Family Newsletter

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An Interview with: SOO JIN HAN THE NEW DIRECTOR OF CHILDREN’S PROGRAMMING

Family Newsletter FALL 2010

4TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND I was born and raised in Queens, NY, the youngest of three girls. Though I was the “baby” of my family, from as early as I can remember, I loved being with and caring for children. In 2001, I came to the Boston area to attend Wellesley College. I quickly got plugged into the Highrock community in Davis Sq. and started serving in the Children’s Ministry (although it was much smaller back then!) while in college. After graduating from Wellesley, I stayed in the area to receive my M. Ed from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. In 2006, I left Boston to teach in New Jersey. I returned in 2008 and moved to Arlington to be part of the Highrock community once again and I’m so glad I did!

4WHAT DO YOU DO OUTSIDE OF HIGHROCK? Monday through Friday I am the 3rd & 4th grade teacher at the Covenant School in Arlington. I have enjoyed the close network between the Covenant School and Highrock Church. If I’m “lucky,” I get to see some of my students 7 days a week! :) I have also worked as a therapist for children with autism, an area I hope to continue to be involved in.

4OUTSIDE OF WORK, WHAT DO YOU ENJOY DOING? Outside of work, I enjoy traveling and exploring new cities. I love a spontaneous road trip with friends. I like to cook, bake, and try new recipes. I enjoy being outdoors whether it’s hiking on a crisp fall day, biking on the bike path, or running along the Charles. Though I am with kids for “work,” I actually really enjoy spending time with them outside of school and church. I also try to make it down to New Jersey to spend time with my niece and nephews (ages 3, 4, 5, and 6!) as often as I can.

4HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN AT HIGHROCK? WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT IT? I have been attending Highrock since 2001. I moved away for two years but returned for the Highrock community as I mentioned before. I most enjoy the close relationships I have with Highrockers of different life stages, both younger and older. I love that there is a real desire to invest in one another and grow together as a body of Christ. I love that I have been able to share both times of joy and times of pain with this community and that it is a safe place where I know I am valued and loved for who I am in Christ.

Family Ministry Contacts: Lead Pastor

Dave Swaim

[email protected]

Executive Pastor

Eugene Kim

[email protected]

Pastor to Youth & Families

Brian Dietz

[email protected]

Director of Children’s Programming

Soo Jin Han

[email protected]

Children’s Ministry Parent Partnership Head

Pam Kinzinger

[email protected]

Family Newsletter Editor

Joseph Lee

[email protected]

Family Newsletter Assistant Editor

Laifong Lee

[email protected]

A HIGHROCK CHURCH PUBLICATION

735 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE, ARLINGTON, MA 02476

In This Issue

Upcoming Events

2 All About: Cooperative Playgroup

September 10 September 14 & 17 September 18 October 2 October 3-9 October 16 October 30 November 13 November 19-21 November 20 December 10-12 December 19

3 Updates From: Brian Dietz 4 Get to Know: Laing Family

4WHAT WILL YOUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITY BE IN THE CHILDREN’S MINISTRY? The three words that describe my position are: Recruitment, Implementation, and Communication. You will see me on Sunday mornings popping in and out of all of the classrooms, making sure that all the teachers and children have what they need, and greeting/meeting new families. I will be the one communicating information from the Children’s Ministry Core Team to the families and recruiting teachers and helpers for Sunday School and other events throughout the year. Pastor Brian and the Children’s Ministry Core Team have some great ideas and it is my main responsibility to make sure that they get done!

4HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR NEW ROLE? I am both excited and a bit anxious about this new role. While I have been heavily involved with Children’s Ministry for years now, being the one responsible changes things a bit! I am, however, very excited to be working closely with Pastor Brian and learning from him, as well as the rest of the staff. I could use your prayers that I would not rely on my own abilities or competence this year but would be reminded that it is by God’s grace that this ministry has grown and it is by His grace that it will continue to grow. I’m just excited to be a part of it!

4WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR HOPES AND GOALS FOR THE CHILDREN’S MINISTRY? With our new curriculum this year, The Praise Factory, I am hoping that teachers and parents together will be able to help the children learn the Biblical truths they highlight. I would love for the teachers to see themselves more as shepherds in the way that they love, care, and teach their kids. I also hope that the kids, teachers, and parents will form deeper relationships with one another through this ministry as they serve each other and serve alongside one another.

