THE
PARENTLINK
April 2012
Unashamed Youth
Cornerstone Wesleyan Church
6556 Prince of Wales Dr.
North Gower, ON
FOR PARENTS OF TEENS
REMIND TEENS OF GOD’S GRACE
THE VIEW
Easter is a perfect time to focus on the gift of God’s grace. One often-heard
definition of GRACE is “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.” The good news
of the gospel is that though we’ve all fallen short of God’s expectations, we’re
made righteous, or pure, by Jesus’ death and resurrection (Romans 3:23-24).
Because Jesus took our place on the cross, we have forgiveness and new life.
That’s what makes grace so amazing.
Got grace? According to surveys
of thousands of Christian
teenagers (conducted at Group
Workcamps), young people need
assurance that God has wiped
away all their sins:
Young people often feel overwhelmed by and unloved because of their
shortcomings. Even mature Christians struggle with understanding and
accepting God’s grace because we’re surrounded by anti-grace messages from
the time we’re young. “Do this to earn that. Play fair and you’ll get your
reward. You got what you had coming to you.” And so on.
 Half of respondents agreed
with this statement: “I’ve done
things no one really knows
about that impact my ability to
feel loved by God.”
Steep your kids in the radical idea of grace. Talk about how God’s abundant
love for us is never based on what we do. Instead, it’s always an undeserved,
free gift, based on what Jesus did on the cross. We’ll always fall short. We’ll
never be good enough. But God sent Jesus to die for us once and for all so we
can live in God’s amazing love and grace. We don’t ever have to try to earn
our salvation. God’s grace doesn’t make any sense when we’re playing by the
normal, everyday rules of “you get what you deserve.” None of us deserves
God’s grace, but all of us can be recipients of it. Thank God!
 One-quarter of respondents
agreed with this statement:
“Because of the things I’ve
done or said in my life, it’s
hard for me to believe that I can
do something great for God.”
TIPS >>>
Part of the appeal of video games
is the ever-present chance to start
over with a clean slate. The good
news is that God gives each of us a
clean spiritual slate. Use video games
to start a conversation about grace
with your teenagers and their
unchurched friends:


What’s the draw? Ask kids why
video games appeal to them. Do
they like solving things? Are
they captivated by puzzles,
mazes, questions, problems? Are
video games a good escape from
real life? Why or why not?
What’s the problem? Next, ask
kids what things in life they
think are critically important to
figure out; for example, deciding
on a career, a spouse, a belief
system, etc. After listening,
—Group
PONDER THIS


share what’s important to you—
including how you decided to
become a follower of Jesus.

How confident are you of God’s
complete forgiveness of all your
sins?
What’s the answer? Finally, ask
kids if they understand that Jesus
offers us a clean slate, or grace.
Share with them God’s gift of
forgiveness through Jesus and his
promise to remove our sins “as far
as the east is from the west” (Psalm
103:12).

What are some helpful reminders
for you to live in God’s grace?

