I've Been Published!

So I always wondered what it would be like to get published at this young of an age and lo and behold, I was published. Unfortunately it was in some big shot magazine or newspaper but in the monthly newsletter of a local church. To others it may not seem like a big deal but for me, I am extremely proud. I just had to share my excitement. To see the WHOLE newsletter, please visit the Avalon Presbyterian Church's Website and look at their December Issue of their newsletter.

Here's the whole page...

First two pictures + my acknowledgements.

Bottom 5 pictures.

Friends Visit From Overseas

For the past couple years, God has given Harvest the opportunity to send an outreach missions team to the DR (Dominican Republic) to help spread the gospel and to do the work that God has called us for. This past Sunday, instead of us going to them, they came to us. Three members of the church that we partner with in the DR, Victor Cerda, Pedro Colon, and Patricia Cerda, came to visit Orlando after they attended the 2009-2010 Urbana in St. Louis. They led the congregation in a couple songs....

Pastor Victor Cerda

Pedro Colon

*Unfortunately, I was not able to capture a photograph of Patricia. She too was a blessing to us all along with Pastor Victor and Pedro. *

At Harvest, we offer membership classes that allow congregation members to really invest in the Harvest Congregation. One can become a member if they are 16, confirmed in their faith, have completed Harvest 101, and have been approved by Rev. David L. Kim himself. Once someone has become a member of Harvest, they are given the opportunity to further advance their role in the congregation by take another class, Harvest 201. All members of Harvest 201 are required to pass an exam at the end of the "semester" and then they are asked to share their testimony and experience of Harvest 201. Here is Joshua "Tico" Kim.

Overall, Sunday was an extreme blessing to us all. Both Josh's testimony and the songs led by our DR friends both showed us God's glory and what He has in store for us. Thanks guys for your un-ending encouragement to pursue Christ with our lives.

Let The New Year Begin!

Every year, at 10:30 PM on December 31, 2009, our church has a "New Years Service" that runs from Dec. 31 to Jan. 1. From 10:30 PM to 11:55 PM, we watch a 30 min. video to look in retrospect at the past year, pray for prayer requests of what we expect to see the upcoming year, eat a small meal, etc. etc. etc. We gather back around 11:55 PM and spend some time in silence and prayer until 12:00 AM Jan. 1. Here are some pictures.

 

Through the eyes of the video camera....

Communion.

It truly was a blessed worship service indeed. I can't wait to see what blessings got will bring this year.

Christmas Day Service

So the service on Christmas Day, December 25, 2009, started off pretty bad for me. Shortly after praise, my camera fell and the base of my camera flash (Canon Speedlite 580 ex ii) broke off so from the start, I was pretty upset. Overall, it was an extremely blessing worship service. Pastor DL's message was awesome, the praise was awesome, and the presentations were all entertaining. Here are some pictures.

Sermon time

Prayer

Baptism

One of the presentations

And another....

And another...

And announcements.

Again, it was an extremely blessed time and I'm really looking forward to the end of the year worship service. For those who want to come out, service starts at 10:30. If you would like more information, feel free to contact me.

Harvest 2009 Youth Winter Retreat

Hey guys, sorry for not updating in a long time. I've just been pretty swamped and haven't had time to sit down and update which is surprising because we're on winter break but..... yea. So without further a due.....

     Two times a year, Harvest is blessed enough to have their annual summer and winter retreat. From December 21-24, Harvest went on their 2009 Youth Winter Retreat at the Lakewood Retreat Center. It was truly a time of un-ending blessings and praise to God. We had an amazing speaker, Pastor Byung Ham (Pastor B) from Baltimore and our praise was led by our very own Pastor Albert. This retreat was filled with overflowing blessing and a constant example of how much Christ loves us.

This was one of our ice breakers and as you can see, some of us really got into the game.

At our retreats, we have 12 small groups and 6 teams. Within each team, they compete against other teams in games, skits, and other activities. One activity was to create a team name and create a skit based on certain criteria of one type of animal and a movie (i.e. monkeys & The Titanic). This skit was based off of the criteria of "Sloths and The Grudge."

Another game was to try and build the tallest/strongest structure with paper, tape and a balloon... obviously this team failed.

So this game required a lot of physical work. Basically, you have one balloon tied to one leg and you have to go around and try and pop other peoples' balloons BUT keep yours from getting popped.

Team preparation for some outside games.

The point of this game was to direct your team mates, while they're blindfolded, to find your team's designated object for your team.

This game is called magic shoes. You basically have to get your team across the field BUT each person can only go across once ON THEIR FEET but they can also only be carried across twice. Kind of confusing....

This game required you to put panty hose over your head and eat apple sauce through the panty hose.

Every year, each team has to come up with a skit based on a certain criteria and within a certain time limit.

Another skit

Our pastors during our Q&A session. Pastor B (left), Pastor DL (middle), and Pastor Albert (right)

Group picture

     Overall, it was an amazing time. People were blessed beyond measure and lives were extremely changed through the power of Christ. As we've come back from the retreat, please pray that our hearts would not be on a spiritual roller coaster but that our love for Christ and the immensity of our passion to worship him would be made permanent. Too many times do we come back from the retreat replenished and refueled but that fire for Christ soon dies after about a week or two so let's really pray that our passion for Christ would burn strong that we may live in Christ everyday. May we make Christ a person in our lives, not a product.

In the song "Hosanna" written by Hillsong United, there is a portion of verse 2 and a part of the bridge that just speaks so clearly and I pray everyday that this would come true in my life and the life of Harvest.

Verse 2:

I see a generation

Rising up to take their place
With selfless faith
With selfless faith

Bridge:
Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like you have loved me

Break my heart from what breaks yours
Everything I am for your kingdoms cause
As I walk from earth into
Eternity

Let's really pray that this would come true in our lives today.