WWW.HIGHROCK.ORG

5 Get to Know: Yee Family 6 Student Reflections: Bolivia 8 Student Reflections: Boston Project 9 All About: Family Covenant Groups 10 Family Reflections: Family Camp 12 An Interview with: Soo Jin Han

Youth Group Kickoff Highrock Cooperative Playgroup Orientation Extravamanza Family Gathering Family Covenant Groups Begin Family Covenant Groups Outings Ladypalooza Marriage Conference Youth Retreat Extravamanza Highrock Christmas Concert Children’s Christmas Choir Singing in Morning Services

A word from the Lead Pastor: PASTOR DAVE SWAIM ner together! And we understand the amazing joy of sharing hopes, sorrows, stories and love around that dinner table. We understand the million magic moments that happen throughout the day just because you were keeping mundane commitments to serve each other - when laughter and intimacy snuck in where you hadn’t planned for it or realized was possible.

DEAR FAMILIES, We all know how joyful and exasperating families can be - often at the very same time! Kids inspire so much love and laughter, and yet they also require so much time and sacrifice. Maybe that is one reason that churches are so often compared to families in the Bible - they can be the source of so much joy, vitality and life, but a consistent, intentional investment of time and energy is required in order for us to really experience all that a family or church community can be. Like families, churches include multiple personalities, some of which can seem incompatible at times. Like families, church people have needs at inconvenient times. Like families, sometimes churches reveal parts of our own personalities we’d rather not acknowledge. Like families, churches can be the channel of God’s blessings through which He gives us so much more than we ever expected- ever imagined was possible.

THE SWAIM FAMILY Michelle and I have six children, ages 4-16, so we are in the middle of several parenting stages simultaneously. We understand the challenges of helping them all develop in age appropriate ways to become the individuals God created each of them to be, while also keeping them from killing each other in the process! We understand the effort required to nurture love for God and one another when you have 8 sinners sharing a single house. We understand the difficulty of creating a spiritual environment amid the confusion of multiple schedules. We understand the challenge of simply sitting down to din-

Churches are the same way. People who show up to watch the show on occasional Sundays may enjoy it, but they will never taste how meaningful, spiritual and joyful true church community can be. In the middle of dutifully keeping our commitments to show up at covenant group, or to serve in a ministry, or serve a person in need when it feels inconvenient - suddenly we are surprised by joy, love, and Jesus Himself in places we might not have planned on. My family has been blessed over and over again through this church- both through its official ministries and the CONT’D

A WORD FROM THE LEAD PASTOR CONT’D informal, essential network of relationships that have grown up all around it. God has used this church to encourage us, inspire us, challenge us, nourish us, rescue us and to demonstrate His amazing grace. We have grown to know God better and love Him more through this church.

able to give and receive life in uniquely Christian ways. I pray that you will find places to serve that allow you to use your God-given gifts to bless others. And I pray that your family will grow and be blessed here the way that my family has over the past 10 years.

With love,

Dave Swaim LEAD PASTOR HIGHROCK CHURCH

All about: COOPERATIVE PLAYGROUP BY:COURTNEY EATON

“Highrock playgroup has given me an opportunity to bond with other mothers going through the same stages of life... it’s been an encouragement to know that everyone else has the same fears, thoughts, and crazy moments that I have. Playgroup has been a consistency that both my daughter and I have needed and wanted.” - Brianna Doo, mom to Mikayla For those who may not be familiar with our ministry, we meet weekly in Highrock’s preschool rooms (behind the sanctuary). We offer an open time for connecting with our kids, structured story time, snack time (because there is always food with kids) and discussion time for parents to connect without their kids. Discussions range from the spiritual challenges of parenting to what is your favorite hobby and everything in between. Being that we are a cooperative, the parents are involved in making this ministry everything it is by taking on roles within the group such as leading story 2 time, bringing in snacks, leading adult discussion or caring for the children.

CHILDREN’S, YOUTH AND

Over the past few years Highrock has experienced a significant amount of growth in having families get involved with our church. As a result, I was hired one year ago to be the first Pastor to Youth and Families. It was a full and exciting first year that continued to involve growth in a number of areas. We explored many ways to serve the children, youth and families that are coming each week. Some things we tried went great, and other things sent us back to the drawing board. After a summer of praying and planning for this next year, we’ve got lots of new endeavors coming up that we are thrilled to share with you. CHILDREN’S MINISTRY: New Times and New Curriculum We have added a second service of Children’s Ministry so that we now have it during both the 9:00am and 10:45am services. Class sizes were becoming too large to effectively shepherd children in the space we have. We look forward to having space to better teach and to better welcome newcomers.

