Welcome to NorthStar and G-Force!!!

Howdy,

We have had several visitors to NorthStar and our children’s ministry in the last few weeks. I wanted to take the time to thank you all for visiting. I hope everyone has enjoyed the services and received what you needed from the Lord each week. If you do not have a church home we would certainly ask you to prayerfully consider joining our family here at NorthStar.

If you have any questions concerning the Children’s Ministry (Birth-5th grade) please do not hesitate to give me a call 736.9250 or shoot me an email c.pedersen@northstarcolumbia.org

Thanks again and I hope to see you and your family again soon!

Pastor Chris

Killian Parents

I would like to personally thank all of the parents of children that are participating in the 21st Century program for allowing your children to take part in the G-Force portion of the program on Mondays.

We consider it an honor to share truths from God’s word with them and our team had a blast with the kids this past Monday.

If there is anything I can do for you or if you have any questions please feel free to contact me at the church office 736-9250

Blessings!

Pastor Chris

Pink Panther 2

From Kidology and a Children’s Pastor’s perspective…

Overview

Just how Steve Martin, who once again plays Inspector Jacques Clouseau, says “Hamburger”, just cracks me up. I am a fan of the original movies from the 60’s and so when I heard that The Pink Panther 2 was coming out, I just knew I had to see it. I loved the Pink Panther movie from 2006. Steve Martin and his slap stick antics pretty much stay right in line with the originals that starred Peter Sellers.

I thought that the characters were really well portrayed and the funny antics of all the cast was brought out very well throughout the entire movie. To summarize, this movie is a tremendously funny one that has a lot of slap stick in it, which I personally really like.

Concerns

As always, the movie industry just can’t seem to get away from throwing a little bit of risky behavior (aka sexual innuendos) into a movie and in my opinion, this just kind of ruins it at times. I would say that a lot of the movie is pretty family friendly except some not so mild sexual innuendos between Inspector Clouseau and Mrs. Berenger, played by Lily Tomlin.

Then you have Jean Reno who plays Ponton, the Inspector’s trusty sidekick, who decides to put his career before his family. I just have one word and that is “Wow!”. I know,in the end, he goes back to his family but there is always that call for concern, at least in my mind, throughout the rest of the movie. So, I think parents should beware of this film and the underlying current that, I think at times, really undermines the family morals and virtues that are taught in the Bible.

Teachable Themes

• Perseverance Always Pays Off
  All the way through the movie the Inspector seems to go down his own path and at times to his own folly, but he also never gives up. I think this is definitely a character trait that we as Children’s Ministers and workers need to pass along to this and future generations of kids that we are trying to reach for Jesus. If you really think about it Jesus all throughout the New Testament never gave up and always displayed perseverance.
• Doing the Right Thing
  The Inspector throughout the film has his moments of weakness, as we all do. He always seems to do the right thing in the end. This is a very important example in today’s society because the Inspector always seems to devote himself to being a true gentleman. Even though multiple times in the film he is given opportunity after opportunity to make the unwise choice. But, in the end, without fail his integrity always wins out.
• Laughter Really is Like Medicine
  Just when it seems that all hope is lost and the case will never be solved the Inspector does something that just brings everyone in the room (the theater) to tears of laughter and then suddenly everything is just not quite as bad as it was before. The Bible actually talks about this and says that “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.” In today’s current social times, I think we all need to remember this and hand down to every generation this particular character trait.

Biblical References

• Persistence Always Pays Off
  James 1:3 – 4 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

  Romans 2:7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.

• Doing the Right Thing
  Proverbs 10:9 The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.

  Proverbs 11:3 If you do the right thing, honesty will be your guide. But if you are crooked, you will be trapped by your own dishonesty.

• Laughter Really is Like Medicine
  Joshua 1:2 My friends, be glad, even if you have a lot of trouble.

  Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

Discussion Questions

Persistence Always Pays Off:

1. How do we keep on going and who do we trust in during difficult times?
2. What are some things that you can do as a family to help to always stick together and never give up?

