that the Archibald Avalanche Party is about to go down!

Sunday, January 30th, from 6pm-9pm iz the time.

The Rugg's (164 Rupert Drive) iz the place (you provide yer own ride).

A measly $2.00 iz the cost (to cover hot chocolate/marshmallows/other vital necessities).

Sledz, Krazy Karpets, GT Sno Racerz, and other kraziness iz the equipment (bring yer own, of course).

Sno-Suits iz the garb to put on yerself...and word haz it that we might have a flaming fire to help with warmth.

Hope that you can come on out and rock the Archibald Avalanche Party with us.

Yer's truly,

- the XLr8 team

It's a subtle question. I know. But it's a huge difference maker for your outlook on life. I hope that you catch the heart behind this series and carry this thinking, not only into stuff that has to do with your money, but into every area of your life. Relationships with your parents. Relationships with your friends. Thinking more about everyone else and everything else before you think of yourself. That's what IT'S A GIVEN is all about.

To put some feet to this theme that's kicking off our new year, Exelerate is donating clothes to people that don't have as much as we do. Pretty cool. And in the next week, we'll be joining forces with Compassion International (more on that in an up-coming blog). Epically cool.

And all that you just read leads me to this. Below are the notes I spoke from in last Wednesday's Exelerate service. To give proper credit, a lot of this material was taken from the Bible(!), and Pastor Kevin Moore's mini-book, Answering Your Toughest Questions About Money. From here, only the Jesus-junkies will read on...

What does the Bible say about MONEY???

We all love feeling of having a wad of money in our wallet or purse.

We all love when there’s some buffer money in our bank account.

But there are 8 important things that we really have to wrap our heads around for us to handle money the way God wants us to.

1. Money comes from God.

It doesn’t grow on trees. It actually doesn’t come from a job, or a bank, or even the federal government. In fact, money, that stuff you want so bad, actually belongs to God.

Psalm 24:1 – “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”

Basically, God owns it all.

But the cool thing is that God really doesn’t need all that money, so He promises to give you ideas and abilities that will help you earn all the cash you need.

Deut 8:18 – “Remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.”

2. You are not what you have.

And we love stuff. Cool clothes, nice cars, sweet houses, swimming pools, video games, and sports equipment, just to name a few. And where we live, our closets are full of things we no longer wear, our garages are full of equipment we no longer use, and our rooms are packed with games we no longer play.

There’s nothing wrong with having lots of stuff, but your stuff can never define who you are.

“The real measure of your wealth is how much you’d be worth if you lost all your money.”

Luke 12:15 – “Then He said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

If you are what you have, what you drive, what you wear, and so forth, then who are you when you no longer have those things? Who are you when the clothes go out of style? When the car is gone? Who are you when your stuff is no longer your stuff?

3. Loving money is big mistake.

Love will cause you to do some crazy things, won’t it? (my wife and coffee…and me…and my first date story)

And doing crazy things means that you end up getting hurt. (showing off on my skateboard)

Money is the exact same way!

1 Timothy 6:10 – “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

In the end, people who do anything to get money get a lot more pain than they bargained for.

4. Money will never make you happy.

Money can buy a bed, but not sleep. Money can buy a wedding ring, but not love. Money can buy a clock, but not time. Money can buy an education, but not wisdom. Money can buy jewelry, but not beauty. Money can buy a house, but not a home. Money can buy insurance, but not safety. Money can buy a crucifix, but not a Saviour.

I wanted a Danny White Cowboys jersey for christmas…got it and still wasn’t happy!

Money will never make you happy…only Christ will.

Phil. 4:12-13 – “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”

Money will buy you a lot of things, but it will never buy you happiness.

5. Guard your heart against greed.

Proverbs 4:23 – “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”

Greed is a monster. It gets real ugly…and it doesn’t know when to stop. (my overeating example)

Its tentacles squeeze around your heart tighter and tighter every time you see someone who has something that you want.

Psalm 37:7 – “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways.”

6. Give and you will receive.

This is one of the BIGGIES you need to know about money! Because this, my friend, is a principle.

Luke 6:38 – “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Give. Don’t be stingy. Don’t be afraid to buy someone’s lunch. When you go shopping, don’t be afraid to buy something for a friend of yours.

7. Give God what’s His.

What’s God’s isn’t yours…so don’t get caught stealing. Stealing is BAD MANNERS!!!

Malachi 3:8-10

Basically, when you rob God (the One who created everything that you see), He doesn’t like it.

If Coldplay can tithe…then I think we can!

8. Put God first.

Always…times a zillion…

Matthew 6:33 – “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Joel 2:12 / Romans 8:27

We have Phil Wickham coming all the way from hot & sunny Los Angeles, California, to freezing & snowy Saskatoon for ONE NIGHT of cool music on January 7th. If you haven't heard any of Wickham's stuff, you ought to head over to iTunes or the music store nearest you and acquaint yourself. The guy is easily one of the best vocalists in Christian music, and his style is usually reminiscent of modern brit-rock, with a little bit of 80's new wave flair on his last effort. Oh, and he's sold a lot of records! So, I'm thinking that it's pretty cool we landed a gig at SCC to jumpstart the Heaven & Earth young adult conference. You don't want to miss out on this special event.