HOW COULD A GROUP WHERE PARENTS CAN BRING THEIR YOUNG KIDS TO PLAY RESULT IN A LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE?

For the past two years, Highrock’s Cooperative Playgroup has been providing many of its parents with that space and time to connect in a fun environment. Shortly after my family began attending Highrock, I began attending the playgroup. The group far surpassed my expectations (and continues to)! I have found loving relationships, muchneeded support and a place to connect. I know that I am not alone. Many others have been touched by this ministry and found playgroup an inviting way to connect further (or maybe for the first time) with the Highrock community. Here’s what another mom says:

WHAT’S NEW THIS YEAR IN FAMILY MINISTRY?

I am glad you are here, because I want you to experience this very same thing - and I want us to experience it together. I pray that God will use each of us to bless one another. Whether it be through the moms’ playgroup, a covenant group, family camp, bringing meals to new parents or serving in some other ministry, I pray that you will find that small community within the larger congregation where you are

Well, simple…You bring together parents who are in the physically demanding, emotionally draining and spiritually challenging life stage of raising young children; give them a space and time to connect with one another; add in God’s grace and loving presence; and you have the recipe for uplifting life changes.

Updates from Youth and Famly Pastor: BRIAN DIETZ

We have had such an overwhelmingly positive response to the playgroup that we will be offering two group meeting times this fall. One group will meet on Tuesday mornings from 9:30 to 11:30 am; the other group will meet Friday mornings from 9:30 to 11:30 am. By hosting two groups, we are hoping that more families might be able to find space to connect with one another within the Highrock community. We would invite anyone that is interested to come visit us at our orientation days on Tuesday, September 14 and Friday, September 17 from 9:30 to 11:30 am, where we’ll provide an overview of our ministry and ways to get more involved. If you have any questions in the meantime, feel free to contact me at [email protected].

Important Info: Highrock Cooperative Playgroup Orientation: Tuesday, September 14 Friday, September 17 9:30am - 11:30am Highrock Cooperative Playgroup Times: Tuesdays & Fridays 9:30am - 11:30am For More Information: Courtney Eaton [email protected]

We have also chosen a new curriculum called the Praise Factory. The curriculum begins with 2 year olds and goes through 5th grade. It is based on 16 Big Questions of our faith such as: “What Did Jesus Come to Do?”, “How Should God’s People Live Each Day?” and “Why Do God’s People Go to Church?”. The younger kids simply learn basic responses to these questions by hearing Bible stories, singing songs and doing crafts. The elementary kids work on the same questions too, but cover various sub-points to fill out their answers to the questions. The older kids process through the Big Questions by hearing stories from the Old Testament, New Testament and Church History in large group time. They then consider how these questions and answers intersect their lives as they engage in dramas, games, songs, crafts and other activities all centered on the main point of the day. And at the end of the class they receive a take home sheet to do with their parents! We are really excited to try this out as a way to better shepherd our kids! YOUTH MINISTRY: Two New Youth Groups! We have split the youth group into Middle School and High School. Both groups will continue to meet on Friday Nights and will overlap some. But to better care for the needs and differences of middle school students and high school students we felt that giving them each their own space and time was critical!! The Middle School group will begin by having dinner together, followed by some games, teaching and small groups. We will then meet up with the High School group for some worship and possibly a little mixer or activity. Then the High School group will have a bible study, small groups, some food and wrap up with some time to just hang out and play some games. We also plan to rent out a gym occasionally and just have some recreation nights. It should be a very exciting year with the teens!

THE DIETZ FAMILY: BRIAN WITH HIS WIFE HEATHER AND DAUGHTERS, ABBY & LYDIA FAMILY MINISTRY: New Family Covenant Groups! This year we are hoping to build up and support families through creating more covenant groups for them. Highrock has historically been very committed to covenant groups as a way to connect and grow with one another. The young adults have their covenant groups down to a science and we are hoping to get caught up to them with family groups! Our goal for this year is to add more groups and to also better equip groups to not only help parents grow, but to also encourage intergenerational connections that include children in portions of the small group time. We will be learning together as we go, but we look forward to seeing how God teaches us through these family groups. We will launch the Family Covenant Groups on October 2nd through a Family Gathering at the church where we will have some dinner, family activities and time to connect with other families. Lots of new stuff! We are excited for these changes, but also mindful of how much prayer and support we need to carry them out. If you have a passion for anything you have just read, let me know. I am excited to partner with you in serving children, youth and families!