Doing the Right Thing:

1. When we are faced with a hard situation how do we do the right thing even though the wrong thing looks so good sometimes?
2. Who should we ask for help when we are tempted to do the wrong thing?

Laughter Really is Like Medicine:

1. Think of three things that you can do to bring joy and laughter to your life right in the middle of a tough situation?
2. What are some practical things that we as an individual and a family can do to bring joy to other peoples lives around us?

Jonas Brothers Review

Here is another review for you from the kidology website…Enjoy!

Discuss this movie review (Kidology Network Forums) Overview Nick! Joe! Kevin! AAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Add some JoBro music…throw in some 3D glasses, Demi Lavato, Taylor Swift and backstage footage and you’ve got the Jonas Brothers: The 3-D Concert Experience For those of you who experienced the Hannah Montana concert film last year, you are probably saying, “Not again!” This, however, was a pleasant experience…probably because of the versatility and talent of the Jonas Brothers. These are not cookie-cutter, prefab stars and songs. Their music has depth. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. This movie gives you an up close and personal look at a concert and what goes on behind the scenes. The film shows excerpts from the Jonas Brothers’ ‘Burning Up’ concert tour. There are lots of loyal, ecstatic, screaming fans and zany JoBro segments. Jonas Brothers: the 3-D Concert Experience really tries to give you insight into the lives of this famous family. I had the joy of sharing the IMAX “Experience” with three of my nieces. The 5-year-old is a Hannah/Jonas mega fan. She wore her Jonas shirt with great pride. The 11-year-old wanted to see the movie and likes the Jonas Brothers, but is way too cool to admit it publicly. The 17-year-old went along for the ride…hey, she got to skip school! We had a blast! We laughed, we sang, we screamed, we did the wave…we thoroughly enjoyed the movie. Was it worth the $17.50 per ticket price tag? Probably not, but the family time was priceless. Most people assume the Jonas Brothers are just another Disney find, but the truth is that the trio has been working hard at their craft for some time now. Youngest brother, Nick, is the prodigy. He is the driving force…the greatest talent of the three. The other brothers take direction from him. Nick had his start on Broadway in A Christmas Carol, Annie Get Your Gun, Beauty and the Beast and Les Miserables. Joe played the Artful Dodger on Broadway in Oliver! Joe also sang opera in La Boehme. All three brothers starred in commercials. In 2004, Nick Jonas did a CD of mostly spiritual songs for Columbia Records who later signed all the brothers. After one CD, Columbia Records dropped them because “the indicators were not there.” They found an audience on the internet and it was there they caught the eye and ear of Bob Cavallo, the chairman of Buena Vista Music Group, and the rest has been mouse history…with a lot of hard work by the Jonas family. For this audience, it is important to note that the Jonas family is a close-knit, humble, Christian family. Their parents met at Christ for the Nations Bible College in Dallas. Afterwards Dad, Kevin Sr., became a Pastor. The Jonas Brothers grew up in church. On youTube you can see a clip of a very young Kevin singing I Am Amazed. They went to Christian school. They pray together. They study God’s Word together. They wear purity rings. It is genuine. They don’t deny any of this. In the August 2008 Rolling Stone father, Kevin Sr., said, “On a personal level, faith is extremely important. But I kind of cringe every time I read references to them being a Christian band, for the simple reason that they don’t sing Christian music. Probably because of my background, the boys get lumped into Christian-music genre. But it isn’t their genre.” Concerns For the first time in a long time I can say that there were no real concerns in this movie. There is one