//January 7th//2011//7:30pm//SCC//102 Pinehouse Drive//

I just want to give you fair warning.

Many blogzzz are on the immediate horizon.

Check in often...or be left in the past.

2011 is most def going to be insane.

Hanggg on,

- mr j///

Well okay, you don't really have to do that.

But on Wednesday, December 22nd, and on Wednesday, December 29th, Exelerate and 24/7 are having combined services in the CCA Gym from 7:30pm-9:00pm.

Come on out ready to play...so in other words, make sure you have some court shoes on and wear whatever you don't mind getting sweaty in.

HoHoHo to ya,

- the exelerate team

The Very Merry Christmas Party

When: Wednesday, December 8th, 7:30pm-9pm

Where: CCA Gym, where we always hang out!!

Cost: FREE

Why: Cuz we're throwing a birthday party for the greatest Person of all time!

The nitty gritty details that put the 'awe' in awesome:

* Santa will be there. No, we would never joke about something like this.

* "old skool baking contest"...this means you might want to bake up a sweat before the party. The more the baking, the fatter the party! The official contest judging categories will be based on "taste", "aesthetics"...otherwise known as "looks", and "originality". The winners will receive the new Newsboys Christmas EP!

* A foto ("photo" 4 those of u who can't spel) booth, so come dressed reflecting your inner Christmas spirit. The last sentence was to encourage you to dress up "Christmas-like-ish".

* Hot Chocolate will be in the house! Hot Chocolate is an "it", not a rapper or something...

* Bring clothing items, as we (as a whole youth ministry) will be donating clothes to people in need this Christmas. Come with at least ONE item of clothing to donate, but the more the merrier!

David Crowder*Band is one of an extremely short list of artists and bands that seem to be able to effortless blend the heart of pure and abandoned worship with highly artistic and innovative sound textures…and in turn, produce albums that are both 100% worshipful and 100% artistic statements…and that is one of the reasons I love this band so much.

To put it simply, most of the time I put on “p&w” because I know that I need to listen to it, but with David Crowder*Band, I play their albums because they purely and perfectly rock! No, DC*B is NOT a rock band. Nor do I think they are a worship band. I would say that they are a group of worshippers that play a very innovated hybrid of power-pop anthems mixed with accents of electronica and folk…and the result is most definitely a unique listening experience. If are not yet bored out of your mind, you may as well read on...

Can You Hear Us???
This is DC*B’s first major label full-length (they do have an album earlier than this available on i-Tunes), and I’d say it’s pretty good, but it doesn’t stand up that well to their later releases. Overall, it’s probably their most contemporary album. The 2 standouts are their version of “All Creatures Of Our God And King”, and “God Of Wrath”, the latter of which hints at some of the experimental electro-pop greatness to come. If you’re not a die hard fan though, just pass on this one.

The Lime CD EP
This one isn’t essential either, but it is pretty cool. Basically, this EP was made to compile some music from the band that had gone out of print while they were still an indie band. I like their version of Matt Redman’s “Sing Like The Saved”, and the completely electrified instrumental that is “End Of October”.

Illuminate
This is the first must-have DC*B album. If you don’t have this album, what is wrong with you? You needed this years ago! Too many highlights to name. And the experimentation really starts to happen in this recording, but at the same time, Illuminate remains one of their most immediate and captivating works. It’s infectious, adorable, hipster, congregational (at times), and powerful.

Sunsets & Sushi EP
Illuminate gets the complete remix/electronic overhaul. This is a personal favourite of mine…and this makes for a nice companion piece to Illuminate. Buy it…it’s cheap.

A Collision or (3+4=7)
Okay, this is the album that you are allowed to toss around the word “masterpiece” when you’re talking to your friends about it, and yes, you should be talking to your friends about it…because albums like this don’t come around very often. This album has a whopping 21 tracks, and everyone of them deserve to be there. The band even covers a Sufjan Stevens song. Like, how hipster is that? Perfect albums do exist, and this is one of them.

B Collision EP
This one isn’t essential, but the band does present us with some nice alternate versions of “A Beautiful Collision��� and “Wholly Yours”.

Remedy
The socially conscious worship record. Overall, I was a little disappointed with this later-era Crowder album, but it does have a few redemptive moments…like “Everything Glorious” and “Surely We Can Change”. Remedy feels much too short and ‘safe’ for what they do best.

Remedy Club Tour (live)
This live is album is stellar, but it’s the DVD that makes it worth owning. The live versions usually don’t deviate much from the studio versions…but it’s insane watching how all these sounds you’ve come to know and love are produced live. Lots of songs on this!

Church Music
By far, DC*B’s best effort, and one of the best recordings ever made by any artist, ever! All of the 17 songs play continuously without any interruption, as electronic programming connects each song to the next. This record is trippy, pretty, rocking, electro, weird, and poppy…all at the same time. If you were stranded on an island and were only allowed 5 CD’s…you should pick this one, and 4 back-up copies just in case!!!

