FEBRUARY 23, 2021 VOL.2 NO.8
UP NEXT
GRATEFUL FOR YOU!
Last weekend @ygchurch had the honor of sharing appreciation with healthcare workers at Texas Health Mansfield. Much to the delight of nearly 60 frontline care providers, YG came bearing gratitude gifts. Thank you to Kenneth Rose, Tiffany Hernandez and the team at Texas Health Mansfield for welcoming the idea and hosting us so graciously. Thank you to Burton Adventist Academy for composing the most awesome appreciation notes ever. Thanks to the YG volunteers who assembled the gifts and handed them out Sunday morning. Thanks to Faith Rivera for her idea and leading in its execution. And gratitude to you, our YG family, as your faithful support makes it possible for us to inspire those around us with the hope of grace.
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 and our church online platform. Also, UG Talks is on YouTube. Click the above icon or here to make your reservations today.
RUTHLESS ELIMINATION OF HURRY // WEDNESDAYS // 7:00PM
Attention all young adults and leaders, Wednesday evening at 7:00PM (CST) - 3 raw conversations on Burn-out, Sabbath and Restoration. In all of our conversations & listening sessions with young adult leaders at our local churches/schools, one topic never failed to come up over and over again — “Burn Out.”
Our young adult leaders have been and are burning out fast, often without a community to talk to and/or lean into. So we are going to begin a very raw conversation on this topic and will seek to create community groups that young adult changemakers can belong to and plug into.
Click the above icon or here to join Wednesday night. Also available on YouTube.
WHERE’S GOD? // THURSDAY // 7:00PM CST
Pastor Michael Gibson will lead a discussion that will take us on a journey to better understand God’s apparent inactivity or silence at current unprecedented times. We believe God exists, but how is He interacting with the world? And what is my purpose and calling in the mean time?
Registration is now open at www.AdventistYoungProfessionals.org/southwest. Registrants will receive access to an interactive experience via Zoom; the workshop will also be streamed to Adventist Young Professionals’ Facebook page.
YGCHURCH // SATURDAY // 10:00AM CST
My Testimony, Reckless Love, King of My Heart, Make Room, King Of Kings #WorshipSet #Feb27 10:00AM CST, fb.com/ygchurch #YGdelight #ygchurch
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DELIGHT-FULL
What is it that excites GOD. What brings delight to His heart?
Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. –Psalm 37:4-5 [NLT]
Join Younger Generation Church in their Spring series, “Delight-FULL,” Saturdays, 10:00AM CST, fb.com/ygchurch #YGdelight #ygchurch
@YGCHURCH SPEAKER: JULIAN HUMPHREY-DAVIS
Julian Humphrey-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.
YG LIFE // SATURDAY // 11:00AM CST
Immediately following YG’s worship experience, don’t miss out on the after party, YG LIFE. 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! Your host this weekend is Gary Livingston.
Gary Livingston, is a 26-year-old world geography teacher at Waxahachie High School. A former program leader at Booster Enterprises he has a passion to serve, lead and mentor kids, and help people. He’s a lover of all things Texas, however spent some time on the other side of the Red River living in Oklahoma. He’s back and ready to dive back into YGLIFE!
Don’t miss YG LIFE, this Saturday, 11:00AM CST! Find us on Facebook LIVE and on our church online platform, live.ygchurch.com
DELIGHT-FULL: ONLY THE LORD CAN SATISFY THE LONGINGS IN OUR HEARTS
As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness. — Psalm 17:15
As followers of Christ, we often look around and feel like we simply don’t fit in with the world in which we live. Our desires, our view of the world, and our understanding of what truly matters is drastically different from those who don’t know the Lord. This was also the case in David’s day.
In this prayer, David outlined some of the behaviors of the wicked men with whom he was dealing. He was being oppressed, harassed, and surrounded. David described them as having closed hearts and proud lips (Psalm 17:10).
The biggest difference was what brought them ultimate satisfaction. The wicked received all of their rewards in this life. They were satisfied, David said, with their children and their possessions. It was not so for David. “As for me,” he prayed, “I will be satisfied with seeing Your likeness” (NIV).
This world parades a lot of pretty things before our eyes. It offers plenty of shiny distractions meant to mimic fulfillment and satisfaction. Just like in David’s day, people take pride in their families, possessions, and achievements.
Let our prayer be the same as the man after God’s own heart. —Stacy Edwards
PRAYER: Only You, Lord, can satisfy the longings of our hearts, and we will not know true satisfaction until we are in Your presence.