scene, seconds long, where the brothers come back stage. Joe takes his shirt off and puts on another one. The others are starting to change, too, but you never see it. After the movie, my five-year-old niece kept referring to this as the “naked” scene. It wasn’t. Teachable Themes Worshiping Idols The word “idol” is often used to describe stars in the entertainment field. While they not be statues or graven images, often these larger than life images that we project on personalities like the Jonas Brothers cause us to “worship” them in a way…giving all our time, attention and even love to them. We must strive to be balanced. Prayer The Jonas Brothers pray and dedicate all of their concerts (and everything they do) to God. The Importance of Parents/Family The Jonas Brothers look to their parents for guidance and rely on family to help them along the way. Expectations While the Jonas Brothers are Christians and seem dedicated to their faith, the possibility exists that they will fall and make mistakes along the way. They are human and like all of us, they are sinners. Riches The Jonas Brothers are obviously making a lot of money doing what they do. Fame Who could be more famous that the Jonas Brothers? What does fame bring? Be an Example Wherever you are whatever you do, be an example. Biblical References On Idols Exodus 20:4-5 “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods.” (NLT) Prayer 1 Thessalonians 5:17 “Never stop praying.” (NLT) Parents Deuteronomy 31:6 “Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do.” (NLT) Proverbs 15:5-6 “Only a fool despises a parent’s discipline; whoever learns from correction is wise. There is treasure in the house of the godly, but the earnings of the wicked bring trouble.” (NLT) Expectations Psalm 40:4 “Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord, who have no confidence in the proud or in those who worship idols. Psalm 118:8-9 “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in people. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.” (NLT) Riches/Fame 1 Kings 3:13 “And I will also give you what you did not ask for—riches and fame! No other king in all the world will be compared to you for the rest of your life! Note: The whole story of Solomon asking for wisdom [1 Kings 3] would be great to share here.)” (NLT) Proverbs 22:1 “Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold.” (NLT) Be an Example in All You Do Psalm 71:6-8 “Yes, you have been with me from birth; from my mother’s womb you have cared for me. No wonder I am always praising you! My life is an example to many, because you have been my strength and protection. That is why I can never stop praising you; I declare your glory all day” (NLT) Colossians 3:17 “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” (NLT) Discussion Questions Who is your favorite Jonas Brother? Why? What is your favorite Jonas Brothers song? Why? Can you sing it for me? What one important thing in your life would you give up to meet the Jonas Brothers? The Jonas Brothers pray before they sing? Why do you think they do that? Do you think the Jonas Brothers have to work hard? The Jonas’ parents are very important to them. They are with them most of the time. Why do you think it is important to turn to your parents and respect them? Some people call the Jonas Brothers “Teen Idols.” The Bible tells us that we shouldn’t worship. We know you would never physically bow down and worship them, but what are some ways that we do give our affection and hope to teen idols? The Jonas Brothers are very famous. What do you think would be great about being famous? What would be bad about being famous? The Jonas Brothers are making a lot of money doing what they do. Can you trust in riches? Conclusion I would go to see this one again…except for the cost…so, me and my girly-girls will just wait for the DVD. It was a whole lot of fun. Although I have mentioned the cost a few times, I have to say it is still a whole lot cheaper than going to a concert, and you have better seats and sound. Enjoy!

