Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Ocean Grove NJ 2011 Season - Advance Announcements (Highlights)

Mark your 2011 Calendars!

Here are some events that have been announced in advance of the 2011 season! These can change and I'm sure more events will be added! Keep checking back at the website at oceangrove.org

Music highlights: http://oceangrove.livesitehost.com/pages/Special_Music_Events11

June 18 - 7:00pm - Ocean Grove Hymn Sing with Lew and Faith Daniels Bishop Janes Tabernacle

July 10 - 7:30pm - 57th Annual Choir Festival - over 1,000 singers, exciting guest conductors, brass, and our magnificent Hope-Jones organ

Christian Concerts and Events highlights: http://oceangrove.livesitehost.com/pages/christianconcerts2011
May 20, 21, 22 2011 - JERSEY SHORE WILL GRAHAM CELEBRATION
Speaker: Will Graham (Grandson of Evangelist Billy Graham)
With Top Christian Artists - to be determined
www.jerseyshorecelebration.org

June 24,2011 BRIDGE WORSHIP EVENT
Bridgefest 2011 dates are set!
We have exciting plans for 2011 and we look forward to sharing more in coming months.
www.bridgefest.org
Stay tuned!


Camp Meeting Week Highlights: http://oceangrove.livesitehost.com/pages/camp_meeting_week_2011

Saturday, July 30th 9:00am Bible Hour: Lloyd Pulley
10:30am New Beginnings Show (AUD) 11:00am WMCA Beach Festival (NE Beach)
8:00pm Camp Meeting Worship Event: An Evening with The David Crowder Band in the Great Auditorium

Thursday, August 4th
10:30am Walk Thru The Bible Old Testament (TAB)
7:30pm Teen Show (YT)

Friday, August 5th
10:30am Walk Thru The Bible New Testament (TAB)
7:30pm Teen Show: (YT)

Growth and Renewal Highlights: http://oceangrove.livesitehost.com/pages/Growth___Renewal_2011

Youth Worker University
2011 includes the following programs:
* June: 3 Story Evangelism
* August 3: Parent & Teen Seminar
* October: Multiplying Student Leaders

The Forge Conference...September 29-October 1
Worship Arts Technology Summit

Global Leadership Summit
Annual two-day world-class leadership training event
August 11 & 12, 2011 in the Youth Temple
Summit Speakers to be announced on March 31, 2011

Missions Training
Missions 101 totally sold out for both session in 2010, registration for 2011 opens in February 2011
Expanded the program with a "missions" focused event as part of the regular youth program...reaching out to the Asbury UMC Food Bank as well as other hands-on experiences.
Developing a winter break program entitled: Missions 202, a conference on evangelism to take Missions 101 graduates to a new level. This will be held on January 14-16 at Grove Hall

Sunday Worship highlights: http://oceangrove.livesitehost.com/pages/SUNDY_WORSHIP2011
June 19 - 10:30am & 7:30pm Rev. Dr. DeFOREST BUSTER SOARIES
July 3 - 10:30am ANNE GRAHAM LOTZ
July 3 - 7:30pm SHANE CLAIBORNE Founding partner of The Simple Way
August 21 - 10:30am & 7:30pm Pastor ALISTAIR BEGG

Bible Hour highlights: http://oceangrove.livesitehost.com/pages/BIBLE_HOUR_2011
June 27-July 2 Pastor GAYLE ERWIN Founder of Servant Quarters Cathedral City, CA
July 4-9 Pastor ROB CRUVER Senior Pastor Zarephath Christian Church Zarephath, NJ
July 25-30 Pastor LLOYD PULLEY Senior Pastor Calvary Chapel Old Bridge Old Bridge, NJ

All of this and more on the website at oceangrove.org
You may find the calendar here (http://oceangrove.livesitehost.com/pages/Calendar_08) helpful too.

Is Christmas Over?

Merry Christmas to all of you and a Happy New Year to all!

Yesterday as I was shoveling out from the blizzard snow storm we had here, I was trying to find places to throw the snow. Things are pretty tight by the driveway near the garage and about the only place to throw the snow was on top of the already covered nativity scene. The snow drifts were already covering the characters up to their heads anyway.

While I was shoveling, I got to thinking about how it seems Christmas is over already. The gifts have mostly all been exchanged. We are moving on with getting back to matters at hand (like shoveling snow). I thought about Christmas day. Had I been thinking about what Christmas was truly about on Christmas day or was I just caught up in the festivities and time together with others? And now, even the christian radio station has stopped playing Christmas songs.

Then I got back to thinking about how I was covering the nativity with snow. Am I being too quick to cover over Christmas and move on? Do we all try to "cover over" Christmas and move on too quickly?

I thought back to years ago when we had a pastor who always emphasized how Advent was the time leading up to Christmas and then when the Christmas season came on Christmas day it would last for a while. In recent years, especially with commercialism, Christmas is pushed to start before thanksgiving and ends about noon on Christmas day!

I remember how our mom and dad would take us around to visit relatives in the time after Christmas day. We would spend time with cousins, Aunts, and Uncles. Christmas lasted for days.

Some would say that Christmas should be in our hearts all year long. That's a good thought. So, let's not be so quick to move on. Let's take time to languish in the moment. I just watched a video about Mary, Joseph and the baby that a friend posted on facebook. After Jesus is born, the shepherds and wise men visit. And then, they just stay. They stay in quietness and spend time in the presence of the baby.

Christmas isn't over, let's remain here a bit.

Are you still celebrating Christmas? Please comment!

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