Brian Dietz YOUTH & FAMILY PASTOR HIGHROCK CHURCH

TO CONTACT PASTOR BRIAN: EMAIL: [email protected] PHONE: (781) 652-9859

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Get to Know:

THE LAING FAMILY

LANCE, HILARY, OLIVIA, PIERCE & SERENA

Get to Know:

4PLEASE SHARE WITH US ABOUT THE JOYS AND CHALLENGES OF RAISING A FAMILY:

4PLEASE TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELVES AND YOUR FAMILY? We met and courted whilst on bicycles in Baltimore when we were in our 30’s and married less than a year after starting to date. Hilary was teaching children in a residential hospital environment and Lance was finishing his PhD in biophysics. We discussed early on in our relationship the sharing of our faith and making this work with raising a family. The minister of our church who married us told us he assumed we were an “old married couple” when we asked him to marry us. We enjoy challenging outdoors sports and sharing this passion with our children and friends. We have lived in Boston since 1996 when we moved here from St Louis for Lance’s first startup company. We moved to Belmont when our oldest daughter, Olivia (now a sophomore at Belmont High) was one year old. Our two other children, Pierce (7th grader) and Serena (5th grader) have lived their whole lives in Belmont. Hilary teaches preK at Shady Hill School in Cambridge and Lance consults in the life science industry.

4ANY UNIQUE OR INTERESTING TRADITIONS? We do not really think we have any unique or interesting traditions, just things we do together, some frequently, some regularly. In the past, we have structured Sunday as a family day where we are swimming, cycling, hiking, etc., together after church. Our activities together provide us with memorable times like the time we were all out together sailing on a pond in Stoneham on a very windy 4th of July and we capsized a J21 and had fun getting it back across the pond together. We usually have a summer ice cream quest to taste specialty ice cream in shops from NH to CT. We have always spent a family Christmas in Baltimore and have family days around Easter and Thanksgiving too.

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We look at our children as gifts and raising them a responsibility, both given to us by God. We often use this language and context when we are speaking with our children and directing their activities. We see one of the greatest challenges as balancing what the rest of the kids in the world are doing with what we believe is right for our children. Creating time for and focus on God when the rest of the world is drawing families in other directions can be difficult. We have to be together, on the same page, as parents to accomplish this. To be effective, we have to identify issues, make time to discuss them and determine our position. Most importantly, we have to make the time to purposefully walk through life alongside our children, guiding them in the ways we think God would – all very purposeful and proactive. Watching our children go out into the world as friends, students, athletes, and move from one accomplishment to the next success is one of the most amazing joys, as is the happiness each of them brings our family each day.

4HOW DID YOU FIND HIGHROCK? WHAT WAS YOUR INITIAL IMPRESSION? We first visited Highrock in the summer of 2009 while ‘church shopping’. We were looking for a vibrant community to share in our worship and service to God, a place where our children could learn about and grow in Christ, a place where we saw the fruits of the spirit manifest in the work and lives of the community. We are quite pleased to say that we have found all the above in abundance and are continually amazed at how God is working in this community. We were impressed with the friendliness and outgoing nature of folks during Soul Café – what a great Christian practice!

4YOU’VE BEEN AT HIGHROCK FOR OVER A YEAR NOW, WHAT WERE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OR MEMORABLE MOMENTS? We enrolled in the membership/new comer “Desert with Dave” meetings right after we first started attending. There, we were refreshed by the simplicity of the process and 3-4 uncomplicated basic tenets of the underlying ECC foundation. We officially became members in March 2010 and saw Olivia confirmed at Highrock shortly thereafter. Our first Maundy Thursday dinner and Good Friday service during Lent 2010 were very meaningful for our whole family. Olivia and Pierce went through their first mission with Pastor Brian and Heather and some of the other Highrock Youth Group this summer with the Boston Project, an amazing week for them. We have been to member’s meetings and are truly appreciative of the way God is blessing the leaders and community at Highrock so that they are empowered to serve Him. We are still working to meet more families and find our places to serve in this community.