COMING ATTRACTIONS
GENERATION Z UNFILTERED // FREE WEBINAR // MARCH 2 // 12:00PM CST
Generation Z, those born since 2001, have grown up in a world unlike anything we’ve experienced before. Smart phones, social media, mass shootings, rising anxiety levels, recessions, and even a pandemic have all shaped their reality beginning in their earliest years. So, who exactly is this generation and how do you lead a people that have lived through this much? Using timely advice from Generation Z Unfiltered, the latest book from Tim Elmore and Andrew McPeak, Tim will provide insight into this emerging generation and provide practical tips on how to lead them well.
Click above icon or here to register for this free webinar by RightNow Media @Work.
IF:GATHERING 2021 // VIRTUAL WOMEN’S CONFERENCE // MARCH 5TH & 6TH
God is on the move. Yes, things will fall apart, and yes, things will shut down, but our God cannot be stopped. And we don’t want to miss any part of that. His kingdom is coming. We want His will to be done on this earth as it is in heaven and our heart and prayer is that “on earth as it is in heaven” starts with us. And we would stop wondering if it is possible to change the world. It’s possible.
This year, at IF:Gathering 2021, we are going to talk about how we do that. The theme of those two days is going to be “Even If.” Even if the worst happens, we don’t lose hope. Come join us as we remember that together.
People such as: Jennie Allen, Christine Caine, Mike Todd, John Mark Comer, David Platt, and many more will be joining together on March 5 and 6 to rally us to remember that “Even if the worst happens, we don’t lose hope.”
Steps to register:
• Register at if2021.com
• Select “YG Church Women” for the group name
• Enter “YGTX4409” for the access code
Click the above icon for more gathering information.
Click here for the direct link to register.
For more information, email Chrissy Gaban at director@ygchurch.com
GLOBAL YOUTH DAY // MARCH 20
“Do the young people in your church know about Global Youth Day? More than just hearing a sermon on March 20, we are encouraging youth around the world to “be the sermon” in their communities! This of course will require creativity and safety in these times.” —Gary Blanchard, @gcyouthministires director
Here are the broadcast times for your Division.
March 19th 4pm CST: SPD, NSD, SSD, CHUM
March 20th 4am CST : Israeli Field, Mena, ESD, SID, EUD, TED, WAD, EUD
March 20th 10am CST: SAD NAD, IAD
Younger Generation Church is honored to be asked by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Youth Department to participate in Global Youth Day, March 19 & 20, 2021. We will be an integral part of the live worship experiences in three or four of their anchor programs through the continuous 48-hour event that will span the globe and feature the service activities of Adventist young people around the world.
As we begin in earnest the preparations for this honor, we are asking for your prayers and support. Global Youth Day has become a highlighted opportunity for the Seventh-day Adventist Church to compassionately reach out to neighborhoods and communities in villages, towns, and cities around the world. We invite you to start praying for this endeavor, especially with the challenges that a pandemic brings to these endeavors. In year's past Global Youth Day has mobilized thousands of young people, and we have hopes to bless our Adventist youth as they intend to "Reach Out" this Spring.
Younger Generation Church is honored to be leading worship for the live anchor programs held during this worldwide event. Click the above icon or here for more details.
BE A VOLUNTEER! ALL AGES WELCOME!
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
UNDERSTANDING COVID-19 VACCINE: SAFETY AND EFFICACY
North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists’ NewsPoints ON THE AIR took some time to discuss the COVID-19 vaccines with Dr. Steven Smith, senior vice president and chief scientific officer of AdventHealth.
Dr. Smith is also the principal investigator of the Janssen Pharmaceuticals COVID-19 vaccine clinic trial on Orlando, Florida. AdventHealth is one of five Adventist health care institutions within the NAD territory. It is also is one of the largest healthcare institutions in the U.S., with 80,000 employees operating on nearly 50 hospitals campuses in nine states.
In this episode, Dr. Smith walks us through vaccine development 101 and the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines. And plainly answers whether the COVID-19 vaccines should be trusted. Spoiler alert: Yes…they can definitely be trusted.
Click the above icon for the podcast video, click here for the NAD NewsPoints article.
YOUNG PROFESSIONALS: SHARE YOUR STORY!
Adventist Young Professionals is working on a devotional book entitled, “The God I Used To Know.”
If you would like to be part of AYP’s book project, we invite you to write your story about how God moved in your life and submit it to us at AdventistYoungProfessionals.org/book!
Remember, you don't have to share your entire life story! Testimonies are just 300-350 words which means that it's easy to become a published author and to share Christ in the process!
