DECEMBER 1, 2020 VOL.1 NO.8
COMING ATTRACTIONS
BE A BLESSING: BE THE OVERFLOW
During this season, we especially invite you to support @ygchurch financially. As you bless YG, our young adults overflow that blessing into our community and into the world. Your tax-deductible donation helps YG grow, glow, and go. Thank you. Click the link for ways to give: arlingtonadventist.com/new-blog/2020/6/21/ways-to-give
How does your support overflow into the world?
Click the above icon or here for @ygchurch stories of overflow.
HOLIDAY TOY DRIVE
Many families will need extra help getting Christmas gifts under the tree this year. REVIVE has begun to collect unwrapped toys for children ages 0-12. To participate, click the icon above & pledge to bring an UNWRAPPED toy or toys! If you wish, you may place a special message on your gift from you or your family! Then drop-off your donation in a REVIVE Toy Bin on Sabbath morning or during a Donation Tuesday! The deadline to drop off donations is December 5!
WOMEN'S LIFEGROUP FINALE // WEDNESDAY 7PM
“We live in a world that doesn’t care what God wants. Sure, they may not say it that way, but the messages that parade across social media declare that God’s way just isn’t worth it. But as Christians, we’re committed to following Jesus in every aspect of our lives. Is it possible to live—or maybe even thrive—as a believer in our world today?" —Sadie Robertson Huff
You are invited to final session of "Fire & Faithfulness," a women's virtual LIFEgroup meeting this Wednesday at 7:00PM [Central]. Email lifegroups@ygchurch.com for more information, you can also DM @alexandria.26 or @chrissygaban
Through this four-session series with Sadie Robertson Huff, the group has discovered the lost art of faithfulness in the face of a world that wants nothing to do with God. They have trekked through the story of four young Israelites who, when ripped from their homes, faced a choice: remain faithful followers in a foreign land, or bow before an empire that hated God.
YG CHURCH // SATURDAYS // 10:00AM CST
Grateful, Joy, Hark, What A Beautiful Name, Strange Way To Save the World, Do It Again #WorshipSet #Dec5 10:00AM CST, fb.com/ygchurch #DeepCalling #ygchurch #deeperdevotion
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THE DEEP CALLING
The deep calling of GOD is a life-long process, not a destination. It’s about a sacred space of transformation found in every day, listening to GOD’s voice and finding satisfaction in Him.
Join Younger Generation Church in their Fall Series, "The Deep Calling," Saturdays, 10:00AM [Central], fb.com/ygchurch #deepcalling #ygchurch #deeperdevotion
YG LIFE // SATURDAY // 11:00AM CST
Immediately following YG’s worship experience, don’t miss out on the after party, YG LIFE, with your host Jewlz Davis. Always entertaining and informative with everything YG—including upcoming attractions and intriguing guests—then of course, concluding with a live prayer session with your requests and praises. Click the icon above to join us on Facebook LIVE!
Julian Humphries-Davis, M.Ed., currently serves as the Student Development Specialist of the Follett Student Leadership Center at the University of Texas at Arlington. He serves as the advisor for the Alternative Breaks Program as well as the Leadership Honors Program. A proud Tennessean, Julian earned his B.A. in English at The University of the South: Sewanee and his M.Ed. in Community Development and Action at Vanderbilt University. "Jewlz" loves being active, traveling, and working with youth and young adults.
BLESSING BAGS
Ashten and Trent Fleming invite us once again to have prepared bags to assist the homeless not only during the holiday season, but throughout the year. Although both men and women experience homelessness, women are at particular risk. Find below a checklist to help you assemble a bag or several bags to have available in your car.
The items listed are suggestions for what to place in the blessing bag. Customize your bag, knowing you can put more or less of the checklist items. If you don’t have a handbag or tote to use, you can always use gallon or quart size, clear, ziplock bags. Thanks for being the best neighbors!
Additional hardcopy lists and bags are available in the lobby at the YG high-bar tables. Thank you!
NEW AYP GROUP: FRIENDS ARE FOR _____. // DEC 8 // 6:00PM CST
Led by Izzy Olaore, this new Adventist Young Professionals group will be looking at illustrations from the Bible and pop culture to discuss what friends are for and how we can have more purposeful and fulfilling friendships as adults. Starting December 8th, this group will meet weekly on Tuesdays at 6:00PM (Central, USA). Click the above icon or here for more information about AYP Groups.
PURSUE GOD
MAKING SPACE — AN ADVENT DEVOTIONAL
As the Christmas season begins, we usually find ourselves more stretched for time than the rest of the year. We get caught up in the frenzy – and forget to focus on what’s truly important. This devotional by Susan Narjala will help you clear the clutter so you can make more room for Christ this Christmas. Click the above icon or here for the online devotional.
SING WITH YOUR HEART
Don’t just come to watch, come to worship!
MAKING YOUR DEEPER STEPS STICK
What step, even a little one, have you taken to deepen your devotion to Christ Jesus?
• Did you add a new faith practice?