4ANY WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO NEW FAMILIES WHO ARE CONSIDERING MAKING HIGHROCK THEIR HOME CHURCH? We were searching many churches for a community in Christ last year. We have been many years in several types of churches and have a pretty good idea when we are meeting with God in a place. I encourage new families to ask something of their basic needs when they are looking for a church. Design some specific questions that you believe will address some of your most heartfelt concerns – Do I sense that I can know Him, love Him, and desire more of His will in this new Christian community? Is there even a sense of community? Is there a skilled ministry team devoted to helping the community accomplish these goals? If God was doing work in this community would it look like what this church is doing? Actively seek the answers to your basic questions such as these and I think you will find as our family did that the answers are a resounding YES, HE is at Highrock.

THE YEE FAMILY

JOHN, MIA, NATHAN, ANA, CALEB & FRANCES 4PLEASE TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELVES AND YOUR FAMILY?

One of our favorite traditions is going to Christian family camp almost every summer for the past 8 years. We went to Camp Berea this summer with about a dozen other Highrock families, and had an amazing week of fun and fellowship. Another tradition is going on weekend retreats twice a year with the other families from our Bible study group. We’ve been blessed to be part of the same small group for 18 years!

By the grace of God, both of us became followers of Christ when we were children. John grew up attending a Catholic church in Minnesota, but first heard the gospel through Vacation Bible School at the local Baptist church, and committed his life to Christ during a summer Bible camp run by the Lutheran church. Mia grew up in Maryland and dedicated her life to Christ as a member of the youth group at her family’s Korean Baptist church. We met during college here in Boston, and were friends for almost 10 years before we got married in 1992. At that time, John was finishing his medical training at Children’s Hospital, while Mia was serving as a new faculty member in the music department at Gordon College and travelling around the world as a concert pianist. In 1996, we welcomed Nathan into our family, followed by Ana in 1999, Caleb in 2002 and Frances in 2006. John now heads the medical department at a biotechnology company in Cambridge, and Mia is in her twentieth year of teaching at Gordon College. We live in Winchester, just a couple miles from Highrock Church.

4HOW DID YOU FIND HIGHROCK? WHAT WAS YOUR INITIAL IMPRESSION?

4YOU’VE BEEN AT HIGHROCK FOR OVER A YEAR NOW, WHAT WERE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OR MEMORABLE MOMENTS?

We first visited Highrock about three years ago, when two of the teens from families in our small group were confirmed and baptized. We were struck by the Spirit-filled worship and the strong desire of Highrockers who wanted to know and follow Christ. We were also impressed by the youthfulness of the church; at our previous church we were the “young people,” at Highrock, we are now the “old people!”

When we first came to Highrock, we decided to jump right in by serving on the Soulfood team and by becoming official members of the church. Both decisions helped us get involved and connected right away. Week by week, our family has benefitted from the excellent Bible-based preaching and teaching. We’re blessed to have such a faithful ministerial staff and dedicated group of volunteers, especially the young adults! Watching the Youth Group and Family Ministry grow over the last couple of years has been very exciting. We were thrilled to have Brian Dietz join the staff last year, as he encourages kids and families to grow deeper and stronger in our faith. One of the most memorable highlights happened last summer when Nathan and John had the opportunity to spend a week in Bolivia with other Highrock families learning about the ministry to street children led by fellow Highrockers, Chi and Kristin Huang.

4ANY UNIQUE OR INTERESTING TRADITIONS?

Want to get involved? Are you interested in contributing or helping with the family newletter? Please contact one of our editors: Joseph Lee: [email protected] Laifong Lee: [email protected]

4ANY WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO NEW FAMILIES WHO ARE CONSIDERING MAKING HIGHROCK THEIR HOME CHURCH? In the midst of our busy family and work lives, and in a city filled with postmodern skeptics, it’s challenging to raise our children to know and follow Christ, and to keep our marriage healthy and strong. Having Highrock as our church home has been a source of encouragement to us and a blessing for our kids. It takes more than a family or even a village to raise a child; it takes a fellowship of believers of all ages and backgrounds to “hold unswervingly to the hope we profess” and “to consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” So “let us not give up meeting together… but let us encourage one another….” (Heb 10:23-25). Highrock is a wonderful church for families who are striving to do just that!