Learn more and apply at: https://adventistyoungprofessionals.org/book
PURSUE GOD
THREE THINGS WE DEEPLY CRAVE
As we move into what’s often referred to as “love month,” it’s appropriate to talk about these things because it’s not only romantic relationships where this matters but also in our friendships and even our relationship with ourselves and God. Click the above link or here for this recent blog from Broken to Beautiful.
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.
SEX GOD
This is actually about That.
Whether it’s what we do with our energies
or how we feel about our bodies
or wanting to have control in relationships
or trying to recover from heartbreak
or dealing with our ferocious appetites
or the difficulty of communicating clearly with those we love
or longing for something or someone better,
much of life is in some way connected with our sexuality.
And when we begin to sort through all of the issues surrounding our sexuality, we quickly end up in the spiritual, because this is always about that.
Sex. God. They’re connected. And they can’t be separated. Where the one is, you will always find the other. This is a book about how sexuality is the “this” and spirituality is the “that.” To make sense of the one, we have to explore the other. —Rob Bell
Click above icon or here to obtain the book. Here’s a lecture the author presented at Vanderbilt University.
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.
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
EXPERIENCE COMMUNITY
HUMANS OF ADVENTISM: THE SERIES
HoA: The Series is intentionally designed to spark conversations.
Taken from over 40 interviews filmed across the United States, this 10-episode series contains a diverse set of stories and experiences - even conflicting values at times. Instead of telling you what to think and summarizing the episodes for you, our vision is that these episodes will be watched together and lead to deep discussions about the viewers’ own life experiences. We’ve attempted to cut to the heart of what drives human beings - questions of purpose and meaning, experiences of witnessing God’s work firsthand, and even navigating this new world of remote learning, church shutdowns, and lost employment.
Because this is not a theological project, but a relational one, we envision this series being used on a Sabbath afternoon or midweek small group. It can be easily adapted to remote watch parties and zoom small group discussions. But however you decide to share, we believe this will be an engaging, bonding experience for any group looking to deepen their relationships to each other and their neighbors.
Click here for the series.
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 here if you are interested in joining a group or would like more information about our program.
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.
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.
BE A LIFEGROUP LEADER
A great way to build relationships and form a sense of community is by participating in smaller group gatherings and events we call LIFEgroups. Whether you enjoy team sports, Bible study, or informal conversation, we have an array of LIFEgroups from which to choose.
So we're looking for people willing to lead LIFEgroups. No experience is required, just a willingness to be trained and mentored, then start the adventure of doing life together. If you are interested, please let us know of your interest by emailing LIFEgroups@ygchurch.com
Our hope is all our members will try one or more of our LIFEgroups and develop great relationships. At Younger Generation Church [YG], experiencing community with each other is one of the best ways we live out our love for Jesus. We invite you to join a group discussion, activity, or social event. Let's do life. . . together.
INSPIRE HOPE // SHARE GRACE
From Adventist Review
WAYS TO SUPPORT THE COLVIN FAMILY
Here are ways to be of support to Shelly and family during this difficult season:
GoFundMe: For those who are so inclined, a GoFundMe account has been established, with the goal of raising funds to allow Shelly to plant some trees in Dean's honor, and to help cover miscellaneous expenses that inevitably will arise over the coming weeks. Click here for GoFundMe
MealTrain: Providing meal solutions for the family during this difficult time is helpufl. This will be a gift card only MealTrain. See the list of restaurants under "favorite meals/restaurants" or purchase a grubhub, doordash, or uber eats gift card. Click here to sign up on MealTrain.
Thank you for your love, support, and prayers for them through this unbearably hard circumstance.
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
PROTECTING YOURSELF WHILE PROTECTING OTHERS
A discussion by AdventHealth of the latest findings and recommendations. Ciick the above icon or here for the full Adventist Review article.
YOUR GENEROSITY MAKES @YGCHURCH GROW, GLOW, & GO
We 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 above icon or here for ways to give.
How does your support overflow into the world? Click here for @ygchurch stories of overflow.
GRATITUDE
PAST YEAR REVIEW // NEW YEAR TO COME
We would be wise, if even just for a moment, to look back at where we’ve come from, in anticipation of where next GOD is taking us. Click here for 2020 in review and a sneak peek at what 2021 brings for Younger Generation Church.
So grateful for the super talented artists who lean in with their gifts to glorify GOD. Enjoy this joyful selection from our favorite PNW YGers, Flor De Marzo, and be sure to check out their YouTube channel.
Gratitude to the many frontline heroes, providing compassionate and exceptional service, support, and care to all of us. Your resilience, courage, and determination to serve others is appreciated and admired.
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