Retreat Pictures

Last night we had a fun time looking back at some of the pictures from our 2015 retreat.  Here's one of the good ones.

Next week we will have a full slideshow of the best pictures and memories from the retreat.

Hope you can join us!

-PT

LAST night of collecting items for CASDA is this WEDNESDAY!

This Wednesday is your last chance to bring items for our CASDA spring donation drive.  Please remember to bring an item for our collection.  We will have a guest from CASDA joining us on Wednesday to take what we collected!

Bring any of the following items:

Paper towels, toilet paper, laundry soap, dish soap, and soap, garbage bags, pillows, cold medicines, Ibuprofen or Tylenol, toiletries and non-perishable food items like canned and boxed foods.

Hope to see you at youth group!

-PT

Another Amazing Retreat

Bayside Youth Group 2015 "Unplugged" Retreat @ Wood Lake Bible Camp

RETREAT is THIS WEEKEND!!!

For those of you who registered for our retreat - IT'S FINALLY HERE!!!!

We will be leaving from Bayside at 5pm on Friday.
It's going to be GREAT!

We will be returning to Bayside at 5pm on Sunday.

Can't wait!

-PT

Girls Bible Study

Guys Night

Opportunities

As I read through the book of Acts it amazes me how the early believers looked for every and any opportunity to share the gospel.  In every-day life, in their travels, in good times and in bad times.  They constantly were witnessing on behalf of the Lord Jesus Christ.

They were willing to share the gospel with enemies just as well as they were sharing it with friends.  In the midst of a midnight jailbreak an opportunity arose for Paul and Silas to escape with their lives out of wrongful imprisonment.  But in that moment an even better opportunity arose:

²⁵ About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, ²⁶ and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened. ²⁷ When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. ²⁸ But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” ²⁹ And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. ³⁰ Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” ³¹ And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved (Acts 16:25-31)

What an amazing testimony!  If Paul and Silas hadn’t been constantly open and looking for opportunities to share the gospel, they would have missed this one and many lives would not have been changed.  But because they were obedient to the Holy Spirit and bold in their faith – God did an amazing work right in front of them.

It left me asking myself, “Am I constantly looking for open opportunities to share the gospel?”

Take heart and encouragement from the early believers in the book of Acts.  Be ready, open and looking for opportunities today.  Every day.  Every moment.

-Pastor Tom

Bring an item for CASDA to youth group this week!

We have youth group this week as normal on Wednesday night starting with dinner at 5:45, worship at 6:30 and everything else at 7:00.

Don't forget to bring an item for our CASDA collection basket!  Remember we are collecting items for the CASDA spring drive.

Bring any of the following items and put them in the basket in the youth room:
paper towels, toilet paper, laundry soap, dish soap, hand soap, garbage bags, pillows, cold medicines, Ibuprofen/Tylenol, toiletries and non-perishable food items like canned goods or boxed food.

HELP us HELP our community!

And don't forget to sign up for our retreat if you haven't done so yet!  $70 and permission slip are due to Pastor Tom by April 22nd.  For all students in 7th-12th grade!

See you Wednesday night!

-PT

Transformation

In Acts chapter 9 we read about Saul’s conversion.  It is an amazing story if you think about who he had been and who he was called to be.

Saul was a man on a mission.  He approved of the stoning of Stephen and in Acts 8:3 it says, “Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.”  He certainly had a passion for completing his mission.  That was bad news for the early Christians.

But God had another plan.  The Lord told Ananias that Saul was “a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.”  (Acts 9:15)  After being blinded during his mission on the road to Damascus, Saul was found by Ananias:

“Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 9:17)

Saul became Paul - still a passionate man with a mission.  But now a mission in the name of Jesus Christ!  What an amazing transformation that was!

That is the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ!  Last Sunday we celebrated the resurrected Jesus on Easter Sunday.  At Bayside, we heard about this all important news that changes everything and transforms lives.

So this week have you thought about how the resurrection of Jesus Christ has changed you?  Have you been transformed?

Saul opposed Jesus Christ and was actively persecuting those who believed in our resurrected savior!  But upon seeing and realizing the power of the resurrected Jesus, Paul was called to be a missionary that has impacted so many people in the name of Jesus!

Two questions:

1) Who have you been in the past? 

2) Who have you been called to be? 

If you know and believe in the resurrected Jesus – there is a transformation between the two!

-Pastor Tom 

2015 Retreat

It's not too late to sign up for our retreat!  There are 16 days until we leave!  It's April 24-26 at Wood Lake Bible Camp.

Here's what you need to do to sign up:

1)      Pay $70 to Pastor Tom (checks can be made to Bayside)

2)      Complete a 2015-2016 permission slip form (signed by parent)

3)      Register with Wood Lake Bible Camp online at http://www.woodlakebiblecamp.org/unplugged-.html  

In the Garden

One of my favorite events in the life of Jesus was when he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane.  The story is found in Matthew 26:36-46.  I love the contrast in the demeanor of Jesus between when he entered the garden and when he finished praying.

³⁷ And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. ³⁸ Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 

When he entered the garden, Jesus was sorrowful and troubled.

 ⁴⁵ Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on.  See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶ Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

When he finished praying, Jesus was confident, ready and willing.

So what was the difference?  What happened during that time? 

Jesus spent time connecting with God through prayer.  It’s amazing what can happen to our spirit when we too spend time connecting with God.

-We find strength

-Our attitude changes

-We become bold

-Our perspective changes

-We gain confidence

-We fulfill God’s will and purpose for our lives

-We overcome fear

Let’s take time to connect with God through prayer today!

-Pastor Tom

Serve

Matthew 20:26-28:

“But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, ²⁷ and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, ²⁸ even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve.”

When Jesus walked this earth, he said all sorts of things that went against the grain of culture and normal expectations.  In talking about greatness with his disciples, he encouraged them to serve others.  Jesus came to earth to serve, and he made it clear that we also are to serve.  Especially if we want to be great!

Take a moment today to think and pray about whom you could serve. 

I’m always encouraged by the young people in our church and their willingness to serve.  This school year we have put an emphasis on serving opportunities for students in youth group.  Our students have served as volunteers at a variety of locations in our community.  Working with organizations like the Union Gospel Mission, Special Olympics, Harbor House in Superior, Kids Against Hunger and The Solid Rock Mission.  They’ve even gone to the streets of Duluth to serve others!

All it takes is an opportunity and a willing spirit.

Let’s all pray today that God would give us an opportunity to serve.  And then let’s take a willing spirit with us as we choose to serve someone else today.

Jesus said, “I am among you as the one who serves.” (Luke 22:27)  Let’s follow the example of Jesus and SERVE!

-Pastor Tom