More Good News

Wow God is sooooo good!!! He has put together a tremendous team to reach the kids at Killian Elementary

Golda Kraus, Nancy Davis, Darleene Pennell, Peter Spadetti, LeRoy & Izola Alexander, Connie Page, Taylor Irizarry and myself have attended and served in the Bible club so far. We still have hopes that Joyce Sistrunk will be able to join our team and…..one of the parents from the club, Renee Johnson should be joining our team soon!!! Regina Harlan has been our prayer coordinator and obviously is doing something right because things couldn’t be going better!!!

We had 2 decisions for the Lord the first week, 5 decisions last week, and 2 more this week for a grand total of 9 kids that have given their lives to Jesus!!! We now have close to 40 kids that have signed up for the club and many more appear to be coming as the word is spreading about what we are doing throughout the school.

Our favour with the school is tremendous. In fact, Mrs Watkins who is the director of the Boys and Girls Club at Killian (an after school program with 177 members) is going to work with us on promoting our sports camp this summer!!!! This is an awesome opportunity to reach a LARGE number of kids that we wouldn’t have had access to this summer.

As we move forward please be praying for our Sports Camp in July to reach many kids for Christ and that we would have enough team members to make a strong impact during the week. Also be praying for Sandlapper Elementary and for the Lord to open the door for us there as well. It’s plain to see that God is on the move here…we just need to try and keep up with him haha!!! If there is any way some of you can clear your schedule to help at least one or two days of Sports camp if not the whole thing that would be great. I know most of you work and I wouldn’t want to ask that you use a big part of your time off for this but if you could take one or two half days it sure would help. The Sandlapper club we hope to start next year is a weekly commitment but if you can work it into your schedule the payoff for you would be HUGE!!! Just ask one of our Killian team members they will tell you…There are other ways to be involved if you are unable to attend so if you are interested please contact me.

Peace out

Pastor Chris

Good News Club

Seriously what other kind of news could we possibly have in the Good News Club??? Haha!!

We had 16 kids in attendance the 1st week of GNC with 2 giving their lives to the Lord…Last week we were “snowed out” haha…This week we now have 30 kids registered and had 25 in attendance!!! Now for the REALLY good news…5 more boys and girls gave their lives to Jesus this week!!! That makes 7 kids total that maybe would not have made a decision to serve God without our team’s participation!!! Hallelujah!!

One of the boys from the club came to church along with his family 2 Sundays ago and they are interested in becoming members of NorthStar!!! I am telling you God is up to something!!!

We also served the entire Killian Elementary staff (100 folks) lunch for an in-service day they had last week. We are begining what I hope to be a strong long term relationship with the faculty and staff of Killian. They are really some wonderful people and it’s exciting to have an opportunity to serve them.

Please continue to pray for the club to grow, for kids to open up their hearts to the gospel, for us to have favour with parents as we reach out to their children when they have made a decision for the Lord.

Blessings

Pastor Chris

Star Trooper News

I am so excited to say that we have a brand new Star Trooper Coordinator Mrs Kimberly Munteanu!!!

Kimberly has been serving in Star Troopers since it began last year. This is one of, if not the, fastest growing area of the church. Kimberly has been vital in the birth and growth of this ministry and will do a tremendous job in this role.

The next time you see Kimberly please tell her congratulations and thank her for her heart to serve and the love and commitment she has for our children.

Pastor Chris

(aka the Ninja Pastor)

Flag Football Frenzy

Good Morning All,

I just wanted to remind everyone that if you are interested in your child (boy or girl) joining our Flag Football group we really need you to reserve their space if you haven’t done so already.

To reserve the space you can call the church office 736-9250 or email me c.pedersen@northstarcolumbia.org. I hope you will consider letting your child participate. They will learn some basic football skills and rules, get some great exercise, further develop relationships with other christian kids, and have a GREAT time!!!

I appreciate you guys…please let me know if you have any questions.

Pastor Chris

aka “The Ninja Pastor”

Movie Review: Bedtime Stories

Hi guys,

Another review from the kidology children’s pastor network….Enjoy!

Overview

I grew up looking forward to bedtime. I know, most kids dread it, but my father was a great storyteller. He didn’t read them from books. Every night he spun a new tale, and we couldn’t wait to see what would happen next.

In Bedtime Stories, Skeeter Bronson has a father who is also a wonderful storyteller, a great dad, but unfortunately not the best businessman. He must sell the family hotel to Barry Nottingham, but he does so with the promise that if Skeeter “grows up smart,” he will one day manage the hotel.

Twenty-years later, the once mom-and-pop hotel is now the lavish Sunny Vista Nottingham. Barry Nottingham is a tycoon, and his daughter, Violet, is very “Paris Hilton.” Skeeter is a handyman at the hotel still awaiting the top job. His dreams are dashed when the position is given to “yes-man” Kendall Duncan.

Skeeter’s sister, Wendy, has problems of her own. Her husband is divorcing her. She is the principal of a school that is closing. She has to go out of state to apply for a job. Her two children need to be cared for….by her friend Jillian by day and Skeeter by night.

Wendy is a staunch environmentalist and vegan. Her house has no television. Skeeter is like a fish out of water in this environment. With no “fun” books to read the children, Skeeter resorts to what he knows….storytelling. Using his own life for plot points, he puts his tales in different settings. One time he is a cowboy. One time he is a knight. One time he is in outer space.

