Thursday, January 22, 2009

Dodgeball Promo Video


dodgeball tournament promo from Project Hangout on Vimeo.

For all the information click "Dodgeball Tournament" in the right hand side column under "tagged phrases." For a listing of all the rules please email Ryan and he will send you a .pdf
We also have flyers that we can mail out to you (please include your address in the email).

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

The Oak In My Front Yard

A few years ago for Arbor day a mushroomed haired fifth grader wrote a poem that was published in the local newspaper. The poem titled “The Oak In My Front Yard,” penned in a cafeteria lunchroom, caught some attention for the yearly observance because of its elevation of nature. But like most poems, the real meaning wasn’t that obvious.

“The oak in my front yard
has seen more years than I
I look up at the old and withered tree,
and it tells me
stories of when it was young and strong.
Those stories tell what the earth
was like a 100 years ago.

All trees have stories
So stop cutting them down
and listen in,
to the history of our world.”

Yes you could say that the deeper meaning can be found in John 19 where Jesus says that if man remains silent the rocks will cry out to praise God. Which is true, but this came from a fifth grade boy that had little understanding of this passage. Where his heart was coming from was an eternal longing that all little boys and girls are given by God. Its the longing to look up to someone older, to learn from and feed off of. This 100 year old tree was not the oak in his front yard, it was the wisdom of his elders that he longed for. This boy was hitting on this idea of the Oaks of Righteousness found in Isaiah 61.

“ They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.

They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.”

This is a people being transformed by the Salvation of Jesus that go out and set things right by bringing structure and order. They build into their surroundings, not abandon it. For generations we have left the youth to fend for themselves, excusing ourselves from the table and bowing out from engaging the youth. With that we took our wisdom, our failures (stories of redemption built in with warnings) and our support with us. Leaving this generation of youth to fend for themselves without defense, wisdom or any kind of context on how to live. This fifth grader with his poem knew the value of wisdom that could only be found in others. The responsibility to initiate lays upon the adults. We can be a backbone for students struggling through life. God has made the church intergenerational by design. It doesn’t work unless we our reaching out to others and walking with them through life because that is the true meaning of discipleship. You can help someone blossom and it can start today.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Teams are Training: Dodgeball Tourney Feb 21st


The Hot Dog and Chocolate Dodgeball Tournament is a little over a month away. Teams are gathering. Practices have begun. Leaders are meeting with kids with to work on strategies. The ministry has begun! The leaders of the pack - those slated to be number one - is the momentum building team that calls themselves "The Pretty Girls" (name subject to change). Though we hear that Calvary Church is building a monster of a team. If you are interested in participating in our tournament or volunteering please email us at: RZ@Projecthangout.com.

Tournament info in earlier posts. Click on "Dodgeball Tournament" on the RHS column for all the information.

The Deut. 6 Challenge: Bandanas

Project Hangout is looking to take the Deut. 6 passage literally and see that kids are putting scriptures on their heads and wrists. One way to do that is through a Project Hangout bandana (kids wear them on their heads and wrists). The front of the logo displays our ministry name, but the back has the "Salvation" message written out in story form with accompaning verses.
You can help us by purchasing a pair of bandanas for $15. We'll send you one and then give another to a student in our ministry. By purchasing the bandanas you are spreading the Word of God as well as the name of Project Hangout. You get a reminder of the ministry and the student gets a gift validating that people do care. Not to mention its the latest fashion!

you can send us $15 by using paypal. Send increments of $15 to RZ@projecthangout.com







Thanks to sevone.org for their biblestudy bandanas!