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Student Reflections:

A SUMMER IN BOLIVIA BY JOSHUA LEE & ANNE-MILDA PU

ANNE-MILDA PU 11th Grade

ANNE-MILDA PU IN FRONT OF THE MURAL AT KAYA CHILDREN

“THEREFORE DO NOT WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW, FOR TOMORROW WILL WORRY ABOUT ITSELF. EACH DAY HAS ENOUGH TROUBLE OF ITS OWN.” - MATTHEW 6:34

JOSHUA LEE 10th Grade

I’M STANDING AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD. But I have never felt farther from the top in my entire life. I am standing at 14,000 feet, but I feel like I have been dropped into the depths of hell, a bystander who can only watch as unspeakable crimes and unfathomable sins are committed. Why have I come to the city of La Paz, Bolivia, where darkness engulfs every street corner and abandoned alley? Because in this darkness – as in every darkness – there is the light of God shining somewhere. It is not always in plain sight, but it is here. And I am here to find it. I am here to help it illuminate the world. For the past two summers I have had the amazing opportunity to go down to Bolivia to work with Kaya International. Kaya is an organization, founded by Highrock’s own Dr. Chi Huang, which takes in boys and girls living on the streets and gives them a home, providing them with a family, meals, and 4 education.

Living on the streets on La Paz is nothing like living on the streets of Boston, or anywhere else in the US. There are no soup kitchens or homeless shelters to go to feed and protect you. Rather there are garbage bins and alleys where you can pick up rotting food and sleep in cardboard boxes. There are no policemen there to help you if you are in need. Rather there are policemen there who will take off their nametags and beat you, taking what little possessions you may have and walking away with any remaining pride you may have salvaged. Although there are a few centers in which the street boys and girls can stay, most of them do not know how to make the children feel safe and secure, leading many of the kids to prefer the streets to the centers. But Kaya is different in many ways. This summer for one week the dream team of five, Tony Chyn, Hubert Park, Anne-Milda Pu, Joseph Lee, and myself, went down to La Paz to do everything in our capacity to help Kaya in the time we were there. The two adults and Tony set up a dental clinic for 4 days, seeing over 45 kids. They mostly did fillings and sealants and taught the children how to take care of their teeth, giving them all their own toothbrushes,

THE DREAM TEAM: TONY CHYN, HUBERT PARK & JOSEPH LEE toothpaste, and floss. While the dentists worked all day, Anne-Milda used her painting skills to bring life to the new Kaya Center. Recently Kaya rented an old school to be a new center, which serves as classrooms, dining halls, and even bedrooms for the boys and girls. Though the facilities are much bigger than the previous center, the school still needs a lot of TLC, and the amazing mural Anne-Milda designed was a great way to kick off the revitalization of the facility. While in Bolivia, I helped Kaya prepare

for the “Kaya Challenge”. This October Kaya will challenge supporters, friends, family, and strangers to raise either $1,000 or $5,000 individually or as a group. During the month, to encourage those taking the challenge, an email will be sent out with a picture of one of the children at Kaya and a brief bio. Writing and photography are two of my passions, so I felt like this was the perfect opportunity to help. It was so much fun interviewing the kids and some of their answers were truly hilarious. If you want to hear what they said I suggest you take the challenge and find out for yourself J. Going to Bolivia this year was definitely one of the highlights of my summer. I truly believe Kaya is an organization committed to illuminating the darkness in La Paz, and I know that Chi and Kristen Huang have dedicated their lives to doing just that. If you would like to hear more about our trip, or Kaya International as an organization I know that any of the team members or Kaya staff will be more than eager to talk with you. “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” (Matthew 20:16) v

WORRY, AND LEARNING HOW NOT TO worry seemed, for me, to be the theme of my 2010 Bolivia trip. From before I was even in Bolivia I was worrying; worrying about the plane trip there, worrying about whether or not I would be able to enter Bolivia with the visa I had, worrying if all the supplies we had packed in our suitcases would make it through, worrying about everything. I spent a majority of the plane ride on our way to Bolivia in prayer, asking God to lift the burdens caused by my worries. But the worrying did not stop there. Once we were in Bolivia there were constantly new things to worry about. I worried about our safety, our health, whether or not I would get to see the kids as much as I had hoped, whether I would finish painting the mural in the time I had, and the list went on and on. By Sunday night I was already ex-

hausted, not physically but mentally. I took my Bible and hoping for some sort of relief I looked in the concordance under “worry” and found the Matthew 6 passage. I then prayed that God would take away my worry and hoped that I would wake up the next morning free of worry (which did not happen, of course). Ironically, for our devotion the following morning, Dr. Chi Huang read this same passage. A reminder, I think. I realized that maybe one of the reasons God tells us not to worry is because worrying does nothing for us. Worrying does not improve our situation since it usually makes them worse, it does not solve our problems but rather usually makes them seem like even bigger problems, and it distracts us from focusing more clearly on God. Throughout the week I learned not to wrap myself up in all my concerns and doubts but to give them up to Him. Not worrying is the least that we can do after everything that God has done, because then we show Him that we believe we are in His hands. v

