Holiday Traditions on Campus

I guess it's that time of year again,you know the holiday season. My wife and I start our holiday season on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving with our annual T-day Devotional. Now I know what you're thinking, "Devotional right before Thanksgiving break?". We'll the annual T-day Campus Devo is a different devotional entirely: we don't start off with singing and I don't preach for an hour, yet it still somehow manages to remain fun. This year, my wife got the ball rolling, spending the better half of a day preparing three turkeys (and I don't mean me and the kids) for the almost 70 students that came to have dinner with us Tuesday night. It's our campus tradition: The students bring the desserts, the side dishes and the zeal; while Danni and I cook the Bird. Okay, I didn't actually cook anything this year, but I did baste the Turkeys when my wife asked me to.

So why do we love this tradition so much? Well, we all get to exercise our turkey muscles two days early. That means we don't go into Thanksgiving with out a warm up. The students must love it, because this year was the biggest it's ever been. We apologize to any mothers who had students that seemed disinterested in the Thanksgiving meal, yes it was all our fault.

Truthfully, we love the holidays, the students that are in our ministry and those coming around for the first time. We have so much to be grateful for and so much to share. I guess I get to exercise my muscles of giving thanks and loving the people God has put in my life and that's why I truly love this time of year. Tuesday, I looked around our packed living room and saw a whole lotta college students joing hands in sincere prayer, grateful for what God had given them. That made me happy. I then looked at the table and was astonished at what the students brought: ham, pies, mashed potatoes, greens, gravy oh my. Jolynne was holding my daughter while Mike Kim had his hand on my son's shoulder. My lovely wife didn't even see me peeking at here during the prayer. I surveyed the room and thought, I am truly one very blessed man. Happy Thanksgiving and let's bring in the Christmas Season.


actual photo of real food brought by students

Miss Keyser's Big Day

Here's a little 7 min. video to go with Megan's post below...

Inspiring Westside Teen

Madeleine Keyser began studying the bible a year ago. When we first started talking about studying the bible we were sitting in a cute UDistrict tea shop. Even sharing a sugar cookie can turn spiritual with a woman as deep as Madeleine.

She is currently a sophomore at Nathan Hale High School. She serves in ASB leadership, is a radio DJ at her school's radio station (c89.5), is a stand out big sister, and a constant fixture in the teen ministry. Most first attempts to describe Madeleine start out something like, "she's just so cool..."

It is so inspiring to know a teen of such strong character so young in her life. Her pledge of a clear conscience towards God will serve her so well in this life. I also am confident that her decision will help so many of her hearers, it already has had such an impact on her friends. While Madeleine was studying the bible her friend from school began coming to church with her. Her friend liked it so much that she began bringing her 2 sisters and her mother. Her mother liked it so much that she began studying the bible and got baptized last summer. Madeleine's friend is also studying the bible, and has been so inspired by the changes she's seen in Madeleine and their relationship.

Madeleine was baptized on the sunny Saturday morning, November 15, 2008. Her experience while studying was certainly a time of change in her life, but the moment she came up out of the water she knew this was the start of a journey that will last for the rest of her life.

By Jay Kelly

Every time I walk through our church courtyard I am reminded of a very special group of people who recently spent the day serving our church and our community.

This group of young men, Troop 72, and their willing and wise parents spent an entire Saturday scraping, sanding, caulking, priming, painting and eating slice after slice of pizza. It was a sunny, warm October Saturday, the 18th. Sullivan Brown, our local Eagle Scout, had orchestrated the entire day. His idea was to serve the community by helping to restore a historic building in his neighborhood.

Sullivan had called me months before to discuss possible projects that he and his troop could handle. He was interested in projects that would make a difference in our restoration efforts.

On our assigned day we were there at 8AM and everyone worked hard all day. God had granted us warmth and sun, which was key for primer and paint to adhere and dry. The original eighty-year-old leaded glass windows were set in wood frames that were in serious need of attention. Much paint was peeling, some wood was rotting. The boys and their parents followed the direction of their resident contractor-dad, Doug Shay and did an amazing job. Doug installed our new lights with the help of Jim Gore

I’ll always appreciate another reminder that there are people all over Seattle that are willing to work together to build community, preserve history and sacrifice for the good of others. Thank you Sullivan and your fellow Boy Scouts. We cherish the memory of your service and our beautifully restored windows.