Archive for November, 2008

Giving Up Christmas

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The lost art of the hand-written note

I love the Internet, email, the iPhone, Twitter and the rest of e-world. Somewhere in the mix though, we’ve lost the art of writing hand-written, personalized notes. We rely too much on email I’m afraid, particularly when it comes to saying thank you.

So today, I want to challenge each of you to take 5 minutes to write a thank you note, put a stamp on it and drop it in the mailbox.

Here’s my prediction: The next time you see the person you write, you’ll be greeted with a big smile. For the price of a postage stamp and five minutes of your time, you can speak specifically into the life of someone.

That’s the power of a hand-written note. More importantly, that’s the power of encouragement.

Jeff

What’s The Big Idea?

This month, Buckhead Church families with elementary-aged kids are learning all about the “Big Idea” of GRATITUDE! On November 2, KidStuf Live kicked off the month (and the Big Idea) and now, week by week, parents are partnering with UpStreet to drive it home through the activities found in the Take-Out Box they were given when they left KidStuf Live.

Each week in November, families are logging on to our brand new KidStuf website (www.kidstuf.com) to watch the Take-Out videos (http://www.kidstuf.com/takeout) and get their next in-home assignment! One of the activities is called the Grati-Journal. It is a little notebook for families to record the many things they are grateful for. I wanted to share a specific entry from the Grati-Journal of one of our younger UpStreet kids . . . and a few words from her dad.

“Attached you will find an entry in my kindergarten daughter’s Grati-journal that came home in her KidStuf Take-Out this month. If you can’t decipher it, it is her rendition of the KidStuf stage (complete with screens, the twisty slide, and the KidStuf lockers in the middle). She did all of this on her own. I can’t tell you how much of a blessing it is to have my daughter say that she is grateful for church and KidStuf. I will add UpStreet into that mix, as that place is having an amazing impact on her every Sunday as well. Thanks for all that you are doing and for partnering with us as parents. We love the new resources to help us do ministry at home. A few Sundays ago, I asked my daughter what she liked best about church, and her response was, ‘Well, I liked the beginning, and the end part . . . and also the stuff in the middle.’ We (her mom and I) realize that not every kid says that about church. Thanks again!

Parents, make sure that you are doing your part and carrying your ministry home through the new resources found in the KidStuf Take-Out and on the new website. We say it all the time and we really believe it!

“What happens at home is more important that what happens at church.”

We look forward to partnering with you in ministry! Also, if you haven’t already seen some of the other goodies that the new KidStuf website has to offer, spend some time browsing through the links below:

KIDSTUF KLIFNOTES: Adult community group curriculum about this month’s Big Idea (to help you think it through with your adult small group and strategize on how to best pass it along to your kids): http://www.kidstuf.com/parents/klifnotes

UPSTREET WEEKLY: A snapshot of what your kids are learning in UpStreet each week this month: http://www.kidstuf.com/parents/bottomline

KIDSTUF PARENT PODKAST: A monthly audio resource designed to give YOU, the parent, a clear and fun introduction to that month’s Big Idea, how it relates to YOU, and how you can best help your kids apply it to their lives: http://www.kidstuf.com/parents/podcasts (and subscribe to it in iTunes by clicking here: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=292521828)

KIDSTUF LIVE HIGHLIGHTS: If you didn’t get to go to KidStuf Live in November, you need to log on to www.kidstuf.com, choose the Buckhead campus, and then hit the KIDSTUF LIVE button on the left. That is what you missed! Then mark a big “X” on December 7so you can remember to be at the next KidStuf Live when it kicks off the Big Idea for December!

Grateful,

Billy Phenix

Director of Family Ministry

Staff Spotlight-Josh Peters

Buckhead Church, this is Josh. Josh, this is Buckhead Church.

What do you do at Buckhead Church? Video Director. This includes training volunteers on video equipment, shooting/editing videos, creating graphics, writing scripts, video directing the service, etc…

Where did you go to college? East Carolina University

What was your Major? Communication, BS (Electronic Mass Media Studies)

What is a fun thing to know about you? I have three kids 5 years and under and I’m 30.

Why did you decide to work at BC? I was a volunteer for 5 years on the production team and was a Video Editor in my profession. I always knew that I would end up on staff here. It was just a feeling I had.

What is your favorite thing about working here? Showing people on Sunday morning something that they would never expect to see. I feel it’s our job to gain the trust of the people who walk in our doors. Whether it’s a funny video, a song, or a cool creative element it’s my hope that people will trust us enough, by the time we start the message, to hear God’s truth and receive it.

What has been your favorite project since you have been here or What project are you most proud of? - Probably the illusions series. That was fun because the entire look, videos and illusions were created by our team. I got to take that concept from the very first creative meeting all the way to the end and work on every element that we created. I love doing creative elements during a series that all work together for a common goal.

It’s not about Buckhead Church. It’s about Cambodia.

Watching this quick video will remind you once again that our God is on the move. Be encouraged!