Two Fall Programming Notes

This Fall, Xwise will be implementing two new programs to strengthen the faith of the students’ and to encourage fellowship.

The first will be a girls small group which will happen every Wednesday night from 5:30 to 6:30 (before youth group, during GPS dinner) where they will be discussing a book together and sharing life. This place will be a time for deepening their lives as disciples of our Lord and Savior, as well as spending time sharing prayer requests, concerns, and strengthening their relationships in fellowship.

The second program will be another weekly event, Sunday Morning Bible Study, taking place every Sunday morning at 9:30am. This will be a time for those who are desiring a slower and deeper walkthrough in scripture. We will provide donuts and orange juice and it is our hope that the students who come will sit with us during the contemporary service after.

Both of these programs fulfill our desire to nurture and develop disciples which is our overarching goal in the youth ministry. We would appreciate your continued prayer support that these new programs might be to the glory of God and the nourishment of His people.

Evangelism Linebacker

Friends! This video is entertaining. Pastor Joe showed it to me the other day and i wanted to pass the laughter on to you! Watch it. Let me know what you think.

Sawtooth Wilderness Trek

We began the trek from the all-too familiar Pettit lake trailhead. The first day was not without it's snags however. We waited for roughly an hour after arriving, hoping the thunderstorm and pouring rain would subside and we would have some blue sky for the hike ahead. Luckily the clouds vanished revealing the bluest sky some of the students had ever seen. We finished divvying out trail mix and began our journey into the wilderness. We hiked up from Pettit lake over the divide north and down into the yellowbelly-macdonald lake basin. From here we explored the lakes, which were half a mile apart. While gazing at the marshy edges and crystal clear middle of MacDonald lake we heard a tree fall. Just previously on the trail another hiker had the decency to warn me about a black bear they saw a few miles up the trail. Immediately i thought that a black bear had pushed it over, after all they love climbing trees. I sauntered over in a stealth like fashion to where i had heard the crash. What do my eyes behold? A two foot wide tree laying in the bambles of the forest, sawdust still floating in the air, no critter to be seen. Phew. In all my years of hiking i have never simply seen a tree just fall over for now apparent reason. It appeared that the roots were rotten, but i'm no treeologist. Of course i had the nerve to ask the students, "If a tree falls in the woods does anyone hear it," of which i had all resounding YES!

We finished hiking to YellowBelly lake and found a wonderful campsite overlooking the lake to the East, towards the White Clouds. We went swimming and played mafia, all the while amazed at the thunderclouds and lightning in the distance over the lake. 3am, i awake to hear panting outside my tent...too high pitched to be a bear, maybe a wolf or coyote or mountain lion...i will never know for i threw my pillow over my ears as to slow my beating heart. 5am, i awake again to the sound of thunder and the flash of lightning. The forecasters had gotten it right, thunderstorm early morning. Kim and i stared at each other wide eyed after every deafening boom and we began to realize after counting our one one thousands that the storm was closing in. There was a moment where the lightning was within a mile of us. Needless to say we were getting dumped on and i was praying that the bolts would find the tops of the trees and not our aluminum tent stakes. After the storm passed over we awoke to beautiful skies and lighting in the distance.

We hiked up another all-too familiar section of the trail, from yellowbelly up the toxaway drainage past tumbling waterfalls and jagged cliffs to our north, to a lake with a few islands named Farley lake. I had the bright idea of encouraging the studetns to swim to the island knowingly full well that i would be suckered into swimming with them. I think my chest still hurts from the freezing water and trying to catch my breath while swimming an olympic marathon to the islands. Michael Phelps would have been proud. We hiked back to our camp for the evening and built a warm fire and had a wonderful Bible Study around Ephesians 4.
The next morning we hiked the ridgeline back out to the car, where we promptly drove into Stanley for the best Huckleberry Milkshakes in Idaho, hands down. God is gracious. A successful student adventure indeed!

Senior High Weekend in the Sawtooths Packing List

Students,

For all to know, we will be starting our adventure through the Sawtooth Wilderness at the Hell Roaring Lake Trailhead. We will loop up to Hell Roaring Lake or Imogene Lake on the first night and camp there. The next day we will go over sand mountain divide from Imogene lake and camp on Farley lake that night. The final day we will hike out to our other car at the yellowbelly lake trailhead and be home by dinner.

Here's a detailed list of everything to pack. We will be meeting on Thursday evening at 5:30pm at the church to do a final pack of food and pack inspection for unnecessary weight. Here's the list to bring:

Essentials:
-Backpacking pack (4,000 cu/in or more, we are rounding up enough for everyone to have one hopefully, but if you have your own, even better!)
-Sleeping bag that can stuff into the bottom of the backpack
-Sleeping pad if you would like, recommended for a good nights rest...
-Hiking boots or running shoes

Accessories:
-Two Nalgene Bottles
-Hat for sun protection
-Light Flashlight
-Tooth Brush + Toothpaste (Small Ziploc works good for Toothpaste)
-Deodorant
-Sunscreen
-Journal to write or draw in
-Camera

Clothes:
-Lightweight pants for night
-Two Shirts
-Shorts for Hiking
-Lightweight bathing suit for swimming (a must for everyone)
-Fleece or down jacket that can double as pillow
-Socks, preferrably wool if you have them, if not don't worry
-Underwear
-Long Johns if you get cold easily

Give me a call if you have any questions (208) 949-8695.