Mac Wiener, Sr., TCHS Choirs, Advent Prayer

HIGH SCHOOL CHAPEL

Tuesday: MAC WIENER, SR. My dad spoke of the work on Jesus in his own life and called students to put their trust in Jesus. With personal testimony, an amazing photo of “Jesus in the clouds”, Scripture passages (Rom.6:23 & Eph.2:8) and an illustration of trust with two chairs, the good news of Jesus Christ was proclaimed!

Thursday: TCHS CHOIRS. Our choirs helped us celebrate the Christmas season with beautiful Christmas music. Enjoy the video!

MIDDLE SCHOOL CHAPEL

Wednesday: ADVENT PRAYER. After singing, we spent time in prayer. Students were invited to move around to various areas: sit by yourself anywhere in the auditorium, write prayer requests or pray for the requests, quietly draw a Christmas picture, ask someone to pray for you. It was a holy moment as we quieted ourselves to pray. Mr. Lundeen led us in singing Go Tell it on the Mountain, Forever Reign and O Come, O Come Immanuel.

NEXT WEEK

Middle School Wednesday: Christmas singing

Advent, Aaron Foster, TCHS Students

HIGH SCHOOL CHAPEL

Tuesday: ADVENT CHAPEL. In our overly busy and commercially driven Christmas season, how do we celebrate Advent? Some students brought their cell phones to the stage. Step one: realize the attraction our phones have on us. We then listed on a white board how are phones are good and not so good. Step two: admit how our phones distract us from what is really important. I read a Christmas story. Step three: be more aware of the needs around us. We spent time in prayer. Step four: spend time in prayer!

Thursday: AARON FOSTER. Aaron, high school youth director at Christ Church of Oak Brook, spoke. It is so easy for us to place our identity in what we do and how we look. In our drive for success and often overly scheduled lives, he drove home this point: God calls us to healthy labor and rejuvenating rest. Next week Aaron is going to create a “Sabbath Space” at Timothy for students to participate in prayerful, rejuvenating rest.

MIDDLE SCHOOL CHAPEL

Wednesday: HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. Ethan & Carson explained the maximum velocity of prayer by using a video of Mr. Rink on a swing and a pendulum physics equation. Jana & Matea used a video to explain God’s majesty. Chrissy then read Psalm 8 on top of an eight foot step ladder. We then transitioned to the fact that God is also personal through a skit featuring Bethany and explained by Leah & Elise. The whole point of the chapel was wrapped up by Joshua and Alex in a humorous, yet meaningful way. When we pray, we need to consider both God’s majestic and personal nature. Darrell, Jana and Bethany led us in singing My Lighthouse and Lay Me Down.

NEXT WEEK

High School Tuesday: Mac Wiener, Sr.; Thursday: TCHS Choir

Middle School Wednesday: Advent Prayer

Thanksgiving Sharing and the Chapel Band

HIGH SCHOOL CHAPEL

Tuesday: CHAPEL BAND. Our student-led band led us in worship. As usual, students moved toward the front. We sang Come Thou Fount, This We Know, Lay Me Down and Your Grace is Enough.

Thursday: THANKSGIVING SHARING. We sang Praise to the Lord, the Almighty and read Psalm 100 responsively. For the remainder of the chapel, students came to the open mics to share thanks.

MIDDLE SCHOOL CHAPEL

Wednesday:THANKSGIVING SHARING. We saw a slideshow of artwork from our previous small group chapel. We read Psalm 100 responsively. And then students were invited to come forward to share what they are thankful for. In total, there were over 60 students who shared! Mr. Lundeen and Elissa led us in singing I Will Follow, You Never Let Go and This We Know

NEXT WEEK (after Thanksgiving)

High School Tuesday: Small Groups; Thursday: Aaron Foster

Middle School Wednesday: TCHS students

Hymn Sing, Small Groups, Bible Skit

HIGH SCHOOL CHAPEL

Tuesday: HYMN SING. We all went across the street to Faith Church and had a traditional hymn sing. Students read the hymn history. Mrs. Erdman and Mrs. Slinkman played the organ and piano. We sang Battle Hymn of the Republic, Holy Holy Holy, And Can it Be, My Jesus I Love Thee and Be Thou My Vision. A worshipful time of singing songs that have withstood the test of time!

Thursday: SMALL GROUP. Groups read Psalm 17:6-8. They reflected on Spiritual Emphasis Week and then shared how they were personally challenged.