• Did you determine to be more consistent in a discipline?
• Did you renew a devotional activity?
If you’ve taken some step to deepen your devotion to Jesus, let Pastor Allan know [amartin@ygchurch.com]. YG wants to affirm your step in the deeper directions. We’ve got a sticker for you!
THE DEEP CALLING: CALL TO BLESS
“I will bless you, so you can be a blessing. All the peoples of the earth will be blessed through you.” —Genesis 12:1-3
PRAYER
Dear God,
Thank you so much for your blessing and your favor over my life. What a gift!
I recognize that this blessing isn’t meant to stay with me.
You want this blessing to extend to everyone I come in contact with.
Anchor me in hope today and allow me to be able to speak, act, and live from this place.
Sometimes things feel so small and so futile, God.
Please give me courage to stand in the gap between what is now and what is coming, in my own life and in the lives of others.
In the name of Jesus,
Amen
REFLECTION QUESTION
Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as you reflect on the question:
How does God see me? God “calls into being things that were not,” speaking of them as though they were (Romans 4:17).
What do you sense that God wants to call into being in you?
ACTION
To bless someone is to see them, affirm the gift they are, and speak to their potential. To let them know now what they mean to you, instead of waiting until later.
How can you share an intentional blessing with someone else today?
SOCIAL MEDIA CHALLENGE
Post your picture with #blessing #deepcalling for today and let us catch a glimpse of God’s presence in your everyday life.
THE DEEP CALL OF GOD
"Deep Calling: On Being and Growing Disciples" is a wholistic movement – discipleship and disciple-making – that emphasizes a life-long process, not a destination. It’s about making space for God in the every day, bearing witness to transformation in the ordinary. It’s about knowing truth and experiencing Truth. It’s about learning to listen to the voice of God. It’s about satisfying your longing with the only One who can satisfy your soul. All are invited. All are welcome to answer the deep call of God.
Discover more, taravincross.com/deepcalling
THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE
The Purpose Driven Life is a 40-day devotional guide that affords a basic template for the life of a disciple. It's YG Church's preferred discipleship primer for beginning the Christ-following journey. Click the above icon or here to review the variety of devotional resources available.
EXPERIENCING GOD
Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God by Henry T. Blackaby is a beneficial and easy to comprehend devotional guide affording the Christ-follower a Biblical template for the discipleship journey. Click the above icon or here for various resources associated with the book.
IN-PERSON & ONLINE WORSHIP OPTIONS AVAILABLE
Please join your worship with ours! Choose from an array of worship experience options, knowing that our in-person opportunities call for an advance RSVP. Our online options are on Facebook LIVE, our church online platform. Also, UG Talks is on YouTube. Click the above icon or here to make your reservations today.
SABBATH: FINDING REST, RENEWAL, AND DELIGHT IN OUR BUSY LIVES
In today's world, with its relentless emphasis on success and productivity, we have lost the necessary rhythm of life, the balance between work and rest. Constantly striving, we feel exhausted and deprived in the midst of great abundance. We long for time with friends and family, we long for a moment to ourselves.
Millennia ago, the tradition of Sabbath created an oasis of sacred time within a life of unceasing labor. Now, in a book that can heal our harried lives, Wayne Muller, author of the spiritual classic How, Then, Shall We Live?, shows us how to create a special time of rest, delight, and renewal--a refuge for our souls.
EXPERIENCE COMMUNITY
DEEPEN YOUR DEVOTION: JOIN A LIFEGROUP!
Our desire is to see your relationship with GOD become even more vibrant and deep. There is a wide array of community-building LIFEgroups for you to consider and join. There are meaningful spiritual resources to take advantage of. Start today and take your next step in devotion to Christ Jesus. Click the above icon or here for more details.
LIFEGROUPS & INTEREST GROUPS FOR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS
Adventist Young Professionals Groups are all about building community. They are designed to give you a space to connect and do life together with other young professionals even if you are separated by hundreds or even thousands of miles. No matter your status or interest, we have a group for you!
Click the above icon or here if you are interested in joining a group or would like more information about our program.
INFINITE HOPE GROUPS
Infinite Hope Groups are all about continued hope.
The event has ended, but your connection with others doesn’t have to.
Our groups will start meeting once a week. Each group will last for 6 weeks.
Within these 6 weeks you will have access to:
• 3 bonus messages from Dr. Heather Thompson Day:
“Game of Thrones”
“Something Different” and
“The Church is Not a Place”
• A group facilitator who will be available to you before, during, and after the 6 weeks.
• Sounds cheesy, but we need each other! The best benefit of joining is that you meet other people who have similar pain points and similar joys within the Christian context.
Click here for more information and to sign up for a group.
It can’t end like this.
![FREE ACCESS TO RIGHTNOW MEDIA FOR ALL OUR MEMBERS! Our digital ministry library, Rightnow Media, offers tens of thousands of video-based Bible studies at your finger tips. Contact Pastor Tom [tom@arlingtonadventist.com] to gain access to our RightNo…](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58dc9b01b3db2bd051138ccd/1606836659679-7N02USD2TFG2RLRFMFVI/90138009_4162063123807616_2121405538586591232_o.jpg)
FREE ACCESS TO RIGHTNOW MEDIA FOR ALL OUR MEMBERS!
