Summer 2016: Part 2

HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!

We are SO enjoying the fall temps here in Utah! But before we jump straight in to the new season, we want to share our youth group's amazing summer with you. 

We absolutely love working with Utah teenagers. The majority of our youth group are students whose families are also new to Biblical Christianity. Our students are diving into the Bible's teachings right alongside their parents, and it is a beautiful thing to watch father and son, mother and daughter work out its implications together, transforming into the likeness of Christ, as we all do-one day at a time.

JUNE: Youth Camp

For the 3rd consecutive summer, we teamed up with 5 other Bible-teaching churches here in the valley for camp where our students were challenged to search for their identities in Christ, not in who the world says they are. Camp is always such an encouraging time for our students as they are reminded that they are not alone in their Christian walks. Please continue to pray for them as they enter a new school year and once again are surrounded by their peers who believe differently than they do. Pray that God gives them courage and wisdom to share Truth in love, and that their faith would be strengthened daily as they come face to face with opposition. Check out these pics from camp:

Mountaintop Worship

Paint Wars!

JULY: Mission Trip to Los Angeles

We took a group of 11 students into the heart of Los Angeles to serve the people who live and work there. We had the privilege of partnering with Center for Student Missions (CSM) who provided our students with a mission opportunity that we wholeheartedly believe changed their lives forever.

CSM partners with ministries in urban centers who work year-round and are in need of short-term volunteers. Our students were given the opportunity to use their gifts to share the love of Jesus through meeting both physical and spiritual needs of the people we will meet. How awesome to think that the youth of Lifestone Church served on the front line of ministry right here in our own nation and had the privilege of "helping the weak" in Jesus' name! Paul writes in the New Testament: 

"In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
Acts 20:35 (NIV)

Check out this mission trip testimonial written by Janessa Calton, a high school senior who was on our youth trip to LA this summer and was kind enough to share her thoughts on the trip with us. 

"This trip to California was unlike any other. This was a trip of of love, of the genuine love of Jesus. We saw the side of California that most people don't see or don't like to think about. I was impacted most by getting to know the people who really live on the streets of California. We got to share the love of Jesus throughout the city of L.A. Before, when I thought of homelessness I just thought it was sad, and there was nothing I could do about it. I also thought they had messed up really bad to be where they're at. I now know that it's so much more than that. We learned that you don't need a dime to help- you just need to know how to listen. I've learned that homelessness is different than what most people think- every situation, circumstance, and story is different. All of us screw up, but not one of us deserves to be ignored. Most of all, I learned that in the end I am no different, Jesus taught me that."

Road Trip!

Our students served lunch to over 120 guests
at the Long Beach Rescue Mission.

"Pastries in the Park" opened the door for a lot of conversations
with LA residents and also for impromptu salsa lessons!

After our debrief at Santa Monica Pier, we decided
we might as well take full advantage and enjoy...

 Our understanding of true service and putting the needs of others before our own grew tremendously as we served the people of LA. We closed each day with a discussion of the challenges and rewards of service, how it made us feel to serve selflessly, what it really means to make an impact on individuals, families, communities, and eternities.

AUGUST: Fall Kickoff Bowling Party 

We had a blast bowling and officially welcomed 7 new 6th graders into our youth group!

Please continue to pray for our church plant here in Herriman, Utah. This weekend will be our first Sunday in our new facility! If you haven't already, check out our previous post for renovation pics! We'll post soon with "final reveal" pics and information on how to pray for our upcoming official grand opening.  We can't wait to celebrate 3 years of service by welcoming the families in our community to our beautiful new home!