MIDDLE SCHOOL CHAPEL

Wednesday: BIBLE STORY. Students helped act out the Bible story, Jesus Calms the Storm, from Matthew 8. Students played the parts of Jesus, the disciples, the boat, the waves and the wind. All the other students were the storm. Myah and Carter led us in singing Cornerstone & Reckless Love

NEXT WEEK

High School Tuesday: Chapel Band; Thursday: Thanksgiving sharing

Middle School Wednesday: Thanksgiving sharing

Chapel Sharing, Kurt Dykstra, MS Small groups

HIGH SCHOOL CHAPEL

Tuesday: STUDENT SHARING. Spiritual Emphasis Week was summarized through words and pictures. Then the floor was opened. Students came forward to share how God worked in their life through the chapels. It was truly a heart-warming and encouraging time of Christian community!

Thursday: KURT DYKSTRA, president of Trinity Christian College. Through a story of a visit to Westminster Abbey in London, a summary of the life of William Carey and a reflection on Ephesians 3:20-21, he emphasized this point to the students: Expect Great Things from God; Attempt Great Things for God.

MIDDLE SCHOOL CHAPEL

Wednesday: SMALL GROUPS. Their main goal was to meditate on Ephesians 3:20-21 and create an artistic representation of the verses using the names of everyone in the group. Mr. Lundeen led us in singing Lay Me Down, Blessed Be Your Name and Good, Good Father.

NEXT WEEK

High School Tuesday: Hymn Sing at Faith CRC; Thursday: Small Groups

Middle School Wednesday: Kyle Bjerga

SPIRITUAL EMPHASIS WEEK

HIGH SCHOOL CHAPEL

SPIRITUAL LIFE EMPHASIS WEEK

Monday: PRAYER CHAPEL: If we are going to focus on prayer this week, it is important, of course, to spend time praying. Students spread out throughout the auditorium (seats, aisles, landing, the stage). They were led in a time of prayer that involved using body posture and hands (sitting, standing, kneeling; hands folded, open, raised). The acronym used was P.R.R.A.Y.: Pause, Repent, Rejoice, Ask, Yield. Each section of prayer was introduced by a psalm reading and then students prayed.

Tuesday: READ SCHUCHARDT, Wheaton College professor: This profound talk explained how we as humans experience the world through our 5 senses and how our technology is changing us. He showed how the digital revolution is making promises to fulfill us and fails. Only God can fulfill us. How do we heal ourselves from the onslaught of pervasive screens? Prayer!

Wednesday: UTURN MASTER’S COMMISSION & LARRY PEREZ: The young adults presented two skits that powerfully communicated the need to make wise choices in our lives. Pastor Larry encouraged students to ask for God’s wisdom and look to Jesus, the Good Shepherd. With all the choices before students, they need to exercise godly discernment and listen for God’s voice.

Thursday: BILL SHIELL, president of Northern Seminary: Dr. Shiell focused on the story of the boy Samuel hearing God’s voice and responding, “here I am. Speak, Lord, your servant is listening”. Each student is an answer to prayer, and God wants to use each student for his kingdom.

Friday: PRAYER CHAPEL. We closed the week with another prayer chapel. As students spread out, they were encouraged to pray for one another or go to a teacher for prayer. It was a holy time as students embraced the time and sought God in prayer. Words cannot explain the beauty and blessedness of this time in prayer.

Below are photos of our prayer room that was open all week.

MIDDLE SCHOOL CHAPEL

Wednesday: MASTER’S COMMISSION & LARRY PEREZ. The middle school was blessed with the same chapel as the high school today.

NEXT WEEK

High School Tuesday: Sharing on last week; Thursday: Kurt Dykstra 

Middle School Wednesday: Small Groups

Chapel Band

HIGH SCHOOL CHAPEL

Tuesday: CHAPEL BAND. The worship leaders (the band) led the worship team (all of the rest of us) in singing Cornerstone, Fierce, Great I am, Great Things, and I Need You—a blessed time of worship!

NEXT WEEK

High School: Spiritual Emphasis Week, chapel everyday

Middle School Wednesday: Larry Perez

Small Groups & Focus on Prayer

HIGH SCHOOL CHAPEL

Tuesday: SMALL GROUPS. After a mixer game, Psalm 8 was read. Students shared their reflections on the psalm. Then students discussed what stood out to them in the last couple of chapels (Cliff Wiener, the Prayer Course video & student-led chapel on prayer).