To Learn More: Kaya Children International www.kayachildren.org

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Student Reflections:

BOSTON PROJECT MINISTRIES BY JOE MORRISON

IN MID-JULY, A GROUP OF HIGHROCK YOUTH LED by Pastor Brian Dietz set out on a weeklong mission trip in the Boston neighborhood of Dorchester. Working with the Boston Project Ministries, a community-based outreach organization, our team engaged in several projects throughout the week, the most notable of which were painting, landscaping, and homeless outreach with the Boston Rescue Mission shelter. Our team, along with a group from North Carolina, slept at a historic church in Dorchester’s Codman Square. Every day we split up into small groups and dispersed to separate service sites, each led by a Boston Project staff member. Most were located in Dorchester, and usually involved helping out individual families. However, each day a group would take the subway downtown and work for the Boston Rescue Mission, serving lunch to the homeless and performing various other tasks. Additionally, one night several team members worked with Starlight Ministries, an organization which ministers to the homeless every week in Boston Common. Our team members—including myself, Ben Ehmann, Andrew Kang, Olivia and Pierce Laing, Josh Lee, Jake Mahon, Tia Schmidt, Nathan Yee, and Brian and Heather Dietz—took care to recognize our faith-based commitment with each service project, a task encouraged by the morning and nighttime activities scheduled by the Boston Project. Before dispersing to various sites each day, we engaged together in worship and devotionals. Furthermore, creative nightly activities helped arouse our awareness to issues of social injustice that our faith in Christ calls us to address. Overall, we maintained a strong focus on God and on our roles as servants of Christ. In this respect, the Boston Project was a clear success. Having set many goals in our team covenant prior to the trip, we found most to have been accomplished and even exceeded throughout the week. Debriefing afterwards, it seemed apparent that many, if not all, of our team members had experienced tremendous spiritual growth and had formed closer friendships with each other.

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However, it would be naïve to think that the Boston Project was a cure-all, for both personal spirituality as well as social ills. In group discussions, it was clear that team members understood the limited nature of our commitment. One week of service, Pastor Dietz explained, is certainly not going to fix all of the problems in the world. Indeed, it barely begins to address them. Similarly,

effort must be made beyond the Boston Project to make its personal impact lasting. One team member I talked with expressed how past mission trips had failed to leave a permanent mark on his faith and his commitment to Christ. These are vital recognitions for all Boston Project participants, including myself. As a Christian who often struggles with recognizing my commitment in everyday life, I must learn from this temporary commitment and make the effort to cultivate my relationship with God. It would be easy for me to sink back into my daily habits, and to gradually shake off the inspiration the Boston Project gave me. Indeed, I often experience this effect after reading books on Christianity—the original inspiration fails to have a long term effect. But while the Boston Project aroused my sensitivity towards issues of social justice, it also brought me to the realization that faith is the only true solution. One must take the time to grow closer to God, and to cultivate a relationship that expresses itself actively, in the diligent and unwavering love and help of one’s neighbors. Through its strong focus on faith, the Boston Project sets me and other team members on this path with enthusiasm and urgency.

THE HIGHROCK YOUTH BOSTON PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS

To Learn More:

All About:

FAMILY COVENANT GROUPS BY ERIC & SHIRLEY CHIOU

ALTHOUGH SUNDAYS ARE GREAT FOR meeting people in service or chatting over a snack in Soulfood, we found that in between wrangling two young toddlers, having deeper, meaningful conversations with other adults can be nearly impossible. Shortly after we first started attending Highrock 3 years ago, we realized that we were missing this vital aspect of fellowship. Being invited to join a family covenant group definitely helped us get plugged into the greater Highrock community and allowed us to fill that void in our Christian lives.

chance to get back into studying and discussing the Bible in a group setting – something we really missed since moving here to Boston and our girls were born.