Summer Happiness EP
Simply, 4 acoustic/quiet versions of anthems from Church Music. Yes, you need this. Kind of in the same vein as B Collision.

Let’s just face up.
We don’t know everything.
We aren’t gurus of global intel.
We don’t have endless answers to a bajillion questions.
We just don’t.

If there was ever an “information age”, we are in the epicenter of it…and it’s impossible to know all there is to know about everything you need to know…ya know?

But the good news is that it’s okay. No, you don’t need to know everything in order to help people. If you really want to help people, you just always need to stay a “learner”. In other words, never plan on graduating from the University of Life.
Keep on opening the Bible to sort out your stuff…and keep on going to the primary people God uses to help you navigate all the way along with your questions.

One of my favourite things that our pastor says is this: “Blessed are the people that don’t know, but they know that they don’t know, and they want to know.” Those are the people that end up getting the serious answers they need. And that’s the kind of attitude I want to have.

And along the way, you won’t get it right all the time.
You’ll mess it…you’ll make mistakes…you’ll put your foot in your mouth.
But if your heart is in the right place, and you refuse to stop growing with God, you’ll go down in history as a difference maker for Jesus!

And if you’re a little strange like me, you might find odd comfort in the fact that stupid people make it out alive everyday. And because you’re not stupid, things can only be better for you! So, everyday another stupid person seems to succeed…I can’t help but get a little more hopeful for my life and my tomorrow.

Here are a few examples of some famous people saying some stupid things! Enjoy.

Former French President Charles De Gaulle: “China is a big country inhabited by many Chinese.”

Jason Kidd, when drafted by the Mavericks: “We’re gonna turn this team around 360 degrees.”

Anti-smoking spokesperson Brooke Shields: “Smoking kills, and if you’re killed, you’ve lost a very important part of your life.”

Ivana Trump (on finishing her first novel): “Fiction writing is great. You can make up almost anything."

Dan Quayle (former US Vice President): "It is wonderful to be here in the great state of Chicago."

Al Gore (former US Vice President): “It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it.”

Britney Spears:"I get to go to lots of overseas places, like Canada."

Colonel Gerald Wellman (ROTC instructor): "We don't necessarily discriminate. We simply exclude certain types of people."

Torrin Polk (University of Houston receiver, on his coach, John Jenkins): "He treats us like men. He lets us wear earrings."

OUTDOOR LASER TAG WITH GUNS THAT KICK!
2 HOURS OF EXTREME
OUTDOOR WARFARE.
FRIDAY SEPT. 24TH
4:45pm-9:00pm
$25.00 PER PERSON
(INCLUDES ULTIMATE
OUTDOOR LASERTAG
AND A.Y.C.E. HOTDOGS)

DETAILS:

DROPOFF 4:45pm AT THE
CHURCH (P/U @ 9:00pm)
MEAL SERVED AFTER LASERTAG!!
WEAR PLAYCLOTHES
AND DRESS WARM!!

WHAT: wall climbing (for those 14+) /// basketball /// volleyball

WHEN: friday /// september 17th /// 7pm-9pm

WHERE: at the PAC (UofS) /// parents drop off & pick up

COST: $15 (for those 14+) /// $10 (for those 13-)

/// get yer money in to MR J no later than wednesday, september 15th ///

/// if you're planning to go, you will get a waver form that your parents must sign ///

/// if you have any questions, e-mail us at exelerate@christiancentre.ca ///

!!!!!!!!!!!BUMMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Due to matters beyond our control...we've had to cancel this Friday's Party...

Something else is in the works...so keep checking in...thanx...

And just last night we proved the above statement true.

Here are two poems written in the aftermath of OH THE PLACES YOU'LL GO // Part 1 // "up & down streets"...

It's my hope that they bless you as much as they blessed me. Purely. - mr j

Kevin

(by Brendan Mayer & friendz)

Once upon a time in a place called Flin-Flan,

A place of great sadness just outside of Iran,

There lived a very sad, fat purple man.

He had an afro and his name was Stan,

And he came from the Bringerton Brumerton clan,

Who had the reputation of being colder than any large fan.

Bringerton Brumerton's thought they were the best,

With paint on their pants and green on their chest.

They lived on the corner of Sad Street, just west

Of Emo Avenue and Main Street depressed.

Here they lived and sure were the best

At stealing dinosaur eggs from their rather large nests.

They did this all day without thought of the rest.

Then one dinosaur came along and sure didn't match.

He was the happiest of the whole batch.

His happiness was contagious throughout the whole town,

Turning their frowns upside down,

And for this great deed he received a crown.

Moose With A Screw Loose

(by Amberly / Shannon / Desiree / Serena / Keli / Sydney)

 There once was a moose whose name was Pete,

He loved to eat flowers he chewed with his feet.

He stumbled one day upon an old screw.

It jumped up and said, "I've been looking for you!"

So he lowered his gapplewane an inch or two,

And suddenly he was overcome with a flu!

His fur turned quite green!

It was so obscene!

He looked at the screw and said, "Wow! That was mean!"

The screw said, "I'm sorry, but what have I done?"

Pete said, "I've got your flu. Now I've gotta run!"