Thursday: PREPARING FOR SPIRITUAL EMPHASIS WEEK. Harrison, Zack & Josh spoke of their vision for a Prayer Request Box. They want to put more effort into praying for their fellow students. The idea for a Prayer Room was announced. It will be available to students during our special week of daily chapels, October 28 to November 1. Then we heard from four teachers about “prayer wisdom” for the students. We ended chapel with a time of prayer.

NEXT WEEK

High School Tuesday: Chapel Band

Prayer Course, Student-Led, MS Small Groups

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GIVE A STUDENT YOUR PHONE TO TAKE PHOTOS OF A CHAPEL:

HIGH SCHOOL CHAPEL

Tuesday: THE PRAYER COURSE. We are focusing a lot on prayer this month, culminating in a Spiritual Emphasis Week Oct. 28 to Nov.1. Today we watched a video on prayer by Peter Greig. If you are interested, here’s the video:

Thursday: STUDENT-LED CHAPEL ON PRAYER. We opened chapel with Ethan explaining the maximum velocity of prayer by using a video of Mr. Rink on a swing and a pendulum physics equation. Jana & Matea used a video to explain God’s majesty. Chrissy then read Psalm 8 on top of an eight foot step ladder. We then transitioned to the fact that God is also personal. In a skit, Bethany was at play practice and clearly not doing well. After practice, the director showed his concern for Bethany’s life. The whole point of the chapel was wrapped up by Joshua and Alex in a humorous, yet meaningful way. When we pray, we need to consider both God’s majestic and personal nature.

MIDDLE SCHOOL CHAPEL

Wednesday: SMALL GROUPS. Students got into small groups by grade and then by birth month. The “mixer” questions were about a favorite meal & something exciting that happened in the past year. Then we turned our attention to Ephesians 3:20-21. After saying it aloud, we spent some quiet time reflecting on the verses. Each student then shared about the verse. Tim & Elissa led the singing. We sang one of our favorites, My Lighthouse! Enjoy the video.

NEXT WEEK

High School Tuesday: Small Groups; Thursday: Chapel Plans for Prayer

Spanish Honor Society & Cliff Wiener

HIGH SCHOOL CHAPEL

Tuesday: SPANISH HONOR SOCIETY. Our opening in prayer was in both in Spanish and English. We also prayed the Lord’s Prayer in Spanish to end the chapel. In between we heard about God’s blessing of learning form different cultures and enjoyed a Spanish trivia contest. Students sang with loud voices & clapping two Spanish songs: Alabare and Eres Todo Poderoso con Letra.

Thursday: CLIFF WIENER, my brother from Australia! Cliff is on the leadership team at YWAM Perth, AU. He spoke about who Jesus is from the Apostle John’s perspective. Jesus was an ordinary looking man as he walked the earth. But in the book of Revelation, Jesus is shining with bright glorious light and overwhelming majesty. We need to remember both sides of Jesus as we follow him as Lord and as friend.

MIDDLE SCHOOL CHAPEL

Wednesday: CLIFF WIENER. Cliff led us on the piano as we worshiped God by singing Blessed Be Your Name and 10,000 Reasons. His talk? Read all about it in the High School Thursday description. Additionally in this chapel, Cliff’s son, Sam, shared a bit with the students.

NEXT WEEK

High School Tuesday: Prayer Course; Thursday: Student-led on prayer

Middle School Wednesday: Small Groups

Chapel Band, Kyle Bjerga, MS Students Share

HIGH SCHOOL CHAPEL

Tuesday: CHAPEL BAND. Our first chapel of worship through song led by our all-student chapel band. We sang Lay Me Down, Our God, O Come to the Altar, Lion and the Lamb and Our God is Greater. What a blessed time of worship!

Thursday: KYLE BJERGA, youth pastor at Cityview Church in Elmhurst. Kyle challenged us to discipleship through this definition: when the Word of God and prayer is infused in genuine relationships over an extended period of time. We need to to ourselves “who is my Paul? and who is my TImothy? Who can mentor me and who can I mentor in the faith?

MIDDLE SCHOOL CHAPEL

Wednesday: STUDENTS SHARING ABOUT THE SUMMER. We saw a slideshow of summer photos that students had submitted. Next, we all were quiet and reflected on “God moments” from this past summer. Students were invited to the stage to share how they were encouraged in their faith this summer. About 40 students came forward to share! And thanks to Grant for leading our worship through song!

NEXT WEEK

High School Tuesday: Spanish Honor Society; Thursday: Cliff Wiener

Middle School Wednesday: Cliff Wiener