Of course, it certainly helps that we generally invite a baby sitter to watch all the kids while the adults are meeting. This has really helped to cut down on distractions and let the focus of the meeting (at least temporarily) be on the spiritual and emotional growth of the couples. And it definitely doesn’t hurt that we usually wrap up our small group meetings with a delicious potWe’ve really appreciated being part luck Sunday dinner! of a covenant group comprised of couples and families in relatively simi- Our covenant group at Highrock has lar life-stages. As new parents, it’s been been a wonderful experience for our comforting to know that we are not family. Not only has it given us the alone on this journey! Whether it’s shar- chance to connect with others on a ing about the daily joys and challenges more personal level, it has been a warm in parenting, trading advice on how to and supportive environment for fostermaintain a healthy marriage, or simply ing spiritual growth in our family. For encouraging and praying for one an- those who are new to Highrock, joining other, we’ve valued the opportunity a covenant group is a great way to get to build community through our cove- involved in the church community and nant group. We have also enjoyed the to really make it your church home.

To Learn More: Come learn about the family covenant groups at the first Family Gathering of the year: Saturday, October 2 Highrock Commons Get connected by contacting the Family & Youth Pastor, Brian Dietz: [email protected] Visit our website for a complete list of covenant groups: www.highrock.org

The Boston Project Ministries www.tbpm.org

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Family Reflections:

FAMILY CAMP

WITH HOME IMPROVEMENT MINISTRIES BY THE UPTON FAMILY & KINZINGER FAMILY

THIS PAST SUMMER ABOUT 15 HIGHROCK families attended Family Camp at Camp Berea on Newfound Lake in New Hampshire. Paul and Virginia Friesen were the Program Directors, having over 35 years of experience in running these camps. They bring a great team of college students with them to put on incredible times of teaching, playing, worshipping and connecting for families! Below are some pictures of the time we spent at camp, along with some testimonies from families who attended.

EVERY SUMMER WE SPEND TIME VISITING family in Chicago and Pennsylvania. We do activities together, experience communal living and bond with cousins, aunts and uncles and grandparents. This year we decided it was time for us to have our own family vacation. After Pastor Dave spoke last summer about how much their family enjoyed Camp Berea, we decided to go for it. We were looking forward to time with Highrockers in addition to our own family excursion to Franconia Notch. Little did we know how much the whole family would love this experience! So much so that Corinna, our four year old, burst into tears as we left saying goodbye to “New Hampshire”.

Camp Berea was another week of doing activities together and experiencing communal living. The difference was that

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of soccer where the adults took on the kids – and sadly lost more than won. Our family grew through the daily times of family devotions that were tied in to the week’s theme that was focused on the Prodigal Son and the Love of the Father. Our kids got a lot out of their classes each morning and were excited to share and talk during our family times right after lunch each day. Eating, playing, praying, swimming,

Important Info:

walking, running, laughing . . . doing it all together with so many other families built and solidified great relationships that we look forward to continuing on with. We’ve already signed up for next year and hope lots more families do too! v BY THE UPTONS: DAVE, JEAN, VICTORIA, OLIVIA, EVERETT & ELLA

HOW CAN YOU SIGN UP FOR NEXT YEAR? We would love to have even more people join us next summer. But believe it or not, the camp is so popular you have to sign up now because the camp is already booked solid. You will be placed on a waiting list, but most likely space will open up before next summer. And if space does not open up, Highrock has been promised off-site housing to accommodate our church. The dates that Highrock attends are from August 13-19. To sign up just call Camp Berea at 603-744-6344 or you can check them out online at www.berea.org. v

BY THE KINZINGERS: ART, PAM, CLARK & CORINNA

THE FAMILY CAMP STAFF

THE MAIN REASON OUR FAMILY WENT TO Family Camp was to build deeper relationships with families at Highrock. We also wanted an experience that would encompass our whole family. Looking back at our experience we are happy to report that both of these things happened. Our connections with Highrockers grew through daily small group time with other couples from Highrock, through lots of time on the beach each afternoon and some amazing games

we bonded with people we see every week. With both of our families out of town, this experience is helping us create a Highrock family. We enjoyed three meals a day together, worshiping and hearing God’s Word together. We had kid-free adult conversations together about things that matter. We did crazy recreational activities together like jumping off of motor boats and a 20 foot blob, aiming bows at targets, making family banners and enjoying watching our kids play together. We had time for conversations that are hard to have on Sunday mornings during Soul Cafe. Time with our immediate family, time in nature that filled our souls, and time with our newly forming Highrock family. It truly was a gift of time and felt like a taste of heaven. We can’t wait for next year! v

FAMILY CAMP WITH HOME IMPROVEMENT MINISTRIES AUGUST 13 - 19, 2011

MEMBERS OF THE KINZINGER, LIM, AND HUANG FAMILIES

CAMP BEREA

(603) 744-6344

NEWFOUND LAKE, NH

WWW.BEREA.ORG

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