Our digital ministry library, Rightnow Media, offers tens of thousands of video-based Bible studies at your finger tips. Contact Pastor Tom [tom@arlingtonadventist.com] to gain access to our RightNow digital Bible study library.
INSPIRE HOPE // SHARE GRACE
HOLIDAY TOY DRIVE
Many families will need extra help getting Christmas gifts under the tree this year. REVIVE has begun to collect unwrapped toys for children ages 0-12. To participate, click the icon above & pledge to bring an UNWRAPPED toy or toys! If you wish, you may place a special message on your gift from you or your family! Then drop-off your donation in a REVIVE Toy Bin on Sabbath morning or during a Donation Tuesday! The deadline to drop off donations is December 5!
SHARE YOUR KINDNESS & COMPASSION
A great way to serve our community is through volunteering! All ages. As a family. With your friends. In areas you love. In new ways. On stage. Off stage. — ALL are invited to volunteer at Younger Generation Church. It’s not only a wonderful way to serve in ministry, it’s also one of the best ways to foster relationships. Sign up today, volunteer.ygchurch.com
WE ARE HERE TO HELP EACH OTHER
Inspire those around you with the hope of grace by volunteering with Revive Community Care! Participate and refer those in need, revivecommunitycare.com
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROUS GIVING
Your generosity makes YG not only possible, it makes Younger Generation Church one of the premier Adventist young adult ministries in the world. Thank you. Click here or the above icon for means by which to give to YG.
GRATITUDE
GRATITUDE FOR GRAND OPENING
Thankful for the leadership of Kenneth Rose and his team in launching Texas Health Mansfield today!
Texas Health and AdventHealth opened today a healthcare campus in Mansfield that will include a hospital and medical office building, with amenities and services focused on serving their community.
ON MISSION
Grateful for the work of SWAU to send missionaries around the world under the leadership of Pastor Kayla Goodman. Wishing Danielle Quaye GODspeed as she begins her adventure as a missionary in South Korea. For more information on missionary opportunities check out, He Said Go.
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING AYP
Join me in imagining an online hub with professional development resources, dedicated mentors, and career connections. Imagine local grassroot gatherings that bring young Adventists together from across a city or metro area. Imagine evangelism outside of the pews of a sanctuary without the anxiety one often feel when inviting a friend to church.
These are a few of our goals for 2021 as Adventist Young Professionals continues to create a social setting to grow together and share Jesus.
A year ago, I started Adventist Young Professionals simply as an Instagram page to share stories and resources for young professionals.
As the months passed, the ministry rapidly grew. We developed a more comprehensive vision and made plans to offer a mix of virtual and in-person programming through local events, virtual groups, and professional mentorship.
Just a couple months after our launch, COVID-19 hit, placing us in a unique position to provide intentional community as churches sought to adapt to a virtual format. Looking back, God truly planted the seeds for AYP at just the right time, allowing us to start serving a need during a unique season. We soon began offering daily virtual devotionals and through the “lockdown”, provided over 150 evening sessions that engaged thousands of young professionals from six continents both through Zoom and Facebook.
By fall 2020, the ministry had grown to 5,000 young adults from 100+ countries. Our members were seeking even more intentional virtual community and we were ready to kickoff AYP Groups. Launched via a dedicated online social network for AYP Members, AYP Groups have opened new door for individuals to meet over specific and intentional topics with young professional group leaders who have a passion and expertise in the group’s topic. The inaugural lineup has been impacting lives and our dedicated team is hard at work developing many more groups to equip young professionals with resources for wholistic success.
As 2020 wraps, it definitely has been a whirlwind and 2021 is no-doubt going to be starting with uncertainty. However, we are ready to follow God’s lead in the next stage of ministry.
Our 2021 plans are focused on following Christ’s guidance. We are excited for the doors that He will open in the coming year, but we need your help to continue to follow His calling.
So far, AYP has received commitments to cover 40% of our $18,000 budget for next year. I am asking for your help to raise the remaining $10,000.
Your sustaining gift will allow us to launch new ministry initiatives, host virtual and in-person events, and reach young professionals who have not even heard about AYP or perhaps Christ.
Whether you are able to make a one-time gift or become a sustaining member, you are making a difference. Whether you can give $10, $100, or even $1,000, you are allowing thousands of young adults to thrive not only in their current stage of life, but for a lifetime and beyond.
From the bottom of my heart and on behalf of our global team, thank you for supporting Adventist Young Professionals!
Younger Generation Church is the vibrant young adult ministry of the Arlington Seventh-day Adventist Church.YG's mission is to deepen our devotion to Christ Jesus through:
• Pursuing INTIMACY with God
• Experiencing COMMUNITY with each other
• Inspiring those around us with the hope of GRACE