EPIC TRUST

We're doing it big this summer on UpStreet! It's going to be big... It's going to be huge... It's going to be EPIC!

God has called each of us into an epic adventure: HIS epic adventure. But the first thing we need to do is learn to trust him - no matter what - even when we don't know the plan, even when we're afraid.

This month we're going to learn what it really means to trust God NO MATTER WHAT.

Knowing you can ALWAYS count on God... that's EPIC TRUST.

As you communicate to your kids or your small group this month about trust, we challenge you to take a look in the mirror. Do your actions communicate that you truly do trust God no matter what? When life throws a curveball at you, do you turn to fear and insecurity, or do you recognize that God has a plan specifically for you, and believe that he knows what's best for you?

We're really excited about what we get to communicate this month!
Trust: knowing you can always count on God. 

LOVE: the greatest thing you can do!

During the month of March, we will be talking about the Big Idea of LOVE on the UpStreet hall!

Jesus has given us one simple commandment to follow: to love. We don't have to focus on memorizing and keeping track of hundreds of rules... we just have to put God at the center of our world and love him with all of our hearts. This is the first and greatest commandment!

In Matthew 22:37, Jesus tells us to "love the Lord your God with all our heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." So what does that look like?

• You can love him with your heart: talking to him! Invite him in to your greatest desires and your greatest fears. Tell him how important he is to you, and what you need help with! 
• You can love him with your soul: allowing him to use you however he wants! Give him your entire life - whether you are at work or school or at home, recognize that God has placed you there to make a difference. 
• You can love him with your mind: by learning more about him in the bible, and trusting him! The Bible is rich with God's promises to us, and when you learn them, you begin to realize that you can trust God no matter what.

Your HEART, SOUL and MIND. How can you recenter yourself around this truth during the month of March?

February on UpStreet

PATIENCE - Waiting without complaining!

This month on UpStreet we're learning about the Big Idea of Patience.  It's more than just waiting, it's waiting without complaining.  This isn't always very easy!

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"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love." Ephesians 4:2

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Not only are we called to be patient with one another, but to do it with love!  When we are patient with others, the Bible tells us that this will keep us out of trouble.  God also promises that waiting on Him (without complaining!) is always going to be worth the wait.  God honors patience!

How can you practice patience this month?

January: DISCIPLINE

We're kicking of the new year on UpStreet with a brand-new big idea! All month long, we'll be talking about DISCIPLINE: Doing what you need to do now to grow stronger. We will be encouraging kids to read God's word, memorize God's word, talk to God, and do what God says. 

Our memory verse this month is:

"Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." 

Joshua 1:8

We are also going to be disciplined and learn the books of the Bible, by learning a song together! After listening to this song a couple times, you'll have it stuck in your head: guaranteed. Check it out HERE!

We also opened up our new space this month! Check out the progress at athenschurch.com/room-to-grow!

Looking forward to a great month on UpStreet!

Christmas on UpStreet

CHRISTMAS - The day we celebrate Jesus, the light of the world!

We love this time of year on UpStreet!  With only three weeks of UpStreet this month, we have a lot to cover!  

As followers of Jesus, we aren't overcome by darkness because we have Jesus as our Light.  We are also called to be lights here on earth to those around us.  What powerful truths we get to teach this month! 

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12 (NIV)  

We are so thankful for you and honored to lead children into growing relationships with Jesus alongside you!

Merry Christmas! 

SERVICE: November 2012

This month, we are talking about the Big Idea of

SERVICE: seeing a need and doing something about it!

During the entire month of November, we will be partnering with all of the North Point Campuses and Strategic Partners across the country in the annual Be Rich campaign! Together, we are going to make such a huge impact both in our local communities and around the world! You will start hearing a lot about Be Rich around Athens Church! 

UpStreet will be participating by filling Operation Christmas Child boxes! We will be sending an empty box home with every family, encouraging them to spend their family night filling a box together. 

Boxes will need to be returned to Athens Church on November 11th or November 18th. 

SERVICE is a big deal. Service means putting others before ourselves. Our memory verse for the month is Philippians 2:3b-4 NIV: "In humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." As we head into the holiday season, may we all remember to serve others in the way that Jesus served us. We learned last month that we were made to make a difference (Individuality). Now it's time to go and make the difference by serving.

Made to Make a Difference

INDIVIDUALITY means knowing that you were made to make a difference! 

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made." 

Psalm 139:14 (NIV) 

This October we're celebrating the uniqueness of each child. What a month it's going to be!

We'll start on October 7 with KidVenture, an opportunity for small group leaders and kids to connect relationally while having a TON of fun. Through a combination of strategic small group activities and cooperative large group games, it's our hope that leaders and kids will get a chance to really get to know each other- and have fun doing it!

Throughout the month we'll look at the lives of different heroes in the Bible who made a difference like Gideon (Judges 6-7), Tabitha (Acts 9) and Onesimus (Philemon 1). We all have something to learn from their lives!

 See you on UpStreet!