What are some practical ways
you can demonstrate God’s grace
to other people, including your
family members?
Game on! Make sure young people
know that when they’ve discovered
Jesus, they have the power of
starting over with a clean spiritual
slate. And they can share this good
news with others, so they can hit
reboot and begin a “new game,” as
well.
—Jane Dratz of Dare 2 Share Ministries
(writing at SimplyYouthMinistry.com)
DUMP THE OUGHT-TO’S
Expert Insights for Parents of Teenagers
By Steve Merritt
When I was a wilderness guide,
our group was fond of pranks. I’ll
never forget when we put two
large rocks in another guide’s
pack. We were sure he’d find them
right away, so it was funny when,
in dismay, he pulled the boulders
from the bottom of his pack after a
weeklong, 40-mile hike.
“Rocks” have an uncanny ability
to enter our lives, and, like the
unknowing guide, we can end up
carrying them a long time before
realizing they’re weighing us
down. Christians of all ages are
bearing heavy spiritual knapsacks,
feeling as if they aren’t doing
enough for God and are failures
because they can’t stop sinning.
Recently, a quote and a Bible
verse have lightened the load in
my own backpack. Author Larry
Crabb says, “Make every effort
not to sin less but to love more,”
and Colossians 3:3 says, “Your
life is hidden with Christ in God.”
These words put into perspective
my overwhelming crowd of good
intentions. My endless to-do list,
even when filled with Godly
pursuits, often prevents me from
remembering that my life is hidden
with Christ—and my sins are
covered by his grace.
When I boil everything down, I
want to love. And when I don’t
love well (which is quite often),
this thing called grace picks me up
and calls me onward toward God and
others.
Christians driven by ought-to’s can be
inspiring, yet their ultimate impact is
exhaustion—for themselves and for
everyone around them. By contrast,
believers who truly love and who revel
in God’s grace inspire with their hearts.
Ultimately, they challenge us at deeper
levels. They give us permission to go
off-duty yet encourage us to take risks
and give our hearts with abandon.
Your life is hidden with Christ in God.
So dump the ought-to’s. Now just love.
—Counselor Steve Merritt, writing at
SimplyYouthMinistry.com
RESOURCE
In Fresh Start (Simply Youth
Ministry), Doug Fields helps young
people get a grasp of what God
has done and examines how they
can rest securely in God’s grace.
The study guide contains 10
foundational lessons that will help
new Christians and will offer
refreshers for young people who
already walk with God.
BIBLE FOCUS
For it is by grace you have been saved, through
faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift
of God—not by works, so that no one can
boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9
MEDIA SPOTLIGHT
MAINSTREAM MUSIC
RASCAL FLATTS
Background: This three-man pop-country
band has had incredible success since
starting in the late ’90s. Many of their
albums have gone multiplatinum. They’re
very popular with young people; in a 2007
poll, they were the sixth-most-popular act
among preteens. The band, which has
raised millions of dollars for various
charities, received a Humanitarian Award
from the Academy of Country Music.
Albums: Changed (2012), Unstoppable
(2009), Me and My Gang (2006)
What Rascal Flatts Says: When
Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital named its
pediatric surgery center for Rascal Flatts—
after it raised $3 million for the project—
they responded, “It was an emotional day.
It’s emotional any time you walk in there
because it’s such a magical place and a
place of hope…. That’s probably our
biggest accomplishment to date.”
Explore: Nearly all of the band’s albums
are available on Spotify.
CHRISTIAN MUSIC
SIDEWALK PROPHETS
Background: This Christian rock
band started at Anderson University,
wanting to “integrate worship with
real life.” Their first major-label
debut spawned two hit singles, and
their second album, Live Like That,
released in March. They won the
2010 Dove Award for Best New
Artist.
Albums: Live Like That (2012),
These Simple Truths (2009)
What Sidewalk Prophets Says:
“Hopefully, our music paints a
picture that is a reflection of the faith,
hope, and love that we’ve
experienced through the grace of
God. We want to be real, we want to
be candid, and we want God to move
through us.”
Explore: You can hear the band’s
first album on Spotify and watch the
video for their new single at
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfosSg
gwQS0.
MOVIES
Movie: The Three Stooges
Genre: Comedy
Rating: PG (for slapstick action
violence and some rude and
suggestive humor, including language)
Synopsis: In this fictionalized
account, the Stooges are left on an
orphanage doorstep and grow up into
slapstick wiseguys. Somehow, they
manage to get caught up in a murder
plot. Eye-pokes abound.
Our Take: Though it’s rated PG, this
film was written and directed by the
Farrelly Brothers, so be aware. The
previews show a nun getting out of a
pool in a very revealing swimsuit, for
example.
Movie: Wrath of the Titans
Genre: Action, Adventure
Rating: PG-13 (for intense sequences
of fantasy violence and action)
Synopsis: Because of man’s
diminished worship, the gods’ powers
are weakening. That allows the Titans
to break free from their prison and
wreak havoc on earth. Perseus must
leave his quiet life and fight again.
Our Take: This movie will be
popular with kids who love Rick
Riordan’s “Percy Jackson” book
series. The first film wasn’t very good
but made enough to spawn a sequel.
You can discuss false gods and how
they differ from the one true God.
For more media discussions and ideas,
go to www.MinistryandMedia.com.
VIDEO GAMES
Kinect Star Wars—This is just the type of game we’ve been waiting for since the Kinect was first announced.
You can swing a lightsaber, ride on speeder bikes, and use the Force on enemies by making the movements in
real life. Kinect and Star Wars fans hope this game is as awesome as it sounds. Rated T for mild language,
mild suggestive themes, and violence.
Xenoblade Chronicles—The Wii has very few games of any length or depth—especially RPGs. This game
boasts 100 hours of play. If it’s like most Japanese RPGs, it will have a confusing and mostly nonsensical plot
but immersive gameplay and lots of monsters to fight. Rating is pending (probably T).
APRIL 2012
Sun
1
Mon
2
Tue
3
Palm Sunday
9
10
Easter Sunday
16
17
Sunday
Service
@10am
22
11
18
23
24
25
No
Unashamed
SALT and
LEADERS
meeting
Sunday
Service
@10am
Sat
7
Good Friday
Service
@10:30 am
12
13
14
19
20
21
26
27
28
Unashamed
@7pm
Mark 15-16
Sunday
Service
@10am
29
Fri
6
Unashamed
@7pm
Mark 11-12
Sunday
Service
@10am
15
Thurs
5
Unashamed
@7pm
The Last
Supper (Mark
14)
Sunday
Service
@10am
8
Wed
4
30
30 Hour
Famine
(meet @6 at
Andrew
Hayden Park)
30 Hour
Famine
(Pickup @7pm
at The Bridge
Kanata)
Sponsor Spotlight!
Sarah Davies is an awesome person. She graduated last
year from South Carleton High School and is currently a
student at Carleton University. She is wanting to become
an archivist, therefore she is getting a Bachelor of Arts
with a Major in History. She often will tell friends random
historical facts, even if they don’t really care. ;) If you
want to talk about history, she’s your gal. <3 She grew up
in North Gower, and has attended CWC (formally North
Gower Standard Church) all her life. She loves reading
books, gardening and Starbucks. She lives at home still
with her parents, sister, two cats, and multiple fish.
She became a Christian at a young age, however it wasn’t
until she started youth that her relationship with God really began to grow. This has really helped her to become a
youth leader, because she knows how much attending a youth group and having leaders to look up to can be
encouraging to teens, especially with all the pressures that society has. One of her favourite Bible verses is Philippians
4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything but in every situation, by prayer and petition present your requests to
God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Coming up for Unashamed
Our Wednesday night topics of discussion from now through Easter are focusing on a walk through the Gospel
of Mark, a biography of Jesus. We’re asking “Who Is This Guy?”, learning about who Jesus was, and what
made him awesome. Youth are encouraged to read the chapter(s) in advance… maybe parents should too ;).
Here’s what’s coming up in the next weeks:

Wednesday, March 28 – NO UNASHAMED, SALT team and Leaders’ meeting.

Wednesday, April 4 – Unashamed @7, A guided Passover meal (the Last Supper) and
look at Mark 14

Wednesday, April 11 – Unashamed @7, Mark 11-12 – “The Triumphant Entry”

Wednesday, April 18 – Unashamed @7, Mark 15-16 “There and Back Again”

Wednesday, April 25 – NO UNASHAMED, SALT team and Leaders’ meeting

Friday, April 27 - Saturday, April 28 - 30 Hour Famine!
o
Meet at Andrew Haydon Park at 6:00 pm(ish) to start with a Photo Scavenger Hunt
o
Pickup at The Bridge church in Kanata at 7:00 PM
o
Google Maps links for pickup and drop-off locations are available on our church
website, www.cornerstonewesleyan.com (under Community/Youth)
We can be hope for the hopeless this spring, as we
raise money for the BE EDUCATION cause in
World Vision’s 30 Hour Famine. There are 120
million children in the world who want to go to
school but can't. Without an education, children are
vulnerable to child labour, violence, and sexual
exploitation. We can help.
On April 27 and 28 we will go without food for 30
hours, identifying with the poor and hungry of the
world. Up until then, we are gathering pledges.
Donation forms are available from Aaron at the
church or printable at www.famine.ca.
For our famine event, we’re joining with several
area youth groups, including Sunnyside, The
Bridge, and Southgate, for an amazing time of
worship, games, activities, and learning. Now is the
time to start. Get out there, gather support, and get
ready for a fantastic time of growth together!
Valuable Coupons!
Free Lunch
Pastor Aaron
Coke and a
Conversation
Jon McElhinney
Dairy Queen Date
Kc Leader
Cafe Chat
Sarah Davies
Redeem this coupon for a free lunch. I (Aaron) will pick you and a friend up from
school and take you out for lunch [for girls, a friend is necessary, for guys it’s
optional]. We'll hang, we'll eat, I'll get you back for class. No strings attached.
Drop me a message on facebook or an email at aaron.reimer@hotmail.com if you
want to arrange one :).
Redeem this coupon for a Coke and a good talk. I (Jon) will pick you and a friend
up and head somewhere for a soft drink [for girls, a friend is necessary, for guys
it’s optional]. We’ll enjoy the glorious, stomach rotting sweetness of a Coca-Cola
and then I’ll drop you back again. Hit me up on facebook or email me at
jonnymac007@gmail.com if you want to arrange one :).
Redeem this coupon for a Dairy Queen Date. I (Kc) will pick you and a friend up
and go to Dairy Queen [for guys, a friend is necessary, for girls it’s optional]! We’ll
have Ice Cream and enjoy a nice talk. Get me on facebook or email me at
kc_leader@hotmail.com if you want to arrange one :).
Redeem this coupon for a Cafe Chat. I (Sarah) will pick you and a friend up and
head to a coffee shop for some chill time [for guys, a friend is necessary, for girls
it’s optional]. We’ll have some coffee (or whatever) and talk about whatever. I’m
not on facebook, so email me at sdavies@philtam.com if you want to arrange one
:).