Youth Ministry: Halloween and Reformation Day
Halloween is just around the corner. October 31. Starbucks have this disgusting pumpkin spice flavoured coffee (Bec - a friend who works at startbucks - gave me a taste before it was launched). Other than that I haven't seen anything else using Halloween as a part of their sales pitch. Tim Challies has written a great article on Halloween that I actually read (normally I don't read his posts because they are too long for my postmodern attention span!). In Australia, Halloween is a non-event. Each year we would get maybe one or two visits from some punk kids who already have missing teeth from their sugar habit! So Christians in Australia don't have to think through the same issues as North American Christians.Reformation Day is fast approaching. October 31. Same day as Halloween. As of Reformation day last year my aim is to teach teenagers something of Reformation Day and its significance. Understanding our church history (beyond the 10 years of CCEC) is important to understand the present, the future and our Sovereign God.
Watch this space for some more info on what we'll be doing with/for youth group and how we teach the wonderful truths of Reformed Theology. I think I might even have a Reformation Day party with growth group next Tuesday night!
To do some more reading on the Reformation check here and here.
Do you do anything to mark Reformation Day? What are your plans?
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Links:
Ben and Sally are having a Baby - funny video...
MySpace is Ugly
ccecyouth MySpace
Tuesday, October 24, 2006 12:07:00 pm
That coffee breaks two golden rules of coffee:
1) don't, I repeat don't, drink flavoured coffee. (I remember with disgust the days I used to buy hazlenut lattes!! Sickly sweet ... blech!). Drink coffee for the sake of coffee.
2) don't, I repeat don't, drink coffee from Starbucks.
Signing off,
Your-unashamedely-coffee-snob-brother top
Tuesday, October 24, 2006 12:08:00 pm
I love the photo. Very clever! top
Tuesday, October 24, 2006 1:55:00 pm
Oh dear, Nixter. You've lost on two grounds. Not only do you like hazlenut lattes, but I see on your blogger profile you list Starbucks as one of your interests!!! (*shudder*)
Someone needs to show you round our city and find you a decent cafe. ;) top
Tuesday, October 24, 2006 2:06:00 pm
I'm thinking about contributing to Tim Challies' Reformation Day Symposium by writing on the relationship between Halloween and Reformation Day. Why did Luther choose that particular day to post his Theses? top
Tuesday, October 24, 2006 3:35:00 pm
Andy - I couldn't agree more.
And at the risk of turning this post from reformation to coffee (both great things in my opinion) - Nixter you should try out Mecca on King St between York and Clarence. Best espresso I know of in town.
What exactly do you have in mind for your teaching on the Reformation Dave? I think its a great idea.
(and nice photo) top
Tuesday, October 24, 2006 3:49:00 pm
Wow, this is the place to be for coffee lovers to converge! Guthers and I have recently exchanged thoughts on coffee ...
Which area of town do you work in Nixter? Unfortunately, there aren't many areas that don't have a Starbucks round the corner, but I'm sure we'll be able to help you out! top
Tuesday, October 24, 2006 6:27:00 pm
wow!!
i've missed this discussion on coffee.
believe it or not... i've been working in a couple of cafes today.
bayswiss - was a nice late
but i got too cold sitting in the shade.
library -
gloria jeans for 3 hours - had a white chocolate machiato (sp?)
got lots of work done.
didn't go to sb - friend wasn't working top
Tuesday, October 24, 2006 6:29:00 pm
thanks john for the link to challies thing.
look fwd to reading your article.
i will keep u posted re what we do.
peaceout. top
Tuesday, October 24, 2006 10:38:00 pm
Dave, our home group is getting together on that night to watch a 'Luther' video. Apparantly there is an old one made in 1957 that is heaps better in nutting out the theological issues at stake then the more modern one.
I hate starbucks coffee. Good lounges for reading in though. top
Wednesday, October 25, 2006 2:19:00 am
hey dan - i might check that one out. i recently heard about it. i do think the recent one is quite good.
starbucks - i love the lounges there.
but i also like the caramel machiato... it's pretty sweet!!
sorry all you coffee-snobs (in particular andy) who don't do syrup! top
Wednesday, October 25, 2006 1:25:00 pm
Nixter, I work near Martin Place too. I'm at the eastern end in Phillip St. (I note with horror that there's a Starbucks at the western end of Martin Place!).
I'm still unsettled on the best coffee in the area, but I reckon Chrysler is pretty good. They are in the bottom of the Westpac building on Martin Place between Phillip & Macquarie St, opposite the Reserve Bank. They do beautiful soups too. They've actually got a few outlets around town now.
Otherwise there's Lindt on Martin Place - more known for it's amazaing hot chocolates (with pure melted Lindt chocolate!), but it's also nice to get a cappucino because instead of powdered chocolate on top like most regular cappucinos, they put big chunky flakes of Lindt chocolate. You've got to drink it quickly before it all melts and just becomes a mocha! Mmmmmm .... top
Wednesday, October 25, 2006 1:27:00 pm
By the way, sorry I've sidetracked this onto coffee.
Of course, we owe a HUGE debt to the reformers for re-discovering the gospel (if I can put it in that way), so agree it is a most excellent thing to recognise and commemorate Reformation Day. top
Wednesday, October 25, 2006 2:47:00 pm
By the way, sorry I've sidetracked this onto coffee.
Not a problem at all. i'm more than happy for people to use my blog as a coffee (or almost anything else) forum! It makes me look and feel popular. It's all about comments!
Of course, we owe a HUGE debt to the reformers for re-discovering the gospel (if I can put it in that way), so agree it is a most excellent thing to recognise and commemorate Reformation Day.
Amen top
Thursday, October 26, 2006 3:36:00 pm
I missed that Lindt reference before.
Andy took us there one day - it was fantastic!!!
However of the Lindt chocolate the clear stand out is the white ones!!!
Yummmmmmm top