The children get involved embellishing the tales. Somehow, some way, the parts of the stories that they throw in have a way of coming true. Skeeter starts spinning the tales in such a way that their additions will help him be the winner in the end.

Concerns

This is a Disney movie, but it is an Adam Sandler movie. Marry the two and you get a funny, yet slightly crude movie that teaches more bad lessons than good…but in a good-natured way.

Here are just some of the lessons your kids will learn. Your kids will learn that disobeying your mother is okay as long as she is not there. Lying is a good way to get out of trouble; in fact, there is a good bit of very obvious lying in this movie. God’s name is taken “in vain” several times. It is okay to call people unflattering names as long as they fit. It is reasonable, and funny, for a 6-year-old boy to call older girls hot and desire to kiss them. Stealing is okay as long as your motives are good.

You also have to ask the question, what is Violet Nottingham doing in a children’s movie? Her “Paris Hilton” is pretty spot-on. Her reputation is referred to as “loose.” She is called “hot.” It is said, “She likes to have a good time.” The sexual intent is so obvious.

As for violence, it is more the slapstick variety. Bad guys get knocked down with a branch. People get kicked accidentally and on purpose….etc., etc.

I write this review with this disclaimer. This is a well-advertised film and I am sure that many of our children will see it. It is funny and popular, however, I believe that there are enough negative elements, that I would really be concerned about using it as part of a lesson, mainly because that looks like “the church” is endorsing a film that is really not good for children. I revert to the rule that what I may excuse, others may abuse in excess. A child may see this movie at church and because of that watch it at home, and seeing that their church leaders use it as an example, may think the things in the movie are okay to do. I have seen this happen.

Teachable Themes

• Family is Important
  The children’s father has left them, but they do have family to support them.
• Good Things Can Come From Bad Things
  Even though things can go horribly wrong, they can work out for our good.
• Life Doesn’t Always Turn Out the Way We Plan
  Skeeter always thinks he knows how life is going to play out, but it comes out differently in the end….not bad, just differently.
• There are Not Always Happy Endings
  Life is not always perfect like a fairy tale. We watch movies and TV and the circumstances work out in 30 minutes to two hours. Life is not like that.

Biblical References

• Obey Your Parents
  Colossians 3:20
  “Children, always obey your parents, for this pleases the Lord.” (NLT)
• God Will Take Care of Us.
  Psalm 27:10
  “Even if my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will hold me close.” (NLT)
• Trust in the Lord for Everything in Your Life
  Proverbs 3:5-6
  “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” (NIV)

Discussion Questions

1. What was the best bedtime story you ever heard?
2. Who are your heroes?
3. Are there always happy endings?
4. Do you know everything that is going to happen in your life?
5. What are some disappointments that you have faced?

Conclusion
In an interview with Artist Direct, Adam Sandler said this, ” I wanted to do a family movie for a long time. Every Sunday night when I was a kid, we’d watch the Disney movie with Kurt Russell. I was a big fan of Kurt Russell growing up. I wanted to be the modern day Kurt Russell. Now, I live in his old house. I have his old muscles. [Laughs] He has a very Semitic look. [Laughs] I loved Matt Lopez’ script. I thought it was sweet. A lot of the time, kids end up seeing my movies anyway. Some of their mothers yell at me. They tell me I’ve corrupted their children and that I’ve influenced them to pee on walls. I wanted to make sure I did one movie in my career that mothers hugged me for. This could be it.”

I say, it could, but it isn’t. As CP’s we are on a different plane. We are looking for ways to uplift and teach. Spiritually, we are on a very different page. While I enjoyed this movie and laughed along with it, part of me kept saying, “Why did you have to…..?”

This is not a movie for the younger set. Adam Sandler’s young daughter enjoyed it so much that she predicted that their dog would eat it! For the older set, have fun, but get ready to undo all the don’ts that you see after the movie.

Movie Review: Marley & Me