I am a Camp Speaker this Weekend

It has been a good but hectic summer so far. I added two or three entries below to give you a little idea of what I have been doing during the summer and Christmas. A great opportunity that has presented itself in the last 2 months is for me to be the camp speaker at the National Wesleyan Youth Camp(www.ignite.wesleyan.org.nz) this weekend. There will be approximately 100 people attending and approx 70% believers 30% unbelievers and this is only the camps third year running. I have been preparing hard and I am getting excited about the opportunity. This is probably an important reason God has brought me back to New Zealand at this time! I would appreciate it if you would join me in prayer for the weekend. Please pray especially for God to speak through me and the teens that will make important commitments to Christ and most likely be big leaders in the future of the Wesleyan church planting movement in New Zealand. Thanks for your prayers and I have someone videotaping the sermons so that I can share them with you later.
For those of you who like to pray during the events
these are my Sermon Times this weekend and their coinciding times in the US on the West and East Coast.

Sermon 1:
Jan 9 Friday 8pm (NZ time)
Jan 8 Thursday 11pm(PT)
Jan 8 Friday 2am(ET)

Sermon 2:
Jan 10 Saturday 9am (NZ time)
Jan 9 Friday 12pm(PT)
Jan 9 Friday 3pm(ET)

Sermon 3:
Jan 10 Saturday 7:30pm (NZ time)
Jan 9 Friday 10:30pm(PT)
Jan 9 Friday 1:30am(ET)

Sermon 4:
Jan 11 Sunday 9am (NZ time)
Jan 10 Saturday 12pm(PT)
Jan 10 Saturday 3pm(ET)

Sermon 5:
Jan 11 Sunday 7:30 (NZ time)
Jan 10 Saturday 10:30pm(PT)
Jan 10 Saturday 1:30am(ET)

Random Pictures

It was great to see the family and open presents over the computer, but still not quite the same as seeing them in person!  Kelly and Brenton had not arrived until later in December

Santa Came this Christmas to New Zealand!!!
We had a great morning with about 11 of us Americans away from family. We opened presents had a nice brunch, watched the Nativity Story, and then a few of us went to the beach since it was a nice day. I didn't take any pictures on New Years... so sorry about that.

This is me chillin out at home.
I don't have a camera, so i mainly only have pictures other people have taken or pictures i have taken with the camera on my actual laptop. So you only get a random selection!

Here is my nephew Jaylon and i playing a game over Skype. haha
I am the box in the bottom left corner with my shirt over my head
Even over the internet great minds can connect and think alike

My parents home back in Indiana still rocked the Christmas lights and snow this year
This is Cail
Cail is apart of the bowlin family who have are missionaries in New Zealand currently on home ministries back in the US although they were here for Christmas

Kids seem to gravitate to the program photobooth on my computer which takes your pictures in different ways:
These are the Jones Kids
As i said kids like to take pictures on this! :)
actually this, is Heidi and Rachel who flat together about 25 minutes away from where i live, but they are to good friends that have been fun to hangout with.

More Pictures

Although my actual Christmas day didn't seem the same without the family, i spent a lot of time with people with the following two days as well which made it feel more like the holidays.
This was dinner at one of the hangouts.
Just recently a group of us dressed up and went to the pirate mini golf as actual pirates. I don't think they expected us to take them literally.

Sabbath Day. I honestly believe in keeping the Sabbath and it is hard as a pastor sometimes. I knew this week would be crazy in preparation for speaking at camp this weekend so i took Monday off and went on a surf trip with Evy Mazellan who just arrived from Marion, IN.



I rode this wave simply because it was big and a good photo opportunity for a hang loose sign.

Now that is a good Sabbath Day, spent enjoying God's people and creation!

I Led a devotional for the Shoregrace youth group where i volunteered the last time i was here on Dune sledding night. Here was the group. I Love these guys.
Here are a few more Christmas day pictures.
Here is me in a Christmas Autumn Sweater on a perfectly clear sunny day in New Zealand! :)
Here are the fresh "Americans" that are over here in New Zealand in the Wesleyan circle.
Heidi Sattler (by me) is interning for 3 more months at shoregrace, Rachel Nigro(middle) is a dental hygienist over here for at least two years, Sara Dekker(far left) is a music teacher over here indefinitely.
The Fussner family here. Emily, Jeff, and Beth
The Girls OVERLY excited about the Twilight books and going to see the movie.
Josh way too excited to see Santa!
The Global Partners Team in New Zealand. Bowlin Family on Right and in Santa's lap. Fussners bottom Left, and me and Heidi at the top. The Bowlins are already back in the states for a year now. So it is Heidi, me and the Fussners at this point. Drew and Amy Donovan, Stephenie Garey, The Reynolds Family, and the Bowlins family all have plans of returning soon rather than later hopefully!
Here is the whole Christmas day group.
hanging out

Found this cool light set up
I am also trying to stay active
Whoever knows me, knows that sport and recreation is a big part of my life and ministry, so i am continuing to explore ways to use this interest as a connection and teaching tool.